After much deliberation, I've decided to set up camp inside the forest, near one of the largest trees in the thicket. What's that, Puzzle? You want to know why? Excellent question! There are a few reasons, actually, but the main reason is safety. This forest is dark enough that nothing should be able to notice me or my camp, and even if they do, I have confidence in my ability to stay hidden in such a dark place; I've done it before, I can do it again. Being near the largest tree in the area makes it easy to navigate back if I go out hunting, and the area complements my Hearing and Echolocation skills nicely, as it is centrally located in the cavern. After some testing, I discovered that I could find nearly anything in the cavern while positioned in this thicket, whether monster or rock, which should make defending myself easier.

  Distance to water was another big factor for this location. I'm still learning about my new body, so I don't know how long I can go without water. It could be three days, or five, or even a month. I just don't know! Regardless, I need to stay near the creek, just in case.

  The only question is, how am I going to build it? My hands are nimble enough, being as close to human hands as you could probably get for a monster, but I don't have the materials to make a tent; even if I did, it would likely be too obvious to monsters. Honestly, any construction might attract unwanted attention. Could I sleep in the trees? I suppose I have a vaguely jungle cat shape, so it might work. However, when I look up at the wide but thin branches of the canopy above, I have to discard that idea. No, I would probably break them.

  Hmm... wait, that could work. If I can't go up, why not go down? I remember seeing the Digging skill available for purchase when I was last browsing my status. I was planning to use my new skill point for Stealth or something equally useful, and Digging might just be it. Though, I should check the skill description before I make any decisions. I don't want to go all gun-ho and buy something I might not need.

  Pulling up my status and navigating to the [Skills] tab, I'm somewhat surprised to see a couple new ones among the purschaseables. Curious, I pull up their descriptions, along with Digging.

  [Purchasable Skills:]

  ? Digging: Level 1; Rank 1

  Provides subconscious guidance when digging to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

  ? Intimidation: Level 1; Rank 1

  Provides subconscious guidance when intimidating an opponent to appear more threatening and dominant.

  ? Metabolism: Level 1; Rank 1

  Increases metabolism, reducing time spent injured.

  I'm going to have to make a mental note to check these once in a while; they all sound pretty good, and I've only skimmed the list. Digging is the obvious choice in this case. Based on the description, it's exactly what I'll need to build a nice, cozy hole in the ground. Sure, I can probably dig a small den without the skill, but Increasing my efficiency will save me time and energy. And if I'm ever evicted by another monster, I'll have a handy way to post up somewhere new.

  In terms of what I'll get after, Intimidation and Metabolism are high on my priority list so far. Once I sleep off my meal, I'll take the time to look over the rest of the skills and hopefully avoid any impulsive purchases. Take one thing at a time, Aria, and you might just live to see tomorrow! Alright, enough dilly-dallying; Let's get this show rolling! Purchase Digging!

  Immediately, the horrible pain of skill acquisition settles over my mind. Gah, I can't believe I forgot about this! I grind my head into the ground, trying to stifle the pain, but it doesn't do much. I feel like my neurons are being squished! Thankfully, the sensation doesn't last forever, and after around thirty seconds of writhing in the dirt, I pick myself up, dust myself off, and am ready to start my next project. Just wish I could learn a skill without it hurting so damn much. Mutations don't hurt, so why do skills? Speaking of, I should deal with those after I'm done digging.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Muttering to myself about stupid, painful skills, I start looking for a place to dig around the base of the tree, my new skill guiding my hand. Just like the description said, I subconsciously know that most of the spots around this tree are...garbage for digging. The soil is too rocky in this spot. It's too wet over on this side, the dirt turning to mud in my hands when I try. Gross. Come on, there's gotta be—ah ha! Here. Under a bundle of roots and a little to the left is a spot my new skill is practically singing to. This is where I shall build my kingdom, one dirt-covered claw at a time. Pretty grandiose for a hole in the ground, but we take what we can get, right, Puzzle?

  Without any further ado, I begin my excavation. My claws sink into the soft soil with ease, allowing me to scoop large handfuls of dirt and toss them aside. I dig at an angle, following the contours of the roots as I envision the layout of my hovel. I’ve decided on a basic bottleneck design: a long tunnel connected to a spacious chamber that I can customize as I like. This design should give me an advantage if anything invades my den, allowing me to utilize my full kit while minimizing the effectiveness of my opponent. Safety first, as always.

  The rich, loamy scent of soil fills my senses, and dirt clings to my scales as the bottleneck takes shape. I’m about halfway through now, and the dirt is piling up at a rapid pace, forcing me to stop periodically to transport some of it above ground. I’ll need to even it out later to make the hole less obvious. As I dig, my mind wanders to the chamber itself and the plans I have for the space. I plan on claiming this entire cavern someday, so I need to think long-term habitation.

  Let's see, what all does a person—monster, in this case—need to stay in a place for a long time? A home is an obvious one. I think I can cross that off the list, given I'm actively digging myself a den. What else... Storage? Maybe, but I’ll probably limit that to just materials, if I can find any I actually want to keep. If I eat everything I kill whole, I won't need to preserve it.

  A workshop could be useful. I could probably make and use some simple tools with how dextrous my hands are. Ooh, I could make a trap door for the entrance. It doubt it would keep a monster out, but if I covered it with leaves, sticks and other foliage, I should be able to hide my little hovel. The thought tickles my brain something fierce, and I promise myself to at least try.

  I'm jolted from my thoughts by a loud scraping sound and vibrations traveling up my arm. Damn, another rock. You know, aside from having to wrench one of these out of the ground every now and then, digging has actually been kind of fun. It's tough work, and my claws hurt, and all I can think about is how tired I am. But there's something nice about keeping my hands busy. It feels rewarding and meaningful, in a way.

  Reflecting on my progress, I've just begun working on the main chamber. Unfortunately, even though I'm having a lot of fun, my progress has been slow. It's much easier to dig a tunnel than to create a full chamber, especially with the design I have in mind. However, I think I've done enough for today—I'm exhausted. I've dug out a small section that I can block off to get some sleep.

  Gathering up a few piles of dirt, I pack the tunnel entrance tight, leaving only a small ventilation shaft at the top so I don't suffocate. This won't keep anything out if it wants in, but it might just slow them down enough that I have a chance to retaliate. A yawn escapes my muzzle as I work, and before long, I'm stumbling to the darkest, furthest corner I can find. Laying down, my eyes flutter once, then twice, before exhaustion finally claims me.

  Sleep comes to me in restless, tortured fits, a dreamscape painted by nightmares. The previous day's events replay in my mind, but warped, a cruel kaleidoscope where every misstep becomes a catastrophe. I'm forced to live through each gruesome detail. I feel the shudder as bones snap and scales crunch when the Shadow Bison tracks me down, its ice-blue eyes staring into my soul as it opens its maw to consume me. The pack of sabertooth stoats, a flurry of fur and teeth, rips me apart, celebrating in the viscera, their movements a grotesque dance. The Missle Beetle impales me with its horns, its segmented body then settling down to consume my still cooling flesh. In another terrifying loop, I misjudge an angle, and the tunnel gives way, a crushing weight of dirt and stone burying me alive.

  I surface from these horrors repeatedly, my heart hammering, only to sink back into a new, equally chilling nightmare. After the fifth cycle of waking and slipping away, I decide sleep isn't such a necessity after all.

  Yawning groggily, I shake off the dirt and debris that clings to me, sending dust floating through the air. Well, that was... unpleasant. I guess I was more shaken up yesterday than I realized. At least, I hope that’s just how I processed yesterday’s drama. If I have to relive that every night, I might just avoid sleeping for the rest of my life. Don’t look at me like that; I’m sure I’d figure it out eventually.

  Still, new day, new me, literally. I have a lot of plans for today, and the most important is to deal with the fun stuff: Mutations.