[First - Person]
I asked the squirrel for information but as I thought it seems to not be able to communicate with humans and other races. Aside from animals of course. After telling the squirrel that we can communicate I hope to get some information about my surroundings as well as potential enemies that might be dangerous to me. I know that I'm very strong for humans and other races my "age" but I have yet to fully explore my body and have yet to temper myself with the egg shards. Till then my body is as vulnerable as a human child. A danger I intend to take seriously.
The squirrel seems to have understood my intention which means it possesses a pretty developed soul. An indicator for its heightened intelligence.
(It seems it did experience some kind of evolution but how?)
It squeaks at me and it seems like its telling me that there are no dangerous elements in a radius of a few kilometers. It seems like my birthing process scared most animals away.
"Why weren't you scared away?"
Is what I asked curiously as I cannot think of a reason as to why a squirrel is braver than most predators around here.
It seems to have a very deep relationship with something it calls "Stony"? I cannot understand what it means. The communication is too unreliable.
(I have to think of something else. this method only conveys the general intention. It seems to be incapable of truly translating another language.)
"Now squirrel I have a proposal. Our communication is very unreliable. I know that you can understand me fully but my method can only translate the general meaning of what you want to tell me. As such, I'd like to use a memory imprint. Apparently, it is something every animal can use to teach they're descendants so I presume you can also use that. I know that this is a very intimate process but I can sense that you too wish for something from me as such this is the optimal option for us."
I can see that the squirrel seems reluctant to use this method but I want that information.
"Now see, you are the only animal in a radius of several kilometers, have a heightened intelligence and are not too hostile to me which makes you the perfect informant. As such I have no reason to harm you. Don't you think?"
I seem to have succeeded in convincing the squirrel as it slowly but still reluctantly, inches closer to me. I slowly drop to my knees and cut my index finger by biting it with my teeth. Once some blood appears and the taste of iron spreads in my mouth I stretch my finger towards the squirrel which drops some blood from its mouth onto my finger.
Once the drop of blood connects with my finger my vision is filled by a warning screen in bright red, indicating the intrusion of foreign memories into the system. I will the system to assimilate the memories, who are instantly sorted and cleaned of anything unnecessary. Now my vision is occupied by a short video showcasing the relevant information I wanted to obtain.
Based on the newly obtained information this cave has an approximate size of 25 Kilometers in all directions. My current position is in a well-hidden corner in the west side of the cave. The next entrance or exit to the cave seems to be around 3 kilometers towards the west.
Since I cleared this I should now think about dangers like predators and other dangerous elements inside and outside the cave.
(Predators seem to be relatively rare inside the cave. Small time predators like lizards and small cats of prey are present in small numbers but shouldn't be a big problem once I tempered my body.)
Since I checked the most important aspects I focus my attention on its request. Its friend called Stony seems to have undergone some weird transformations and now it wants answers from me. What I notice while checking those memories is that Stony...seems to be me. As far as I can understand Stony is the egg out of which I "hatched". What I also understand is the anomaly with the squirrel's body.
(It seems to have profited from my birthing process as the egg released a lot of energy to generate enough biomass to produce my bodies)
Having come to this conclusion I turn my attention to the last part of the memories.
(Well I'm most certainly impressed. It seems to be even smarter than I expected)
The last memories consist of its experience in the universal animal language. Animals have their individual language but can also talk with each other as their ancestors seem to have created a universal language.
(AN: Imagine me speaking German (I'm german btw.) and you speak Swedish or Nihongo (Japanese). Despite us speaking different languages we can most probably communicate through English as most people nowadays can speak at least basic English.)
I turn my attention onto this part of the memories and have the system make a copy and manually order it to analyze it. After waiting a couple of seconds my brain receives an imprint of those memories now filtered and custom-made for myself. After the necessary synaptic connections are set I can use it.
(Now I only need to practice a bit. Let's get this squirrel to talk a bit more.)
"Ok. I checked those memories and am thankful. I'll be able to answer your question as well but first I need to accustom myself to the universal language so I need you to talk more."
Upon saying so the squirrel acts very happy and relaxes its still cautious stance while raising its head with a friendly glint in its eyes.
(It's going well up to now)
"....he.....with a....aura...I.....more for myself...so I fought those other......until I had it for myself. Afterward, I would always.....profit from its aura......strenght and agility were raised but I also thought and...faster. Later on, I would sleep on top of Stony until....-formations happened because of.....I had to move.....I observed it and stony often changed...until that white thing popped out of it. After that, there was only you and me. I didn't understand everything so I hoped that, after you explained your intention, you would be able to help me and since I answered your question it is your turn now."
P: "Good I shouldn't have a problem with the language now and concerning that Stony, it is like this:
Surely you know how Birds leave descendants."
S: "Yes through eggs which later hatch into small birds. Are you also a bird?"
(Ok, it seems like he can accept the loss of Stony. At least it is not unreasonable.)
P: "No I am something different from a bird, it is just that from the outside our birth is similar to birds. Well apart from the acid and aura stuff."
S: " So you are Stony? Since your the one that released that Aura."
P: "No it was the egg that released the aura. So you were right assuming that the stone or egg was Stony. But ultimately the cause of both, the transformation and the aura, was me."
S: "So I guess you don't want to be called Stony?"
P: "I'd like to avoid that if possible."
.
.
.
After a long and slightly exhausting conversation, I was able to gain some more information and establish a rather friendly relation with the squirrel. After knowing that I don't like the name Stony it wanted to know my "real" name but since I currently don't have one that has to wait.
We did agree to exchange more information should we have or get some.
But I was taken aback by its next question
"Will you be my friend?"