After killing the crocodile, I could finally admire what awaited me. Despite being able to see it from a distance, being closer allowed me to see much better. The landscape in front of me consisted of a chain of mountains to the north, a large forest to the south, and a vast plain in the center.
Currently, I am in the part of the plain connected to the lake.
Even as I marveled at the beauty, I didn't forget my men who fell to the crocodile. So, in their honor, I erected ten crosses for the fallen.
"What do we do now?"
"Now, we'll extract what we can use from it, then find a place to set up camp."
After spending some time skinning the crocodile, we left the riverbank and decided to head towards the plains.
Upon arrival, we documented everything, creating a mini-map with details of our journey.
We didn't venture too far, only about a 30-minute walk from the lake.
Despite leaving at dawn, we spent about 6 hours at the lake and some additional time dealing with the crocodile.
Adding the time spent walking and setting up camp, everyone ended up exhausted.
"Let's rest here; tomorrow, we'll explore this place."
"Alright, chief. Ahh, to think that now it's just us fifteen."
"Don't worry. Even with just us fifteen, we'll manage. And think, if it weren't for the ten who died, we wouldn't even be here."
"I know, but it still feels strange. If it were before, I wouldn't care, but now, I feel something here. I've never felt this before. Is this what you mentioned, that emotion thing?"
"Yes, it is. What you're feeling is sadness."
"How do I get rid of it? I don't feel good about it."
"You can't. Losing comrades is normal, and we feel it. It's something only time can heal."
"I see."
"Now, go rest. Tomorrow will be another long day."
It was still afternoon, so I decided to relax for the rest of the day, preparing for exploration tomorrow.
I wished I had access to a GPS. From what I remember, there shouldn't be these mountains here. Well, I'm over 2 million years from where I came, so geographical changes can be justified.
I just hope there are some mineral veins there. Iron and other metals will be essential for the future.
So, I spent the afternoon until nightfall planning what to do, depending on what I would find.
At dawn, we set out with the rising sun.
Before leaving, I checked all my resources—weapons, supplements, medicines, and useful tools.
After ensuring everything, I made the decision on where we would go.
"Let's head towards the mountains. From there, we can get a better sense of our surroundings."
"Alright, chief. But what if we encounter an animal like that crocodile again?"
"Well, if we encounter another animal like that crocodile, we'll fight, just as we did before. But this time, we'll be prepared, and we won't lose more of us."
"So, don't worry; let's go."
"Martins."
"Yes."
"Keep an eye on the others. Fear can be very problematic."
"I'll keep an eye on them."
"Great."
Usually, only Martins asks me questions, but this time, even the other members gathered the courage to talk to me. This is a good sign, indicating that they are improving their communication skills, but their fear of the unknown can be troublesome. If it becomes too extreme, they might act without thinking, resulting in something that shouldn't happen.
Now that I think about it, except for those with specific roles, no one in the tribe has a proper name. I simply refer to them as "hey, you." I think I should give them names or teach them to give themselves names.
During the walk towards the mountains, I noticed a few things. The flora was different from where I was, and I found many plants I had never seen before. Another thing was the animals.
I didn't recognize any of them.
Besides the pilus, all the animals I had encountered were ancestors that had already been cataloged.
But here I was, surrounded by animals I had never seen before.
They weren't like aliens, but they were like the pilus, a fusion of animals.
If I were to mix animals to create a pilu, it would be rhinoceroses, obviously, but also hippos for size and perhaps koalas for the ears, while the fur would be unique to it.
Do the animals I'm seeing resemble cows?
How is this possible?
Cows shouldn't exist in this era.
Well, a 10-meter crocodile or Australopithecus with Stone Age technology shouldn't either, but this goes beyond minor changes. This could alter everything I thought I knew.