When he reached the rocks, he crouched down and began searching between the cracks. At first, there was nothing but snow and stone, but just as he was about to give up, his fingers brushed against something solid.
Wood.
Sam yanked at it, pulling free a couple of frozen branches that had been lodged between the rocks. They were rough, splintered, but definitely wood.
The interface blinked into view with a soft chime:
"Objective completed: Collect wood. Rewards: 2 Primal Points."
Sam exhaled, relieved. "Finally," he whispered, standing up and shaking the snow off the wood. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep the fire going.
Sam hurried back to the cave, the icy wind slapping his face as he held the wood close. Every step felt heavier, his body worn out from the cold and exhaustion. But the thought of the fire—of Kira warming up and him getting just a little bit of comfort—kept him going.
When he finally reached the entrance of the cave, he sighed in relief. The stone walls shielded him from the relentless wind, and the fire he'd made earlier was still flickering weakly in the corner.
He carefully set the wood down and pulled Kira out from under his jacket. She yawned, stretching her tiny paws before curling back into a small ball, her soft fur brushing against his skin.
Sam smiled. "You're really gonna be my little partner in all this, huh?"
The moment he picked up a piece of wood and tossed it in the fire, the system blinked to life again.
New Crafting Option Unlocked:
Fire Upgrade.
Cost: 2 Primal Points.
He blinked at the screen, his eyes flicking between the crackling flames and the interface. "A fire upgrade?" he muttered, curious. Without hesitation, he tapped the option.
The fire in the corner sputtered for a moment, as if unsure of what was happening. Then, with a burst of heat, it roared to life, the flames growing taller and warmer. The entire cave filled with a golden glow, chasing away the cold that had clung to Sam's bones.
Sam stepped back, his eyes wide with surprise. "Whoa…" He could feel the heat radiating through the space, and for the first time since he'd arrived in this strange new world, he wasn't freezing.
Kira stirred in his arms, her small body twitching as the warmth settled in. Sam sat her down next to the fire, making sure she was comfortable before he sat across from her, holding out his hands to the flames.
Sam stretched out by the fire, the warmth easing the tension from his body. He curled up next to Kira, who was already fast asleep, her tiny body rising and falling with each soft breath. The crackling flames filled the cave with a soothing rhythm, and for the first time since everything had changed, Sam felt a little safe.
His eyelids grew heavy, the exhaustion from the day finally catching up to him. The firelight flickered against the stone walls, creating soft shadows that danced like silent guardians watching over them. Sam glanced at Kira one last time, making sure she was snug and warm, before he let out a slow breath and closed his eyes.
The howling wind outside faded into the background, and the cave seemed to wrap them both in a blanket of quiet. Sam's body sank into the ground, his mind slipping into the soft fog of sleep.
Sam was jolted awake by the sensation of tiny, prickly paws scrambling across his torso. "Oof!" He winced as Kira, still figuring out her coordination, struggled to pull her claws free from his shirt with each clumsy step.
"Hey—what are you doing?" he muttered groggily, blinking as the little sabertooth finally reached his face. Kira sniffed him curiously, her nose cold against his skin. Sam couldn't help but laugh, the tickling sensation forcing a grin onto his sleepy face.
"Okay, okay, I'm up!" he chuckled, gently scratching her behind the ears. "You hungry or something?"
Kira tilted her head, giving him a wide-eyed, innocent look, and Sam sighed.
"I have no idea how I'm gonna get some food for a Sabertooth tiger..." Sam muttered, staring down at Kira, who blinked back at him with those big, expectant eyes. He could barely find enough food for himself in this frozen wasteland, let alone a growing sabertooth cub.
Kira let out a small, playful growl and pawed at his hand, her tiny claws catching the fabric of his shirt again. "Yeah, I know you're hungry," he said, his stomach growling in agreement. "But unless you like rocks and snow, we're in trouble."
He stood up, stretching his stiff legs and feeling the lingering cold in the air. He glanced at the dying fire and then back at the shelter he'd crafted. It was better than nothing, but he was beginning to realize they couldn't stay here forever.
"Guess it's time to figure out what else this system can do," he said, glancing down at the glowing interface that hovered just within his vision. Sam swiped through the options, his mind racing. He knew what he needed to do. It was simple: he just needed more Primal Points, which meant he needed to get back out there.
Kira rubbed against his leg, making a small purring sound, and Sam sighed. "Alright, let's see what we can find, girl. Stay close."
Sam gently tucked Kira back into his shirt, her tiny body warm against his chest. She gave a contented purr, snuggling into the fabric. He pulled his jacket tighter around himself and stepped outside into the quiet night.
The snow crunched softly beneath his boots, and the world around him was still—no wind, no movement, just an endless stretch of white under the faint light of the moon. The cold was biting, but at least the air was calm.
"What do I do?" he muttered to himself, scanning the horizon. "There's barely anything out here... it's just snow, and more snow..." His breath clouded in front of him as he took a few steps forward, aimlessly looking for any sign of life or something useful.
The landscape stretched on, barren and desolate. No trees, no plants, no animals. It was as if he was stuck in an empty world with nothing but snow and silence.
"How am I supposed to survive here?" he wondered, frustration building. He could feel Kira shift against his chest, a reminder that he wasn't alone—but that also meant he wasn't just responsible for himself anymore. She needed food, warmth, protection.
Sam stopped and crouched down, staring at the snow beneath him. "There's got to be something," he said quietly. Then an idea hit him. He pulled up the system interface again, his finger hovering over the menu.
"Maybe there's a tool or something I can craft to help hunt... or at least find food." He scrolled through the Starter Kit options, his heart pounding. There were still so many greyed-out boxes, but he could see the next one on the tree, glowing faintly. The Makeshift Axe.
"Eight Primal Points... I've got zero," he muttered, frustration bubbling up. "I need more." He swiped away the interface and stood, glancing around at the snow-covered wasteland. "Come on, Sam. There's gotta be something out here."
Sam trudged through the snow, his boots sinking deep with every step. The cold air stung his cheeks, but he pushed on, driven by a mix of desperation and determination. Kira shifted against him, her warmth a small comfort in the frigid night.
"Alright, let's see if we can find something useful," he said, squinting into the darkness. The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the landscape. Shadows danced in the corners of his vision, but he reminded himself it was just the night playing tricks.
Suddenly, something caught his eye—a faint glimmer among the snow. Sam's heart raced as he approached, brushing aside the powdery white to reveal what looked like a collection of jagged stones. "What are you?" he whispered, kneeling to inspect them.
They sparkled in the moonlight, and as he examined them closely, he realized they weren't just any stones—they were shards of flint! His eyes widened. "This could be perfect for making tools!"
With renewed energy, Sam carefully gathered the shards and tucked them safely into his pockets. Kira let out a small chirp, and he chuckled softly. "I think we're onto something, Kira!"
Sam continued to rummage through the snow, his fingers growing numb as he searched for materials. Finally, he spotted a cluster of small stones peeking through the white blanket, half-buried but gleaming in the moonlight. He quickly scooped them up, feeling the reassuring weight in his hands.
"New crafting feature unlocked: Manual Crafting System," the system voice announced, its tone calm and clear against the backdrop of the winter wilderness.
Sam blinked, surprised. "Manual Crafting System? What's that?"
"Manual Crafting allows you to create items using collected materials without the need for Primal Points. You must possess the required resources to use it. You will be shown what is possible to craft with the current materials you have, but you will not be given crafting recipes. To figure out what ingredients you need for a craft, you can either unlock the desired item through the Primal Point system, or just continue to gather resources; as you do so, more crafting options will naturally unlock," the voice explained.
"Wow, that sounds useful!" he said, his mind racing with possibilities. No longer would he be solely reliant on Primal Points. He could make things as long as he had the right materials.
He sat down in the snow, setting down his materials. The cold nipped at his fingers, but the thrill of crafting ignited his imagination. "Okay, let's see what I can do."
The glowing interface appeared again, displaying a list of options for the Manual Crafting System. It only displayed crafting options that were possible for him to craft with the current materials he had. There was only one option that wasn't greyed out: a simple knife.
Sam carefully arranged the flint and the stick on the snow-covered ground, his heart racing with anticipation. He focused on the glowing interface, selecting the "Simple Knife" option once more. As he tapped it, the stones and stick began to dematerialize, dissolving into shimmering energy that danced around him.
The particles swirled in a brilliant display, weaving together until they fused into a makeshift knife. The blade, while rough around the edges, gleamed under the moonlight, with a sturdy handle that felt just right in his grip.
Sam's eyes widened in awe as he picked it up, marveling at what he had created. "I did it! I actually made a knife!" he exclaimed, a huge grin spreading across his face.