The next day came slowly, or at least, that's how it felt for Blue. Time had a way of blending together when you were scurrying under rocks and crawling through grass. He wasn't sure if it was morning or afternoon, but the light filtering through the trees above gave everything a soft, hazy glow.
Blue stretched—or rather, he flexed his tiny legs and curled his tail—before scuttling out from under his rocky shelter. It was time to explore more of this strange new world. Yesterday had been… interesting, to say the least. He'd survived his first day as a black-and-blue-scaled scorpion, hunted for food, and even gotten into a couple of cute—though dangerous—scuffles. Not bad for his first day on the job.
But now, he was curious. What else was out there? What other creatures roamed this strange wilderness? And, more importantly, how could he avoid getting eaten by them?
As Blue wandered deeper into the forest, he kept his eyes—again, whatever scorpions had for eyes—peeled for movement. He didn't want to repeat his mistake of getting too close to potential threats. Every rustle of the leaves, every snap of a twig made him pause, his pincers at the ready.
Soon enough, he started encountering some of the local wildlife.
First, there were the birds. They flew overhead, their shadows sweeping across the ground. Some were small and harmless-looking, like sparrows or finches. But others—larger, more menacing—perched in the trees with sharp talons and beady eyes, scanning the ground for their next meal. Blue made a mental note: avoid birds. They could swoop down and pluck him up in an instant.
Then, there were the bugs. Not the tiny, regular insects he'd been feasting on yesterday—these were something else entirely. Giant beetles with thick, armored shells scuttled across the forest floor, their antennae twitching as they searched for food. He could handle them if it came to a fight, but he didn't fancy his chances if more than one of them ganged up on him. He made another mental note: avoid beetles. Too risky.
At one point, Blue stopped in his tracks as he heard a deep, guttural growl in the distance. Peeking through the grass, he spotted a massive creature lumbering through the trees—a beast with fur as dark as night, its teeth bared in a snarl as it chased down its prey. Blue's tail curled defensively as he watched the monster tear into a smaller animal. Whatever that thing was, he wanted nothing to do with it. Mental note: avoid anything with teeth larger than your whole body.
As Blue continued his cautious exploration, he couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. This forest was teeming with life—dangerous, terrifying life—but still, life. It was a whole new ecosystem, and despite the danger, he found himself fascinated by the variety of creatures that called it home.
But just as he was getting comfortable in his observer role, something familiar appeared in his path.
The other scorpions.
Blue stopped, his pincers twitching as he spotted them—two of them, slightly larger than him, skittering through the grass. They hadn't noticed him yet, and for a moment, Blue considered turning back the way he came. After all, he'd already had a run-in with them yesterday, and it hadn't exactly gone smoothly.
But then again…
Blue's tail twitched. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to remind them who they were messing with. Besides, he thought, if I keep running, they'll just come after me again. He clicked his pincers, steeling himself. Might as well settle this now.
With that, he scuttled forward, closing the distance between him and the other scorpions. As soon as they noticed him, their tails snapped into position, ready for a fight. Blue mirrored the motion, his body tensing in anticipation.
One of the scorpions lunged at him, pincers snapping. Blue dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. He wasn't about to let them bully him again. His tail whipped forward, striking the first scorpion in the side. The other one hissed and charged, but Blue was ready this time. He ducked under its attack, his pincers catching its leg and pulling it off balance.
The scuffle that followed was… well, cute, in a deadly kind of way. Tiny pincers clicked against each other, tails lashed out, and Blue darted back and forth, trying to keep his distance from the larger scorpions. He managed to land a few hits, his venomous stinger finding its mark more than once, but the fight was more about avoiding serious injury than anything else.
Eventually, after a few minutes of back-and-forth skirmishing, the other scorpions seemed to lose interest. They backed off, hissing in frustration before scurrying away into the underbrush. Blue watched them go, his body still tense from the fight.
Well, that could've gone worse, he thought, shaking off the adrenaline. He hadn't come out unscathed—there were a few scratches here and there—but all things considered, he'd held his own. Not bad for a little guy.
With the other scorpions gone, Blue continued his journey through the forest, carefully avoiding any other threats that crossed his path. It was slow going, but eventually, he noticed something that made him stop in his tracks.
Smoke.
It was faint, just a thin column rising in the distance, but it was unmistakable. Blue's curiosity got the better of him, and he moved toward it, keeping to the shadows as he approached. The closer he got, the more details he noticed—voices, the smell of cooking food, and finally, through the trees, the sight of a small village.
Human structures dotted the landscape—wooden houses with thatched roofs, dirt paths winding between them, and people walking to and fro, going about their daily business. It was a settlement, not unlike the ones he remembered from his past life, though simpler, more rural.
Blue hesitated, hiding in the grass at the edge of the clearing. Humans, he thought. He hadn't expected to see them here. Somehow, in the back of his mind, he'd thought this world was all monsters and beasts. But here they were—regular people, living their lives.
He watched them from afar, unsure of what to do. Part of him wanted to get closer, to see if they could help him in some way. Maybe there was a way to reverse his scorpion state? But another part of him—a more instinctual part—warned him to stay away. Humans might not react kindly to a strange, venomous scorpion creeping into their village.
For now, he decided to wait. He would observe, learn more about them before making any rash decisions.
As Blue watched from the shadows, the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the village. He'd come a long way since waking up under that rock, but something told him his adventure was only just beginning.