**Primal Wild: Chapter 2 - Into the Unknown**
The snow-capped peaks of the mountain loomed under a pale morning sun as Lucas guided Rye, his Pallas cat avatar, out of the shallow cave that had sheltered him during the night. The crisp air was biting, the ground covered in a thick layer of powdery snow that muffled Rye's movements. The *Primal Wild* world continued to impress Lucas with its vivid detail, but the cold biome presented unique challenges he hadn't yet mastered.
"Surviving here's going to take more than just hunting and hiding," Lucas muttered.
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### **Skill Experimentation**
As Rye padded through the snow, Lucas decided it was time to explore more and see what the snow mountain biome offered. The frosty terrain was treacherous, with icy patches and jagged rocks hidden beneath the snow.
While navigating through a dense cluster of frozen pines, Rye came across a tree with deep claw marks etched into its bark. A tooltip popped up:
**Claw-Marked Tree: Evidence of a predator marking territory. Interacting may unlock related skills.**
Curious, Lucas guided Rye to mimic the action, clawing at the bark. The sound of sharp claws scratching frozen wood echoed through the quiet forest, and moments later, a notification appeared:
**New Skill Acquired: Claw Swipe (Novice, Level 1)**
**Description:** A basic melee attack that deals moderate damage. Consumes SP.
Lucas grinned. "That'll come in handy if anything decides to attack."
Testing the skill on nearby objects—a frozen log and a cluster of icy rocks—showed its effectiveness. The marks left behind confirmed its strength, but Lucas noted its SP cost, making it a tactical option rather than a default attack.
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### **Unlocking Night Vision**
The dense trees and rocky cliffs cast long shadows across the snow, making visibility challenging. Lucas found himself squinting to make out details in the dim light of the biome's perpetual overcast skies.
As Rye ventured deeper, he entered a narrow crevasse that was nearly pitch-black. A tooltip appeared:
**Challenge Area: Snow Gorge. Unlockable Skill Potential: Night Vision.**
Lucas guided Rye cautiously through the gorge, focusing on faint glimmers of light reflecting off the ice and subtle movements in the darkness. After several minutes of careful exploration, another notification appeared:
**New Skill Acquired: Night Vision (Novice, Level 1)**
**Description:** Enhances vision in low-light environments. Consumes SP gradually when active.
Activating the skill illuminated the dark gorge in a faint greenish hue. Hidden details emerged, including a small cluster of snow mice darting between cracks in the icy walls. Lucas used **Silent Step** to sneak closer, then combined it with **Claw Swipe**, efficiently taking down a mouse.
The loot screen showed:
**Snow Mouse: Raw meat. Compatible with carnivorous species. May spoil if left uneaten for too long.**
"Definitely going to need better food options," Lucas muttered, stashing the meat in his inventory.
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### **Facing a Snowy Predator**
The snowy terrain was far from peaceful. While experimenting with **Claw Swipe** on a cluster of frozen shrubs, Lucas suddenly noticed movement nearby. Rye's ears twitched as a low growl broke the silence.
A raccoon-like creature, covered in thick white fur with glowing blue eyes, emerged from behind a rock. Its tooltip read:
**Frost Raccoon: Neutral but territorial. May attack if provoked.**
Lucas debated whether to engage but decided it was a good opportunity to test Rye's combat abilities. Activating **Silent Step**, he approached the creature and struck with **Claw Swipe**. The attack landed cleanly, but the raccoon retaliated with surprising speed, delivering a heavy bite that reduced Rye's HP significantly.
"Okay, not as easy as it looks," Lucas muttered, retreating to reassess. He activated **Night Vision** to track the raccoon's movements in the dim light and waited for an opening.
The raccoon lunged again, but with **Feline Reflexes** boosting his dodge rate, Rye narrowly avoided the attack. Lucas countered with another **Claw Swipe**, finally defeating the creature.
**Loot Obtained:**
- **Frosted Pelt (Material)**
- **Raccoon Meat x1**
"Lesson learned—don't underestimate anything out here," Lucas said, guiding Rye to a safer area to recover.
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### **Progress and New Discoveries**
By mid-afternoon, Lucas had adapted to the snow mountain biome's challenges. He practiced skill combinations and found that using **Silent Step** to position Rye for ambushes, followed by **Claw Swipe**, was an effective hunting strategy.
Each successful hunt and interaction brought Rye closer to leveling up. By the end of the session, a notification appeared:
**Level Up! Rye has reached Level 3.**
New stats and abilities were unlocked:
**Passive Skill Acquired: Feline Reflexes (Passive)**
**Description:** Increases dodge rate and reduces SP consumption for evasion-based skills.
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### **Status Check and Logout**
As the evening set in, Lucas decided to check Rye's updated stats before logging out.
**Name:** Rye
**Race:** Pallas Cat
**Level:** 3
**HP:** 50/50
**MP:** 15/15
**SP:** 40/40
**STR:** 7
**AGI:** 11
**INT:** 5
**VIT:** 8
**CHA:** 3
**Skills:**
- **Bite (Novice, Level 2)**
- **Silent Step (Novice, Level 2)**
- **Claw Swipe (Novice, Level 1)**
- **Night Vision (Novice, Level 1)**
- **Feline Reflexes (Passive)**
Lucas guided Rye back to the cave to rest and set up a marker on his map. As he logged out, he couldn't help but feel excited for the next session. The snow mountain biome was harsh but rewarding, and Lucas was eager to see what else it had in store.
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**End of Chapter 2**