**Primal Wild: Chapter 1 - Into the Wild**
The rocky outcrop gave way to a narrow path winding down into a snow-dappled forest. Rye, Lucas's Pallas cat avatar, moved cautiously, each pawstep crunching softly on the frost-covered ground. The air was crisp and cold, and the towering evergreens swayed gently in the breeze. Lucas took a moment to appreciate the surroundings.
"Alright," he muttered, speaking to himself. "First things first. Figure out what's edible, find some shelter, and maybe test out those skills."
A quick glance at his status menu brought up Rye's basic stats.
**Name:** Rye
**Race:** Pallas Cat
**Level:** 1
**HP:** 40/40
**MP:** 10/10
**SP:** 30/30
**STR:** 5
**AGI:** 8
**INT:** 4
**VIT:** 6
**CHA:** 3
**Skills:**
- **Bite (Novice, Level 1):** A quick, damaging attack. Consumes SP.
- **Silent Step (Novice, Level 1):** Reduces noise while moving. Consumes SP over time.
**Inventory:**
- Empty
"Limited resources, limited inventory... better not carry useless junk," Lucas thought. He turned his focus back to the environment, scanning for anything useful.
---
**Step 1: Food and Shelter**
Rye's nose twitched as he caught the faint scent of something nearby. Lucas followed his instincts, guiding Rye through the underbrush. A few minutes later, he spotted a cluster of small shrubs bearing bright red berries.
A tooltip popped up:
**Mountain Berries: Edible for certain land mammals. Restores 5 SP. Pallas Cats tolerate these well.**
Lucas plucked a few with Rye's paw and ate them. The berries provided a slight SP boost but didn't satisfy hunger much.
"Not bad," Lucas muttered, though he knew this wasn't a sustainable food source. He needed something with more substance.
Rye continued exploring until he stumbled upon a mouse scurrying through the snow. Lucas crouched low, activating **Silent Step**, and pounced.
The mouse dropped instantly, leaving a tooltip:
**Snow Mouse: Provides raw meat. Compatible with carnivorous races like Pallas Cats. Eating raw meat restores hunger significantly but may reduce SP if eaten excessively. Cooked meat provides better nourishment.**
Lucas hesitated. He knew cooking wasn't an option yet, and spoiled meat wasn't worth keeping. He decided to eat it raw.
**Hunger Restored: +20**
**SP Reduced: -5 (Overconsumption of raw meat).**
"Better than starving," Lucas said, making a mental note to learn how to prepare food properly in the future.
---
**Step 2: Testing Skills**
Feeling more comfortable, Lucas decided to experiment with Rye's abilities. Stepping out of his makeshift shelter, he activated **Silent Step**. Rye's movements became eerily quiet, the crunch of snow under his paws completely muffled.
The skill drained SP with each step, so Lucas carefully stalked another small animal—a rabbit this time. He used **Bite** to finish it quickly.
The tooltip revealed:
**Snow Hare: Raw meat. Can be cooked or consumed raw. Compatible with carnivorous species. May spoil if left uneaten for too long.**
Lucas added the meat to his inventory instead of eating it immediately.
---
**Step 3: Facing the Elements**
As the day wore on, the temperature began to drop. A weather notification appeared:
**Cold Front Incoming. Seek Shelter or Risk Frostbite.**
"Great," Lucas groaned. "Better get moving."
Rye sprinted through the forest, his agility making it easy to leap over obstacles. Lucas spotted a rocky overhang with a shallow cave beneath it. It wasn't perfect, but it would do. Inside, the temperature was noticeably warmer.
A new message appeared:
**Shelter Found: Temporary protection from the cold. Resting here will restore SP faster.**
Rye curled up again, his SP slowly regenerating. Lucas opened the map. Most of the area was still unexplored, but he marked the cave for future reference.
---
**Reflections**
By nightfall, Lucas felt more confident. He'd managed to find food, test his skills, and secure a safe spot to rest. The survival mechanics were challenging but fair, and he appreciated how intuitive the controls felt.
"This is... kinda relaxing," he admitted. The world was quiet, the stars twinkling above the forest canopy. For the first time in a long while, Lucas felt genuinely at peace.
Tomorrow, he'd explore further—maybe find better food sources, or encounter other creatures. For now, he closed Rye's eyes, letting the virtual world fade into a restful night.
---
**End of Chapter 1**