The rain started as a distant whisper, then turned into a constant roar.

  Within minutes, the smell of the forest was swallowed by the wet aroma of soaked earth.

  The water fell in heavy waves, forming puddles and erasing any trace.

  What had been a gift, my sense of smell, a gift only recently gained, was now reduced to nothing, for everything smelled of wet soil.

  -Wonderful… -For the hundredth time since the rain began, bangs were pushed to the side, only to fall back into place and cover vision again, every step making an irritating splash, the soaked tail dragging on the ground, heavy as ever.

  Sight blurred in the rain, and the body shivered in the damp cold. Seeking shelter became instinctive, without thought, without analysis. Just running and following the feeling of refuge.

  That’s when the opening in the rock appeared. A dark crevice, more promising than any crooked tree or hollow trunk.

  Without hesitation, a step forward, and the darkness swallowed me.

  The scent changed immediately. The soaked earth of the forest gave way to a mixture of cold stone and moss. A hint of something sweet, fruity, slightly rotten, but nothing that made retreat necessary.

  Wet feet slipped on a soft surface, a fallen fruit, perhaps eaten by a rodent or carried by the wind. Wet. Slippery. The aroma rose to the nose, mixing with the cave’s dampness, and for a moment, only the thought of how everything always caught me off guard remained.

  A dry crack echoed in the darkness.

  Then another.

  And another, until an orange spark cut through the darkness like a stubborn firefly.

  The brief flash revealed a hunched figure, membranous wings folded, pointy ears twitching with every sound. A girl, or nearly so. Short fur covered shoulders and the bases of wings, and golden eyes reflected the subtly emerging flame.

  She struck two stones with such force it looked like she was battling the very humidity itself.

  Another crack, and this time, the fire caught.

  The small flame revealed everything at once: a makeshift pile of dry branches, half-eaten fruits in a corner… and her, a bat-girl, panting with relief after having conquered nature with her own intelligence.

  Frozen at the entrance, the soaked body dripping onto the cave floor.

  She turned her face toward me.

  For a second, only the sound of the rain filled the void. Then, her eyes widened.

  -A-AH! -Her scream echoed through the cave, mingling with the thunder outside. In a blink, the bat-girl fell to her knees, wings spread in a desperate gesture that looked more like surrender.

  -Hm? -Surprise at her unexpected submissive gesture, tilting the head slightly in response.

  -P-Please don’t eat me! I’m just skin and bones! I taste awful! -She choked on her words, ears trembling, short tail pressed against the ground.

  Standing there, dripping, completely without energy to deal with the drama. So, just looking into the cave until eyes were drawn to a blanket that seemed to be made of various types of leather.

  Without a word, moving to the blanket and wrapping completely, like a burrito, but the pleasant warmth was more important than any judgment, especially since it was just the two of us.

  A gentle warmth spread across the back, and an almost animalistic sigh escaped, the kind of sound made when finally surrendering to laziness after a miserable day.

  -Haaah… finally something that isn’t cold or wet… -Murmured, pressing the snout into the rough leather, which didn’t bother me because it was doing its job, keeping warm.

  -Hey. That blanket’s mine… -Her voice was shaky, intimidated by having to share the quilt with an unwanted guest, but not foolish enough to cause trouble for someone who could probably end her in an instant.

  -Well, it was yours.

  -And me? Am I going to freeze here?

  -Yes. -Replied tersely, without moving or opening eyes again.

  She huffed, wings flitting lightly, but it was useless. Completely settled, the warmth of the leather spreading across the back and laziness taking over.

  She remained silent for a few seconds, probably waiting for regret or for me to offer her half of the blanket.

  I didn’t offer.

  A low crackle from the fire filled the cave, followed by the sound of heavy rain outside. The bat-girl sighed, defeated, curling up near the fire, hugging her knees.

  -This is exploitation of hospitality… -She spoke in a low tone that showed fear of irritating me, making a subtle sound escape, similar to a laugh.

  -I never said I was polite, for starters. -Turning slightly to the side, feeling the leather stick to wet clothes.

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  She stayed quiet for a while, only the crackling of the flames and the rhythmic sound of the rain filling the air. The warmth was good, comforting, and for a moment, almost forgot having invaded someone else’s den.

  -Please, could you at least share the blanket? -She murmured, the sound of wings shifting again.

  -See how completely wrapped up I am? You really think there’s room for someone else? -Just yawned, wondering how such an idea could come up.

  -And if I freeze to death?

  -That would be unlucky. Yours, in that case.

  She remained silent for a few seconds, probably digesting the answer. Then a muffled grumble, something between a “heartless monster” and a “what kind of person steals someone else’s blanket.”

  Ignored. Sleep and warmth had won over any sense of compassion.

  The sound of the rain outside became a distant noise, almost relaxing. The fire crackled at irregular intervals, and the cave’s cold slowly receded.

  The last thing remembered before passing out was her curling up by the fire.

  ...

  ...

  ...

  The morning silence didn’t last long.

  The fire was reduced to embers, and the air inside the cave felt lighter, less stifling. The rain had gone, but the smell of wet earth still lingered along the walls.

  Stretching and yawning, the blanket slipped off my shoulders.

  The bat, still curled up near the smoldering ashes, watched with her ears low and a slightly sour look, probably still annoyed from the night before.

  -I slept great, how about you? -A clear tone of teasing in my voice, while she just exhaled, intensifying her hostility.

  Bat rolled her eyes, which, combined with the way her wings moved, seemed more like a contained attack of impatience.

  -Hey, bat. Know any good places to stay? A decent shelter, preferably without a moldy smell and relatively safe? -Stretching toward the cave entrance, asking without even looking at the furry who was busy arranging her things.

  -If you want safety, don’t stay in caves. It’s the first place any living thing tries to use as shelter… and the first place any predator will check. -She raised her head slowly, as if the question required physical effort, while looking at the scattered fruits and several leaves, whose smell had turned strange after the rain.

  -Umm… what’s that smell? -Wrinkling my snout a bit and putting a hand over it, as something began to infest the area.

  -Ah, that? It’s my security system. It’s the scent of a gland from a dangerous herbivore from this region, just collected some leaves from their trees and rubbed them where they used to. -She answered casually, as if she had just told me she used flowers to decorate the place.

  Her answer made me tense for a moment; from biology classes, I remembered some animals use these glands to attract mates. But… no way this girl spread a pheromone from a dangerous creature right in its mating season… right?

  A sound came before the thought could be fully processed.

  A dry crack echoed through the forest, followed by a heavy thud, as if something had ripped a tree from the ground.

  Trees ahead bent, as if something large was moving between them. Smoke from the embers still rose lazily behind, but the air ahead… grew dense.

  A deer emerged from the thick grass; instead of fur, thick plates of stone scraped against each other with every movement.

  Its antlers, or rather, entire columns of rock, clinked when they collided. From what she said, it was an herbivore, yes…

  But the kind that would make a lion from my world run crying after breaking its teeth trying to bite it.

  The ground vibrated as the deer took its first step. Stones beneath my feet trembled, and without thinking twice, it became clear that this “herbivore” could reduce the cave to rubble in seconds.

  -Okay… Keep your security system, bat. I’m out. -I had already turned to run as far away from there as possible.

  -What? Wait-!

  No time to wait. If that creature decided to advance, I’d be the first to become a rug. Trees outside were breaking like twigs, and the sound of stone plates clashing was nearly deafening.

  Behind, a roar, or what seemed like one, echoed. The sound was low, heavy, vibrating through the air like compressed thunder. Trees creaked, and there was no need to look to know the creature had decided to investigate the “aphrodisiac perfume” the bat had spread around the area.

  A second later, something huge crashed against the rocks. Dust rose, leaves flew, and instinct screamed louder than any sense: run more.

  Adrenaline burned in the chest, and the only thoughts were a mix of curses and regret.

  -Help me! -Her scream sounded distant, just like the deer’s steps, when a reflexive glance toward her voice collided with a tree branch.

  -Agh… -The hit was sharp, strong enough to make white flashes appear for a second, the sting on my forehead made the hand rise immediately.

  Getting up, fixing the fringe that stubbornly fell over my eyes, continued through the forest, leaving behind the distant sound of stones colliding and trees crashing.

  Each step echoed in the mud, and despite the tension still held in the chest, a silly thought escaped:

  -Back to square one, at least gained some escape experience, something that’ll probably be needed a lot from now on. -A short, dry laugh, almost a disguised sigh. The kind of laugh that only comes out when survival is realized, but certainty is absent.

  Looking back toward where I had come from, wondering if the short but memorable cave companion could be in trouble, the thought vanished as quickly as it came, remembering she was the one who put the pheromone scent in the cave.

  “Mind your own ass, bat. I’ll mind mine.”

  Repeating that in my mind, hoping that if that deer reached her, at least it would be gentle.

  The sound of that monster’s steps gradually disappeared, swallowed by the forest. The silence that followed wasn’t exactly peaceful, the kind of silence that comes only when everything around decides whether to let you live or not.

  Remaining raindrops dripped from the leaves, rhythmically, like a lazy clock. Leaning against a tree, trying to catch breath and ignore the cold seeping back through wet clothes.

  Walking aimlessly, after all, when lost, any path will do. The walk lasted until a clearing was reached, with a huge tree in its center, its trunk wide enough to hide inside a crack at the base.

  Roots spread around like claws, lifting the soil and creating a sort of natural shelter.

  It wasn’t beautiful, but… it worked.

  -Yeah, looks like I found my palace. -Walking through the daisies surrounding it, petals still sparkling with raindrops that lingered at the tips like tiny mirrors. Some flowers bent slightly under the weight of the moisture, exhaling that sweet, fresh smell that only comes after a storm.

  Approaching the tree, touching the trunk. The bark was cold but firm, and pushing the roots slightly revealed enough space to curl up inside. A natural shelter, protected from the wind, with a good enough view to see if anything large approached.

  Sitting up, adjusted my body until I found a position that didn't feel like punishment. The sounds of the forest returned to normal, the rustling of leaves, the slow dripping of the treetops, and the occasional insect daring to stir again after the rain. For the first time in hours, the silence didn't feel threatening.

  Sighing, resting head against the trunk.

  Maybe, just maybe, things were starting to get better.

  -Finally… a roof, dry ground, and no giant creature wanting to turn me into mush. -My eyes closed, letting the body relax.

  The wind blew lightly, making the daisies dance. A deep breath, savoring the scent of the flowers. It was almost peaceful.

  Almost.

  A low, treacherous sound echoed through the clearing.

  “Grrrrrrr…”

  Slowly opening an eye.

  For a second, expecting to see something in the shadows, a predator, a spirit, anything.

  But nothing. The sound came from me.

  More precisely… from my stomach.

  Staring at nothing, until the stomach growled again, louder this time, as if to make sure the message was received.

  Closing the eyes, letting the head fall back with a long sigh.

  -Shit… now have to hunt for food. -I Murmured, placing hands over the abdomen with a furrowed expression.