The sky sure looked pretty this morning…

I closed my eyes, still exhausted. Just five more minutes. Then I'll…

Wait…

I shot up.

Where…

I looked around.

Where am I?!

What lay before me was desert. Sparse, drought-resistant foliage, mostly grasses, succulents and other dry-condition plants dotted a vast, ochre plain underscored by undulating dunes of sand.

Where am I?!

I began to notice the heat beating down on me like a continuous hammer of swealtering, suffocating warmth. I wiped the gathering sweat from my forehead, and pulled myself to my feet.

Okay, if I just arrived here through unknown means, I'm probably not going home. That hurt to admit, but I had bigger concerns at the moment.

I need to find food, water and shelter if I am to survive out here.

I looked around some more, trying to spot something amidst the sea of drab browns and tans.

I stopped. I…could see something a few hundred yards away. A dark shape, only its dark back visible, moved between the dunes, disappearing as soon as it began.

I blinked, and immediately tensed up. I had watched enough nature documentaries to recognize the behavior of a predator on the hunt.

Is it hunting me?

That was the big question on my mind at the moment. I needed to know that. Or else I could disappear from this world as quickly as I arrived.

I pushed the thoughts of some bug-eyed, tentacled monster from my mind, and began scanning the environment for a potential escape route.

There was none. Just open plains for miles. Still, I saw a small lake some ways away. Perhaps…

No! Watering holes attract every type of animal. More could be there!

My throat protested this. I was thirsty. I needed water.

Groaning, I took one last look in the direction of the shape, and began to head towards the watering hole.

When I ascended a rather tall dune, I looked over. Indeed, by now I could see that this desert extended to the very horizon. I could also see countless shapes all across the desert, entire herds of animals. At this moment, I beheld hundreds, possibly thousands of new creatures.

I also got a good look at the watering hole. A few barrel-chest reptiles with longer front-legs then back and a slight…

Wait!

I knew what those were!

Pareiasaurs! A type of Permian testudine(in layman's terms, a relative of turtles and tortoises) that lived over 260 million years ago.

If those animals lived here, did that mean…

I stopped when I heard something nearby.

I turned to see a big-cat of some kind rushing up the dune towards me. It was covered in large brown stripes and spots on a tan pelt. It resembled Leopards fairly closely, except for its more muscular build and two inch canines…

A Deinofeilus! A predatory sabertooth cat native to Africa that…

I paled, and began to run. That hunted primates.

I booked it down the dune, panting in terror as I heard the feline reach the top of the dune. I didn't look back. I just sprinted as fast as I could.

I heard it chasing me. I could hear the sound of its paws crashing against the sand as it gave chase.

Then, with a shiver down my spine, I realized it was gaining!

I threw all my energy into running. Nothing else mattered. I had to escape this predator!

Or else it would kill and eat me.

It was getting closer, and I was rapidly losing energy. Sweat ran down my face and back like a waterfall, drenching my shirt and chafing my skin.

I finally saw something at the waterfall. A large Ceratopsian of some kind(I wasn't paying attention to its details at the moment) was drinking from the watering hole.

I risked a glance behind me. The Deinofeilus was closing in.

I looked to the Ceratopsian, and decided to take the chance. It was a calculated risk, but it was either that or death.

I ran towards the large dinosaur.

It grunted, before turning its head to face me. Upon spotting what I assumed was my hunter, it wheeled around and began to roar in anger, pawing at the ground and shakings its frill in anger.

I was getting closer. Maybe I could make it.

The Ceratopsian was getting more and more agitated. It was lowering its head and pawing at the ground, seemingly warning me off.

As I closed in, I threw myself to the side. I landed in the sand, the heat of the dusty particles irritating my now sunburnt skin even more.

I could hear the Deinofeilus stop its pursuit, and the sound of roaring convinced me that it was busy trying to find a way past its new foe.

I pulled myself to my feet, and risked a glance. The Deinofeilus was rushing off in the other direction, obviously not willing to risk fighting a…Pentaceratops by the looks of it.

With the immediate threat gone, the herbivore grunted in victory, and returned to the watering hole. I sighed, and remembered my thirst.

I took a step forward, before stopping.

What if he is still grumpy?

I didn't want to provoke the Pentaceratops, especially after so narrowly escaping death. But I also had to drink. And I didn't know where the next pond was.

Groaning, I walked over. The Pentaceratops turned to face me for a second, before it returned to drinking. Calmed by this acceptance, I turned and cupped my hands. I lowered them into the water, and pulled the water to my parched mouth.

The liquid tasted cool and clean. Immediately feeling relief by the drink, I repeated the process several times, until I was satisfied.

After my fifth drink, I sighed, and got up.

I should definitely stay nearby.

I still needed food and shelter. So I turned, and spotted some bushes nearby. I guess I could look for berries or something.

I walked over, and inspected the shrubbery.

It was dry and coarse, but I could see a few small, yellow berries. I reached forward to pick them, but stopped.

What if they're poisonous?

I jumped when I heard a squeak. Turning, I saw a small, tusked quadrupedal synapsid(Diictodon I believe) grab and eat a few of the berries a little ways away.

I grinned. I guess they were safe to eat.

I picked one, and hesitated.

Here goes nothing.

I put it in my mouth, and was immediately greeted by a slightly sour flavor. However, it still tasted good. I grinned, and picked two more.

After repeating the process, and determining that there were no immediate negligible effects, I picked at least two dozen of the berries from the bush, before noticing something peculiar.

Stopping, I noticed that there was something in my pocket.

I reached in, and was surprised to feel something…metallic. I pulled the small piece of metal out, revealing a small remote.

I blinked.

What the hell…

It was similar in size to a flip-phone, though had only a single, circular button on it and a small camera just above that. It seemed to be an overwhelmingly simple tool.

I was puzzled by this. Why was this in my pocket? What was the point? When did I even get it?

Sighing, I pressed the button.

I nearly tripped backwards in surprise when a holographic screen, displaying several toolbars appeared out of the camera.

"Designs", "Inventory", "Saved Designs".

I blinked again. I pressed the "Saved Designs" toolbar.

"You have no Saved Designs. When you have designed an item, save it here, and you can duplicate it should you have the required resources."

So…

This reminded me so much of a video game's crafting system.

I stopped.

Is that what I am supposed to do? Craft stuff to survive?

The idea would seem preposterous in the real world, but then again, this wasn't the real world.

I stopped. I could definitely use some kind of weapon.

I pressed the "Create" button.

Several more options came up. I selected the "Weapon" button.

So I need lead, timber, gunpowder and a kind of venom if I am to actually use this weapon.

I had finished my design, though as I designed it, required resources quickly popped up. I tried to get rid of those requirements, but they stayed no matter what I tried. Ultimately, I gave up, and decided to save my new weapon.

I named it the "Mark 1A Semi-Automatic Bolt Action Battle Rifle", or just the Mark 1 for short. Its overall appearance was based on the M1 Garand from the US Army in World War II. It had a ten round clip.

After designing the weapon, I decided to browse my inventory. Two items were already in there, a "Basic Analyzer" and "Basic Cooker". I could kind of guess what each did based on their name.

Still, it was convenient to have both around. I would definitely need them if I was to stay out of trouble.

However, my biggest priority right now should be something easier to build. While less desirable then my rifle, a small tent and a spear would be most effective at the beginning. I could worry about the bigger things later. Right now I had to make tough choices, and those choices could determine if I lived or died on this world.

It was relatively easy to gather the required materials. All I needed was one of each required materials to make my spear and tent. The Piece of Shit Spear and Home Sweet Home Tent were definitely not good long term items, but like I said, they would be there to help me later on.

By the evening, I had pitched the tent, and was starting to get tired. Resting my spear beside me, I curled up in my Sleeping Bag. As I lay back, I began to listen. The sounds of animals calling in the distance was like a constant lullaby. Even better, as I zipped up the tent, I caught a glimpse of the bioluminescent light show some inhabitants of this world put. Entire herds glowed in the dark, their ghostly images pointing to a vibrant and healthy ecosystem.

It was a little strange that this desert could support so much life. I mean, the fact that so many different animals from entirely different eras and places could live together itself was impressive.

Still, I was puzzled by this world. The fact that all of this seemed to be utterly and completely alien to the way things went on Earth just added to the surrealness of this whole situation.

But, despite my initial terrifying experience with the Deinofeilus, I wanted to know more. What was this place? What were the different species? How did they live? And how did this place form? Was it a natural conglomeration and a freak coincidence of convergent evolution, or was…

I sighed. No use thinking about that now. The only thing I could do now was sleep. Besides, the berries would wear off soon, and I'd need to find something more substantial.

I froze.

I would need to hunt.

That idea was terrifying. Sure, I had a weapon, but just the idea of using it on a creature that had done me no wrong and was just trying to eke out its own living in this harsh environment was…

I sighed. I had to do this.

It was me or the world. I would need to survive on this world somehow. Or else I would be cast aside like trash, another failed experiment in survival on this dangerous, but pristine desert.

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I awoke the next morning fairly early. Maybe it was the natural biological clock going off at first light or I was just an early riser, I don't know. The point is that this would be the day I would attempt to hunt. I needed a meal.

I groggily rose from my scratchy, fur sleeping bag and grabbed the crappy spear with which I would bring down an animal of this world.

I chuckled a little. This flimsy little stick with a sharpened point? It would bring down an animal like that Pentaceratops or Pareiasaurus I had seen. I had to suppress a nihilistic laugh at my own self-delusion, and ready for the grim task ahead.

With a sigh, I headed out. The sun was not to high in the sky, and a tinge of pink still visible amidst the dawn.

I shivered a bit, reminded by experience of how cold the desert could get at night. Still, I had a job to do, and I'd rather get it done before the animals(mainly the predators) were alert.

So I trekked forward. I walked up and down the dunes for a good two miles and an hour and half. I found a few Monitor lizards here and there, but they all avoided my attempts to hunt them. I swear, I could almost hear them laughing in amusement at the new guy's pitiful attempt at hunting.

As the sun drew higher and higher, and I began to move even further from my camp, I began to get frustrated. Every animal I had seen was a small lizard, mammal or synapsid, and none even allowed me to get within striking range.

Then, I spotted something in the distance. A small herd of medium-sized Iguanodonts(Lurdusaurus I believed) was separating amidst the dunes.

I finally felt a ray of hope. So, I began to move forward. Clutching my spear, I snuck quietly(in my mind anyway) up to them.

Then, the herd began to tense up. What began as a small trumpet by a single individual turned into a chorus of terrified honks and cries as the herd began to scatter.

My thoughts that I had somehow spooked the herd were immediately dashed when a large, black creature lunged from behind a dune. I froze. This…creature didn't resemble anything from Earth.

It looked as lethal and threatening as any alien creature I had seen in the movies. A spade-shaped head tipped by a reddish-pink tongue, small eyeless sockets on either side of those, a muscular body with two long cone shaped spikes jutting out on the hips and a long tail somewhat evoked the image of a theropod, at least in body structure.

Instead of a roar, the creature pinged loudly in what sounded like a deeper and more intense version of sonar. As it began to enter the midst of the fleeing Lurdusaurs, I wondered if it would behave like Earth Predators, that is, single out the slowest, weakest, oldest or youngest individual and run it down before dealing a final coup de grace.

But…how would this obviously a predatory creature do that? I saw no jaws on it as it pursued a small Lurdusaur.

My question was answered just seconds later, when the predator's tongue shot forward and slashed into the Lurdusaur's back like a whip. It cut through the leathery skin like a knife through butter, a long bloody gash quickly forming on the hapless creature's flank.

The Lurdusaur's terrified honk turned into high pitched cries of agony as it slowed, and collapsed on the ground, kicking pitifully into the air as blood began to gush from the wound and seep onto the sandy ground.

The predator stepped forward, and with a second flick of its razor-spiked tongue, silenced its prey's cries. This time, it didn't withdraw the organ, but instead closed the distance and stood over the carcass.

I blinked. I knew what it was doing. Spiders did this on Earth. They would inject digestive enzymes into the carcass and then suck out the liquefied remains.

Indeed, the predator seemed to be doing just that. I could see its tongue distend just a bit as it sucked out the meal from its prey.

I was enthralled by this. I was the first human to witness alien life, and better yet, to see it hunt.

I heard a few chirps nearby.

I turned in their direction and saw a number of smaller animals, including two small theropods, a group of large bipedal birds with a colorful frill of feathers, and a few mammals, synapsids and other alien lifeforms all surrounding the large predator.

It resembled a kill site in Africa. The large predator and or its family would eat at the very center. When they finished, the larger scavengers would move in. When they had eaten their fill, the last and smallest scavengers would pick the carcass clean. It was an efficient, well oiled recycling machine.

This gave me an idea. Perhaps I could join this little hunt. Readying my spear to enforce my claim, I took a few steps forward, and approached to a position just sixty feet from the predator, which, based on its method of hunting, I decided to call the "Arrowtongue".

The other carnivores all seemed surprised by this act. While the Arrowtongue focused exclusively on its meal, several other animals became noticeably agitated. One of these was a particularly bold Herrerasaurus, which advanced towards me with a growl.

I sighed, and turned. I had expected something like this. I was hungry, and I needed to enforce my claim as second to eat in this heiarchy. Otherwise I might never be able to get the parts of the meat that were actually edible.

I readied my spear as the Herrerasaurus closed in. It seemed a little unwilling to attack head on, so I took the opportunity.

Taking a deep breath at my own bravado, I let out a loud yell and rushed forward. The Herrerasaur hissed and stood its ground, but as I closed in, it lost its nerve and fled. I chased it a few feet, and yelled out again to signify that I wouldn't tolerate an attempt to subvert my claim.

As the Herrerasaur slunk back to its fellows in defeat, I felt an overwhelming surge of pride. I had stood up to my opponent and won. I had now earned a place, however low, in the pecking order of this world.

I grinned, and turned back towards the Arrowtongue. To my surprise, it was looking in my direction, but did not stray from its meal, instead focusing on eating its fill.

It was at that moment that I noticed something else. A small white-feathered Velociraptor was circling at the very back. Another pack of raptors, two males with tan feathers and a blue mane, and two females similar to the first raptor, but with slightly grayer feathers, was at the end.

I noticed that the younger of the two males seemed to want to approach the omega female.

The older male snapped at his younger fellow, warning him to stay put. I was a little surprised by that. But I guess that kind of thing was common in raptor society.

Then, the group's demeanor, and that of the entire congregation of scavengers changed. I wondered why that was, before a sense of intuition let me know that…

I turned to see the Arrowtongue walking off, leaving the carcass unguarded.

I guess, that was my turn. I began to walk forward. As I neared the carcass, I got ready to shear off a large hunk of meat for later. But as I prepared to do so, I heard a loud series of vicious barks.

Turning, I saw the alpha male raptor posturing aggressively a few feet away. He seemed to be as interested in this carcass as I was. His pack, however, hung back. It seems he was challenging me to a one on one.

I froze. Was this really worth it? I knew raptors were deadly. A single puncture by that formidable sickle-shaped claw on his foot could end me.

I turned to leave, before a loud screech sounded out.

I suddenly felt a stabbing pain in my back and the weight of seventy pounds of raptor follow.

I yelped as I hit the ground. The raptor then leapt off, and began to bark aggressively to his pack.

They all showed clear signs of submission. The omega female even turned to leave.

But I also noticed he was distracted. Groaning, I pulled myself up, and with another battlecry, rushed forward.

The raptor turned and leapt at me with his claw aiming for my chest. He's stab me in the lung if he hit me.

As I rushed forward, everything seemed to be in slow-motion. The die had been cast. I couldn't retreat now. It was do or die.

As we closed the distance, my adrenaline kicked in.

The last second seemed to go by like an eternity. He leapt into the air, his claw extended. I closed my eyes, and will all my might, thrust the spear forward.

There was a sudden pained screech and the spear snapped in half with a sickening crack.

I opened my eyes. The raptor lay on the ground, a pool of blood forming around the epicenter of the stab. My spear had struck true. He would die within minutes at the absolute most.

I panted. I could feel stinging pain in my back. But I had survived. I had survived three brushes with death in two days.

I began to laugh, before I stopped. I looked to the raptor pack, who all looked at me with utter shock on their faces. Even the omega female seemed utterly thunderstruck.

Then, she chittered at me.

I stopped. Was…she trying to talk to me?

I stood up.

She took a step forward, ignoring the puzzled looks of the pack.

She lowered her head submissively. I stopped. What…

She stopped just a few feet away, chirping softly.

Was…she trying to defer to me as…

My eyes widened. As an alpha?!

Then, the young male followed suite. The same gesture. Then the two twin raptors. They all looked at me with the same expression.

I wrote it off as nothing but my own imagination, and turned to grab the meat I so desperately needed.

But as I stepped forward, I heard each raptor take a step to follow me.

I turned back. They were looking at me expectantly. Like how a dog would look at me.

I blinked. I turned and held out my hand. If I was wrong…

No! I need to stay focused now!

The raptors seemed puzzled, but then the young male walked forward and sniffed my hand. He then looked up at me, and chittered. I blinked. Was that some kind of declaration of allegiance or something?

I stopped. If they truly were my pack now…

I reached my hand forward. The raptor froze. I began to scratch behind his skull. He seemed unsure about it at first, but then began to make an eerily cat-like purring sound.

The other raptors seemed to accept this, and looked ready for my orders.

I grinned a little. I guess I could use a pack of hunting animals.

I returned to the meat. But the pack hung back. I guess they were used to letting the leader eat first. I sighed. I wouldn't be that kind of leader.

I moved to the side a bit, exposing the fleshy torso of the animal to the pack. It took a few seconds, but they soon approached and began to eat.

I grinned, and after bringing some meat into my inventory, I turned to my pack, and watched them eat. After a few minutes, they had eaten their fill, and looked to me for orders.

I turned, and began to head home. The raptors quickly followed.

A/N: So that was the first chapter. If you have any ideas or requests for items or plot devices, please let me know. I will CONSIDER requests and ideas for characters. Also, as with Lionheart, this story is a collaborative effort between my two best friends and myself. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, as it was really fun to write. Also, please read and review. It really helps us out.