Just a reminder, Otto's last name is Weiss. I hope this helped clear up some confusion

Joseph I

The man, Otto, had taken him back to his camp. He is a good man, Joseph had decided, kind and brave. Weiss stood a bit shorter than Joseph himself, slim where he was broad, though well muscled all the same. Easy to smile with a kind face and blonde hair so dark that it was almost brown. His skin was bronze where Joseph's was dark and he was armored in hide clothing. Otto had stormy grey eyes that reminded Joseph of the dark clouds that came after a heavy rain. From the very start, Joseph knew he could trust the man, but the beasts that he controlled were a completely different story. Joseph made sure to give the white demon wolf loping at his side a wide berth.

Otto had noticed the way he was glaring at the beast during the walk. "Don't worry. Winter likes you," he had assured.

So the monster had a name. Joseph simply nodded and continued on as normal. In truth though, the massive wolf was not half so bad as the other one. The smaller monster was one of the many devils that roamed this evil land; scaly, clawed, overly vicious and absolutely terrifying. It was just over half the size of the wolf but it had cold, piercing eyes, black voids that seemed to bore into his very soul. The scaly beast stood at his waist, the wolf around his chest. Well, they might be monsters but they seemed to listen to Otto. And besides, they had helped save his life nonetheless.

"Welcome to my home," Weiss announced as they rounded a small cliff.

Otto's camp was small, but tidy and organized, closely hugging a small cliff. There was a shallow brook and a few boulder scattered about in the shade of the hill. The massive wolf immediately bounded to a corner and lay down, gnawing on a large bone. The smaller beast curled up more slowly and deliberately, back to the cliff so no one could sneak up behind it. Weiss smiled at Joseph and gestured to his camp.

"Come share my food and fire. Please, make yourself at home."

"I find myself indebted to you once more, my friend," Joseph answered, returning the man with a smile of his own. "You are too kind, truly."

Otto suddenly turned sad. "The island is cruel and hard. We must survive together or perish alone. It's nothing really. Come, come. Have a seat." He waved at a smooth rock and Joseph obliged.

He looked around as Weiss set to work preparing a midday meal. In the very centre of the camp was a makeshift stove, the fire underneath already blazing merrily. A flat stone sat overtop a shallow hole, open to the air through a small gap. Otto had erected a tanning rack off to the side, a hairy dark hide already hanging off the frame. By the shade of the cliff was a half eaten carcass, the remains of a giant pig, if the size and shape were any indication. Two seashells were drying by the fire and there was a stack of vegetables in one corner. Otto was slicing a chunk of meat from the corpse by the shade.

"Otto," Joseph began, "Is there anything I could do to help? It is the least I could do to repay the kindness you have shown me."

Weiss paused for a moment before picking up an axe from the corner of his camp. "You could help by splitting logs for the fire," he said, offering Joseph the axe handle-first. "Take Winter with you. These woods are full of danger."

"The wolf?" Joseph asked reproachfully.

"Direwolf," Otto corrected. "Not yet fully grown either."

At the mention of his name, the huge white Direwolf padded over to Joseph's side and glanced up at him expectantly. He froze, watching the beast uncertainly. The wolf looked him over for a moment then bounded to the trees. Joseph followed with the axe a moment later.

The jungle was much like the others he had seen from his short time on the island; hot, damp and dark. Joseph was suddenly glad for the large white Direwolf padding at his side. Every shift in the foliage made him flinch, and every rustle of the bushes sent his hair standing on-end. The wolf will keep the monsters away, Joseph told himself. Or at least he hoped. The leaves swayed and the trees echoed. Strange cries, hoots, chirps and bellows came from seemingly everywhere. The jungle itself was alive. Joseph found a relatively dry fallen tree, long dead by the looks of it. He brought the axe down again and again, the heavy rock smashing through bark and splitting wood. When he was done, Joseph stood the logs up and split them into halves. The tree had not been extraordinarily large and made for a modest bundle of firewood. Joseph gathered it up in his arms and made his way back to the camp.

Otto grinned up from his spot by the cookfire when he returned, and gestured for him to take a seat. "Just in time, my friend," he said, watching the fire under the stove. Joseph piled the logs in a neat stack and Otto threw one into the flames. When the fire was blazing, he dropped a slab of meat onto the stovetop and Joseph could not help but drool from the smell. How long has it been since I last had a proper meal? Never, he realized. Every single day in this accursed land he had either been too busy avoiding the monsters or fleeing from danger. Joseph had known no other food than the berries and fruits that grew along the beaches.

But Otto had meat, vegetables, and clothes! For the past three days Joseph had been running around naked, but for the simple undergarments he had washed ashore with. Now that he was in the company of another human, the very thought of it shamed him.

"Otto, would you mind if I asked you a question?" Joseph inquired.

The other man did not hesitate in his answer, "Of course not, my friend."

"How long have you been here?"

Weiss frowned for a moment, working out some mental tally. "Just under a fortnight. Three-and-ten days, if I recall correctly."

Joseph was impressed. "And by yourself this whole time?"

"Just the first three days. I've had Winter ever since," Weiss answered, scratching the huge white wolf behind the ears.

"And your demon lizard?" Joseph asked, shooting the beast a venomous glare.

Otto looked at him curiously then chuckled and followed his gaze to the frilled monster. "Ah. Yes, the Dilo. She's been following me around since yesterday."

"Dilo?" Joseph was confused. He was sure that he had never heard of such a creature before.

"Dilopho-something actually. I haven't been able to get the name quite right," Otto said by way of explanation. He produced a leather-bound book from a corner of the rocky outcrop and handed it to him. Joseph took it silently and held the book out for examination. It was worn and faded, bound in a scaly brown leather. The cover read Dossier. Joseph opened the book and leafed through the wrinkled old sheets. On the very front was a map of some island. Is this where we are now? It definitely was true that this land was bordered by a salt sea. No way off save Every page held a creature drawn in amazing detail, the vibrant sketches bringing the very book alive. Joseph flipped through and saw some creatures that he recognized, though there were many more that he didn't. Near the front he saw a fat beach chicken, coloured in blue, and a duck-bill grazing on some grass. The Dossier called them Dodos and Parasaurs respectively, some of the plant eaters on the island, he learned. A few pages further on was a roaring bull lizard, a Carno, and Joseph even saw one of the hairy mountains, a Mammoth.

"You made this?" He asked in disbelief.

"Found it," Otto answered. The meat was crisp and brown. He tossed in a handful of sliced carrots and potatoes. "In the jungle, not too far away. A dead man's treasure."

Joseph nodded. He could not remember much of anything from before he washed up, but he was certain that he had never seen any of these creatures before. "The ramblings of a madman? How is it that I have never before seen these beasts?"

Otto shook his head. "I thought the same at first. Now I am not so sure. Just look at the detail and the passion that these creatures are described with. Only a sane person could do as much."

The meal was cooked. Weiss scooped half of it into one of the seashells lying on the ground and handed it to him.

"My thanks, friend." Joseph took the steaming bowl and blew on the food to cool it down. The meat was tender and juicy, somewhat reminiscent of pork. The potatoes and carrots fried in grease tasted delicious. To eat like a king!

Otto spoke up from his meal. "How long ago did you wash up?"

Joseph finished chewing on a chunk of meat. "Three days, and as many nights."

"Did you see any other humans?" Otto was clearly desperate to know the answer. Who wouldn't if they had been trapped on this nightmarish island for nearly a fortnight?

"Nothing but skeletons," Joseph answered to the disappointment of his new friend. "And yourself?"

"Not so much as a hair except for the skeleton in the jungle," Weiss replied with a shake of his head. Then came a pause. "Do you think we could be the only living people on this island?"

"There are others. Or at least there were. I am sure of it."

"I wish I could share your confidence, Joseph." With a sigh, Otto took his seashell bowl and rinsed it in the brook, setting it on the bank. Joseph followed his lead and did the same.

"I did not want to give you false hopes but I saw signs," Joseph admitted. "The corpses on the beach. They had been killed just a few days past. There were still stringy chunks of meat clinging to the bone." Otto looked at him with a mixture of hope and fear.

"Do you think at least some made it off the beach?"

"I guess we'll just have to find out," Joseph shrugged.

Otto sighed. "Well, that's enough hoping for one day. Would you be so kind as to lend your help again?"

"Of course," Joseph answered.

Otto called for Winter, and the white Direwolf immediately bounded to his side. The orange Dilo lifted its head, but otherwise stayed put. "This way then." Weiss handed Joseph the axe, unholstered the spear from his back and led the way.

They went back into the jungle, though not so far in as Joseph had gone before. Otto paused by a long and sturdy branch, then picked it up and held it out for Joseph to see. "Gather anything that would make for a good spear or stake."

Joseph nodded and set out deeper into the woods, though he made sure to stay within sight of the others. He gathered the strongest sticks from the ground and used the axe to cut branches down from the trees. Winter loped back and forth between him and Otto, growling protectively at the leafy bushes. Joseph found himself liking the huge wolf more and more. Perhaps it wasn't so bad, but the Dilo was still a completely different story.

"Joseph," Otto called. "Have you gathered every sturdy branch you could find?" He held up a handful of sticks. Joseph hefted his own bundle in reply. "That should be enough. Back to the camp."

Winter padded by their side as they walked in silence. Otto set down his bundle and took a seat on a rock. He then picked up two sharp rocks and handed one to Joseph. "Make sure to sharpen both sides. We need to stake the camp," Weiss explained. He set to work, whittling away at a branch with his stone. Joseph followed his example as best he could, scraping away at bark and wood. Not much later, Winter started to pace restlessly by the camp. "Go hunt," Otto told him. The Direwolf bounded off into the golden hills.

"Is that safe? Sending the wolf off by itself, I mean," Joseph asked. He could not help but feel concerned for the beast.

"Don't worry, Winter's smart. He knows better than to fight anything bigger than himself," Otto explained while sharpening a branch.

"How did you befriend Winter?" Joseph asked curiously.

Otto tossed a finished stake onto the ground. "Perhaps I should start from the beginning."

As they sharpened stakes for the camp, Otto told him the story of how he washed up. Joseph listened intently as his new friend regaled him with the tale of his beginning. He learned how Weiss had washed ashore on a beach, much like himself. He had not yet made it into the shade of the jungle when he collapsed from heat. Winter had dragged him out of the scorching Sun on the first day, and every night since, he fed the wolf with Dodos from the beach. On the second night the huge wolf had kept something away from his camp, and the very day after, those things came back. Terror Birds, Weiss called them. Joseph had seen the skeletons of the beasts, but he shuddered when Otto described them up close. The Terror birds had cornered Winter, and the wolf would have been slain if Weiss had not interfered.

Otto even showed him the scar on his arm, a wound left by the beak of a bird. "A blow that was meant for my skull," Weiss told him. He would have perished then and there if not for the great white Direwolf. Winter had tackled the bird and torn out its throat, just mere moments before it could slay him. After that, the Direwolf had been Otto's constant companion and friend.

After befriending Winter, Otto's life on the island had become much easier. The way he told it, "even enjoyable sometimes." With the Direwolf, meat was never an issue and Otto had even found wild vegetables growing by a hidden lake. He had improved his camp, tools and even made clothing. When his story was all but caught up, Otto told his side of the events earlier that day. Weiss and his beasts had been returning from the hidden lake when Winter had lifted his head and howled. A moment later, the great white wolf had charged to the beach, leaving Otto no choice but to follow.

That wolf saved my life, Joseph thought gratefully. "Perhaps Winter has some sixth sense," He told Otto, nodding at the Direwolf.

"Likely so," Weiss agreed. He picked up his finished bundle of sharpened stakes, each one as long as a spear and double ended. Joseph gathered up his own less impressive pile. "This way," Otto told him.

He took the stakes to the very edge of the clearing, the border between his camp and the jungle. "We'll do this side first," Weiss announced, shooting the jungle a dark glare. "I mislike these woods. We place the spikes in a half circle, tips facing outward. Leave a gap large enough for Winter," Otto instructed. Weiss had taken a thick log and only sharpened one side, leaving the other flat. They used heavy stones to hammer the blunt end, driving the sharp tip into the ground. Afterward they stuck the stakes into the holes, sharp tips pointing away from the camp and toward the savage wilderness.

"How about yourself, friend?" Otto said suddenly. They were packing mud around the base of the wooden palisade. Joseph glanced at the other man curiously. "Your story, I mean. How did you end up on the beach that day?"

Joseph took a deep breath and started from the beginning. "My story is not half so long as yours, and far less exciting," He warned. Joseph remembered the day that he washed up very clearly.

He had blinked to life on a rocky windswept beach, the Sun glaring brightly overhead. A steep ice-tipped mountain had loomed over the shore far off in the distance like a huge stone wraith. The first things he noticed upon sitting up were the strange creatures roaming the plains. They were massive, hairy beasts, with shaggy brown and black coats. They lumbered about the prairie, trampling whole patches of grass beneath their mighty feet, and stirring up a mighty cloud of dust. The creatures had wooly tufts of hair above their heads and huge tusks, far larger than those of even the biggest boar. Every one of them stood taller than the line of trees bordering the clearing, and the largest was nearly thrice the height of Joseph.

The water had been freezing cold, with huge white caps of ice that drifted lazily in the dark blue sea. A fierce wind had blown down off the mountain, howling like a wolf with a bite near as sharp. There had been real wolves as well, Joseph recalled. Huge ones the size of bears, bigger than even Winter. Luckily none of them had noticed him. The pack was too busy trying to take down one of the massive hairy beasts. Whether they had succeeded or not, Joseph would never know.

He had gotten up and bolted down the beach, away from the huge grey mountain and away from the wolves. Joseph had never strayed far from the shore during the whole run. He walked when he was tired, but never dared to stop, fearing the demons that were sure to be on his trail. It had been a few hours at least when the land started to change. The icy caps gradually melted, giving way to a light blue ocean. Gusty bursts of wind had blown out of the sea, carrying warm drafts of air that seemed to thaw the land. He saw no more of the walking mountains, nor any of the demon wolves. Unfortunately, no part of the island was free of the nightmarish beasts that called it home. Joseph had spied a few lone cats, about as large as Otto's wolf, Winter. They were sleek and muscular, prowling the hills in search for prey and occasionally getting into fights with massive birds much larger than himself. When the monstrous winged beasts took to the air, Joseph saw that their wings, when fully extended, were thrice the width of himself. Just by their bodies alone, the birds surpassed him in size. They had keen predatory eyes, yellow jewels that scanned the shore for prey. Their large frames ended with a fan of stiff tail feathers, each one as long as his arm. Luckily none of the beasts had spotted him, and if they did, they chose not to attack.

Perhaps an hour later, Joseph had seen his first demon lizard. It had stood nearly twice his height with two spiky horns over its head, much like a bull. From jaw to tail, it was more than thrice the length of Winter, though it's bulky tail made up nearly half of that. Those burning orange eyes had locked onto him and the monster roared. It was thunderously loud and sent every single one of the hairs on his back standing on end. The demon lizard had shown him an open mouth full of gleaming yellow teeth, a few rotten scraps of meat still clinging to the shiny blades. Each one had been as long as his hand and looked sharp as a sword. The huge bull lizard had charged at him, massive feet pounding the ground and sending up a huge cloud of dust. Joseph had turned around and ran as fast as his legs would take him, the demon right on his tail. His heart had been beating faster than his feet could move, every muscle of his body screaming in terror. He could tell that the monster was gaining ground, every miniature tremor it sent closer than the last. Joseph had thought himself as good as dead until he had seen the herd up ahead.

They were huge furry creatures that looked almost like horses but with the body of bears, standing half again his height, and twice as long. There had been around half a dozen in all, both young and old. They had romped around on powerful hind legs and curled knuckles, arms nearly his height propelling them forward. One of the adults had spotted them first and let loose a bellowing honk. Whether it was directed at him or the monster bull, Joseph could not say for sure. The one that had sounded the alarm shifted its hind legs and picked up a massive boulder, at least half its size. The beast carried the huge rock easily, as if it were no more than a pile of rags. The others all took up similar stances and picked up whatever they could find; logs, mud, rocks, and snow. With a heavy grunt, the leader had thrown its boulder with the ease that Joseph might toss a stone. The huge rock sailed for a moment before landing with a heavy thump and rolling. Joseph had barely managed to twist out of the way, just seconds before the boulder would have flattened him to the ground.

The demon lizard had not been half as lucky. After Joseph had jumped out of the way, the massive stone had thumped right into the huge beast with a mighty snap. The boulder sent the charging bull flying backwards, legs thrashing and long tail flailing. As soon as the dazed beast got back up, a volley of nature struck it back down. Rocks pounded against its flanks, mud and snow pelted its eyes and logs cracked against its legs. The sheer force that the projectiles were hurled made Joseph wince. The lizard had stumbled to its feet, all but blind. It limped away in a hurry, rocks and trees pursuing it all the way down the beach. Joseph had gotten back to his feet with a whoop of victory, the demon lizard retreating into the distance. His joy was short-lived, however. Now that the bigger threat had been defeated, the family of horse-bears turned on him once more. He had retreated with haste.

That night Joseph had found his first clues of humanity. A burnt out husk of a fire sat hugging a low overhanging cliff, a few pine trees flanking it on either side. Joseph had entered cautiously, not sure if this was the home of some other soul. His hopes of meeting another human had vanished the instant he set foot inside. A rotten corpse had been laying face-down, hidden from the outside by a bushy tree. Joseph had turned it over and recoiled in disgust. It had been impossible to tell whether the carcass had been a man or a woman. The skull was a complete ruin; half of it was a crusty mess of blood and torn flesh, brown, green, and crawling with plump white maggots. The other half gleamed a pale and sickly yellow, faint pink stains the only trace of flesh. Two gaping black voids were all that remained of its eyes. A few thin and brittle strands of jet black hair still clung to the rotting scalp.

Joseph had shuddered and turned away. Later he had kicked some dirt over the corpse and spent the night huddled by the fire, as far away from the carcass as he could get. He had not wanted to stay, but there was already flint for a fire and the shelter would protect him from the wind and beasts as well. Joseph had seen no other sensible choice but to stay. His stomach had rumbled and growled, but there was nothing he could do about it except wait for the morning. There was nothing to eat, but for the rough and stringy yellow grass outside. That night he had slept unwell, plagued with nightmares of living skeletons and maggots the size of cows.

When the morning had dawned at last, Joseph set out at once, glad to finally be rid of the dreary tomb. The only tools he had found in the camp were the two pieces of flint and a walking stick, though still in the clutches of the corpse. Joseph had seen plenty of the orange stones lying about, so he left them in the cave for anyone else who might have the misfortune to wash onto this island. There were sticks aplenty to be found all over the shore, and Joseph was not at all eager to steal from the corpse. He left everything the way it was when he woke up.

Luckily Joseph did not see any more of the great horned lizard that day, nor any of the other ferocious beasts he had encountered before. As he traveled, the land continued to change; dark imposing pines turned into warm oaks, bright maples and a dozen other exotic trees Joseph could not identify. Seemingly every type of plant in the world sprouted from the ground, while plump fruits hung ripe from the trees in great clumps. Joseph had spotted what he was sure to be a peach, though he had no idea how he managed to remember such a tiny detail in the hazy mists of his absent memory. A cautious nip had proven his suspicions correct. The fruit was ripe and juicy, the tender flesh sweet on his tongue. Joseph had pulled down half a dozen more, munching on the succulent treasures as he walked. He had seen all sorts of lizards feasting on the delicious treats as he walked, the scaly beasts watching him with wary eyes.

A herd of large duck billed beasts trampled about, pulling fruits from the trees by the dozen. Two massive spiked lizards had lumbered around near the outskirts of the jungle, bushels of greens rapidly disappearing beneath their hungry beaks. A few large scaly creatures that looked like turtles had been shuffling around the beach, each one a bit shorter than Joseph, though their shells were easily twice as wide. A school of fish had been circling about in the clear blue waters, a few were as big or even larger than Joseph himself. There had also been a small flock of fat chickens, scuttling around after the larger beasts and picking up whatever morsels they dropped. Joseph had even seen great flying lizards with huge, agile wings and sharp crests swooping into the sea and coming back out with fish. For a moment he wandered amongst the creatures, peaceful at last. And then a thunderous roar shook the very ground.

It was not the same as the horned lizard from yesterday, Joseph realized immediately. This roar had been much louder, deeper and far more terrifying. A huge black monster strode onto the beach, scales gleaming and eyes shining. It roared again and a mouth the size of a small cave yawned open, rows of shiny yellow teeth glistening. The beast was easily twice the height and thrice the length of the horned lizard from before, muscular and heavily built. It stood on two powerful legs, each one ending in a sharp three-clawed foot. It had two bony arms that seemed tiny in contrast to the rest of its body, not much bigger than Joseph's own. The monster had two glistening yellow eyes the size of peaches, both scanning the beach and shining at the prospect of a fresh kill. The beast's tail as thick as Joseph, and longer than most of the fronded trees lining the outskirts of the jungle. Its head alone was huge, massive jaws large enough to close around half the different creatures on the beach. Joseph felt like an insect next to this sheer titan.

Everything on the beach had looked up and bolted, herds and families forgotten, now it was every creature for itself. The monster snapped its jaws together with a mighty clash, spittle flying everywhere. The Duckbill herd kicked up a storm of dust as they fled, most of them thundering right at Joseph. He huddled into a ball, trying to make himself as small as possible. The herd split around him, heavy feet trampling the beach flat. The

flying lizards took to the air, massive wings kicking up a cloud of sand. The turtles either waddled for the safety of the ocean or curled up, limbs disappearing behind hard shells. The fat chickens simply froze, rooted in place by fear. The clumsy birds shook with terror, wings tucked in and heads bent down. Luckily for the chubby birds, the monster was not interested in them. They were no more than mere snacks to the behemoth. It was out for a feast.

The monster scanned the beach with murderous eyes and locked onto the massive spiked lizards, the largest creatures on the beach apart from itself. The beast roared, the thunderous bellow shaking the very ground. It charged at the closest one, a beast smaller than its comrade and a shallow green in colour. The spiked lizard snorted in terror, turning so that its tail was between itself and the charging titan. Its counterpart, a light grey beast, bellowed and moved to stand by its companion. The two spiked lizards rumbled and stood their ground as the monster thundered toward them.

Joseph could only watch in awe as the titans clashed. They came together in a storm of spikes, teeth and scales. The huge black lizard snapped and roared, powerful jaws bearing down on the smaller of the two. The green beast bellowed in pain, bleeding from half a dozen bites and twisting to escape the wrath of the monster. The grey lizard snorted and swung its tail in a heavy arc, massive spikes gleaming in the sunlight. The black titan careened out of the way, just barely avoiding the worst of the blow. The deadly tail only grazed its flank, leaving four long red rivers from where the sharp spikes gouged through scales and flesh. The monster roared in pain and rage, turning to bring its fury upon the offender. The grey lizard snorted in surprise and swung its tail again, spikes racing towards the larger beast with a scream of wind. The huge lizard roared in pain, the sharp tail leaving thin red trails of blood along its jaw. The titan bellowed, yellow eyes gleaming in sheer fury. It lowered its head and charged, headbutting the other beast so hard that the entire shore trembled.

Joseph fell backwards onto the sand with a heavy thud as the shockwave rippled through the ground. The grey lizard tipped over, legs thrashing as it rammed the sandy beach. The black titan snarled, jaw parting to show a gleaming mouth full of teeth sharp as blades. The monster pinned the flailing lizard by the neck with a heavy foot, razor-edged claws drawing blood. The grey beast swung its tail without much success, the spiked appendage only finding air. The black lizard roared and twisted its foot, driving all its weight into savage attack. There was a deafening crack and just like that, the spiked beast was dead.

The titan turned back to glare at the smaller of the two lizards; bloody, broken and struggling to limp away. It charged and drove the fleeing beast into a tree, knocking down a swath of the forest in the process. The plated lizard crashed through splintered wood and skidded to a halt, tail swinging for a final stand. It snorted and turned, but not fast enough. The huge black lizard rushed into its flank, jaws tearing through the soft flesh. The spiked lizard swung its tail, but the attack only enraged the ferocious beast farther. The monster slammed the lizard into a boulder and drove in for the final attack. With a vicious wrench of its head, the black lizard took half of the smaller beast's throat in a shower of blood.

Joseph managed to regain enough sense to scramble away as the beast turned its head toward him. Those murderous eyes followed him for an instant and then lost interest, turning back to the fresh corpses. Joseph fled with haste as the beast began to tear through flesh and bone. He ran for the rest of the day, putting as much distance between himself and the rampaging beast. When dusk came at last, Joseph made camp near a shallow stream, taking deep gulps from the water and splashing himself to cool down. He managed to set a pile of twigs on fire using two sharp pieces of flint from nearby. In no time at all, the flames were leaping as high as his waist. Joseph drifted off to sleep by the roaring orange fire.

The next morning he set out at once, glad to be moving. Away from the icy mountain and the demon wolves, away from the bull lizard and the grey tomb, and most of all, away from the roaring black titan. Joseph had only walked for a few hours when he came upon the beach. He had been keeping his eyes on the horizon when he tripped and crashed into the ground. Joseph had gotten back up, cursing and sputtering out rough clumps of sand. He had kicked whatever he had tripped over, only to send a cracked bone flying. Joseph had glanced down in surprise, only to find himself staring at a screaming corpse.

Stringy bits of flesh still clung to the ribcage and skull, brittle hair falling out in rough strands. Joseph had backed away, scanning the beach for enemies, only to find three more corpses. He had immediately picked up a heavy rock, turning in a way circle. Nothing had so much as glanced at him, save a plump beach chicken. Joseph had stayed crouched for a good while before finally mustering the courage to approach a corpse after the tense wait. One of them, more fresh than the others, still had most of its flesh intact. Joseph saw long claw marks everywhere. There was not a single part of the carcass that was not torn or shred into a bloody mess. Joseph shuddered at the ghastly sight, and then noticed the weapon still clutched by a rotten hand. He pried it loose with a sharp wrench, freeing the tool from the stiff grasp.

Joseph washed it in the ocean, cleaning the blood and grime from the handle. It was a three-pronged length of plant fibres tightly twined together, each head ending in a heavy stone. The handle was a grip of leather, snugly wrapped around the sturdy twine. Joseph tested it, swinging the weapon by the handle. He threw it at a beach chicken, hoping it would do some damage. The results were not as he expected yet nonetheless, Joseph was impressed. As the twine flew end over end, the three rocks spread out, a deadly snare unfolding between them. The stones hit the fat bird with a heavy thunk, the rocks tightly twining around its legs. In the end, the beach chicken could only squirm as it crashed into the ground. Joseph smiled and untangled his new weapon, the bird flapping and screeching the whole time. When it was free, he set off at once, the rotting human corpses watching him go.

Joseph made camp that night in a fortified grove, thick trees bordering him like walls. The gaps between them were too small for anything big to get in. So long as nothing plowed them over to get in, Joseph was safe. He spent the night huddled by the fire and tinkering with the throwing rocks. He managed to make a second copy out of a stringy bush and some flat stones. It took him an hour at the least, and the results were poor compared to the original. Joseph went to sleep cradling the weapons in either hand.

It had been the next morning that he found the first promising signs of human life. Joseph had travelled for around half the day when he came upon the footprints. They ran from the beach into the jungle, broken branches and stomped clumps of grass heralding the way. Joseph had followed at a soft tread, his throwing stones in either hand. He scanned the undergrowth warily, head turning to watch his surroundings. Strange rumbling calls and high pitched shrieks punctuated the stirring of the leaves overhead. Every blade of grass swayed and every shadow danced. The very jungle was alive.

He had arrived at the clearing a while later, the bloody site of some obvious struggle. Broken spears and skeletons were strewn about amidst trampled grass and red stains. Joseph wandered about the carnage for a while, examining the skeletons and wooden spears. He gingerly picked one of the weapons up, turning it over and feeling its weight. The spear was snapped in half, covered in dried blood and jagged to the touch. Joseph wandered over to a carcass and a few insects the size of his foot took off. They had nearly picked the corpse clean, but a few ragged shreds of flesh still stubbornly clung to the bones.

The skeletons had lengthy frames and heavy beaks. Joseph accidentally snapped a bone with a misplaced footstep. He picked one brittle half up and found that the insides were hollow, resulting in the bone being surprisingly light. The carcass had to belong to some sort of huge bird. Joseph was distracted from his thoughts as he noticed a trail of blood out of the corner of his eye. He dropped the bone and pushed through the undergrowth, never straying far from the bloody path. Thin branches were snapped and leaves littered the ground. Joseph noticed two sets of tracks snaking along; one of them was clearly the same human from before, only the footprints were outlined in blood. The other was a set of pawprints, like those of a hound or wolf, only much larger than anything Joseph had ever known. The two tracks were so close together that they had to be associated. Either the man and beast had walked side by side, or more disturbingly, the monster wolf had been stalking the human. Joseph was dismayed at the thought that his only lead to civilization might have perished in these very woods. He tightened his grip on the throwing stones and pressed on.

Joseph was relieved when he pushed out into sunlight at last, the mysterious jungle still echoing behind him. The trail continued on, patches of the yellow-green field stained brown from the dried blood. He scanned the horizon, looking for clues, for threats, for anything. All of a sudden, he spotted a wisp of smoke drifting into the heavens from the distance. Joseph hollered in joy, but clamped a hand over his mouth right after, the sound of his voice echoing across the prairie. He was suddenly uncomfortably aware of how loud his voice rang out. Joseph started toward the smoke at a brisk jog, then thought better of it and full out sprinted.

Everything happened so fast that he could barely process it. A wolf howled, off in the distance, the ghostly cry ringing across the plains. Joseph paused, trying to clue everything together. Was it the very beast whose tracks he was following? Had the wolf sensed him? And then the lizards had attacked. One instant he was running, the next, a pair of large lizards with frilled necks were barring his path. They hissed at him, fangs gleaming and bright ruffs unfolding. Joseph had stumbled away and just barely dodged the foul green acid that the beasts spat. The vile globs had sailed past him, landed in the grass, and melted it away with a sharp hiss. Joseph turned back to his assailants and swung one of the rock snares, the thin whistle of air whipping around him. The smaller brown lizard lunged at him with a ferocious snarl, jaws snapping for his neck. Joseph let the weapon fly, the rocks bounding the beast's legs together. The lizard growled in surprise and struggled to free itself while its mate charged at him.

Joseph whipped his remaining rock snare at the monster, the stones striking it across the jaw. He tugged it back and swung again, the rocks lashing its frill this time. The beast snarled, more infuriated than hurt. It rushed him suddenly, the hard skull ramming him in the chest and sending his remaining rock bundle flying. Joseph fell to the ground, the wind knocked from his lungs. Just as the beast was about to end him, he heard a sharp whistle and the lizard whipped its head up. It hissed and unfurled its frills, spitting at an unseen attacker. Joseph turned his head in time to see a massive wolf twist out of the way and snarl. The newcomer sprinted at the lizard in a white blur and pounced on it, the two going down together. They snapped and hissed, rolling in the dust with lightning speed. Joseph could barely track their movements.

He turned away from the hectic scrimmage only to find another unfolding before him. A man armored in leather thrust a spear as tall as himself at the brown lizard, still ensnared by the throwing stones. The beast squirmed away at the last possible second and the spear only grazed its frill. The lizard hissed in rage and spat at the man, the vile acid finding a nook between his leather and turning his shoulder a tender pink. The man cried out in pain, stumbled over a rock and fell, his spear spinning out of reach. Joseph took the chance to leap up, scanning the ground. He quickly spotted his second set of throwing stones and ran to it. A quick glance backward revealed that yet another lizard had joined the fray. The man had a bone dagger in his hand, slashing at the brown reptile while the newest one, a small green lizard with an orange frill, hissed and snapped at the larger beast. Joseph slid to a halt next to his weapon and deftly snatched it from the ground. He turned back, only to watch the man slide behind the brown lizard and open its throat, a wide red smile against the rough brown scales.

The beast collapsed into the dust, blood staining the ground a crimson red. The man heaved in relief and retrieved his spear from where it had fallen. The lizard with the orange frill chirped in delight at the fallen corpse. The other man spared it a quick smile and then slapped at his shoulder, his grin turning into a grimace. A layer of the leather vest was hideously disfigured and the man's shoulder was still an itchy pink from the lizard spit. The huge wolf padded back to its master, muzzle dripping red. The man had rested a hand on its head and glanced over at him.

Joseph paused, pushing on a stake to make sure it held. He looked back up at Otto. "And you know the rest," he said, concluding the story.

Weiss was silent for a moment, thrusting one final stake into the ground before he spoke again. "You've faced hardships, aye. There will be many more to follow." He surveyed their work and nodded in approval, turning back to Joseph. "Come, our work here is done." Otto got up and clapped him on the back. Joseph rose and followed Weiss, casting a glance back at their work. Every side of the camp was staked against the outside world, save the cliff to their backs. There was a small opening between some spikes, just barely large enough for Winter to squeeze through.

Joseph found his spot on the rock and watched as Otto got the fire blazing. The sun was beginning to hide behind the horizon, a half circle of yellow still peaking out from behind the hills. The sky was rose and gold, with wispy purple clouds crawling along at a sluggish pace. Winter had curled up under the shade, panting happily with his tongue hanging out. The orange Dilo kept a careful watch over the camp, dark voids scanning every little movement.

They feasted well that night; leeks roasted with a haunch of the giant pig, carrots, potatoes and onions fried in bacon grease, and shiny red berries as a sweet finish. Otto's two beasts had already eaten earlier, and now scanned the distance for enemies. Joseph ate until he was stuffed to the brim, every last morsel disappearing from his plate. When all was well and done, he curled up by the fire on a pile of moss and grass, a luxury compared to his conditions before.

For the first time that night, Joseph slept peacefully.

Author's Note:

First off, you may have noticed I haven't taken a name suggestion for the Dilo yet. This chapter takes off right after the last one (actually a bit before the last ended) so I felt it would be unnatural and feel forced if I added a name in. Keep those suggestions coming though, a name will be taken by the next chapter.

TheJaiganticBridge, thank you for the continued support and name suggestion. Your feedback is well appreciated.

NightWyvern91792, thank you for the kind praise and name suggestion. And I'll definitely try my best!

Tall-Gothic-Guy, your guess is closer than you might think. They definitely aren't from modern times, that's for sure. Thank you for the praise and name suggestion. Your reviews are always welcome.

Kitsune-Hime1111, thank you for the feedback and name suggestion. And I agree, Direwolves for the win :)

Guest, thank you for the feedback and I would be happy to join your tribe if I get a chance one day.

Anonymous, please do not corrupt the site or troll writers with hate comments.

Thanks for taking the time to check out my first fanfiction, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Shout out to TheJaiganticBridge for helping with the story by researching some of the creatures. The Carno "bull lizard", Rex, Chalicotheriums "horse-bears" and Argentavis were made realistic by their help. Feel free to comment, ask questions or criticize my story, review is always welcome. And if you like what you saw, make sure to check out the other ARK: Survival Evolved fanfictions out there. Have a great rest of your day or night.

-DaRumpyBurr