Hi everyone! I'm back with a new update.

I should respond to some reviews for my story.

Andreamassocco98: "I'm enjoying this story. Thank you for it. But, isn't itreally possible for you to write a little longer chapters? I can't wait to read more. But, the other Human (in the first chapter) was Terry's friend or brother? Bye"

RE: Thanks for the review. I tend to keep these chapters short for more frequent uploads since longer uploads take too long. Chapters for this story will be around 1.5k to 2k words…unless it's a very important chapter, in which case I may consider writing more (which will definitely be in the cards later down the road).

As for the human character in Chapter 1, Mark, the story will delve into his backstory soon. I don't want to spoil anything too soon, *wink* *wink*

PanzerVor621: "I absolutely love this story and can't get enough. Terry and Roz's data could allow the beginning of an actual society of animals using technology, eventually leading to a civilization similar to what is seen in Zootopia."

RE: That's one way to look at it. While it's true that the animals exhibit human-like intelligence, and they do use Roz tech at the end of the film, I don't think they'll necessarily become like Zootopia. If anything, they can definitely create a human-like society like their own caste system, etc (they already develop that near the end of the movie thanks to Roz 7314.)

In any case, I hope you all enjoy this next chapter, peace!

…

Chapter 5: Stopgap

I am jolted from my resting place…grabbing my chest…reliving the hellish experience of the crash. The moment I saw the water rushing towards me like a tsunami…and the cries of Mark that were silenced…it felt like I was reliving the moment again…

I pant like a dog…sweat falling from my face as if I actually was drowning again…my entire body is shaking uncontrollably as I breathe in rapidly.

Fink must have heard the commotion and sensed my panicked state, for he soon sat next to me: wondering what the hell I was going through. The partial moon from the outside illuminated him so I could see his concerned face.

He didn't understand PTSD…never seen someone sweat and shake from a traumatic experience…yet he could SMELL it. My despair ran down his nostrils and he immediately knew what I was going through.

"Are you okay?" He yipped; I still could not understand him…even with the device on my temple pulsating throughout the night…

I began to break down…covering my face with my hands to hide my crying fit. The fox knew this feeling very well when he was always lonely. He never showed it, he felt as though that's what has kept him alive so far…even with Roz and Brightbill in his life. The fox must have imagined me having a similar experience…being the only member of my kind on this island.

Something terrible happened, he thought…but what? Fink wasn't sure. It was times like this he wished he could talk to the two-legged beast lying in front of him.

"Everybody on that airship…is gone…why did it happen? It makes no sense, why would there be a hole in the hull!?" I yelled out to no one in question, "did someone attack us!? H-how can a weather system destroy such a hardy ship!? Who would do such a thing!? What's the point in even thinking about it, though!? It's been days and NO ONE has bothered to go looking for us!"

Fink lowered his head, his ears folded behind him as he witnessed me break down further, "my friends…my family…they probably have no idea that I'm here…and I'll probably never see them again…never!"

Suddenly, I felt something warm touch the side of my face…it was Fink's head…and my somber demeanor ceased.

"Listen kid" the smaller animal said in his language, "I can't imagine what you must be feeling…but we'll help you get through this. I promise."

All I could hear was soft whining, yet somehow…I understood this as the fox's attempts to calm me, and it worked.

I stopped crying and he pulled away to look into my gray eyes…giving a soft, reassuring smile. To me, I reminded him of Brightbill…and I needed him more than ever at this moment. He never objected.

We decided to return to sleep, only this time: Fink rested beside me for the first time since I came to the island.

…

The next day arrived. It was slightly colder today, but it wasn't snowing anymore: maybe it wouldn't snow again for the rest of the season? I really hope this is the case. Either way, we quit Roz's shelter to go looking for food.

Turns out, I had only a few days of rations left. If I am going to stay here longer than expected, I must learn how to gather food myself. Funny enough, that's exactly where Fink was leading me.

As we walked towards the beach, I thought about how my trips into the mainland from MC-7 usually had me on expeditions with other humans. I always had to rely on people to help me get food and water (and we often brought our own.) Now here lies the dilemma: if I can't eat the other intelligent animals on this island, what CAN I eat?

I guess I can eat whatever the fox eats, which has so far consisted of raw seafood! Well, maybe I can compare it to something like Sushi? I just hope I don't get sick.

Sure enough, he began to catch some mollusk from shore and soon offered some to me, "come on, kid…you've got to eat some REAL food…none of that weird stuff" Fink demanded…brandishing a shell in his paw to me.

Unfortunately, hunger by this point had begun messing with me. With each passing second the temptation grew until it became too much, and I finally grabbed one…gobbling it up.

"Huh…carnivore after all" the fox smirked.

Sure enough, he shared more with me, and it wasn't long before we managed to have our little seafood banquet. We lie down against some rocks…watching the waves crash into pillars and sea stacks further out. A thought crossed my mind: the day I got here and how hectic it was.

I was about to think further about my misfortunes until the vulpine got my attention with a yip…requesting me to follow them. I stand up, dusting some sand off my black raincoat before I follow them.

During our return to the forest, we silently walked through…hearing some squeaks and chittering above in the branches. I stopped for a moment as the fox looked back to see me frozen in place like a statue.

Those sounds…they're new. It was coming from some squirrels above…but the way they were communicating…sounded gibberish like a language but NOTHING animal-like.

I shook it off…thinking maybe my mind was playing tricks with me or something. Sure enough, however, I heard more of it all around…from every animal.

A new distraction soon took over: we were not too far from the same hill I had wanted to get a signal from. And so, I ran ahead, grabbing my PDA from my bag.

"H-hey, kid!?" The fox said in their indiscernible language. Fink followed and stopped close once I got to the top.

By the time he made it to me, I held my device out above me…waving it high above my head.

Déjà vu, Fink thought, like Roz…they're probably wanting to rejoin their pack.

A subtle hint of sadness hit him, as if he knew my desire to return to civilization and the vulpine didn't try to object. It's only natural to try and find where you belong. Despite being alone, for the most part, Fink still belonged.

I began to get frustrated with the lack of results, "I can't get a connection…why…why is there so much interference here!?"

Suddenly, a small gust of wind struck me, and I began to lose balance! Fink yelped and began rushing toward me, "kid!"

Very shortly after I realized I was too close to the edge, and I was at risk of falling to my death!

"Careful!"

He grabbed my coat with his sharp teeth and pulled me back to safety…unintentionally ripping a small portion of my raincoat in the process. It took a second to catch our breath.

"T-thanks…" I panted, nodding to him before Fink rolled his eyes to me.

Then, that's when I realized that I heard a voice…human-like...just before the fox grabbed me. I rubbed my head before Fink sniffed me, "you okay?"

"Yeah…thanks for that…" that's when my eyes widened, my face went cold as a shiver went down my spine.

W-wait…did he just…DID HE JUST…TALK!?

I shake my head in disbelief…run that by me again!?

"Y-you just talked!" I exclaimed before he stepped back…soon realizing what I just said. He understood what I just muttered also…at least a bit of it. He soon gave a big smile…realizing what this means! It wasn't much but it was progress! We both knew now that somebody like me could learn like Roz…it's working…I think, or maybe I'm just CRAZY!

I stood up…wobbling as Fink tried to help me, "kid…are you alright?" He said in his gibberish, but slowly but surely, I began to pick up broken letters and phrases. I rubbed my face in disbelief…disoriented by all this. My head started getting dizzy…overwhelmed by the influx of new information.

Fink knew this was bad and did everything he could to usher me back to the shelter for the day. After a few minutes, I was stumbling through the forest as if I was intoxicated. The world around me was swirling…many voices were ringing out and starting to be understood by me…but they were not meant to be.

My brain was having a literal battle against the artificial translation from my implant. I gasped…unknowingly running into a tree…holding onto it before I heard more voices from above.

"What is it doing?"

"Something is wrong with it…"

Many different animals were witnessing the event happening…the device on my temple was processing thousands of different chirps and growls and translating them at a pace that my human mind could barely keep up with. Unlike Roz, who probably could withstand this surge, I was only human, so I easily succumbed to whatever was happening.

Was this a mistake? Is it too late to stop it?

I was now learning at such a fast pace that I felt like my head was going to explode! Fink could only watch as I tried stumbling away from the tree I used as an anchor.

And that's when the spinning intensified…voices echoing in my head all around as if I was experiencing psychosis.

"Kid…what is WRONG with you!?" I can hear Fink say in perfect English before I finally fall…face-first…into the ground. I give one last breath before I pass out.