The sheer number of creatures slowed his pursuit to a crawl.

　　He sat in a ditch by the packed dirt, peeking over the edge as he watched a stream of ambushers and their beasts go by. Their roars and growls filled his ears, and his eyes watered each time he inhaled their acrid attacks. None of the other beasts or ambushers appeared to notice the smell, and he wondered if he`d gain the same immunity if he ate one.

　　His gaze fixed on the smallest of the shiny beasts, and he closed his eyes and sniffed the air. While difficult, he found that, with his new sense of smell, it wasn`t impossible to cut through the acrid stench. Confused, he tried again, but soon found that while he could catch the sweet smell of the ambushers, there was no meat on the beasts.

　　His stomach didn`t grumble at the scent, and none of his instincts flared. With a growl, he flattened himself further down as the ambushers continued to stream past. Any time there was a break, he turned and started digging a shallow trench alongside the ambushers path. His fur caught and shifted the dirt sprayed by his paws, funneling it behind him so he wouldn`t get spotted.

　　Whenever the growling, non-meat beasts got close, he would pause and watch them. Multiple times, he noticed ambushers sitting on their backs, those strange new weapons clutched tightly or dangling over the side. Once one fired, though, to his relief, it was in the opposite direction from him. That didn`t stop him from shivering as he heard the destruction of a nearby rock.

　　The sky slowly darkened as he made his way closer to his mommy`s scent, but circumstances soon forced him to stop once again.

　　Strange cloth structures surrounded the area; he could smell his mother, and a massive group of ambushers sat inside them. His nose picked up their sweat, scents of fire, and cooked meat, as well as more of those strange non-meat beasts. He watched as ambushers dressed in dark material paraded around with those weapons. In the distance, some were being used, and he flattened his ears to the top of his head.

　　Erodicilee stayed there, huddled and watching. When he was sure he`d seen enough, he let his eyes drift closed, and he breathed in deeply. There. His mommy`s scent was nearby, diffused, but certainly stronger in a few locations. Still, he knew she wasn`t here. If she was, he`d be able to smell her. However, any of those points could lead him to her exact location.

　　With that in mind, he flexed his claws and started digging into the soft dirt. Once again, he used his fur to spread the dirt, and he went deep. When he was sure no one had noticed his freshly made tunnel, he popped his head up and took a deep sniff. Satisfied that he knew the location, he raced back down and started digging in that direction.

　　He didn`t know how much time had passed as he worked. His fur writhed around him, grabbing small rocks and other debris as his claws scraped against the hardened earth. When he reached where he thought was right, he stopped tunneling forward. Instead, he turned his attention to carving himself a small area to hide in.

　　This was for two reasons. The first was to give him space if something dropped in from above, and the second was if he needed to pull his mommy to safety. His fur twisted around him as he dug, threading itself into strong tendrils that he knew could pull her after him. That done, he turned his attention to digging towards the light.

　　His claws scraped against something solid, and he pushed against it. Without light, he wasn`t able to see, so he opened his mouth and let out a bark.

　　"Mommy,"

　　Soon his mental map updated, and he could tell the material above him wasn`t the same packed earth. It was harder, and his bark didn`t bounce off it in the same way. His claws scrambled against it, but to no avail. With a determined growl, he picked another spot and tried again, only to get the same result. After the fourth attempt, he simply moved to his left and tried again. When that failed, he continued to leave, widening his burrow as he went.

　　Eventually, he no longer battled against the new substance. Light poured in, and he took a deep breath of something that wasn`t dirt in what felt like forever. In the same breath, he smelled hints of his mother. Erodicilee`s fur waved around his face, brushing dirt from his eyes as he moved into the light. The barking of ambushers surrounded him, and he froze, his vision expanding to its full potential now that he was no longer in an enclosed space.

　　He spotted people above him, including a strange green-skinned creature with pointed ears and teeth. They stood next to ambushers with blonde fur and one whose fur was gray and falling out. In the distance, he smelled mommy`s companion, who joined them on walks.

　　"Is that him?" The strange green creature barked, and Erodicilee backed away.

　　His mind raced as the two ambushers, and a strange green creature barked at each other. He could smell his mommy`s scent through the barricade behind them, but it was currently closed. How could he get through?

　　Then it opened as a new ambusher came outside. He had blonde fur and stood tall as he held open the barricade. When Erodicilee met the newcomer`s eyes, he yelled, and that was when he made his move.

　　With a burst of speed, he hurtled forward, leaping up the perfectly placed rocks as he weaved in between the ambusher`s legs. They yelled in alarm, but he ignored them. It was time to locate his owner`s scent.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

　　***

　　Erodicilee suspected this entire thing was a trap.

　　The scent of his mother was faint, and he now hung upside down on the ceiling as he stared down at the group of ambushers who`d blocked his entry. He growled at them, tentacles waving as he threatened them. None backed down.

　　They barked at each other, but he ignored them as his attention focused on anything that looked like an exit. He felt like the small portal, similar to the one where the ambushers had shoved him in the metal container, was his best option. However, he wasn`t sure if he could get to it with the blonde who`d opened the barricade standing nearest to it.

　　"Lucy, he`s looking at me," the ambusher barked.

　　The one with the longer blonde fur wrapped in white fabric snorted. "Jeff, don`t move. Someone outside has to have seen, and they`ll grab Julep. We just need to keep him here."

　　Erodicilee breathed in, focusing on the ambusher acting as an obstacle. His stomach growled as he smelled the scent he knew better than any other—fear. He drifted them, tendrils curling and uncurling.

　　"Lucy!" the fearful-smelling ambusher cried out.

　　"Damn it, stay still. Erodiclee. Here, boy!"

　　He paused at the sound of her voice, turning to look at her. She bared her teeth at him and raised up her arms like his mommy did when she wanted him to go to her. Erodicilee hesitated, unsure. She was an ambusher, but she wasn`t afraid of him.

　　"I know where your treats are," she said in a soft bark. "Come down, and you can have as many as you want."

　　The balding ambusher made a rhythmic barking sound, and the blonde narrowed her eyes at him. Erodicilee backed up a step. He didn`t like how she combined that expression and gesture. That meant he was going to the place where they poked him with sharp objects.

　　"Not now, Jerry. Come on, Erodicilee. Come on. Treats for you!" She barked again, soft and slow, as she moved towards him.

　　He continued to back up, unsure. The green-skinned creature nodded and made the same gesture before barking along.

　　"Erodicilee. Treats! Treats for a good boy!"

　　His tail wagged at the sound, and he looked between them before barking himself. "Treats?"

　　The new bark felt strange, but he liked the sound of it, and so he repeated it in rapid succession.

　　"Treats. Treats. Treats. Treats."

　　"Oh god, it can talk?" The one by his escape route whined, and the blonde narrowed her eyes again.

　　The balding one turned to him and raised an arm. "Jeff, shut up. Lass, keep doing whatever you`re doing."

　　"Treats!" Erodicilee barked again, and he felt his fur tentacles fall apart.

　　"Yes," the long-furred blonde barked back. "Treats. There are lots of treats. Come down, and we`ll give you some."

　　He almost did, but then stopped and sniffed. There were no treats nearby that he could smell, and certainly not from any of the ambushers. His tendrils twirled together again as he let out another bark, the one he`d learned from the young ambusher.

　　"Mommy!"

　　The ambusher, who`d promised him treats, nodded and stepped forward before barking back. "We can take you to your mommy. Come on. Good boy. Who`s a good boy? Yes, you are!"

　　Her excitement was palpable, and he felt himself wiggling in response as his tail wagged against the ceiling. With a more natural bark, he ambled forward, excited to see what would happen. Then he heard footsteps closing in.

　　His nose twitched, and he smelled fear, sweat, and something that reminded him of those new weapons. The barricade burst open, and several bald ambushers ran inside, brandishing weapons. Erodicilee remembered the last time he`d seen them in action, and his ears flattened.

　　"We`re here to help!" said a bald ambusher in strange white fabric that left his arms bare.

　　The ambusher who`d promised his treats whirled and started barking loudly, but he wasn`t paying attention. This was a trap. He needed to leave. Run. Escape. Hide. He thought about his escape from the containers and let out the last of the strange barks he knew. That had paralyzed the ambusher last time and would do so again.

　　He opened his mouth, breathed deeply, and made the most forceful bark he`d ever done.

　　"DIE!"

　　All activity in the room ceased, and Erodicilee took the chance. He charged the fearful ambusher, who yelled and leapt out of the way. With his tentacles wrapped around him, he dived out of his escape route.

　　There was a crashing sound, and he rolled as he hit the ground. With a bark, he leapt up and started running. Screams erupted, and he heard a weapon go off. Dirt showered him, and he rocketed around a structure.

　　All around, ambushers were moving. One had ducked low as it tried to creep up behind him, but before it could grab him, he launched dirt directly into their face. They cried out, and he ran again. His speed increased as he barreled towards another structure that contained his mother`s scent. This time it was stronger, and he jumped and ran up the outside.

　　Barking, screams, and weapons going off filled his ears till he found himself outside the room where the smell came from. She wasn`t there, but he spotted where she kept her treats. With a growl, he raced to the top of the structure and turned, looking definitely at the ambushers who gathered below.

　　Erodicilee howled. It was long and low, and he poured all of his frustration into it. No one moved, and neither did he until he expelled all the air from his body. He stood, panting for breath, before he turned and hurtled to the other side of the roof.

　　His paws stuck to the other side of the building, and he hurled down. This time, however, he didn`t dig underground. He wanted full visibility in case they tried to chase after him. With gasping breaths, he leapt over rocks and dodged around shrubs. Creatures fled from him, and he felt his fur shift to cover the bare patch the weapon had left on him.

　　A growl escaped his throat as he raced further into the wilderness. He would find his mother, and nothing was going to stop him.

　　Progression: Evolutions

　　360 Vision (Flies)

　　Sticky Feet (Flies)

　　Limb Regeneration (Lizard)

　　Gills (Fish)

　　Scaled Fur (Fish)

　　Digging (Wombat)

　　Enhance Speed (Dingo)

　　Enhanced Smell - Distance Increase (Cow)

　　Word Mimicry (Cockatoo)

　　Enhanced Bite (Crocodile)

　　Echolocation (Bat)

　　Enhanced Endurance (Human)