Fox awoke to bird calls, startling himself wide awake and sitting up. He had fallen asleep on the bed, having taken his radio off. A humid wind blew in through the open windows. He was alone.
He got up, taking off his uniform jacket and shirt, walking over to the glassless window and looking out. The sky had only a few white clouds, sun beaming down. It looked like it was going to be a beautiful morning.
"Early bird catches the worm, eh?" Scott appeared out of nowhere, landing in front of him.
Fox flinched. "Don't do that man."
"Sorry. Take those off." He gestured at the shoulder holster Fox still wore. "They aren't needed."
"I beg to differ." Fox grunted. "So if I can't touch the local fruit, what am I supposed to eat?"
"I advise you stick to the survival kit in your plane." Scott shrugged. "Like we said, food here will speed up the transformation."
"Transformation?"
"Mutation. Morph. Evolution. Whatever." He shrugged again. "Don't ask us why."
Fox sighed, feeling a bit out of his league.
"Come on, I have to check the freezer."
Scott led Fox down to the basement level of the base. The temp dropped; and Fox realized with a start that the atmospheric control was working. A fine humming went through the air as well.
"The generator down here WORKS?" Fox asked, surprised.
"Yes. Eden agreed to it for one reason--food preservation." With a soft woosh and hiss, Scott opened the door to a walk-ion freezer.
It was almost completely empty, but the temp inside was below zero, and Fox could tell it was being used.
"Yeah, we're going to have to hunt." Scott closed the door. "Our synthesizers are disabled, so we have to hunt and gather to eat."
Fox followed him back up the stairs. "I could help, I think."
"Not with your guns. I can guarantee they don't work. Can you use a bow or spear?"
Fox pulled one of his guns and checked. No energy reading. He sighed and shrugged out of the shoulder holster. It fell with a clatter, loud and harsh against nature. He felt completely out of his element in this place, and in many ways he was. "I threw javalin in High School, some. And my dad taught me out to use bows, but I'm not very good. I've always been much better with guns."
Scott looked satisfied. "All right then."
Alena touched down beside Scott, carrying a homemade compound bow and loaded quiver. "You guys handle the spears then, but I doubt that they'll be needed."
"Ah, almost forgot." Scott smiled sheepishly. "Eden has several races that are pseudo-sentient or have group sentience. The downside of this is that it's harder to hunt pack animals. The up is that Eden can actually provide help to us. HEY! AI-AI-AI!" He shouted the last part toward the forest.
Rustling, then four creatures burst throught he underbrush. Fox's eyes widened, and he backed off several steps, reaching for his guns automatically.
The creatures stood about waist heigh, four legged like an unsentient dog. The resemblance stopped there. Though obviously built for both running and stalking, they were hulking with muscle, flesh/scales smooth, with sharp bristly hair over their neck and shoulders like a mane. Their tails were serpentine and prehensile, last half covered in sharp barbs. They had four large, preditory eyes, almost demonic faces, and dozens of sharp teeth. Scyth-shaped claws were on the inside of each back foot, and the front paws looked to have some grasping ability.
The four creatures bristled at Fox, growling, but a sharp reprimand from Alena shut them up. They sat and waited, watching silently.
"Meet the Eden version of a hunting hound." Said Scott. "These guys help us hunt." He handed Fox a pair of longspears, tipped with sharp metal that had been taken from the base. "Test throw that." He instructed, pointing out a rough target carved in the trunk of a massive tree.
Fox set one of the spears down and weighed the other in one hand, testing balance. Not bad for a homemade, he judged, then eyed the target. Fifteen meters, closer to fifteen and a half. He took a stance, stepped, and put all his weight into it.
The spear whistled through the air and thunked into the ring just outside the bullseye, shaft shaking.
"Damn!" Alena's eye dropped in disbelief.
"Threw javalin, and they were a lot heavier." Fox walked to the target and pulled the spear out. "And I've always fitness and weight trained." He flexed one arm, making the muscles bulge.
"We ready then?" Scott also carried a pair of spears. Without waiting, he cried harsh sylables to the 'dogs,' and they bayed, turning and charging into the forest, sniffing the ground, then baying again.
Next thing Fox knew, he was racing after the 'dogs' on foot, completely focused on the chase. Adrenaline rushed through him, he felt his heart pounding in his chest, and he poured on the speed.
'I'm... I'm excited! Why?' He wondered, dodging trees. He was vaguely aware of Scott and Alena pacing him, Alena using the trees and Scott running/gliding. They burst out of the trees and into a field. A herd of antelope-like beasts startled and ran, the 'dogs' close on their tails.
The leading dog caught up with one of the antelope beasts, slashing and biting. The antelope staggered, and a flurry of arrows soared through the air, finding their mark. The antelope fell, and the lead hound plunged on, one of the others finishing the job.
"Whoop whoop! One more!" Shouted Scott to the hounds. Alena had fallen back, and now he and Fox were the ones closely following the hounds.
The dogs understood, separating one from the herd and slowing it down. Fox stepped, spun, and released. The spear flew as it if it had wings, and blood splattered as the spear hit and the antelope fell.
Fox slowed to a walk, hearing himself whooping and yelling. He made himself fall silent as he yanked out the bloodied spear.
"Well, you've proven yourself useful." Scott remarked, pulling a knife out of a holster and crouching by one of the fallen antelopes. "Not bad at all Fox."
Alena was silent, then said, "Had fun eh?"
"I guess so." Fox wiped the point of his spear on his pants. "Was... excited, I suppose." Scott and Alena shared a look, and Scott slowly said, "Eden didn't reject you."
Fox blinked. "How can you.. aw no." He blurted the last part, eyes wide.
"You gave yourself over to a more primal nature." Scott bowed his head. "Eden's already got you."