I exited my cave with utmost care. As I peeked outside I was initially worried a native would be waiting outside with an axe, or some other sharp implement, but when there was no attack, I made my way outside.
Crusoe followed me, just overjoyed to actually get to be outside again.
He sprung around through the low vegetation, happily bouncing around, barking slightly.
“Ssh! Damn it, Crusoe. Quiet!”
I scanned the surroundings, frightened by the shadows of the trees.
I wasn’t a brave man. After all, I had flunked the ODST trials because I nearly fainted during the drop, and my current predicament did nothing to help my nerves.
When there was no sight of hostiles, I started to move towards the brook.
I took slow and quiet steps, and finally Crusoe got in the spirit of things.
We snuck carefully through the woods.
When we reached the shore of the brook, Crusoe shot forwards, barking as loudly as he could.
At first I nearly jumped out of my skin, not being able to see what triggered him.
Then I saw them.
There were natives! Sleeping in the tree!
Oh god they’re waking up
They’re throwing spears at us
They’re attacking us
In my panic I throw my spear with all my might. It cuts through the air, the tip flashing in the sunlight.
One of the natives is hit squarely in the chest, and is pinned towards the tree.
The rest flee.
Crusoe chases them for a bit before returning, wagging his tail.
I’m panting, sweating from the sheer fright of the event.
And isn’t this great, Dead native on a stick.
Bloody brilliant.
Seeing as I was alone by the water now, I started off by tearing loose the dead native, freeing my spear.
The creature is probably a male, though I can’t really be certain. I’m a geologist, not a biologist, and he was lithe, thin and short. Though he also seemed rather muscular, though I didn’t prod around his body to make sure. He was also quite short, and I’d estimate he was just above 4’4” tall, though a general lack of measuring tape made it hard to tell.
After I had retrieved my spear, I gently placed him down on the ground, and leaned him towards the tree.
I carved out the word “Sorry” next to his body, as I had only really wanted to scare them away, not kill something.
The fact that this creature was so similar to a human made it so much worse.
I gathered my water and returned to my cave. I then spent most of my day gathering up bushes and branches to mask my palisade to hide myself from the retaliation of the natives.
I awoke in the middle of the night to the rustling of leaves outside my home, and Crusoe’s growling.
I grabbed my spear, and added some more fuel to my fire.
If they got in here, I was at least going to see my assailants.
But then I heard the rustles quickly leave the area around my entrance.
I didn’t move a muscle for several minutes.
Then I peeked outside.
There were hand-woven baskets filled with fruit outside, and it was still dark.
What the bloody hell was going on here?
What were they doing?
I hadn’t the faintest what was currently happening, but at least they hadn’t attacked me.
This pattern repeated itself every few days. I would awake in the middle of the night from Crusoe growling about strangers on our doorstep, and when I went outside to look they fled like scared animals, leaving behind baskets of fruit, river fish and raw meat.
As this kept going on, I grew bolder. They seemed far more afraid of me than I ever had been of them, and every time I moved my rock-door they fled.
I was starting to get the nagging suspicion that the fruit was some sort of bribe to keep me appeased, and after a couple of weeks I returned to my previous routine of spending large parts of my day lazing around in my hammock.
After all, I had something of an abundance of food now.
I had just started experimenting with letting the juices of a fruit pretty similar to grapes ferment when my routine was interrupted.
I awoke in the middle of the night from the usual rustle and growl combination, but this time something was different.
I could hear hushed voices speaking outside.
This is it. They finally decided to attack.
I grabbed my spear and waited for them to try and push my rock away.
It didn’t happen.
Instead, the sound of feet escaping the area was heard.
Okay, so something was different, but if it isn’t that they want to attack me, what is it then?
I wait a while before finding out myself.
I saw the usual bribe of fish and fruit, but there was more.
I saw a tightly bound native on the ground as well.
What the actual fuck.
For a while I just stare at her, and she stares back at me.
I think I’ve never seen a creature quite as scared as the native tied on the ground before me.
I take out my pocket knife, flipping out the blade and slowly approach her.
As I draw closer, she panics, squirming on the ground. She desperately tries to get away, but fails at doing so.
I gently grab the rope keeping her tied, and she freezes up. Not even moving a muscle. I slowly cut the rope, and then step back as she bursts free.
As she gets up and runs away, I expect her to disappear into the jungle, but she doesn’t.
Instead she hides behind some trees, staring at me.
After spending some time staring back at her, I decide I’d rather just leave her be, and I return to the cave. I shut the door firmly.
“Crusoe, guard.”
Crusoe barks once, and I scratch him behind the ear.
“Good boy.”
I return to sleep, and I sleep until daybreak.