Leo saw movement. Something ran rapidly through the tree trunks, but he could not see whether it was doing the chasing, or if something was chasing it. All he saw was flashes of light brown running towards them.

‘What do we do?’ Leo asked, the dark cave no longer seeming as daunting as it had first appeared.

‘For now, we wait. The rule is that anything that is left roaming the woods can be considered prey. Anything that has returned home is to be left alone.’

The flashes of brown became more prominent, and they could now make out little specks of white across the body as though it had just been caught in a sprinkling of snow.

‘What is that?’ Bailey asked, following its darting movements.

‘It’s a deer. Prepare yourselves to witness the conclusion to your first hunt,’ Tepey whispered, scanning the treetops and the forest floor, ‘there!’

Tepey raised one hand, letting his body weight rest on his remaining palm as he pointed between the trees. One hundred or so feet behind the deer, Leo spotted at least three pursuers. Flecks of grey hair weaved between the trees from one of them, while another appeared to be a greeny brown colour. The final pursuer, the one leading the pack was hard to spot, just a yellowy blur that shot between the trees.

‘This one’s mine again,’ cackled the leader, just getting within range of the deer, which pranced desperately around.

‘Not if you go any slower between those trees,’ came the response from the grey-haired runner.

Poking through the grey hair that whipped along behind the woman’s head were grey triangular ears. And as Leo continued to watch, he saw that her body was covered in the same grey hair, but with shades of black scattered on her back and a bright white coat on the front of her body.

‘Psh, you two are both too cocky. You've the stamina of a sloth, Charlie, and your takedown is about as successful as me controlling my tongue,’ hissed the final member of the pack.

Looking almost as tall as some of the smaller trees, and that is without considering his olive-green tail, Leo saw the final member of the pack whose skin was covered in scales. He moved deliberately towards them as his tongue continually slithered through his scaly lips, tasting the surrounding air.

‘What are they?’ Leo asked, trying to wrap his head around what was going on.

‘They’re more of the instinctive. Can you see the leader of the pack? That light yellow dotted streak. His instinct is that of a cheetah. An incredibly fast animal, but one that can’t maintain a chase for long.’

‘That one was obvious,’ Dorian said, unable to help himself.

‘Then you can tell us what the rest are,’ snarled Tepey.

‘Well, looking at the second person’s ears and fur, I assume a dog,’

‘Almost. The woman behind has the instincts of a grey wolf. Her hair has grown everywhere apart from on her head, which remains untouched but for two of her most important features.’

‘Her ears?’ Kaira guessed.

‘Her ears. You can see how they have developed into those of a wolf. If she weren’t so intent on the prey in front of her, I dare say she would be listening to us right now.’

‘Should we stop talking then?’ whispered Bailey.

‘Not yet.’

‘In that case, what’s up with the dude at the back?’ she asked.

‘Want to guess what that dude is?’ Tepey asked Dorian.

‘Since he is covered in scales, he’s presumably a reptile. His scales are too smooth to be that of an alligator or crocodile, and they obviously don’t have the flickering tongue.’

‘Get to the point, Dors,’ sighed Kaira.

‘He’s clearly a snake. Going by the black blotchy markings, I’m guessing an anaconda?’

Tepey turned his head to face Dorian, an impressed but exasperated look on his face. An expression Leo and his friends knew all too well.

‘He does that,’ smiled Leo, ‘he also went to a reptile convention in the summer.’

‘I would have got it anyway,’ Dorian said smugly.

‘Right … his instinct does come from an anaconda. If you got closer, you would be able to see the orange and black lines behind his eyes.’

‘So, people have reptile instincts too?’ Leo asked, always having been a little grossed out by reptiles.

‘As you explore Libero, you will find that those with the instincts of reptiles, or even fish, are often not as you may expect in appearance,’ Tepey said remaining motionless, his patterned markings becoming more prominent as the sun reflected off his skin.

‘Why does he have legs?’ asked Dorian.

‘Everyone’s instinct comes out in different ways. He may well lose his legs in time, but most changes go beyond what the eye can see. I would still advise you not to get too close to him.’

‘I wasn’t planning on it,’ Leo whispered.

‘I assume you have all figured out what your instincts are?’ Tepey enquired.

‘We think so. I think I’m a lion and Kai’s a tiger,’ Leo started.

‘And I’m guessing I’m an elephant because, let’s be honest, I’m the most powerful here,’ Bailey smirked at Kaira, ‘and because of all this junk up in my trunk.’

‘That was so bad it could have been Leo’s joke,’ Kaira said as she put her head in her hands.

‘And you?’ Tepey asked Dorian.

‘I think I’m a bird,’ he said.

‘Tell me, do you have lumps at the top of your back?’

Dorian nodded.

‘Those lumps will eventually develop into wings, so yes, you have the instincts of a bird. If I were to take a guess, I would assume a bird of prey. Perhaps a hawk, or maybe even a golden eagle. But the birds are often hard to judge in the early stages, some never find out exactly what they are. However, given time you will develop your senses and your skills, and all will become clearer.’

‘Hey Bailey, if your ears grow, we might be able to fly together,’ Dorian laughed.

‘A word of warning for you, Dorian. Birds have hollow bones to help them fly,’ Tepey said, narrowing his eyes at him, ‘and some find their instincts hard to come to terms with. Bailey has clearly taken to her instinct with pride, and rightly so, as she has one of the most majestic instincts you could wish for. But, if you were to make such remarks to anyone who does not appreciate them, then it is likely you will be up against someone who has strength far superior to yours and those hollow bones may break with ease.’

Dorian gawked at him, unable to respond as the others shared a smile between each other.

‘Told you Charlie!’ A shout came from below them.

Leo glanced down to see that the name Charlie belonged to the light-yellow flash, and that he had indeed slowed down. His black dots were more apparent now as the other two moved in.

‘Whatever. It’s about time you guys managed to catch something,' he panted, jogging after them.

‘I’ve always said it is … about taking your time with these things. Let them … wear themselves out, and it … is almost too easy from there on in,’ said the scaled man, his continuously escaping tongue interrupting his speech.

‘I wouldn’t worry too much. This one’s mine!’ The lady sounded as though she was in a trance, the white fur on her front disappearing as she darted around a tree. Her black furry back was the last thing Leo saw before she pounced onto the deer, and as the faint whimpers died out, her bushy grey tail reached into the air.

Leo and his friends laid on the rock in silence. A silence that echoed around the forest as they watched the other two arrive to help carry away the limp deer.

‘Something wrong?’ Tepey asked Bailey, who looked a little nauseous.

‘This is. Isn’t it? You see it on documentaries all the time, but it hits different seeing it in real life,’ shuddered Bailey.

 ‘This is life. They are carnivores. They will hunt, kill, and eat to survive. It seems harsh and even cruel, but so is life. Even ...’

Tepey was interrupted by the loudest roar Leo had ever heard, and it seemed to rumble on as echoes thundered back from the cave behind them, making it hard to locate where it had come from.

‘Get down, all of you!’ Tepey stretched himself flat across the floor, his tail slightly curling at the end.

‘You finally beat Charlie did you, Lu?’ Spoke the creature that had emitted the roar, his voice carrying an alarmingly similar amount of raw power.

Vibrations reverberated through the rock beneath Leo, and in an instant, he knew that something enormous was now making its way through the forest.

‘What is that?’ Kaira whispered.

‘Arctier,’ Tepey replied, looking worried for the first time.

‘An easy catch, boss,’ Lu shouted back into the unknown, even her voice sounded uneasy.

‘I’m not your boss! I just provide you with the land you walk upon and food for you to catch.’

A hollow, ominous laugh echoed around the forest which made Leo’s hair stand on end; something did not feel right.

‘I’m but your equal, you remember that!’

As a small tree was effortlessly pushed to one side, Devolo’s words came rushing back to Leo as he caught a glimpse of Arctier for the first time - yeti or Bigfoot are two of Arctier’s many names – and now that Leo saw him, he could see why.

Resting against the tree trunk were huge paws, covered in a dirty white fur, with chipped black claws that scraped down the bark of a helpless oak that Arctier effortlessly uprooted. With every step he took, the ground’s rumbling increased as he got closer, causing pebbles to fall from the rock face Leo and the others were laid upon. Small circular ears twitched from where they sat atop his head as they listened intently to the silent world around them.

Leo moved to whisper in Kaira’s ear, but before he had even opened his lips, Tepey had instantly reached out a hand and stopped him. A hand that was accompanied by a silent, disbelieving glare, as if he knew Leo had just seen Arctier’s ears and could not believe he still went to voluntarily make a noise.

Breaking away from Tepey's glare, Leo saw that Arctier had reached his pack, and his whole body was in view. Covered in a thick white fur, Arctier's body stood at least twelve feet tall and loomed over the others. Only his mouth resembled something human, but as he smiled, even that showed teeth that could easily be mistaken for daggers.

‘Now that is how you make a killing!’ he bellowed, baring his teeth at Lu who smiled nervously back.

‘Uh, thanks,' she said, running her fingers through her light grey hair and leaving a dark red trail as she watched the others carry the deer away.

‘Don’t be so nervous, you’ve done well. But there is one thing you have all missed. Something even I had not foreseen,’ Arctier said, lifting his black nose into the sky, ‘tell me, can you smell anything unusual this evening?’

‘This is trouble,' whispered Tepey, not moving and barely even breathing, ‘this is trouble.’

‘I can’t smell anything, just the blood of this here kill,' smiled Charlie, lifting the deer's front legs with his spotted yellow paws.

‘Charlie, Charlie, Charlie,' Arctier turned to him, resting a thick paw on his shoulder, and causing his knees to buckle, ‘what have I told you about using your senses?’

‘I know, Arctier, but …’

‘Failing to use them correctly could be fatal! Now, someone please tell me what I can smell!’ he roared.

‘All of you, start moving back towards the cave. Quietly,’ Tepey said under his breath, slowly shuffling backwards and keeping his body against the ground.

‘I smell it!’ Lu gasped.

‘And what is it?’

‘I don’t know exactly. It's something … new,' she said, sniffing again, ‘something fresh.’

‘Exactly!' Arctier growled, and before Leo or any of his friends could react, he had turned in their direction and was pounding towards the rocks they had hoped would keep them safe.

For something so large, Arctier sure could move. He crossed the land between them in barely any time at all, with Leo having only moments to consider ducking out of sight.

‘Who’s up there? I wasn't aware we had any newcomers,’ Arctier growled, and Leo was sure he felt the rock shake as he placed a paw upon it, ‘I would advise you to not make me come up there.'

‘It is I, Arctier. It is I, Tepey,' he said, standing up before the man mountain.

‘You mean to tell me that you are alone, Tepey? I thought you smarter than this,’ Arctier said menacingly, ‘I trust you enjoyed the show? Lu’s coming on leaps and bounds, isn’t she?’

‘A truly efficient predator. You have taught her well,' Tepey entertained him, maintaining eye contact, and not daring to move.

‘You are fortunate, Tepey, that I find you on today of all days. It just so happens that I have taken another under my wing. Someone I have the highest of hopes for. Someone who will bring about a new era for Libero. I suppose I should thank you for providing me with an opportunity to train his senses.’

‘And who might this protégée be?’ Tepey asked, and Leo could see he was doing all he could to divert Arctier’s attention away from them.

‘Come out of the shadows my boy. There is someone I would like you to meet.'

Leo heard some bushes shake from behind Arctier, and curiosity got the better of him as he peered over the edge of the rock.

A pair of large black wings were wrapped around someone who walked through the clearing towards the rest of the pack. They moved at a very casual pace on long, pale skinny legs that were covered by plumage of feathers that Leo had at first mistaken for shorts.

As the newcomer stretched out their wings, a small gasp escaped Leo as they revealed a familiar smug smile.

There, walking towards Arctier was Leo's brother.

There was Sam.