The Earth was different than anything Caeyin had experienced before. It was both new and strange, yet also hauntingly familiar, like the whisper of a dream. He walked between the buildings, taking everything in at once. It was all so foreign, this planet that once belonged to the humans, but he found that it stimulated him in exciting ways. The sights were exotic. He had never seen such massive structures before. They were all laid out in a grid-like pattern that indicated careful planning and reminded him of the tales his father had told him of the humans’ ingenuity. Lower to the ground, he also saw wheeled vehicles of different shapes and sizes. They didn’t look like crafts that could fly, and he wondered if the creatures had ever advanced enough to create machines that would carry them through the sky. It was a pity if they hadn’t known what it was like to see their own world from above before the Virus took their lives. The curious inventions of the humans weren’t the only things he enjoyed about the planet. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply a gust of air caressed his skin. He had spent his entire life on a spaceship filled with stale, stagnant oxygen. The air on the Earth was much more invigorating. It moved and flowed in invisible waves, carrying with it the smells of everything around him. He had never experienced anything like it. It made him feel alive. Opening his eyes again, he continued to observe his surroundings. He noted the long, creeping tendrils of plants that seemed to be taking over the abandoned area. They reminded him of the poisonous plants that had killed the life on his home planet, although it was hard to tell if these ones were as dangerous. Deciding to be safe, he carefully collected a sample to bring back to the Pilot. If the Pilot thought this plant was concerning too, then they could send it back to the Luniarans on the mothership for testing. Just as he finished stashing the sample back in his bag, Caeyin heard a noise behind him. He turned to see a hairy, four-legged creature standing with its head low and its legs splayed. It emitted a deep rumble from its throat that resonated through the air. He studied it curiously. While he had never encountered such a beast before, his instinct told him it was hostile. Even so, it was no threat to him. Earthborn creatures were no match for a Lunairan. Moving without hurry, he stepped away from the wall where he had retrieved the plant sample and drew his Silencer from his bag. He raised the weapon in his right hand, taking aim at the beast’s head. As he did this, he noticed it seemed to waver. It was almost as if it understood that the gun was dangerous. He wondered how the creature could possibly know the weapon was a threat, but unfortunately, he didn’t have time to puzzle over the thought. In the next moment, the hairy beast overcame its brief hesitation and leaped towards him. There was a bright flash of blue light from the barrel of his Silencer, and the creature tumbled to the ground, either dead or unconscious. He lowered his weapon and stepped over to the body, unwilling to take any chances. However, as he approached, he heard rustling sounds from between the buildings around him. He guessed that there were more of the creatures lurking nearby, but they were fleeing after he had shot the first one. He knelt down next to the best and ran his hand over its side. The hair that covered its body was short and soft. He also noticed that it seemed to be rather thin, as his fingers traced the ridges of what appeared to be the creature’s ribcage. He almost felt sorry for killing it, as he was sure now that it was dead. Even though it had attacked him first, it had probably only done so because it was hungry. Rising to his feet again, he dusted himself off and snapped a picture of the creature for the others to look at later. Once he had put his things back in his bag, he continued walking down the road to see what else he could learn about the planet.