The Pulse of the Unknown

The cavern was unlike anything he had encountered. The glowing patterns on the walls pulsed rhythmically, their energy mirroring the hum he'd felt since awakening. Each pulse seemed to sink into his skin, resonating deep within him.

The massive tree at the center dominated his thoughts. Its bark, twisted and dark, told a story of age centuries, perhaps millennia. The leaves, with their faint luminescence, swayed in rhythm with the pulsing patterns. He could feel the energy from it, as though the tree was alive, breathing.

The whispers from before grew louder as he approached, still unintelligible but strangely familiar. They felt... personal.

His hand reached out, hesitating just before touching the bark. A strange warmth radiated from it, as though the tree recognized his presence.

"Why do I feel like I know this place?" he murmured, his voice lost in the cavern's vastness.

The hum intensified when his fingers finally brushed the bark. Images flashed through his mind fragmented memories, fleeting glimpses of places he didn't recognize. A towering mountain shrouded in mist. Endless oceans stretching beyond sight. A sky darkened by falling stars.

He staggered back, his breathing quickened. The flashes stopped as suddenly as they had begun, leaving him disoriented.

"What... was that?"

The whispers faded, and the cavern fell silent, the only sound his unsteady breaths. The energy from the tree receded, as if retreating, waiting for something more.

He stood there, torn between staying and continuing to explore the jungle. Survival instincts whispered that he shouldn't linger too long in one place.

Reluctantly, he turned back to the narrow fissure and squeezed through it, emerging once more into the jungle's embrace.

The jungle seemed different now. The light filtering through the towering trees felt dimmer, the air heavier. He couldn't shake the sense that the cavern and the tree had marked him somehow.

His heightened senses picked up faint sounds in the distance branches snapping, low growls, rustling leaves. He wasn't alone.

His stomach growled, a reminder that he hadn't eaten since awakening. The thought of herbivorous dinosaurs came to mind again. He had seen them grazing near the stream earlier, their massive forms moving sluggishly, oblivious to his presence.

But how would he hunt something so large? He had no weapons, no tools, only his bare hands.

Instinctively, he tested his grip on a nearby tree trunk. His fingers sank into the bark with surprising ease, carving grooves into the wood. He stared at his hand, a mix of awe and disbelief washing over him.

"Am I... this strong?"

He crouched, running his fingers through the dirt, feeling its texture. His senses heightened again, picking up subtle vibrations in the ground. Something large was approaching.

He moved silently, his steps measured and deliberate, following the vibrations. The jungle opened up into a clearing, where a group of herbivorous dinosaurs grazed. Their scales glinted faintly in the sunlight, their movements slow and peaceful.

He scanned the group, searching for the smallest or weakest. One stood apart from the others a juvenile, its movements less coordinated, its size a fraction of the adults.

"Perfect," he whispered, his body tensing.

But just as he prepared to move, a deafening roar shattered the clearing's calm. The herbivores scattered, their heavy footfalls shaking the ground.

He froze, his eyes darting toward the source of the roar. Emerging from the shadows was a predator a massive, clawed creature with sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight. Its eyes locked onto the juvenile herbivore, hunger evident in its every movement.

The predator charged, its speed astonishing for its size. The juvenile let out a panicked cry, its short legs struggling to keep up with the herd.

He watched, his instincts screaming for him to act. But what could he do? He was just a man wasn't he?

Yet, his body moved on its own. He sprinted toward the predator, his speed far beyond what he thought possible. The wind rushed past him, the ground a blur beneath his feet.

Before he realized it, he was between the predator and its prey, his arms raised defensively. The predator skidded to a halt, its head tilting in confusion.

"Back off," he said, his voice low and steady.

The predator growled, its muscles tensing as it prepared to strike.

And then it lunged.