Small Creatures Among Great Beasts

66 Million Years BC: the Chicxulub meteor misses Earth. It does not trigger a climate-destabilising dust cloud, and the extremity of subsequent ice ages is therefore blunted. The era’s megafauna migrate, survive and evolve, while new animals⁠—such as primates⁠—emerge.Last moon I was declared a man. Tonight is my first hunt. To leave The Settlement led by FearNothing, to protect my BrotherMen and SisterMen⁠—I’ve longed for such honour. My heart bump-bump-bumps.No moon or cloud above. On these nights we can almost believe we own this world. We don’t creep or cower, we walk tall.Prickling stars sprinkle just enough light for we four hunters to find our way. GreatBeasts roam the night, but rarely. If they come we feel their thundering approach through our bare feet and burrow or cloak ourselves, glad to be small.KindHeart holds a hand up⁠—we stop. His thinspear lashes and he holds aloft a scorpion wriggle-wriggling against the stars. I hide my sadness for the small things we kill. They…