Story of the arctic

"It's a tough life to live out there." (text-colour:cyan)["Out where?"] "Out in the tundra, northern Alaska. Brutal winters. Just fields and fields of nothing but snow. No civilzation for miles. Barely have any electricity, rarely have running water, and not to say freezing my butt off everytime I step outside." (text-colour:cyan)["Oh, I could never imagine living a life in those conditions. Who would choose to live like that?"] "Well, someone has to operate the oil fields up north." (text-colour:cyan)["True."] (text-style:"bold","italic")[Story of the Arctic] [[Mother]] [[Child]] [[Trigger Warning]]

Mother is there from the beginning. She has been through the worst, through all pain and suffering of the arctic. Her goal is to teach her only surviving child how to survive this treacherous terrain. This is not an easy job. go to [[Child]]

[[...]]

There is nothing... but light, so much light... and cold, so cold... Mother is there to keep you warm. You live for the [[ice]], but recently you wonder why mother keeps you on the move so often. [[Mother]] teaches you everything How to hunt How to fight How to swim Most importantly, how to [[hide]]

From what we are hiding from, you aren't so sure. Mother has never allowed you to get close to one of the [[dangerous predators]] she always warns you about. Mother taught you how to fight other creatures, every one an easy battle because of your sharp teeth and giant claws. You wonder why mother never lets you near the den of these dangerous predators. Until one day, you understand [[why]].

You are chasing this smaller, quick creature around. They are fast, but you know you can catch them with endurance. Suddenly, this barrier comes, a barrier your game fits through, but you can't. Why must this be here? There must be another way around, but this is uncharted territory. You dig underneath the barrier and continue your hunt. There's that smell again, keeping you from focusing on your game. You hear this noise and realize it's mother. She seems more rushed, more chaotic than usual. You realize it's because you crossed into the predators' [[territory.]]

You hear it before you see it. The loudest sound. Earsplitting. The fear and adrenaline cause you to make a run for it, but you can't just leave mother. 1. [[run and hide]] 2. [[stay and fight]]

The way mother taught you. You run as fast as your legs will take you, through the snow, through the shrubs, until you feel nothing and smell nothing for miles. You turn around and realize you're by yourself. You're confused as to why mother didn't follow you. You want to go back to her, but you're in uncharted territory. But you need her to survive; you don't know everything about how to survive in the Arctic. You see another small collection of dens up ahead. 1. [[check town ahead]] 2. [[avoid town and continue]]

Forgetting what mother taught you, you can't lose your mother. Not yet. You're too young to survive by yourself. You start attacking the other predators, but there are too many of them. They use special devices to keep you from moving. They keep you locked up, like a house pet in confinement. They starve and abuse you so much that you need to escape and fast. The next time they open the cage, you use all your energy to barge through them. You make it out of their reach and break through the first opening of the barrier you find. You run as fast as your legs will take you, through the snow, through the shrubs, until you feel nothing and smell nothing for miles. You see another small collection of dens up ahead. 1. [[check town ahead]] 2. [[avoid town and continue]]

You approach the tiny settlement. You realize how hot you are. You've never experienced [[heat]] like this. There are so many [[loud sounds]] around you. It's hard to focus. Suddenly one of the doors on the hut opens, and a creature steps out, holding a device that looks all too familiar to you. You have the instinct to run, but your brain isn't quick enough to move. You hear that same ear-splitting sound. The same one that took mother. All the confusion leaves your body, as well as your concisousness as the calming arctic breeeze drifts you into a peaceful, eternal rest. [[End]]

You start to backtrack using your nose. It's hard to tell which way is what. You try to find that [[weird smell]] and track it to its source. You start to feel weaker as the days go on. You need [[food]], but there is nothing. You've been hunting for what seems like forever, and you still haven't got a trace of any creatures nearby, just that rotting smell of death. At least you know you're [[close]].

Your home, You love the ice cave den that you live in. Soon it becomes leaky and wet, and mother takes you to an area with snow and trees. Why must we leave? You just want to go back home, but as you look back, you only see an ocean of liquid water until the horizon's edge. back to [[...]]

The sound of engines running. The sound of generators turning. Settlements out in the middle of nowhere must gain access to utilities using absurd amounts of energy. back to [[check town ahead]]

The natural heat produced as energy leaks from the machinery used to power human settlements. back to [[check town ahead]] back to [[cross the barrier and continue]]

You follow the horrid smell until you approach the same gates where you once sought curiosity but are now back with revenge. You still have no scent of mother. As you approach the barrier, the memories come back to you: the loud bang, the rush of events playing back in your mind again and again. You start to question your motives. 1. [[cross the barrier and continue]] 2. [[go with you instinct and turn around]]

You push the memories aside and continue your search. You cross the barrier and start your walk across the big field. Anger fills inside of you as you think of your last memory of mother—that terrifying loud noise. The struggle mother held against the predators. You can't think of anything else but of the predators. How much you want revenge. They took away your [[ice]], your home. They stripped you of your [[food]]. Now, they took away the most important creature from you. You want to watch the predators suffer as you destroy their prized possessions. You barge your way through the biggest den you can find, causing as much damage as possible. You notice the incredible [[heat]] inside, but it doesn't stop you. You see [[fire]].

Loss of game in the arctic is due to the effects of human inhabitation of the land and refineries. back to [[avoid town and continue]] back to [[cross the barrier and continue]]

In front of the fire, you see a predator soaking up the heat of the fire. It holds a device you know all too well, the same device that took mother. But you don't fear it now. Now you won't run and hide. You're done with fearing the predators. You are the natural predator of this ecosystem, not them. As soon as you're about to strike the predator, you notice something that looks familiar lying stiff on the floor. But it has a different smell, so you didn't recognize what it was earlier. As soon as you look into those familiar eyes, the fur that once kept you warm in the ice, the claws that once taught you to fight, the nose that once taught you to hunt, all aggression leaves your body as pure desperation floods through. Mother's body, lying on the ground like a trophy. No time to process emotions, another ear-splitting noise. You don't know what happened, but all rage and confusion leaves your body, as well as consciousness, but now filled with peace as you lay down to rest beside mother. [[End]]

Every day, the animals of the arctic face suffering as humans place constant stress on the environment. Oil refineries release toxic chemicals that are a cause of global warming. The human inhabitants of surrounding towns are invaders to the natural predators of the land. Humans mess with the natural food chain, taking the game away from natural predators. Humans are selfish. Many hunters hunt natural predators such as foxes, polar bears, and seals, using their bodies as trophies. How many stories must be told in order to stop the destruction of our planet? Every day these creatures must live in fear of what we will do to their home. We only worry about electricity, heat, and natural gas. These animals fight for their lives daily, and many of their stories end with human entanglement. play again [[Story of the Arctic]]

These creatures mother always warns from. They create giant dens and make loud noises. Why must their dens be so big and loud? Sometimes the air smells funny, and you're unsure if they cause it, but you hate it because it ruins your hunt. back to [[hide]]

This story is a sad but realistic story of what animals face daily in the arctic. It deals with anger, fighting, abuse, and death. Many animals don't get the happy ending that huamns dream of. back to [[Story of the Arctic]]

The smell of chemicals. The smell of gasoline. The rotten smell of death lingers at every refinery, which foreshadows the doomed future of the land along with all its inhabitants. back to [[avoid town and continue]]

You can't deal with that again. You might never see mother again, but you know you'll be safe. Safe for now, at least. You live in fear of the dangerous creatures, always avoiding them at every cost to survive. You hate that you fear them. You don't want to fear them, but this is how to survive. You wish to get revenge, to show them who is the top predator, but you fear what will happen to your life if you interfere. You try to live a peaceful life far, far away from any settlement. It's not an easy life, but a long one. The one mother wanted for you. [[End]]