Submission (#6392) Approved

Unique plants were not a foreign concept to the world of Terrah. Almost every plant in the different regions had some unique factor, something that had to be learned and adjusted to. Learning and identifying these plants was primarily a task for those who liked to wander and spend most of their time intertwined like the world. People such as Zephyr barely stepped on anything artificial if they could help it. Living and sleeping beneath the stars brought them joy, fulfilling the natural life they were ultimately born to live. So, naturally, he had learned how to assess certain plants and any unusual qualities they might have.

That way, he didn’t have to fret about engaging with any that might give him a rash, stomach ache, or other unpleasant feeling.

His knowledge of botany made the new plants all the more shocking.

Plants that moved and reacted to stimulus around them as though they could see it, plants with large jaws and sharp spikes that formed something akin to teeth, plants that looked like predators, living and breathing predators.

Everything about the bizarre plants had shocked and unnerved him when they began to appear across the land. His first run-in with one had been by complete accident, as it had practically sprouted up beside him overnight. He hadn’t had a chance to interact with it before it landed a few loud, sharp chomps in his direction. Deciding that learning about a new plant was not worth the potential of losing a finger or two, he had fled the scene.

It felt so unbelievable that he had feared it was just some sort of nightmare that had spooked him to the extreme. This thought was dismissed once he began hearing the rumors from other Terraliens when he crossed paths.

The predatory plants were becoming a phenomenon across the world.

While initially mind-boggling and frightening, nothing could be done about it. The plants had come, and they were seemingly here to stay, which meant the only solution was to adjust to them since he couldn’t expect them to go anywhere.

With this in mind, Zephy had entered the deep woods to find one. Luckily, they were known for consistently snapping their jaws at any sign of movement. This snapping made loud, unmistakable crunching sounds that were easy to pinpoint. Terraliens had been using this feature to avoid going near the predatory plants, but Zephyr used it to locate where they were. He would have to get uncomfortably close to learn about them.

It didn’t take long for him to approach one, sitting down close to the extent of its reach. That way, he wouldn’t have to worry about being bitten, but he could observe it.

The first test was simple – would it eat something not made of meat?

Extending a chocolate bar out towards the plant, he quickly retracted his hand as it snatched it away, munching it into bits with its powerful jaws. Then it swallowed, which was an even more puzzling action to see a plant do.

Now, it didn’t chew at him. It sat there, staring at him expectantly and still.

It seems Zephyr was going to need to get his hands on a lot more chocolate for his tests.