The rising sun appeared over the hills in front of me. Rays of gold painted the rosy sky. The scent of exotic flora tickled my nose. A new day in this new world. It feels strange to stand on this foreign soil, knowing that it has only been five days since our ship landed here. My mother told me this place felt like home from the very first day we set foot here, and looking at the landscape before me, I’m starting to believe her. It has only been five days since I arrived on this planet, but the more I pay attention to my surroundings, the more I start to see echoes of Earth, now so far away. Patches of woodlands interconnected with grassy plains and streams gently flowing through the land, with small bushes and shrubs along the way. I truly did not think I would be one of the founders of civilization outside of our star system.

          Something caught my eye, snapping me from my daydreaming. Out of the woodland appeared a Konpeki, a large scaly creature the size of a horse. It stood on four legs, with its blue scales reflecting the light of the morning sun; it had a golden beak and yellow eyes, and feathers of blue, green, and red covered its back swaying in the wind from its head all the way to its tail. I am still amazed by it now just like the first time I saw it.

          While my eyes were mesmerized by this creature, I did not notice my foot stepping on something solid on the edge of the stream. I thought it was a rock at first though moving my foot away from it revealed only a small piece of wood. My eyes saw just that, a piece of wood, but my mind told me otherwise, it did not look natural. I could hear my heart beating as I picked it up. This piece of wood had four legs and beak and a somewhat long tail; its back was smoot compared to the rugged edges of its body. A wooden carving of a Konpeki. My heart filled with unease while my mind raced with questions. Who made this? Was it my fellow settlers? It can’t be them, we arrived here only five days ago! Are we not alone here?

          Suddenly, in the distance I could hear humming, a gentle and joyful melody, accompanied by a canoe slowly cruising through the stream. Two lizard like beings were sitting cross-legged in the canoe, one small no taller than a child, and the other about two heads taller than me. The tall one was sitting in the back, softly rowing from left to right using a wooden paddle while humming this melody. Its scales were green, blue and black feathers, as well as horns adorned with gold rings, stood on its head. Its white filled eyes seemed to not look in a particular direction, as if not noticing my presence. It wore a thin black tunic with yellow stripes.

          I was so amazed by what was unfolding in front of me that I did not even think to move. While the tall one did not appear to notice my presence, the little one did, however. It looked much like the tall one except its eyes were a bright red, almost pink, and stared right through mine, then to the wooden Konpeki in my hand. As the canoe leisurely passed by me, the little one reached out its small, clawed hands to me. I hesitantly handed her what I thought she was after, the wooden Konpeki. The little one moved her head in what I can only think of as a “Thank You” as the pair continued through the stream rowing in their delicate fashion and humming their beautiful melody.