Going through the Jungle as a tamandua was much easier than going through as a person. My regular senses were heightened—I could see much farther, I could hear the difference between a falling raindrop and a falling cashew, and my nose picked up the scents of individual flowers despite the overpowering odor of territory-marking urine.

I climbed a nearby balsa tree, thinking that going from tree to tree would be much faster and safer than walking. I looked over, under, and around the surrounding branches, wishing I could see anything but green and brown. You can when you get back outside. I breathed in deeply then began to swing from my tree to a neighboring utile tree.

I stopped mid-swing, one hand-paw holding onto the balsa branch and the other hand-paw holding onto the uti...

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