The Plan

“We’re going to need a sled to move things like this around, and for water in the morning. Churbet and I made several jars for it yesterday.”, said Yujark as the gang made it back to the cave with the supplies they gathered at the hill.

“That’s smart, also we can make a big one for me since I can pull more. Let’s eat lunch first though and Churbet can work on the tunnels while we make stuff.”, said Justin.

“Yea, we still need to finish the wood armor and test the armor Justin’s people use.”, said Morcant.

“Well it’s mostly meant to stop bullets, I don’t know how effective it will be against claws.”, said Justin while scratching his head.

“I’ll set up lunch while you boys get the work ready to start.”, said Taysass with a grin.

“Thanks.”, said Justin.

“I’m going to circle around the mountain and look for rope supplies.”, said Tacktay as she took flight from Justin’s back.

“Don’t be long, I’ll have lunch ready soon.”, Taysass shouted to her.

Churburret began excavating a tunnel while Justin, Morcant, and Yujark began moving logs and wood as a series of questions surrounding their last fight at the hilltop brewed in Justin’s mind.

“Morcant, damn I hate to ask this, did you recognize any other raptors back there?”, asked Justin.

Morcant grunted with a nod and said, “Yea, the red one, that yellow one, and a few others, why?”

“Well I was just curious as to how you recognized them.”, Justin explained.

“Eh, the way they smelled, obviously. Didn’t you guys too?”, Morcant asked.

“Certainly.”, said Yujark.

“Not at all, my people aren’t known for their sense of smell, despite it being one of our most powerful senses.”, answered Justin.

“So how did you tell them apart?”, asked Morcant.

“Their looks, they all smelled the same to me.”, said Justin.

“Well ok.”, winced Morcant as he set down logs and held his wounded arm.

“You said that you used heat vision earlier. Why not try improving your smell? I for one couldn’t navigate around here without it.”, said Morcant.

“Mm, great point. I’ll try that later. By the way, are you going to be okay?”, asked Justin.

“Yea, as long as I don’t catch an infection.”, Morcant replied.

“Lunch is ready!”, shouted Taysass.

“Finally, I’m starved.”, said Morcant as they walked to the cave entrance.

Fruit and vegetables were neatly separated on a few bark plates surrounding the unlit firepit. Taysass was sitting down with her tail placed between her legs as she began eating her plate.

“Taysass thanks for setting these up, but I think we should refrain from shouting. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.”, said Justin as he sat down.

“Right, sorry.”, she said lowering her head.

“Oh, um, it’s alright.”, said Justin, waving his arms.

Tacktay flew over the bellowing cave and dropped off a young tree and some grasses before walking over to join them. Churburret was right behind her, exiting the cave’s smoking entrance, reminding Justin of a goofy child and a horrifying monster simultaneously.

“This down time reminds me everyone. If anyone here needs a nap that’s understandable. The days here might be far longer than ya’ll are designed for. Personally, I think their quite long, although I don’t really need to sleep now. Anyway, I’m going to set this watch here to noon now that it’s midday and I’ll count how many hours pass until tomorrow.”, said Justin.

“Oh, thank The Mind, I’m exhausted.”, said Churburret.

Taysass giggled at him.

Morcant cleared his throat and said, “Actually I think I’ll be tired by twilight.”

“I took a nap on the way here.”, said Tacktay.

The group burst into laughter, with Yujark wheezing and Churburret wiggling his stalk.

“It seems everyone shares a sense of humor but me.”, said Tacktay.

“Sorry, if you like we could explain it to you, but then it wouldn’t be funny.”, said Justin.

“Understood.”, said Tacktay with a nod.

Justin fell over laughing and Morcant spit out some berries as the group continued laughing. As Justin layer on the ground he caught sight of one of the raptor bodies they had dragged back and remembered his train of thought from earlier.

“Those tactics they used earlier were pretty advanced. I thought raptors weren’t any smarter than chickens, but these appear to be at least as smart as dolphins. I wonder if Tute has been messing with their intelligence, or if it rose naturally. Moreover, are they still animals, or like us?”, he thought.

. . .

Hours past and twilight was approaching as the group finished their second sled and sets of wooden armor for everyone. The chest plates Justin found earlier were resistant to Morcant’s knife blows, so Yujark had repaired the straps with makeshift rope for Taysass and Morcant to wear. Yujark and Churburret needed rather large pieces of bark for their chest pieces, and Justin had torn them off a large tree with Tacktay’s help. Churburret had just declared the first tunnel finished and the group was surprised at how spacious it was.

At twelve feet across and thirty feet back there was plenty of room for everyone to sleep there, although Taysass was staying in the main room near the fireplace for the heat. She claimed that she was warm enough there without the hot rock, but Justin insisted they heat it up again just in case and that he would sleep at the main door to guard everyone.

“Justin a word.”, said Yujark as everyone exited the cave.

“Mm, what’s up?”, he responded as they sat near the burning firepit.

Yujark stared for a moment at the meat Morcant was cooking for everyone under the elevated hot rock.

“Now that we can safely rest in the cave, perhaps you should scout ahead the way to the river before night falls.”, he said.

Justin sighed as his mind raced.

“Dammit, I really don’t want to leave them here, but…”, he thought.

“But that’s a great idea, I was actually about to suggest it myself.”, he interrupted himself.

“Can it.”, he thought.

“Churbet, are you sure everyone will be safe behind that stone door of yours?”, Justin asked.

Churburret nodded his stalk and said, “Yes, yes of course. Nothing that can fit into the cave could break through that. Besides, we have the rifles now, with plenty of ammo too.”

“We’ve got a hundred rounds filled into ten magazines, four of which as strapped together. Ya’ll need to be mindful of that.”, Justin barked.

“Ah, sorry. One hundred, we have one hundred.”, said Churburret.

“Justin we’ll be fine. I think you know Yujark is right.”, said Morcant.

Justin rubbed his forehead and sighed.

“Yea I do. Damn.”, he said.

“I can go with you. I won’t be of much help hiding in the cave.”, said Tacktay.

“She’s got a point and could keep you company.”, he thought to himself.

“It’s a silly risk to take, I’m just going to walk to the lake while making a path for the sleds.”, he argued with himself.

“This is the perfect mission for her to join, she can watch your back. You already know what you’re going to say.”, he thought.

“Alright Tacktay, you can watch my back.”, he said.

“Understood, ready to move when you are. Morcant please save a slice of meat for me.”, said Tacktay.

“Understood.”, said Morcant with a toothy grin.

Justin raised his brow at him as the group giggled and said, “Alright Tacktay, let’s get this over with.”

“Hey, at least you can wash off all that blood.”, said Taysass.

“Oh, great idea, Justin take the spare clothes we found and clean them in the river while you’re there.”, said Morcant.

“Morcant this isn’t a laundry run.”, Justin said with a tsk.

“But being covered in blood could lead to infection and we can’t bathe until tomorrow.”, said Morcant in a sarcastic, effeminate voice.

. . .

Justin walked through the forest with Tacktay and a rifle on his back, and a pile of laundry in his arms. Tacktay had successfully tested whether she could use a pistol before they left, and so Justin’s pistol strap was undone, although Yujark said he would make one that fits her soon. His pants were sagging from all the dried blood on them and he was continuously having to stop and wipe the sweat and re-liquified blood off his brow. Tacktay was dragging a stick behind them and occasionally pocking holes in the ground, so tomorrow the team could navigate the forest with the sleds.

Justin had taken Morcant’s advice and told the nanites to improve his smell. It overwhelmed him at first, but as he walked through the forest and smelled hundreds of unique things, he eventually got used to it. He was prone to having bad thoughts swirl inside his mind when he got bored and was going over the deaths on spawn day over and over. Each time he tried to think of a new way to save everyone.

“This is a waste of time, you obviously couldn’t have saved everyone.”, he told himself.

“It’s, um, constructive. I need to know what to do next time.”, he assured himself.

“Lair.”, he thought.

“Oh, fuck off.”, he thought.

“The raptors were the problem, and if we’re lucky the other predators aren’t as smart as them. You should be thinking of ways to counter them and predict their moves based on their biology, behavior, and intellect.”, he told himself.

“I see. Well forming a circle seemed to work great before they dusted us, although I can still counter it.”, he thought.

“What else?”, he asked himself.

“Well we could climb trees, although I think they might be able to climb after us or wait us out. I don’t think the others can outrun them, so that’s out.”, he rambled.

“That’s defense, what about offence?”, he asked himself.

“Right! If we had the numbers, we could turn the tables on them, coral them into a circle. Mm, but they would dust and charge out. Although we could still win that engagement if we’re prepared. Oh, we could build dirt or wooden entrenchments on the hill and at the top. If we gather enough people and weapons that could work.”, he concluded as he began to hear flowing water.

They reached the tree line only to not find an opening big enough for the sleds. Justin tsk’ed and dropped the clothes on the ground upon deciding to cut down the two trees in their way. He and Tacktay looked around for predators before she got off and waited on the pile of clothes. Justin flattened his arm and swung it like an axe slicing through over a foot of tree but needing to swing again before bringing it down. He repeated this for the second one and then eyed the stumps.

“We can cut these up tomorrow when we come, it’s getting darker.”, said Justin.

“Understood.”, said Tacktay as she flew back onto his back.

Justin sighed as he picked up the laundry and said, “You sure do say that a lot.”

“Really, is that a problem?”, she asked.

“No, it’s just a little strange to us. It’s what everyone found funny earlier. No one has a problem with it though.”, he said, looking back to her.

“I see, well as a guard it’s something I’m used to saying a lot when taking orders or conveying messages.”, she explained.

“Right, that makes since.”, said Justin as they exited the forest.

Justin thought the amount of space between the water and forest was unusual, it being about one hundred feet, as they walked towards the water. The river itself was huge, hundreds of feet wide, with loud, fast flowing water gushing downstream.

“Tacktay, do rivers have this much space between the tree line on your world?”, he asked.

“Oh course, the large creatures walk these grounds and trample any growing trees.”, she said.

“Makes since, but I don’t see any now.”, he said.

“Well they could be sleeping, or a predator could patrol this patch of water.”, she suggested.

“Well I don’t see any predators either.”, he said.

“Stop!”, she yelled.

“Huh, what’s wrong?”, he asked.

“Watch the water.”, she said.

“Of course, there could be an alligator, or a Titanoboa, or a Spino.”, he thought as he surveyed the water.

A crustacean the size of Tacktay ran out of the murky water and stopped in front of Justin, snapping its claws.

Justin laughed and said, “You scared me there, little guy.”

Six Spinosaurus’s not much larger than the lobster rushed out of the water and began circling it, chomping their teeth. One of their wobbling sails nearly slapped Justin before he leapt backwards instinctively, dropping the laundry and pulling out his pistol. A larger Spinosaurus emerged from the river, towering over Justin at over twice his height. It laid down on the shore and watched the smaller ones as they circled their prey.

“Relax they probably only hunt the sea life. I’ve seen predators like this before. It probably thinks you’re a raptor and could hurt its young, therefore they won’t attack us unless provoked.”, explained Tacktay.

“It’s scary as hell up close. It’s breathing sounds like wet thunder and an alligator’s hiss. But she’s right, it doesn’t seem to be interested in us.”, he thought.

“If their anything like the raptors in intelligence, maybe we should try to befriend them before the whole group comes tomorrow.”, he suggested.

“How would you propose doing that?”, asked Tacktay.

“You fly for a sec incase this doesn’t work, I’ve got an idea.”, he said.

Tacktay took flight and watched as Justin approached the Spinosaurus’s. They made a hole in their circle and stared at Justin as he walked to the lobster. The grown Spinosaurus let out a rumble similar to the Carnosaurs’ from drop day but didn’t move. Justin quickly snatched the lobster’s arms and crushed them as it tried to pinch him with its claws. Its arms fell limp as he held them and crushed the creatures head with one of his feet. It died instantly, and he pulled off one of its arms before walking away.

The Spinosaurus’s hissed and began devouring the body, fighting each other for bites. Justin walked towards the large Spinosaurus and threw the arm to it. The beast sniffed the arm and kept eye contact with Justin as it licked it into its mouth and crushed through the exoskeleton like a cracker. The creature swallowed and laid its head down to rest, watching the others.

“I think we’re cool now.”, said Justin as Tacktay flew back to him.

“Let’s hope so, I’ll stay up here and keep watch while you do the laundry and bathe. Oh, and do keep an eye out for more of them, I wouldn’t want you to get swallowed whole.”, she said.

“Eh, I’m pretty sure I could just punch my way out of it, but I suppose it could damage the clothes.”, he said.

Justin found a large rock like Yujark had instructed him to before he left and began beating wet clothes on it and wringing them out in the water. He stripped, took one of the shirts, and scrubbed his body, finally cleaning off the days old blood from his skin. He sighed, feeling clean again, and smiled. He put on an outfit he had let dry during the washing and bathing and slipped on his shoes. Tacktay laid on the rock next to him, having gotten tired after not seeing any creatures besides the adult Spinosaurus watching them as its children hunted in the river.

“Time to go back?”, she asked.

“Mm, I’m done and it’s going to get dark soon.”, he said.

. . .

Justin returned to the cave as the Brachiosaurs stopped singing and night fell before hanging the laundry on two drying racks that had been built while he was away. Yujark stood watch at the door, with the others presumably asleep inside.

“All went well I see?”, he asked.

“Yea, we found a large predator called a Spino that lives in the river with its smaller children, but I think we may have befriended them.”, answered Justin.

“Let’s hope it understood your intent, it may not take well to a larger group showing up near its territory.”, said Tacktay.

“Why don’t we just get water further down the river?”, asked Yujark.

“The Spino keeps the other predators away, and just happens to live right where the path I made leads.”, answered Justin.

“Hopefully it won’t mind us gathering water nearby.”, said Yujark.

“I think if we continue to feed it without incident it should grow fond of us.”, said Justin.

“I would like to get some proper sleep, I assume you don’t mind trading guard duty?”, asked Yujark.

“Of course, I’m guessing Morcant will trade out with me when he wakes up?”, asked Justin.

“I believe so.”, said Yujark as he rolled open the cave door.

“I’m going to rest as well. Goodnight queen, or, um, Justin.”, said Tacktay as she flew inside.

Justin wanted to laugh but only found pity for her, remembering all their lives had just been uprooted, as he closed the door. He sat down and set a watch he had found that morning, hoping to time the day night cycle.

. . .

Yellow watched from the bushes as the quadruped and flying prey entered the hole in the mountain, leaving the shiny prey outside. Green Runner stood beside him, snarling.

“Quiet, they’ll hear you.”, he said.

“Why does their strongest remain outside?”, she asked.

“Based on what we saw this morning it would seem that it tries to preserve the others.”, said Yellow.

“Why defend the meek?”, she asked.

“They have meat hanging. Are they trying to send a message or are they preserving their food? If this creature is trying to keep its kind alive and is a predator, then what’s the difference between us?”, he thought.

Yellow shook his head and thought, “No, it’s prey. I don’t care beyond that. I’ve got to prove myself to Red and secure the forest for our grand nest.”

The three other raptors from their scouting mission returned to them, being led by a short, grey raptor with feathers different from Yellow’s.

“So, did you find it?”, he asked.

“Yes. It’s right where you said it was.”, answered the grey raptor.

“Perfect, now we wait.”, said Yellow.

“Sir, I’m sure you saw we were with Blue Stripes. I hope you can forgive us for his actions. Also, from our perspective, you aren’t weak at all.”, said the grey raptor.

“You couldn’t control him, I don’t hold a grudge against you for that. Also, I may be larger than you, but in my kind I am small. However, in our grand nest everyone is welcome. We will conquer the forest and then everyone can mate and live in peace.”, said Yellow.

“And if the shiny creature is just like you, what’s stopping you from allowing it to join you?”, he thought.

He glanced back to Green Runner who was still eyeing the shiny creature, snarling.

. . .

Justin woke from a dreamless night to Taysass shaking him. He could see it was still twilight through the open door, and smell food cooking outside.

“Hey breakfast is almost ready. Morcant and Yujark are cooking some of the dried meat and I’ve made the last of the fruit plates, but I’ve been keeping an eye out for berries and vegetables on our walks and I think I know where to get more.”, said Taysass with a smile.

“Well you seem lively today.”, said Justin while sitting up.

Taysass stared down at and played with her feet as she said, “Oh really? Well I do feel a little better, I guess. I just, um, finally feel good around you guys. You all frightened me at first.”

“I see, well take as long as you need to grieve. Be useless if you need to. I’ll keep you safe no matter what.”, said Justin.

“Really?”, she asked.

“Mm, of course.”, he answered

“The food is ready out here kids. If you don’t hurry Morcant might eat it all.”, said Yujark.

“Hey quiet, Justin doesn’t need to eat anyway.”, spat Morcant.

Justin and Taysass laughed as they stepped outside with the others and joined them by the firepit. Justin noticed that the hot rock had been left out all night, not seeing fresh drag marks on the ground.

“Taysas did you do okay without the hot rock?”, he asked.

“Mm, we only use those when we can’t heat our homes.”, she answered with a nod.

“Morcant had a point everyone, ya’ll can share my food until we have an excess.”, said Justin.

“Don’t mind if I do.”, said Morcant.

“Eh? I might everyone can share you pig.”, said Justin.

“A what?”, asked Morcant as he stuffed his face with meat.

Justin sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“Justin, everyone needs to eat.”, said Yujark.

“No really, I haven’t been hungry once since coming here. I think the nanites use solar power, excess energy from my body, and kinetic energy to power me. Or maybe they just have an infinite battery like the walkie talkies.”, explained Justin.

“The one I left on still works by the way, me and Churbet here checked this morning.”, said Morcant with a mouthful of food.

“Hah!”, Taysass winced and held her stomach.

“Are you alright dear?”, asked Yujark.

“Yea, the baby kicked is all.”, she said.

“Oh, when is it due?”, asked Churburret while waving his stalk.

“About fifty days. Well, on my world at least.”, she said.

“Ah I remember when my wife was pregnant. I’m sure they didn’t kick as hard as yours, but she had six little ones in there at once. Ha! She could barely move when their time neared.”, said Yujark.

“Well, I’m almost done with my first pregnancy. It’s been almost a year. Honestly, its hard to imagine now.”, Taysass said, looking to the sky.

“Yujark you have kids?”, blurted out Morcant.

“Yes of course, I’m an old man remember? I’ve got five daughters and one son.”, said Yujark.

“Do you miss them?”, Taysass asked.

“Yes, especially my son. He’s becoming such a fine young hunter.”, he answered.

“What’s his name?”, she asked.

“Tiriaq.”, he said.

“We should get moving now that we’re done eating everyone, there’s only so much daylight in a day here.”, said Tacktay from the mountain face.

“She’s right let’s load the sleds with the jars we made with Churbet and get moving.”, said Yujark.

“Wait.”, said Tacktay in a plain tone.

Justin recognized that as her danger voice and snapped into the air.

“What’s wrong?”, he asked.

“I don’t know, I felt a sudden bang from far away. Perhaps a falling tree?”, she said.

“Perhaps a brachiosaur?”, Justin asked.

“No, it came from beyond the mountain, into the forest. I’m sure it was nothing, probably just a predator accidentally making a dying tree fall.”, she said.

“Alright, well let’s gear up and head out.”, instructed Justin.

“Are you sure we have to stay behind?”, asked Taysass.

“Mm, you and Churbet hide in the tunnel like everyone discussed yesterday and we’ll be back in a few hours.”, said Mathew.

“Okay, please be careful.”, said Taysass.

Justin turned to her with a smile and said, “Mm, count on it!”

. . .

“No, no, no, no! Where are they going? The others should be moving it already.”, fumed Green Runner as they watched the shiny prey lead half its pack away from their cave.

“Hm, it went that way yesterday when we followed it.”, thought Yellow.

“Green Runner, didn’t you mention yesterday that the shiny prey was walking strangely through the forest to the river.”, Yellow said.

“Yellow what are you talking about? What are we going to do?”, she said.

“It was like they were making a trail. But it was much wider than it needed to be, and he cut those trees at the end without moving the wood like usual.”, he thought.

“I’ve got it!”, said Yellow.

“Huh, really? What’s your plan now?”, she asked.

“I know where they’re going. They’re taking those things they’re dragging back to the river.”, he said.

“But Grey is leading it here.”, said Green Runner.

“If you lead it here maybe they will run away and leave the forest.”, he thought.

“Or maybe it will just leave, and they will stay. Maybe they will kill it and then you. If the grand nest is going to work, we must secure the Feast and the forest. Don’t you want to mate?”, he told himself.

“If we circle around them and meet up with the others, we can lead it to the river instead.”, said Yellow.

“But there’s no time! We’ll never make it. They’ll run out of stamina before we make it to the river.”, said Green Runner.

“Leave motivating them to me, just follow my lead.”, said Yellow as they circled around the mountain.

. . .

Justin walked with Tacktay, pulling a sled, with Morcant and Yujark behind them, pulling their own. As they crunched the floor of dead leaves critters ran past them, towards the spawn point. The air was wet and still, making the trip seem like wading through shallow waters. Rays of sun occasionally shined through a cloudy sky, into the canopy, dimly lighting their way.

“These clouds are making it seem like it’s still twilight. I hope we don’t encounter those things from the first day.”, said Morcant.

“I’m sure their fast asleep by now. Speaking of animals, don’t we usually see them moving in the other direction?”, asked Yujark.

“Yea based on the empty nests I found on the mountain and the fall leaves I assumed everything was moving for the winter. Right now, they’re probably just spooked from the sound Tacktay heard earlier.”, said Justin.

“So, Tacktay, are you sure we shouldn’t be worried about that?”, asked Justin.

He turned around as the group waited for her response and noticed she was napping on his back like a cicada. Morcant chuckled to himself as Justin sighed.

“We’ll be fine. She’s got that pistol holster now, and Yujark made that wooden box around his rifle so he could hold it in his mouth and shoot it with his paw.”, said Morcant.

“Do you even know if that will work?”, asked Justin.

“I tested it yesterday by firing six shots. I’m pretty accurate and Morcant taught me how to reload it.”, said Yujark.

“Ya’ll did this while I was gone yesterday?”, asked Justin.

“Eh, no. You just didn’t notice before you left.”, said Morcant with a wink.

Justin sighed and said, “I sure hope you didn’t draw anything’s attention.”

“The cave’s secure, Churbet did a great job. Besides, if the thing you mentioned yesterday is as friendly as you said it is, we may have nothing to worry about.”, said Morcant with a shrug.

“That reminds me, when we get back, we should have Churbet make that protective archway he mentioned, considering the weather.”, said Justin.

“Sounds right. I think I can hear the water now.”, said Yujark.

“Oh, yea there it is. Justin did you enhance you’re hearing as well?”, asked Morcant, mimicking the way Taysass speaks.

“That’s not funny, she’s… scared.”, said Justin.

Morcant laughed.

“Anyway, I tried on the way back yesterday. I can enhance my senses, but if I try several at once it overwhelms me. I think I just need practice though.”, said Justin.

“Here’s the opening.”, said Tacktay.

“When did you wake up?”, asked Justin as they exited the forest and entered the river basin.

“Just now.”, she answered.

A flock of birds caught the groups attention as it landed in the canopy near the river.

“I haven’t seen birds here before.”, said Morcant.

“They must be migrating south with the rest of the animals, they came from the direction of the plains.”, said Yujark.

“They probably avoid the Pteranodons. Based on the nests I found, perhaps we just missed them.”, said Justin.

“Ah, this river is enormous. I can’t wait to bathe.”, said Morcant.

“Be sure to wait for me and stay at the shore, also keep your wound above that dirty water.”, said Justin.

“What are you my mother?”, grumbled Morcant.

“I don’t want the Spino babies to nab you, or a fish for that matter.”, said Justin.

“Well I don’t want you to see me naked.”, said Morcant.

“Neither do I, but if that’s what it takes to keep you alive.”, Justin let his voice trail off.

“So where is this Spieeno anyway.”, asked Morcant.

“The Spino gets its name from the sail on its back.”, explained Justin.

“So, it’s a boat”, said Morcant.

“Let me find it before we start guys, and Morcant you should take this more seriously. This thing has teeth half your size.”, said Justin as he walked along the water using heat vision.

“Oh, I’m shivering in my boots!”, yelled Morcant while waiting back with Yujark.

“Tacktay, check the perimeter, would you?”, asked Justin.

“Understood.”, she said while takeing flight.

Justin continued to scan the water with heat vision for almost a minute, seeing nothing but fish and crustaceans.

“Maybe it had an appointment at the dentist! You know, for those big teeth?”, laughed Morcant.

A wave erupted out of the river not two hundred feet away from them. They turned to see the Spino drop a fish larger than Yujark onto the ground and hold it with one of its feet as it’s young swarmed it, chomping it to the bone.

“Oh my god! It is a boat!”, yelled Morcant.

“Are you shivering in your boots yet?”, asked Justin, who had used the moment to sneak up on Morcant.

Morcant screamed, then reared back to punch Justin before stopping short.

“That’s one punch. Once you lose that cloud of yours, I owe you one.”, growled Morcant.

“I’ll wait. Now keep your voice down, we don’t want to spook that thing.”, said Justin.

“Me, spook it?”, asked Morcant while pointing to the huge animal.

“It’s just as afraid of you as you are of it. We should keep our distance from it’s young.”, said Yujark.

“You guys bathe while I fill up the water jars.”, said Justin as Tacktay returned.

“Nothing to report.”, she said.

“Wonderful.”, Justin said with a smile.

“Does no one else have a problem with this?”, asked Morcant, still watching the Spino.

“If we leave it alone it will do the same for us.”, said Yujark as they dragged the sleds to the river.

The Spinosaurus’s children ran back into the river as it stuck its head into the water, leaving its massive body on the shore.

“Is that how it hunts then?”, asked Morcant as he and Yujark stripped.

“It’s fishing.”, answered Yujark with a smirk.

“Eh, so you can make jokes old man? Well come at me then.”, said Morcant as he splashed Yujark.

The group laughed as they bathed and played in the water. Justin quickly finished filling the water jugs and waited for Morcant and Yujark to dry, staring up at the stagnate sun.

. . .