A Friendship among Enemies (A King Kong Fan-Fiction)

by Whilyeccentric

The mighty, 25 foot gorilla, Kong, finds himself forming an unlikely friendship with one of his v-rex adversaries, beginning 2 years before the Denham Expedition and his debut in New York City as "The 8th Wonder of the World".

A Friendship among Enemies

By Mr. Eccentric

Introduction:

The morning sun arose swiftly above Skull Island and its thick jungle canopies. Skull Island…a mangled-looking island located somewhere on the face of this wide planet, among its vast oceans. Walking among its shrinking flatlands and overgrown jungles were not only prehistoric monstrosities but abominations of modern evolution. Huge, flesh eating fish patrolled the lakes and waterways of the island's interior. Giant bugs and arthropods ruled the thick jungles and unspeakable, hideous creatures prowled the deep chasms that cut through the island. Every moment on this island was a savage fight for survival with only one salvation. Size. On Skull Island it was grow big and fast or risk being picked-off by the grisly predators or giant bugs. And one of the biggest and most powerful was the 25 foot gorilla, Kong. In later years, he would be known as "King Kong: The 8th Wonder of the World". Not really a king, he didn't really rule over anything, nor was he a tyrannical or overbearing presence. He was just a simple being who would prefer to live-out the remainder of his lonely life, in peace. As I said, the bigger you were on Skull Island, the better your chances of survival. The problem with Kong's species is that their young took too long to grow to suitable size. Not to mention parents often taught their children how to survive and forage for food in a land that rarely gave you a second chance if you made a mistake. The young of Kong's kind took far too long to attain self-sufficiency, unlike the successful dinosaurian and arthropod creatures around them. And so, Kong was left alone, his species practically extinct already, the last member of his kind. Forced into solitary, alone with his thoughts and savagery. It could certainly drive anyone to ill-tempered madness.

Meeting:

In the realm of man, the year was 1931 but on Skull Island, it was just the start of another day, in the cruelest environment Mother Nature herself could devise. With the first light of dawn came the thunderous roars of territorial dinosaurs, eager to once again pronounce their claim over the stretches of land they called their own. The sun brought its usual hot and humid tropical warmth that heated the island from the cold of the previous night. Barely 9:00 in the A.M. and the heat was already in full swing and the day brightly lit. Working his way through the dense jungles was Kong himself. Though he rather not, he descended from his mountain lair, down into the hellish jungle below to seek-out food. He took the island's literal "high road", swinging over a series of cliff and chasms to ensure nothing could follow him. Kong looked just like any average gorilla, only far bigger, reaching a height of 25 feet tall. He has a brutishly muscular build with massive arms as thick as the pillars of a building. He was covered in a scruffy black fur that thinned along his gut and pectorals. Like all male gorillas, the hairs on his back were not black but greyish, a classic sign of masculinity and dominance. Covering his body were a collection of pink scars, each inflicted from a past battle with various carnivorous creatures, daring enough to attack something his size. They were plentiful and numerous, often taking the form of a claw mark. Each told a story of Kong's solitary, hard-knock life on the island and his iron-will determination to survive. His human-like face had an eternal, grumpy scowl on it, like it refused to show any happy or slightly positive expressions, whatsoever. Landing hard on the ground with a thud, Kong emerged from the brush and came to a small, roughly circular clearing and with a small amount of green grass carpeting the ground. He never liked coming to this spot. It was at the base of a long cliff, the wall of which was too jagged and steep to climb, even for Kong. It was a prime spot to be ambushed. But there were only a few specific areas on the island where the essential plants that Kong needed, such as bamboo and roots, grew. This spot had a particular amount of bamboo shoots that were rich in nutrients. So the reward was worth the risk. Cautiously, he walked-out into the clearing, keeping a sharp ear out for any disturbances in the nearby brush. This island was unforgiving and Kong has had his fair share of close calls over the years. He wasn't about to be caught by surprise in a vulnerable spot such as this. The bamboo grew right next to the cliff side, so at least he had an elevated spot to sit down, while he ate. The island was its regular brand of eerie silence. Kong proceeded towards the bamboo and took a seat. He sorted through the shoot to find the most nutritious, by the shade of their color and smell. Finding a good one, he grabbed onto it with his thick fingers and with a single yank of his muscular arm, ripped it free, like it was nothing. Nearly 30 minutes into his feeding session and everything retained its eerie calm stillness. That was Skull Island for you, always luring you into a false sense of security. Turning back for another shoot, Kong rummaged through them, trying to find another tasty one. As he leaned-in, his back was turned to the brush. A fatal mistake. Taking too long, the jungle exploded in a series of cracking wood and leaves. Sharply, Kong turned his head and instinctively swung his mighty arm and smacked his attacker right in the face. Leaping onto his feet, he roared at his assailant. A Vastatosaurus Rex, meaning "ravager-lizard king". The scourges of Kong and his species. Literally the direct, modern day descendant of Tyrannosaurus Rex, v-rexes had only a few key differences between them and their prehistoric ancestors and were practically living fossils. This included larger size, blunter snouts and their signature 3 fingered, puny hands. V-rexes had indeed done their part in the decimation of Kong's kind. The ravenous adults always risking their lives to get at the vulnerable juvenile primates or coming together to gang-up on a single individual. To them, Kong's kind was a very rare treat, especially if killed and caught fresh! The fight already began with its standard roaring match. Each combatant was trying to intimidate the other into backing down. Sizing-up his opponent, Kong could instantly tell this was a young adult. This particular individual, Vincent, had hardened indigo scales on his back and sides, the color of the deep ocean. His underbelly was a yellowish-tan color and much less armored than his back or sides. He was barely 39 feet long and 19 and a half feet tall. Despite his armored hide, Vincent had nearly as many scars as Kong, if not more. They were most likely inflicted upon, not only by deadly prey animals but larger, dominant bull v-rexes. He was either a very brash or very foolish to go through with this attack. Fully grown adults wouldn't attack Kong head-on, not unless they were backed-up by another v-rex. Whatever the case, Vincent returned the roars and flashed his teeth, refusing to back down. The fight was on! Both fighters charged, head-on at each other. Vincent was clearly an inexperienced fighter (at least when fighting Kong) as he thought he could just finish the 8th Wonder off, quick and easy with a single snap of his bone crushing jaws. Kong dodged the bite and cuffing his hands together, brought his hands up in an upswing that bashed Vincent right-off his feet. The Young V-Rex fell hard on his back but used the momentum to roll over, back onto his feet. Spinning around, he brought his enormous tail into play, which he could use to break Kong's legs or possibly one of his arms with a single, well-aimed swing. Kong caught his tail, mid-swing, just in the nick of time and stubbornly held onto the limb. He tried pulling back as Vincent pulled forth, trying to free his tail. The v-rex spun around, coming at Kong with both his hands occupied. Again the 8th Wonder shifted his body to avoid the lethal bite and grabbed onto Vincent's head, intending to tear his jaws in two! But the Young V-Rex kept trashing his head about and snapping. This was dangerous! Kong could easily loose a finger! Pulling his arms back, the 8th Wonder directly hit Vincent, on the left side of his face with a classic punch, causing the predator to stumble back a few steps, slightly woozy. Kong seized his chance! Vincent was wide-open, his left side fully exposed. Charging at him, he tackled the Young V-Rex like a stampeding football player, shoving him into the wall of the cliff. Not stopping, Kong made the most of his chance. Grabbing Vincent by the head, he began brutally bashing his skull repeatedly against the stone wall, until finally the Young V-Rex lost his balance. He tried to scramble to his feet, trying get back-up as Kong vicious began punching him in the face and gut. Finally, he rose his tightened fists in the air, intended to slam them down onto Vincent's body, cracking his ribs and inflicting a crippling injury. But something happened that Kong had never done before. Especially not when locked in mortal combat with a v-rex. He hesitated. Why? Looking into the v-rex's honey yellow eyes, he saw fear, desperation. Something v-rexes were never known for. If they were to die, then they'd go down fighting, putting-up a resistance till the bitter end. But Vincent, he was panicked, breathing heavily with an expression of terror on his face. Kong knew never to doubt the intelligence of a dinosaur, especially a predatory one. V-rexes had a surprising amount of intelligence for a creature their size. They were capable of recognizing the primate form, even violently attacking any humans, native to Skull Island, daring to venture beyond the 100 foot wall, believing them to be the puny babies of Kong's kind. But all this time, Kong had only seen the vicious, ruthless, predatory side of a v-rex, never even considering what might be beyond all that. Glancing over at Vincent's body, you could see his ribs through his skin. He was starving, attacking Kong out of sheer desperations for food. He was never known to show mercy to a v-rex, when engaging in lethal conflict but the battle was already over. Resuming his face's grumpy scowl, he lowered his fists and he fell onto his knuckles. Normally he would beat his chest and roar to declare his victory. But Kong would never expose his gut like that with a live v-rex at his feet. Instead, he leaned-in close and roared at Vincent, at the top of his lungs, inches away from his dinosaurian face. The Young V-Rex had his eyes tightly shut the entire time. With a final snort, Kong was off, having lost his appetite. Vincent tried to stand back-up but was still heavily panicked, his feet shaking, loose like noodles. He just fell back down, trying to collect himself.

The day was spoiled. Wanting nothing more than a day of peace and quiet for a change, Kong's own boiling blood betrayed him, souring his mood and killing his enjoyment. He ripped angrily through the jungle, tearing down trees and ripping their branches clean from their trunks before returning to his mountain lair.

It was late afternoon. The sun would begin to set soon and cast its deep, amber glow upon Skull Island. Wearily, Vincent made his way through the jungles of Skull Island, pushing himself to put one foot in front of the other. All he wanted to do was give into his body's urges and just collapse into unconsciousness. He was hungry and likely had a concussion from his battle. There were times his sight went blurry and he couldn't walk straight but he pushed-on, almost aimlessly. Finally, he pushed his bulk through the jungle and arrived at the banks of a small river. To his left, he gazed-up at the massive temple that led to Kong's mountain lair. It had the architectural look, similar to that of the Ancient Aztec and Mayan civilizations. Clearly built in dedication to Kong's species, by an unknown people. Vincent had tracked the 8th Wonder's scent, all the way from their battlefield. He didn't know why. He thought maybe, following the gorilla's trail would reap some kind of edible spoils. But no such luck. At least he could have a drink. This river was much too small to have anything that could be a danger to him. It was the swamps you needed to be wary of. Excitedly, he gulped the water down his throat, his tongue acting like a sponge, absorbing the water to be drank when pulled back into his mouth. Vincent must've stood there for 15 or so minutes, filling his empty stomach with much needed water. By the time he reached the banks, his mouth was dry from trekking through the humid jungle. Glancing back at Kong's mountainous temple, Vincent calmly turned towards a lone male Ferrucutus. Like v-rexes, they were the modern descendants of Pachyrhinosaurus or similar horned, triceratops-like dinosaur. Normally, ferrucutus lived in herds, for safety reasons and it was rare that an individual would be traveling alone. The ferrucutus didn't seem to have any fear of Vincent's presence. It wasn't even nervous. Most likely because it could smell his weakness. Glancing at each other for a moment, it was almost like they were establishing a non-verbal truce between predator and prey, not to attack one another. The male ferrucutus drank from the river, while Vincent continued gazing at Kong's temple.

Kong awoke early and watched the rising of the sun from his mountain peak view. One of his favorite things to do and one of the few things that brought him bliss and peace. Afterwards, he headed down his temple's grand staircase to get a drink from the river below. At the water's edge, he cuffed his fingers together and used his hand to scoop water into his puckered lips, slurping it down. Drinking his fill, Kong looked around and jumped when he saw a scaly body lying on the ground, near the river, motionless, a few yards away from him. With the upmost caution, Kong approached, thinking the animal to be dead. From the color of the animal's hide and the scars on his body, Kong recognized this v-rex as Vincent. He was sprawled-out on his left side, his mouth slightly open with drool leaking-out onto the grass. Daringly, Kong quickly poked him and stepped back, thinking those deadly jaws would spring to life and attack him. Poking him a few more times, the 8th Wonder figured the Young V-Rex must've starved to death, trying to track him. Thinking nothing more of it, Kong was off to fill his empty belly. He had only eaten once, right before Vincent attack him.

Kong returned just before sunset and on the banks of the river at the base of his mountainous temple, sat Vincent, who glanced calmly back at the ape. He sat on his belly with his legs tucked-in close to his sides and was entirely non-aggressive. Kong began to growl and bare his teeth, unsure what angle this predator was trying to play. Vincent slowly stood-up and indicated by his body language, seemed to concede to Kong's presence. Still, he would have none of this! The 8th Wonder pounded the ground and charged, roaring and like a skittish cat, Vincent fled into the brush. Kong snorted and climbed the stairs to his lair. Over the next few days, he had to burden himself with chasing Vincent off his turf. But no matter how much Kong growled, stomped the ground with his fists and charged him, the v-rex just wouldn't leave. He didn't seem to be waiting like a vulture and just stuck around Kong. He soon got the idea that and when the 8th Wonder arrived, he should scatter into the forest as fast as he could. After weeks of this, Kong began to grow use to Vincent's presence. When coming down from his mountain lair, he still cautiously eyed the Young V-Rex but no longer chased him off. Meanwhile, Vincent didn't seem hostile in the least. In fact, he seemed entirely respectful of Kong, always acknowledging his presence and keeping his distance from the ape. He also resumed hunting as Kong returning one day to see him eating the corpse of a herbivorous dinosaur. When he saw the 8th Wonder, Vincent backed away from the partially eaten body, almost as if he was surrendering his meal to a superior. Kong ignored the gesture as he was not a carnivore. This continued for 3 weeks and both the 25 Foot Gorilla and the Young V-Rex became the most unlikely of neighbors. The 8th Wonder could offer some guesses as to why the Young V-Rex stayed near him. It was likely due to the fact Vincent couldn't stake a proper claim on any suitable territories or hunting ground, due to the larger, more aggressive v-rexes. They would surely kill him for trespass on their territories. Perhaps Vincent knew that no v-rex would openly engage Kong and stayed near him to stake a territory that no other v-rex would dare to try and claim.

It was the middle of the night. The sky was cloudless and every inch was decorated with stars, sparkling like diamonds. It was a full moon tonight and all of Skull Island was illuminated in a fine, pure white light that couldn't be beat. Parched, Kong awoke from his sleep and decided to descend his temple's grand staircase to get a drink at the river below. Like the day, nights were eerily quiet but usually they weren't this dazzling. Usually night on Skull Islands were foggy, cloudy, dark and foreboding. Tonight was a rare acceptation. Despite being in the tropics, it was fairly chilly tonight with high breezes assaulting Kong. Luckily his fur kept him nice and warm. Drinking the water, it was ice cold and quickly began to numb Kong's fingers. Turning to climb back-up to his lair, he saw Vincent, in the bright moonlight, curled-up tightly. Now dinosaurs weren't exactly reptiles but then again, they didn't generate their own body heat. So tonight had to be especially brutal for him. He was sleeping out in the open, fully exposed to the elements. While he could've certainly slept in the cover of the nearby jungle's brush, getting assaulted by mosquitos and having itchy bumps the next day was no better. Kong may not have liked v-rexes or Vincent for that matter but he was no sadist. He took no pleasure in the suffering of other animals. Strolling over to the Young Predator, he could see he was still awake with his eyes still open. Seeing the 8th Wonder coming over to him, Vincent kept as low as possible. He didn't want Kong to perceive him as a threat. Calmly, the 25 Foot Gorilla sat down, shielding Vincent from the strong, cold breezes. The Young V-Rex lifted his toothy head, confused why Kong would show him any kind of sympathy. No longer temperamental and moody, Kong's face was calm and no longer held that menacing scowl. Vincent lay his head back down, closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

Friendship:

A week went by and most of the tension between Kong and Vincent had nearly gone. At least now they knew that neither intended malice upon the other and that they could co-exist peacefully. Vincent had resumed regular hunting and was gaining his muscle back and was no longer a desperate sack of skin and bones. Kong was surprised at himself, having no worry to the fact that the Young V-Rex was building-up his strength. It would seem their mutual truce went deeper than he realized. They mainly left each other be, exchanging glances every so often before going about their business.

It was the beginning of April and the wet season on Skull Island had begun in earnest. The recent rains brought with them, renewed vegetation and some rare fruits and plants that only grew a few times over the year's course. Conveniently, all these rare tropical plants were located in a small forest, in the middle of a wide flatland. When these plants were plentiful, Kong always seized his chance to get at them before they went out of bloom. Today the flatland community was bustling. Sauropod dinosaur herds of Brontosaurus and ferrucutus grazed on the grasses and tree of the bordering forests. Like I said, Kong was a king, only in title. None of the animals bowed before him or backed away. His fellow herbivorous creatures looked-up only once, acknowledging him as no threat to them and continued-on grazing. He reached the small patch of forest in the middle of the grassy plains and ate to his heart's content. He would eat all the fruits and nutritious plants in bloom he could, in a single sitting. He kept his guard down. If a predator was in the area, the nearby sauropods would surely alert him to their presence. After an hour of eating, Kong was sated and decided to groom his fur as best he could. Normally, another member of his kind would assist him in this task. He was so focused on his task that he neglected to realize the sauropod herds had moved-on, far in the distance. He could no longer rely on them to sound the alarm if there was danger nearby. Predatory dinosaurs hunted just like modern day crocodiles. They always staked-out an area they knew best and waited and watched anything and everything that happened. Making themselves comfortably hidden in the bushes, they watched the habits and schedules of their unsuspecting prey. Only after memorizing their patterns, did the predators devise the best strategy of attack and then…STRIKE! The elder v-rexes all knew about the patch of rare vegetation that Kong visited during certain parts of the year. Though normally solitary hunters, v-rexes would occasionally band together in order to take down larger prey as a team. Even though they weren't very coordinated while working together, you could never deny such a deadly alliance of 2 or more v-rexes coming together to make a kill. Conspicuously emerging from the brush, a bull v-rex roar at Kong, threatening him and issuing a challenge. Kong was never one to shy away from putting a v-rex in its place. The two engaged in a loud roaring match that could be heard miles away both being as aggressive and menacing as possible. Kong beat his chest, while the bull v-rex flashed his teeth and stomped the ground. And charging-in from out of his line of sight were 2 more v-rexes, both of them fully grown, aggressive females. But Kong couldn't be misdirected so easily. Turning, he saw both the females charging at him, roaring and no longer trying to be covert about it. Daringly, he reached-out for one of the females and managed to grab its closed jaws. Gripping its entire head, Kong dragged its body over and bashed the other incoming v-rex, knocking it hard onto its side. The 3 v-rexes quickly regrouped and were now advancing on the 8th Wonder. He could easily turn tail and run. He had a clean opening and could easily navigate the thick forests, far better than the v-rexes could. While he could certainly fight them, it wasn't worth it. Kong had already eaten his fill and no longer had any business in this valley. It would be wise for him to return to his mountainous lair. But before he could turn, another v-rex took him by surprise, coming-up from behind. Luckily, he dodged the beast's attack and punched it square in the face. Now Kong was being threatened by 4 fully grown v-rexes, each of them eager for a meal. They tried to surround him, making mock lungs in order to herd him into position, where he could be ganged up on and killed with ease. Even 4 v-rexes was a bit of a stretch for Kong. He began flailing his long arms about, trying to keep them at bay. But as he swung, one of the females used its jaw and clamped down on his left arm, holding it in place. If the female v-rex had been able to clamp down with the full force of its jaws, it could've easily snapped Kong's arm right-off. The other 2 came at him as he struggled to keep them away with his free arm. Distracted and fully exposing his neck and chest, the Bull V-Rex readied to go for a killing blow. Coming-out from nowhere, Vincent clamped down on the Bull's thick neck and with all his strength, pushed it in front of another v-rex. Releasing the bull, he charged forward, knocking both the Bull and one of the female v-rexes, down on the ground. With his aggressors occupied, Kong began punching the v-rex that had his arm in its jaws. But it was ruthless, refusing to let go. Rushing over behind it, Vincent grabbed held of its tail, near the end and clamped down with so much for, it snapped the tip straight-off. The female v-rex released Kong's arm and roared in agony. Slapping Vincent away with what was left of its tail, it fled. Enraged at this interference, 2 of the v-rexes attacked Vincent. He was no match for 2 fully grown members of his species. As one of them lunged for him, Kong grabbed its tail, pulling it back as another came charging from behind him. Pulling one of the v-rexes further, he grabbed its belly, lifted it off its feet and flung the beast right into the charging v-rex. Both animals toppled to the ground, one of them unconscious. Up against the Bull, Vincent was muscled to the ground and kicked at the Bull's face as it tried to get in close for a neck attack. Coming in for another predictable biting attack, Kong dodged the female's jaws and pushed her onto the ground. Quickly clutching its left foot, he twisted it hard, breaking the ankle. The female rolled over and tried to get-up but only fell back down in immense pain. Doing its best, it fled in a panic, leaving only the Head Bull to deal with. Vincent currently has his jaws wrapped around its neck but barely managing to hold-on as the Bull dragged him around. With his left side fully exposed, Kong rushed at the Bull and slammed into him with his shoulder. Releasing his neck, Vincent watched as the 25 Foot Gorilla fell hard onto the Bull V-Rex, crushing the ribs on his left side, under his weight. Still alive, the Bull managed to get to its feet and walked away with its head held low in defeat and pain. Lifting-off his forelimbs, Kong stood tall and pounded his chest, roaring in victory with Vincent roaring beside him. With their triumphant moment passed, both turned to regard one another. Unsure what to do next, both just walked calmly alongside each other, heading back to Kong's mountain. It would seem their mutual truce was ready to evolve into a friendship, the seeds of which were already sewn. Kong and Vincent had a nice time, walking back together and arrived back by dark. Without a second thought, Vincent went over to a nice patch of grass a few yards away from the banks of the river at the base of the mountainous temple. Lying down, he and Kong exchanged nods before he curled-up, preparing for the chilly night ahead.

Kong awoke early the next morning, parched. Heading down to the river, Vincent was awake, lying-on the ground and looking-up to acknowledge the 8th Wonder. They stared at each other for a moment, before the Young V-Rex arose and walked a few yards away to get a drink, giving Kong the space he demanded. Taking his time to quench his thirst, Vincent almost jumped when he saw Kong next to him, taking a drink. Needless to say, the Young V-Rex greatly feared him, attacking him that day out of sheer desperation for a meal, being driven mad by hunger pains. He didn't know why he sought-out Kong after their fight or why he stuck around him. Perhaps they were birds of a feather? Two solitary spirits, drawn together in their longing for companionship. Finishing their drinking at the river, both departed to go about their day, having different needs and agendas. At the end of the day, both had return from a most fruitful day. Kong had been able to feast in peaceful solitude and Vincent had made a fresh kill, filling his belly to the brim, meaning he wouldn't need another suitable meal for some time. Both met at the river, at the base of the mountain, an hour or 2 before sunset. Nodding to Kong, Vincent went to sit down and lay his head on the grassy ground. The cool winds meant it was gonna be another chilly, windy night. The 25 Foot Gorilla began oohing at him and the Young V-Rex looked-up to see Kong motioning to follow him. Doing so, Kong led them to a fairly wide, hilly trail. An alternative route up to the top of the mountain. The trail was very steep, though not as steep as the temple staircase, leading to Kong's lair. Cautiously, Vincent followed Kong up the trail, who helped the Young V-Rex cross various obstacles. After a tiring trek, they arrived at the top to Kong's home. Walking beside each other, they came through an archway-shaped cave. Littered about the area were the massive bones of Kong's deceased species. Fellow 25 foot primates that had died some time ago, the mountain's peak being their last sanctuary. Kong took a seat in his usual spot, while Vincent stood to his right. They arrived just in time to watch the sunset together. No v-rex had been up here before. The grand staircase that Kong always used was far too steep and Vincent would've never been able to hike up the secret mountain trail without his help. The Young V-Rex felt uneasy being up so high but couldn't deny the view. The sun's deep amber glow, cast over the canopies of the treacherous jungles and the sky dazzling with unique shades of color. Only one word did this stunning sight any sort of justice. Beautiful. And for a moment, all of Skull Island's foreboding nature and nightmarish creatures seemed to vanish. Kong looked over to Vincent with a calm, relaxed face and the Young V-Rex looking back at him. He no longer had any more feelings of resentment or contempt for the predator. Vincent had come to his aid, when he just could've let the other v-rexes finish him off. Instead he stood by him. Looking back towards the sunset, Kong patted the patch of ground next to him, inviting Vincent to sit down. Padding the ground with his feet, he assured the ground's stability before lowering his body so that his stomach was resting on the ground, his legs compactly tucked-in beside him. With the sun halfway set, Vincent rested his head on Kong's knee. The 8th Wonder didn't mind at all and was happy that the Young V-Rex was comfortable in his home. Before the sun set, Kong reached over and patted Vincent's scaly back, before resting his arm on the Young V-Rex. After the sunset, both made themselves comfortable and drifted-off to sleep.

2 weeks later, Kong and Vincent were quietly circling each other in a flatland valley. If you didn't know any better, you'd say both of them were sizing each other-up for a death match! Vincent made the first move with a standard charge, coming at Kong with wide-open jaws, teeth at the ready. The 25 Foot Gorilla reacted by charging himself, intended to grab the Young V-Rex by the jaws and get him at a disadvantage. But just as they collided, Vincent shut his jaws and used his head like a battering ram to bash Kong, managing to surprise him and knock him off his feet. The 8th Wonder quickly recovered. Kong swung one of his fists and Vincent simply lowered his head, easily dodging the attack. Falling into the trap, the 8th Wonder held his jaws closed, securing them and ensuring he could not use them. Forcing his head upwards, Vincent thrashed about in Kong's grip, exposing his underbelly. Kong tackled his exposed stomach and shoved him to the ground, where he landed on his back with a thud! Rolling over, he used his tiny but shockingly strong arms to help him push-off the ground and get back onto his feet. Bring his tail into play, Vincent swung it at Kong, who saw the attack coming and grabbed the limb in his arms. As he tried to free his tail, the Young V-Rex was pulled back and Kong shoved him to the ground, where he secured his closed jaws once again. Kong couldn't keep his solid, hardened battle face and it melted into an expression of laughter as he hooted in merriment and let his predatory friend up. Shaking his body-off in a dog's manner, Vincent nudged Kong playfully and returned a toothy grin. Both often engaged in sparing matches, since they grew closer, allowing their friendship to bloom. Not only was it for fun but it allowed both of them to practice their skills for actual combat situations. The Young V-Rex was getting better and was learning to act more strategically and less impulsively. A crucial discipline to have when hunting down prey and defending yourself from predators and competition. Kong and Vincent often stayed close by each other. After all, they greatly increased their odds of survival by sticking together. Going-off with each other in the morning, they'd only separate if their own agendas demanded it. If not, they strolled around the island together or sparred, all for the sake of fun and games. As a mammal, Kong had to eat far more frequently than Vincent. Just now they were arriving at one of the 8th Wonder's favorite spots to eat. It was in the hills, a bit of a stretch for a v-rex to travel to but definitely worth it. The spot was right next to a waterfall that calmly cascaded. One could surely fall asleep listening to the soothing sound. In the center of the mist was a dazzling rainbow that only enhanced the scenery. As Kong began to feast, Vincent took a load-off and enjoyed the overhead view of the island, in the golden, fresh light of noontime. After the 8th Wonder had his fill, he sat next to the Young V-Rex and joined him in relishing the soothing approach of a lazy afternoon. Another week passed by and the heavy rains of the wet season made sunshine and rainbows a rare treat. After that last lazy afternoon on the clifftop, the rains were now constant, simply shifting in intensity. This was the tropical equivalent of heavy snowfall. It was a real tropical winter. With the heavy rains came numerous new elemental threats. Rising sea levels around the island's coast and high winds threatened to spur a tsunami or even worse, a hurricane. Skull Island had been assaulted by these aggressive natural disasters in the past and were primarily to blame for the island's shrinking size and loss of land. The rains also threatened to induce massive, lethal mudslides, powerful enough to effortlessly plow through the thick jungles. Flooding of the island's interior was also a guarantee. There was always at least one bad flood each rainy season. Large animals, like vastatosaurus rex became increasingly stressed and antsy during these periods and Vincent was no exception. The thick jungles, growing over their lowland territories already impeded their ability to trek across the island and limited their territory range. But to have the land move about as if it was attacking was enough to put any large creature on edge. Mudslides could happen at any moment and could be shockingly quiet. The rainy season was already taking its effect. The spot at the base of Kong's temple, where Vincent had been sleeping was already flooded by the nearby, overflowing river. The water was up to his ankles and would only rise. In human terms that was waist deep. Both Vincent and Kong knew that he'd have to seek-out shelter in another area soon or else risk being trapped by the flooded passageways through the jungle. Not to mention every other v-rex on the island would have the same idea in mind, to seek-out higher ground. All those competing carnivores in a single area…another disaster just waiting to happen. For now, Vincent decided to stay put and wanted to see if he could wait-out the rain for a few more days. He had virtually no sleep over the past few days. Who could sleep in ankle deep water? Who would want to sleep in ankle deep water? Right now, both were sitting-out in the open, totally drenched. Kong had no trouble with the rainy season, given the fact he resided on the tallest peak on the island and that his agility allowed him to maneuver over most obstacles the rain brought. Vincent was cold. He toes were numb and since he wasn't a mammal, he wasn't shivering like Kong. But at least he was with a friend. Going through one of these treacherous rain season, again in solitude, compared to now, sounded extremely depressing. When the rains first began, Kong and Vincent enjoyed themselves. Running-out in the refreshing downpour, they went-out in the lowland and splashed around in giant puddles and jumped in the mud like rejoicing children. But now they had to stay put as the risk of spontaneous mudslides was high, making it dangerous to move around. Both nearly jumped-out their skins when a bolt of lightning struck, followed eventually by booming thunder. Another stressing factor of the rainy season. By the end of the week, their waiting paid-off and the rains eased-up. Some of the clouds even parted, allowing sunlight to shine through, bringing slivers of gold to the greyed sky. Hunting game during this time was no good but luckily, Vincent could go months or even a full year without properly eating. Another week passed and the overflowing river receded enough that Vincent could at least get some sleep and without the added risk of drowning. But the grass below his feet was constantly wet and soggy. It was now the 1st of November. Returning from a day of foraging, Kong motioned for Vincent to come and join him in his mountain lair. While the Young V-Rex was certainly welcome in Kong's home, getting there was an impractical inconvenience for the theropod. He couldn't get there without Kong's help anyways so heading-up there was a rare treat. Arriving at the top, both sat down and Vincent was happy to feel dry land beneath his body again. For now, the rains were deduced to a light drizzle and the clouds had parted to reveal part of the sun, shining through the grey clouds as it began to set. But the air was thick with needless tension. Kong was stressed, though he visibly hid it. But Vincent could smell his stress, almost as well as he could see the distal sun, peering-out from behind the clouds. Something was about to happen, something that distressed Kong greatly.

It was that time of year again. When the highly superstitious, fearful Skull Island natives lit-up their 100 foot wall and presented a female sacrifice to the almighty Kong. The Skull Islanders were barely a society. They were something less than human, at least in spirit. Compared to what lay beyond their great wall, they were nothing. Out of place humans, waiting to die. Waiting for something to come along and snatch them and bring forth their untimely demise. And at the peak of their truly savage ways was their scarification ritual. Happening yearly, the most beautiful woman in the tribe would be chosen to be offered to Kong as a form of appeasement. Now I know what you're thinking. Surely there is something on Skull Island far worse and actually carnivorous worth giving a live sacrifice to. V-rexes would surely seem like worthy candidates, given their apex predatory status. But that's not how the Skull Islanders saw it. To them, Kong was something more. Something else entirely. A seemingly perfected fusion of nature's utter savagery and man's form, coupled together to create something terrifying in their eyes. Something so human-like, while at the same time, so beastly. It was uncanny to them. Now you would think that offering up a human sacrifice as a means of filling Kong's lonely void was pretty smart. Well it wasn't. To Kong, it was a yearly, almost mocking reminder of what he had lost and would never get back. It reminded him how alone he was on this island and how he was destined to die and completely finalize his species' oblivion. Like I said before, being alone with this reality, all year round, could drive anything to madness. Though Kong now had Vincent's company, he could never chance these harsh facts of life. On scarification night, there was an uproar of drumming rhythm, like a grand parade or celebration. But that was nothing compared to the final ritual, when the Skull Islanders lit-up their wall using oils. They dropped gallons of it, already lit-up, from the wall's demonic face carvings and it poured, like lava, into the moat-like chasm. The eyes of the wall glowed with a hellish fiery light and the darkened evening was lit by a burning amber bright. Kong and Vincent watched the scarification process unfold from afar, hiding in the foliage of the jungle. The 8th Wonder had seen this barbarism unfold for a good portion of his life. But the bright lights and the vicious, ominous glowing faces of the wall were fearsome enough to intimidate Vincent. He had never seen anything quite like this and let-out a low growl at the fiery eyes of the wall, staring back at him. At Kong's request, the Young V-Rex stayed put. This was something he wanted to do alone. At long last, the feminine sacrifice was lowered on the other side of the chasm by a bridge/crane-like device, of which she was tied to the end. Now being sacrificed to Kong was supposed to be an honor. A young woman should've been flattered, even thrilled to have been chosen for such an undertaking. Yet, when push came to shove, no one ever believed that. The sacrifice happened one way or another. Either by forcing the women as she flailed around screaming or by drugging her to make her more docile and manageable. Of course, the Skull Islanders tried to avoid drugging the sacrifice as they felt it tainted the purity and sanctity of the woman. From afar, Vincent watched Kong approach the sacrifice, able to see clearly with his powerful, hawk-like binocular vision. He didn't want to drag this out and wanted this over with. The woman was clearly trying to contain herself, not wishing to upset her "deity" by panicking and screaming. But as she was yanked from the ropes binding her and manhandled by the 25 Foot Gorilla, the fright erupted from her in the form of disturbing, shrieks. Caring very little for the woman's safety, the 8th Wonder charged back into the jungle as the Skull Islanders cheered and hollered at another successful sacrifice. Quickly losing his patience, the reality of his situation was rapidly eating away at him and Kong angrily splintered the trees in his way and plowed through the jungle. He wasn't hard to follow. Vincent hardly needed to use his keen sense of smell. All he had to do was follow the fresh trail of destruction. At the end of the trail, Kong stood at the edge of cliff, overlooking a large stream with puny waterfalls cascading down on the other side. Roaring and carelessly waving the woman about as she continued shrieking, Kong had his yearly outburst at this outrageous ritual. When he saw done venting his anger, he simply dropped her. The woman fell feet first onto the rocky ground, shattering one of her legs, rendering her totally immobile. Calming down and turning to face Vincent, Kong knew what he was thinking and motioned his okay to go through with it. Approaching the woman, she squirmed on the ground, writhing in agony. At first, Vincent just gazed upon her, having never seen a human before and was confused at Kong's outburst. So visually similar to the 25 Foot Gorilla with only slight difference, the woman could've easily been a baby of his species. Perhaps a newborn, due to her skinny, frail physique. But regardless, she didn't make Kong happy and it was quite apparent he wanted to be rid of her. Finishing gawking and sniffing the woman, Vincent parted his jaws and scooped-up the human's legs as he bobbed his head to get better leverage. Bringing his jaws down, the woman's body snapped in half as he consumed her legs. The rest of her fell to the ground, dead, among a pile of bones of past sacrifices Kong had killed in a raging stupor or simply crippled and left for dead. Picking-up the other half of the body, Vincent shook-off the necklace adorned on the woman's neck and in a single snap, swallowed the rest of the body whole. Humans…not bad. Kong stood moping, not just angered but now saddened at the reminder of his true loneliness in life. Coming-up beside him, the Young V-Rex nuzzled his jaw against Kong's shoulder, trying to comfort his primate friend. Kong gently patted Vincent's side, appreciating his gesture. The two moved-on, trying to enjoy the rest of their night as it began to rain yet again.

With Vincent by his side, Kong's happiness bounced back and in no time, they were once again, splashing about in the puddles and playing around in the mud. One day as they played around in the rain, Vincent's mood went from cheerful to predatory in a single second, flat. On the other side of a small patch of foliage, in another section of the flatland was a small group of 5 Ligocristus, duckbill herbivores that were ideal prey items for a v-rex. With only a tail to defend themselves with, they were probably the safest prey for any large Skull Island predator to hunt, especially if you knew how to ambush. Vincent may not have been starving at the moment but on this island, it was wise to gain any sustenance that presented itself. You never knew what meal was gonna be your last. The Young V-Rex shuttered in excited anticipation as the thrill of the hunt overtook him. He just wanted to burst forth from the trees and give chase but experience told him to contain himself and wait for the right moment. Kong stood beside Vincent, even crouching low to the ground like him, curious to seek EXACTLY how a v-rex hunted, step by step. This ambush was a bit of a stretch as Vincent had a fair distance between him and his prey. With no cover around, he would somehow have to approach quickly but silently. In the blink of an eye, Vincent sprung from the foliage and made a dash for his prey, immersing himself in the thrill of the hunt! V-rexes could really move when they wanted to and could run up to 25 miles per hour, in pursuit of prey. Though Kong was fast, he could never catch-up to a v-rex running at full speed, in the middle of a flatland. Like lions or their prehistoric ancestors, the feet of v-rexes were outfitted with specialized pads that absorbed shock, allowing them to approach soundlessly. It was a stunning sight. The ligocristus still had an opportunity to escape but continued grazing as if nothing was wrong. They still hadn't spotted Vincent. Finally, they sensed his approach and scattered, fleeing for the safe cover of the jungle. Lunging forward, Vincent managed to bite down on one individual's tail, even though it managed to slip away. Blood poured from the wounds on its tail, the fresh scent driving Vincent wild! He gained on the wounded animal, coming-up beside it and using his snout to shove it to the ground. Pouncing on his prey, he stomped on its side, breaking a few of its ribs, before seizing its neck and twisting until he managed to snap the herbivore's neck. With his prey dead, Vincent reared his head down and used his teeth to butcher the carcass, going straight for the stomach cavity. Kong emerged from the foliage and came-up alongside him. The Young V-Rex, grinned at the 8th Wonder with a bloodied snout. As he reared his head down for another bite, Vincent noticed Kong going sharp, suggesting danger was near. Over the scent of the ligocristus' fresh blood, Vincent managed to smell it to. Venatosaurus! Skull Island's resident dromaeosaurid, though they were far more impressive than their prehistoric cousins. Ranging from 16 to 24 feet long, they easily dwarfed the famous Velociraptor. Hunting in numbers that ranged in the dozens, they were capable of taking down prey, not even a v-rex actively hunted, such as the thundering brontosaurus. With size, speed and agility on their side, a single venatosaurus was tricky to kill but as a pack, they were capable of bringing down almost anything. While it was very unlikely, it was not unheard for a pack of venatosaurs to be capable of overwhelming and killing a lone v-rex. Even Kong had to be weary of these sickle clawed hunters. Vincent leaned down to pick his prize-up, intending to carry the whole thing back to a more secluded spot. But it was too late. Kong and Vincent were surrounded. Both counted 17 around them. Snarling, the pack gave them a chance to leave. Desiring an easy kill, they wanted to scavenge from Vincent and rob him of his meal. Standing-up for his friend, Kong made the first defiant move, roaring and pounding the ground as a warning. Vincent joined him, roaring and flashing his bloodied teeth. They would give the pack one chance to leave peacefully. It was not taken and the alpha of the pack, along with its lieutenants, made the first move. Against opponents this big and dangerous, the venatosaur way was to attack, retreat and attack again and let shock and blood loss do the work for them. For them, Vincent was a tough nut to crack with his armored back and sides protecting him from their bites and claw attacks. In order to inflict an effective wound, they'd have to get at his less armored underbelly but would be getting dangerously close to those killing jaws. Kong's hide was much easier to pierce and so the venatosaurs decided to gang-up on the Young V-Rex's back-up. Thrashing his arms about, Kong smacked the predators back but as soon as he drove one off, another pounced onto him from behind. Reaching over his shoulder, he grabbed one and yanked it off his back, throwing it straight into one of its comrades. As another ran up to him, Kong brought his tightly clenched fist down upon the venatosaur, crushing it like a bug. Removing his fist, it just lay there, lifeless, eyes wide-open as a large amount of blood began leaking-out of its mouth. Vincent had 2 venatosaurs biting and clawing away at his back but he barely felt a thing and stayed focused. As one ran past him, he lunged-out, grabbing it in his jaws and in a single snap, crushed its body before throwing it down on the ground. Distracted, one of the venatosaurs managed to get under him and inflict a scratch on his softer underbelly. While it was nothing serious, the wound stung and would definitely leave some scars after it healed. It tried to run off but Vincent brought his right foot down upon its tail, pinning it down. As it desperately tried to free itself, the Young V-Rex wrapped his jaws around the smaller predator and ripped it free from its tail as he began to chomp down, mercilessly on the body. Swiping his arm, Kong knocked 6 venatosaurs aside with one in the grip of his opposite hand. Taking a page from Vincent, the 8th Wonder used his own set of formidable fangs and bit down on the back of the venatosaurs' neck, pulling back and nearly decapitated the body. Nearly the entire pack was ganging-up on Kong as he flailed his arms around, standing unsteadily on his hind legs. He quickly lost his balance and fell onto 3 venatosaurs, crushing them under his body weight. Rushing over, Vincent snapped at the venatosaurs on Kong's belly, who tried to tear it open. Suddenly, the venatosaurs changed their focus and all leaped onto Vincent's face, clawing away, trying to get at his eyes as he violently shook his head, trying to get them off. Back on his feet, Kong helped the Young V-Rex, ripping the venatosaurs off and either throwing them aside or crushing them in his grip. Finally, the venatosaurs had their fill. From a pack of 17, only 4 survived and ultimately decided to flee as Kong and Vincent took their victory roars. They roared-up in the air and at their fleeing enemies. Both had only a few scratches, nothing serious. Soon they'd heal into scars that would be a primeval record of their battle together. Vincent was better-off though with his armored skin and all. With the battle over, the Young V-Rex had worked-up quite an appetite and not only fed on his ligocristus kill but also on the 13 bodies of the dead venatosaurs. Once he had his fill, both decided it was wise to move-out of the area before anything else came along, wishing to challenge them.

Divided:

Over the next 2 years, Kong and Vincent became thick as thieves. The two were almost inseparable and went on countless misadventures across Skull Island together. They made an epic team, using their combined skills to fend-off any predator that dare oppose them and overcome any obstacle set before them. Both couldn't be happier and despite their differences, their friendship bloomed. Neither saw it coming. To think that 2 creatures, who couldn't be more different, made savage rivals by nature, could come together to form an everlasting friendship. The morning sun peaked over the horizon, bringing dawn to Skull Island, once again. Kong awoke when the first beam of morning light shined upon him, at the peak of his mountainous lair. Once he gathered his wits, he heard the sound of Vincent, roaring below, declaring his claimed territory to any and all rivals. After 2 years, Kong could recognize Vincent's roar anywhere and like other v-rexes, morning roars were a routine of his. By the time Kong descended from his lair, Vincent had already filled-up on water, properly hydrating himself for the day ahead. The 8th Wonder did the same as the Young V-Rex stood guard, carefully listening for any signs of nearby danger. It was summer on Skull Island and the scorching sun brought the dry season with it. While this year didn't break any records, it was always wise to keep tabs on available water sources. Luckily, the small river at the base of Kong's mountain wasn't as much affected as the rest of the island, or else both would've had to go out of their way for a drink. Dry seasons on Skull Island were particularly dangerous. The green flatlands turned brown as the grass and shrubs dried-up, causing the biome to resemble an arid savanna, rather than a lush valley. Yet somehow, the jungles retained much of their greenery. But still, all creatures were forced forth in search of sustained water sources, congregating together to create enormous tension. As the dry months continued, Kong and Vincent found that more and more creatures were coming to the small river to drink, at one time, even an entire herd of brontosaurs, totally unafraid of the 25 Foot Gorilla or the Young V-Rex, for that matter. This occasionally meant an easy meal for Vincent but nothing that would sustain him for long. Needing to stock-up on food, Kong followed his carnivorous friend into the jungle. Both would need to fill themselves and prepare for the potential scarcity of food, especially Kong. With no water to hydrate the land, he'd have to be careful or else risk starving to death. Their walk through the jungle was fairly peaceful, if not slightly irritating. One could easily get claustrophobic making their way through such tight spaces, in between tree trunks. The jungle was its usual brand of eerie quiet. But as he took another step, Vincent went sharp and began looking and sniffing around, alarmed and intensely anxious. Kong stopped, thinking there was danger nearby. Through the pads on his feet, Vincent could feel intense vibrations, rippling throughout the land. It was like a herd of stampeding brontosaurs, only much strong, by a thousandfold. Then, suddenly, the land began to shake uncontrollably, throwing Kong and Vincent straight-off their feet. Getting back up, they barely managed to keep their balance as the ground shook violently. Trees around them began to snap like twigs. It was an earthquake! Now Skull Island was no stranger to earthquakes, seeing as how its plates were unstable but this was the kind of extreme tremor that could reshape the landscape in a single instance. Panicked, Kong and Vincent just ran, thinking they could outrun an earthquake. As they ran aimlessly, the land began to gradually rise and all of a sudden, both found themselves running uphill. Perilously, entire trees were being uprooted from the ground and came tumbling and crashing down the hill, threatening to trip you and crush you in a pile of wood at the bottom of the newly forming hill. Kong and Vincent dodged the trees, rolling down the hill. A single mistake or misstep could very well mean death and both were quickly becoming exhausted, their muscles burning with soreness. Somehow, both managed to make it to the top of this newly forming hill, only to be faced with an entirely new problem. As the land shifted, Kong and Vincent found themselves at the top of a huge hill, rising at least a hundred feet over the rest of the land. They tried to remain calm and figure-out where to run to. Again the land shook violently, throwing both of them off their feet with no effort, whatsoever. Quickly regaining their footing, the landmass they stood atop began to dip forward and became a slope. And below it was the longest, deepest chasm on Skull Island, filled with all kinds of evolutionary horrors. As the landmass sank, Kong and Vincent turned around, trying to head for more stable ground. But as the land formation became more slanted, Vincent was unable to keep pace with Kong's dexterity. V-rexes didn't do highlands. The 8th Wonder grabbed onto trees, still rooted in the ground, to hoist himself upwards. Barely able to gain any more traction, Vincent roared at Kong, pleading for help. Kong looked down to see his endangered friend and his firm, determined face melted into a worried expression. Climbing down to the Young V-Rex, the 8th Wonder used his hand-like feet to grab hold of Vincent's skull. Kong anchored him as he tried to continue upwards. Nearly at a complete vertical angle, Vincent could gain no more traction and Kong was practically hanging onto him, over a lethal drop. The Young V-Rex could do no more to gain any more leverage and for the first real time in his life, felt the frustrating disadvantage of having puny arms. To make matters worse, the trees Kong was holding onto began to snap, unable to support the weight of both creatures. In what seemed like the end, the land suddenly fell back as part of it became unstable, breaking-off and balancing it out. Vincent fell onto Kong as both realized they were once again on evened-out ground and the earthquake seemed to come to a close. But as both slowly got back onto their feet, a huge fissure separated them. Before either one could react, the slab of land Vincent stood upon fell as a whole, sinking down into the deep chasm below. Both roared in torment as they were once again separated. Acting quickly, Vincent ran as fast as he could, gaining as much speed and momentum as possible. The sliver of land he was sinking with was just large enough to stretch across the chasm and he'd have a single chance to save himself. Reaching the edge of a cliff, Vincent leapt 2 yards across to the other side of the chasm, landing roughly on stable land. Kong roared, unable to see any sign of his friend. Achingly, the Young V-Rex arose from the ground, knowing he definitely sprained something. Looking down, the silver of land he was just standing upon was in the middle of the chasm below. If he foolishly stayed, he could've likely survived the fall. But there was at least 40 feet between the silver of land and the edges of the chasm. If that happened, then the only way out would be down, which was a fatal fall. Vincent sighed with relief as he roared back at Kong, spotting him on the other side of the chasm. Exchanging roars, both friends cautiously took a rest, exhausted from their death-defying feats. Both ended-up staying with each other until sunset, until finally, Vincent made the first move and acknowledged the hardship of their situation. As Skull Island's largest chasm, both in terms of length and width, it would take months to an entire year for Vincent to work his way around it. Regrettably, both exchanged their silent goodbyes as Kong watched his friend disappear into the jungle, afar.

Epilogue:

Vincent was on his own from here on out and Kong was alone once again. Sick with worry for his friend, his hardened, grumpy demeanor returned and the loneliness crushed down on him, harder than ever. He longed for the day he could be reunited with the Young V-Rex. Vincent's travels took him longer than anticipated. He was forced to journey through thick jungles, rising and falling hills and across treacherous, jagged cliffs. And of course, he had to divert from his path to stalk and hunt prey. He had never felt this way. Vincent actually felt himself missing the 25 Foot Gorilla, looking to his side, only to realize, once again that he was by himself. Though he didn't mind the solitude, he rather be with Kong than be alone. As the months dragged-on, the wet season came along, rehydrating the island's biomes, giving it a fresh coat of green.

Vincent's journey around Skull Island's longest chasm took him nearly a year but at long last, he once again reached the base of Kong's mountain. At the bottom of the steep staircase, he roared loudly, rejoicing to be back and wishing to see his friend again. Taking a much deserved load-off, the Young V-Rex waited for his primate companion for 3 days straight, signaling to him, nearly every hour. Yet the next hour was the same as the last. No response and no sign of Kong, even though his scent lingered strongly in the area. Restless, early on his forth morning of waiting, long before the sun was due to rise, Vincent went in search of Kong. He followed every scent trail, the strongest and most recent leading to the Skull Islanders' 100 foot wall with the wooden gates smashed open. He wanted to follow the scent but he had no way of crossing the moat-like chasm separating the wall from the jungle beyond. Though the bridge/crane was down, it would snap instantly under his weight. Returning to Kong's mountain, at sunset, in the later hours of the day, Vincent managed the difficult task of trekking up the mountain's alternative route, remembering where Kong told him to step. He managed to get to the peak all by himself! Just in time for twilight. He laid down in his usual spot, next to where Kong always sat. He restively watched what remained of the sunset, scanning Skull Island from its ultimate overhead view, wondering where his friend could be hiding. At the crack of dawn, Vincent descended from the mountain and began his arduous search for Kong. He followed every scent trail he could pick-up, both new and old. For some reason, every recent scent of Kong's he followed, there was another scent, one he had never encountered before. During his search, he came across the bodies of 3 v-rexes, 2 of which he fought while defending Kong. Again there was that mysterious scent. Vincent circumvented Skull Island but found no sign of the 8th Wonder. After a year and 8 months, tirelessly searching, he returned to the peak of Kong's mountain. Arriving just in time for sunset, he missed how much he enjoyed watching the beautiful sight with his unlikely friend. When twilight arrived, he laid his head down to get some much needed rest. Taking one last glance at the horizon, Vincent hoped that Kong finally found true happiness…wherever he may be.

FIN