My name is Nadia. I've spent my entire life on an island cut off from the mainland, where my family is a group of lemurs that live in trees plus my brother, Aladar, who came to the island as an egg, somehow being taken from his nest. The strange thing was, he was the only creature on the island who looked exactly like me, except I was prettier. No offence to him.
My adopted mother, Plio, found me as a baby washed up on the beach where I had floated across the water on some driftwood without any memory of what happened to me. I was too young to remember much anyway, but what I could recall were simple shapes that blurred around me and what may have been my real mother's soft voice singing to me from a long time ago.
Aladar and I grew up as brother and sister, along with Zini and later Suri, when Plio found herself a mate who unfortunately passed away very young. Our grandfather Yar was the leader of our family, making sure everyone had nests and food to survive. Sometimes the nights were cold, but I never felt it as I was always able to curl up with Aladar.
Still, sometimes I would stand beside the courtship tree and look out towards the sunset which set over the water and try to remember any life I had beforehand. Nothing ever came, so as I grew from a baby into a fully grown adult dinosaur, I settled into my life with peace and happiness.
Sighing softly I turned and walked slowly back through the trees, my agile body gracefully pushing through the foliage until I found Plio bounding from branch to branch, carrying a bunch of flowers in her arms. "Nadia there you are! The courtship is about to start, come on already." She said with a laugh, dropping down onto my shoulder as I turned my head to look back at her with sea green eyes.
"You got it Plio, let's go find the ladies." I chuckled before lifting my head high into the air and called out, rising up off my front feet as I did so before I charged forwards. "Come on girls! It's that time of year again, time for some monkey action!" I yelled, calling out again and the trees began to quiver with the voices of lemurs as they dropped down onto my back, giggling before communicating with one another.
Once I'd collected everyone, we ran back to the courtship tree where the boys were gathered in a tree with Yar, who was giving them his annual pep talk. "Feast your eyes boys." I told them with a smirk as I walked past them with my giggling companions. "I hope you've all brought your charm with you, because you're going to need all the luck you can get to impress these lovely ladies. We have high expectations!" Yar barked with laughter, shaking his head as he slapped his thigh.
"Don't you worry about that my girl, we've got all the charm in the world!"
"All of it? But you're all so small!" I teased back with a laugh before stopping at the tree where the girls all hopped off and I lay down around them, listening as Plio started to hand out flowers to all the young ladies.
"Now, girls, don't jump into the trees after the first boy with a cute back flip. It's more fun if you keep them guessing." She said with a smirk and the girls all giggled with sneaky glances over to the boys. "You're never going to forget this day, so make it one to remember." She finished just as Aladar came bounding into the clearing, hollering loudly and I lifted my head to see him with all the males.
"Hey girls, look what just pulled into town. Your buffet table of love." He said with a charming expression which made me chuckle and shake my head as Zini started to leap up and down with his arms waving.
"Hey ladies, free samples! Get me while I'm hot!" He yelled before yelping in surprise, finding that he'd run out of tail and almost fell off but somehow managing to hang on, making me laugh again as I climbed to my feet, watching as the boys all leaped into the trees and started to call out, Aladar and I joining in just for the fun of it as he lay down relaxingly against a rock and I remained standing, rising up onto my hind legs before dropping down again.
"Zini, haha!" Suri laughed as Zini fell from his branch and got trapped headfirst into a bush, unable to break free as the other males leaped from the trees onto the vines and started to swing, pulling out all their moves to impress the ladies down below who giggled.
"You're missing all the action pal, come on!" Aladar called as he managed to grab the sticks that pinned Zini down and carried him quickly towards the tree.
"Hey haven't you heard? I am the action!" Zini yelled as he was launched into the air and I chuckled for a third time. That Zini, he always finds a way to make any situation humorous. I watched as the lemurs started to pair off, finding their mates before climbing up into the tree to watch the sunset together, a family tradition.
I felt a slight pang in my heart as the last couple disappeared before exhaling and looking down. Getting to my feet I turned and began to walk away, Yar and Plio glancing to me with knowing and sad expressions but I ignored them. It wasn't anyone's fault, but sometimes I wish it were me who could find a mate and live happily ever after. Plio once suggested Aladar, but I just couldn't imagine him and I being together that way. He's too much of a brother, and besides. If we did have eggs, what would happen to them? They would then be the ones without mates and this island is just too small for dinosaurs of our size in large numbers.
My feet carried me across the island, however I soon started to get a sense of danger. Something was wrong, very wrong. Turning around I looked to the sky and saw it was shining bright red, silver lights falling across it and I watched them in awe. What were they? They're really beautiful.
However as a huge rock like figure fell from the sky with burning fire, my eyes widened in slight fear as I watched it disappear behind the trees which then shielded everything from view. I started to move forwards, heading back towards the clan and the courtship tree but then a terrifying rush of air blasted against me with a sharp hiss, causing me to cry out and slam to the ground in shock.
Scrambling quickly as the howling wind began to rage, I tried to climb to my feet but another blast of wind slammed against me and knocked me back down. "Plio! Aladar!" I cried out, somehow managing to get to my feet as I heard the terrified screeches of the clan as they attempted to escape from the falling fire that started to strike our island.
Crying out in fear I leaped to the side, startling as the flames burst the ground and began to eat away at the trees and plants. "Yar?! Suri! Zini!" I yelled again, powering my way forwards however as I leaped over a fallen tree, I slammed into Aladar's side but the both of us managed to stay on our feet and continued to run.
"Nadia! Stay close and follow me, hurry!" Aladar ordered so I stuck close to his side, avoiding being hit by the fireballs though I could feel the burning heat on my thick hide. There was a fierce pounding in my head and a drumming in my chest as I raced at Aladar's side, staying close to avoid being separated.
"Keep going Nadia!" Plio yelled to me, gripping Suri close to her as I surged forwards, leaping over a rock and tried to call out for the rest of our clan, signalling where we were so that they could find us, but they kept to the trees and tried to escape by keeping off the ground.
Both Aladar and I ran without stopping until we were at the edge of the cliff on the opposite side of the island, now having nowhere else to go as the ruthless waves crashed against the rocks down below us. "What now?!" I gasped for air, looking back where the fire began to engulf our island, getting bigger, brighter and hotter the closer it swept towards us.
Suddenly Aladar slammed into me, making me cry out as I was flung over the edge of the cliff, feet scrambling at thin air as Aladar then jumped after me, carrying our family down into the raging waves where I hit the freezing cold water whilst holding my breath.
For a moment I tumbled within the waves, unable to find my way before finally, I broke the surface, coughing and spluttering whilst treading the water the best I could, struggling to keep my head in the air. "Aladar! Aladar where are you?!" I shouted before a wave dragged me under again but I fought with all the strength I had and broke free once more. "Plio! Suri!"
"Nadia! Nadia!" I heard small voices as they cried out and I looked towards them, taking a deep breath as I saw my family riding on a piece of wood that had been blasted off the island. "Aladar! Over here!" Surging forwards in the water I went with the current before I was at their side, Aladar opposite me and together we used our strength to drive the driftwood away from the island, beating against the waves until finally, their temper calmed down and I could feel my feet brushing against hard ground.
Panting softly and struggling to remain upright, I dragged myself ashore with Yar coughing on my back, so I slowly lay down and Plio helped him off, rubbing his back as he coughed up some of the water he had swallowed. Exhaustion settled over me, the fear and battle against the waves slowly leaving my body feeling drained and weak.
Aladar gently nudged my side as he stepped up to me and I lifted my head, looking up at him before closing my eyes tightly, unable to look at our home island which now lay under flames. I felt Aladar touch his face to mine and I leaned into him for comfort as he nuzzled me tenderly as Suri tried to call out to the others without a response. My brother helped me to my feet, making sure I was steady before turning to the others. "Come on. We can't stay here." He said to them and I stepped forwards.
"It's going to be alright." I whispered encouragingly to Suri, lowering my head down to her with a soft smile. "We're still together, and as long as we have one another then there's nothing to fear." Still sniffing Suri reached out and placed her arms over my long face, making me smile sadly as she rested her head against me before I lifted her up into the air and placed her on my back, Plio climbing up my leg to join her as Yar and Zini got onto Aladar.
With a nudge against my shoulder, Aladar gestured to the way we should go so I followed him, looking around at the blackened beach and clusters of flames that danced around us. I paused just as we climbed the mound, turning my head to look back at my island home. Maybe somehow the others had survived, but how would we be able to get back? The waves are too dangerous to fight against and we were lucky not to have been caught by a sea predator. It looks like we really don't have any other choice.
"It's okay Nadia, you were right. So long as we have each other, we'll be alright." Plio said to me gently, patting my neck with her motherly gaze looking right at me. "Let's just start with going forward." Nodding my head in agreement I turned away from the burning island and climbed the last step to where Aladar was waiting. We nudged heads in a silent word of comfort before heading out into the world unknown.