So, here's the third part of chapter 3. Let's get this rolling!
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Back in Prehistoric China, Nigel is back on the trail of the Microraptor. So far, though, he isn't having any luck.
"I can't find any Microraptor, but that isn't surprising. The ambush we had to deal with, that might have sacred them away. Hopefully, they'll calm down soon and we'll be able to find them
While Nigel is saying this, a volcano in the distance starts spewing smoke. It's a grim reminder that, once again, Nigel is racing against time.
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Back at the park, Bob is busy watching the Ornithomimomsaurs. He's set up a watch post by a pond in their exhibit. Some are running around, searching the plains of their home for food. Others are cooling down in the pond.
"I built this little hide to watch them, but there's no need. They love it here. Well, except for that one."
The one Bob is referring to is a female Ornithomimus. She's all by herself near a clump of undergrowth.
"That one's gone completely bonkers. She's sulking away from the rest, and I can't tell why."
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While Bob ponders that problem, in Prehistoric China, Nigel's stumped.
"I can't find a Microraptor. This wouldn't be so frustrating except for the fact that I don't know where to look. They have features like dinosaurs, could they be on the ground; they have features like birds, could they be in the trees?"
As Nigel is saying this, he notices something amid the trees. He pulls out his binoculars, and soon finds that his eyes do not deceive him: in the trees is a four winged dinosaur.
"That's it, there's a Microraptor, come, lets go follow it."
As Nigel gives chase, he soon realizes it isn't alone.
"I can count at least four of them, but I don't know where they're headed."
Nigel soon finds out: as he follows them, he finds himself staring down the chest of a sauropod. He barely manages to get out of the way as an entire herd of the creatures walks by, oblivious to the presence of the humans nearby them.
"Wow, this is amazing! These dinosaurs, they're titanosaurs. That group included some of the biggest dinosaurs ever. I can't tell what species these are, though. The odd thing, though, is that you normally don't find animals this big in forests, so I honestly don't have a clue as to why they're here."
As the herd finishes passing by, Nigel takes the chance to examine their footprints. He also take the time to get out a glass jar for samples.
"Wherever these sauropods go, they're like a group of trucks: everything in their way is crushed. They've stomped flat all of the logs and turned up the soil. And that has exposed a lot of small animals: earthworms, beetle grubs, even primitive crickets. And I wonder if they are the reason that the Microraptor came here, because that is a lot of food."
Sure enough, Nigel's right. Gathering around the footsteps is an entire flock of Microraptor.
"I don't believe it, I was right. When the titanosaurs move through, they force all these small animals into the open and the Microraptor follow for the feast. It's like birds at a ploughed field. There's an irony to this: I spend all day looking for one Microraptor and now I'm looking at a dozen."
For Nigel, it's the chance he's been waiting for.
Nigel takes out a tarp, then tries approaching the tiny raptors. Before he can get close enough, however, he is noticed and his quarry scatters.
He tries again, but his luck is not improving. The birds are at the tree trunks before he can catch them.
It looks like Nigel will have to try a new strategy.
Nigel, thinking quickly, gets out a set of posts, some mesh, and a shovel. He sets up a square using the posts and mesh, then digs up the soil within the square.
"Now, these Microraptor can fly, but the need to start from the trees; they can't take off from the ground. So, I'm going to try to get them to land in here, where they can't take off. The center is upturned, so they'll see it as a food source. I just hope it works."
Nigel's optimism, however, doesn't last. The tiny dinosaurs do not show any interest in the trap.
Then, before Nigel can try to revise his plan, the buck toothed dinosaur returns. This time, he has a rival. The two fight, destroying the trap in the process. As Nigel stares on with disbelief, the raptors seize their chance and dig in. Once again, Nigel tries to catch them, with predictable results.
It looks like Nigel needs another plan.
Nigel, deciding he needs some new tools, opens up the time portal. As he does so, however, a group of beaked dinosaurs with quilled tails burst out of the undergrowth, followed by a pack of feathered carnivores. Amid the quilled animals are a group of large mammals.
The creatures dart through the portal, to the complete shock of Nigel.
"Well, didn't see that coming."
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Back in the present, after sorting out his new residents, Nigel gets out his new strategy for getting the dino birds.
"This is a net gun. It's used for catching birds of prey non-lethally, so I think it should work well for our quarry."
Nigel decides to test the contraption, which ends up covering one of the staff. It's Bob.
"Nigel?! What was that?"
"Sorry Bob, it was an accident."
"It's okay, but you need to come quickly: the delivery's arrived.
"It has?! Well, then, let's get moving!"
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At Prehistoric Park's port, several dockworkers are hard at work offloading several crates. These contain things ranging from medicine, to tranquilizers, to building materials.
The most important offloads, however, are the new arrivals. Already, keepers are working hard to acclimate the new additions.
"We had a few animals delivered to the park. You see, we accept animals that have been displaced or that zoos can't take on, especially endangered ones," remarks Nigel.
As he says this, a group of wild dogs are moved into a new cage side by side with a group of black rhinos. Additionally, a group of scimitar horned oryx, a Galapagos giant tortoise and a tapir family are already heading toward their new exhibits.
Just then, Bob gets Nigel's attention.
"It's time to move the big ones."
Nigel nods, then approaches one of the ships. Unlike the others, it resembles a warship. Bob gives them the signal to offload the cargo.
The minute he does, the door drops. Out comes something big. VERY big. So big, in fact, it's obvious that this isn't any animal alive today.
In front of Nigel and Bob is a dinosaur. Specifically, a very large sauropod. And it isn't alone. Joining it is a large predatory dinosaur, two iguanodonts, a two horned rhino, three chicken like dinosaurs, two small raptors, a pair of horned dinosaurs, two therizinosaurs, and a Pteranodon. Additionally, emerging from the sides of the ship are a pod of mosasaurs, three other strange sea lizards, several sharks (one resembling a great white, a funny looking whale, and a marine shark.
Now, at last, the first creatures saved from extinction have arrived at their new home.
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AN: So, that happened.
Anyways, here are the things I need to elaborate on:
1. Based on the evidence we have, Microraptor probably could fly. I have no idea if it could take off from the ground, though.
2. The animals that ran through the portal were Psittacosaurus, Repenonamus, and Dilong. The scene happed for the same reason as the one at the end of the last chapter.
3. I don't see why Nigel shouldn't try to help save endangered species from extinction if he's already saving extinct ones.
4. If you are wonderin where he got the animals from, you probably need to watch more of the walking with Dinosaurs specials.
5. If you think the prey animals walking side by side with predators is not realistic, go to tv tropes, look up all yesterday's, then look at the link attached to animal jingoism. Also, the animals Nigel brought back are Velociraptor, Protoceratops, Astraspis, Nothosaurus, Stethecanthus, Arsinerotherium, a baby Megalodon, Hybodus, Metriorhyncus, Tylosaurus, Argentinosaurus, Mapusaurus, Mononulus, Macrogryphosaurus, and his pet Pteranodon.
6. Nigel did rescue the Sarcosuchus from Land of Giants, but it is currently being studied at a crocodile farm and won't show up to episode 11. But it is still alive and in the present.
So, read, review, all that.
This is Flameal15k, signing off.