Otto IV

The morning was crisp and warm, with just the barest trace of dew still clinging to the emerald blades of grass. Joseph was already up, hunched over a rock and fixing a bone spearhead to a long wooden shaft. The other man was armoured head to toe in hide and had an axe strapped to his waist. He nodded his greetings as Otto emerged from the lean-to and yawned, finally getting a chance to stretch.

"Rain's stopped," Joseph said.

"About time," Otto returned with a grin. "Means we can finally hunt. I was just beginning to forget what meat tasted like."

Joseph smiled at the jest as he looped a vine around the spear, joining the bone to the wood. "It feels good to be out and about," he said nodding at the rickety wood lean-to behind Otto. "Thankfully the shelter held."

"I told you to have faith, my friend," Otto replied with a smile. He glanced back at the soggy wood lean-to behind him, just in time to see Hawk emerge with a grumpy snarl. The orange Dilophosaurus had hated being cooped up every bit as much as them. Winter appeared more regally, head held high and pristine white coat shining in the golden morning rays. He stalked over and rubbed against Otto, head nuzzling him affectionately. Hawk chirped and settled onto a nearby rock, basking in the warm glow of the Sun with her frills fanned out. "Had a nice sleep?" Otto asked. Joseph chuckled as the Dilo shot him a venomous glare, frills raised in aggression as if she could sense the mocking tone in his voice. She snarled and promptly went back to sunbathing on the warm rock.

"We should get started," Otto said as his stomach rumbled. Joseph nodded and tossed him a spear off the damp ground. Winter perked up at the mention of a hunt and bounded up to the crest of a hill, casting an apprehensive glance back. The Direwolf growled impatiently, pacing back and forth as Otto and Joseph made the slow trek up. Even Hawk got up to follow, her normally calm demeanour replaced by a rash desire to feed after the long confinement.

Otto could relate. The two days that they had spent under the rickety wooden shelter had left him hungry, soggy and cramped. He supposed they were lucky to have the lean-to already built, otherwise they would have spent the first day drenched and shivering in the rain. The storm had struck just barely three days after he had found Joseph. In that short time, they had gotten many things done that Otto would never have been able to do alone. Together they had fortified the camp; digging a second firepit, staking and ditching the borders, and of course, raising the shelter. On top of that, larger and swifter prey could be caught because of their greater numbers. They had already taken down a swift and long-limbed lizard that the Dossier had indicated as a Gallimimus. Extra knives and spearheads had been sharpened from the bones, while a second set of hide had been made for Joseph.

And with the extra pair of hands, Otto had been able to harvest larger bounties from foraging in the woods. They had just returned from a trip to the hidden lake when the first drops of rain had splattered against the land. At first it had been no more than a light shower, a cool refreshment from the heat of the blistering sun. And then the lightning had struck. Crackling bolts of white and purple blasted the land with searing fists. Dark clouds rolled in immediately afterward, punctuated by the booming roar of thunder. Sharp gusts of wind sliced at their faces, pelting them with watery fists. They had hastily retreated into the makeshift hut, the storm roaring at their backs.

The shelter was crude and ugly to look at, yet it had still done its job which Joseph and Otto were grateful for. The foundation was little more than two y-shaped logs sticking out of the ground, just barely matching Otto in height. A fallen tree was suspended between the two poles, around twice the length of Winter from snout to tail. A ramshackle assortment of logs and branches leaned against either side of the thin tree, tightly packed together with mud from the brook. They had lain broad jungle leaves across the mud as it dried, forming a waterproof shell. The result was an ugly, if not formidable shelter.

They had spent the first day coming up with things to keep themselves entertained. Otto had tried teaching Winter to fetch objects but to little avail. The Direwolf would simply lift his head to glance at him curiously, then settle back down and curl up. Joseph had been sharpening spearheads from Parasaur bone until his flint broke. The two had spent the rest of the day coming up with names for the orange Dilo. They couldn't keep calling her "The Dilo", although the clever beast certainly did respond to that name. After much discussion and disagreement, Otto and Joseph had finally settled on Hawk. No detail, no matter how small, seemed to go unnoticed by her cold, attentive black eyes. Her keen and clever personality was exactly like that of the fierce bird of prey.

Despite everything they tried, the days still seemed to stretch on forever. They could start no fires because of the occasional raindrop that slid past the shelter and dampened the ground. Instead, they had to make do with raw vegetables and a small portion of smoked fish and Phiomia meat. Otto and Joseph mainly dined on raw potatoes, carrots and lettuce leaves. The pitiful morsels were made damp and soggy by the rain, unpleasant to chew but the best they could hope for. The meat went to Winter and Hawk, both of whom refused to try any vegetables.

The storm made the outside world so dark and dreary that it was hard, if not impossible, to tell the difference between day and night. The beasts seemed to know the two apart from each other though, and so when they slept the humans did as well. Otto and Joseph were grateful for the Dossier. If not for the book, the seemingly endless grey days would have stretched on for an eternity. Squinting in the dark, they studied the creatures of every page intently. Should they ever have the misfortune to stumble upon any in the wild, they would be prepared.

Otto was stirred from the memory as they crested the hill. A massive herd of Triceratops stretched out across the prairie, a few score at least. They were easily distinguished by the three sharp horns on their heads and the heavy shield-like frills that adorned their skulls. The largest stood more than twice Joseph's height at the frill, and thrice the length of Winter from snout to tail. They romped about on four heavy trunk-like legs, grazing on clumps of greens and trampling the yellow grass sea into dusty barren ground. Most were clustered near the centre of the field, although some wandered alone on the outskirts; either outcasts or those that were brave enough to risk the danger of the wilds for more food.

Winter growled in dismay and shifted uneasily, a sentiment that Otto shared. They could scarcely hope to take down even one of the lumbering giants alone. With the huge herd nearby, it would only be a matter of seconds before their small party was surrounded and gored to death. He clenched and unclenched his left fist uncomfortably. The wound he had taken in saving Winter's life still bothered him regularly, but the dismal thought that he might go another day without meat seemed to inflame it further. He scowled and scanned the fringes, hoping to spot some stubborn youngling that had strayed from the herd. Otto paused when his eyes caught a shift in the undergrowth.

He finally noticed the newcomers. Or perhaps they had been there the whole time and he just hadn't seen them until now. Three stealthy beasts lurked on the outskirts of the plain, safely hidden by the shade of the trees. The largest was covered from neck to tail in feathers. It was huge, easily thrice his height at the crook of its back with an upraised head that looked down upon practically everything in the clearing. Two smaller beasts prowled on either of its flanks, bull-horned creatures with fierce looking jaws and long, thrashing tails. They seemed small in contrast to the feathered beast and it was hard to tell from the distance, but Otto guessed that they stood at twice his height. There was no doubt that the smaller ones were Carnotaurus, but the largest...

Otto put a hand on Joseph's shoulder and pointed to the trees. The brawny man followed his outstretched finger and saw the beasts. "Trouble," Otto nodded.

Joseph cursed loudly. "Carnos, the accursed wretches," he said, a venomous hatred dripping from his tone. Joseph had been chased and nearly killed by a Carnotaurus on his very first day on the island. It was no wonder that he held a grudge against the beasts. And who wouldn't? Otto thought. Joseph's gaze centered on the huge feathered one. "And a Yutyrannus?" There was only fear in his voice this time.

Otto nodded. He had come to the same conclusions himself. Though the smaller Carnotaurus were already bad enough, the massive Yutyrannus would be devastating if it ever caught up to them. The smaller beasts were said to be swift hunters on flat terrain. The Carnotaurus also had deadly horns that could be used to gore prey, though the Dossier said that they were mainly used for fighting rivals. It's a wonder that Joseph survived an encounter with one. The feathered beast was a different story, though no less lethal. Yutyrannus was said to be among the most fearsome predators on the island, hunting with a pack of Carnotaurus and smaller carnivores at its side. The Dossier also mentioned something about a roar that both bolstered allies and terrified prey. Otto had never actually seen one for himself until now, but he knew better than to stick around.

"Best we get moving," he said. "We don't want to be caught anywhere near this mess when it comes to blows." Winter barked in agreement and bounded back down towards the camp. Otto followed at a brisk jog, joined a moment later by Hawk and Joseph. Not yet an instant later, they heard an ear shattering roar from behind far behind them. Despite the distance, the cry still sent his hairs standing on end. Otto wanted nothing more than to make for the safety of their camp with all due haste. He somehow managed to steel his nerves and risk a glance backward, only to see chaos unfold beneath him.

The three predators charged from the cover of the shade. The Yutyrannus was at the head of the pack, roaring at the top of its lungs. This only seemed to embolden the two Carnos at its side, but had the exact opposite effect on the Triceratops herd. At least a third of the beasts had turned tail and fled, each one vying to escape the wrath of the monsters. Otto saw more than a few charging up the hill, their way. And while some fled, most of them formed a defensive circle, the young safely tucked behind the heavy wall. The huge beasts stood shoulder to shoulder, shield-like heads interlocking and sharp horns bristling against the oncoming mass of scales and teeth. The Yutyrannus stalked over and shot the display an uninterested glance. It snarled and turned to sweep its predatory gaze toward the fleeing Trikes. By running away from the herd they put themselves in a vulnerable position. Their main defence was turned away from the predators as they fled, leaving flanks and backsides exposed. The feathered brute roared once more, sending its two companions into a frenzy of snarls. The fleeing Trikes somehow managed to run even faster.

Otto glanced back ahead of him. Winter was almost to the camp and Joseph had overtaken him during the backward look. The other man slowed to a halt next to the wooden palisade and pulled a few stakes out of the ground. Winter slipped in through the gap and Joseph followed right after. Otto sprinted through the opening and skidded to a halt. He turned in time to see a young green Trike thunder over the hill, a snarling Carno on its tail. Otto cursed at the sight, but he could only pray that they stayed away from the camp. He could still hear the roaring of the Yutyrannus on the opposite side of the hill. Hawk slid through the opening and Joseph immediately began replacing the stakes. Otto ran up to help him, watching the approaching beasts out of the corner of his eye. They stuck the final pike into place and retreated to the centre of the camp, backs to the cliff and weapons in hand. Otto whistled and Winter instantly appeared at his side.

The green Triceratops, though no more than a youngling, still crashed through the barrier as if it were no more than a pile of twigs. Otto twisted out of the way as the barrier exploded, jagged splinters flying everywhere. The Trike thundered past them and slid to a halt before the cliff, trampling a cookfire and smashing a giant hole in the lean-to. The Carno was among them an instant later.

Otto stabbed for its eye, but the spear only grazed its snout, glancing off the rough scales. The beast snarled in pain and turned to bring its fury upon him. Just then, Hawk spat a vile glob of acid into its right eye. The Carno roared in pain and thrashed from side to side, the spit turning its yellow eye into an irritated pink. Winter snarled and leapt onto its back, sharp claws digging for purchase and iron jaw snapping at the thick neck. The Carno tilted to the right and smashed its back against a rock. Winter leapt off at the last moment and slid to a halt by Otto's side.

Joseph ran at the Carno with a booming war cry, spear hefted high. He thrust at its flank with all his great might and lodged the sharp bone spearhead deep. The wooden shaft snapped when he tried to pull it back out. Joseph scrambled away, tripping over his own feet as the monster snapped at him. Heavy jaws closed around the spot where he had been a moment before. The Carno's eyes were burning pits and blood ran freely down its side in crimson rivers. It roared and charged towards the fallen man. Otto knew he could not reach his friend in time, yet he still tried all the same. Winter darted past him and sprinted toward Joseph, but even the great white Direwolf's speed would not be enough to save him. Neither of them got there in time.

Just as the Carno was about to close in on Joseph, the young Trike, forgotten until now, rammed the monster with enough force to shatter a tree. There was a mighty crack and the Carno went flying. It crashed through a section of the palisade and rolled to a stop outside. The beast managed to raise its head, dazed from the heavy impact. It sported three new bloody gashes and a dozen cuts and scrapes along its side.

The Carno snarled in a last attempt to save its pride and limped away, blood staining the grass a crimson red. Otto whooped at the victory, joined by a relieved Joseph a moment later. Winter barked happily and even Hawk chirped in delight. The moment was ruined by the heavy snort from behind them. Otto turned to see the young Trike pawing the ground nervously, head swaying back and forth to watch them all. Now that he got a clear look at it, Otto could see the beast was clearly in pain. One jagged splinter of wood was lodged in its front leg, a remnant of the wooden barrier that the Trike had smashed through. Along its flank, there was a thin stream of blood that trickled down from a vicious bite-mark. The beast rumbled and backed away, a slight limp in its step.

"Hey there, it's alright," Otto said. He stepped forward cautiously, hands raised to show that he was not a threat. The beast snorted and stamped its heavy feet. Winter snarled in retaliation, but Otto quickly silenced the wolf with a hushed whisper and a wave of his hand. He spotted a discarded clump of grass by the smashed lean-to, most likely the remains of his bed. Otto picked it up slowly, his eyes never leaving the Trike. He approached again, more slowly this time and with the golden lump held out before him. Otto stopped when he was within petting distance and held the offering out before him. The Triceratops, a she, he noticed, edged closer tentatively. The beast gave the grass a suspicious sniff. A moment passed, and then the Trike took the grass in her stubby beak.

Otto allowed himself a thin smile as the Trike munched on the offering. Joseph caught onto what he was doing and handed Otto another clump of grass that had been strewn near his feet. The Trike took the second bushel and lowered her head as she feasted quietly. Otto crept up and carefully rested a hand on her frill. The Trike froze and raised her head to meet his eyes. Otto gave it a few soft strokes, whispering in a soothing tone all the while. The beast relaxed under his grip and Otto let loose a sigh of relief while the Trike continued munching on the grass. He gently took ahold of the frill and guided her toward the brook. "Some moss please," he nodded at Joseph. The other man hurried to comply, Hawk on his heels. Winter got up to follow but shot a concerned glance back at Otto. "I'll be fine," he assured. "Go with Joseph." The Direwolf lingered for a moment before bounding after the burly man, leaving him alone with the Triceratops.

Otto gingerly rinsed the angry red wound with cool water, washing the dust and grime from the rough green scales. The young Trike remained unmoving as he cleaned the bite wound. She was perfectly cooperative, only rumbling gently when he brushed his hand against her rough green hide. Perhaps she knows I'm trying to help, he thought. The Trike was just a bit more than half the size of the adults, he saw. She still towered over him by quite a bit, and Otto was no doubt only a fraction of her weight. She had the three horns on her head that every Triceratops boasted, though they were small compared to the wicked spikes he had seen on some of the larger Trikes. They were still deadly though. The blood staining her horns and the injured Carnotaurus could attest to that. As if the very thought of the monster could reaffirm its existence, Otto heard a far off roar from the other side of the hill. Two smaller ones followed a moment later, and Otto knew that the trio had made a kill. He shuddered and turned back to the Trike. The poor creature had been targeted because she was still young, weak, and separated from her herd.

Otto glanced up at the sound of returning footsteps. Joseph was back, carrying an armload of blue moss. Winter padded behind him, half-carrying and half-dragging a thin, limp, long-limbed green lizard in his jaw. Otto recognized it as the egg thief, the Oviraptor if he recalled correctly. It was a lime green colour and about a third of Winter's size. The Direwolf had grown since Otto first met him. Winter nearly stood at his shoulder now, whereas he had only come a bit above Otto's chest at first. Even still, carrying the Oviraptor must not have been an easy task.

"There were two of them," Joseph said by way of explanation. "The beasts already ate the other," he inclined at Hawk and Winter.

Otto nodded and took a clump of the blue moss. Together, he and Joseph had found that this variety was soothing against the skin, especially after being chewed. Nothing felt half as good as a wad of the blue moss on a fresh cut. Otto stuck a clump into his mouth and chewed, the spongy mass bitter against his tongue. He spat it into his hand and plastered it over the wound carefully, being sure not to press down too hard. The Trike flinched at the first touch but soon relaxed as the moss pressed against the cut. She shuddered in relief and snorted happily. Otto smiled and finished dressing the various other wounds.

When he was done, Otto slowly sank to his knees and took a firm hold on the sharp wooden splinter lodged in the Trike's front leg. This was the part he dreaded most. The Trike rumbled happily, but that was soon to change. Otto took a deep breath and wrenched the wooden shard free.

The Trike reared back and bellowed, sending up a huge cloud of dust. Otto scrambled away as it slammed back into the ground with a heavy thump. The beast shook its head and backed away, eyeing him reproachfully and rumbling in pain. Otto held his hands up to show he was harmless. The Trike bellowed and stamped her feet, head tossing wildly from side to side. Otto sensed his companions tense up behind him.

"It's alright," he said to the wounded beast. He took a step forward and she tossed her head in warning. "I'm just trying to help," Otto said slowly. He approached again, muttering hushed whispers. He held up the rest of the blue moss as he edged closer. For an instant, the beast looked like she wanted to trample him right on the spot.

The moment passed, and Otto got by without incidence. The young Trike, somewhat calm once more, seemed to register that he was trying to help. Otto spread the blue moss evenly over the gash, making sure to completely cover the wound. The Trike shuddered in relief and let out a happy rumble. She even leaned over to nuzzle him affectionately with her beak. Otto smiled and guided her back outside the ring of stakes. It was a much easier task now, for there were no stakes to be pulled up. Between the Trike and Carno clashing by their camp, more than a quarter of the palisade was reduced to rubble.

Otto led the lumbering beast outside the broken barrier and halfway up the hill. "Go. Be free now," he said. "Join your herd." The Trike simply snorted and turned around, away from the hill and back toward the camp. Otto was baffled. The Trike shambled through an opening, lay down by a pile of grass, and started munching on the nearby greens contently.

Joseph chuckled at the sight. "She wants to stay with us," he said. Otto cast a glance at the heaving form and back towards the hill. It would be no use trying to drag the Trike away, for she must have outweighed him ten times over. Otto sighed and let her be.

"I was sure she would want to be rid of us as soon as possible," he speculated. Joseph shrugged.

"Perhaps not, after all," he said. "I saw her on the outskirts of the herd while we were hunting. She was by herself."

"Oh," Otto said. The poor creature. "In that case, she's welcome by my fire any day." He padded over to the beast and offered her a clump of grass. The Trike took it in her beak gratefully with a happy snort. "Now about the camp . . ." Otto trailed off as he looked at the mess. "Perhaps we should get started on that. After, a meal of course," he said, eyeing the Oviraptor corpse.

They roasted the meat over a fire, along with a sparse handful of vegetables that Otto managed to scavenge from the camp. The meal tasted delicious, especially after two days of living off soggy vegetables. After the meal, they began clearing rubble from the camp. The stove had to be replaced, along with a quarter of the wall and nearly half the lean-to. The sun was well in the sky by the time they were finished, and a pile of shattered planks was heaped outside the camp.

Otto led the search into the jungle to replace what was lost. Winter padded by his side like a pale white shadow. They were joined by Joseph, Hawk, and surprisingly even the young Trike. She bellowed in alarm when they left and bounded after them with haste. Perhaps it was trauma from the Carno attack, or maybe a lifetime of isolation within her herd. Either way, the Trike seemed to regard them as a new herd and she never strayed far from Otto's side. Despite all her immense bulk, the Trike was even more timid than little Hawk.

They stopped a good bit in, where the canopy shrouded the world in a veil of darkness and the trees towered overhead like a row of grim sentinels. Otto found a tall but skinny tree that would serve their needs. He nodded back to Joseph who unholstered his axe and swung at the thin trunk. It fell after a few blows from the heavy weapon and was further hacked into manageable portions.

After a few awkward attempts, Winter finally managed to close his jaw around a thin log. He padded back to Otto triumphantly and received an affectionate ruffle for his efforts. Hawk managed to lift a log with her tiny arms, straining under the weight. Upon seeing the other beasts helping, the Trike rumbled and nuzzled Otto. She sank to the floor and tilted her immense back towards him. Otto smiled and patted her heavy flank. He hefted half a dozen logs onto her great back before the Trike slowly rose to her feet, straining against the cumbersome load. Otto secured them with a few sturdy vines and offered the huge beast a palmful of sweet purple berries for her efforts.

The Trike bellowed in delight as she took the treat. Otto hefted two heavy logs, one over each shoulder. Joseph followed suit and the group headed back to camp. Halfway there, a sudden thought occurred to him.

"Joseph," Otto began slowly. "The blue Dodo. Did you see her at all today?"

The other man paused. "No," he finally announced. "Why?"

Otto raised one pale finger at the bloody splotch on the ground. A stiff blue feather drenched in red was all that remained of the blue Dodo.

Author's Note:
A new friend, yay! Taking name suggestions for the Trike.

Special thanks to everyone who left a name suggestion, unfortunately I couldn't accept them all :( I ended up selecting the name "Hawk", suggested by TheJaiganticBridge.

In other news, the next chapter will be delayed. Studying has eaten away at so much of my time that I am far behind schedule. The next chapter is only halfway done, and there is no way that I can finish the other half and write the Finals in the same week. Do not expect the next chapter to be up by Friday. I will try to get it done as soon as possible, you have my word.

DevoutRelic, thanks for the positive feedback and I hope you find the rest of this story enjoyable :)

Tall-Gothic-Guy, thanks for the continued support. Unfortunately for the sake of this story, everyone will be from around the same time period.

haydenunstopable, thank you for the support. More is on the way.

Thanks for taking the time to check out my first fanfiction, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Shout out to TheJaiganticBridge for helping with the story by researching some of the creatures. Feel free to comment, ask questions or criticize my story, review is always welcome. And if you like what you saw, make sure to check out the other ARK: Survival Evolved fanfictions out there. Have a great rest of your day or night.

-DaRumpyBurr