Part 3
Using landmarks to navigate meant that it didn't take long for the duo to find the nest again. However, when they did, it wasn't a pretty sight. The eggs still hadn't hatched and the mother was in poor condition; months without eating had weakened her. Drew raised his tranquilizer and Cynthia got the bait ready; they were about to begin plan B to rescue the mother. However, things were about to change.
Another female approached the nest. She, too, was pregnant and needed somewhere to lay her eggs. But the resident mother knew better than to share if intruder dug out her own eggs she would kill them. Both could not afford to lose, but it would be impossible for one not to. Without warning, they both charged at each other and began a violent wrestling match, each trying to push the other one to the ground. The two humans observing knew better than get involved; they would have to wait and pray for the best outcome. The fight dragged for a very long time, continuing on into the night. The two explorers tried to stay up, but in the end, sleep conquered them; they would see the results in the morning.
Meanwhile, Lubbock, Spiny and Howler clambered into the Jeep from a ramp in the back (Spiny significantly easier than the other two). The three animals looked around in interest; separating out across the strange new object. Spiny inspected the steering wheel, sticking his front feet in it and raising his head to scan the landscape. However, Howler then pressed up against the gas pedal and suddenly everything changed.
The eyes of all three animals widened as the Jeep instantly took of and began to plough through the forest. Spiny had his front feet stuck in between the steering wheel and tried to get them out, causing the car to spin like a top. Lubbock, the lightest of the three, was thrown onto the front window where he was able to get a good view of all the chaos they were causing. Howler, meanwhile, was trying to climb back onto the seat, but his tiny legs and the spinning car proved to be a problem.
Eventually the Jeep ride came to an end when the vehicle approached a cliff. With nothing able to stop it, the jeep teetered on the edge and landed, full-speed ahead off the edge. Time seemed to slow down as the Jeep slowly approached the water, before it landed with a loud splash. The world appeared to go silent before, suddenly the passengers emerged, one at a time. Lubbock was atop of Spiny's head while he and Howler swam to shore. Once they arrived, several keepers came and began to dry the three off, much to Spiny's dismay. For this trio, the adventure was over.
Meanwhile, the same could be said for the two Permian explorers. The morning light had revealed the result of the fight last night. The resident mother had been victorious. However, it had come at a cost; her life. Her lifeless, ruined body lay by her nest; a wound to her throat still oozing blood revealed where the fatal blow had lay. She would still stand sentinel over her nest in death, it seemed. The other mother was still around as well. Her leg was injured and she had nearly lost an eye in the struggle; three long scars were running across the injured female's head. Knowing they had to do something, Drew and Cynthia quickly turned on the portal and began to head back. Using the meat, they were able to entice the injured female into following them through the portal; the eggs from the first mother's nest were also carefully placed into a box and carried through the portal, back to the present.
At the park, Jack and Kyle had transported the injured female to the veterinary station. Linda looked at her, as she lay anesthetized in the veterinary offices and muttered "Drew wasn't kidding. She's in a bad way". More loudly, she stated "Careful now everybody. We don't know how serious this could be". Linda donned a par of magnifying loupes and turned towards a tech standing near the magnifier, "Excuse me, can you move the lamp over so I can get a closer look?" The tech nodded, "Yes ma'am" and moved the device over; the female's body was illuminated in the glow, revealing the creature's mauled hind leg. Linda looked through the loupes at the bite marks and said, "Hmm, ok, not as bad as it could have been. A relatively clean cut from the bite. Should be easy enough to get cleaned up and treated". She looked over at one of the surgeons and said "Antibiotics?" The surgeon nodded, "Yes" and opened a drawer containing multiple antibiotics, "Which kind? Bird? Lizard? Mammal?
Linda turned to him and said "Reptile.". The surgeon handed her some reptile antibiotics, and she gave the anesthetized synapsid the injection needed, "Alright, time to get to work". She turned to Yolanda and said, "Yolanda, pass me the swab will you?". Yolanda nodded and passed her boss the swab, to which Linda replied "Thank you", as she wiped the bite marks with it, before further cleaning the wounds. She then indicated a nearby vet tech and said "Alright, sutures please", to which the vet tech handed them over, "Alright, keep the light on me and the bite; this will require utmost care". Linda worked meticulously and carefully on stitching up the bite marks on the hind leg, the claw marks on the face and the other wounds on the body; after what seemed like a lifetime, the operation was finally over. Linda breathed out "There, that should hopefully be enough", before nodding, "Alright everyone, good work. Let's get this big girl to one of the recovery pens"
The injured female Dimetrodon had been put in one of the recovery pens in order to recuperate, whilst the eggs, only a short time away from hatching, were placed in one of the incubators. Watching from above were Lubbock, Spiny, and Howler; recaptured after their little escapade and now in animal carriers. Spiny hissed indignantly at this, his noise drowned out by Howler's bellows; only Lubbock was silent.
Meanwhile Drew and Cynthia watched the recovered Dimetrodon limp about the holding pen, as Drew held his head down. Cynthia took notice of this, staring at him curiously. "Something bothering you?", she asked him. "I failed", was all he said; she knew he was talking about the other female Dimetrodon. Cynthia's response was to shrug, "Ah well, that's life; you can't save everything". Drew sighed, "Yeah; I suppose so." Cynthia calmly walked away, in order to see how the treatment of the injured female Dimetrodon was going. Drew was so deep in thought that he didn't even notice his walkie-talkie ring. "Uh, fearless leader?", he heard Jack's voice ring into his walkie-talkie, "You'd better come up here…" He walked into the vet station to find Kyle, Jack, Cynthia and Linda surrounding the incubator. He turned to Linda Suddenly, the nearest egg broke open, and a small green head peeked out of the shell; it was a baby dimetrodon. Soon, the other eggs began to join it; within minutes, the incubator was filled with baby Dimetrodon. Everyone was smiling or gaping into the incubator open mouthed. Drew had tears of joy running out of his eyes; he had succeeded. He'd saved the Dimetrodon eggs!
Eventually everyone got their new homes figured out in the park's new Permian Plains section. The two edaphosaur herds were put together into what was the park's largest enclosure yet. Some were lying in the shade, while others were drinking from the river running through, or eating from the bushes. The Seymouria had an enclosure pockmarked with burrows to live in and a small pool to wet their skin in. Currently, they were all setting up their territories.
The Dimetrodons also had their home figured out. The adults were all put into one enclosure, whilst Spiny had his own exhibit, full of logs and climbing poles for him to clamber about on. He was currently stalking the "branches", searching for prey that wasn't there; the babies would join him once they were old enough. The injured female was able to make a recovery and was building her nest in a secluded area of the paddock, so the others wouldn't attack it. And at the entrance of the viewing area for the dimetrodon, a large statue of the mother was being built.
Life in the park was going as usual… or, at least, that's what everyone thought. Later that night, a guard looked into the dimetrodon enclosure. He talked into a communicator, "Yeah, boss. Everything went according to plan; these big guys are actually quite impressive, you should see them", he said with a smile, "The juveniles might be a bit troublesome; the one they already have seems to be a bit of an escape artist… What happened? You honestly wouldn't believe me if I told you. Yes, yes, I know the drill; act like we're on their side and gather information until you guys give the OK."
Next time the team takes on the ultimate challenge.
(A large mammal like reptile run towards the camera).
The most extreme time of earths history.
(A shot of a desolate landscape)
A time when almost every living thing perished.
(Shots of bones at a dried up waterhole).
All next time on Prehistoric Earth: Passport to Hell
Animals rescued:
Edaphosaurus pogonias: 101 (57 males 44 females)
Dimetrodon teutonis: 16 (8 males 8 females)
Seymoruia sanjuaensis: 8 (6 males 2 females)
