Chapter 15
(=I speak the General Saurian language=)
The first day of the new year brought a different kind of joy for Croco as Cassie had invited him to stay with her family the night before to celebrate the arrival of the new year. He taught them how to "properly" celebrate and well after midnight they went to bed, with Nalypta tucked into the caring arms of the dolphinback.
However they were up with the morning sun and Croco had started for his swimming apparel when Kalrix nudged him hard. He knew how to speak human languages as well and addressed him.
"Croco!" he said, "Today is a very special day for us Dinotopians! This morning, we will celebrate our fate as living creatures. Here, put this on." Kalrix gave him a red and black garment to put over the shirt he was wearing. He also instructed Croco to take off the denim vest he was wearing as well. When everybody was ready, they made their way out onto the street where many other people and dinosaurs were in similar dress. They finally arrived at an ampitheater somewhere further in town. Cassie and Kalrix made their way to the front of the ampitheater as the ceremony began.
It started with a cloaked figure standing firmly in the center of the stage, gazing at the onlookers. Suddenly, a Styracosaurus bellowed loudly three times then a Stenonychosaurus bounded through the crowd like a ghostly apparition and stopped in the middle to begin the ceremony by uttering the following words:
"Come up...gather all! I behold Fate, it's traveled far to tell us of its ways!"
Then a young teenager in a black and gray cloak, about fifteen summers old, threw his arms outward. He appeared to be looking directly at Croco as he addressed the crowd with a firm yet understanding voice..."What is Fate?" He turned his back to the crowd, and then there was a long pause to let the mass reflect on the words he had just spoken. Finally, he turned back to the crowd so they could here these words:
"Are you going to make your own destiny, or are you bound by your fears? Do you wish to be your own being, or are you just a puppet here for my pleasure? Will I make you dance and sing for me, then throw you down and watch you fall...fall into the canyon of all that can never be changed nor forseen? Or will you stand up to me and change what I have in store for you and while doing so, watch your dreams take flight?"
The crowd jumped back, fearful of the words that were just spoken. Then Fate spoke, only more compassionate yet still firm:
"Destiny...destiny is what you make of it. I am not a controller and you are not my puppets. Fate is what you make of it, we all must make choices in our lives. Some of them we may regret, and some of us are bound to fall. Do not curse me, yourselves or your fellow citizens for these mistakes, instead learn from them and teach it to those you call your friends. Dinotopia, come together! Unite in your bond with each other and together your fate shall become stronger.....brighter.....Dinotopian!"
There was another long pause before the kid took off throught the crowd and disappeared from the ampitheater. Everybody started to file out and returned to their homes to continue on with their day. After a hearty breakfast and a quick swim, Croco was in the library, reading about Dinotopian history with Kado. But still the words from the show hung over him like a dark cloud.
"Kado," he asked, "do you know of my fate?" He scratched his head in thought.
"I am sorry Croco, I know not," he said. "Remember what you were told...destiny is what you make of it. You have the power...now you must use it!" Kado then invited him to go for a walk to the other side of the city so he could visit Azonthus, a velociraptor who was taking some time off from her duties at the library.
While on the way, they came across a group of young saurians playing near a fountain. One of them, a young triceratops, jumped into the cool water. Although he could stand easily, he pretended that he was drowning.
=Help me! Help me!= he cried. Another hatchling, this one a styracosaurus, circled around the fountain. Croco and Kado stopped to watch the little ones.
=Oh no, my baby! What am I to do?!" she squealed in play-terror. Just then, a Lambeosaurus jumped into the fountain and put his paddle-like feet around the triceratops.
=Don't worry,= he said, =My name is Croco and I'm here to save you.= A young Saltasaurus then put his neck into the water and the two hatchlings climbed out of the water to squeals of joy.
=Oh my goodness, I'm so glad you're OK!= the styracosaur said and nipped at the triceratops. =Tag, you're it!= and then the little dinosaurs ran through the street. Croco was in disbelief...they had just reenacted the rescue scene even though they didn't even witness it. Kado put a clawed hand on his shoulder, beaming with glee.
"He even said his name was Croco!" he said, still laughing. Croco folded his arms, then sat down beside the young lambeosaur who was taking a break. He folded in deep thought, then turned to the troodon.
"So is this my fate...to be a hero to all of Dinotopia?" he sighed. Kado thought about it.
"Well," he said, "remember, fate is what you make of it. If your fate is to be a hero, then there's nothing I can do to change it." A pause. "Although it would be quite a fate if you ask me." They got up and continued on their way to Azonthus' house on the western side of the city. And all the while, Croco kept thinking about his fate. He knew he wanted to be a Skybax rider, but would his fate allow him to be one? That question ate at him as they finally arrived at their destination.
(=I speak the General Saurian language=)
The first day of the new year brought a different kind of joy for Croco as Cassie had invited him to stay with her family the night before to celebrate the arrival of the new year. He taught them how to "properly" celebrate and well after midnight they went to bed, with Nalypta tucked into the caring arms of the dolphinback.
However they were up with the morning sun and Croco had started for his swimming apparel when Kalrix nudged him hard. He knew how to speak human languages as well and addressed him.
"Croco!" he said, "Today is a very special day for us Dinotopians! This morning, we will celebrate our fate as living creatures. Here, put this on." Kalrix gave him a red and black garment to put over the shirt he was wearing. He also instructed Croco to take off the denim vest he was wearing as well. When everybody was ready, they made their way out onto the street where many other people and dinosaurs were in similar dress. They finally arrived at an ampitheater somewhere further in town. Cassie and Kalrix made their way to the front of the ampitheater as the ceremony began.
It started with a cloaked figure standing firmly in the center of the stage, gazing at the onlookers. Suddenly, a Styracosaurus bellowed loudly three times then a Stenonychosaurus bounded through the crowd like a ghostly apparition and stopped in the middle to begin the ceremony by uttering the following words:
"Come up...gather all! I behold Fate, it's traveled far to tell us of its ways!"
Then a young teenager in a black and gray cloak, about fifteen summers old, threw his arms outward. He appeared to be looking directly at Croco as he addressed the crowd with a firm yet understanding voice..."What is Fate?" He turned his back to the crowd, and then there was a long pause to let the mass reflect on the words he had just spoken. Finally, he turned back to the crowd so they could here these words:
"Are you going to make your own destiny, or are you bound by your fears? Do you wish to be your own being, or are you just a puppet here for my pleasure? Will I make you dance and sing for me, then throw you down and watch you fall...fall into the canyon of all that can never be changed nor forseen? Or will you stand up to me and change what I have in store for you and while doing so, watch your dreams take flight?"
The crowd jumped back, fearful of the words that were just spoken. Then Fate spoke, only more compassionate yet still firm:
"Destiny...destiny is what you make of it. I am not a controller and you are not my puppets. Fate is what you make of it, we all must make choices in our lives. Some of them we may regret, and some of us are bound to fall. Do not curse me, yourselves or your fellow citizens for these mistakes, instead learn from them and teach it to those you call your friends. Dinotopia, come together! Unite in your bond with each other and together your fate shall become stronger.....brighter.....Dinotopian!"
There was another long pause before the kid took off throught the crowd and disappeared from the ampitheater. Everybody started to file out and returned to their homes to continue on with their day. After a hearty breakfast and a quick swim, Croco was in the library, reading about Dinotopian history with Kado. But still the words from the show hung over him like a dark cloud.
"Kado," he asked, "do you know of my fate?" He scratched his head in thought.
"I am sorry Croco, I know not," he said. "Remember what you were told...destiny is what you make of it. You have the power...now you must use it!" Kado then invited him to go for a walk to the other side of the city so he could visit Azonthus, a velociraptor who was taking some time off from her duties at the library.
While on the way, they came across a group of young saurians playing near a fountain. One of them, a young triceratops, jumped into the cool water. Although he could stand easily, he pretended that he was drowning.
=Help me! Help me!= he cried. Another hatchling, this one a styracosaurus, circled around the fountain. Croco and Kado stopped to watch the little ones.
=Oh no, my baby! What am I to do?!" she squealed in play-terror. Just then, a Lambeosaurus jumped into the fountain and put his paddle-like feet around the triceratops.
=Don't worry,= he said, =My name is Croco and I'm here to save you.= A young Saltasaurus then put his neck into the water and the two hatchlings climbed out of the water to squeals of joy.
=Oh my goodness, I'm so glad you're OK!= the styracosaur said and nipped at the triceratops. =Tag, you're it!= and then the little dinosaurs ran through the street. Croco was in disbelief...they had just reenacted the rescue scene even though they didn't even witness it. Kado put a clawed hand on his shoulder, beaming with glee.
"He even said his name was Croco!" he said, still laughing. Croco folded his arms, then sat down beside the young lambeosaur who was taking a break. He folded in deep thought, then turned to the troodon.
"So is this my fate...to be a hero to all of Dinotopia?" he sighed. Kado thought about it.
"Well," he said, "remember, fate is what you make of it. If your fate is to be a hero, then there's nothing I can do to change it." A pause. "Although it would be quite a fate if you ask me." They got up and continued on their way to Azonthus' house on the western side of the city. And all the while, Croco kept thinking about his fate. He knew he wanted to be a Skybax rider, but would his fate allow him to be one? That question ate at him as they finally arrived at their destination.