Chapter 22
Another day had passed since the close encounter with the tyrannosaurs and Croco was getting kind of antsy riding with Cassie and the others aboard Rylo. He kept expressing his displeasure at the slow rate they were traveling at and wanted more than ever to arrive at Treetown. And all the while Cassie was trying to calm him down, telling him that the sauropods move real slowly due to their enormous size. That did little to quell his impatience and Croco started to get real jumpy.
"Calm down...it's gonna take us another few days not counting the climb through the Backbone Mountains," Cassie told him. Croco didn't want to wait that long, but whispered in Cassie's ear, "If it'll get me into a Skybax rider's uniform, I'll go to any lengths." That impressed her and Croco was contempt to take in the scenery of the Rainy Basin.
But just as he said that, he heard an anguished cry over the soft rumble of Koro and Rylo's thunderous footsteps. Croco stood up in the basket he was in, then moved into one of the side baskets. Cassie didn't like this one bit and bellowed at him to climb back on. But Croco insisted and when saw what it was, his heart sank instantly. It was a young tyrannosaur hatchling, no more than three months old and severly injured. It had numerous cuts and had lost a lot of blood. He couldn't take it anymore and prepared to jump.
"Cassie...tell Rylo to stop while I pick up another passenger," he ordered. Cassie pleaded with him not to go but it was too late. Croco had already jumped down and landed pretty hard, falling forward and doing a somersault. He was able to use the momentum to land on his feet in a slow jog over to where the young carnosaur was crying in pain. Croco ordered another young man down from his ride to help get him into the basket aboard Rylo while Cassie was already rummaging through another basket filled with supplies.
They took the hatchling and while a woman was looking him over, Cassie and Croco comforted it with gentle cooing and purring while they stroked its neck and back soothingly. The youngster, which Cassie discovered was a male, fell asleep while all of this was happening. Croco decided to name the tyrannosaur hatchling Littletooth...like Littlefoot from the Land Before Time series that he wasn't too interested in when it came out when he was 11. He helped the woman, who was trained in first aid on both humans and saurians, set Littletooth's leg which had been broken. Now all that was left was to get him to somewhere that could keep him while he healed.
"Where's the next settlement?" Croco asked. The woman, whose name was Elizabeth Robinwood, told him about a village called Bogpeat Marsh which wasn't too far off the main trail after it intersected with another trail that ran through the Basin. But according to Elizabeth, it was still about a half-day's travel from where they were. Croco put his arm around Littletooth's neck and kept reassuring him that help was on the way. He purred rather loudly while the young man was gently caressing his neck and back. But Cassie, who was adamently against bringing the young tyrannosaur aboard in the first, didn't want to make another stop and openly questioned his judgement.
"Croco, are you nuts or something?" she asked. Croco was surprised that she would challenge his decision in picking up Littletooth.
"I'm not nuts," he replied, "it's just that I care if this creature lives or not. While you were probably wishing well for him, I was risking my life doing something to save him."
"But Croco...he's a tyrannosaur and..." That touched a nerve in Croco and he stood up over the protoceratops.
"He's a hatchling!" he shouted, "I don't care if it was a Gigantosaurus I kept hearing about in Waterfall City...he's just a baby and he's hurt! Don't you even care Cassie?!?" Cassie was shocked by his rebellious attitude.
"I know he's just a hatchling," Cassie said, "but he's a tyrannosaurus. They're nothing but uncivilized monsters who can't see past their next meal."
"I'm very disappointed in you Cassie," Croco said as he tried to think of a quote, "Someone back in Waterfall city told me that tyrannosaurs are not the evil monsters you think they are. Only hungry by nature with no love for society, and no stomach for green food. You know who said that to me?" Cassie shook her head. "Ask your mother Bix when we get to Treetown...she'll tell you right away. Just because they are uncivilized doesn't mean they're the monsters you think they are. And besides, it's the Dinotopian thing to do." With that, Cassie remained silent while they reached the junction. Then Croco asked where Bogpeat Marsh was, and Elizabeth had Rylo stop.
She led Croco and Littletooth about a mile into the unforgiving jungle before they reached a clearing and the village of Bogpeat Marsh. Croco was amazed by how well the small huts were built and there was even a large wooden building in the center of town. He looked at the sign, which read 'Red Raptor Inn: A Fine Place to Eat in the Basin.' Just then, Elizabeth caught up with him and led him back toward the main trail, but he made sure to say goodbye to Littletooth before he left.
It took them another five days to get through the Basin, with many river crossings and hard to navigate lands before they got to the area where they were to disembark. Croco, Cassie, Bix and and Elizabeth all got off their mounts and were happily chatting away during the climb through the Backbone Mountains. During this time, Croco had learned that Elizabeth was a physician from a town to the north of Treetown called Cornucopia. He also learned that it was the home of the annual Dinosaur Olympics held every September and that she also had a daughter that was staying in Treetown as well. A little more than three hours later they finally came across an old wooden sign that ended their incredible journey through the jungle: Welcome to Treetown.
Another day had passed since the close encounter with the tyrannosaurs and Croco was getting kind of antsy riding with Cassie and the others aboard Rylo. He kept expressing his displeasure at the slow rate they were traveling at and wanted more than ever to arrive at Treetown. And all the while Cassie was trying to calm him down, telling him that the sauropods move real slowly due to their enormous size. That did little to quell his impatience and Croco started to get real jumpy.
"Calm down...it's gonna take us another few days not counting the climb through the Backbone Mountains," Cassie told him. Croco didn't want to wait that long, but whispered in Cassie's ear, "If it'll get me into a Skybax rider's uniform, I'll go to any lengths." That impressed her and Croco was contempt to take in the scenery of the Rainy Basin.
But just as he said that, he heard an anguished cry over the soft rumble of Koro and Rylo's thunderous footsteps. Croco stood up in the basket he was in, then moved into one of the side baskets. Cassie didn't like this one bit and bellowed at him to climb back on. But Croco insisted and when saw what it was, his heart sank instantly. It was a young tyrannosaur hatchling, no more than three months old and severly injured. It had numerous cuts and had lost a lot of blood. He couldn't take it anymore and prepared to jump.
"Cassie...tell Rylo to stop while I pick up another passenger," he ordered. Cassie pleaded with him not to go but it was too late. Croco had already jumped down and landed pretty hard, falling forward and doing a somersault. He was able to use the momentum to land on his feet in a slow jog over to where the young carnosaur was crying in pain. Croco ordered another young man down from his ride to help get him into the basket aboard Rylo while Cassie was already rummaging through another basket filled with supplies.
They took the hatchling and while a woman was looking him over, Cassie and Croco comforted it with gentle cooing and purring while they stroked its neck and back soothingly. The youngster, which Cassie discovered was a male, fell asleep while all of this was happening. Croco decided to name the tyrannosaur hatchling Littletooth...like Littlefoot from the Land Before Time series that he wasn't too interested in when it came out when he was 11. He helped the woman, who was trained in first aid on both humans and saurians, set Littletooth's leg which had been broken. Now all that was left was to get him to somewhere that could keep him while he healed.
"Where's the next settlement?" Croco asked. The woman, whose name was Elizabeth Robinwood, told him about a village called Bogpeat Marsh which wasn't too far off the main trail after it intersected with another trail that ran through the Basin. But according to Elizabeth, it was still about a half-day's travel from where they were. Croco put his arm around Littletooth's neck and kept reassuring him that help was on the way. He purred rather loudly while the young man was gently caressing his neck and back. But Cassie, who was adamently against bringing the young tyrannosaur aboard in the first, didn't want to make another stop and openly questioned his judgement.
"Croco, are you nuts or something?" she asked. Croco was surprised that she would challenge his decision in picking up Littletooth.
"I'm not nuts," he replied, "it's just that I care if this creature lives or not. While you were probably wishing well for him, I was risking my life doing something to save him."
"But Croco...he's a tyrannosaur and..." That touched a nerve in Croco and he stood up over the protoceratops.
"He's a hatchling!" he shouted, "I don't care if it was a Gigantosaurus I kept hearing about in Waterfall City...he's just a baby and he's hurt! Don't you even care Cassie?!?" Cassie was shocked by his rebellious attitude.
"I know he's just a hatchling," Cassie said, "but he's a tyrannosaurus. They're nothing but uncivilized monsters who can't see past their next meal."
"I'm very disappointed in you Cassie," Croco said as he tried to think of a quote, "Someone back in Waterfall city told me that tyrannosaurs are not the evil monsters you think they are. Only hungry by nature with no love for society, and no stomach for green food. You know who said that to me?" Cassie shook her head. "Ask your mother Bix when we get to Treetown...she'll tell you right away. Just because they are uncivilized doesn't mean they're the monsters you think they are. And besides, it's the Dinotopian thing to do." With that, Cassie remained silent while they reached the junction. Then Croco asked where Bogpeat Marsh was, and Elizabeth had Rylo stop.
She led Croco and Littletooth about a mile into the unforgiving jungle before they reached a clearing and the village of Bogpeat Marsh. Croco was amazed by how well the small huts were built and there was even a large wooden building in the center of town. He looked at the sign, which read 'Red Raptor Inn: A Fine Place to Eat in the Basin.' Just then, Elizabeth caught up with him and led him back toward the main trail, but he made sure to say goodbye to Littletooth before he left.
It took them another five days to get through the Basin, with many river crossings and hard to navigate lands before they got to the area where they were to disembark. Croco, Cassie, Bix and and Elizabeth all got off their mounts and were happily chatting away during the climb through the Backbone Mountains. During this time, Croco had learned that Elizabeth was a physician from a town to the north of Treetown called Cornucopia. He also learned that it was the home of the annual Dinosaur Olympics held every September and that she also had a daughter that was staying in Treetown as well. A little more than three hours later they finally came across an old wooden sign that ended their incredible journey through the jungle: Welcome to Treetown.