A.N. Alright everyone, here is part 2 of the Ice Age rescue. There is one section that features Proto-Indo European. We used an online translator so please refer to that portion for the translation. Not much to say here except for the disclaimer. We don't own anything. Enjoy!
Daisy and her partner slowed as they approached the hole in the mountain. The cave was definitely prominent in the system, having icicles that spanned downwards like a predator's teeth. Taking a whiff of the air, Daisy repulsed when she picked up the faint smell of decay. Something or someone was here; a predator, a creature that died there, whatever it was, it was noxious. She had to cover her nose with her hands to try and mitigate the smell.
The cave was too dark to make out. All she saw was dark gray and blackness. However, whatever Kerato was picking up, it sent him on alert.
The vet dismounted, her partner still sniffing the ground and air.
"Why are we here?" she inquired, eyeing her surroundings.
"I was following a trail. It came here…" the Elasmotherium sniffed the edge of the cave. He then looked left, "and then there. Hm…why did it stop here?"
He sniffed again, letting out a startled groan. "Flower, we're not alone."
*snap*
Daisy gasped. She quickly turned, her eyes trying to spot whatever made that noise. She went bug-eyed when she saw shapes moving between a few trees. Her eyes darted when her peripheral spotted something. It was the same sort of shape, darting in the other direction. One, two, three, four, five? Were there five? No, they seemed like a little more. One thing was for sure, they were hunched over and bulky. They had long, thick tails that waved on their side and front, almost looking like they ended in clubs.
Daisy squinted, her mind running crazy. What sort of creature would have tails like that? A Glyptodon? No, they're in South America. This is too far north for them. Plus, they're too bulky whereas the ones going through the trees were thinner and smaller. They're definitely not any sort of pachyderm.
The woman shivered. The hoots and hollers sounded all around them.
"Kerato...I don't like this."
Kerato snorted, taking a defensive stance. "Stay close to me."
The hoots and hollers turned into yells and screams. The shapes emerged from the trees. Their fur had camouflaged them that Daisy couldn't distinguish them from the landscape. Wait...that fur. Why are they somewhat misshapen? Why aren't they quite matching? And those tails...her eyes widened. Terror seeped in. Those weren't animals! No other creature in this place would stand on two legs permanently! And that bulging forehead, there was no mistaking it.
"Neanderthals!" she couldn't help but utter.
When the hunters surrounded them, Daisy backed closer to Kerato. The wooly rhino shook his head, aiming it at the ancient humans that were giving them a wide berth. Their clubs and, as Daisy was quick to find out, spears were raised, but they got no closer. Experience told them not to mess with a well-armed creature. However, their attention fell on the strange human female with him. They grunted and undulated, which was also mixed with a form of gibberish that Daisy could not make heads or tails of.
As Daisy stared at the Neanderthals, she observed the striking characteristics they had. For one thing, their bow ridge was large, which was a trademark of their species. They were also stocky in form and their arms and legs were shorter, in perspective. Their noses were also quite large. Upon closer inspection, they were also yelling at her and making inward gestures, almost as if they were telling her to come to them. Daisy stuck close to her friend, not wanting to be anywhere near these ancient humans.
"Kerato, what do we do?" she nervously pleaded, her body trembling.
Kerato made another bellow, making the cavemen back off. The group before them chattered and grunted, the same gibberish ringing in her ears. Daisy couldn't help but wonder of the language they spoke.
"What are they saying? Kerato, can you understand them?" she inquired.
"Unfortunately, yes," he replied. Being a denizen of this time, he picked up on a few things along the way. He turned to her and whispered. "I have an idea. Follow my lead."
Daisy trusted him and allowed him to relay his idea. She nodded with each instruction he gave. Kerato would have mowed down these humans without a thought if it came to it, but Daisy was there, and he was willing to work with her on a more peaceful resolution. Besides, outright violence without good reason would not bode well for either of them. It was mostly out of respect for his partner.
His idea now relayed, Daisy took a couple steps forward, trying to appear as confident as she could. Kerato told her what she needed to say, and she repeated it.
She raised her hands in defense. "Stāwō! Nē!"
The cavemen faltered at the oddly-dressed female. They grunted and undulated to each other, followed by the strange words they said to each other.
The vet gestured to herself with her hands and then to Kerato. "Egō Daisy. Ei Kerato."
One of the hunters eyed his comrades before taking a step forward. He wore a mismatched lineup of light brown and gray furs over his body. Like the rest around him, the bottom of his face was covered by a mat of a beard. A horizontal scar was plastered on his forehead.
"Tū dómāmi ghwerā?" he inquisitively said.
Daisy looked back at Kerato, who told her what she needed to say as well as the translation. She nodded and replied back, trying to iterate the correct pronunciation. "Nē, ámeikā."
Confused, the hunters quieted. Their spokesperson eyed them all before returning his attention to the strange duo. He sniffed the air, eyeing them suspiciously.
Kerato uttered more words to Daisy. She glanced back, listening in on the words he said before repeating them to the cavemen. Her hands were on her chest and then relaxed.
"Daisy deiwā. Ghwerā ámeikā. Nē katus," she pointed at Kerato for a moment, "ámeikā."
The caveman before her shook his head. At least that she understood, but even that was not agreeable with her. He pointed at Kerato. "Mēmsóm deiwā. Dómāmi ghwerā. Mēmsóm ghwerā."
That did not have a good connotation in her ears, especially since the rest of the Neanderthals grunted in agreement and raised their weapons at them. Daisy gulped, quickly turning to Kerato for advice. The translation he told her was what she feared. Remembering the words she had to quickly learn, she hastily put her response together and protested.
"Nē mēmsóm. Mēmsóm!" she pointed to the plains that lay beyond the trees. "Kerato ámeikā!"
The savage humans were unfazed, their weapons swinging forward at the lone female human and Elasmotherium. Their grunting and hollers became a cacophony of chaos. Daisy backed up, her body touching Kerato's matted fur.
"Deiwā dómāmi mēmsóm. mēmsóm! Whoo whoo whoo!"
She shook her head, screaming with tears about to well up in her eyes. "Nē mēmsóm. Mēmsóm!" she pointed at the plains again.
"It's not working, Flower!" Kerato said, their plan falling through. "I knew they were never the agreeable type, but it was worth a try."
He then grunted, sniffing the air again. Something had caught his attention as he eyed the cave again. Daisy took a step back, but not so much to get too close to the cavemen.
"What? What is it?" her eyes now on the cave.
"This scent...it's..." a mix of a groan and a roar came from the cave. The wooly rhino pawed the snow and grunted. "Flower, get on!"
The woman rushed to Kerato's side, her hands gripping his fur and back. As she hauled herself up, she made a startled cry when an ominous roar sounded from within the cave's recesses. The cavemen present also fell silent and stared at the earthen opening. Their chatter took on a tone of apprehension, the weapons in their hands shaking. What occurred next happened too quickly.
A large gray shape covered in fur came barreling out of the cave. Daisy had no time to right herself properly because Kerato rocketed from the vicinity through a gap in the cavemen ensemble. The ancient humans had little time to process it as bodies were thrown all around. Claws and a set of teeth met their flesh. Their weapons broke as they were thrown against the trees, though Daisy didn't know if it was their weapons or their bones.
Despite retreating from the fray, Daisy got a good look at the attacker. It was covered in a dark gray coat and was nearly the size of a polar bear. Actually, in the vet's eyes, it was indeed a bear, but not one she's seen before. The face was short compared to the ones she read about in books. From her knowledge, a creature that had a short, stubby face was built to grip their prey, though this was a guess at the moment. Its legs, while too long for a bear she's known of, ended in long sharp claws.
With the cavemen dispatched, most of them on the retreat, the bear set its sights on the retreating duo. Its long legs surprisingly revealed the speed it kept hidden. If the bear's sudden appearance wasn't startling enough, it was how it spoke that turned heads.
"Stupid pests! Feel the wrath of Czar Artur II!" the short-faced bear, now identified as male, hollered in a strong, Russian accent.
"We're sorry, uh…Mr. Czar!" Daisy pleaded, the bear closing in rather quickly. "Please forgive us!"
"HeT (no)!" the cranky predator roared. "You are dead meat!"
For the first time in a long while, Daisy felt like the prey. Due to Kerato's wide berth, swerving around the obstacles was rather difficult, though the same could be said for the dire bear. Trees and even forest debris were crushed and overturned in their wake. While it posed no issue to Kerato, Daisy had to cover her face to prevent any splinters from coming at her directly. Small animals that were in the way retreated at their approach. Snow piles that looked like sugar mounds were quickly flattened.
As they Elasmotherium crashed into trees, by his own volition or not, the ones that were in a certain position fell in a way that blocked the bear's path. The obstacles served their purpose as the predatory mammal lost ample space from his prey. This, however, did little to abate the stress that Daisy felt.
"This was not how I expected this outing to be!" she cried out in shame.
Kerato huffed. "What'd you expect from this day and age!? It's not like the posh living you humans are used to!"
Daisy, who was minorly offended by that, was more upset at the outcome of this meeting. "I'm sorry! I...I was trying to help you!"
The wooly rhino glanced back at her for a moment. "Help me? With what?"
The human gulped, ashamed that she had hidden this from both her friend and the others that came with them. "Well it's...I noticed how you've been acting lately and I knew you were not in a good mood! You've been pushing everybody away more so than usual! I've done some observing and I knew that...well...you were stressed!"
Kerato's eyes widened. He said nothing as she continued her upset tirade.
"You are...as the others mentioned before...experiencing The Rut!"
The megafauna broke his momentary silence with a sigh. His tone sounded mildly annoyed. "I knew this trip was too much of a coincidence."
Daisy let out a loud whine. "Oooh I'm sorry! I messed everything up!"
He rolled his eyes and tried to sound sympathetic. "No, you didn't. I needed the exercise, but I didn't expect it to be like this."
The bear, Czar Artur II, roared behind them. The woman riding the rhino let out a shriek, her legs straddling her partner harder. Looking back, she saw the bear had overcome the obstacles Kerato created and was catching up to them. The megafauna sped up his pace.
"So that whole thing about those walking racks-?" Kerato started but was then interrupted by Daisy.
"It was an excuse to help you find a girl!"
"Huh...well, I guess I shouldn't be too angry about that. I did smell something back at that cave. She must have run off when she came across it."
Guilt welled up once again in her gut. "Ooh…and now she's gone. We'll never find her…"
Kerato snorted dismissively. "I wouldn't say that...I smelled a female back at that cave, but it's going in this direction. My guess is she's over at the plains. I expect we'll see her and the others soon enough."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
While Daisy and Kerato were dealing with their Dire Bear problem, Hazel and Daniel were roaming the plains, searching for their rescue targets. While they did come across grazing herds of bison, they found no sign of the Megaloceros. The herds were mostly ignoring them as their attention was on filling their stomachs. Despite their miniscule progress, the two of them played out their scenes needed for the show.
For Hazel, this was the first time she ever visited the Ice Age. She did watch Nigel's account of his trip back and got a firsthand look on how Kerato and Martha were rescued. Watching the rescues is one thing, doing one is another. Everywhere was quite literally ice and snow, much like that time in Temporary Park. If it weren't for the multiple layers she and Daniel were wearing, they would turn into popsicles. She was literally in the megafauna's element. A few hours into this expedition and she was once again reminded of the harsh conditions they had to endure daily.
As they continued onwards on their snowmobiles, Hazel found herself glancing at Daniel often. Her cheeks flared red because of how close they were. Whenever she looked in her direction, she looked the other way, hoping he wouldn't catch her watching him. Hazel wanted to kick herself; they were supposed to be on a rescue mission, and yet here she was, getting all fuzzy with him. And she made it clear he needed to prove himself too!
Several more minutes of traveling and the two of them decided to dismount their vehicles. The two of them could use a break after some time of fruitless searching. Having a quick snack consisting of a power bar and some water, they took in their icy surroundings.
"Damn…" Hazel took another bite of her chocolate power bar. "The Ice Age sure is something else."
Daniel, who had just finished his, stored his wrapper in one of his pockets. "I agree. It's hard to believe animals could survive a climate like this. It makes me have more of a respect for the polar animals back home."
"Well, there are people who live in these conditions too. Don't forget about them."
"Oh of course. Them too."
Her eyes scanned the landscape for any sign of a group of animals or the tell-tale signs of antlers. She stopped when she saw two distinct shapes moving amidst the frosty plain. They were several yards out, but they were close enough for her to distinguish their features. Both creatures were grazing. Her eyes went wide when she discovered their identities.
A female Elasmotherium and a bull mammoth. They were an unlikely duo, usually elephants and rhinos wouldn't associate with each other, as seen in their modern day relatives. They two of them weren't minding each other so long as they gave each other space. The female wooly rhino looked much like Kerato except she was a little smaller in size. Her horn was a scant three feet shorter than Kerato's, giving her the impression their horns were also used as a means to attract a mate as well as fighting. She had a definitive white spot on her left leg, which looked to be about the size of a human hand.
The bull mammoth was much like Martha in terms of appearance, with a few differences. He was a little bigger with more muscle. His horns were also curved upwards towards the trunk and looked like they were nearly overlapping each other. And due to the harshness of the environment, his fur was longer, but that was mostly because Martha always had her haircuts.
Hazel paused. This was a perfect opportunity. If she could convince these two to come with them, Martha AND Kerato could have mates. And maybe one or both of them could help in locating the Megaloceros. It was a chance she was willing to take.
It wasn't very long before Daniel spotted the two giants.
"Are those-?" he asked.
"Yup. Female Elasmotherium and male mammoth," she answered quickly.
He eyed her with heightened inquiry. "You're not thinking of-?"
The woman nodded briskly. "Oh yes."
Daniel quickly turned, protesting the idea. The woman remained calm, fully expecting him to be apprehensive. "Are you nuts? They're both literal walking bulldozers! Okay the female may be easier to deal with than Kerato, but she's still dangerous. And that bull mammoth! Mating season or not, there's a reason why they mostly go on their own! He's a literal walking hazard!"
"Yeah I'm aware," she replied, reassuring him of her hopeful success. "I'll be extra careful. Just wait here and keep an eye out for predators."
As she proceeded to get up, she felt a firm hand grip her shoulder. Despite wearing layers, she could feel the amount of force preventing her from moving. Said hand forced her back a few steps, with its owner taking her place to talk her down.
"No, you stay here and keep watch. I'll go and talk to them."
The stunned adventurer stared at him in bewilderment. Once again, he had volunteered to take the initiative. He stopped her from doing something like this? This is nothing new! She can handle herself! Is he trying to show off? He must have forgotten who here has more experience in the field.
Or is he trying to be chivalrous? That forefront attitude seems telling. Hazel kept her emotions in check, trying not to make an affront to his move. She didn't want another relapse of the Eocene episode.
"No, I can handle it," she said.
"You're staying put."
She squinted, getting on edge. "Why? This is no different than having a conversation in any other rescue."
He grasped her arms with both hands. The look he gave her froze her in place. He was resolute. Nothing would make him stop. That serious look, while seemingly controlled, had something else in there. And it made her stop.
"Because I don't want you to get hurt."
Hazel tried to say something. A protest. An angry outburst. A demand. Anything! Only to find no words could come out. Her insides roiled, but not in a bad way. A fluttering tickled her. Her cheeks became hot. Her fingers trembled. He stared into those eyes; those soft, almond-shaped eyes that reflected her own.
That feeling. That stupid, irrevocable feeling returned. Like a mosquito back for blood. Control yourself, was what she kept saying in her mind. Don't let him see. Fight back. It's easy. Just push those hands away and muscle forward. She tried to fight it, tried to gain a sense of rebellion to break away from the spell.
But she couldn't. Something deep down wouldn't let her.
He let her go. The grip on her arms loosened. Hazel fidgeted, trying to keep herself straight from the shock. Daniel made a finger point on the snow below.
"Stay. I will handle this. I'll go and talk to them while you keep watch. If something goes wrong, run to the snowmobiles."
A breath escaped her throat. She didn't know she was holding her breath that whole time. Shaking her head, she finally managed to get a word out.
"What about you?" Hazel uttered.
His answer was quick. "I'll follow you."
With that said, he turned and went down the slope. The layers of clothing hindered his movement slightly as the tracks he left behind were deep and dragging. But she didn't care about how he moved. As she watched him go, that feeling of longing egged her insides. He made his way towards the two giants, alone.
And all she could do was watch.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Daniel cautiously made his way to the grazing giants, all while a stunned Hazel watched him from behind. He was surprised she didn't put up more of a fight. He did, however, like the spaced-out reaction she made. To him, it was rather…adorable. He got the point across. She may be experienced in handling situations like these, but this was her first time in…well this time period. Not only that, but he didn't like the idea of her going up there alone. She could get trampled! She could get skewered! She could…
"No, not on my watch," he told himself. "I trusted her before. Now she needs to trust me."
The two giants ahead turned from balls of fur to imposing behemoths. With his approach came the expected reaction to deter him. The Elasmotherium let out a bellow and turned towards him. She shook her head, brandishing her long horn at him. The mammoth bull, on the other hand, stood there like an armed sentinel ready to charge. He made a low rumble and swung his trunk up in a shoving manner.
"Whoa, easy!" He raised his arms up in defense. "I'm not here to hurt any of you."
The wooly rhino, who had a hard, tough as nails tone in her voice, made a stubborn snort. In Daniel's ears, it almost sounded German. "Buzz off, small fry! I've had enough of you hairless apes for today!" she then gestured her horned head towards her rear for a moment. "I already got smacked on the bum by one of your thick sticks and I'm not about to let that happen again!"
"Hey, it's okay," the man slowly reached for the stun gun he had strapped across his body. Pulling it off, he let it dangle on his hands before allowing it to drop on the snow with a thump. The two megafauna stared at the odd weapon curiously before eyeing the lone human. "I'm unarmed. If I wanted to hunt either of you, I would have attacked by now."
"What? Ha!" she made a cocky laugh. "You really are a strange ape. Oh well, makes it easier for me!"
She pawed the ground, ready to charge. Daniel readied himself for a dodge when the bull mammoth's trunk suddenly cut the rhino's path.
"Akari! Enough," said the bull mammoth, who responded in an Eastern European accent. Daniel guessed it was Romanian judging by the dialect. The megafauna stared at the human, his eyes narrowing despite being nearly hard to see due to all the fur. "This ape seems true to his word. Had he attacked, he would have done so."
"Humph," the Elasmotherium huffed and then sniffed the air. Her horned head then pointed towards the hill. Daniel looked back and spotted the crouched Hazel. He gripped his hand. He remembered that rhinos and their relatives have bad eyesight, but excellent smell. "Well, what about that other one over there?"
"Don't worry, she won't hurt you either," Daniel responded quickly. "She's just watching out for danger."
The mammoth rumbled again. "Hrm...there's only two of them," he eyed the ornery female megafauna with him. "I think we have nothing to fear. Besides...I am intrigued that you decided to approach me so defenseless. Normally, most would keep a wide berth from someone like me. Now, had it been the mating period for me, that would be a different story."
Daniel was glad it wasn't. Elephants in musth are literal walking hazards. "Yeah...anyway, my name is Daniel. The girl over there is Hazel," he pointed with a thumb. "We came here to talk."
Akari scoffed and turned away, her rear at the lone human as she made her way towards a revealed grass patch. "I got better things to do than get acquainted with either of you. If you'll excuse me, some grass is calling to me."
As she walked away, the resident mammoth approached the on-edge Daniel. He looked up at the bull mammoth, taking in the immense size of the pachyderm. He had encounters with Martha before, but being so close to a male, especially those curved tusks, made him feel rather miniscule. Through his peripheral vision, he noted the gun that lay very close to him. Male elephants were known to be ornery at times, much like rhinos. Any small mistake he made would result in him being smashed into a pancake.
When Daniel expected to go head to head with a suspicious, temperamental bull, he was met with cordial respect.
"Do forgive her," the mammoth started respectfully. "Akari isn't one to get fully acquainted with anybody. She prefers to do things that suit her needs and only accommodates others when the situation calls for it."
The man recovered from the awkward silence he had. "You two know each other?"
"Hm…you could say that. We've known each other for years, yet we're not friends. More like...grazing neighbors. She knows when to give me space and I know when to give hers. So long as neither of us raises a tusk or a horn, there's no conflict."
"Interesting…" he acknowledged the new bit of information. That does further explain why they didn't mind each other.
"I am Manju," the mammoth pointed his trunk at himself. "I must say, you are the first ape I've ever spoken to."
"Daniel. The girl over there is Hazel. And the term you are looking for is 'human'."
Manju narrowed his eyes and then scratched the top of his humped head with his trunk. "Human...I'll have to remember that. What brings you and your mate here?"
Daniel sputtered. His hands went about in awkward motions as he tried to correct the now seemingly amused mammoth. "I…we…hold on! She's not my mate," he said with a nervous chuckle, trying to hide the apparent embarrassment he now had. "She's uh...my traveling companion."
"Though...the two of us being together remains to be seen…I sure hope Hazel is far enough away to not hear this…"
The male mammoth cocked his head, chuckling. "Really? That's not what I heard when you two were speaking to each other. Not to mention those odd logs you were riding were quite noisy. It's like creatures come up with something new everyday."
The human clad in multiple layers stiffened. He heard all of that!? Just how good is an elephant's hearing? But the snowmobiles he could understand.
He stammered once again. "Wait, you-you heard us?"
Manju once again rumbled with laughter. "You underestimate my kind's senses. I sensed you two even before you approached us. I just chose not to acknowledge you until you came closer." That alone made Daniel gulp.
"One or two lone," he paused to try and be accustomed to the new word, "humans do not count as a threat to me. Attacking me by themselves would be foolish on their part. Even if they did, I can hold my own," he then smirked. "Fear not, I won't inquire more on your connection with the female. That business is your own. Though, you two should probably talk a little more quietly when sneaking around."
Daniel shuddered. "Duly noted. By the way, the other thing you heard would be the snowmobiles we used, not logs. It's a long story."
"I see...what brings the two of you here?"
The human present summarized everything to the megafauna; coming from Prehistoric Park, to the mission regarding the Megaloceros, to their present situation regarding them splitting in two groups. He had to clarify certain details to make it easier for the bull mammoth. The megafauna remained silent for most of the explanation out of respect. Though Daniel did see that he was trying to process everything.
Once the explanation was complete, he then proceeded to offer Manju and Akari a place in Prehistoric Park if he decided to assist them. He even explained the two of them will be well cared for, having all the grass they can eat and water to drink. They wouldn't need to worry about predators and no humans would harm them. By the end of the explanation, Manju seemed mildly interested, though his reaction of contemplation meant he needed more convincing.
"Hm...interesting. So if I help the two of you find this herd, I can come along with you?"
"That's right," Daniel confirmed.
Manju rumbled, his voice taking on a defensive edge. "How do I know you are not lying?"
The brave Daniel took a breath and made his case. "Take a good look. Do we look like the types that would deceive you? I mean, neither of us are from here." He then thought of something that may get his attention. Forming his thoughts, he then voiced them out. "There is a female mammoth in the park."
Manju's eyes widened, his interest piqued. "Oh? A female?"
"Yeah. She's the only one there. Considering the short amount of time we've spoken to each other, I think you two may get along."
Clearly intrigued by this new development, the mammoth took a moment to gather his thoughts. From what he was seeing, Daniel had gotten through to him, though he wasn't sure how much more effort he needed to put in.
"Hm...well, it's not like I have anything else to do except wander around and find more food to eat. Very well, I will assist you."
Daniel nodded, pleased to know that he succeeded. "Thank you. I promise you won't regret it."
"However," Manju continued with a hint of caution, "I cannot say the same for Akari. It's up to her if she wishes to join. Let me speak to her first and then we can be on our way."
With that said, the male mammoth made his way to his grazing acquaintance nearby. Daniel turned to Hazel and made a hand motion to get her to meet him. By the time she met up with him, he recanted the whole conversation to her. Manju was still conversing with Akari nearby, so he had more than enough time to relay the information. The only thing he left out was the detail regarding Manju hearing the two of them speaking, just to avoid any awkwardness.
Hazel was impressed, and relieved, by how he handled this meeting. She mentioned she was worried about him and was about to step in at the first sign of trouble. The secret agent reassured her he had it covered. Upon him saying he was glad she was unharmed, which he really was, she stiffened and appeared bashful. He couldn't help but smile.
The heavy crunching of snow and a low rumbling betrayed Manju's approach. The huge mammoth bowed his head towards Hazel, which she did so in return.
"You must be the female, Hazel. Pleasure to meet you."
"Uh…likewise," she replied cordially.
He then replied with a hint of disappointment, but also with a mix of optimism. "Akari is...hesitant on the offer to come with you. But she has promised to consider it. We will ask her again when we return."
"Sounds good to us," said Daniel.
Manju looked over towards the plains behind him, gesturing to the humans to follow via his trunk. "Let us go. It will be dark soon. I know you tiny ones are more vulnerable during that time."
Armed with a guide and their goal enhanced, the two of them set off with the mammoth in search of their rescue targets. After Daniel retrieved his stun gun, the duo, who asked Manju to come with them, went back to get the snowmobiles. Unsurprisingly enough, Manju had numerous more questions regarding the 21st century humans and their devices. The duo did their best to answer them as best as they could.
It was nearing sunset by the time they got closer to the base of the mountain, which was where the mammoth informed he last saw the herd the previous day. He said he saw them head towards this direction and would most likely not stray far from it. He also inferred this area to be part of their grazing grounds, since they frequented this spot.
Hazel and Daniel drove at a slower speed to accommodate Manju's gait. They recanted more stories of Prehistoric Park, including the most recent adventures they went on. Manju was clearly interested by the aspect of being with creatures that are from different points of time, though he was a little leary about the giant predators bit. Hazel had to reassure him everyone wouldn't hunt each other in the park, something that the park emphasized. Manju was also curious on how the humans were in the 21st century, with Daniel answering they have changed a great deal, both good and bad. Humans have evolved so much through the course of history, especially with intelligence, culture, tools used, and so forth. The man made it clear that the humans in Prehistoric Park wouldn't think to hunt him or anyone else. They weren't like the hunters in the Ice Age after all. The questions went on for quite a while.
Later down the line, they were joined by none other than Akari. At first, the duo were pleased to know that she was coming, only to find that she was only going in the same direction to find a slightly better pasture. The wooly rhino charged ahead, leaving the small group behind.
By the time they were close to the forest line, Manju advised the humans to leave their snowmobiles behind. Any loud noise would frighten away the resident deer. They stayed close to Manju, who acted as a walking barrier, guide, and in a way, a bodyguard. Daniel scrunched his nose at the smell of mammoth musk. Back at the park, Martha was given regular baths to keep her coat healthy as well as her natural musk to a minimum. Manju didn't have that, and so smelled like a group of filled garbage trucks with bags of manure. Various times on the walk, he covered his mouth and nose to stop some of the fumes. Hazel gave him a schooling glare as a consequence. It still baffled him that she was able to withstand this stench for so long, though being around prehistoric animals for years, she must have gotten used to it. Either that or she was really good at hiding her disgust.
They reached a cluster of rocks and boulders. Despite being geological items, they looked like they were haphazardly put together. They were arranged in a line and slightly stacked on each other, giving the humans some cover. A number of them were covered in frozen, peat moss as well as bits of ice. Climbing the rocks until they peeked over the edge, their eyes beheld what they were looking for.
A herd of Megaloceros, grazing at the forest edge. The two of them exchanged their amazed comments at the Ice Age wonders. They were larger than the average elk, the males' antlers splaying out and then upward. They counted twelve of them, five of them being males and the rest females. The males had racks nearly the size of a rack on a moose, but one of them had a rack that dwarfed them by around two to three feet. That one must be the leader, and probably the oldest one in the group, since his dark brown fur was lighter than the rest.
Grazing near them was Akari, who was busily getting at the frozen permafrost for something to eat. The herd kept a wide berth from the megafauna, but otherwise paid her no mind. However, the bulls were a little closer towards her, as a precautionary measure.
Hazel and Daniel took this time to do another scene for the documentary. Preparing their lines, they hastily recorded the action. Manju stayed near them and grazed some grass. Once they finished their recording, they relaxed and watched the megafauna before them.
"Wow…I know I already said this on camera, but I'll say it again. Those antlers are as big as a person. One wrong move and you may get skewered or battered!" Hazel commented in a loud whisper.
"Yeah but having big horns won't play so well with all those trees. Then they're an inconvenience," said Daniel.
The woman smirked. "Right...that's what contributed to their extinction. Hence why we're here."
She then eyed the one with the largest rack. "That one has got to be the leader, or at least a leading figure. You know, it really is amazing to see such graceful creatures like that. They look so elegant yet they had to contend with carrying such huge antlers. Then they went extinct, both from the rise of forests and their antlers growing so huge. It's ironic that their trademark feature is what killed them. I mean, you can clearly see that the elder one is having a hard time keeping his head held high."
And Hazel was right. Looking at the one with the largest antlers, he had difficulty holding up his enormous rack. His head was being kept level with his body. They may be hidden from the herd, but they could see the strained distress the large male was exhibiting. When they bring this herd back, the park will need to work on trimming their racks.
Through the quiet observations, Hazel couldn't help but make a joke about the large bull.
"Heh, Great Prince of the Forest."
Daniel stared at her, looking quizzical.
"You know? From Bambi? Great Prince of the Forest AKA Bambi's dad?" she reiterated.
His eyes lit up. "Oh! That one. Alright, now I get it."
She sighed in relief. "Okay. Good. You scared me a little there."
He raised a brow. "I did?"
"Yeah. I was worried you've never seen Bambi."
"Oh," he shrugged. "Don't worry, I have. It's just been a while since I've seen it."
"Hm...you know, come to think of it, that's the only Disney movie where we never see the main antagonists, the human hunters. We see their dogs only, but there's no hint of their appearance. Very interesting if you ask me," Hazel stated that fact.
That was when Manju let out a low bellow. His alarmed snort alerted the two humans on the rocks. He raised his trunk and moved his head slowly, scanning the horizon. This concerned the two of them.
"Manju? What's wrong?" Daniel asked the on-guard mammoth.
He rumbled and snorted. "Something's wrong. Stay close to me."
That was when the chaos started. Hazel had looked over the rocks to check on the herd when she saw something gray and white zip past the rocks stationed on the other end. They were small, but fast. That creature landed a few scant inches from one of the grazing cows. This sent the herd into a frenzy and retreated towards the forest. The alarmed herd's reaction was then followed by more shapes appearing from that end of the rock line.
The small shapes were the undisputed forms of wolves. Ancient wolves. Their howls and barks frightened the herbivores. However, it was what was with them that sent a shiver down their spines. They were small, but larger than the wolves. They were covered in fur, with some skin showing. They had long, dark hair and were bipedal, while wielding what looked to be spears.
The time travelers ducked under the rocks, only to peek through one of the cracks. Homo sapiens. They undulated and yelled as they went after their prey. The wolves chased after the deer, with the human hunters near them. A few of the hunters threw spears at the herd, only to miss. However, taking another look, that shot was to prevent certain herd members from escaping. It was a calculated shot to keep them in one line.
Nearby, Akari was equally alarmed and got defensive. She waved her horned head around, warding the hunters. However, she found herself alone as the hunters paid her no mind. Their quarry was the herd, not an Elasmotherium. It made sense too; neither of them wanted to waste energy battling a more dangerous foe when getting at a herd was more productive.
Hazel stood up, ready to go after them. "Looks like we found Bambi's hunters!"
The woman worked to get through the rocks to give chase. Daniel felt his gut tighten. A memory, one that haunted him for the longest time, had returned. A voice, gentle as the wind yet tough like gravel, echoed in his mind.
A woman, dressed in green and blue, held his hand tightly. Her dark brown hair tied in a braid flowed in the wind. A large camouflage patterned back hung from her shoulders. The street corner was bare as they awaited for the bus to arrive.
"Don't worry, I'll be back soon," she said.
"Don't go. This isn't a good time. Wait until things die down and then look again," he argued.
She rolled her eyes. "We've been through this, Daniel. They offered me a place on the team and wanted an answer. This will further my army career and I'll be put to good use for once."
"Sally, things are really bad over there. It's going to be some time before things calm down. What if you're pulled into a mission and you're not ready? What if they ambush your base? What if-?" He was then interrupted by her.
"Daniel, it's okay. The base is heavily guarded and is in an area that is a good distance away from any action. I'll be fine. I'll be home in about a year or so. Assuming they don't extend it."
"That's what I'm worried about…" he frowned despondently.
She gave him that same smile she always gave him, a smile that always lit up his dark days. "Hey, it's okay. I'll be home before you know it. When I get back, we'll go on that huge trip we planned for."
The bus had arrived. She boarded the bus with her belongings, but not before giving him a wave and blowing a kiss. They stared at each other for a long time, her through the window and him outside. He watched the bus go off towards the airport, where she would meet her parents. The plane would make for Chicago, then Atlanta, and then to Qatar.
Little did he know that this moment was the last time they would see each other. All because he didn't do anything more to stop her.
Daniel grabbed Hazel's arm in a grip so tight, she yelped in alarm. She snapped and cried out in pain.
"Ow! Daniel!"
"Hazel, wait! We need a plan!" he cried out, relieved he caught her in time.
"We already have one! Get to the herd before those hunters do!"
"They've already outrun us! We'll never catch up without the snowmobiles! Besides, we're pretty much outnumbered two to ten!"
"That's never stopped any of us before! Besides, we've got a mammoth!"
He made a sharp breath, his frustration rising. "Manju is at a disadvantage with all those trees in there! Look, fighting dinosaurs is one thing, but fighting human hunters and their wolves is another! They've got spears if you haven't noticed! They'll skewer you!"
Hazel's face softened. Her anger was replaced by shock. She looked down at the snow, utterly helpless as the chase left them. Daniel could understand what she may be thinking. A perfect opportunity slipped through her fingers, but was spared the ruthless consequences. In the end, she had to see it was the logical course of action.
Daniel sighed, his message had been carried across successfully. He loosened his grip on her arm and moved it to her shoulder.
"The longer we wait here, the more we'll lose our chance," she calmly stated, despite the rescue targets already fleeing the scene.
He shook his head. "We won't. We just need to track them down again. Let's get back to the snowmobiles and start up again tomorrow. Besides, it's getting dark. We won't have much luck by then."
She nodded in agreement, her features solemn. He helped her down the rocks by grasping her hands with him going first and holding onto her hands so she followed. The woman didn't argue against the help she got. The two of them came up to Manju and proceeded to make their way back to the snowmobiles. Him being here so long, he could help find a good area for them to spend the night. The only thing was the absence of two of their party. Daisy and Kerato have not returned.
Hazel was about to suggest mounting a search for them since they were close to the rendezvous point when the mammoth suddenly stopped. They saw him raise his trunk and scan his surroundings again.
"You alright?" inquired Hazel.
Manju rumbled gravely. "Something's happened. The hunt has stopped."
"It stopped?" went Daniel.
He saw his female companion eye the pachyderm's feet. He recalled from his teachings that elephants can feel vibrations in the earth and have an excellent sense of hearing. They fell quiet and he listened in, trying to pick up a hint of what the mammoth was referring to. All he heard was deafening silence.
"They must have gotten their kill," he guessed.
"No, that's not it," replied the bull. "I feel something else. Something's coming."
He turned towards the woods. Hazel and Daniel stared at the treeline, trying to make out any slight differences occurring. The branches rattled, some of them falling onto the ground in a clatter. Akari, who had returned to her grazing, perked her head up at the sudden noise. One of the trees further away had fallen down. Its sonorous crash overpowered the breaking branches. Yells and roars sounded off like a chaotic symphony.
Breaking through the treeline was the herd of Megaloceros. Following close behind them were the human hunters and their wolves, who took off in a different direction. The female Elasmotherium retreated towards the trio's direction. What came sent a wave of terror.
Breaking through the forest was a fleeing Kerato with a frightened Daisy that was barely hanging onto him. Coming up from their rear was an angry, long-legged, dire bear.
"Tupyye zloumyshlenniki! Vernut'sya syuda (Stupid intruders! Come back here!)!" the predator hollered in Russian.
Hazel and Daniel had to retreat to Manju's side to avoid getting run down by Kerato. As the megafauna passed them, Daisy took the chance to give them the warning.
"Run! Run!"
Their rescue mission had turned into a stampede.
Translation Proto-Indo European (we used an online translator so sorry if the translation is rough/incorrect):
nē = no
dómāmi = give
mēmsóm = meat
deiwā = goddess
ghwerā = beast
ámeikā = friend
tū = you
egō = I
stāwō = stop