Chapter 2
Kiva walked dejectedly down her clan's hunting trail; her conversation with Turq replaying itself through her head. Turq and the rest of the convoy had been preparing a return trip to Treetown when she rushed into the campsite a scroll clenched into her sweaty fist, calling out desperately for Turq. After everything settled down, Kiva asked Turq to read the contents of the scroll.
"I would myself, but I'm afraid I haven't read Dinotopian Script in years. I'm so used to conveying messages verbally, I'm afraid I've lost the knack for reading words."
Turq surveyed the message; but the more he read, the wider his eyes got. "You tried to convince the Council of Waterfall City to allow you and your three Giganotosaurus brothers to go sight-seeing?!"
"Never mind that; just tell me what they said."
"It says: Our sincerest apologies Kiva. For although our interest in the knowledge you have to offer concerning the Rainy Basin, we cannot permit the passage of your three Giganotosaurus brothers outside the Basin. If you wish to make the journey; regrettably, it must be alone."
Kiva was silent. 'Why? It's just not fair.' "Thank you Turq. I appreciate your help."
Turq gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Kiva. But you could still go by yourself. Think of all we could learn from you."
"Yes," she replied, absently. She extended her hand, palm facing out towards Turq. "Breathe deep, friend. I am honored to have met you."
Turq reciprocated. "Seek peace. I hope we shall meet again someday." But Kiva was too lost in thought to reply.
'How am I going to tell them? They'll be heartbroken,' Kiva wondered as she neared home. 'It's just not fair. I want to go so badly, but so did they. I can't go and leave them behind.'
Upon entering the clearing where her clan made their home, Kiva was immediately accosted by her youngest brother, Clapjaw.
"So?! When do we leave?" he asked, his tail twitching in excited anticipation. Snaptrap and Thunderhead joined the group, also anxious to hear the outcome of Kiva's request.
"We don't," Kiva replied, sadly. Thunderhead and Snaptrap merely grunted in disappointment, but Clapjaw's emotions betrayed him.
"What do you mean 'We don't.'? Why not?!"
"They just don't trust meat-eaters outside the Rainy Basin. They said that if I want to make the journey, I must do it alone."
"It's not fair! Just because we eat different things than they do; they're not going to let us leave?!" He fixed a deadly glare on his "sister." "But they'll let you go! They'll let you go because you're like them! You're a human! You're just like all the rest of them! You don't belong here!"
Clapjaw thundered towards Kiva, who stood transfixed at the raw fury of a raging Giganotosaurus. But just as he reached her, a staggering blow from the tail of Snaptrap sent him to the ground. Thunderhead stood between his younger brother and his human sister and gave a low growl.
"I think it best that you left for a while until we get him under control."
Kiva ran until she could run no longer. Exhausted, she slumped down on the bank of a nearby small creek, and wept. She didn't know how long she'd been there, but a snuffling sound behind her snapped her from her reverie. Turning swiftly, Kiva was relieved to find herself looking at the tall, comforting form of Thunderhead.
"We've been looking everywhere for you. Night is falling; we should be heading back." He paused and cocked his head slightly. "Why is your face wet? Was it dirty?"
Kiva smiled at her brother's naiveté as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "No," she said in a slightly broken voice. "They're called 'tears,' Thunderhead. Humans shed them when they're sad or in pain."
Thunderhead crouched down so Kiva could climb onto his head. He then began to walk slowly towards home. "Are you sad or in pain Kiva?"
"A little of both I guess. What Clapjaw said hurt me deeply; yet I feel as though it was partially true. I feel that the Council of Waterfall City is only allowing me to leave the Rainy Basin because I am Human. That just doesn't seem fair."
"But you can't just expect them to forget our way of life, the diet we eat, or the Code we live by."
"Yes, I can understand that. I suppose it is a risk to let three juvenile Giganotosaurs loose on an island having only a small, scrawny human as their only means of control."
Thunderhead laughed. Kiva was awed by the sound of it. It was like nothing she'd ever heard before. They walked in silence for a while until it proved to be too much for Kiva.
"So, how long have I been away? I kind of lost track of time having a pity-party for myself."
"Well, after we managed to get Clapjaw calmed down; which was not easy, we waited for a couple hours, but you didn't return. Goldeye mobilized a search party. He even forced Clapjaw to go with Snaptrap. They went off in another direction. Silvercloud is worried sick about you."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You've been found, and there's nothing to worry about now."
When they reached the clearing, Kiva was fussed-over by a much relieved Silvercloud. Thunderhead vocalized triumphantly, signifying Kiva's return and signaling the rest of the clan members to return. But before the echoes of Thunderhead's call had died away, Snaptrap bounded into the clearing, skidding to a stop and breathing heavily.
"Slow down, my son," Silvercloud admonished. "Kiva is safe and there's nothing more to worry about."
"Yes... there is!" Snaptrap panted.
"What do you mean?" Kiva asked.
"It's Clapjaw. While we were searching for you, Clapjaw espied something through a grove of trees. We went over to investigate..." He paused, trying to catch his breath. "I'm sorry! I tried to stop him!"
"Snaptrap, slow down!" Silvercloud said, concerned. "Whatever happened, we know it's not your fault. Now, tell us what happened."
"Clapjaw left! He found a way out of the Rainy Basin through a passage in the Backbone Mountains. Clapjaw has left the Rainy Basin!"
Kiva walked dejectedly down her clan's hunting trail; her conversation with Turq replaying itself through her head. Turq and the rest of the convoy had been preparing a return trip to Treetown when she rushed into the campsite a scroll clenched into her sweaty fist, calling out desperately for Turq. After everything settled down, Kiva asked Turq to read the contents of the scroll.
"I would myself, but I'm afraid I haven't read Dinotopian Script in years. I'm so used to conveying messages verbally, I'm afraid I've lost the knack for reading words."
Turq surveyed the message; but the more he read, the wider his eyes got. "You tried to convince the Council of Waterfall City to allow you and your three Giganotosaurus brothers to go sight-seeing?!"
"Never mind that; just tell me what they said."
"It says: Our sincerest apologies Kiva. For although our interest in the knowledge you have to offer concerning the Rainy Basin, we cannot permit the passage of your three Giganotosaurus brothers outside the Basin. If you wish to make the journey; regrettably, it must be alone."
Kiva was silent. 'Why? It's just not fair.' "Thank you Turq. I appreciate your help."
Turq gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Kiva. But you could still go by yourself. Think of all we could learn from you."
"Yes," she replied, absently. She extended her hand, palm facing out towards Turq. "Breathe deep, friend. I am honored to have met you."
Turq reciprocated. "Seek peace. I hope we shall meet again someday." But Kiva was too lost in thought to reply.
'How am I going to tell them? They'll be heartbroken,' Kiva wondered as she neared home. 'It's just not fair. I want to go so badly, but so did they. I can't go and leave them behind.'
Upon entering the clearing where her clan made their home, Kiva was immediately accosted by her youngest brother, Clapjaw.
"So?! When do we leave?" he asked, his tail twitching in excited anticipation. Snaptrap and Thunderhead joined the group, also anxious to hear the outcome of Kiva's request.
"We don't," Kiva replied, sadly. Thunderhead and Snaptrap merely grunted in disappointment, but Clapjaw's emotions betrayed him.
"What do you mean 'We don't.'? Why not?!"
"They just don't trust meat-eaters outside the Rainy Basin. They said that if I want to make the journey, I must do it alone."
"It's not fair! Just because we eat different things than they do; they're not going to let us leave?!" He fixed a deadly glare on his "sister." "But they'll let you go! They'll let you go because you're like them! You're a human! You're just like all the rest of them! You don't belong here!"
Clapjaw thundered towards Kiva, who stood transfixed at the raw fury of a raging Giganotosaurus. But just as he reached her, a staggering blow from the tail of Snaptrap sent him to the ground. Thunderhead stood between his younger brother and his human sister and gave a low growl.
"I think it best that you left for a while until we get him under control."
Kiva ran until she could run no longer. Exhausted, she slumped down on the bank of a nearby small creek, and wept. She didn't know how long she'd been there, but a snuffling sound behind her snapped her from her reverie. Turning swiftly, Kiva was relieved to find herself looking at the tall, comforting form of Thunderhead.
"We've been looking everywhere for you. Night is falling; we should be heading back." He paused and cocked his head slightly. "Why is your face wet? Was it dirty?"
Kiva smiled at her brother's naiveté as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "No," she said in a slightly broken voice. "They're called 'tears,' Thunderhead. Humans shed them when they're sad or in pain."
Thunderhead crouched down so Kiva could climb onto his head. He then began to walk slowly towards home. "Are you sad or in pain Kiva?"
"A little of both I guess. What Clapjaw said hurt me deeply; yet I feel as though it was partially true. I feel that the Council of Waterfall City is only allowing me to leave the Rainy Basin because I am Human. That just doesn't seem fair."
"But you can't just expect them to forget our way of life, the diet we eat, or the Code we live by."
"Yes, I can understand that. I suppose it is a risk to let three juvenile Giganotosaurs loose on an island having only a small, scrawny human as their only means of control."
Thunderhead laughed. Kiva was awed by the sound of it. It was like nothing she'd ever heard before. They walked in silence for a while until it proved to be too much for Kiva.
"So, how long have I been away? I kind of lost track of time having a pity-party for myself."
"Well, after we managed to get Clapjaw calmed down; which was not easy, we waited for a couple hours, but you didn't return. Goldeye mobilized a search party. He even forced Clapjaw to go with Snaptrap. They went off in another direction. Silvercloud is worried sick about you."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You've been found, and there's nothing to worry about now."
When they reached the clearing, Kiva was fussed-over by a much relieved Silvercloud. Thunderhead vocalized triumphantly, signifying Kiva's return and signaling the rest of the clan members to return. But before the echoes of Thunderhead's call had died away, Snaptrap bounded into the clearing, skidding to a stop and breathing heavily.
"Slow down, my son," Silvercloud admonished. "Kiva is safe and there's nothing more to worry about."
"Yes... there is!" Snaptrap panted.
"What do you mean?" Kiva asked.
"It's Clapjaw. While we were searching for you, Clapjaw espied something through a grove of trees. We went over to investigate..." He paused, trying to catch his breath. "I'm sorry! I tried to stop him!"
"Snaptrap, slow down!" Silvercloud said, concerned. "Whatever happened, we know it's not your fault. Now, tell us what happened."
"Clapjaw left! He found a way out of the Rainy Basin through a passage in the Backbone Mountains. Clapjaw has left the Rainy Basin!"