We've reached the homestretch! This is the start of the final segment for this chapter! Get hyped, or let out a sigh in relief, it is your choice!
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After taking a momentary brake, the team activates the portal one more time.
On the otherside, they find a familiar destination: before them are muggy swamps, filled with many different plants. The sounds of running water, insects and birds fill the air, as do several (rather putrid odors).
"So, we're back in Florida?" asks Vera.
"Indeed," replies Nigel. "There's something special here I wanted to rescue for the park."
"Well, let's get going then," remarks Alice.
With that, the group begins to head deeper into the swamps. Nearby, several alligators eye them, before retreating to find shade.
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Back at the park, Bob is settling in the latest group of residents. Force once, the biggest ones turn out to be the easiest.
Bob is in a forested area. Behind him is a lush plain filled with grass, with sevral trees sprouting around a lake in the center of the exhibit. In front of him is a dense forest, with trees of all kinds fighting for sunlight.
Just to Bob's right, a trailer is unloading this exhibit's new residents. The minute the doors open, the Platybelodon herd practically stampedes out of the trailer. Luckily, Bob is well out of harm's way by the time it happens, leaving him safe to watch the animals settle in.
As soon as the calm down, some of the gomphotheres head to the lake to catch a drink, while others begin to browse. One of them has started ripping into a tree, scraping of the bark with his lower tusks.
Bob can only smile at these actions.
"Well, it looks like they're settling in just perfectly."
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While Bob settles in the new residents, Suzanne is examining some of the older ones.
Suzanne is at the Troodon pen. Within it, Troody has begun gathering additional nesting materials, which Rascal begins adding into the nest.
"It's been a little over a week, but it looks like Troody decided that Rascal was a good mate. They've been modifyibg his nest for about three days now, so we think they might lay eggs soon."
However, before Suzanne can get a more detailed look at the nest, Rascal hisses at her. Suzanne, taking the hint, decides to back of for now.
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Back in Late Miocene Florida, the group has reached the thicker parts of the swamp. Unfortunately, this may be the end of the road for them: it appears that a large fallen tree is blocking their path. More worrylingly, the weather has taken a turn for the worst. Dark clouds have rolled in, and already, the group is getting blanketed in rain
"...Well, this is a problem" remarks Marcus.
"Indeed," answers Alice.
Ahead of them, Vera and Lucas try to get the tree to move, to no avail. Oddly, though, the dead leaves on it feel very different from normal leaves.
"Urgh, push harder" remarks Lucas.
"I am pushing," answers Vera.
Despite there best efforts, it won't budge.
"Any ideas?" asks Tai.
"Maybe we could ask the tree to move?" suggests Violet.
"...you're serious?" asks Aiden.
"...Yes, and very desperate."
Nigel, meanwhile, looks for an alternate route around the tree. Unfortunately, it looks like they've reached the end of the line.
"...You know what, I'll give it a try," remarks Alice. Although she says it calmly, the look on her face makes it obvious she's get VERY annoyed
Then she turns to the tree.
"Tree, could please move out of the way."
A moment passes, but the tree does not move.
"...Tree, please move."
Still nothing.
"...GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR WAY NOW!" yells a very obviously annoyed Alice.
To everyone's surprise, she gets a lowe bellow in response.
Then, the tree starts moving. The odd trunk seems to rotate 90 degrees, before promptly raises itself to its original height. Then, it turns to face the group, reveal itself to be a giant mammal.
One with very large claws.
"... I'm sorry?" remarks Alice.
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AN: Well, looks like our heroes are in trouble.
Anyways, here are a few things I wanted to clear up:
1. Platybelodon's lower tusks, as shown in this chapter, were used as bark scrapers. Addtionally, it had a true trunk, and not the weird flappy nose it gets in most paleoart.
2. Troody, if you don't remember, was rescued in the first mission, along with two Pectinodon. Sorry if that was not clear.
So, read, review, send me OCs, and vote. This is Flameal15k, signing off.
