I think we need to check on Tristan before the rocks move too far away.
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The team could only stare, bewildered, as the rocks that Tristan had been sitting on sprout legs and began to walk away, taking their teammate and/or sibling with them. For a pair of rocks, they're surprisingly fast and have already begun to disappear behind the closest shrubbery.
Finally snapping back into reality, the team gives chase, albeit neither swiftly or loudly, for fear of provoking the rocks: there's a good chance that this could be their quarry. So, carefully, the follow the so-called 'rocks', putting any scenery they can between them and the creatures as they move closer: if the animals can move this fast, they'll likely only go into their shells if they are surrounded.
Eventually, the 'rocks' finally come to a stop at the banks edge of a lake, forcing Tristan to grab onto their backs to avoid falling over from inertia. As he regains his balance, he takes the opportunity to examine their heads, which are now unexposed to drink.
The creature below him has a long, scaly neck, terminating in a smallish head with a sharp, horny beak. As for the one that his legs are resting on, its neck is well hidden under its domelike shell, leaving only its head exposed. Said head has a mini-dome of scutes on it, and ends in a small trunk. At the other end of the creatures body is a small tale, which resembles to some degree the tail of a rattlesnake.
After getting a good look at both creatures, Tristan finally notices his teammates hiding in some shrubbery behind the two shelled creatures. Careful not to disturb either beast, he slowly slides off of their shells, before promptly retreating to join the team.
"So, what are those?" asks a confused Violet, with the rest o the team looking on at him, eager for answers.
"I think the one on the left is our target," begins Tristan, "while the one on the right is a glyptodont. Since we're in Arizona, it'd have to be Glyptotherium, because there aren't any other glyptodonts native to North America."
"So, it looks lie we've found our target and one extra," remarks Nigel. Alright, let's see about rescuing them.
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While Nigel and co decide on how to rescue the giant herbivores, back at the park, Vera has her own challenge to deal with.
Vera is at one of the newer exhibits, using a mini-crane to deposit some meat into it. Nearby, vultures stare at the meat, eager to snatch such an easy meal.
Then, a loud bellow quickly scatters the carrion bird as several ferns and tree leaves part, revealing a blue Acrocanthosaurus.
This carnivore was rescued in the last mission, where it was on death's doorstep., and Vera, who was the first to notice its arrival, has taken it upon herself to bring him back to full health.
The great carnosaur stares at Vera for a moment, before turning its attention to the meat. Hunger soon trumps weariness, as the carnivore begins to lumber over to the waiting meal, albeit with uneven steps: its is still having trouble walking.
As the carnivore gorges itself, Vera can only stare, entranced at the sight of the giant predator. Curiously, she puts her hand through the bars, trying to pet the carnivore.
The moment is ruined, though, when the beast notices her and growls, causing the girl to retract her arm in surprise. Though she may be the one feeding it, she has yet to earn the giant's trust.
Just then, a thunderbolt touches down on a distant hill, spooking both girl and dinosaur. Overhead, dark clouds have begun to gather, looking as though they are about to unleash a downpour at any moment.
Having a dinosaur park on a tropical island means that you have to deal with storms fairly often, and this one is no exception. The gather rains will go a long way to ending the park's dry spell (and helping one of Suzanne's charges), but there is also the added risk of fire. While the park has a large team on hand to deal with fires, the danger is still a very real one.
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Back in Pleistocene Arizona, the team is still working out their plan to rescue the shelled giants before them.
"So, should we try chasing them into the port?" asks Aiden.
"They're more likely to curl up inside their shells if we do," counters Elise. "And besides, they might run into the water if we do that."
Trying to capture animals that use shells for defense is not an easy venture. While the shells do make trying to catch up to the beast a triviality, its more likely to hide within its virtually impenetrable fortress of osteoderms then run if chased, which makes getting it through the portal all the harder.
Just then, a loud screech fills the air as two great shadows pass over the team. Bewildered, they look up to find themselves staring at two very large birds: both resemble turkey vultures in body shape, but while one share the vulture's color, the other shares a color pattern more similar to that of a cardinal. After a moment of flying around, the land on a dead tree and seem to stare at the group.
"Are those Teratornis?" asks Sean, surprised to see such large birds in the desert: even in the that is the closest of friends with death, there is a limit to the size of the scavengers it can sustain.
"I think so," replies Tristan, "but I'm not sure why they are here. I mean, they aren't drinking from the lake, so thirst probably isn't the answer, and-"
Before he can finis his thought, though, Tristan is interrupted by a nervous moaning sound coming from the giant tortoise. The team turns their attention back toward the shelled duo and notices that both animals seem noticeably uneasy about the giant birds.
"Why are they getting nervous?" asks Aileen. "Can't their shells protect them.
"Well, yes, nothing can bite through them," remarks Tristan... who suddenly seems to go pail.
"But they can fit their heads through the holes in the shells..."
Now the team faces a new dilemma: rescuing the shelled beasts before the teratorns eat them from the inside out.
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AN: Read, review and vote on the poll. This is Flameal15k, signing off!
