A.N. Hey guys, here's the next chapter in TWoF, which is also the end of this portion of the Rescue Arc. Also, Merry early Christmas/Happy Holidays!
Soundtrack: Army of Drummers by Two Steps from Hell
It was a beautiful, crispy day. Saeros and his herd had returned from one portion of their feeding grounds earlier that day for some more food. As the leader of his herd, it was his job to bring his group to areas with more food as well as away from danger. He needed to uphold the prosperity of his herd, which included checking on them every now and then. His mate, Nenya, was doing better. She was carrying his fawn, his heir. The smell she gave off signaled it would come soon. His herd's safety was indeed important, but hers was tantamount. At the moment, she was grazing in the middle of the herd, where he told her to be. The other males, while rivals on other times, vowed to keep a lookout.
He fought a long time to keep his position as leader. The males in his herd always challenged him time and again, with him winning every fight, though they sometimes would get a good hit in. A few of them were his sons. His herd used to number more than that, but due to the changing land as well as unfortunate encounters with hunters, they all fell. Now, his herd is a quarter of what it once was.
Maintaining his status always came with a price. Great Being on High, his neck ached. After the mating season, his antlers would fall off, giving his head and neck a break. Every chance he got, he would lower his head just to ease the aches. However, come the time to mate and fight, his antlers would return and he'd have to upkeep his prestige. A bull's purpose was to show off the biggest antlers and to fight to show off to the cows. The winners obviously get to mate while the losers do not. Females are finicky with their choices, however they always chose the winners. Saeros was lucky before, but he wasn't sure how much longer he could upkeep this appearance. He wished he could do something to trim these antlers, make them lighter or something. But he needed them for the mating season.
At least they gave him prestige. His herd respects him, not only for his head, but for his experience. He is a good leader in their eyes.
A leader is exactly what they need. This land was changing far too quickly. In the past, their kind didn't need to travel much to get to greener pastures, but now, their ancestral plains were being replaced by trees. The antlers they prided themselves in were becoming a hindrance because of these trees. They're having a hard time getting through forests just to get to grazing grounds. They've had to explore the different parts of their territory to get to any available green, only to find them stripped bare or occupied by growing trees.
Saeros had been contemplating moving his herd east. Finding a new territory to live in. He promised he'd wait until it got warmer.
*crunch*
*growl*
"AGH!" one of the cows screamed.
He quickly turned and his ears perked. A wolf growled at the frightened cow. Its teeth were bare and it was crouched. It slowly sauntered forward, making the female take a few steps back.
"Hunters!" he called out.
The herd went into a frenzy. They all went in different directions. He groaned, most of the herd members were young and naive. He called out to them, trying to get them to follow towards the forest, only for his order to fall on deaf ears. Soon, the wolf was joined by others, and then something else he dreaded. The furred two-leggeds.
They found them.
"To the forest! Retreat!"
This time, they listened to him. The herd followed his lead towards the woods. The stags' antlers bumped into whatever trees were there, causing mild headaches and delirium, but still they pressed on. Maker damn these things! Behind them, the hunters and their canid companions chased them with whoops, growls, and barks. The predators flanked them, nipping at their sides. Saeros managed to get some good rams in as well as jump over obstacles, which slowed them down. He strained from the pain on his head and neck. These antlers were not making it easy on him. His herd followed close by, using head rams and kicks whenever they could.
"Stay away! AGH!" one of the cows made him gasp in terror.
Nenya, his mate of many seasons, was getting flanked by a couple of them. He ran to her, letting her know he was coming. Her condition had slowed her, but still she did what he wanted her to. She jumped forward to let Saeros do the rest. He lowered his head and rammed the two wolves away. Flanking her, he did a quick inspection to see if she was alright. Below the white stripe she always had on her abdomen was a small bite, bits of blood trickled down. It was small, but she will recover.
*chirk*
*chirk*
*chirk*
Saeros had a small window to react. Nudging his mate to the side, they narrowly escaped the sharp sticks the hunters threw. One hit from them and they would be crippled.
The forest was a disadvantage to the herd, which was exactly what the hunters wanted. But if they could get deeper in the forest, they could lose them, maybe. They just needed to keep moving.
Though, that was easier said than done. Damn trees were making things harder for them to move properly!
Saeros gasped. He skidded to a stop, his mate following. The herd that was with him did as well. The wolves and the hunters were delayed behind thanks to their speed and a bit of luck. However, that was not the worst of it. He looked up and beheld a wall of wood. A line of trees grew close and curved around them. There were sizable gaps in between, but even they proved to be an obstacle. The cows could get away, but not the bulls. The majority of them were too frightened to move.
Saeros stared at the back of the herd, where he heard the whoops and howls. They planned this from the start. Herd them here where they could be cornered and then pick them off.
He saw the unmistakable shapes of their pursuers. Soon, they were already on them. The wolves growled, baring their teeth. They flanked the herd, creating a circle that pushed them against the trees. Behind them, the two-leggeds armed with the sharp sticks whooted and grunted, shoving their sticks towards them.
The bulls lowered their heads, eyeing the pursuers. The cows cowered behind them. Saeros stepped forward to take his place in the middle of the confrontation. His large antlers were lowered, slightly relieved he could do so at all as his neck was eased.
"Steady! Do not let them overtake you!" he commanded his herd.
The group closed in on their prey. The bulls pawed the ground, ready to attack. Before any of them could make the first move, the echo of broken bark echoed behind the wall of trees. Both sides stopped, eyeing that general direction. The wolves sniffed their air before suddenly barking in alarm. The ground rumbled. More branches were broken.
A deep roar sounded. The cows shrieked and cowered closer to the bulls. Suddenly, the line that trapped them aimed its broken edges at the makeshift corral. Both the Megaloceros and hunters broke off away from the sharp tree splinters. Coming from the now broken wall was a most peculiar duo; a little huntress atop a wooly rhino.
"Everybody run!" the female two-legged made a waving hand motion.
The hunt evolved into a rampage. Behind them was an angry Dire Bear that was ready to tear each and every one of them apart. They retreated towards the plains, predator and prey alike, where they hoped to lose the ornery ursine.
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Daniel wanted to kick himself. Why is it that these rescue missions always take a side turn? Couldn't it be always straightforward?
They found the Megaloceros. They stayed out of the reach of the prehistoric humans and their tamed wolves, who went off in different directions away from the stampede. Said giant deer had stormed past the two humans, causing them to take cover close to Manju. They met up with Daisy and Kerato. But they bring a cranky Dire Bear with them! Things were just getting better and better...
"Run! Run!" Daisy cried out at the group.
"Ty isportil mne son! Ya tebya s"yem! (You ruined my sleep! I will eat you!)" went the ornery ursine.
Manju took a few steps forward. Lowering himself, he waved his head and trunk around, creating an intimidating display with his tusks. "You two get running! I will buy you time!"
Daniel grabbed Hazel's arm and urged her onward. "Right, thanks! Come on!"
As the two of them broke off running, the mammoth behind them ran up closer to the stampede.
"Not on my watch, you won't."
The giants collided, bone meeting bone, fur meeting teeth. Manju trumpeted while the bear roared. The mammoth attempted to shove the bear away, but the bear kept trying to claw at him. Thanks to Manju's thick fur, the damage was minimized, but that didn't mean the bites and scratches stung. He could handle them. As long as he kept this one busy and the others got away on time, he could follow.
It had been a while since he tussled with a cranky ursine.
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Having already confirmed Hazel and Daniel were alright and were following them, Daisy checked the rest of her surroundings. The Megaloceros stormed around them. To Daisy, this was deja vu, only it wasn't in the middle of a forest. At least they weren't in the forest anymore. Kerato was quite annoyed having to deal with the trees.
A trumpet followed by a roar. She looked back, remembering the mammoth that she briefly saw. Their friends had been busy while they were on their own. Having met a bull mammoth and somehow convinced him to travel with them must have been a feat. They're not easy to deal with, or so she gathered. She'd need to ask them how that happened. The mammoth behind them was in the middle of a battle against Czar Artur. His immense size and strength gave him an advantage against the smaller predator, but that ursine was persistent. The bull would not doubt tire himself out if he didn't get any help.
And, if she could gander what Hazel and Daniel were thinking, they convinced him to come along after mentioning Martha's presence in the park. They couldn't let him come back in pieces.
"Kerato! We can't leave the mammoth alone!" she smacked the back of the wooly rhino.
"Yes we can! He's keeping that guy busy!" he answered stubbornly.
Daisy let out a sharp breath. He had a point. But still, she can't help but feel that they need to help anyway. If they did this right, they could not only rescue the mammoth, but the Dire Bear as well. Knowing Kerato, he would only go out of his way to do something under certain conditions; if it concerned him, Daisy asked nicely, or if there was something in it for him. Looking over, she saw something brown zoom in the other direction, something that Kerato would find interesting.
She smacked him on the back again to get his attention.
"Kerato! There's a female for you! She is with the mammoth!"
Kerato gasped. He slowed suddenly, almost causing Daisy to fall off had it not been for her tight grip on his fur. The wooly rhino sniffed the air. Pointing all around with his head, he finally moved towards where that particular scent led to.
He groaned. "Alright, fine! But only because you won't stop nagging if I don't do it!"
The vet giggled. "Well…I don't suppose you're wrong there."
Kerato snorted. "Get with the others. I don't want you caught up in this."
"Okay. Be careful."
The Grecian hastily dismounted her partner and ran in the direction of where her friends were. Her oversized companion charged ahead of her, making the ground shake as he went. In no time flat, he had caught up to the warring giants. Using his giant size, he broadsided the bear while he was clawing on the female's shoulder. With the predator rolling on the snow, the two Elasmotherium were now literally shoulder to shoulder.
"Hey! I had that handled!" she angrily told him off.
"Yeah yeah, nice to meet you too. Now are we going to clobber this thing or what?"
Manju replied with amused fervor. "Well, now this is unexpected. Never thought I'd be fighting alongside you horned ones."
The only female present gave him a warning scoff. "Don't get used to it, Manju! He ruined my dinner. This is personal."
Kerato shook his head, focusing on the ornery bear. "Shut up and get to clobbering!"
The three giants charged; tusk, trunk, horn, and sheer strength at the ursine.
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Daniel sped through the snow as fast as he could. The weight of the layers he wore hindered him. Beneath his clothing, he felt himself sweating. For once, he wished it were colder so it would alleviate his suffering. Running close behind him was Hazel, who fell behind by a few feet. All around them, the Megaloceros thundered past. Upon taking another notice, there were also a pack of wolves nipping at them, most likely the ones who joined the hunters. The two of them had to watch their backs as both predator and prey narrowly hit them. For the time being, they were spared the wolves' interest as their main targets were the giant elk. Perhaps they thought he and Hazel were some other humans joining in on the hunt?
Still, that did not excuse the fact that they were caught in the fray. One of the bulls was caught in a tussle with a wolf. Whether it was by luck or not, the bull managed to use his antlers to scoop the wolf and throw it. The canine landed in front of the humans with a stifled squeal before becoming limp. Hazel gasped and yelped at the sudden obstacle. They weaved around it and continued their retreat.
Barks and screeches filled the air. They had to keep moving. Up ahead, Daniel could see the snowmobiles they parked. They were situated near the forest line yet still out in the open. If they were lucky, the stampede would harmlessly pass them. If they can just get to them-
"AGH!"
Daniel whirled around. His eyes went wide when he found Hazel's form flat on the ground. She had tripped over a sharp rock that jutted from the ground. Her gloved hand rubbed her forehead, where he noticed a trickle of blood. Her eyes were shut as she suffered from the pain. No doubt she was also dazed.
Passed her, a frantic cow was nearly upon her. Beyond the elk, the battle between the three giants and the bear had moved closer to their position. A wall of musk and fur were coming their way and nothing was stopping them.
"Hazel get up!" he called out to her, fear gripping his insides.
"I…I can't…my head…" she winced as she cradled her forehead.
He let out a stifled gasp. A voice rang from his memories. Visions of the bus and his last goodbye with Sally returned. He couldn't help himself from taking a pained breath when he felt a tear slide down his cheek.
"You're such a worry-wart," he remembered her telling him one time.
"I'll be home before you know it," she said, right at the moment she left.
The man closed his eyes. He remembered the day he received that letter. It was from a cadet that was part of Sally's regiment, but from another group. He was tasked with going there to deliver something. That something, Daniel found, was a small letter. Seeing the cadets grim features and hearing the mention of Sally, he didn't need to open the letter to know what happened.
That was the first time he broke down uncontrollably. He didn't care that he was out in public. He didn't care if the other students were around him. He screamed and he cried.
Sally was gone. She died and he didn't do enough to stop her. He couldn't remember another time when he cried so hard. Daniel couldn't remember much after that moment, but he knew he had fallen into a deep despair. He barely ate and barely slept for days on end. It was so bad he had to seek medical help just to get himself together.
The letter he received detailed what happened that day. Sally and her regiment were out on their first excursion after training. It was supposed to be a test for them. A simple reconnaissance mission. They were told to check an abandoned town for any signs of terrorist activity; they received word that a group of terrorists were hiding there and may have plans to bomb one of the nearby cities.
Little did they know it was a trap. The intel they received was a fake. It was meant to draw them in and eliminate them on the spot. Many died in the crossfire, with only a small number on both sides escaping. Among the dead was Sally. The cause of death was a planted landmine. She died in the line of duty while trying to help another cadet get to safety.
To this day, he never fully got over it. He blamed himself for her death, despite those around him arguing against it. In his heart, he wished he could have done more. It wasn't until later when he joined the S.A.G.E.S. that his excursions served as a way for him to move forward. He was helping stop those that would do wrong. He was bringing them to justice. That was why he worked to meet the S.A.G.E.S. expectations. That was why he remained with them. He wanted to bring criminals like them to justice. Some would call it revenge. Others say it was a way to cope with the pain. He called it a way to make sure it never happened to anyone. True, the S.A.G.E.S. mostly dealt with environmental-related issues, but he was able to go out and fight criminal bosses.
Now Hazel was here. He felt something for her. And she was about to slip from his grasp. If not from the incoming frightened doe, then it would be from the warring megafaunas.
"No! I won't lose you again!" he screamed in his thoughts.
He ran to her side. Grabbing her arm and shoulder, he hauled her to her feet and pushed her to the side, him landing just right next to her. The woman made a sound on the moment of impact. Blinking, he saw her still dazed, but in one piece.
"Come on, you need to get up!" he got to his feet and pulled her up.
"Wha-Daniel?" she responded wearily.
"I'm here! Are you okay?"
"Urgh...maybe?" she opened her eyes, narrowing at him. Her hand rubbed her forehead again where the bloody mark was and blinked several times. "Uh…you didn't tell me you had a twin brother."
He made a light-hearted chuckle. "I don't. Hang on to me. We're almost to the snowmobiles."
Draping her arm over his shoulders, he helped her towards the snowmobiles ahead. The stampeding giant elks and wolves already passed them. That part of the danger was over, but there still remained the pressing issue of the rescue and dealing with that dire bear.
They were still a few yards out when they were joined by Daisy, exhausted from sprinting towards them.
"Hazel! Daniel!" she panted.
"Daisy?" Hazel said in her vertigo.
"Are you okay?" asked the vet.
Daniel nodded. "She's fine. She tripped and hit her head."
"Let me see," the Grecian cupped the woman's head in her hands. Doing a quick inspection, she gently caressed the top of the tiny gash that ran to the side of her head. "A distinct mark, but it doesn't seem terrible. You'll be okay."
Hazel made a strained nod. That also brought relief in Daniel's ears. He then proceeded to talk about the new development.
"I see you made a new friend," he referred to the dire bear.
"Well you made more," she jokingly fired back.
The trio made their way towards the snowmobiles. Upon reaching them, Daisy took the initiative on one of them while Daniel helped Hazel into the second one, with him at the front. He felt his chest tighten when the woman's hands locked on each other.
"We need to prepare the Time Poles and warn the herd," said Daisy as she gestured towards the retreating giant elks in the distance.
"We'll handle that," he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small item, a green plastic whistle. He then extended his arm towards Daisy, whistle in hand. "Here, use this."
Daisy gawked at the small thing. "Uh...did you use that?"
The agent shook his head. "No, I didn't use it. It's practically brand new."
Shrugging, the vet took the item and placed the lanyard around her neck.
"Use that to alert the other guys back there when the portal is up. Get your radio ready. We'll let you know when everything is good. Meanwhile, you let the others know of the plan."
"Okay, I will!" she acknowledged.
Both of them started the engines, the snowmobiles revving to life. Daisy sped forward and then made a sharp turn towards the battle behind them. A cloud of snow kicked up in the wake of her vehicle.
"Hazel, hang onto me," he told her, gripping the handles on his vehicle.
"No need to tell me twice..." replied the vertigo-induced Hazel.
The snow automotive sped forward, picking up speed until it reached 150 miles per hour. The forests and plains blurred on all sides as followed the tracks left behind by the herd and their pursuers. Off to the side, he could see a group of wolves standing and resting on the snow, no doubt it was the same ones that chased the elk. They must have tired themselves out during the chase. Good, that was one less problem to deal with. If they were there, then the Megaloceros would be slowing down ahead.
Sure enough, he noticed the forms of the giant deer. He slowly hit the brakes so as to prevent themselves from going past their rescue targets. The sound of the incoming snowmobile frightened the herd and they sped up again. Daniel matched their speed and called out to the herd.
"Stop! Please! We're here to help!"
"There's more of them and they're on a monster!" one of the cows shrieked.
"Run!" went one of the bulls.
"No, don't run! We came to help you!" Daniel hollered.
"Stop!" he heard the bull with the largest antlers say.
"But Saeros!" objected another one of the bulls, in this case, the one closest to him.
"Let them speak," he ordered them in a stern manner.
The herd slowed to a stop. Daniel did the same and made a moderate turn on the automobile to face the herd. The one with the largest rack stepped forward to them and bowed his head. Daniel didn't know if it was their culture to greet others that way or if it was something else entirely, but he did the same just in case. He felt movement on his back. Peeking over, he saw Hazel staring at the giant elk and nodding her head to acknowledge him.
"You two are not here to hunt us. What is your true purpose?" said the leading bull. The others behind them shifted nervously and eyed the duo for any sign of deceit.
"Please, we just want to help you. We can get you all to a safer place," the rookie explained. "We know one. There's lots of food, water, and places to rest. You won't have to worry about being hunted there. If you come with us, we can help you."
The bull's eyes narrowed. "There's no such place."
"There is," Daniel answered. "You have to believe us. Our friends are holding that bear off as we speak," he pointed back at the battle where the bull mammoth and two Elasmotheriums were. It was a glance, but he saw them throwing that persistent bear around. "Look, how can I be lying if I'm talking to you right now? I'm sure the other humans in this time wouldn't know."
Saeros made an inquisitive sound. Taking a step forward, he sniffed the two humans and analyzed them from head to toe. "Intriguing. A surprising opportunity has been presented to us. You haven't attacked us, so you are not a threat," he then turned to his herd. "These two are offering sanctuary. Long have we run from such dangers. It has been a long time since either of us have had a time of peace. Let us see what they have to offer."
The secret agent relaxed, accepting that answer. He felt Hazel shift. Her arms loosened and freed him of her grip. Looking over, he saw her dismount from the snowmobile. She removed her bag and placed it on the ground. From there, she retrieved the two time poles that were secured within. Moving a good couple of yards away, she set them up parallel to each other before stepping back. The portal flared to life, revealing the Holding Pens and the plains of Prehistoric Park. The herbivores around them stared at the temporal phenomenon in awe.
"What in the Great Spirit's name is that?" said one of them.
"It looks so...green! There's so much food!" exclaimed the cow nearest to Saeros.
"Wait, what if it's a trap? What if they're doing this so we can drop our guard and then they'll feed us to the monsters there!? What if they eat us!?" another cow made the frightened remark that eyed the humans in suspicion.
Hazel rolled her eyes and answered them. "Relax! We won't do that! We're doing this to save you all! And the Residents on the other side won't even think to hurt any of you."
Daniel didn't say anything, but he did have a funny thought regarding that. "Also, if any of us wanted venison, we wouldn't go after any of you. I prefer the 21st century grade."
"Residents? There are others?" inquired the giant elk leader.
"Yeah," she replied. "There are other creatures living there. And they all live in harmony. No predation whatsoever. Look, you're wasting time. Just get through the portal and our people there will help you."
Saeros blinked. Turning towards the herd, he yelled out his command, which he ended with a distinctive elk screech. "All of you, do as they say!"
Although tentative, the herd did as he said. The first bull took a pensive step forward before breaking into a run. His form disappeared into the Time Portal. When he turned, he confirmed that it was okay to go through, prompting the others to do the same. They tentatively approached the portal, observing it for any more phenomenon. Saeros had to command them to go just to get them moving. One of the bulls was so curious he went over to one of the poles to touch it. The leading bull had to go up to the other male and push him with his antlers just to get him towards the portal.
Once the last of them went through, only Saeros remained. Turning towards the humans, he gave them an inquisitive glare.
"You better be right about this," he said.
"You'll all be fine. Now go!" Hazel pushed the male forward towards the portal. The bull gave her a startled look before moving towards the Holding Pens, where the staff there would no doubt assist them.
Daniel pulled out his radio. "Daisy! The targets have been rescued! Get everyone else through the portal!"
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It didn't take very long for Daisy to get to the giant mammal fight. She stationed her snowmobile a good distance away from them to avoid injury, yet still close enough so they could hear her. One would think that three giants against an ornery bear would be a one-sided battle. But the Dire Bear turned out to be persistent, even though he sustained several gashes on him. His paws had a reddish tint from all the scratching and his teeth were also stained red. Clumps of fur had dislodged from both sides and fallen onto the snow. Daisy winced when she looked upon the injuries the herbivores sustained, especially Kerato. He sustained the most but was still fighting as if they were nothing.
Even though Kerato was tough, Daisy still felt unnerved by the amount of wounds he got. She was worried about him, he could collapse from the severity of the wounds and even blood loss. As a vet, it was her job to preserve animal health. Seeing her own partner like this was painful to her. She wanted to step in and get him out of there. But if she did step in, she would no doubt get skewered or mauled. Kerato would never forgive himself if that ever happened.
With the battle being one-sided, she had to hand it to the Dire Bear for his determination. Even when he did get thrown away like a ragdoll, he immediately got back up. If Daisy were in his place and someone woke her from a month's long nap, she would be grumpy too.
During the fight, she managed to relay the plan to Kerato, who then informed Akari and Manju, the names of the other herbivores she overheard during the whole bout. The female Elasmotherium had her reservations on the human, but Kerato silenced her with a simple "just trust her!" Daisy couldn't help but smirk at that. This Akari was basically a female version of Kerato.
In the ongoing bout, the favor towards the herbivores got rather complicated. Artur had jumped onto Akari when she wasn't looking. The Dire Bear climbed onto her back, digging his claws into her hide. The female bellowed and took off running, moving in sharp turns and shaking her body in an attempt to shake him off. The Dire Bear hung on while biting and scratching her in certain places. Kerato tried to get close to help her, but was stopped when she warded him off. If he got a hit in, she would get impaled in the process. She made that clear when she broadsided him in an effort to push him away. Daisy had to drive close to them to keep them in her sights.
It wasn't until Manju stepped in to aid her. Akari made one good shake, which dislodged the bear enough for the mammoth to wrap his trunk around. Using his strength, he hurled the bear away. The giants slowed to a stop, with Akari stepping away to get a breather while the boys dealt with the opposer.
That was when Daisy heard her radio go off.
"Daisy! The targets have been rescued! Get everyone else through the portal!"
"Copy!" she replied and stored it away.
Turning the snowmobile back on, she drove close to the fight, but not close enough to be in their way. The vet retrieved the whistle from her pocket and brought it to her mouth. Taking a deep breath, she blew into the tiny plastic item. A shrill cry escaped from the curved human contraption. Such a cry got the attention of the giants nearby, with Manju showing the most discomfort as he made pained groans in response.
"Everyone! The portal is ready! Follow me!" she told them. She stepped on the pedal and sped towards the open temporal rip behind her.
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Kerato snorted and charged after her. "Come on! Follow her!"
"What about the royal grump!?" Akari gestured at the recovering bear before them.
"Don't worry about him!"
Akari and Manju broke off towards the temporal rip. Behind them, Czar Artur was recovering from his daze when he saw his prey retreating. He bared his teeth and let out a cocky laugh.
"Ahahahaha! Running away in the heat of battle? Czar Artur II loves when his meat runs!"
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Having put the snowmobile on maximum speed, Daisy was the first to reach the portal, having parked it far from the edge. Except for the two wooly rhinos and mammoth following her, and just recently discovering that the bear decided to follow them, the race to the portal was rather uneventful. With the giants still a bit of a ways behind her, she dismounted the now deactivated automobile and raced through the time window. The heat of the African sun bore down on her as if she just stepped into a sauna.
Snowmobiles were good for one thing only; snow and ice. They would not do so well on solid ground. Once this rescue was over, she would need to ask someone to retrieve it (or whatever was left of it assuming it survived) before they closed the book on this mission.
Turning, she waved at the others on the other end of the portal. "Over here!"
Kerato was the first to reach the portal. Daisy had to move to the side to avoid getting hit by him. Friend or not, she did not want to get hit by him. The Elasmotherium took a sniff in the air and made a sharp turn (as best as he could) until he was by her side. He was breathing heavily, the shuddering and drooping eyes betrayed fatigue. He went through enough in this fight; Daisy didn't want to put him through more stress.
The next ones to arrive were Akari and Manju respectively. The new environment caught the two of them by surprise and caused them to stop. Daisy had to get them to move ahead to prevent getting hit by the oncoming Dire Bear. The female Elasmotherium moved well enough away from the area to catch her breath, leaving the lone bull mammoth.
"The bear is coming! Lead him to the gated area!" she hollered at the pachyderm.
"What?" he eyed her in confusion.
She pointed at one of the Holding Pens, where there were staff members that scrambled to get one open.
"What is-?" asked the bull but was then cut off by the young female.
"No time! Just do it!"
Sure enough, the enraged Czar Artur came running through the portal. Manju took his place in front of the wooden holding pen, his back to the walls. Kerato and Akari stayed close by yet well enough away from the fight to avoid getting the predator's attention. In case the plan went south, they would both step in.
A roar from behind prompted the group to turn towards the portal. Charging through it was none other than Czar Artur. He slowed to a stop when he looked upon his new surroundings. Gone were the snow-covered plains and mountains. He stared at the ground to see he was treading on dirt and grass. He shook his body in immediate response to the incoming heat.
Manju trumpeted, grabbing the ursine's attention. Spotting his opponent, who challenged him to a battle again with the flick of his trunk, the bear charged forward, intent on finishing the job. Daisy figured that this bear was a hard-headed fighter and would not stop until he was satisfied. Manju here was the first one that battled him, so he would come after him first. This was to their advantage.
Once he got close enough, the mammoth quickly moved out of the way. The bear stormed into the Holding Pen where he literally crashed into the wooden wall. The gate leading out of the pen closed on him thanks to the staff members stationed there. Bewildered at his sudden entrapment, Czar Artur could do nothing but jog in a circle and roar angrily.
"Het! Let me out! Let me out!"
Daisy breathed a sigh of relief. That problem was over. A small group of vets riding a jeep came rushing towards her and Kerato. When they got near, she instructed them to instead relay to the rest of the staff present to retrieve the snowmobile stationed on the other side of the portal while she inspected the newcomers around her. They followed her instructions and left her alone with the giants. Manju, on the other hand, was not present with them, but was getting his own welcoming committee courtesy of a few staff members. Fortunately, he was respectful and did not become aggressive towards them.
The vet looked upon the wounds on Kerato's body. She placed a hand on one of his scratches. The rhino made a pained groan and she retracted. Her mitten now had a distinct red streak on the fabric. She winced at the sudden coloration.
"Sorry Kerato. We'll fix you," she told him. Daisy proceeded to remove the warm layers on her as the heat cooked her body. She felt immediate relief when she was left with only a long-sleeved white shirt and her thermal leggings. Even though her attire was somewhat inappropriate, at least her heat suffering was eased. The staff would understand anyway.
She spotted movement to her right. Looking over, she saw Hazel and Daniel rushing towards her and Kerato. The two of them were already dressed in their prepared clothes for their return to the park. Hazel was dressed in a black Jurassic Park logo T-shirt, denim, shorts and her sneakers. Daniel was in a pure white T-shirt and shorts with his own sneakers. The two of them stood before Daisy, panting.
"You okay?" Hazel gasped, regaining her composure.
"Yes. You?"
She nodded tiredly. "Better, I guess."
"Yeah, we're okay," the man with her confirmed.
The Elasmotherium male huffed. "That guy just wouldn't give up. How's my horn? Did he break it?"
The vet chuckled and stroked him on the shoulder well away from one of his scratches. "It's fine. A little chipped, but not noticeable."
Before Kerato could say anything else, he was interrupted by the female Elasmotherium that came through the portal. "Hey you!"
All eyes fell on the newcomer that approached them. Her face was unreadable, but she stared at the bull in question.
"Akari, you made it! Glad to see you're okay," said the rookie member.
"Yeah yeah, whatever," she dismissed the remark, prompting Daniel to give her a surprised look. "I'm not here for you. I'm here for Mr. Stubby."
Kerato let out a quick bellow. "Hey! You got a problem with my body, lady?"
Akari eyed the annoyed Kerato, her tone clear with slight irritation. "Pipe down and let me finish. Just for the record, I could have handled that predator myself. I've tussled with tough bozos like him before. In fact, given a proper opening, I could have skewered him. So you saving me was uncalled for."
The bull rolled his eyes. The two of them now practically a few scant feet from each other, their horns nearly touching. "Oh gee, I saved your life. I'm sorry. What are you going to do, poke me with that horn of yours?"
The vet next to him gave him a hard slap on the shoulder. Even though he was tough, the woman had removed her hand covering to make her hit harder. The wooly rhino grimaced from the sudden attack.
"Flower!" he growled at the small human.
"Kerato!" she retorted, showing a stern expression that could melt ice.
Taken aback by the sudden retort from his mouth, the woman proceeded to scold him for the offense he made. However, her moment was voided when Akari stepped in once more.
"Still talking here!" The female ceased the upcoming scolding the diminutive vet was about to give out. Clearing her throat, she continued on with her annoyed tirade. "Look, I'm not overly pleased you came to help...but I guess I'm glad you did. To be honest, I...kind of had fun back there. It's not really a lady thing, but I'm no ordinary lady."
"Yeah, you're right about that," Daisy heard him mutter under his breath, prompting her to shush him.
The cow present did not hear that last part. Her expression softened to show a bit of empathy. "So thank you...I guess."
"Humph. Whatever," went the bull who looked the other way to not meet the female in the eye.
"But don't think I'm some damsel in distress! I can hold my own, you know!"
"Yeah, yeah," he brushed it off, though Daisy knew that he would keep that into consideration. He wasn't the type to just ignore something. Not since they met anyway.
The young vet clapped her hands and cleared her throat, bringing all the attention on her. "Well, while we're getting acquainted, let's get you to the infirmary. We'll heal you." She then gripped on Kerato's fur and gestured him towards the infirmary, the male grumpily following like a reluctant child.
Akari sniffed the air and followed in the direction the duo were headed. "You wouldn't happen to have a mud puddle here, would you?"
"There are a few around," she replied.
The intrigued cow kept sounding off with more questions regarding this time and place, with Daisy answering to the best of her ability. As they made their way towards the infirmary, the staff present worked to get things prepped. Czar Artur II had become exhausted from his rage and collapsed in the dirt within the Holding Pen. As he snored away, the humans present found it amusing that they had no need to use the tranquilizer guns to knock him out. The Megaloceros herd as well as Manju were being led towards the infirmary to have their health checks done. With the snowmobile now retrieved from the Pleistocene, the portal had closed, separating the 21st century from the distant past.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hazel flinched as her head tightened. One part of the infirmary was reserved for the newcomers in need of their own healing as well as the other Residents that were incapacitated, so she and Daniel had to be led towards one of the separated areas meant for humans. One of the vets that was also trained in human first aid was assigned to check on the young woman. The healer deemed the wound not too serious, but warned her not to perform any physical activity for the next two weeks. She would need to let Nigel know about that.
Once the professional finished wrapping the bandage around her head, she took her leave to allow Hazel some time to recover. Passing by her through the cubicle opening was none other than Daniel. Unlike her, he sustained no apparent injuries.
"Hey," he greeted.
"Yeah?" was her reply as he took one of the chairs and sat literally next to her. The metal of the legs now meeting each other.
"Um…how's your head?"
She felt that part of her head, sharply blinking at the throb that came when she touched it. "Better? Sort of. A little achy. She said it's not serious, but recommended I avoid physical activity for two weeks."
He made a soft chuckle. "I guess no rescues until then."
"Looks to be that way," Hazel replied. She took a breath and smiled at him. "Thanks for…saving me back there. That's…what, three times now? Looks like I'm falling behind."
The young man in white smirked at that. "No, not a competition. Unless you want it to be one then I can oblige."
She responded with a giggle. "You know, for being a rookie, you're pretty good out in the field. You caught on pretty quickly to how things are. Seems like you've got a knack for saving people too."
His reply came in the form of a stammer. The insecurity he gave off made her snicker. In an odd way, she found it cute. "What? Me? Pfft, no I'm just, well, just lucky. Put my mind to it and get it done."
"Huh…okay…" Hazel responded, eyeing him curiously. Highly athletic, super aware of his surroundings, great reflexes, and has a knack for saving people? This was the third time she was saved by this guy. Even though she wondered about where he received prior training, she was still impressed nonetheless. "Well, you've got an overabundance of luck. I wonder if you can rub some more of that onto me."
The two of them laughed. Hazel amused herself by thinking of the ways on how to get some of that luck Daniel had to rub on her. Her thoughts interrupted when she felt something soft touch her fingers. Looking down, her eyes widened when she found his fingers touching hers. Not only that, but they almost seemed to be interlocking.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Her eyes met his. Those soft, compassionate eyes. Her cheeks flared and she covered her mouth with her free hand, stifling a gasp. She quickly retracted her hand and looked away, trying not to show her embarrassment. If she had a mind to look back, she could see Daniel staring back at her with a smile.
"Look. I…"
She turned, meeting his gaze again. Hazel waited for him to finish, but it seemed he had trouble trying to get something off his chest. She felt her stomach tighten. What's he trying to say? Is it…something regarding the two of them? She prepared herself for what was about to come.
He inhaled and then gave her a quick, relieved answer. "I'm glad you're okay."
Hazel felt her stomach drop. Her heart became a little heavy. That was…not what she was expecting. What was she thinking? She was feeling disappointed? Wait a minute, she made it clear he needed to prove himself to her. Would this rescue count as him doing that? Technically, he did save her a few times prior to this. He does show he values her safety and he legitimately cares for her.
He has proven himself in those regards. Hazel needed more time on this. She likes him and she knows he likes her. But she needed time to organize her thoughts. He's already done so much to meet her expectations. Something was holding her back, and she needed to face it. Deep down, Hazel knew that defining moment was coming soon. If this man was smart, he would have the same thought too.
For now, she was comforted in the notion he was glad she was safe.
"Yeah. I'm glad you're okay too," she replied cordially, her heart longing to get more out of him.
He got up and went towards the opening to the rest of the infirmary. A bellow from one of the stationed Residents resounded from the other side of the building. He turned towards her and gestured to the outside with his thumb.
"I should uh…get cleaned up," he told her before promptly leaving.
Hazel strained a smile. As he walked away, she could see him gesticulating somewhat aggressively as he muttered something. Whatever he was saying, Hazel could only guess it was from him speaking with her. She was smart. He was trying to say something else, and she found it amusing.
The young woman had an idea what it could have been about. She frowned as painful memories surfaced again. "Not yet Daniel. You've met my expectations, but there's something else I need to know. You're nearly there…"
She got up and promptly left the infirmary to make her way towards Nigel's office. He would need to know the details of this rescue as well as the new arrivals.
