AN: I checked back in JP (not James Patterson. Jurassic Park.) and the raptors jumped from the ground to a balcony on a second story building fairly easily and quietly. Without seriously injuring themselves, climbing, etc.

Tonight, we sat around the fire. The camels dozed a little way away as they did not trust us enough to stay closer.

I didn't mind though. Heat from the day rose off of the sand and warmed us, although it wouldn't last. Soon, it would get cold, and the fire would be our only source of warmth.

For me, however, the best part was the sky. Since I'd joined the flock, we had stayed close to cities and towns. I had forgotten how many stars could be in the night sky. It was dazzling. It reminded me of life in the forests and mountains with Nuri and Nova.

The entire group was sitting around the fire we had made from bits of dried wood and camel dung. It may have been smelly, but it burned strong and hot. We roasted whatever we could find on sticks that we had picked up. I have no idea what they were doing in the middle of the desert…

Anyway, I had provided most of the food. Meatwise, at least. Fang had sent me off to go hunting as a Utahraptor earlier, but I was in human shape now. Gazzy had ridden me this time, and he had been helpful.

He had spotted a couple of snakes for me. I had brought them back to the camp, and Max was still afraid of snakes. Really, Max?

And now we were roasting them over the fire. It was going to take a while, 'cause Gazzy and I had found some very big snakes. And a lot of them, too.

I was not that surprised when Nudge said, "Hey, since we're pretty much camping, does anyone have any stories to tell?"

Silence. I raised my hand slightly timidly. "I have one…"

Angel looked at me, curious. "What's it about?"

I sat back, unsure about what to say. I was going to do a legend from the mountain lions that I had learned, but I wasn't sure which one.

Gazzy leaned forward, saying, "Is it from the animals?"

"Yes."

"What's it about?" Iggy repeated Angel's question.

I sighed, knowing my decision. The story would be long, but at least the snake will have finished cooking by the time I'm done.

"It's the first legend that a baby animal of North America learns," I said, knowing I would sound mysterious and interesting, "It's the legend that is passed down from generation to generation, no matter what. It is tradition, and even those animals born and raised in zoos that have never felt the wind of the wild know it." I paused and looked at one of the countless stars overhead. I had everyone's attention. "It's the story about how the Free People, which we call animals, were made."

Many season-cycles ago, countless season-cycles ago, it was dark. The only thing that existed was the night sky, and that was dark and un-pierced by the light of stars. One thing existed, and that was a spirit. The spirit's name was Freespirit.

He was alone in the world, though, so he decided to make companions for himself. He knew that they could not float throughout the sky like he could, so he made an surface on which they could live. The surface would bind them to it so they could not float away and die.

This became known as Gaia. However, Freespirit was not sure that his companions would like it alone on Gaia. So he took a piece of his own spirit, and formed it into the sun. It gave warmth and light to Gaia, and it was nice. However, it seemed that forever warm and gold would be bland and monotonous, just as it would be if it was all dark.

So Freespirit took a piece of the sun, and put a piece of the dark into it. This became the moon, and it gives silver light to Gaia half the time. It appears with the stars to help it give light, as it was not as bright as the sun.

Yet still Freespirit was not pleased with the place he had created. Therefore, he made water and wind to satisfy himself, and later his companions. He made plants which gave food and shelter. And finally he deemed the place he had created good enough for his companions.

Freespirit made each of his companions unique. He made the wolf swift and loyal. He made the deer cautious and gently. He made the squirrel quick and energetic. The smart and strong mountain lion was made. The bear was to be strong and gentle. The birds were to be free and cheerful. The wolverine was fierce and brave.

Pleased with the friend he had made, he placed them on Gaia with a mate. It would be cruel to leave them alone. Now they flourish all over his land. When they please him, he grants them gentle rain and warm sunshine. When they don't, he throws violent storms and droughts down.

Now, sometime later, Freespirit felt the creative urge to create another creature. This one, though, was different.

When he had finished making the creature, he set it on Gaia. All of his first friend as well as the new creature were confused as to what each other were. This new creature had no fur except for some on the top of its head. It walked on its hind legs and had pink skin.

And yet it was smart and cunning. Because it was new to the world, the animals took it upon themselves to teach this new creature the ways of wind, water, and the wild.

The wolf taught the creature how to be loyal to one another and love family. The squirrel taught them communication and determination. The mountain loyal showed them how to hunt. The bear showed them how to protect the ones you love. The wolverine showed the creatures how to survive in the wild. The birds taught how to be free. But it was gentle deer who sacrificed themselves, saying that the creatures could eat them if they were caught in a fair hunt, and they did not take too many. But along with this opportunity, they showed the creatures how to love the world around them.

But the new creatures, dubbed Pinkskins, grew greedy. War broke out. Freespirit couldn't bear to see his friends fighting this new creature he had unleashed, yet he didn't want to destroy it. So finally, one day, he made a decision.

He made the Pinkskins speak a different tongue than his original companions. Unfortunately, this made all the animal types speak in different tongues from one another. Peace was reached, but not without a price, and we still pay for the greed of the Pinkskins to this day.

I finished the tale with a deep breath. I was thirsty. I made do with eating some of the snake meat that had finished cooking halfway through the story.

Fang decided to break the tense silence that had followed my story. "Well, I've never heard that before."

Dr. Martinez looked confused. "That was… interesting…"

Ella cocked her head to the side. "None of us have heard legends or anything like that from an animal's perspective."

"We're animals, you know…" I commented dryly.

"Oh yeah…."

More silence followed before Nudge announced that she was going to sleep. Pretty much everyone else followed suit, and was left on watch again.

I stared into the flames, trying to collect my thoughts. I had hoped we were staying in Africa, but I think we would be going home soon. I had really wanted to see a lion, too…

Oh well. What was more unsettling was the look everyone had given me. I mean, it was weird hearing a legend from a different culture, right? But I think what freaked them all out was the ending… Our greed was tearing up the Earth…

But why did they not like that so much? We aren't really tearing it up. If we were gone tomorrow the Earth would not miss us. A hundred years to the Earth is nothing. A million years is nothing.

I had heard that the CSM was working to stop and save the Earth, which I supposed hit home.

But the thing is, the Earth doesn't need saving, right? It can take care of itself.

It's really us that needs saving. I realized this just after I was relieved from my watch and before I fell asleep. Tomorrow would be more normal.

Tomorrow we would make it to the town, and I could fulfill my promise to the camels.

Tomorrow, I wouldn't be stared at as much for seeming so different.

There's always tomorrow to look forward to.

And that's chapter sixteen! I hope you enjoyed it!

I really wanted to get a legend from the animals written. It was fun to write, and I hope you enjoyed it.

Oh, yes, and humans are called Pinkskins, even though the animals would've seen Native Americans because the first ones they saw were pinkish, and the Native Americans were simply Pinkskins with a different pelt color.