Montana, 65 million years ago...
It's not just the dinosaurs that will be wiped out by the meteorite hit. The trio knows that everyhing they see around them will be devastated.
Nigel, Martin and Chris stood at the base of a cascading waterfall while pterosaurs soared overhead. The three naturalists took in this beautiful sight of the prehistoric world, one they could only have dreamed of exploring before. And a world fated to disappear forever.
"What a magnificent place! Pterosaurs swooping overhead. You can hear them calling all the time."
The Kratt in blue stooped down to gather a handful of water gushing from the river before gulping it down. The purest water he had ever tasted. "Mmm! You'll never taste sweeter water!"
"Too bad this stream will be choked with ash and dust."said Chris sadly. "The meteorite's gonna hit not too far away."
"Time is running out. This is our second rescue mission. And we're determined to save some T.rex for Prehistoric Park." with that declaration, Nigel took the lead and the trio began their search for the ruler of this dying land.
There are lots of dinosaur tracks to follow, but Nigel and Chris are interested in one set in particular. Martin on the other hand...
"Edmontosaurus. Ankylosaurus. Those must be from a Didelphodon!"
"Umm, Martin? Remember why we're here." Chris reminded.
"Oh right!" The older Kratt chuckled sheepishly. "We're here for T-rexes–"
"Hold on. There's something strange with these tracks. Look."said Nigel, inspecting a particular trackway, which looked for all the world like three grooves made by the world's biggest rake. "The toes have been dragged along." There was something familiar about this set of footprints.
"You think it's the female T-rex that was gored in the stampede?"asked Chris.
Nigel nodded. "Possibly. We're close to where the Triceratops stampede was. She's dragged her toes."
"Poor old girl."sad Martin pitifully.
"She's injured and she'll be moving pretty slowly." Chris determined as he analyzed the trackway. "If we head downstream and follow these tracks, we may catch up to her." The boys now had a lead.
Traveling further into the valley, following the flow of the river.
The trackway takes them down river, where they're hoping to gain ground on the T-rex. With any luck, her leg injury will make her slower and a little easier to catch.
After another mile or two of trekking, Nigel ordered the party to a standstill. Before long, they heard it. Steady muffled thuds pounding on the earth with each step, sending several loosened rocks to tumble and roll.
"Listen. Her footfalls are reverberating around the valley. She's up there somewhere. And an animal that weighs six tons can't walk quietly."
"Guys look."whispered the Kratt in green, something catching the corner of his eye.
"That's what she's after. There's a Triceratops corpse and she can smell that." The English naturalist pointed to the carcass of a juvenile Triceratops that floated with the river's current.
"It must've panicked and drowned during the stampede."noted Chris rather sadly.
"That explains why she's been moving along the river."said Martin. "Why hunt when you could get a free lunch?"
Nigel tensed upon hearing a disturbance not far away, the sound of pounding footfalls getting louder.
"Come on! Get on the bank."he urged, pulling his comrades just under a ridge. "She's there. I don't want her to see us."
None of them dared to make a sound or even move as a gigantic shadow loomed over them, jagged fangs glistening in the sunlight. Unaware of the humans' presence, the Tyrannosaurus rex surveyed the water from her vantage point until she spied what she was looking for. With a trumpeting roar, the huge theropod thundered downhill to intercept her prize.
"She's moving away." Chris whispered, once the coast was clear while Martin released a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
"I'm absolutely certain it's the female that was attacked by the Triceratops."the English naturalist confirmed, having seen the distinctive limp in her left leg.
She's been able to track down this free meal despite being on her own and badly injured because T-rex's have a superb sense of smell. She's in luck. The Triceratops carcass has become stuck. A series of large rocks wedged the body in place, preventing the current from dragging the body away.
This is the trio's chance to get really close to her.
The tyrannosaur stood on the riverbank, gazing hungrily at the floating carrion just beyond her reach. A fast-flowing current and a series of unstable rocks and boulders were all that stood between her and an easy meal.
Not far away, the three creature adventurers stood at the bank, observing the Rex from a safe distance.
"She must be so hungry. She's desperate for an easy meal."said Nigel.
"Even though T-rex is everyone's ultimate monster, you can't help but feel sorry for her."added Martin, his heart going out for the desperate animal.
The Englishman noted the predator's growing sense of caution. "She's a top predator. They're so top-heavy. If she went in this fast-flowing water, she'd be flipped over."
"But she's desperate for the meat."stated Chris.
Slowly, tentatively, the injured dinosaur inched her way closer to the water's edge, as if willing herself to take the plunge and claim her prize.
The injured T-rex is not the only predator drawn by the allure of a free lunch.
On the ridge over their heads, a series of squawking and chittering could be heard. "Guys look!"
Nigel and Martin looked to where Chris pointed, and there stood at least four or five smaller theropod dinosaurs overlooking the river from their vantage point. Compared to the gigantic T-rex, these minuscule predators were less than half the size and much more lightly built, with much smaller heads crowned with quills. Primitive feathers adorned their backs, giving them a more birdlike appearance. Each of the creatures' hands were tipped with three fingers ending with long claws. And on their long, powerful hind legs, the middle toes bristled with the trademark talons of their species.
Chris' eyes widened in dread. "Dromaeosaurs! More commonly known as raptors." Luckily for the men, the raptors took no notice of their presence, their eyes solely focused on the Triceratops carcass.
Nigel took a closer look at their features. "These must be Dakotaraptors. They're a newly discovered species of raptor. Among the largest of all the raptor species at over twenty feet long."
"They must've been attracted to the Triceratops carcass too."said Martin as the band rapidly closed the distance, darting past the T-rex who snapped her jaws at their approach, snarling her irritation. Unlike their tyrannosaur rival, the agile and nimble raptors had no problems in leaping over the river and navigating the rocks to reach the Triceratops carcass. In almost no time at all, the entire band were perched on the corpse, gobbling down chunks of flesh with their serrated teeth and squabbling for the choicest cuts. The injured T-rex could only look on helplessly, her jaws salivating.
Taking notice of the gigantic intruder in their midst, the Dakotaraptors hissed and shrieked their displeasure, feathers raised in aggression.
"She's backing down. It doesn't look like the raptors are in any mood to share."noted the older Kratt.
"You just feel so sorry for her."said Chris sadly.
"She's desperate to get out there, but she's got no chance."added Nigel.
In the end, caution won over the need to feed. Despite her gnawing hunger, the injured Tyrannosaurus at last conceded, her footfalls growing fainter as she moved further into the valley, leaving the raptors to feast at their leisure.
"She's given up."
The T-rex limps off, leaving the boys to figure out what to do next.
*
Back in the Park...
"Keep a camera on him." In the control room, dozens of cameras were up and running, monitoring various activities in the park from staff and creatures alike. Bob's attention, however, was solely focused on one screen in particular.
Back at Prehistoric Park, Theo the Triceratops is displaying some unusual behaviour.
In Triceratops Creek, the young ceratopsian bellowed and groaned as he pushed and shoved a single tree in his enclosure, and he showed no signs of relenting.
Bob has asked vet Suzanne to come and take a look.
"What is he doing?"asked Suzanne, shocked by this sudden change of behavior; just the day before, the normally placid herbivore was peacefully grazing on low line shrubs. Now it seemed he was taking his aggression out on the inoffensive tree, its branches swaying as the horned dinosaur repeatedly head butted the trunk.
"He's done it all morning."Bob answered. Both stood outside of the paddock as they observed the dinosaur's aggressive behavior.
"What do you think it is?"
"Haven't a clue. He just keeps charging at that tree."
Inside the enclosure, Theo charged at the offensive tree with renewed vigor. Suzanne was taken aback by the display of ferocity.
"Gosh! Oh, my goodness, look!"
Suddenly their attention was diverted by the sound of screeching tires coming to a halt. The head keeper and the vet were greeted by the rest of the Wild Kratts team who were riding the newly repaired Createrra.
"We came as soon as Koki alerted us."said Aviva as she exited the vehicle. The next words from her mouth came out in a frightened squeal as Theo rammed the tree head on. "¡Ay Dios mío!"
"What's going on?"inquired a bewildered Koki.
"Whoa! Talk about your anger management problems!"Jimmy remarked, inwardly glad to be on the opposite side of the enclosure.
The veterinarian couldn't help but be worried. "The poor thing!" Turning to the new arrivals, she asked, "Any ideas?"
As Theo turned his head, Suzanne noticed something out of the blue. Literally.
"Look at his frill! It's changed colour!"
The others soon took notice. "It's blue!"said Aviva.
"It wasn't like that before." Koki remarked.
"Maybe he's having a huge testosterone surge and he thinks that's a mate, he's going into breeding season and he's charging him."the vet hypothesized.
"There's one way to be positive."said Koki as she readied her Creaturepod. "Deploying body scan."
The irate herbivore snorted his displeasure as the technician's gadget emitted a bright light in his eyes. The results came in. "I'm definitely detecting high levels of testosterone."
"You think he needs a playmate?" Bob asked.
"I think he's beating up that tree because he thinks that's one of his friends!" Suzanne replied.
"Puberty. It gets to us all."the pilot commented.
Suddenly the head keeper chuckled, earning a puzzled look from Suzanne.
"What?"
"I've just had a very good idea."replied Bob, wearing a crafty smile.
Koki and Jimmy Z looked to Aviva who wore a pensive look on her face.
"Umm... Aviva's making that face again."said JZ nervously.
"I know that look."said Koki with a knowing smirk. "What are you planning on this time?"
This instantly made the head vet curious. "Oh no, what? Tell me."
"Wait and see."was all he answered as he walked away. He then whispered something to the inventor's ear who beamed and nodded in agreement as she followed him. Koki and Jimmy Z decided to tag along with them.
"Oh. Okay." With that, Suzanne left Bob and Aviva to their own devices while Theo continued with his assault on the tree.
A few minutes later found Bob and Aviva in the head keeper's personal workshop, the former seated at his desk while the latter was leaning against the concrete wall.
"Thanks, fella."said Bob to a workman who came to drop off much needed supplies. "Just round the side." He then promptly turned his focus back to his clipboard. Nearby Aviva was making her own calculations and blueprints on her master tablet, making adjustments here and there. Before long, Koki and Jimmy arrived with tools and supplies, the computer whizz donned in gloves and a welding mask.
Bob and Aviva have a plan. They're convinced they can tame even Theo's teenage tantrums.
*
Montana, 65 million years ago...
Meanwhile, Nigel and the Kratt Brothers have at last come up with a plan of their own.
Along one end of the riverbank, men were hard at work erecting a wall of large logs and pieces of wood to fill in the nooks and crannies. Overseeing the hustle and bustle were Nigel and Martin, the latter using the enhanced strength of his Creature Power Suit to help construction efforts, courtesy of his elephant form.
"We're trying a technique used by game capture teams for things like antelope." Nigel explained to the film crew. "The T-rex is working her way down river."
"We've got ahead of her. Chris is tracking her movements from the air."added the blue pachyderm as he erected a heavy log with his artificial trunk.
"She won't go onto uneven ground and we know that she won't go near the water. We've built this palisade of logs, and we'll funnel her towards the time portal and back to the safety of the 21st century."
Martin crossed the fingers on his trunk. "We hope."
Nigel turned to a nearby crewman. "Hi, Adam. Give us a hand."
After much hard work, the palisade was complete. Everyone was now in position, watching, waiting.
The meteorite's getting ever closer. So is the T-rex.
"Guys! T-rex incoming!"alerted Chris over the radio. "There's a stampede headed your way!" Chris' voice went static, and before long, a loud trumpeting call was heard in the distance, soon followed by the cries and bellows of panicked dinosaurs could be heard over the rim.
And a herd of various dinosaurs are running scared.
Martin instantly recognized the familiar ostrich dinosaurs in the lead as they poured into the palisade. "Ornithomimus!" And they weren't alone. Towering above the spindly ostrich dinosaurs were bulky duckbill plant eaters well over the length of a school bus. There were also three bipedal dinosaurs. Next to the gigantic Edmontosaurs, they were rather small, about the size of a car, their most distinctive feature being their rounded domed skulls lined with rows of bony knobs and tiny spikes.
Nigel was quick to identify the new dinosaurs. "There's also four Edmontosaurus! A kind of duckbill dinosaur." One of the duckbills bellowed the trumpet call heard earlier, a call so loud it resounded across the valley. "And a trio of Pachycephalosaurus! Dome-headed plant eaters."
Looming behind them was the apex predator in all her salivating, carnivorous glory. By the riverside, there was nowhere that the herd could run or hide. They were trapped.
"If we're lucky, she'll chase them through the time portal and we can have a breeding colony of Ornithomimus at Prehistoric Park."said Nigel cheerfully as he activated the time portal which came alive with its transparent wall of time and space.
"As well as a herd of duckbills and domeheads!" Martin chimed in. They quickly got into position, hiding behind their wooded fortress.
The injured Tyrannosaurus made her deadly advance; with her prey cornered, she could afford to take her time.
Trapped between the T-rex and the 21st century, they opt for the portal.
As mystified as the animals were of the strange wall, they were far more terrified of the oncoming T-rex lumbering their direction. It didn't take long for the first participants to cross the boundaries of time.
"Yeah, one, two– They are belting through!" Nigel exclaimed. "A whole phalanx of them!"
Next to him, Martin chuckled. "Bob is gonna get a real surprise."
In their haste to escape the oncoming predator, dinosaurs large and small began pushing and shoving in their mad dash to safety. It was all that the smaller animals could do to scramble out of the way of the gigantic Edmontosaurs' stamping hooves. One Ornithomimus squawked in pain as the bony head of a frightened Pachycephalosaurus knocked him over on impact.
*
Back in the Park...
From his place on the elevated platform, Bob looked on incredulously as various dinosaur species that were not T-rexes ran rampant throughout the stockade. They were safe from the clutches of the T-rex, but now they were wild with fright as they found themselves in the wooded confines of this strange lair in the middle of a strange and foreign world.
"Oh, my giddy aunt! Nigel, Nigel, what have you done?"he muttered half to himself. "Suzanne, we've got a bit of a si'uation here!"he called over his walkie talkie as he and his crew got to work in rounding up their unexpected guests to their holding pens until permanent living arrangements could be made.
*
Late Cretaceous Montana...
One Ornithomimus is slower than the rest.
Frightened and injured, the Ornithomimus tried desperately to shake the Tyrannosaurus off of his tail, darting in zigzags. But in these narrow confines, there was nowhere to run. And the gigantic predator was now closing in with open jaws. It was out of sheer desperation that the running dinosaur attempted to breach the wooden palisade, narrowly missing the snapping jaws of the rex.
But his luck was about to run out.
"Get down!"
CRASH!
The ostrich dinosaur's struggles were ended in a sickening CRUNCH! of the T-rex's mighty jaws. With her prey clenched in her maw, the mammoth predator retraced her steps back on the ashen wasteland, getting smaller and smaller in the distance.
"That was close. She took the Ornithomimus right there."said Nigel as he and Martin slowly came out of hiding.
The Kratt in blue was puzzled. "It's just a light snack for her."
The Englishman nodded. "A juvenile. Time's running out. We must follow her."
As the pair left their hiding place, they were soon joined by Chris who descended to the ground from his green Falcon Glider. If the T-rex was aware of the humans' presence, she did not acknowledge them as she continued limping away.
With its catch still uneaten, the hungry T-rex limps off back the way she came.
Nigel was puzzled by the turn of events. "I can't understand. Why doesn't she just devour the Ornithomimus?"
"Odd. Usually predators would eat where they make a kill."stated Chris.
"Unless–" Martin gasped in sudden realization as he quickly turned to his brother, "you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Chris immediately made the connection. "Oh I'm totally thinking what you're thinking, I think."
"Then we must be thinking the same thing!"
"We cannot afford to lose her."said Nigel, rather left in the dark. "I do not want to go back to Prehistoric Park empty-handed."
"Follow that Rex!"
The three adventurers followed the injured T-rex, making sure to stay downwind and to keep a safe distance away.
*
Back in the Park...
After much arduous work, the keepers at Prehistoric Park were able to wrangle the frightened animals and get them accommodated to their new home.
Back at Prehistoric Park, Bob is settling in the herd of highly-strung Ornithomimus.
Once every last Ornithomimus was accounted for and led into the enclosure, a sizable paddock surrounded by shade giving trees and carpeted by green grass, the head keeper was quick to latch the gate shut.
"They're still a bit stressed out from the capture."said Bob addressing the cameraman. "They're just walking round and round the perimeter fence. They're checking out their new home, but they'll be all right. I'm not gonna feed them till tomorrow though, just let them settle in a bit."
As the ostrich dinosaurs began to settle, Bob reached for his walkie talkie. "Aviva, Koki, how are things going with the duckbills and the boneheads?"
"They're doing just dandy."came the staticky reply from the technician. "They seem to be settling into their new home."
"I'm on my way back to the workshop!" Aviva announced.
"We'll catch up once things are one hundred percent shipshape over here."came Jimmy Z's voice, every now and again broken up by the statically crunching of potato chips on the other end.
With that job done, Bob's back to his workshop where his plan for the bad-tempered Triceratops is now in full swing.
The workshop was bustling with activity as workers scrambled to assemble to parts and pieces needed for their project. Bob oversaw progress while Aviva and Koki lent their technical expertise to help in the construction and design efforts. Needless to say, with all hands on deck, it wasn't long before the plan began to take shape.
"Tie her up. We want that one up there."instructed Bob as some crewmen strained under the weight of some heavy duty tires. "Up you go. You're doing a grand job, lads, but I need this finished this afternoon."
"We'll take things from here, Bob."said Aviva with a wink, power wrench in her hand. "You go take care of things around the park."
The head keeper smiled his gratitude as he went on to do just that.
*
Back in the Cretaceous...
The trek had led Nigel, Martin and Chris to the foothills of the high mountains. No trees grew on the dry ground, and the terrain was littered with rocks and boulders with which the men were able to hide and duck for cover to stay out of sight. Ahead of them, the female Tyrannosaurus continued to lumber on, looking neither back nor to the sides.
The trio are still tracking the T-rex. She's almost on her last legs. Moving so slowly now, the boys have had a chance to catch up. But where she's going remains a mystery. The brothers Kratt have their suspicions. Nigel is about to find out.
After what seemed like an eternity, the T-rex finally came to a stop in a wide space surrounded by small caverns and boulders. It was out of one of these caverns that the fearsome predator was greeted by two tiny scaly faces; two baby tyrannosaurs as big as a grown man. Upon the sight of their gargantuan mother with dinner, the pair came out of hiding to greet her.
Not far behind, the three zoologists smiled at the tender sight.
"We knew it!"the Kratt brothers beamed in triumph, high-fiving one another.
"It's been a long climb, but worth it."said Nigel, addressing the film crew. "There's babies there."
"She's badly injured, but the babies need food, so she's brought the Ornithomimus all the way up here."added Martin.
"This is a major find! Palaeontologists have long suspected that dinosaurs showed parental care."chimed Chris cheerfully, happy to add one more tidbit of information to his log.
"This is fantastic! We can get a whole family of T-rex back to Prehistoric Park."said Nigel, already envisioning this happy family before them in the peaceful setting of the park.
Suddenly the peaceful scene was shattered by a thundering roar.
But Nigel's optimism is short-lived.
The mother T-rex dropped the kill to confront the intruder, the only other creature in this world she truly feared.
"Another Rex. And this one's a huge male."said Chris, growing more worried by the second.
"He must've been attracted by the smell of the kill."added Martin. "Followed us all the way up here."
The two giant theropods sized each other up, filling the mountainside with their roars and bellows. The male attempted to snatch the Ornithomimus from under the female's nose, but the infuriated mother pushed his jaws away with a sideways swipe of her head.
"He really wants that carcass." Nigel observed as neither side seemed to be backing down.
The two younglings wisely scattered into the shadows, away from the male's line of sight. "The babies are hiding."whispered the Kratt in blue.
"This is bad."said Chris. "If he sees them, they could be in serious trouble."
The Englishman nodded. "I'm sure like all reptiles, T-rex can be cannibalistic."
A clash was now inevitable as the male approached the injured mother, making a lightning lunge for her. The mother rex skillfully dodged his strike before finding an opening to grab his exposed neck. The male tyrannosaur struggled wildly to break free from the female's grip. Hindered by the pain of her injury, she loosened her hold which allowed the male to escape, only to be quickly seized by his neck once again. It wasn't long before be broke free from that hold as well, turning to face his adversary.
The babies cowered in the shadows as the two giants clashed, roaring their challenge at one another before doing battle once more, shaking the earth with their titanic footfalls. The male Tyrannosaurus was able to avoid a jaw snap from the enraged mother who roared furiously. He returned the bellow before striking her unguarded flank. But this left him open for a full frontal attack from the female who grabbed his neck once again.
And this time, she had no intention of letting go.
In a desperate struggle to break free from the female's crushing death grip, the invading male slammed his full weight against his foe, smashing her skull against the surrounding rocks. The mother T-rex slumped to the ground, not moving.
With no further opposition, the male T-rex makes off with his prize, lumbering back down into the valley below. Once they were certain that the male was gone, the trio emerged from their hiding spot and cautiously made their way towards the fallen predator. The babies too had come out of hiding, standing by the unmoving form of their mother.
"Oh no."said Martin sadly. "Is she–" he couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence.
"This isn't good."murmured Chris, looking from the prostrate form of the Tyrannosaurus, her head surrounded by a pool of her own blood, to the two babies who were now completely helpless.
"I think she's fully stunned."said Nigel quietly. "I can't see any movement at all here." He reached out to touch her head when–
ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!
The trio jumped back in fright at the female Tyrannosaurus rex's defiant final burst of life, filling the mountainside with her roars. She then slumped to the ground, now completely lifeless. Nigel, Martin and Chris looked on sadly. It was too late for her. And her younglings were now orphans.
Wiping away a stray tear, Chris squinted as a blinding light flashed from the corner of his eye. He looked up, then wished he hadn't. "Houston we have a problem. The meteorite is coming!"
Hundreds of miles away, the meteorite has finally entered the Earth's atmosphere at 20,000 miles an hour.
A distant rumbling was heard and the three adventurers looked up to the sky in awe and horror as the meteorite flashed brighter than the sun. The day of reckoning had come.
The sonic boom it creates is one of the loudest noises the world has ever known.
The trio had to cover their ears to block out the devastating crashing sound as the Mount Everest-sized space rock collided with the earth, followed by a flash of blinding light.
As it strikes the Gulf of Mexico, it causes an explosion seven billion times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. It releases a blast front moving at a hundred times the speed of sound.
This devastation is just the start.
The cloud of ash will soar into the sky and molten rock will start raining down, igniting global wildfires. And as it mushrooms out, it will engulf the entire world in a blanket of darkness. All this is just three minutes away.
The boys will have to think fast.
"Has anyone got any food, anything that smells?" Nigel quickly inquired. Time was now of the essence. "We need the odour to entice the T-rex babies through the time portal."
The Kratt brothers frantically dug through their backpacks for something, anything that could remotely be of help.
"I don't have anything!"cried the younger Kratt. "Martin, you got something on your end?"
The older Kratt dug through his backpack, its contents littering the floor as he searched for anything that could be of use. "Rubber chicken? Nope. Slingshot? Nope. Boomerang? Nah. Teddy bear? That's not it. Halloween mask? Mm-mm. Ooh, chocolate bar! Hey! I was looking for that sandwich!"
"Not now, Martin!"yelled Chris, snatching the sandwich from Martin's hand.
"That's perfect! Martin! Activate the time portal! Chris! The sandwich!"
"Go long, Nigel!"hollered Chris, launching the sandwich into Nigel's waiting hands.
"Got it! I just hope we can make it."
"This has to work. We've only got a few seconds left."said Chris desperately, hands practically on his scalp as the pressure was setting in.
"The time portal's up and running!"the Kratt in blue announced. The younger creature adventurer released a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
Sandwich in hand, Nigel began to approach the baby tyrannosaurs who stood by the colossal corpse of their mother. "They should be curious about the meaty smell of the sandwich."
"Although they're more likely to see us as potential snacks and attack us."mumbled the Kratt in green less optimistically.
"Come on."urged Nigel, waving the sandwich before the curious infants, having never seen these foreign creatures before. And one of them carried some strange thing that smelled a lot like... food!
"Come with us if you want to live."said the Kratt in blue, as though they could understand a word he was saying. Chris looked at his brother incredulously.
"You've got to come."said Nigel urgently. "We've got to get you back."
"That's it, come on."coaxed the younger Kratt. "Be the first dinosaurs to try a turkey sandwich."
Enticed by the smell of potential food, hunger won over caution as the T-rex babies hungrily snapped their immature teeth before following the strange two-legged creatures.
"Yes!"exclaimed Nigel in triumph, still holding the sandwich.
"It's working!"said Chris cheerfully. Now they began to run, the end of the world literally at their heels. The young tyrannosaurs followed not too far behind.
"21st century, here we come!"yelled Martin as they all ran through the transparent wall of time.
BOOM!
A moment of silence... before two figures emerged from the time portal. The two Tyrannosaurus babies had made it to the safety of the present. From outside the stockade, the entire Prehistoric Park crew was eagerly awaiting their arrival, cheering and hollering as they all celebrated the mission's success.
"Yeah! Whoo-hoo!"
"Alright!"
"Tyrannosaurus rex is back!"
"There are only juveniles."
"Our first T-rex!"
"Creature Mission accomplished!"
Nigel and the Kratt Brothers have finally managed to rescue T-rex from extinction.
The pair were then herded into the confines of the holding pen where much needed food and nourishment was awaiting them.
The two T-rex babies are now safely in the observation pen. Suzanne is making sure they're in good health before they're taken to their permanent enclosure.
The moment a large slab of beef was dropped into the observation pen, the two famished T-rexes flung themselves upon the meat almost instantly.
"They look undernourished, but I'm pretty sure that Bob will be able to sort that out." Suzanne told the film crew. "They're eating really well."
The larger of the two, the female, was quick to assert her dominance and stood over the meat. She would get the first bite.
The vet marveled at the two babies; to think that one day, these tiny creatures would become the greatest land predators the world had ever known. Even lions and tigers would pale in comparison. "They're only little, but they're still so powerful, aren't they?" Inside the enclosure, the female youngster snarled a warning to her smaller brother, dragging the food a distance away to eat in peace.
"They're cool, aren't they?"
Prehistoric Park is now home to its first ever dinosaurs. But vet Suzanne is concerned that one of them doesn't seem happy about being here.
Sometime later, Suzanne took Nigel, Martin and Chris to Triceratops Creek to see the resident ceratopsian, Theo. Koki and Jimmy Z were also in attendance. As the humans stood safely outside of his enclosure, Theo glowered at them, snorting and pawing the ground in aggression.
"He really doesn't look very happy."said a concerned Suzanne.
"Not when he stares like that. He doesn't like us." Nigel replied.
"Gotta hand it to him, the color blue kinda suits him." Martin commented with a chuckle, earning a deadpan look from his brother. Chris' eyes then widened. "Everyone get back, he's charging!"
With a challenging roar, the adolescent Triceratops charged headlong against the wooden fence.
CRASH!
Fortunately for the shaken up humans, the wooden stakes were carefully chosen to withstand even the force of the herbivore's unbridled rage. But even so, one of the stakes was nearly split in two.
The English naturalist chuckled. "You are trying to shake us up."
"Theo's got such attitude now!" Martin remarked.
"He's taken such a dislike to you guys."said Suzanne, and the proof was in the pudding... or splintered fence that is.
"I don't think he likes you at all." Jimmy remarked as the Triceratops stared at them menacingly, frill blazing blue, horns held in readiness.
"I've seen this before."said the English naturalist. "I hand-reared a fox before and when it got mature— it was a male as well— it started biting and attacking me. He's mature and his hormones are fizzing through his body."
The vet rolled her eyes playfully. "Too much testosterone. Males are endlessly competitive. They always have to win, don't they?"
"You know it."said Koki. At this the four men present cast the pair with incredulous stares.
Suddenly there was a mechanical purring hum coming from over the hill, gradually getting louder, until a tractor pulled up around the bend. But this was no ordinary tractor; the vehicle was heavily padded with truck tires on the front and sides, along with decorative horns to resemble a Triceratops. Riding behind the wheel of this roaring behemoth was none other than Bob and Aviva.
"What in the creature world?"said a bewildered Chris. Next to him, Martin beamed a wide grin like a boy on Christmas Day. Koki and Jimmy shared knowing glances, having been involved in the project.
"Right on time." Koki murmured half to herself.
Nigel chuckled. "Bob, what have you done now?"
At last, Bob and Aviva's plan is unveiled.
The tractor came to a stop, allowing Aviva to disembark the vehicle. Nigel took a moment to admire the duo's handiwork. "Look at this contraption! Wa-hey, stop!"
"It looks like a mechanical bull." Martin remarked.
"Say hello to the Tricera-tractor!"the inventor announced proudly while Nigel was overcome with the temptation of going along for the ride.
Bob revved the engines. "Ladies, get the gates! This is man's work!"
Koki and Suzanne obliged, and once they were certain that the irate Triceratops was out of the immediate vicinity, they opened the gate wide enough for the tractor to pass. Bob drove the war machine forward. "On we go!"
"Watch out, Theo, we're coming!" Nigel shouted in excitement.
"Good luck, boys." Suzanne called out. Under her breath, she added, "You'll need it."
"¡Hermanos!" Aviva called in a singsong voice, draping her arms over the brothers' shoulders. Their eyes sparkled the minute they saw what she carried in each of her hands.
"I can't believe it!"said Martin, starstruck.
"It is." Chris confirmed.
"Triceratops Power Disks!"
"What're you waiting for?"said the inventor slyly, handing them the revolutionary new disks. The Kratt bros beamed with excitement.
Just as the technician and the veterinarian were about to close the gates to the exhibit, two flashes of blue and green darted right past them, much to their bewilderment.
"What just happened?" Suzanne asked.
Koki shrugged. "Mmhmm."
The gates were shut.
The Tricera-tractor drove further and further along the dirt path, now in the center of Theo's turf.
"Come on, Theo! Come on!" Nigel called out.
But the Triceratops was nowhere to be spotted.
"Where are you?"
They were answered by a bellowing roar as the young Triceratops charged full force, striking them from the left flank!
"Oh! He charged from over there. He charged from the bamboo!"shouted the English naturalist over Theo's incensed bellow.
All of a sudden, the Tricera-tractor took another hit from the rear.
"What the–?"
Bob and Nigel looked behind them to see Martin and Chris, both of them in Triceratops Power suits. Their Triceratops forms, blue and green respectively, were quadrupedal and modified to be the same size as Theo who had yet to achieve full size. Theo's first charge at the Tricera-tractor allowed the pair to safely activate their new power suits unnoticed.
"Et tu, Kratt Brothers?"questioned the head keeper.
The Englishman laughed. "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!" he playfully cursed. The only answer that came from the brothers was to nudge the sides of the tractor.
"This means war!"
Engines revving, Bob directed the Tricera-tractor's wrath towards Chris while Martin went toe to toe against Theo's three-horned fury, incensed about two more competitors in his territory. But unlike the creature adventurer, the dinosaur did not hold back and forcefully shoved his blue opponent aside before once again charging the Tricera-tractor.
"Uh oh!" Chris wisely stood aside as the Cretaceous powerhouse met the technological marvel in a head on collision! The green Triceratops chuckled at Nigel and Bob's shouts of misfortune before he himself was tackled by a flash of blue. "Curses!"
The ongoing jousting the tournament was being watched from a safe vantage point by the rest of the team.
"It's turned into a Mexican standoff in there!" JZ exclaimed.
"This is absolute madness."scoffed Suzanne with a chuckle.
Koki thought otherwise. "Y'know, it's not as crazy as it looks."
"The Tricera-tractor is a worthy opponent for Theo."said Aviva proudly. "It should give him something to take his aggression out on. Help him blow off some steam."
"We know a few gamekeepers who use this tactic on rhinos."added the computer whizz.
"This is like watching Medieval Times." Jimmy remarked, stuffing himself with popcorn.
The inventor beamed. "And I think it's working!"
"And what about them?" Suzanne asked, gesturing toward the Trike Brothers who were busy locking horns and tussling each other.
Aviva waved it off. "Oh they'll look for any occasion to experiment with new creature powers."
"That's the Kratt bros for ya."added Koki.
The vet playfully scoffed. "Men."
Beyond the safety of the fence, the battles raged on. The Tricera-tractor moved in reverse after sustaining yet another head on collision with Theo.
"Look at him staring us out! We're getting at him! That's why he's got breeding colours. It's his first breeding season." Nigel informed Bob as he manned the tractor.
"That's a good look on you, Theo!"they heard Martin call out. Chris took advantage of his brother's momentary distraction and shoved him back with his horns.
"He'd take on anything!" the Englishman remarked as the young Triceratops shook his frill from side to side, as if daring them to retaliate. "He's taking on us!"
"Yee-haw! Charge!"
On last charge. Bob shifted into maximum overdrive, careening towards the inevitable collision as Theo stood in readiness.
CRASH!
The force of the impact caused Bob to lurch forward on the steering wheel. Try as they might, the vehicle gave way to the herbivore's brute strength as he pushed them back a couple feet. It was at that moment that Nigel and Bob decided to cut their losses and reverse out of the enclosure.
Meanwhile, Chris and Martin were still squaring off, both standing on opposite sides of the enclosure, both
"Ho ho I'm ready!"the blue hornhead challenged. "You ready?"
"Oh yeah, I'm ready!"the green ceratopsian replied with a stomp.
"Charge!"
"Charge!"
The two combatants charged at one another at top speed. The result was a 6 ton collision course that shook the earth. Dirt and dust were flying as they clashed, horns locked as the pair pushed and shoved each other with their enhanced ceratopsian strength, neither one backing down... until a timely intervention in the form of a raging Triceratops literally butted in, scattering the brothers in his fury.
"We can't take much more!"cried Chris, conceding defeat after several brutal beatings. "Let's get outta here!
The older Kratt was in full agreement. "Let's turn on the turbo Triceratops charge. 15 miles per hour retreat!"
Having gotten the point, Martin and Chris wisely made a hasty retreat, both running back for the open gate.
"Congratulations, Theo!" Chris shouted over his shoulder.
"Catch ya later!" Martin yelped.
Theo bellowed his victory as his worthy adversaries all left the battleground. He was the dominant male of this creek, and they would do well to remember that.
*Three Hours Later...*
"That was great fun, exhausting work."said Nigel, addressing the cameraman. Sometime later found the zoologist sitting behind his desk in his personal bungalow. "Never thought I'd joust with a Triceratops! But that's what they did in the wild. Fossils, look at this," he presented some documents and papers depicting two Triceratops locked in combat. "You can see they've got injuries on the frill and on the neck. They obviously had jousting tournaments in nature. Certainly keeping our boy occupied.
"But what I've got to be careful about is he's got to win every time. We can't get too excited with him. I don't want him to injure himself 'cause he's such a magnificent specimen." That being said, he took a sip from his glass of water and looked out the window which overlooked the entire park.
"Oh, Nigel!"
The zoologist jumped at the sudden intrusion, dropping his drink out the window. He turned around to see none other than Martin and Chris at the door. "Mates! You scared me out of my skin!"she said, clutching his chest rather dramatically.
"Oops. Sorry." Martin replied sheepishly. "Guess we shoulda knocked?"
Nigel raised an eyebrow. "You think?"he retorted.
"Come with us! There's something you've gotta see!"said the Kratt in green. This was enough to peak up the naturalist's curiosity and he eagerly tagged along with the brothers.
Some Time Later...
Eaten up with uncontainable excitement, the Kratt Brothers practically dragged Nigel back to Triceratops Creek where the naturalist was in for a surprise. Awaiting their arrival was the rest of the team consisting of Aviva, Koki, Jimmy, Bob and Suzanne, plus a number of park staff.
"What on earth have you done now?" Nigel wondered. It was a feeling of deja vu to the arrival of Prehistoric Park's very first dinosaur.
"Alright guys, we got Nigel." Chris announced, earning a puzzled look from the Englishman. "You can unveil the surprise now!"
"Now Bob!"shouted Aviva.
"Alright! Let her out!"the head keeper ordered those manning the loading truck once the ramp was in place.
A familiar bellow was heard. No sooner had the doors been open when a burly figure stampeded out of the truck, eager for the taste of freedom in this strange but welcoming enclave.
Nigel's wide eyes did not deceive him; standing in the light of the sun was a young female Triceratops.
"Wow! I just can't believe it! Where did you– when did you have time?"
"Well me and Chris decided to take a short hike back to the Cretaceous, and along the way we thought that Theo could use some extra company. So we brought back a special guest." Martin explained.
The English naturalist turned to head vet Suzanne. "Don't worry; we've already done some tests. Everything looks good. She's healthy."she assured him. Health checks were ever essential before introducing a new creature into the park.
Attracted by the smell and noise of the new arrival, Theo arrived on the scene to investigate. Compared to the resident male, the newcomer was slightly smaller and her frill was not so vibrantly colored.
"Theo."the older Kratt called out from behind the bars. "Meet Frillina!"
"Frillina?"wondered Nigel incredulously, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't ask," replied Chris with a chuckle.
Remarkably, despite his tantrums and fits of bestial rage earlier in the day, Theo showed no signs of aggression towards the female. On the contrary, the 3-ton Triceratops was gentle in his approach, taking great care as not to startle her. Frillina was equally intrigued by the young male who seemed to rule this domain. The two herbivores began to sniff each other delicately.
Nigel shook his head in disbelief. "You have got to be kidding me!"he chuckled.
"Well, boys will be boys,"said Bob.
"Quite the gentleman, isn't he?" Suzanne remarked.
"Hey, what's he doing?" All eyes looked to where Jimmy Z was pointing. Inside the paddock, Theo paced before Frillina and once he had her undivided attention, the male bellowed a low, baritone roar before he lowered his horns, swinging his massive head from side to side, clockwise and counterclockwise.
On the opposite side of the enclosure, the team watched these new activities unfold with deep interest and fascination; they were witnessing something that no human eyes had ever seen before.
"Would you look at that."said Bob.
"A truly never before seen creature moment!"said an elated Chris. "He's showing off his colorful frill!"
"You're filming this, right?" Martin asked. The Kratt in green nodded, showing his Creaturepod.
"It's been theorized with horned dinosaurs that horns and frills evolved to scare away predators and discourage rivals."the English naturalist explained, remembering how the horned dinosaurs back in the prehistoric past used their vibrant frills in fighting off tyrannosaurs. "Makes them look bigger than they really are."
Jimmy was puzzled. "Doesn't seem to be showing any aggression at all."
While Theo continued to strut his stuff, groaning and snorting billows of steam from his nostrils, Frillina watched with rapt attention. Aviva studied the activities of the pair more carefully. "Guys, I think we figured out what else the frill is for,"she said after a while.
"We have?"asked the Kratt in green, briefly looking away from the dinosaurs.
"The blue coloring of the frill? The girl Triceratops like them."
"You're right!" Chris exclaimed in excitement, doing a double take. "In nature, lots of animals have certain features that show off they're healthy and strong."
"Like male moose and deer. They have big antlers to show females that they're survivors."added Martin.
"So for ceratopsians, horned dinosaurs like Triceratops," Nigel deduced, "the bigger and more brighter colored the frill, the more likely they will attract mates."
Suzanne playfully rolled her eyes. "They've got a flare for showing off it seems."
"And it looks like she's buying it."said Koki.
"So far so good." Martin remarked.
One final roar, Theo ceased in his displays and waited for the female's final verdict. With bated breath, everyone waited for the answer, fingers crossed.
Won over by the strong and handsome young male, Frillina accepted her new overlord. She sealed the deal by nuzzling his snout with hers, rumbling her affection. Needless to say, these tender actions incited cheers and rounds of applause from their modern audience. Theo nuzzled back, before shepherding his new mate to a more private area of their domain, away from the eyes of the cheering, spectating humans.
"Ay, que romántico,"cooed Aviva while Koki and Suzanne giggled.
"You go, Theo!" JZ cheered, pumping a fist.
"Awww love is in the air!"said Martin.
"Oh ho, this is great!"added Chris with a beaming smile.
Nigel shared the younger Kratt's sense of optimism. "This could be our first ever breeding pair in Prehistoric Park!"
Their work done, head-keeper Bob then decided that it was time to go, and he began to usher everyone from the paddock. "Come on you lot, let's give the lovebirds their space." He then turned to the camera crew. "That goes for you as well."
Time to give the canoodling couple their much needed privacy.
The Next Day...
The new power couple will also have new neighbors as some of the park's latest arrivals have been moved to an area just across the river.
Divided by the river that flowed through the exhibit, the area opposite side of the Triceratops enclosure was now home to the four Edmontosaurus as well as the trio of dome-headed Pachycephalosaurus.
"You sure moving these guys into the same habitat was a good idea?"asked Jimmy Z, as he, Nigel, and the Kratt Brothers observed the two radically different species coexisting in the same environment just as they would in the wild. The group stood on a wooden pier that overlooked the exhibit.
"Considering that these two species lived in the same time and place as the Triceratops, and the fact they're herbivores, I don't see why not."the Kratt in blue replied.
"And they're on their own side of the river, away from the Triceratops."added Chris.
The dinosaurs, for their part, were content to grazing and browsing on the abundance of vegetation that grew in their new safe haven, preferring frolicking over fighting.
"As promised, Martin. You get to name these ones."said Nigel, clapping a hand on Martin's shoulder.
The older Kratt beamed. "I'll call you Bonehead, Ram Ma'am, and Crash,"said Martin, addressing the trio of Pachycephalosaurus, one male and two females respectively. "The Edmontosaurus are Foghorn, Bellow, and the big male's Duckzilla."
Chris chuckled. "Duckzilla?"
Martin shrugged. "Yeah. He's a duckbill, remember?"
"He does have the face of a really big duck." JZ commented.
The newly named Duckzilla reared up on his hind legs before raising his head to the sky, and filled the park with a resounding bellow that had never been heard in over 65 million years. The other four hadrosaurs took up the call while the pachycephalosaurs squawked their protest at their gigantic neighbors.
"I think they're happy here."
Nigel's dream of having a park full of prehistoric creatures he's saved from extinction is beginning to take shape; the Ornithomimus are getting used to their new home. The Triceratops has calmed down. And the T-rex babies have been put into their new enclosure.
A green park jeep drove across the wooden bridge that led to the newly dubbed 'T-rex Hill'. Once the vehicle came to a complete stop, the passengers, made up of Nigel, Bob, Suzanne, Martin, Chris, Aviva, Koki, and Jimmy Z, disembarked to take a look at the park's latest habitat.
"¡Fantástico!"said Aviva, admiring the scenery.
"Fantastic. Well done, Bob."complimented Nigel.
"It wasn't just me, it was the lads."the head keeper replied, giving credit where credit was due.
"Now that's what I call prime real estate." JZ commented.
The Englishman chuckled. "It's overkill now, when they're tiny, but when they're big, it's a perfect enclosure."
Koki peered into the exhibit, squinting her eyes. "Umm... I don't see them." The others did likewise.
Nigel turned to Bob. "Have you seen them at all?"
The head keeper shook his head. "Not since I put them in there. They've disappeared off the face of the earth."
"There's plenty of places for them to hide."said Martin.
"That way, they're not gonna be too crowded or stressed."chimed Chris.
Just then, Nigel's eyes caught movement in the thick foliage. "Look, over there!"
All eyes looked to where the naturalist pointed. Two lithe figures erupted out of the undergrowth, running up to the clearing in full view of the spectating humans. As the two tyrannosaurs engaged in play, the team could immediately spot differences in personality as well as the youngsters' overall appearances.
"Give them some names to identify them."the vet suggested.
"I've done that." Nigel replied.
"Okay, what?" Aviva inquired.
"Matilda for the big female."he replied, pointing to the female T-rex. "She's much bigger and stockier. Then Terence, he's a bit puny, for the younger male. What do you guys think?"
Bob nodded his agreement. "Terence and Matilda. Very nice, Nigel."
Martin shrugged. "Not so bad."
"It's kinda cute really, I guess."said Suzanne.
The English naturalist chuckled. "Tell you what, they're not going to stay cute for long."
"Nigel's right." Martin confirmed. "The T-rex will double their body weight every year until they reach full size."
"By then, Terence and Matilda will become the most ferocious killing machines for 65 million years!"exclaimed Chris.
The rest of the team exchanged nervous glances.
Let's hope Prehistoric Park knows what it's letting itself in for.
Sunset over Prehistoric Park. Nigel sat at the edge of a cliff side overlooking the valley where the park sat in the very center. He breathed the fresh evening air, savoring the peace and tranquillity, watching the South African sunset, perhaps some of the most beautiful in the world, and listening to the calls of various birds chirping and warbling their final songs of the day.
"Hey, Nigel!"
The naturalist turned to look over his shoulder and smiled as none other than Martin and Chris came to join him, the younger Kratt seating himself at Nigel's right side while the older brother sat at his left.
A moment of tranquil silence.
Martin was the first to break the silent spell. "A penny for your thoughts?"
Nigel didn't answer immediately, but looked to the sunset, content to be in the company of some of the most remarkable people he had ever met. Luckily the Kratt in blue didn't press the matter.
"It never gets old, huh?"said Chris, heaving a blissful sigh.
"Nope." Martin replied.
"Lovely sight." Nigel agreed.
"It kinda makes you wanna–"
"Break into song?"
A moment of silence... before all three fell into uproarious laughter.
"Maybe next time, bro."teased the Kratt in green, heaving a sigh.
"To answer your question, Martin, I was thinking about the park, where it all started." Nigel finally answered. Looking back over the valley, his face took on a faraway expression. "Before all of this, Prehistoric Park was only possible in the realm of fantasy. To create the ultimate wildlife sanctuary filled to the brim with creatures from another time. There are just so many amazing animals time had left behind."
Chris nodded in understanding. "Over 99.9% of all creatures that have ever lived on this planet are now extinct."
Martin heaved a heavy sigh, sadly looking off to the horizon. "And most of the time, we're left to wonder what it would've been like to see them in real life."
The passionate zoologist went on, "To bring them back, to defy extinction. That, I believe, is every zoologist's dream."
"That was the same reason Aviva invented the Time Trampoline a couple of years back,"the Kratt in green added, smiling at the memory.
"And now we've got the Time Portal sticks! Aviva's latest and greatest in time travel!" Martin beamed. "And we can go even further back in time!"
Nigel smiled. "And now here we are, doing the impossible!"
"Alright!"cheered Chris.
"Teamwork makes the dream work!"said Martin as they all exchanged high fives.
"What creatures will we be rescuing next?"the Kratt in green wondered. The trio pondered about it for a while. Just then, a distant trumpeting call resounded from the valley below. On the golden grasslands, a small herd of elephants were being led by their keepers to their nightly enclosure to retire as the day drew to a close.
The trio exchanged knowing glances, the same thing on all of their minds.
"So..." Martin began, "when do leave?"
"Make sure you pack your warm stuff!"chimed Chris. "I can't wait to ride my snowmobile!"
"And hot chocolate!"added Martin.
"We're going to the Pleistocene!"they cheered in unison.
Nigel smiled as he shook his head at his companions' eagerness and enthusiasm. These two were contagious. "Don't worry; I'll make the proper arrangements as soon as I can."he assured them.
"Oho, this is gonna be great."said Chris.
"Creature power bump?"inquired the older Kratt with an outstretched fist, waiting expectantly for the other two. The naturalist and the Kratt in green smiled.
"Creature power bump!"
"To many more prehistoric creature missions!"exclaimed Chris as he and Nigel brought bumped their right fists into Martin's.
"To many more!"they all shouted.
Next time, Nigel, Chris, and Martin set their sights on a mammoth from the lce Age. But they're going to have to overcome the cold climate and a hostile reception. Managing the prehistoric creatures the trio bring back will not be as easy as they first thought.
* I'm back! Sorry it took me so long, work's been busy as ever, since the world is recovering from a pandemic. It has also taken quite some time writing out new scenes not seen in the series. It's a crossover, so it's a given. (Credit to Nitro zeus for suggesting a second Triceratops...) Any ideas and suggestions are welcome, although I'm gonna need to think about fan rescues for a while...
I've also taken the liberties of adding additional species of the Hell Creek formation: Dakotaraptor, Edmontosaurus, and Pachycephalosaurus, all of which shared the Cretaceous landscape with T-rex. (I'll upload some artwork here on my Wattpad gallery very soon to show what they look like...)
It might take me a while to start Episode II, A Mammoth Undertaking, (given life and my other stories...) but rest assured I'll get started as soon as possible. (I'm personally quite fond of that one..) Until then, keep on creature adventuring!