The female Doly watched as the strange creature drifted on the coast above them, wondering what exactly it was doing. She'd seen small creatures riding on it from time to time, occasionally jumping off to go after choice groups of fish. She'd only seen one of the big ones catching fish, though, and that one had looked different from this one. Maybe the small creatures brought it some food in exchange for using it as a resting place? At least one Pteranodon was using the floating creature as a resting spot, so maybe the funny creatures did as well.

Sudden movement caused the polycotylid to veer to the right - a horde of Xiphactinus had arrived, all looking for food to feast upon. She'd remembered seeing one choke itself on a Gillicus after it overshot a charge at another of her kind.

Nearby, she watched as her mother rammed into one of the giant fish, causing it to swim away in defeat, whilst her brother tricked another into slammig into a third. If the sea reptile could've laughed, then she would have done so at the sight before her.

Nearby, a serpentine shape breezed past her, eyes focused on an Enchodus. She recognized it as a Platecarpus, the same one she'd seen in her childhood home, feasting upon ammonites. Here, it was joined by larger members of its kind, such as Clidastes, yet both were still outclassed by tylosaurs, whose only real enemeis were giant alligators.

Soon, though, other shapes began to make their way toward the fish swarm - creatures with bodies like turtles, but with necks as long as a sauropod's, ending in a small, fish eating head. These were elasmosaurs, the largest of the plesiosaurs. These ones were a familiar species - Styxosaurus, which often came here to feast upon the migrating fish. Their more famous relatives could be found deeper in the seas, looking for fish to devour. Out here, though, these creatures had to watch out for tylosaurs.

Suddenly, she saw a great glowing light appear some distance in front of her, causing a group of Xiphactinus to vanish, along with several birds and fish that they had been chasing. A moment later, it vanished, taking the fish and avians with it.

The female could only stare on in puzzlement. What did that light do?

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Listener watched as the new creatures were sorted into holding pens, wondering why the humans did this. Were they food to be eaten later? If not, then what?

As no answers were available to her, though, she reluctantly turned her attention back to her tribe's new settlement.

The area allocated to them was not small by any means. It had plenty of edible plants, animals to hunt, and environments to explore. Unfortunately, the park ahd not managed to arrange for anyone to show them some of these resources, only providing htem with knowledge of the nearest source of water, where they could also catch fish. Other meats were provided to them as food, but there was only so long they could accept those before they inevitably grew bored. They were hunters! They needed to hunt!

A rustling sound from a nearby bush turned listener's attention toward a set of bushes. There, much to her shock, was a human. He and his mate had their eyes toward the ground, looking at something. A moment later, they turned their eyes upward, locking eyes with Listener. For a moment, none of the three reacted. Then, the male human gestured for Listener to come over to them. Listener briefly though about this, then let out a hiss. Her mate, Stego, let out a reply, and swiftly took up her post as sentry. Two other resting hunters had heard her call, and now stood on standby, in case Stego needed to be relieved.

Now assured that her leaving would have no ill consequences, Listener approached the humans, spear in hand. When she was close enough, she turned her attention toward the ground. There, on a bare patch of earth, was a strange footprint, one that resembled a pair of seeds - unknown to Listener, these were the footprints of an artiodactyl - an even toed ungulate. And while Listener could not know what exactly what this creature looked like, the fact that the humans were carrying spears told her the only thing she needed to know about this creature - it was prey.

And from how they were gesturing toward her, it seemed they wanted to take her on a hunt with them.

….Well, that was not something she was going to refuse.

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At the hills that made up Mammoth Mount, Martha watched on as the park's Columbian Mammoth and American Mastodon herds marched around their new home, searching for food. The mastodon, in particular, were busy glutting themselves on some osage-orange, one of their favorite treats. Indeed, the plant had evolved in tandem with many Pleistocene megafauna, and had found itself suffering dispersal issues when those creatures vanished, at least until European cattle and horses had shown up to pick up the evolutionary slack. A small group of these plants had somehow ended up on this island (which Tristan assumed was because of a natural time portal, not that he'd told anyone), and now that their primary dispersal agents had returned, the giant mulberries were likely to flourish again.

Right now, Martha was busy giving a warning glare at a nearby bull Columbian Mammoth. This one was rather young, but he was already slightly larger than an elephant, making him even bigger than Martha. More surprising, however, was his ears - they were huge, even for a Columbian Mammoth! Thus, it had been rather unsurprising that the staff had named him Dumbo.

Unknown to Martha, he had just reached sexual maturity, and while he still had some growing to do, this would be the first year he would be eligible for mating. And while Martha may not be attractive to him, the park's elephant herds might, so that was why she was staring him down - she would not let him harm her adoptive sisters trying to get a mate.

So focused on this mammoth was Martha that she failed to notice Listener and her companions pass by the herd. Listener briefly examined the elephant calf, only for one of its aunt's to bellow at her, causing the intelligent Ornitholestes to back off - best not to try and take on such a target when it had lots of family to protect it.

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"So, we got all of the Xiphactinus?" questioned Tai.

"Yep!" beemed Vera. "Now let's rescued the rest of the animals here!"

"Not yet," replied Sean. "If we do that now, we might not be able to rescue any big mosasaurs.

"...Fine. But if I get eaten by a Tylosaurus, you are paying for my funeral expenses!"

Sean shivered at that remark - Vera's family would almost certainly hold him to that if she died.

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Unknown to the team, a pod of Tylosaurs was indeed headed their way, having been tracking a group of sea turtles whose path put them on a collision course with the Mariner. These weren't the only predators headed for the team, though - sharks were also on the prowl.

And unknown to anyone in these seas, something else was headed toward the boat - a group reptiles who would not look out of place in the modern Florida Keys, disregarding their size. These hunters had first seen the team when they had rescued the tyrannosaurs, hadrosaurs, and nodosaurs, and now...they wanted a taste of the new creatures.

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AN: Read and Review! This is Flameal15k, signing off!