Chapter 7: The Lost Ruins and a New Friend

The morning sun filtered through the broken windows of the research facility, casting a soft golden glow over Cody and Gwen as they lay together in their makeshift bed. Gwen stirred first, feeling the warmth of Cody's arm loosely draped over her waist. A small smile crept onto her lips as she watched him sleep, his face peaceful for once.

Cody shifted slightly, his eyes fluttering open to meet hers. "Morning," he murmured, a lazy smile forming.

"Morning," Gwen replied softly. She hesitated for a moment before reaching up and running a hand through his messy hair.

Cody chuckled. "You know, I could get used to waking up like this."

Gwen smirked. "Yeah? Well, don't get too comfortable. We've got exploring to do today."

Reluctantly, they pulled themselves out of bed and had a quick breakfast before preparing to venture deeper into the jungle. With makeshift backpacks slung over their shoulders, they set out, hoping to gather more information about the island and the research that had once been conducted here.

The jungle grew denser as they walked, the towering trees casting long shadows over the undergrowth. Vines and thick ferns made it difficult to see far ahead, but Cody and Gwen pressed on, pushing aside branches as they followed a barely visible path.

After about an hour of hiking, they stumbled upon something unexpected—a massive stone structure, partially buried under layers of moss and vegetation. Its cracked walls were covered in strange markings, some faded with time, others still visible beneath the overgrowth.

"Whoa," Cody breathed. "What is this place?"

Gwen ran her fingers over the carvings, tracing the symbols with curiosity. "It looks ancient… but it doesn't match anything I've seen before. What were the scientists looking for here?"

Cody frowned. "Maybe they were trying to uncover something… something they shouldn't have."

A shiver ran down Gwen's spine at the thought. "Yeah… and we all know how that turned out."

They continued exploring, stepping carefully over crumbling stone and fallen debris. As they turned a corner into what seemed to be the main chamber of the ruins, a sudden, low growl echoed through the space.

Both of them froze.

Slowly, they turned toward the source of the sound, their hearts pounding. Emerging from behind a pile of broken stone was a young dinosaur—an Allosaurus, no bigger than a horse, its scaly body covered in scrapes and dried blood.

Cody instinctively stepped in front of Gwen, his mind racing. "An Allosaurus… but it's just a juvenile."

Gwen's eyes widened as she took in the sight of the injured creature. Unlike the full-grown Allosaurus they had encountered before, this one looked weak and vulnerable. It let out another growl, not of aggression, but of pain.

"It's hurt," Gwen whispered, her concern outweighing her fear.

Cody hesitated. Every instinct told him to be cautious, but something about the young predator tugged at his heart. "This one's different," he murmured. "It's alone… and it looks like it's been through a fight."

Gwen crouched slightly, observing the Allosaurus closely. "Do you think it got separated from its pack?"

"Maybe," Cody said. "Or… it was abandoned."

The thought made Gwen's heart ache. She knew how harsh nature could be, but seeing the young dinosaur in such a vulnerable state made it impossible to ignore.

"What do we do?" she asked, turning to Cody.

Cody exhaled. "We can't leave it here. If we don't help, it won't last long on its own."

Gwen nodded. "Then we take it back to the facility."

The walk back was slow. The young Allosaurus was too weak to resist as Cody and Gwen guided it through the jungle, but it still kept a wary eye on them. Gwen carried a water canteen, offering it small sips while Cody made sure they kept a safe pace.

As they neared the research facility, Gwen glanced at Cody. "We can't just keep calling it 'the Allosaurus.' It needs a name."

Cody thought for a moment, then smirked. "Big Al."

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Big Al?"

Cody nodded. "After the famous Allosaurus from that documentary. It just fits."

Gwen looked down at their new companion and smiled. "Big Al it is, then."

As they stepped through the facility's gates, they both knew one thing for certain—life on the island had just become a lot more interesting.

Side Note: I know the previous Allosaurus in a past chapter is the JPOG Design, which it still is, but Big Al in this story is the JWE Design.