《The Roaring Falls Chronicles [Dinosaur, Survival, Kingdom-Building]》


 Chapter 1: The Weather Channel

    Jack Wilson gazed down at his phone screen and grimaced. This was the fifth polite job rejection he had received in the past month. He supposed that it was better than the eight companies that had just ghosted him. And far better than the one jackass who had laughed in his face when he had submitted his resume at the job fair. The dark memory made him frown and he closed the email before flipping through his missed messages.


    He had two other jobs he was still waiting to hear back from, and another interview early Monday morning. So he was far from out of options, but that fact did little to take the sting out of the constant rejections.


    He quickly scanned the message from Gordon asking if he could come over to Jack''s place and crash for a few hours. Jack sent the same response he always did, a simple ¡°sure¡± before swapping to Mavis¡¯s number and informing her of the bad news. She sent back a frown emoji less than three seconds later.


    The hint of a smile pulled at his lips. His friend was hopelessly addicted to her phone. The mousy brunette had been the butt of many jokes for never being able to look away from a screen, but despite that Mavis was one of his most reliable friends. Always a text away and with more random knowledge at her fingertips than him and Gordon combined. She was also his housemate. Calling her his roommate had always seemed to imply the two were in a relationship, and while Jack didn''t hate the idea Mavis had made it clear that Jack was not her type. She enjoyed his friendship, but his interest in sports and the great outdoors would make her eyes glaze over just as fast as her interest in anime and physics textbooks would put him to sleep. Still, they had been friends for as long as either of them could remember, and he couldn''t ask for a better housemate.


    He stepped into the convenience store across the street from his apartment and gave a lazy wave to the gas station employee who looked back at him with dead eyes. Jack had long stopped caring about the man''s attitude toward work, and quickly went about his business grabbing a six-pack of cheap beer and a large bag of Mavis¡¯s favorite chips. He stood in the line for a few minutes and zoned out.


    The faint jingle of the gas station music and the smell of whatever harsh chemical they used to clean the floors dulled his senses. He wished with all his being he could just walk into the woods and run up the mountain trails outside of town, ignoring the modern world with its tax laws and rising gas prices, and just live off the land. He visualized the view from the top of Pikes Peak in Colorado, which he had climbed the year before and was now captured in a frame on his wall. He ached for the clean air and the sense of freedom he had felt. All too soon he was pulled out of the daydream as the line came to a close. He paid for the beer and chips and started his walk home.


    Ten minutes later he pushed his way through the front door of the apartment to find Mavis and Gordon sitting on opposite sides of the couch facing the TV. The local news was discussing the latest in a long line of political scandals that had been exposed, but neither of his friends seemed to be invested in listening. They both turned their heads to wave at Jack as he tossed the bag of chips to Gordon and went to put the beer in the fridge.


    Mavis yelled a friendly grunt that loosely translated into ¡°hello¡±, and Gordon gave a tired wave before opening the chips.


    Mavis was dressed in clean jeans and a simple white t-shirt with her company logo on the back. She had gotten a haircut recently to keep it short for the summer. Her wavy brown hair was only a few inches longer than Jack¡¯s own. Her skin was so pale that she almost looked like a ghost when standing beside Jack¡¯s tanned frame, and he made a note to try and get her outside for a walk over the weekend. Her icy blue eyes were locked on her phone, and was sitting on her feet with the type of flexibility that Jack hadn¡¯t possessed since middle school. His eyes glanced at the TV before landing on Gordon.


    Gordon looked awful. He has lost several pounds over the past three months and had deep bags under his eyes. His regularly tan skin and bright green eyes had been replaced with the pale existence of sleep deprivation. A bone-weary exhaustion was plain to see in his face and his long black hair had grown out to his shoulders and it looked like he hadn''t had time to shower or shave in at least three days. He and his wife were quite surprised when she had given birth to twins. And they regretted not checking the gender of the child. Their expected single large baby had turned into two premature babies and the financial stress and lack of sleep were driving the first-time parents slowly mad with stress. Jack passed him a glass of water as he joined his friends on the couch.


    ¡°You want to crash?¡± Jack asked, worrying for his friend.


    ¡°I probably should. I won''t get much sleep tonight.¡± Gordon responded robotically.


    Mavis failed to hide a smile as she stole the bag of chips.


    ¡°Here, give me your phone. I''ll let your old lady know you are stealing a nap if she calls.¡± Her thin fingers grabbed his phone before Gordon could finish his slow blink. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Gordon just shook his head and slowly stood up. He finished the water in one long sip and walked through the kitchen to Jack¡¯s room, placing the glass down and closing the door behind him.


    ¡°And grab a shower once you wake up!¡± Jack called over his shoulder.


    ¡°You can borrow one of my shirts if you need to.¡±


    Jack heard a deep grunt followed by faint snores through the door only moments later.


    ¡°And that''s why I don''t want kids.¡± Mavis said, turning her attention back to Jack.


    He shrugged. He thought the babies were cute, and didn''t mind the few times he had babysat for Gordon and his wife Ellie, but he could understand that it wasn''t all sunshine and rainbows. The twins had giggled at him when he gave them his fingers to hold, and they had slept almost the entire time he watched them. He had enjoyed watching them, but he did not envy the diaper changing, feeding, or crying that he knew his friend had to deal with.


    ¡°He may be exhausted, but outside of his job I think he is happy.¡±


    Mavis just shook her head. Her experience with babysitting could have been a comedy skit. The twins had been ruthless to her, and she had left that night firmly opposed to ever having children of her own. A fact that Gordon had laughed at her endlessly for, as she had been nearly as excited as he was for the baby to be born.


    They fell into a friendly silence, mindlessly watching one news anchor try to downplay the governor''s involvement in the money laundering and bribery he was being accused of. Neither of the pair had anything of substance to say about the situation, so Jack let his mind wander. Mavis was on her phone, looking at memes or playing a game. They sat before their TV for a few minutes before Mavis finally finished whatever she was doing and looked over at him. Her piercing blue eyes seemed almost predatory as she scanned him.


    ¡°Want to talk about the job stuff?¡± Her voice was soft and careful.


    Jack shrugged. Pushing the discomfort he felt in his chest down. ¡°What''s there to talk about? I have another interview on Monday.¡±


    She seemed to ponder his words. And the silence stretched out just long enough that he was hopeful that she would drop it.


    ¡°I could ask my dad if he has any...¡± She started to say but Jack cut her off with a shake of his head.


    ¡°Thank you. But I''m okay. I. .¡± He trailed off. He knew he was being stubborn. If he asked Mavis¡¯s father he could have a position by the end of the week. But he wouldn''t have earned it. It would be a position given out of pity because he happened to be friends with the socially awkward Mavis for most of their lives. He would be a glorified mascot at best and an actual janitor at worst. It didn''t help that Jack did not like Mavis''s father, and this job would put Jack very firmly in the man''s debt.


    Mavis nodded, having expected his answer. But she also knew that he was getting desperate and it was clear she only wanted to help. The silence that fell between them was strained. When the news flipped over to a commercial break Jack broke it.


    ¡°How about you? Any news?¡±


    Mavis had checked her phone again. But she put it down to look him in the eyes again. She shook her head slightly.


    ¡°The strike is still going on. So none of my team''s projects have been greenlit. We are basically just twiddling our thumbs until something changes.¡± She sighed. ¡°I''m honestly so bored at work I''ve been considering quitting and trying to start my own projects. But. .¡± She gestured at the TV. Jack understood, the economy was in shambles and the two of them barely pulled in enough each month to pay rent. If she quit her job they wouldn''t make it to the end of the year.


    Jack stood up and grabbed two of the slightly cool beer cans from the fridge. He spent a minute cleaning the three dishes in the sink before returning to the couch and passing Mavis a beer.


    The two of them sat for a few minutes, just watching the TV and trying to feel some of the relaxation that the weekend should have brought.


    Jack started paying attention to the news once again when the weather report came on. He put down his beer and took note of the forecast. He smiled, the weather was set to be nice for the mornings with scattered showers in the afternoon. About as good a forecast as one could ask for in Colorado. He started running through a list of the best hiking locations he could reach from the bus stop. He didn''t have the money to spend on gas to get to the more remote trails, and he refused to borrow Mavis¡¯s car without paying for the gas, even if she would never ask.


    He was shaken out of his musings when Mavis nudged him. He realized she had said his name a few times but he had missed it. He gave her a confused look and she gestured at the TV.


    The weatherman had turned noticeably pale and was holding his hand to his ear as more information came to him. The weather forecast had changed to show dark clouds covering the entire screen in a massive cloud. Jack blinked as he stared at the screen. The news bar scrolled across the bottom of the screen and read in all bold red letters, Asteroid Impacts Northern Russia, Shockwave Felt In Paris, Cloud of Debris Projected to Cover the World.


    Jack felt numb. He looked at Mavis and asked the only thing that came to his mind. ¡°What?¡±


    Mavis already had her phone out, her hand shaking as she found her father''s contact and hit call. The phone beeped an out-of-service alert and her face screwed up in fear as she started to spiral.


    ¡°It''s going to be ok¡± Jack was reaching for her when his body went rigid. A faint blue glow wrapped around both him and Mavis, locking them both in place. None of his muscles would move and he couldn''t speak or blink or even swallow. The sensation grew immediately uncomfortable and he started to internally panic.


    He noticed a small bug resting on Mavis¡¯s sleeve that seemed to be the source of the blue glow. It was no larger than a pinhead, and he never would have noticed it if it hadn''t started glowing. Mavis could see a similar one on his knee. The discomfort lasted only a few heartbeats before his vision went black.

 Chapter 2: A Long Time Ago, Not Very Far Away

    Two alien beings sat across from each other in a conference room aboard a space station orbiting Earth. Each one was looking at a tablet that showed detailed data of a vibrant world covered in water.


    Both aliens were bipedal, with two arms and two legs. One had a tail and serpentine scales covering his body, the other had a thick coat of fur and two sets of eyes.


    Neither spoke for some time. But eventually one of them let out a long hiss that was his species equivalent of a sigh.


    ¡°Our proposal was denied.¡±


    The second alien grunted. Putting the tablet down in disgust. But did not speak.


    The first alien narrowed his eyes at his friend. ¡°You know we cannot break the laws. Even for this. If we nudge an asteroid to save this planet we open the door for others to start stealing them. The mining coalitions will start a thousand wars by nudging asteroids into their own territories. It will cost trillions of lives.¡±


    The second alien snarled. Cutting off the explanation he knew was coming. He had already known that their leaders would deny their request to save this world. But he had still kindled a spark of hope that things could be different.


    An alert on the tablet caused another snarl and the four-eyed alien marched back to his seat.


    ¡°More fucking poachers.¡± He growled as he glared at the screen.


    The scaled alien did not have lips capable of frowning, but he shared his friends'' love for the creatures of this world, and his hatred of the poachers who had plagued this planet and their research facility for years.


    ¡°We can still save some of them. The nature preserve in the Omel system is nearly empty. We could set up the retrieval units to capture as many breeding populations as they are able to and deposit them on the preserve.¡±


    They both checked their tablets. Checking the math of how many species the preserve could support. How many years it would take to get the plan in place. The sheer size of the undertaking was incredible, but it was doable. In theory.


    ¡°The asteroid is not calculated to destroy this world for several million years. If we start now we can preserve their species indefinitely. Even if we have to start from such a small starting population.¡± Stolen novel; please report.


    The four-eyed alien clenched his fists.


    ¡°But I want a one-way exclusion field set up with the planet''s core as its power source. I will be damned if I let any more of these creatures be taken for some noble¡¯s zoo.¡±


    The scaled alien grinned as he placed a hand on his friend''s shoulder.


    ¡°I agree completely. This will be a worthy cause my friend. Let us get to work.


    =================


    Years later the artificial intelligence started the work its masters had created it for. It monitored the planet for species that were starting to go extinct for one reason or another, and when that species reached a calculated point of no return it would trap a portion of the population that was deemed suitable for repopulation in a stasis field, and transport them off planet. Each year it would replicate a few more drones to improve its ability to grab larger populations and observe the environment. When the asteroid finally hit, it did its duty gathering up all of the creatures it could and sending them to safety. But then it noticed an error. Life did not end on this planet when the asteroid struck. It continued. And thus, so did the AI. The error was logged, but the station that once housed its creators had long since been abandoned. And the error was ignored. Eventually, time dictated that the AI''s duty would be fulfilled. When a second asteroid hit the planet, the ancient machine sent its final harvest to the preserve along with a full log of its duties and actions. It watched the planet to ensure that its mission was truly complete. And when the last living thing on Earth breathed its last, it finally turned off.


    =================


    Urgent Alert! Sentient Creature Detected on Nature Preserve X 500,000,000


    Five hundred million urgent alerts greeted the Olma System Research and Observation Team Manager, Kryxess, as she awoke from an all too short sleep cycle. She blinked at the screen, her beak going numb as she started to read the alerts. This was not the first time sentient creatures had broken into the Olma Preserve exclusion field that had been created by the original terraformars and creators of the preserve. Each time the would-be poachers arrived on the planet in an attempt to steal samples of the local wildlife, they had been swatted out of orbit by the defense system when their half-baked countermeasures inevitably failed. The exclusion field had been studied by Kyxess¡¯s people for half of their recorded history, and they had never come anywhere close to uncovering its secrets.


    These attempts would happen once every hundred years or so, or every time a new advancement in wormhole technology was discovered and someone inevitably would attempt to bypass the planet''s defenses. But these poaching parties would usually contain somewhere between ten to one hundred sentient creatures and a single ship. For the close to 400 Million years of data the original research station had access to, there had never been more than three hundred sentient creatures on the surface at one time. To suddenly have two mid-sized planets worth of population appear on the planet overnight was either an error, or a disaster in the making. And for the first time in her life, Kryxess was not thrilled to be in charge. She closed her eyes, fell back on her training, and called her boss.

 Chapter 3: The Bad News

    Jack slowly opened his eyes. His vision was fuzzy and his head felt like it was full of fog. He brought his hand up to rub the sleep from his eyes but suddenly felt his arms go stiff. His mind cleared as he remembered the strange blue glow and his body locking down. He could feel his heart start to beat faster as he tried to blink the sleep from his eyes. He quickly noticed that he could move, breathe, flex, blink, and swallow, but he couldn¡¯t move his arms or legs more than an inch or two in any direction.


    His vision was filled with bright blue light. He was in some sort of ball, but the light coated his entire body like a thin film. He flexed and struggled, trying to escape this strange claustrophobic prison, but it was very clear that he was completely trapped. Panic started to build in his chest until a creature flickered into existence before him. It looked like a hologram from an old sci-fi movie, made from the same blue light that had ensnared him and was semi-transparent.


    The creature looked like a mix between a blackbird and a human. It was wearing what looked like a bluish-gray lab coat that covered much of its torso and legs. Its feet were the scaled feet of a bird, but each of the long sharp talons was clearly painted with pink nail polish. Its hands were similar to a human''s; with four fingers and a thumb, but its nails were longer, and black feathers grew out of its forearms. The creature had the beaked face and beady eyes of a bird, with several clearly painted feathers displayed on the top of its head. It looked to be about five feet tall, and despite the avian features Jack was sure that there was no way this creature could fly on its own.


    The alien made a series of hesitant cawing and clicking noises, and then a robotic voice spoke in English.


    ¡°Hello. I am called Kyrxess, I am the Olma System Research and Observation Team Manager.¡± The voice was feminine and high pitched. With an aggressively neutral accent that Jack was sure came from whatever technology the bird women were using to translate.


    Jack started to ask what was going on, but Kyrxess spoke over him.


    ¡°I know you must have many questions. I am currently speaking to one hundred million of your species all at once. This is a recorded hologram message to help give you a basic briefing of the current situation.¡± The bird woman seemed to deflate a bit, and she looked down, unable to meet the eyes of humanity as she delivered the news.


    ¡°Your world, Sol Three, or Earth, in your language, has been wiped clean of life. An asteroid measuring close to three hundred miles wide crashed into your northern polar ice cap. The resulting explosion caused global tidal waves, and a cloud of debris to cover the sky and plunged the world into an unending winter. The plants died, the oceans starved, and approximately thirty years after the impact the eternal winter led to the deaths of the last living creatures on the planet.¡± She spoke with a hoarse voice, and the caws and clicks that Jack heard sounded mournful.


    Jack was shocked. He felt his heart go quiet as the gravity of her words started to sink in. The world had died. An asteroid had crashed into it and wiped out all life. Was this the afterlife then? This certainly didn¡¯t match any of the versions of heaven his grandmother had told him about. And he very much felt alive. His attention returned to Kyrxess as she moved. She had stopped speaking, apparently giving humanity a moment of silence to process her words.


    ¡°While your world is gone, you are not. Millions of years ago, one of the greatest empires the galaxy has ever seen found your planet, and the people fell in love with it. This coalition of species found evidence that the world was going to be destroyed by an asteroid impact, and despite their will to save the species of your world, they were unable to prevent the asteroid from colliding with the world and wiping out all life. Rather than give up, the scientists tasked with studying your planet designed a nature preserve where they could take the species that were at risk of extinction and give them a new home that was protected from both super destruction events, such as asteroids and poaching from other galactic powers. They created an artificial intelligence and an army of replicator drones to observe the planet long after its creators'' deaths and preserve each species for the future. The problem is, when the asteroid eventually hit Earth, life did not end as was predicted. Instead, life bounced back, and a new era of evolution took place. But by this point, the Old Empire had fallen as well. The galaxy was plunged into war and there was no one to take notice of the AI still running on Earth. So it was ignored, and by the time that this region of the galaxy was peaceful again, there was no one with the knowledge to open the error reports let alone do anything about it. Our organization has only been studying this region of space for the past three thousand years and we still fail to understand the technology used to create this place.¡± She shook her head. And another clicking sound from behind her went untranslated. She clicked her tongue, seemingly in annoyance, before speaking again.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°That brings us to your current situation. You, along with five hundred million other humans, have been brought to this nature preserve by the AI. You have been in stasis here for five sun rotations while we have been trying to extract you from the exclusion field that protects this planet. When the Old Empire terraformed this planet, known as Olma Four, or Kittis, they attached an experimental exclusion field powered by the planet''s core to prevent poachers from raiding the nature preserve. This technology was cutting edge in their time, and despite hundreds of years of study, we are no closer to breaking through it. Nothing that enters the planet can leave.¡± She looked down again, not meeting Jack¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°The stasis chambers are designed to hold up to five hundred million creatures to be repopulated on the planet as populations fail or need to be readjusted by the preserve AI. Sentient creatures were never supposed to be a part of this system. We have managed to stop the distribution of your species onto the planet while we attempt to come up with a way to evacuate you, but the AI has started to read our attempts at interference as an error and is preparing to purge its stasis fields and reboot. If it does this, every person trapped in stasis will be killed. The only way we have found to prevent this is to allow one-fifth of the total remaining human population to be released from stasis on the planet. You have been selected to be a part of this group.¡± Kyrexx looked back into Jack¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I am sorry. If there were another way, I would choose it. But this is the best out of a handful of bad options. Please pay attention to what I am about to tell you, as your lives may depend on it.¡±


    She paused for a moment to let people handle their emotions. Jack was sure that millions of people would be panicking or breaking down. But ever since the strange alien had told him that the world was gone, his entire focus had been on her. His emotions kept calm.


    ¡°The world you will be entering is not like the one you came from. The ecosystem has been maintained by a planetary AI called The Groundskeeper for millions of years to keep the original inhabitants of your planet in healthy population numbers. You will likely be deposited in vast plains of grass or dense jungles, and you will find the world is full of large and dangerous predators. The planet Kittis is several times larger than your old world, with much more land mass rather than ocean. We do not have any way to control where you will be populated on the planet, but we do know you will be placed in groups of around two hundred individuals based on the geographical location you were taken from. We have prepared a device to assist you in surviving. This device will appear in the hands of your leaders once they are chosen. They will help you bond with the animals, identify what foods and plants are harmful to your bodies, allow you to scan the local terrain for resources, and to help you understand the topography. However, each of these devices has limited power that will need to recharge slowly after each use. So use them wisely. For most things, a single day-night cycle will be enough to refresh the charge on the device. They are waterproof and while they are durable we urge you to not use them as weapons or physical tools as they can be broken.¡±


    Her tone had turned into one Jack recognized from his old college professor, explaining simple things to children while knowing they were going to ignore their advice regardless of what warnings were given.


    ¡°We are a research and observation base with less than a hundred staff. We sent a request for help to our government for the resources to assist your kind, but the issue has been debated for three years in our court system and we have run out of time. So we have only been able to make two million of these devices. We will continue to make more as we can, but know that if your tribe''s device breaks, you will not be getting a new one any time soon. Decide on your leaders quickly to be among the groups that receive devices. Once the devices have been given out we will start preparing other tools to help you all survive. These tools will be handed out as fairly as we can manage. This may mean that the tribes most prepared to make use of them will receive them.¡±


    ¡°Finally, I believe it is your right to know that the AI on earth that selected you to be saved had strict criteria to decide who was selected. Only those of your species below the age of forty years that were fertile and without any major deformities or genetic diseases were saved. We have held back releasing any children below the age of eighteen in this wave of survivors, so that you may build homes for them to live in and increase the chance of survival. It is not our goal to hold your children hostage but to give them to you now would be akin to killing them. Build a home and have your tribe leader request the child¡¯s name. We will do our best to provide them to you if they are in stasis.¡±


    Kyrexx gave a final nod to humanity.


    ¡°Good luck.¡±


    Jack blinked and found himself standing in the center of a clearing surrounded by thick jungle. A hundred dazed people between the ages of eighteen and forty all blinked in unison, some stumbling and others falling to their knees. Jack managed to stay on his feet as the disorientation cleared. There was a long few seconds of tense silence, and then the screaming started.

 Chapter 4: Chaos

    The first thing that Jack noticed was that the air here was clean. As he took a deep breath for the first time in what felt like a year, his lungs sang with the warm, clean air. It was humid, more humid than Colorado had been, but it was nowhere near the humidity levels he would have expected from a jungle on Earth. It was the most refreshing breath of fresh air he had ever tasted. He spent a moment to center himself. He would have to grieve later. He had picked up a few things of note from the strange alien¡¯s warning and advice. A lot of people were being dumped on the planet, but there was a limited number of devices to help them survive. Two million devices may seem like a lot, but it only takes three artifacts to be handed out in one group of a hundred people for another group of one hundred to only get one device. The faster he could organize and get one of the alien devices, the better his chance of survival would be. It also gave him a good reason to not think about potential lost family or friends.


    Jack looked around, and let out a breath he didn¡¯t realize he was holding when he found Mavis nearby. They were both dressed in the same jeans and simple t-shirts they had been wearing when they were taken. Mavis¡¯s phone was still clutched in one hand and a beer can in the other. Jack took note that she had not been wearing shoes. She was hyperventilating and clearly on the verge of a total breakdown.


    He rushed to her, pulling her into a hug and speaking quickly in an attempt to pull her out of a downward spiral.


    ¡°Thank god you are ok.¡±


    She squeaked a bit as he squeezed her then returned the hug, mumbling something incoherent into his shoulder as she tried to stop tears from coming.


    Meanwhile, Jack scanned the crowd. He was surprised to see that he recognized around half of the people in the clearing from his college. He had a few friends from his various classes and the hockey team he played on that he was happy to see. He also saw some people he could have gone without. His high school bully, Nate Greer, was standing beside a group of football players looking worried. He also recognized a spoiled brat of an art major that he had the misfortune of being assigned as a lab partner during his mandatory chemistry classes during his freshman year. The long-haired man was dressed in a rich suit like he was heading to a fine dinner and looked like he was in the middle of a panic attack. Jack couldn''t imagine a worse person to try and survive the jungle with.


    Some of the people that he recognized he hadn''t seen since he was a child. His old middle school lunch lady was there, alongside a group of young adults who looked like they couldn¡¯t be older than eighteen. Jack had never seen them before, but Ms Margret the lunch lady was doing her best to keep the kids calm as people started to cry out names of people who were not here.


    The sounds of desperation were cut off by a distant roar from the jungle. The roar reminded Jack of the lion''s roar from old movies and it caused his chest to tighten with fear. People started to search for the source of the noise in the tree line, backing away slowly. The silence lasted for close to a minute. It was impossible to see what had made the sound in the thick jungle, but it was distant enough and didn¡¯t repeat itself, so people lost their fear quickly and started forming groups and calling out for their friends and family. Though slightly quieter this time. No one wanted to see what horrors would come from the jungle.


    Jack was shaken out of his stunned silence by Gordon''s hand clapping him on the shoulder. His friend was shirtless, and only had one shoe on. He was smiling, clearly relieved to see Jack and Mavis, but Jack could also see the fear in his expression.


    ¡°Good to see you man.¡±


    Jack nodded. He went to give Gordon a hug as well but Mavis held onto his arm. Gordon didn¡¯t seem to mind the one-armed embrace.


    ¡°You too. I''m glad you are here. Are you ok?¡±


    Gordon nodded. His face turned to the jungle in the direction that the roar came from. The jungle noises of bird calls and insects chirps had returned with the murmur of the crowd.


    ¡°I hate to say it, but I feel like I got the best sleep of my life. And the ache in my back is gone. But Ellie isn''t here. I need to find her. If I break down now I won''t survive long enough to reach her and the twins.¡±


    His voice was determined. And despite his half-dressed state, Jack felt some of that determination inspire him.


    Mavis shuddered and pulled away from the hug. Looking up at Jack and Gordon with tears in her eyes. She was barely keeping it together. She opened her mouth but closed it to choke back a sob.


    Jack was going to try and comfort her when a deep voice cut through the crowd like a knife, gaining the attention of everyone in the clearing.


    ¡°EVERYONE LISTEN UP!¡± The voice boomed out. Pausing for a few seconds as the older man with short blond hair waited for all eyes to turn to him. He was dressed in simple khaki pants, a light blue button-up shirt, and casual work shoes that looked a bit beaten up. He was clean-shaven, and well-built. He wouldn¡¯t win any bodybuilding competitions, but Jack suspected the man had played basketball or run track at some point.


    ¡°My name is Marcus Wright. Yesterday I was an overworked middle manager in the office supply company downtown.¡±


    His voice was heavy with emotion and he took a moment to breathe. He looked determined and his blue eyes held a hint of anger that looked out of place on his otherwise friendly features.


    ¡°If we want to survive in this madness, we need to organize quickly. I have leadership and organization experience but all I want is to survive. I am an avid camper and outdoor explorer, I have some survival and hunting experience. I am also the father of two little girls. They are three and five years old and I will do anything to get them back.¡± He gestured to the dense jungle behind him.


    ¡°You all heard the roar. I know I wasn¡¯t the only one to hear the timeline the alien gave us. Millions of years passing means that this place is full of dinosaurs. We are going to need everyone to work together with a unified purpose if we all want to survive. My plan is to form a tribe, receive the alien device, and then use it to locate a clean source of water and a good place to build and survive until we can get our families back. If you come with me, I promise to do my best to keep you alive. I won''t sugarcoat how difficult a task we have ahead of ourselves. This will be hard work. Everyone will need to pitch in and work together to survive. If you can agree to those goals, come with me.¡±


    The reaction to his speech was mixed. Half of the people were still in complete shock, a third of them had been starting to panic and the rest looked unsure. A few people were starting to talk amongst themselves.


    Jack had let Mavis out of the hug at some point, but she had stayed beside him as Marcus spoke. The two of them shared a glance but before they could discuss Jack''s idea of forming his own tribe, Gordon grunted and started walking over to Marcus.


    ¡°Gordon, wait.¡± Jack called after him but he was too slow as Gordon reached Marcus and the two men by his side and offered his hand.


    ¡°Long time no see Marcus. I¡¯m Gordon Gears, Henry¡¯s little brother.. My friends and I would like to join up with you if you will have us..¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    And just like that, Jack¡¯s unspoken dream of forming his own tribe and taking destiny into his hands was kicked out from under him. It only took a second of his stunned silence for Mavis to roll her eyes, clearly knowing what he was thinking. She began pulling him towards their would-be leader.


    ¡°Gordon? Wow, you shot way up. It''s been what? Nearly twelve years?¡± Marcus shook his head in remembrance.


    ¡°I remember when you were like five. You used to follow your brother and I around like a lost puppy¡± They exchanged hugs, and Gordon smiled.


    ¡°Yeah, you were always getting Henry and me out of trouble. I wish we were catching up under better circumstances. But I¡¯m glad to see a friendly face. Speaking of, these are my friends.¡±


    He gestured to Mavis as she blinked her tears away and put on a brave face to shake hands with Marcus.


    ¡°I''m Mavis.¡± Her voice was quiet, and it was clear to everyone she was doing a poor job at containing her emotions, but still trying her best to not fall apart. Macus¡¯s eyes softened slightly as he observed her.


    ¡°Um¡­Mavis Martin. It''s um¡­it''s nice to meet you. This is Jack.¡± She let go of the handshake and gestured to Jack, who quickly took Marcus¡¯s still outstretched hand. Jack could tell he was physically stronger than the other man, but the office manager¡¯s hands were not soft and he had a firm handshake.


    ¡°Jack Wilson. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances.¡±


    Marcus nodded to them both as they introduced themselves before responding. It was clear he had been surprised by Gordon.


    ¡°Likewise. I think we will get to know each other much better over the coming days, but I''m happy to have you. We need as many reliable folk as we can get. Can you three start trying to gather people up? I fear we will need to move from this clearing sooner rather than later.¡±


    He looked towards the jungle, in the direction the roar came from. All around them people were either approaching Marcus and their small group or starting to scream and cry for their lost loved ones.


    ¡°All this noise will attract predators, and we don¡¯t have the time we need to help all of these people. Gather whoever you can and try to keep people calm. Also, make sure you don¡¯t drop anything you are carrying. These clothes and shoes, even things like your beer can, Miss Mavis, are going to become extremely valuable. With that, we have something we can carry and boil water in. It isn¡¯t much, but it''s a start.¡±


    He looked over the people around him, clearly taking stock of the state of each person who had been attracted to his cause. He frowned slightly when he noticed Gordon only had one shoe and no shirt on, but compared to one man who only had a towel around his hips, Gordon was well off. Several of the high schoolers that were gathered around Ms Margret had school backpacks, and one man was dressed in full hiking gear with a large camping backpack.


    When it was clear that Marcus had finished giving his orders everyone jumped into action. It was something to focus on besides the panic of their situation, and Jack and Mavis both took to helping others, suppressing their own troubles now.


    They stepped out of the group as Gorden gestured for them to take the other side of the crowd, and Jack started looking for people he knew while Mavis waved a couple over. He didn¡¯t know the couple, but Mavis seemed to know the young woman. The man was nearly a head taller than Jack¡¯s 5¡¯8¡± and was strongly built. He wore camo pants with a belt knife attached and a simple white button-up shirt that was ever so slightly too small for him. He had green eyes and black hair, with a small scar across his cheek. Jack noticed the man observing him in turn as they approached and they both gave each other respectful nods. The woman he was holding hands with had long platinum blond hair that was bound in a ponytail that reached her lower back. She was at most five feet tall and looked like she couldn¡¯t have weighed more than a hundred pounds soaking wet. She was wearing a grateful dead shirt and had flip-flops on.


    Mavis pulled her into a hug as Jack shook hands with the man.


    ¡°Haden Caine, ex-army.¡± His handshake was sturdy and he looked directly into Jack¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Jack Wilson, hockey player¡± He returned the handshake and the two smiled at each other.


    ¡°You go pro?¡± Haden asked with a raised eyebrow, but Jack shook his head.


    ¡°I was working on it. I broke my leg my senior year of college, that put a pretty big damper on the recruiter''s attention for me.¡±


    Haden nodded in understanding and rolled his shoulder.


    ¡°I''m sorry, I know how that can be. I tore a ligament in my shoulder a few months after I completed basic. Honorable discharge, but it was still a shitty year.¡± The two men took a moment to acknowledge their shared suffering and failed careers before smiling at each other and turning to the women who had been having their own conversation. When they noticed that the boys had finished chatting, the short girl that Jack did not know introduced everyone.


    ¡°Honey, this is my friend Mavis. We were roommates during my freshman year. Mavis, this is my boyfriend, Haden.¡± She turned her eyes on Jack and as they shook hands he tried to remember what his friend had told him about her college roommate. A story he had remembered Mavis telling him about her roommate dragging her to a nightclub during her first week of school came to mind and caused him to smile.


    ¡°It''s Skye, right? Mavis has told me a bit about you. I¡¯m Jack. It¡¯s nice to meet you both.¡±


    She brightened as he remembered her name, and nodded.


    ¡°Yep. Skye Hollows. It''s nice to meet you. Are you guys going with that Marcus fellow?¡±


    Jack and Mavis exchanged looks and both nodded.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Mavis said, seemingly having mastered some of her previous anxiety.


    ¡°He seems motivated and fairly organized. And his plans aren¡¯t bad. At least his initial ones aren''t. I think he is as good a choice as anyone.¡±


    Haden grunted and gestured over his shoulder at a growing crowd behind them. The people were all in their early to mid-twenties, and almost all men. Some of them had the local college¡¯s football jerseys on, and some others had hoodies with the logo of the largest fraternity on it.


    ¡°There is an idiot named Shane Gerling getting that group riled up to form some sort of elite macho tribe or some nonsense. They wanted me to join them but didn¡¯t want me to bring Skye or anyone who, in their words, would be dead weight.¡± His expression was dark as he repeated their words, but Skye patted his arm and he seemed to calm down.


    Jack took a look at the gathering group, but he didn¡¯t recognize anyone in particular. He shrugged and gestured for the couple to go talk to Marcus.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you are missing out on much if that is their great survival plan. Marcus said he wants his family back, and that is something I am willing to fight for. One of our friends has a wife and kids, so that was always going to be our goal as well.¡±


    Haden and Skye both nodded in sympathy, and moved to introduce themselves to Marcus as he finished shaking hands with an older man in overalls with deep tan lines across his arms.


    Jack was stepping over to speak with a man who was just staring blankly into the sky when suddenly a massive beam of green light shot down from the sky and surrounded Marcus. Before anyone could move or speak a small stone fell from the sky and stopped inches above his palm. The entire crowd took a step back in surprise, then watched intently as the small black stone cracked open and revealed a bracelet made of what appeared to be green glass. Three charms dangled from it, one shaped like a book, one shaped like an apple, and the final one shaped like a tooth.


    Everyone stared blankly as Marcus put the bracelet on over his right hand, and it shrank to fit snugly around his wrist.


    No sooner than the beam of light had vanished, a bone chilling roar tore through the clearing. It sounded like a massive creature, and multiple people swallowed in terror. Jack knew he wasn¡¯t the only one mentally comparing it to the roar of the t-rex from Jurassic Park. This one was much louder, and it seemed to trigger an instinctive fear response in every person in the clearing. Some of them turned and ran into the woods while others fell to the ground and tried to make themselves small. Jack had to catch Mavis¡¯s arm as she tried to run and Marcus and the others who had agreed to join up started herding people towards the edge of the clearing.


    A second beam of green light descended into the cluster of frat boys, moments before the jungle parted at the far side of the clearing, and a massive form pushed through the ferns. It stood easily twenty feet tall, with three long horns and a bony frill tipped in spikes told Jack that it was dangerous. Everyone was still reacting to the roar from before, and the sight of their first dinosaur triggered a mass stampede into the jungle. He did recognize the dinosaur from the movies, but he wasn¡¯t going to stick around to study it.


    The Triceratops, likely fleeing from the roar of whatever predator had been so annoyed by the bright green pillars of light, continued to move away from the danger and unknowingly chased the frightened humans deeper into the trees.

 Chapter 5: Survival

    Jack pulled Mavis along until they reached the tree line and the group of frightened people tried to make their escape. Mavis pulled at his arm but he didn¡¯t stop until they were behind a tree and out of danger should the dinosaur decide to charge them. The jungle was thick and the people who had fled had not made it far before being stopped by the thick vegetation.


    Mavis was shaking with fear and excitement as she looked at a real-life dinosaur. She started to mumble random dinosaur facts from games, movies, and books as she studied the creature from afar.


    ¡°That''s a subspecies of triceratops. I don¡¯t know what the actual species is but you can tell from the beak and its general build that it''s a herbivore. In all the movies and games triceratops are friendly. Like big cows. Obviously, if you piss it off you will get the horns, but it shouldn¡¯t attack anyone if we just leave it be. Look, it''s just munching on the ferns.¡± The more Mavis spoke, the more her excitement pushed out her fear.


    Jack watched it until he was confident it was not interested in them then turned his attention to the rest of his new tribe. Marcus, Gordon, and the man in the hiking clothes were calming people down, while Haden and Skye listened to Mavis. The Triceratops was definitely wary of the jungle. But it seemed content to stop for a snack once the humans had moved away from it. Haden got their attention.


    ¡°Help us find some good sticks. Mattock, the guy with the big backpack suggested we make some simple spears for everyone with our knives. Best case we use them as walking sticks while we navigate the jungle, worst case everyone has something to defend themselves. You guys grab whatever sticks you can, and I¡¯ll start whittling.¡±


    He patted the large knife on his belt, and Jack nodded as he and Skye started searching the forest floor for fallen branches. Mavis nodded but turned her attention back to the Triceratops. She watched it with childlike amazement for a few minutes, then her face went pale. She gestured to the others to be quiet, then slowly made her way over to Marcus. Jack and Haden shared a look, then took the few sticks they had managed to find and followed her. They arrived mid-conversation between Marcus and a woman in her twenties with red hair and a business suit. The woman seemed to be giving a head count, but Mavis didn¡¯t wait and interrupted her.


    ¡°We need to all start moving. Quietly. Something big is coming.¡±


    Marcus looked at her, his expression hard to read. The woman next to him looked like she was about to explode at Mavis for interrupting her but whatever she was about to say died on her lips when she saw the terror in the younger woman''s eyes.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Marcus asked as he picked up on the tension.


    ¡°The ground is shaking. Something massive is making its way towards us.¡±


    Mavis pointed back the direction of the roar, and everyone went silent. Not even the insects dared to make any noise. Then they all felt it, a small tremor in the earth and a low rumbling growl rippled from the jungle. Jack¡¯s mind went back to the scenes from Jurassic Park of the T-rex approaching, and his mouth went dry with terror. Looking around he realized that he was not the only one, and the entire group was getting ready to wet themselves and flee.


    ¡°Ok. Let''s go. Everyone be quiet, step lightly, and move quickly. Walk two by two. Mattock, you and I will clear the path and try to navigate us downhill. I want Haden, Jack, and Gordon at the back of the group. Help anyone who starts falling behind and keep your eyes and ears open for threats coming behind us.¡± Marcus¡¯s orders came quickly and concisely. Someone in the group started to speak up to complain, but when another tremor could be felt through the ground, no one dared make a noise.


    Jack forgot his frustration at being ordered around and focused on keeping his friends safe. Mavis stayed near the front with Skye and some of the other women while Gordon and Haden joined Jack at the back of the group. Gordon had removed his single shoe and was holding what appeared to be a small belt knife. Jack held up the largest branch he had found, and the two smiled at each other and the ridiculous situation they were in. No one spoke as the tribe slowly funneled away from the clearing.


    Jack walked at the back of the group, constantly keeping his eyes scanning the vegetation and his ears open. He jumped at a handful of false threats. Spooking some small birds, large insects that were minding their own business in the jungle. Every shadow and rustling fern felt like a threat, and Jack had to remind himself to take deep breaths to remain calm. The tribe moved slowly, having to carefully pick their path through the trees and around the heavier bushes. The jungle would seem to open up at some spots where much of the vegetation had been eaten back, or even had trees knocked down. It made walking easier, but it soon became clear that they were trying to avoid game trails. Probably in hopes of avoiding the carnivores that would also be attracted to them.


    The group was silent as they first started to move, fear of the unseen t-rex hunting them clear in their minds. But once ten to fifteen minutes had passed and no one had noticed any more tremors people started making noise. It was quiet at first, a few murmurs here and there, someone cursing under their breath as they moved thick ferns out of the path, the snapping of sticks and the faint grunts of exertion as close to seventy people who were not used to strenuous exercise moved through the woods. When the sound of insects and animal calls returned to the jungle Jack finally released some of the tension he was holding and started some small talk with Gordon as they walked.


    ¡°Fucken dinosaurs. Can¡¯t believe it.¡± Jack said and Gordon nodded. Neither of them taking their eyes off the surroundings.


    ¡°Yeah, it''s pretty crazy. And have you noticed any of the footprints?¡± Gordon gestured at the ground, where the tracks indicated that some sort of heavy creature had lumbered through the undergrowth.


    ¡°Wow. Any idea what made that?¡± Jack stopped for a second to examine the tracks more closely. He didn¡¯t find much, but when he followed the trail to one of the trees he noticed claw marks that scratched nearly three feet long against the bark. The two men stared at it for a few seconds as Haden walked up behind them to see what they were looking at.


    ¡°Maybe some type of giant sloth? Something that large shouldn¡¯t be able to climb a tree this thin, but if it was reaching up to eat from those branches it would be about the right size.¡± Gordon said as he ran his fingers against the tree and then gestured for them to continue following the group.


    Jack¡¯s eyes lingered on the tree for a moment, then he followed.


    ¡°If that''s what the sloths here are capable of, I don¡¯t want to think about what the predators can do.¡±


    They caught up with the tribe quickly, as Marcus had called for them to stop. The tribe grouped up so everyone could hear him.


    ¡°Good work everyone. We made it out of our first encounter with a predator. I''m sure you all noticed that even when we weren¡¯t talking we weren¡¯t exactly quiet. That''s ok. A group this size isn¡¯t going to be quiet when moving through the woods. Fortunately, we are more likely to scare animals away from us with our unfamiliar noises than attract them. We need to take a short break here and prepare ourselves as best we can. I would like everyone to gather sticks so we can use the knives we have to try and make some simple spears. Having anything between you and a hungry predator will help. If everyone around you has a sharp stick aimed at the predator, it will have to think twice before it tries to take a bite out of us. That being said, no one should go anywhere alone. Not to pee, not to shit, not to gather sticks. There is no reason you should be alone at any time. If you are alone, anything could snatch you in a moment of inattention and we would have no idea what happened. For all of our sakes, grab a partner or two. The more the better. Take each other''s safety seriously, and we can all survive this. Now break into groups of five and try to find a stick that you can use. It should be at least as long as you are tall, fit in your hand, and be slightly heavier than is comfortable for you to carry. Don¡¯t worry too much, as you can use them as walking sticks. It is better to have a heavier spear that won¡¯t break as easily than one that is lighter but will snap when you need it.¡±


    A few people had turned a few shades greener and at least two people had stepped up to Marcus to start complaining about the buddy system rule. As he worked to quiet the idiots and direct the people the man named Mattock approached Jack and his friends.


    The man was the oldest person in the group by a few years, but he was clearly fit and used to the woods. His well-trimmed mustache and short brown hair made Jack think of some of the pictures he had seen of old western cowboys, but the serious look in the man¡¯s eye and the way he held himself pushed any thoughts of bringing that up away.


    ¡°Did you three notice anything during our little walk?¡± He asked as his eyes continued to roam the jungle behind them.


    Gordon shook his head in the negative.


    ¡°Some large tracks and claw marks on a tree, but nothing fresh. We think it was some sort of large ground sloth or something else trying to reach the higher branches of these shorter trees.¡±


    Jack felt silly that he had not actually paid much attention to the different types of prehistoric trees around him, having just now noticed that there were several types of different heights and thickness. It was surprising as he was used to the woods near his home being mostly aspen trees with a few scattered pine trees. Seeing at least five different types of trees spaced seemingly at random around just the small clearing they were in suddenly felt strange.


    ¡°Hmmm. We will keep an eye out for it. It''s good that whatever was drawn to the clearing didn¡¯t follow us. We are not ready to defend ourselves. Most of the people here are going to suffer a lot before we all toughen up and are able to reliably hunt for food here.¡± He shook his head. When his eyes landed on Jack he extended his hand.


    ¡°Names Mattock Finch. But you can just call me Matt. I''m old friends with Marcus, and I trust him to keep his head in a scrap. We used to be hunting buddies before he got married.¡±


    Jack took his hand and was surprised at his strength. His hands were rough and firm, and his eyes were sharp.


    ¡°Jack Wilson. I was an avid hiker and camper, but I¡¯ve not done much hunting. I suspect we will all be learning how to soon.¡±


    Matt nodded and returned his gaze to the trees.


    ¡°It was nice to meet you properly. Let''s help gather up some spears. There are four people with knives and we each need to start carving out spears sooner rather than later.¡± His eyes moved to Haden. ¡°Why don¡¯t you start working on Jack¡¯s stick here, and I''ll go help that group.¡± He gestured to five people who had gathered a pile of sticks that were only a few feet long. ¡°Those would make great firewood but horrible spears. You need something to keep the dinosaurs away from you, not a toothpick for them once they are done with you.¡± The rest of the conversation was lost to Jack as Haden took his stick.


    Haden drew his knife and started to work the end of the would-be spear with his blade. Gordon started searching for a stick of his own. Jack¡¯s was closer to a club than a spear, but it was thick and long enough at the base for Haden to sharpen it with a few minutes of work. It wasn¡¯t pretty, but soon Jack was holding a long spear with one sharp end and one gnarled blunt end. It looked more like an ugly branch than a spear when he held it, but he had no doubt that smashing it into anything would be unpleasant, if not fatal. Jack wished for the tenth time that he had his knife on him, but it was back on a dead Earth with all his other belongings.


    Eventually, Marcus convinced the snobbish man in the fine clothing of the importance of the buddy system and the tribe of seventy-three people collected in the center of the clearing with their sticks. Haden, Mattock, and a business major that had been friends with Mavis named Soren, each had a knife and were carving the crude spears as they listened to Marcus and the woman with red hair talk.


    ¡°Alright, everyone. Take this time to rest. I don¡¯t know how far we have to walk today, but our goal is to find fresh water before we camp down for the night. Each one of us needs to drink three bottles of water per day, probably more than that if we are in a hot environment and doing strenuous exercise.¡± He gestured to the jungle and the large group of people who were all starting to sweat.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t find water, we won¡¯t last too long. Fortunately, the one thing the jungle isn''t lacking in is water, so it shouldn¡¯t be too hard to find a stream. Especially if this thing works as a map like the aliens said. So while we rest I want five people to stay on watch. Jade here will come around and get your name and ask if you have any useful survival skills that we can plan around. Please be honest with her. We will all have to pitch in, and knowing everyone''s skills will help make sure that everyone can contribute.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    No one complained as the group found some fallen trees and sat down. Everyone had a thin layer of sweat on them, and were starting to feel hungry and thirsty. Some of the students who had been carrying backpacks had plastic water bottles with them, and as the red-haired woman in the business suit named Jade came around to each person she offered them a few sips of water.


    Jack returned to the center of the group to meet up with Mavis. She gave him a weak smile, and it was clear she was getting tired but she wasn¡¯t one to complain about such things while others were suffering much more. Those without shoes and the one man in a towel was doing the worst. The entire tribe was struggling, having become more than used to the sedentary lifestyle of the modern age.


    ¡°How are your feet?¡± Jack asked as he sat beside her. She leaned over to lay her head on his shoulder but did not answer. She had on thick fuzzy socks that were now filthy. He knew that her feet would be killing her by the end of the day, but he was proud that she wasn¡¯t complaining.


    ¡°Aliens and dinosaurs.¡± She said with a mirthless chuckle, her eyes distant and unfocused.


    Jack could only nod. He hadn¡¯t taken the time to truly process the craziness of what had just happened to them. He was worried that if he did, he would start to spiral and this was not the time or place for that.


    ¡°That Alien looked like a Kenku.¡± Mavis continued to fill the silence.


    ¡°A what?¡± Jack asked, turning to look at Mavis with a raised eyebrow as she started to laugh.


    ¡°A Kenku. Raven people from dungeons and dragons. Crazy right? Whoever would have guessed.¡±


    She chuckled some more, and Jack joined her. The situation was ridiculous. Bird people, aliens, and a planet full of dinosaurs. They both smiled for a few minutes but before they could continue their descent into madness Marcus came to sit beside them along with Gordon, Mattock, Skye, a young man who Jack didn¡¯t know but who introduced himself as Miles, and finally Jade. Jack and Mavis went to stand but Marcus gestured for them to stay seated.


    Marcus addressed their small group. ¡°I¡¯ll get around meeting everyone in the tribe one-on-one as time goes on, but for now I''ve gathered the people here who are coping the best who aren''t on watch. We need to figure out how to use this device, and make a plan for how far we can move today.¡± He held up his wrist with the alien bracelet.


    The group nodded in unison and Mavis spoke up first.


    ¡°Can I see the bracelet?¡± She asked and Marcus took a step forward and offered his arm. The bracelet was too small to be removed, and it didn''t seem to stretch at all. Mavis took Marcus¡¯s hand and started to run her fingers across the strange green glass and the patterns in the charms.


    While that was happening, Jack shook hands with Jade and Miles as they introduced themselves. Mattock started the real discussion.


    ¡°We need to find water first and foremost. Most of the people here won¡¯t make it much further without it. Then we need food. We have found a few berry bushes but we have no idea if they are safe to eat. If we get that thing working and use the map the Alien mentioned, we can gather samples of as many plants as we can find and figure out what is safe to eat. I think the Alien said their device could do that as well. If we can¡¯t get it working, we should head downhill as far as we can. As soon as we find water we stop and build fires. Fire will be our best bet to keep the animals away from our camp. I have a box of matches in my bag, but we should start trying to conserve them as much as possible. We light one fire and then carry the flame to the others. When we march we will have two or three people carry torches or cradled embers with them so we can start fires at the next stop.¡±


    Miles spoke up when Mattock was done talking. His voice was higher pitched than Jack had expected from the well-built man with sunburned skin. Jack lowered his estimation of the man''s age.


    ¡°How many water bottles do we have? I¡¯ve seen maybe five and with close to seventy people, we won¡¯t make it far. Even if we find water and make a fire, can those bottles survive being boiled over the fire? Or will they melt?¡±


    Jade answered his question.


    ¡°I counted seven water bottles when I did my rounds, but one of them was already empty, and the other is full of vodka. I don¡¯t know what it can be used for in a survival situation, but the young man who had it handed it over when he told me about it. So we will have to decide if it''s worth dumping to add more water storage.¡±


    Jack found his moment to speak up.


    ¡°Mavis has an empty beer can that we could probably use to boil water. It will be slow going though. If we find a fast-moving stream we may have no choice but to risk drinking the water.¡±


    He looked between the others, hoping one of them would have a better idea. But no one spoke up until Maivs changed the subject.


    ¡°Ok, Chief.¡± She spoke to Marcus, then paused.


    ¡°Should I call you Chief? Or Marcus? Mr. Wright?¡±


    Marcus looked slightly embarrassed and waved her question away.


    ¡°Um, just Marcus is fine. I don¡¯t really want to be in charge of a tribe or anything. I am just good at organizing people. I was planning on making a sort of council for big decisions anyway, or putting Mattock here in charge once we have everyone moving.¡±


    Mattock shook his head fervently.


    ¡°Absolutely not. I''m not a people person and you have the patience to actually put up with others. If that Linux guy had started bitching to me about the buddy system in this jungle of dinosaurs I would have broken his nose.¡± Mattock huffed and crossed his arms. Clearly getting worked up just at the thought of dealing with stupid people all day.


    Marcus chuckled.


    ¡°I was tempted. But that wouldn¡¯t help anyone in the long run.¡± He turned back to Mavis.


    ¡°Do you have any idea how to use this thing, Ms Martin?¡±


    She shook her head hesitantly.


    ¡°Please just call me Mavis. We can all just use first names. I have a few ideas, but it''s all guesswork based off of stories and video games. My first guess would be to grab one of the charms and think about what you want to happen. I am pretty sure this one shaped like a book is the mapping power.¡±


    Marcus nodded and rotated his wrist to face upwards, then grabbed the charm with his other hand and moved it onto his outfaced palm. The connecting chain was too short, and he couldn¡¯t get the charm fully in his right hand. He squinted his eyebrows and tried to focus on the bracelet, but nothing happened.


    ¡°Try saying map?¡± Mavis suggested.


    ¡°Map.¡± Nothing happened.


    ¡°Try saying, activate map.¡± Mavis continued.


    ¡°Activate Map.¡± As soon as the words were out of Marcus¡¯s lips the charm glowed green and a faint ripple of light washed out of his hand. Marcus felt the hair on his arms and the back of his neck stand up, and shivered as the projection of a topographical map appeared above his palm, glowing a faint green.


    The entire group stared at it with awe. The super-advanced alien technology may as well be magic. Mavis may have seen location data and hologram technology centuries ahead of what they had on Earth, but Jack saw magic.


    ¡°Well that felt weird,¡± Marcus said, moving his hand. As soon as he did the map moved as well, and he soon figured out that he needed to keep his hand in place to look at the map. When he moved his fingers below the map he could zoom in and out, pan around, and focus on certain areas. The first thing the group noticed was that the map came with compass markings around its edges, as well as numbers they presumed to be latitude and longitude marks. They quickly oriented themselves and found that they were heading South down the slope of a large mountain. There were no easily noticeable mile markers, but from the scale of the map and the tiny trees it created, they got a rough estimate of the surrounding ten miles.


    ¡°Amazing,¡± Mavis whispered as she studied the magic hologram.


    Mattock and Marcus were clearly impressed as well, but for different reasons. Marcus zoomed the map out and pointed down the valley they were walking through. Approximately three miles downhill of them was a river carved into a wide canyon valley that spread out as it wound down the map. Zooming in, they found a stream less than a mile away that rushed through the jungle to meet the river.


    ¡°Here. If we head further south we should come across this stream. But it looks like it goes off a cliff once it gets to the river valley below.¡± Mattock pointed as he spoke.


    ¡°It''s still our best bet,¡± Marcus said, moving the map to look at the cliffs. Tiny waterfalls were shown as the stream widened and then launched itself over the cliff.


    ¡°We can reach the stream, set up a small camp for the night, and then look for food.¡± Jade said and everyone nodded. They each felt a small pang of hunger as they started gathering people up and continued their march through the woods.


    This time Jack and Mattock were up front, and they took turns stabbing out at the bushes and ferns as they walked. Waiting for something to jump out at them as the people marching behind them started to make more and more noise as they tired. Marcus and Mavis walked side by side, studying the map with Jade until about thirty minutes had passed and the holographic map suddenly disappeared. When they checked the charm, they found it was cold to the touch.


    Fortunately, they already had their heading, and both Mattock and Jack were experienced in hiking off-trail, so they managed to keep moving in the correct direction.


    At one point Mattock stabbed a bush and both men were surprised when a spider the size of a dog let out a hiss and leaped at them. In a flash, Jack¡¯s experience as a hockey player kicked in and he whipped the bottom end of his spear at the fast-moving black blur like a hockey stick. The gnarled club of a branch he was carrying did its job and he smashed the spider against a tree as Mattock stepped back in surprise.


    Jack stepped forward and with a mighty roar he swung down on the stunned insect and obliterated it. Leaving behind a disgusting pile of greenish blood and broken chitin.


    After checking to make sure that there were no more of the creatures, Mattock and Jack looked back at the tribe and gestured for them to continue moving.


    ¡°It''s almost certainly venomous, and I''m not hungry enough to try and eat one of those when we will likely find fish in the steam up ahead.¡± Mattock said, wiping some green blood off his arm and nodding to Jack.


    ¡°Thank you for the save. I don¡¯t want to know what getting bit by one of those would be like.¡±


    Jack nodded.


    ¡°I think you hit it with your spear, but we only startled it. We should start putting more force into our checking pokes, so that if we do hit something and start a fight, we are on the front foot when it happens.¡±


    They continued to walk, and within the hour they could hear the running stream swirling past them. The sigh of relief that passed through the tribe lifted a weight from Jack¡¯s heart. But as he stepped past a large fern his jaw dropped.


    The jungle thinned dramatically in the hundred feet around the creak. The vegetation was kept low by the small herds of herbivores that gathered around the stream. Five large four-legged dinosaurs with plates on their backs and long serrated tails were at the water''s edge. Three of them drank while two of them munched on the plants trying to grow close to the water.


    About fifty feet away from the large herbivores were a group of twelve small dinosaurs no larger than a chicken. They were green and brown, with a handful of feathers around their necks and hands, but most of their bodies were scaly. Mavis was the first to recognize them as Compsegnathis, or the Compy from the second Jurassic Park movie. They were chasing around small insects and chirping at each other in a way that was almost cute.


    ¡°Are those stegosaurus?¡± Miles asked as the tribe filtered out of the woods to observe the creek. But Mavis shook her head.


    ¡°No. Or well, they are, but not quite. Look at their tails. Stegosauruses as we know them from movies and games were based on the species found in North America. These are likely a cousin species or an evolutionary offshoot. If the planetary AI that runs this place even lets new species evolve. It sounded like they kept the environment somewhat stable artificially. So who knows.¡±


    Everyone looked at her. And Gordon was the first one to speak.


    ¡°So. Can we call them Stegos then?¡±


    Everyone except Mavis nodded, but she was entranced by the creatures and ignored them.


    She had taken a single step forward when Jack grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. She let out a small noise of shock but it was cut off when Jack pointed his spear across the clearing. On the far side of the creek, approximately two hundred feet away from them, was a dinosaur with a long snout like a crocodile. It stood on two legs and had a long neck and tail for balance. It easily reached twice Jack''s height at the shoulder. Its claws were hooked and its arms were long enough that they could reach the ground if it decided to run on all fours. It was dark brown, the color of the mud around the base of the creek, and its slitted yellow eyes were locked onto the small tribe of humans.


    Mavis gasped as she saw it. She cleared her throat and spoke quietly like any whisper would set the beast off.


    ¡°Baryonyx.¡±

 Chapter 6: Baryonyx

    Jack gulped as he eyed the predator. It looked back at their group with curiosity and barely restrained hunger. Its large rib cage was visible through its size, and the dinosaur seemed gaunt. Long lines of sticky drool dripped from its jaws, and its long tail flicked back and forth. For the briefest of moments, Jack was lost in the excitement of seeing such a creature.


    The moment of tension was broken when one of the women in the middle of the group broke. She screamed in terror and tried to run back into the jungle. As soon as she turned her back to the creature its predatory instincts flared and it let out a rumbling bellow and charged forward.


    ¡°SPEARS UP!¡± Marcus called out, and Haden, Jack, Mattock, Miles, Soren, and Gorden stepped in front of the panicked tribe, their mismatched and jagged spears forming a less-than-impressive wall of teeth that the Baryonyx ignored. Mavis attempted to raise her spear, but her hands were shaking so much that she stumbled and dropped it. Marcus pulled her behind him and stepped forward alongside a woman that Jack did not know the name of.


    That was all the time they had to organize as the Baryonyx was on them. Its long neck and jaws shot forward towards Haden, who was the thinnest person in the spear line, but Mattock and Jack were already thrusting their spears forward and the Baryonyx¡¯s charge was interrupted by the sharpened sticks. Jack¡¯s spear wasn¡¯t sharp enough to pierce its scales, but Mattock¡¯s was, and the carnivore took a small wound on its head and was pushed back.


    The others all stabbed outwards, but their attacks missed or failed to break blood as its head reared back its hooked claws flared out to try and grab Miles. The young man screamed and tried to step back, but he tripped on the uneven footing and fell back, hitting his head hard on the forest floor.


    Jack, Gordon, and Haden stepped to the creature¡¯s right and thrust their weapons into its side as it focused on trying to maul the fallen Miles while Marcus and Mattock tried to keep its attention off the young man. Skye ran forward and grabbed Miles, and with the help of two of the eighteen-year-old boys, she dragged him away from the fight.


    Jack¡¯s spear failed to break the skin again, and he grew frustrated that the best he could do was poke the monster that was trying to eat his friends. He swapped his grip on the spear and whipped it around to use as a club, smashing the gnarled end into the Baryonyx¡¯s chest and smiling as he heard the crunch of breaking bones.


    Before Jack could blink he felt the dinosaur''s heavy tail slam into his side and he was lifted off the ground and sent flying into the bushes. The wind was knocked out of him and he landed hard. But he rolled to his feet quickly and didn¡¯t feel anything broken. He knew he would be heavily bruised in the morning, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop him as he grabbed his club and ran back towards the fight.


    Seeing the tribe¡¯s warriors do battle, many of those who had been too shocked to move or had started to run gained their courage and rushed forward with their own spears. Mattock and George had managed to score a few deep wounds on the Baryonyx¡¯s head and neck, and it seemed like they were going to drive it back when one of its claws hooked into one of the newcomer¡¯s arms and yanked him to reach of the creature''s crushing jaws. In less than a second the young man was dead, and his body went limp. The Baryonyx whipped around and its tail smashed into the people who were trying to surround it. It let out a loud hiss of pain from its many wounds and started to flee with its kill still stuck on its claws. One of the men who had been knocked down attempted to stab out as the dino ran past, but the Baryonyx brought its foot down and crushed the man¡¯s chest in like a bug.


    The tribe started to throw their spears at the retreating dinosaur, but hardly any of them flew straight, and those that did hit the creature were not sharp enough to hurt it.


    Seconds later, the Baryonyx had vanished into the jungle on the far side of the creek. And the clearing was silent save for the flowing creek and the crying of the wounded.


    The following reorganization was swift. Marcus closed the eyes of the man who had been crushed, and the wounded were all directed to sit against a tree near the creak. The Stego¡¯s had been spooked by the fight and had moved downstream and the Compy¡¯s had vanished into the taller grass. The spears were gathered, and no one complained anymore about carrying them. Gordon made sure that Jack was ok, and made him sit with the others who had taken wounds from the tail and claws of the dinosaur. Other than Miles taking a fall to the head, Jack was probably the most injured.


    Once the camp was secured, Gordon and Mattock went back into the woods with three others to try and find the women who had panicked and ran off at the start of the fight.


    Marcus started organizing people to make fires, clear the area, and gather water to boil. Mavis checked on Jack and the wounded, then went to help stack firewood. Time seemed to pass in a blur, with no watch or phone to check every few minutes the day seemed to pass by quicker as Jack rested against the tree and chatted about nothing with the three other people who had taken some scrapes and bruises.


    A young woman in bright blue pajama pants and a green hoodie approached the wounded tree with the last bottle of water. She had shoulder-length strawberry blond hair that had been tied into a ponytail and worried amber eyes. Her skin was covered in freckles with a nice tan from long days in the sun. She had no shoes on but seemed unbothered by walking barefoot. Her expression was nervous, and she constantly shot glances over her shoulder to Marcus, and back to Miles and the wounded. Jack tried to give her a friendly smile.


    ¡°Hello. Um. I''m Lottie. I um. I was studying to be a vet before um.¡± She gestured around them at the jungle.


    ¡°I¡¯ve um. I¡¯ve never actually done any medicine before with people. But I¡¯m the closest our group has to any sort of medical professional.¡± Her tone was apologetic and full of doubt. Jack felt bad for her. He knew next to nothing about healing or medicine and knew she would probably not be able to help all that much. But he was happy that she was willing to try. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°It''s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Jack. I think most of us here just have some bruises and scrapes. You should take a look at Miles first.¡± He gestured to the young man, who was starting to wake up.


    The other wounded people gave introductions as Lottie moved to Mile¡¯s side and started to examine him. It was clear that Miles was dazed, but as Lottie questioned him he was able to answer clearly and he still remembered everything that happened. His only complaint was his killer headache and a twisted ankle. Lottie examined the ankle and agreed with him that it wasn¡¯t broken but he would need to be careful for the next few days to let it heal. They suspected that he had a minor concussion, but Lottie just didn¡¯t have enough medical knowledge to know if that was all.


    Jack had suffered from two concussions during his hockey career. He tried to remember what his doctors had done to test if he had one, but all he remembered was them shining lights in his eyes and moving a pen back and forth to check if he could focus on it. He brought this up to Lottie and they tried it with her finger, neither of them noticed anything off about Miles¡¯s eyes so they didn¡¯t have much to go on.


    ¡°As the tribe doctor, I¡¯m telling you to rest and take it as easy as you can. If you want to help out ask Marcus what small tasks need doing around the camp, and make sure you drink plenty of water. Maybe sit with the team boiling it and help them out.¡± She told him as she helped him stand and test his ankle.


    Miles started to nod, but winced when he moved his head too quickly and spoke instead.


    ¡°I''ll do that. I used to work construction and was studying civil engineering before all this. I can help with some of the planning. Will you help me over to Marcus?¡±


    Lottie shook her head and sat him down beside the tree again.


    ¡°In a minute, I need to make sure everyone else here is ok, then I''ll send you over to Marcus for your work orders. Everyone has to pitch in.¡± It was clear she was quoting what Marcus had told her a few minutes ago.


    When he was settled she moved on to Jack. She had him pull his shirt off and he caught her smile a bit as she checked out his muscles, but she remained professional as she checked him over. As he suspected, he had taken a hard hit and was already starting to bruise, but his ribs were not broken and he should be fine. When she was done examining him, Lottie had him help Miles over to where Marcus had started to light a fire.


    ¡°That was pretty crazy.¡± Miles said as they walked together, leaning on Jack to keep the pressure off his ankle.


    ¡°Yeah. It sorta makes this all feel more real. Like we just had to fight off a carnivore. I''m honestly pretty scared.¡± Jack replied. He had only managed to keep himself calm throughout the day by focusing on the moment-to-moment situation and ignoring the bigger picture. He had even enjoyed the hike through unfamiliar trails and the fresh clean air around them. But now that he had stopped, been forced to rest, and witnessed two people die in as many seconds he could feel his chest start to tighten and the emotions he had pushed down started to bubble up.


    ¡°Yeah, man. But like. We fought it off. If it hadn¡¯t run we would have killed it. And I bet we gave it more than enough wounds to not want to mess with us again. And once we have more time we can make better spears and stuff. I know we lost people, but I was worried it would get us all. And we are still here.¡± Mile¡¯s words helped Jack focus a bit and nod as they approached the tribe leader.


    ¡°Yeah. We survived. Next time we will get the bastard.¡± He said, forcing a smile onto his face. Miles started to nod, but stopped himself and just returned Jack¡¯s smile.


    They reached Marcus as he lit a single match, and started gently blowing on kindling that had been collected. The flames took easily, and the kindling caught as he placed the bundle into the pile of wood and watched the fire slowly grow. When the sticks caught fire they all let out a breath, and Marcus stepped away to let Skye continue to build up the fire.


    Jack and Miles greeted Marcus with a wave, and Jack spoke up first.


    ¡°Lottie thinks Miles has a minor concussion and a twisted ankle, so he needs to rest. I¡¯ve just got some bruises and sore muscles so I¡¯m good for whatever you need.¡±


    Marcus took a moment to look over Miles before nodding.


    ¡°Good to hear. I¡¯m glad you are both alright.¡± He was holding himself together well, but his gaze was somber. The responsibility of leading people and the death of two was not a pleasant burden to bear. He continued.


    ¡°Miles, why don¡¯t you have a seat here and rest? You can help Skye organize the firewood and try to figure out the best way to boil enough water for seventy people with a single beer can. Jack, tell me how you really feel. Can you go back into the jungle today? Or do you need rest?¡± Jack helped Miles down beside Skye, who gave them both a happy smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I could haul rocks around, but I can swing my club just fine and none of my ribs are broken. Honestly, I think the worst I¡¯ll have is not being able to sleep on my stomach for a few days.¡± He said honestly. He felt fine, and while he knew he should rest he also knew that he would crash once he did, and he wanted to help.


    Marcus nodded and led him away from the growing group at the fire. Soon Haden, Gordon, Lottie, Soren, and a fit woman in workout clothes that seemed to have a genuine smile on her face all joined them. Marcus gave each of them a smile.


    The new girl stuck out a hand to Gordon and Jack, shaking their hands.


    ¡°Howdy. I''m Clara. It''s nice to meetcha.¡± Jack was surprised at her strength and took a moment to reexamine her. She was around six feet tall and was very fit, with dark black hair in a pixie cut and vaguely Asian features with amber eyes. He recognized the logo on her shirt as belonging to the gym staff near his apartment, though he didn¡¯t recognize her.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I''m Gordon. This is Jack.¡± Gordon responded first, and Jack ducked his head in acknowledgment.


    Clara grinned.


    ¡°I was in the back of the group when the fight broke out, but I watched you guys kick major ass. You nearly knocked the bastard over with your club Jack. It was awesome.¡± Her enthusiasm was lightening, and his own smile became a bit more genuine.


    Marcus nodded, raising a hand to cut off more conversation.


    ¡°I wanted to introduce you all because you were the first to react to the Baryonyx, and between the six of us, I think we have the best chances of successfully bringing some food back. And with this.¡± He held up his bracelet.


    ¡°We can figure out how to tame a dinosaur.¡±

 Chapter 7: The Unseen Trap

    Lottie was the first one to ask the important question.


    ¡°How are we supposed to do that? Do you just need to touch it and say tame? Do we need to knock them unconscious or trap them?¡± She looked at the bracelet as if expecting it to start speaking to them.


    Marcus shrugged.


    ¡°I have no idea how this thing works. We were lucky that Mavis figured out how to make the map work. But I have no idea how to tame the dinosaurs.¡±


    As soon as he finished his sentence, a green light bloomed in the bracelet. A moment later, the hologram of the alien appeared before them. She was very clearly a hologram, as the quality of the image flickered as Marcus stepped back and raised his hand defensively. Her appearance immediately attracted the attention of the entire tribe, and seconds later the entire clearing was silent.


    ¡°Hello, tribe 13,748.¡± It was very strange to hear regular English come out of the mouth of a creature that was clearly making clicking sounds, but that was honestly so low on the list of things that mattered at this point that Jack was almost worried that he had gotten a concussion. The rest of the tribe blinked, and seeing that no outburst was coming the alien continued speaking.


    ¡°I heard your request to know more about how to use the device you have been gifted. You have already successfully used the features of the map, but once you have used it multiple times it will start to gather additional information about the surrounding area. This can take the form of further ranged scans, or more detailed scans that will help you find additional resources like metal veins in caves or salt deposits. The less energy the scan spends on mapping out your local area, the more it can focus on its secondary functions.¡± Marcus glanced down at the map charm attached to the bracelet and nodded. Jack moved to get a clear view of the alien.


    ¡°Thank you for the tip. We will make sure to use it when it is charged again. Do you have a way to tell when it will be ready for use?¡± Markus asked.


    The birdlike alien shook its head in a very human manner.


    ¡°Sadly we had to cut down on many of the support and quality of life features of the devices in order to produce the required number quickly. It should take one full day-night cycle, but you will know when it is ready when the mapping token is no longer cool to the touch.¡±


    Marcus nodded, but Jack noticed that Mavis had approached the group beside him and her eyebrows were pinched. That was usually a sign that she was frustrated or suspicious of someone. He stepped beside her and they two exchanged a glance. She returned her attention to the alien but said nothing.


    ¡°The term taming is not accurate to what the device does. It will not suddenly make the creature you are attempting to domesticate tame and docile, nor will it place it fully under your control like a slave. Instead, think of it like a bond. You will be able to sense the creature''s emotions when touching it, and it will sense yours. It will manipulate the minds of the animals to make you seem like the leader of their herd, pack, or relative family unit. There are two major exceptions to this rule, however. Some creatures cannot be bonded with, but they are rare and you are unlikely to encounter them any time soon unless you begin migrating south. These are creatures who are completely solitary, and abandon their young at birth and do not care for them in any way. The only bond these creatures have towards their own kinds are the yearly mating urges, and once those urges are fulfilled the pair usually fight to the death. Fortunately, these creatures are few and far between. The largest populations of them are in the oceans. The second example that breaks the rules are large insects, like the massive spider that your tribe killed earlier today. Insect brains do not process emotion the same way as other species. To use the bond on them you would effectively take the place of a queen in their colonies. They would be more or less at your beck and call like slaves.¡± She seemed to think for a moment, debating if she wanted to elaborate.


    ¡°There is much debate about whether or not insects have free will at all. But just know that bonding with one is much more like using a computer program than dealing with a real creature. Personally, I would avoid it, but I understand that sometimes the choice is not so simple to dismiss when you are in a life-and-death situation.¡±


    At this point Mattock and the people he had left the clearing with returned. Silently passing through the trees with their spears raised as the silence from the tribe had clearly spooked them. Jack saw Mattock and Marcus¡¯s eyes meet and Mattock shook his head in the negative. The young woman who had run away from the Baryonyx was not with them. Marcus frowned and turned his attention back onto the alien.


    ¡°Will the bonded dinosaurs only see me as their ally? Or the entire tribe?¡± He asked. The alien¡¯s face was difficult to read, but it looked to Jack like she smiled.


    ¡°That is a wonderful question. The device keeps a record of those who have given you their loyalty. You met the minimum requirement of followers to be awarded a device, and they have been cataloged in the device on your wrist.¡± She waved her feathered hand, and a fourth charm appeared on the bracelet in a flash of green light, as if by magic. It had the shape of a simple person, reminding Jack of the symbol used for men''s room back on earth.


    ¡°You can use that to pull up a list of each tribe member. It should help you in organizing things. Simply request to see your Tribe Log.¡±


    Marcus nodded respectfully to the alien and examined the new charm. Wasting no time in speaking the command that seemed to come to him.


    ¡°Tribe log.¡±


    A glowing green screen appeared before him, with twenty-three names listed. Beside each name was a profession, and a picture of the tribe members'' faces. Marcus used his finger to select Gordon¡¯s name, the screen loaded for a moment, then produced an expanded list of information about him. Height, weight, eye and hair color, blood type, ethnicity, and whether or not he could read or speak the tribe''s primary language which was labeled as US English. Marcus exited the expanded menu and looked over the names.


    <table style="width: 37.8013%">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 100%">


    Tribe Log


    Tribe Name: Tribe 13,748


    Tribe Members: 23


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Marcus Wright - Profession: Tribe Leader</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Gordon Gears - Profession: Second in Command</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mattock Finch - Profession: Lead Hunter</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Jack Wilson - Profession: Warrior</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mavis Martin - Profession: Wise Woman</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Clara Green - Profession: Warrior</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Skye Hollows - Profession: Lead Gatherer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Ms Margaret Poulet - Profession: Cook</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Haden Caine - Profession: Hunter</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lottie McDougall - Profession: Doctor</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Soren McDarcy - Profession: Scout</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Justin Norman - Profession: Farmer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Jade Rysler - Profession: Organizer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Nathaniel Greer - Profession: Hunter</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Miles Brimer - Profession: Builder</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lennox Miller - Profession: Complainer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Taressa Lum - Profession: Gatherer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Earl Jenkins - Profession: Gatherer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Cora Peterson - Profession: Gardener</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Maple Smith - Profession: Gatherer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">James Brave - Profession: Unassigned </li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Roy Brave - Profession: Unassigned</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Laura Heart - Profession: Unassigned</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Jack squinted at the list, and immediately noticed several important things. Most obvious was that less than half of the people present had been officially acknowledged as tribe members by the alien artifact. The idea that a group could have come back with a dinosaur the tribe thought was tamed only for it to attack the people not on the list sent shivers through his spine. From the sickly look on some of the other''s faces, he wasn¡¯t the only one who had that realization. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Secondly was the professions. Some of them were obvious and made sense, Marcus was the tribe leader and was listed as such, Miles had told Marcus that he had construction experience and was studying engineering so him being listed as a builder made sense. So did Lottie being named tribe doctor. But it was clear to everyone that Gordon being second in command was a shock, even to him. Though Marcus didn¡¯t seem surprised. Jack guessed that the list was based on what Marcus thought each person''s profession was, which explained why Mattock was listed as a hunter, and Lennox the obnoxious artist had his job listed as a complainer. That meant that the device could somehow read Marcus¡¯s thoughts, which was worrying for a number of reasons. Marcus looked at the list, and with pinched eyebrows and a wave of his hand, he changed the professions and the way the list was ordered to his preferences. The new list was easier to read.


    <table style="width: 39.6275%">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 100%">


    Tribe Log


    Tribe Name: Tribe #13,748


    Tribe Members: 23


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Marcus Wright - Profession: Tribe Leader</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Gordon Gears - Profession: Second in Command - Hunter</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Jade Rysler - Profession: Third in Command - Gatherer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mattock Finch - Profession: Lead Hunter</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Skye Hollows - Profession: Lead Gatherer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Miles Brimer - Profession: Builder - Hunter</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mavis Martin - Profession: Wise Woman - Gatherer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Ms Margaret Poulet - Profession: Cook - Gatherer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lottie McDougall - Profession: Doctor - Hunter</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Justin Norman - Profession: Farmer - Gatherer</li>


    </ul>


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Nathaniel Greer - Profession: Hunter</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Jack Wilson - Profession: Hunter</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Clara Green - Profession: Hunter</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Soren McDarcy - Profession: Hunter</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Haden Caine - Profession: Hunter</li>


    </ul>


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Taressa Lum - Profession: Gatherer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Earl Jenkins - Profession: Gatherer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Cora Peterson - Profession: Gatherer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Maple Smith - Profession: Gatherer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lennox Miller - Profession: Gatherer</li>


    </ul>


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">James Brave - Profession: Unassigned </li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Roy Brave - Profession: Unassigned</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Laura Heart - Profession: Unassigned</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Marcus quickly sorted everyone he knew into hunter or gatherer, leaving the unassigned people for when he had time to meet with the people involved and judge if they could handle the stress of being hunters. He also standardized the professions. Jack wasn¡¯t sure if there would need to be a difference between warrior and hunter, but for now, the difference was meaningless. They could wield a spear, or a club in his case, and they would fight to protect the tribe. Using the same terms and not making a difference between the two tasks was probably the right call for group cohesion, but long term it could cause problems. Jack could see someone like Soren being okay with hunting, but the younger man might not be able to take a life when it mattered.


    Jack glanced at Mavis, and she looked worried. She had been wearing her suspicious face since he first noticed her moving behind Marcus. As the tribe muttered around them about the professions and the fact that so many were missing from the list, Jack moved beside her and bent to ask his question.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± He tried to keep his voice low, but Gordon was behind him and clearly heard his question. He pulled both Jack and Mavis into a huddle.


    ¡°They know too much about us. Their story isn¡¯t adding up.¡± Gordon said, and Mavis glanced over her shoulder to look at the Alien hologram. It was still focused on Marcus, as he let the tribe examine the log. One person who was not on the list spoke to him, and a new name was added to the log. Mavis looked back to Jack and Gordon and nodded.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be hard for them to grab a picture of us, but to get our blood type, and weight, they either need far more access to the planetary AI than they claimed to have, or they have such advanced technology that they can scan us from orbit. Or maybe from the bracelet. I don¡¯t trust them.¡± She whispered and Jack frowned as he thought it through.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of that, too focused on the fact that they could somehow read Marcus¡¯s mind. I mean, how else can he change the jobs on the tribe log with just a wave? Maybe they can read all our minds and that''s how they are getting the information?¡± He looked to Gordon, who shook his head.


    ¡°No, that was my old weight, from before the twins. I have lost a good five pounds since then. It also didn¡¯t catch that I can speak Spanish.¡± Gordon said, causing Mavis and Jack to share a glance.


    ¡°Dude, your Spanish is worse than mine. And I can barely count to ten.¡± Jack said, and Gordon looked mock offended. They all shared a small chuckle, but the unease of the situation was hard to move past.


    ¡°I think they either got the information from Earth databases, meaning they went there and recovered as many records as they could, or they have more access than they claim. Either way, why not give us the tribe log from the beginning? It feels like a trap. If we had tamed that Baryonyx for example, it would have gone wild and killed more people just because we didn¡¯t know they were not technically in the tribe.¡± Mavis shivered again, and Jack put his hand over hers for comfort. She took it easily.


    ¡°We should continue on assuming they are watching us at all times. I think something is going on behind the scenes up there. But it ultimately is a problem for later. Right now we have to focus on getting through each day.¡± Gordon said, and both Mavis and Jack nodded. They broke the huddle, and Jack returned his gaze to the Alien again. Marcus had asked another question, but it seemed like they hadn¡¯t missed much.


    The more Jack thought about the situation, the more suspicious of the Aliens he became. He tried to understand this alien''s body language, her mannerisms had been oddly human. And she had definitely smiled when Marcus had asked the question about who was considered part of the tribe and seemed relieved that they hadn''t fallen into the trap of bringing a dino into a group of people who were not in the tribe. But why had that been a trap? Why didn¡¯t the aliens tell them about it from the beginning? Instead, they had waited for the tribe to ask. They obviously had the tribe log feature prepared and were just waiting for the opportunity to give it to them. But why not include it from the start? Jack could only guess, and none of the options his mind came up with were good. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up like he was being watched.


    ¡°To answer your original question though.¡± The alien continued.


    ¡°To use the bond, you must touch the dinosaur you are trying to bond with and speak the command aloud. Saying tame, bond, domesticate, or anything similar will work, so long as your intentions are clear to the device. The dinosaur you are trying to tame must either be fully calm around you, or be in a state where they cannot fight back. Such as trapped or unconscious. Keep in mind that a trapped dinosaur can be bonded with, but it will take considerably more energy to do so, and thus the device will take longer to recharge. I suggest using food to gain the trust of the dinosaurs before trying to tame them. The more at ease they are, the easier it will be. Are there any questions?¡±


    Gordon spoke up before Marcus could say anything.


    ¡°I have a wife who was not with me when we arrived. Is she on the planet? Or in stasis with our children?¡± His tone had a hint of fear mixed into it. And several others in the crowd perked up to ask questions about their own families. The alien raised her hand to quiet them.


    ¡°My time is limited, I have to give similar speeches to three thousand more tribes and I can only spend so long with each. What is your wife¡¯s name? I will check my records and allow one more question before I must leave.¡±


    The crowd murmured with discontent, but Marcus silenced them with a fearsome look. Gordon spoke up.


    ¡°Her name is Ellie Gears. She was with our children when we were taken.¡± His tone was desperate, hope and despair mixed on a knife edge.


    The alien looked to her side, clearly checking something out of view of the hologram. Then turned back to Gordon.


    ¡°She is in stasis. I will add her to the list of people to be released when your tribe has built a base that meets the requirements, alongside your offspring.¡± She nodded to Gordon, and the sympathy in her eyes was clear to see.


    ¡°However¡± She continued, her tone suddenly more professional. Jack got the sense her boss was listening to her. ¡°She is also listed for release to her elder brother should he be in a position to receive her. Sadly we do not have a fair way to make sure everyone is able to perfectly be repositioned. I suggest haste in establishing your settlement.¡±


    Gordon was at first relieved by her words, but the idea of losing his wife to being slow to settle safely seemed to weigh heavily on him. Jack could see the fear and the determination in his eyes. The alien turned and addressed the rest of the tribe.


    ¡°I suggest you all give the names of your loved ones to your tribe leader. I will be able to contact him for longer conversations in the future. And I do not want you to miss out on the information if I return when you are out hunting or exploring.¡± She then turned to Marcus.


    ¡°I have time for a single question.¡±


    Marcus glanced at Mattock who shrugged, then to Mavis who was visibly thinking as fast as she could and looked like she had a thousand questions. She was counting on her fingers, and muttering under her breath. Marcus gave her a moment, and she looked up with a fiery curiosity in her eyes.


    ¡°Is there a way to learn more about the dinosaurs using the artifact? We have the ability to see what food is safe for us but not for them. We also don¡¯t even know what some of them are called or how to properly care for them. Can the artifact help us learn anything like that?¡±


    The alien''s smile was almost giddy and she hopped from foot to foot.


    ¡°Yes yes. Wonderful. Here.¡± She waved her hand and a fifth charm appeared on Marcus¡¯s bracelet. It was shaped like a magnifying glass.


    ¡°The encyclopedia. Good question. You know how to ask the right ones. You are the first tribe to unlock that one.¡± With a pleased chirp, the alien hologram vanished.


    Mavis looked from Marcus to Jack and Gorden, she seemed pale. Jack had a bad feeling she had figured out another piece of what was going on.

 Chapter 8: Master of Beasts

    POV: Marcus


    The tribe didn¡¯t take long to move once the Alien hologram had vanished. Marcus spent some time organizing people to gather every type of plant, root, and berry they could find in their groups of five and bring them back to camp so he could use the artifact¡¯s ability to determine what was edible and what was not. He brought Jade over and the two of them did a thorough headcount and made sure that everyone was officially added to the tribe. By the time they were done, the tribe had 68 people.


    Marcus gradually grew more and more frustrated as he shook hands with everyone and accepted them into the tribe. The gathered hunting party as well as Jade had to make an active effort to not chuckle at his expression of trying to be serious while Mavis held his right hand like a clingy child as she scanned through the Alien encyclopedia with fervor. If Marcus didn¡¯t need the thing to add people to the tribe, he would have just given it to Mavis and gone about his day.


    That had been his original plan once her not-so-secret huddle with Jack and Gordon was finished and the young woman had started devouring the knowledge inside the charm. When he tried to remove it with the intention of handing the bracelet to her it actually loosened. But they soon learned that the bracelet was his symbol of leadership, so without it on he was unable to manage the tribe log or add people to the tribe. So he suffered through Mavis holding his arm like a bookstand as she scrolled through the holographic green pages.


    He was tempted to tell her to go help the people who were gathering the plethora of fruits at the edge of the clearing. But he noticed that she needed a task she was actually good at. She looked sick with worry, and he could tell she was on the verge of a breakdown. She wasn¡¯t wearing shoes, having been in pink fluffy socks when they were abducted. Her feet were likely raw from just the few miles they had moved through the dense forest. She could use the break, and he could use someone with more knowledge of their surroundings and each type of dinosaur they were likely to encounter. He reminded himself that being a leader meant more than making a plan or making sure everyone was constantly working. It was about making sure everyone had the best tools for the job and could work efficiently.


    A rotation of water being constantly boiled and then stored in the spare water bottles, then an orderly queue for everyone to have a turn getting a drink was set up with Ms Margaret the old middle school cafeteria lady and tribe cook in charge. A collection of lean-tos was being set up by Skye and a woman named Taressa so that half the tribe could rest at a time. Mattock took half of the hunters including the young man Nathaniel, who had not helped with the Baryonyx fight, and started organizing a watch rotation. Marcus was keeping an eye on him. He couldn¡¯t blame him for freezing up during the fight, and Marcus himself had lost track of things once the adrenaline had started to flow. He would give the young man more chances, but he might need to be made a gatherer if he couldn¡¯t keep his spear up when the lives of everyone depended on it. He was still trying to ignore the pit in his stomach from the two who had died from the Baryonyx, and the one woman who had run off at the start of that fight. There would be time to grieve later. And he made sure to write down the names of the fallen.


    The watch rotation would be keeping their eyes open for the dinos of the wild and keeping the fire burning through the entire night. If that fire went out, they would be in a very bad place. He sent Jade off to do an in-depth inventory of what everyone arrived with. They needed a list of how many shoes, shirts, pants, and hats they would need to craft. Marcus also had her take the shoes from the dead man, and make sure they were put to good use.


    Once everyone was added to the tribe, and tasks were assigned to each person, he sat down with Mavis.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± He asked and felt the young woman pull into herself. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was the situation, or if she was uncomfortable around him. His instincts told him it was likely something personal, maybe family issues. He couldn¡¯t blame her.


    Eventually, she pulled her thoughts together and looked back up at him.


    ¡°The bracelet is reading your mind somehow. And I think that the Aliens are watching us. They had too much information about us, from our weight to what languages we speak.¡± She answered. It was clearly worrying her. Marcus had caught that as well, but he was focused on more immediate issues.


    ¡°You are right. I won¡¯t pretend to know how any of this technology works. But it clearly responds to my thoughts. But did you notice that you could also scroll through the hologram?¡± He pointed out. Causing her to freeze and blink. He could almost see her running through all of her thoughts and ideas about the situation with this new information in mind.


    ¡°And¡± Marcus continued. ¡°It lets the dinos we tame know who is part of the tribe and who isn¡¯t. The alien didn¡¯t mention any range limit, or that I needed to be the one to order the dinos around. From how she explained it, I got the sense that anyone in the tribe could. My guess is that the bracelet connects us all somehow. Maybe some type of nanites? Maybe magic? I doubt we would even fully understand how it works if they sat down and tried to explain it to us.¡± He took off the bracelet and handed it to her. She started to fiddle with it. The action reminded Marcus of how his oldest daughter would play with smooth stones when she was nervous, always running her fingers along them for comfort. He let her think, the silence drifting out for a minute before she spoke again.


    ¡°I think they are either using us for experiments or entertainment.¡± She finally said. And it was Marcus¡¯s turn to think. There was no real way to know. But he got the sense this wasn¡¯t an experiment. It was something in the Alien''s tone, the sympathy in her eyes when she had told them about Earth and their situation. He had no doubt that their species had great actors or could deceive them, but his gut told him that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°I think you are right. Someone up there is playing games, and I don¡¯t like it. I think they are entertained by us. But so long as they give us their assistance, I won¡¯t mind. Without the ability to bond with the dinosaurs, we probably won¡¯t last a month here. We use their technology, we survive, we get our families back, and once we are ready, we can start digging into the alien¡¯s intentions.¡± He watched her expression. She looked tired, but she nodded. That would do for now.


    ¡°In the short term, it doesn¡¯t matter what they have planned. We are here, and they have provided help they didn¡¯t have to. We have to focus on keeping everyone alive and healthy. We don¡¯t have a proper doctor, and we need all the information we can get. Will you help me go through all the information we can find in this encyclopedia, and get an idea of what dinosaurs we should be on the lookout for?¡±


    Mavis looked up from the bracelet, meeting his eyes. He could see all the fear and worry, but also the bright curiosity. She needed to be helpful, and he knew how she could help. She nodded, and for the first time, a smile tugged at her lips. She pulled up the encyclopedia again and started to show him what she had figured out while he was adding everyone to the tribe.


    That was one person he had helped find a purpose. Even for the short term. Only sixty-six more to go. For the millionth time since he had landed on this planet, he wished his wife was with them.


    When Mavis finished giving him the quick version of what she had discovered he sent her to go help the water team. Along with most of the people who didn¡¯t have proper shoes. With a fire going and a watch set, he could finally start with the hunters. The group of them had gathered a while ago, and Marcus approached them with a smile he did not feel.


    ¡°We should have an hour or two of sunlight left. Probably. It''s hard to tell in this shitty jungle.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Let''s go tame a dinosaur.¡±


    The hunting team consisted of Soren, Gordon, Jack, Lottie, Haden, Clara, and finally Marcus himself. They each grabbed an extra spear and spent a moment taking sips of warm water before heading upstream. They walked stoically through the sparse woods surrounding the creak, and Gordon spoke up once they were out of hearing range of the camp.


    ¡°So. What are we searching for? I¡¯ve played a few games with Mavis and we always had the best luck when we got one of the medium-sized herbivores first like those Stegos.¡±


    Clara gave him a disbelieving look.


    ¡°Those are the medium-sized ones? The ones covered in spikes bigger than a buffalo?¡±


    Gordon and Soren laughed.


    ¡°Have you never seen Jurassic Park?¡± Soren asked her, but she just looked confused.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°No way.¡± Jack laughed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell her¡± Lottie joined in. ¡°I want to see the look on her face when we find one.¡±


    ¡°O that''s not fair. Tell me what?¡± Clara pouted playfully.


    Even Marcus cracked a smile, but he decided to answer the original question.


    ¡°I think we try for the first one we come across that we think will be useful. If this thing has to recharge over a day or two, I want to start that timer as soon as we can so that we can start growing. We should only try and get herbivores for now. I don¡¯t want to risk us misunderstanding how the bond works and getting someone eaten. Also, we currently have no meat at all, so we would be adding mouths to feed.¡±


    The others nodded, and it didn¡¯t take long to find evidence of dinosaurs coming and going from the creak. Muddy footprints of all sizes came and went from one of the shallow banks of the creak. They noticed a small group of Compy drinking from the water, noticeably different colors than the first group they had seen. These ones seemed just as interested in chasing the bugs around the stream and didn¡¯t bother with the humans at all.


    Ignoring them in turn the hunters continued moving upriver. The trees narrowed slightly as several taller trees had managed to grow tall enough to not be knocked over or eaten by the grazing herbivores and provided cover for more plants to grow around them. The ground slowly turned more rocky as the slope up the mountain increased. After twenty minutes of walking Gordon raised his hand for them to stop moving. He brought a finger to his lips to signal for quiet, then crept around one of the taller trees. The rest of the group moved quietly behind him until they could see a lone dinosaur drinking from the creak.


    It was a Parasorolphus. A ¡°medium-sized¡± dinosaur with a long head crest and a duck-like bill for a head. Its legs were large and sturdy, and they could see that while bi-pedial with a long tail for balance, it could very easily drop to all fours and run. It was about fifteen feet from head to tail, its hands and feet were webbed, and this one had beautiful forest green skin with a deep blue belly and arms. It had a long scar across its tail and back that seems to have healed fine.


    The group watched the creature drink from the creak, keeping an eye out for any others and finding nothing. They turned to Marcus.


    ¡°Tame or kill? It''s alone so I think if we are careful we can spear it and run it down. Maybe if one of us is lucky we can get a clean shot, but there is a lot of meat on that thing.¡± Soren put the question to the group, and while everyone had their own opinions they waited for Marcus to speak.


    Marcus examined the dinosaur and remembered what Mavis had told him about them. It was nearly the size of a bus, and according to Mavis, it had webbed feet. It would make for a great form of transportation, with a large back and plenty of strength he could load everyone without shoes on its back and easily double their speed through the jungle. It would be useful, and despite not having spikes, its tail was powerful enough to break bone if it hit something. The final use that the encyclopedia mentioned was its call. The horn on its head was long and would let it make a wide variety of trumpeting noises that could be heard over a large distance. That could let the tribe communicate if separated. However, it wasn¡¯t what he had been looking for. He was hoping to find a lone triceratops or stegosaurus, those had much better defensive uses.


    ¡°It depends on if we think it will be of use. It''s big, but not as big or useful as the Stegos. It''s alone, which is good for either option. But what can it do for us? I am leaning towards killing it.¡± Jack said when Marcus didn¡¯t answer.


    They all watched the creature for a moment. The creature was majestic in its own way, but it also sort of reminded him of a cow. It was content to graze and wonder, but it was clearly well-built and could probably carry several people at a time without getting weighed down.


    ¡°What does the encyclopedia thing say about it?¡± He asked Marcus, and a moment later Marcus focused on the Parasour and the green screen appeared in front of them.


    <table style="width: 74.5069%">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 100%">


    Species: Parasaurolophus


    Sex: Male


    Age: 4 Years


    Approximate Weight: 17,000lb


    Approximate Length: 16¡¯4¡±


    Approximate Height: 9¡¯ at the crest, 8¡¯ at the shoulder.


    Parasaurolophus are herd animals that migrate through the wetlands and river valleys of Kittis. They are excellent swimmers and prefer to eat the reeds and waterlogged grasses that grow in the rivers and wetlands. A herd is usually made up of many females and a single bull male. Juvenile males are kicked out of the herd around the age of three years, and they must band together to find their other herds, challenging the males for dominance.


    Estimated uses for tribe:


    Strong enough to carry weight across long distances.


    Potential for livestock animals if their migratory instincts can be satisfied or bread out.


    Semi-aquatic travel through the river valleys.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The group examined the read-out of the dinosaur, and all shrugged.


    ¡°I say we tame it.¡± Gordon said.


    ¡°Even if we did kill it, most of the meat would go to waste. There is no way to preserve that much food. It seems like a lot of effort to kill something that ninety-nine percent of will be wasted.¡± Lottie agreed.


    Clara and Haden shrugged, not having a strong opinion either way, and Jack and Soren said nothing.


    ¡°I think a lone Parasour is going to be the best shot we get for a tame this early. Eventually, we can make traps or bolas or something. But I think we need to pounce on any early opportunities we can. Besides, if we can toss the people without shoes up on its back and have them keep watch while we walk, we will be able to move a lot faster.¡± Marcus said, making up his mind.


    Jack grinned, his excitement for action was clear in his eyes. Marcus made a note to watch this young man as well. He had the opposite problem of Nathaniel, too eager to run into danger. Still, it was impressive how he wielded his club like a madman.


    ¡°Ok. What''s the plan?¡± Jack asked.


    ==========================


    Ten minutes later Marcus was standing beside Lottie as they quietly approached the dinosaur. It had moved away from the creak but was just enjoying some of the wet grass nearby. They approached from the water, hoping that not appearing from the jungle would startle the creature as much. They moved slowly and quietly, but not silently. Lottie made a gentle cooing noise, trying to mimic the sound the Parasaur made the one time they heard it vocalize. The dinosaur noticed them immediately, but only turned its head to look at them with large green eyes, then quickly decided they were not a threat and returned to grazing. Apparently, there was nothing the size or shape of a human in these woods that would give the Parasaur reason to worry. So they smiled at each other and moved closer.


    Watching every movement, they got within ten feet, and it let out a short huff. They stopped, and Lottie moved around to be in front of it, then slowly approached. Speaking softly to it like it was just a big dumb cow.


    ¡°It''s okay big guy. It''s alright. I''m friendly, see?¡± She got within five feet of the creature, while Marcus continued to move from the side, slowly, non-threateningly. Lottie reached out and couldn¡¯t hold back a smile as the Parasaur smelled her hand. It seemed largely uninterested in her and went back to eating.


    Lottie stepped forward again, placing her hand against its large neck and gently stroking it. It eyed her and let out a grunt, but not feeling any pain the creature simply started to move away from the strange humans. As soon as it started to move, Marcus stepped forward and placed his hand on the creature''s tail, speaking aloud as fast as he could.


    ¡°Tame. Bond. Whatever. Just do it.¡±


    The charms on the bracelet lit up, and the tooth charm glowed green before the same aura covered both Marcus and the Parasaur. Marus felt a small headache, and the Parasaur let out a trumpet of alarm. But as soon as it had started it was done, and the Parasaur calmed down.


    A green screen appeared for Marcus once he took a step back. The feedback he was getting from the strange bond gave him a sense of confusion and happiness from their new friend. He gently petted the Parasour¡¯s neck and looked at the screen hovering above his wrist.


    <table style="width: 39.3535%">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 100%">


    Congratulations


    You have successfully bonded with a dinosaur


    Species: Parasaurolophus


    Sex: Male


    Age: 4 Years, 3 Months


    Please name the dinosaur to finalize the bonding process.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    He smiled, and the other hunters stepped out from the grass they were crouched in to join them and pet their first dinosaur.


    ¡°Wow. Good job chief.¡± Soren said, clearly amazed with the creature as he ran his fingers across its slightly damp skin.


    ¡°What should we name it?¡± Gordon asked. Just as enraptured by the now docile and friendly dinosaur.


    ¡°What about. ..Thrasher?¡± Jack suggested, causing Clara to snort.


    ¡°The big softy herbivore? Thrasher? Why?¡± She asked, clearly happy to return some of the good-natured teasing they had shared earlier.


    Jack shrugged and ran his hands over the long bony crest that was its most defining characteristic. The dino huffed and tried to smell Jack¡¯s hand, its head lifting up until it was gazing at the sky and causing the group to chuckle.


    ¡°Anyone got a better name? I''m too hungry to think of anything clever right now.¡± George said. But after a few seconds, they all shook their heads.


    ¡°Thrasher it is. May your name strike fear into our enemy''s hearts.¡± Marcus declared, and Thrasher let out a loud, happy cry.


    They all chuckled, and giving Thrasher some more pets they started making their way back towards the camp.


    ¡°Follow us Thrasher, we will get you lots of nice grass and more friends.¡± Gordon smiled as he pet the dinosaur. And for the first time since arriving here, the smile was genuine.

 Chapter 9: The First Night

    When they arrived back at camp everyone was thrilled to meet Thrasher. He was praised as a good boy and given many pets and scratches. For the night the big friendly parasaur became the camp¡¯s therapy dino, and he was thrilled about it. He wasn''t thrilled about the fire, but once he was shown that it was safe he settled down and relaxed. Laying down and letting people climb over him and rest against his massive body. He was surprisingly warm to the touch, and soon over a dozen people were using him as a backrest.


    As soon as they were back the hunting team was sent to check the creak for fish, but they didn¡¯t find anything of substance, and the one fish they did see escaped easily. The goodhearted laughter from Clara softened the failure, but their stomachs were still empty.


    The gatherers had collected a large pile of berries, and people were eyeing them hungrily by the time Marcus used his artifact to check the toxicity of the food. A now familiar green energy washed over the pile, highlighting most of the berries with a faint green glow, but a handful of glowing red berries were listed as toxic. They quickly sorted out the berries and found that there were three species of toxic berries. A white one with golden stems that looked somewhat like a seedless strawberry. The second one looked almost exactly like a blackberry but had an oily film on it that stained whatever it touched. The final toxic berry was an unripe version of one of the non-toxic berries. They would have to be extra careful about eating from those.


    After trying a few of the berries and taking another sip of water, Marcus handed off the artifact to Mavis and fell into one of the lean-tos constructed from large fern leaves and sticks. He was asleep as soon as he hit the floor.


    Jack joined Gordon and Mavis by the fire. The two men shared a look and smiled. Mavis had taken less than a day stuck on a prehistoric planet to find a working screen. She didn¡¯t notice their chuckles, completely immersed in studying the encyclopedia of dinosaurs.


    Ms Margret walked over to join them as the sun went down fully and offered each of them a handful of berries.


    ¡°Mavis. Would you be a dear and look these up in that fancy screen thing you have there?¡± She asked, sweetly, breaking Mavis out of her trance. She blinked and took the berries, nodding and flicking through the screens. When she reached the simple white berry that was toxic when unripe, her eyes went wide.


    ¡°These ones have caffeine in them.¡± She grinned and popped one into her mouth. Biting down it was clear to Jack that she regretted her decision to be the taste tester. The berry was bitter and the seed in its center was both large and hard. She grimaced but ate all of the flesh from the berry before spitting out the seed. She might hate the taste, but she was starving and tired, and hunger is the finest of spices.


    Jack picked through his handful of berries and found that most of them were fairly bland, all of them had large seeds that he would spit out. The yellow berries were the sweetest, but also the smallest. He agreed that the white berries with the caffeine in them were nasty, but one handful of berries was not going to give him enough calories to survive in a jungle like this. He knew they would need meat the next day, which meant he would need to hunt.


    He found a spot beside Mavis and lay down on the leaves that had been gathered. It was uncomfortable, but whoever had set the spot up had been through in removing small rocks so he was able to relax by laying on his back. He gazed up at the night sky, and despite most of it being blocked by the thick jungle around them, the small strip of visible sky was alight with trillions of new stars.


    It looked for familiar constellations out of habit. But he was under an alien sky. These were not his stars. For the first time in the day, he didn''t push his feelings down. His old life was gone. His parents were gone.


    Tears formed in his eyes, and fell silently. He was not the only one grieving in the camp, but no one had the energy to cry and shout. Jack let the tears flow. Remembering the times his father had taken him out of school for no reason other than it was a beautiful day and they would go hiking together. He remembered his Mother''s disastrous attempts to recreate a recipe from a cooking show she was watching and burned the food so badly that the family had gotten pizza instead and stayed up late watching the season finale of the same show. He etched his parents'' smiling faces into his memory and vowed never to forget them.


    He would live on. Their memory would not die. And he would one day tell his own children of their kindness and light hearts. He would not squander himself like he had been doing after he finished college. There was no more sitting around drinking beer or slacking off with Mavis on the couch. He would work hard, he would work smart, and he would thrive.


    Jack was close to falling asleep when Gordon came to sit beside him and Mavis. He was still shirtless, now red with sunburn and covered in dirt from their long day. He looked Mavis over. She was clearly worried. Her expression was bleak.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Gordon asked. Pulling her attention away from the artifact¡¯s encyclopedia to look at him. Her arm dropped into her lap and the screen faded.


    ¡°So much.¡± She whispered and looked into the fire. A moment later she leaned against his shoulder.


    ¡°Worried about your family?¡± Gordon asked. They had all done the math. The cutoff age was forty years old. Mavis was twenty-two, and her parents had her when they were both eighteen. Depending on how the alien AI determined the cutoff date, her parents may be alive. And her younger brother certainly was, being only fifteen. Jack opened his eyes and listened to his friends talk. He would be there if they needed him.


    Mavis shrugged.


    ¡°I can''t do anything about it one way or another. So I don''t want to get worked up about it until Kyrxess comes back for more questions. I''m too tired to get worked up about it one way or the other.¡±


    ¡°Kyrxess?¡± Gordon asked with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Yeah. The Kenku bird alien lady. That''s her name. She introduced herself in the recording before all this happened.¡± Mavis smiled faintly. Gordon shrugged the shoulder Mavis wasn''t resting on.


    ¡°I was sleeping when that started. I must have missed it. I thought I was dreaming.¡± He leaned into her a bit.


    ¡°I wish we were.¡± She said softly. Her eyes locked on the crackling flames before them.


    ¡°So do I.¡± Gordon put his arm around Mavis, pulling her into a side hug and causing her to gag and push away from him. She waved a hand in front of her nose dramatically.


    ¡°You stink! Ugh.¡± She gagged again, and Gordon chuckled.


    ¡°You''re a bit ripe yourself.¡± He retorted and put his arm down. Mavis squinted at him a bit but returned to resting her head on his shoulder. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Gordon could tell that she wanted to say something but was still processing it.


    ¡°The aliens are lying to us.¡± She eventually said.


    From the look on Gordon¡¯s face, he hadn¡¯t expected this to be the topic of conversation. But he nodded.


    ¡°I agree. It doesn¡¯t add up. I¡¯m no master of alien body language, but from her tone and words, my instincts tell me she is trying to help. Though she is clearly holding information back from us.¡±


    Mavis nodded and raised her wrist with the artifact.


    ¡°It was like she wasn¡¯t able to tell us about the pitfalls of taming and the tribe log until we asked. She clearly had it ready to give to us, but she didn¡¯t. She also seemed relieved when we realized what would have happened if we hadn''t figured it out. But there is more. This artifact doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    Gordon raised an eyebrow and took Mavis¡¯s hand, moving it into better light by the fire to examine the bracelet more closely.


    ¡°It would be trivially easy for them to give us a charge rating for when it is ready to use. In fact, it probably took more work to redesign the technology and remove that feature. Secondly, the ability to test for toxins in the food should use way less power than mapping the area or using whatever brain control magic it takes to tame dinosaurs, but it seems to be recharging at the same rate as the mapping feature. I''m keeping track of how long it takes to recharge, but that''s the sense I''m getting from feeling the temperature of the charms. But it was the encyclopedia charm that made me positive that something was wrong.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    She rotated her wrist and activated the charm. The green window appeared with a long list of dinosaur names and a search bar.


    ¡°Just like the tribe log, they could have given this to use at any point. But they waited until we asked about it. Almost like we met some requirements to unlock it. Finally, there is no cooldown to use this one or the tribe log. I can flick it on and off whenever I need it, and it has shown no signs of using energy of any kind. The charms don¡¯t get cold or hot. So either the map and toxin scan are thousands of times more complex than we understand and take far more power, or the recharge periods are deliberate design choices.¡± She closed the screen and slumped against Gordon¡¯s shoulder again. He had listened calmly, waiting for her to finish so he could chew the information over.


    ¡°To what end? It''s also clear they are watching us at least some of the time. I suspected they may have physical access to the people in stasis. Or far more access to the preserve AI than they claimed they did. They have our blood types, exact height, and weight. How do they know our literacy rates? How do they even know English? I get they have some crazy translation technology, but if Earth was destroyed they wouldn''t be able to get that information unless they were able to unfreeze some people and talk to them.¡±


    Mavis took a stick and poked at the fire. Causing the cinders to dance in the smoke.


    ¡°I have a few hypotheses. None of them are great for us. The first one is that this is all some fucked up virtual reality prison or game. But I have no idea how to prove that it is or isn¡¯t. I mean things are crazy and I have a magic bracelet that can tame dinosaurs but.¡± She gestured around. Felt the warm air blow through the thick jungle that was alive with distant chitters and calls of mysterious creatures.


    ¡°It''s so real. So painfully real. And if it was a game we should have stat sheets and shoes and we shouldn¡¯t be limited to drinking a sip of hot water out of a beer can every other hour to survive.¡± She shook her head, and Gordon frowned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that''s likely. I can¡¯t rule it out but I don¡¯t think it fits. I was thinking it was some sort of Alien bloodsport. Strand a bunch of people on a planet full of monsters and watch them struggle to survive. Maybe it''s a battle royal, and they will make us kill each other, or maybe they are just cruel.¡±


    They both sat there. Looking into the fire. After some time, Mavis felt the bracelet heat up slightly, and green energy rolled across her skin. All the hair on her body stood up, and both she and Gordon felt their chests tighten with fear.


    Suddenly a figure was sitting beside them at the fire. The shadows seemed to curl around her dark cloak, and she was barely visible to anyone outside of the fire ring. It was clearly Kyrxess, but in the guise of a human woman. Long black hair, yellow eyes, sharp features, and a dress made of feathers. When she smiled at them her too-perfect features set off every fight or flight reaction the humans had. There was something deeply unsettling about the figure before them. Jack had never understood the uncanny valley before, but now he understood. Every bone in his body screamed that this creature was not human, and he should run or kill it. He reached for his club before remembering that it was a hologram. Still, he sat up and looked at the women.


    ¡°Greetings, Mavis Martin, Jack Wilson, and Gordon Gears. Please do not draw attention to my presence. I would like to speak with you alone for a bit. As you have guessed, I am Kyrxess. And we are monitoring each tribe through the artifacts, our satellites, and some of the systems the planetary preserve AI has active.¡± She gestured towards the artifact on Mavis¡¯s wrist.


    Several seconds of silence passed as the three of them overcame their instinctual fear of the creature before them. Jack felt like he should have some clever response, but nothing came to his exhausted mind. Gordon eventually spoke up.


    ¡°Um. To what end? If you are listening to us, you have obviously heard our questions.¡± He trailed off, a general look of confusion on his face.


    Jack opened his mouth to ask something but stopped himself. Part of him worried if they spoke rashly here if the aliens would just kill him. Part of him didn¡¯t want to know the truth.


    Kyrxess bobbed her head. Her face showed a deep sorrow. Her eyes turned puffy, and her cheeks sunk in slightly. It was clear whatever hologram disguise she was using did not understand how the human body shifted emotions, and just replicated the final state of the emotion, regardless of how strongly it was felt. It made her feel even more creepy, and Jack found her less relatable now than in her true alien form.


    ¡°Nothing I have told you has been a lie. Your planet was destroyed by an asteroid around thirty-five years ago. You were saved by the automated preserve AI that was set up by the Old Empire scientists. Your children are alive Gordon, in stasis. The person you referenced as your wife is also still in stasis. But she has a brother far away from here working towards freeing her and adding her to his tribe. So you will have to complete your base faster than he does.¡± She sighed, and her features shifted back to a more neutral expression.


    ¡°While we haven''t lied, we haven''t told the full truth either. I will save you the lecture on how our government is run. But the short version is that we have a council of the different species that must all vote in full agreement for a motion to pass. This was supposed to encourage compromise and teamwork and prevent one political party or species dominate the rest of the council. In reality, it means there are a lot of backroom deals and the wheels of our bureaucracy turn slowly. There are eight species in the council, three carnivores, four herbivores, and one omnivorous species. Each species wanted to do something different about your situation. But the time we had to let our system work the standard way was limited. The planetary AI here that has your people in stasis is fully sentient but sees the world through a skewed vision. It was going to start killing you off unless we stopped preventing it from releasing you. So the compromise that was met with the species made no one happy.¡±


    A flash of bitter anger flashed across her face. She made a snarling sound and her teeth flashed like she was going to bite them.


    ¡°The idiots wanted to turn this entire planet into a contest for their amusement. They want to see how your species wages war and if you can survive to live with the harsh environment. Their original proposal was harshly denied by the council. But they couldn¡¯t move forward without an agreement.¡± Her anger faded away, returning to the neutral face. Mavis and Gordon said nothing, only watching intently. Jack gripped his club and bit his lip in frustration. They all wanted to curse the bastards who had suggested such a thing, but knew it wasn¡¯t the time.


    ¡°The problem we face is twofold. We cannot evacuate you. And we can not provide you enough aid to rebuild your old society. The reason for the first is the exclusion field around the planet. Nothing that enters here can leave. But the second issue stems from the first. The planetary AI controls the environment of this world. It repopulates the species here if they start to struggle, and it keeps the environment stable. If we were to drop a concrete city from the sky, the AI would destroy it within a day. It doesn''t seem to mind buildings made from the local materials. It will even assist you in some ways. There is a species of intelligent monkey that has found uses for metal-rich ore as a projectile weapon and simple tool to crack open nuts. The AI replenishes the ore they have taken out of the cliff walls over time. Honestly, we do not know how it works. The Old Empire technology is as advanced to us as our technology is to you. Which is why one of the species wanted to let you all be wiped out, rather than build a new civilization on the basis of their technology.¡± Her features flickered again, this time looking embarrassed. Her cheeks turned bright red, her eyes turned away in shame, and her hands came up to cover her face.


    ¡°So the amount of help we can give is limited by the AI, it is also limited by the scattered population and the size of the planet. We are a research station, built for a few hundred at most. To get the resources needed to help your people, compromises were made. We will be delivering resources that will help you greatly to survive. From medicine to better tools, to specially made saddles for your bonded dinosaurs. But to determine who gets this help, there will be a sort of competition. It is designed to cause the different tribes to engage with each other and breed conflict. But we are betting that your people will be able to come together and make the best out of the situation. Make alliances and friends with your fellow tribes and survive. The better you do as you survive here, the more resources will be allocated to your region of the planet.¡± Her face slipped between the neural and angry faces but ended on one that seemed slightly more natural. It was hard to place the emotion on the alien face, but it felt hopeful or optimistic.


    ¡°What sort of competition? They want us to go to war?¡± Jack asked when it was clear that she was done speaking for the moment. His own emotions spiraled so quickly that all he could do was push them all down to try and get to the bottom of things. No jumping to conclusions. Gordon put a hand on his shoulder, which helped him remain calm.


    ¡°Yes and no. The competition is being judged by the AI that was sent to us by the council. It watches you and constantly judges how well you are surviving and thriving. It will award points for all actions from foraging for berries to slaughtering an enemy tribe. You will not be able to see these points, but you will be given a tribe ranking once you have established a base. Diplomacy and farming will get you points as well, so do not fall into the trap of assuming you have to kill everyone you meet.¡±


    Mavis spoke up with the next question.


    ¡°Why have you withheld the information about the other charms? Why the cooldowns?¡±


    The look Kyrxess gave them was constipated.


    ¡°Some things I am not allowed to tell you unless specifically asked. I try my best to give you all as much information as I can. I am firmly on the side trying to help get you all out of this situation, and I give you my word that I will never lie to you directly. Only withhold information as I am forced to.¡± She bowed slightly and flicked her hand in a way that was probably significant in her culture. Before Mavis could ask another question, Kyrxess raised a hand to cut her off.


    ¡°I am out of time. You are being used for entertainment. But it is to get you the resources you will need to survive. Work hard, ask good questions, and do your best to thrive.¡±


    And just as suddenly as she had arrived, she was gone.


    Mavis and Gordon gave each other a weary look. They looked over to see that Marcus was still asleep. But Mattock had been listening to their conversation for some time. He had been on watch, and they all shared an uncomfortable glance.


    ¡°Well. Fuck us I guess.¡± Mattock said.


    ¡°Get to sleep. We can let everyone know in the morning. Or maybe we save it for once we have full bellies. Good work figuring that out. I think even having an idea of what''s coming will give us an edge in what is to come.¡± He nodded, gestured for them to sleep, and stepped back into the night.


    Mavis and Gordon both looked at Jack. They were all bone tired. Jack returned to his makeshift bed, and with his friends behind him, quickly fell asleep.

 Chapter 10: The First Hunt

    Jack was awoken by Mattock sometime in the early morning. The man looked completely exhausted, but had a small smile on his lips. Jack blinked some of the sleep from his eyes and went to sit up, only to feel deep soreness in his muscles and the heavy bruising across his chest from the Baryonyx¡¯s tail swipe. He let out a pitiful groan and lay back down.


    Mattock gave him a look of genuine pity when he saw how much the bruise had grown across Jack¡¯s chest, and offered him a hand up.


    ¡°You are on watch till morning. Clara, Soren, and Skye are up as well, and I''m going to wake Gordon and Haden before I hit the bunk. I suggest you give Marcus another hour or two, then get him up with Mavis to plan.¡± His expression was tired. It was clear he had pushed himself to stay up for watch and let the others sleep.


    Jack nodded. Still too tired to form complete sentences.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± He mumbled as he rubbed his eyes.


    ¡°Get some of the gatherers up as well and keep boiling water to drink. Be careful around the water. I''ve kicked a few of the Compy¡¯s away, but they are curious little shits. Nothing else has come close. Make sure you get at least three bottles of water in you before everyone is awake. You likely won''t get another chance till tonight.¡± With his final words of wisdom, Mattock moved to wake up Gordon who had rolled away.


    Jack yawned, stretched, and checked his bruise. It would suck, but it would heal fine. He put it out of his mind and grabbed his club, then went to join Soren by the outer fires.


    The young man had the ability to vanish into a crowd of faces. It wasn''t that he was boring or dull, just quiet and thoughtful. He was a bit taller than Jack, with red hair, green eyes, and freckles on his pale skin. Jack knew his family was Irish, but not all that much about the quiet man. They had been classmates at one point and had done some group study projects together, but that was about as far as they knew each other. He had been fortunate to be returning home from a walk when he had been taken from Earth and was wearing running shoes and light clothing with a rain jacket tied around his waist. He had given the jacket to the man who had been in the shower when he arrived, and the generosity had earned Soren respect from the tribe.


    He smiled at Jack and patted the ground beside the fire. Jack joined him with a grunt, and they looked out over the jungle. Other than the sound of bugs and snoring, the world was quiet.


    ¡°How¡¯s your chest?¡± Soren asked.


    Jack made a so-so gesture with his hand.


    ¡°It''s alright. Not fun, but nothing is broken and I can power through it.¡±


    Soren smiled and patted Jack on the shoulder.


    ¡°Good to hear. You are a beast with the club. So I want you out there when we go hunting. You rest up and keep your ears open. I''m going to get some more firewood.¡±


    He stood up and started gathering twigs and fallen branches. There were plenty. So much so that Jack was surprised that this forest hadn''t had a major fire. It seemed like perfect conditions for one. The humidity was higher than it had been in Colorado, but it wasn¡¯t anything like a true rainforest. The longer Jack looked at the jungle, the less it made sense. There hadn''t been any sign of rain the day before, but a jungle like this should have way more moisture. Maybe he was just imagining it. Or maybe it was the prehistoric alien trees just being weird.


    He put the thoughts out of his mind. The humidity of the jungle was very low on the list of things he needed to worry about today. Being eaten by dinosaurs was now a major concern, as was starvation and dehydration. They needed to find a place to live and build some basic fortifications. It was only a matter of time before they ran into something they couldn''t fight off if they were wandering through the jungle for multiple days.


    His stomach rumbled to remind him that he had only eaten a handful of berries the day before. He wanted eggs and cheese to make a proper breakfast, but they had nothing. Absolute worst-case scenario they could butcher Thrasher, but that would be such a monumental waste that he didn''t want to consider it.


    Gordon joined him for a few minutes by the fire, just as groggy as Jack had been when he first woke up.


    ¡°Morning bro.¡± Jack said to his friend and offered him a fist bump.


    Gordon returned it with a yawn.


    ¡°We can both add survived our first night in a dinosaur-filled jungle world to our resumes.¡± Gordon joked. Jack smiled. He was worried that his friend would fall into despair when his wife and kids were not with them in the starting clearing.


    ¡°What do you think the plan is for today?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°Head downhill. Find the larger river valley and try to get out of the thicker trees. Then look for a good spot to build. Once the map is off cooldown we can use it again and start looking for good spots.¡± Gordon replied easily.


    ¡°You think we will find a good spot today?¡± Jack thought about it some. With Thrasher, they could have the people who were flagging during the walk trade off riding, and get much farther. It made sense to Jack to try and search for a perfect base location.


    Gordon nodded quickly.


    ¡°Jack, we are both pretty good at this stuff. As good as anyone could be out here. We are used to long hikes and the wilderness, but most of these people were college students and office workers. They won¡¯t last for days on the march, and honestly, I don¡¯t think we will either. We need to hunt today, and that means that we will need to move ahead of the group or go before everyone starts moving. This many people moving will scare off anything we have a hope of killing. We need to find a place where these people can settle and build. So that we can go out and get food. Just from a water standpoint, we will be forced to drink from the streams and risk sickness within a few days. We just don¡¯t have the ability to boil enough for this many people.¡±


    Jack thought over his words, then nodded. Gordon was right. Jack had focused on himself and those close to him, Gordon, Mavis, Haden, and Skye. There were several people who could travel for several days to find the perfect places to set up. But to do so they would have to leave behind a lot of people who couldn¡¯t follow them. People like Ms Margret and the younger freshmen who had clumped around her. Jack had to admit to himself that he may not be the best leader. He was too impulsive and didn¡¯t think everything through. A part of him had wanted to split off and form his own tribe, or to have challenged Marcus at the beginning. But he trusted his friend and was starting to see that maybe he wasn¡¯t cut out for it.


    He turned to look at Gordon.


    ¡°Did you know Marcus before all this? You made the decision to join him really quickly.¡±


    Gordon nodded.


    ¡°Yeah. Though not super well. He was friends with my older brother when I was a kid. I hadn''t seen him in probably fifteen years. He didn¡¯t recognize me until I told him my last name. He was always a good guy, and let me tag along with them when they would play with slingshots in the yard or when we would ride around on our bikes. Before I met you and Mavis I mostly hung out with him and my brother.¡± He had a smile on his face as he remembered the past. His eyes turned sad when he thought about his older brother. Theoretically, he was somewhere out in the jungle.


    ¡°Well, He seems nice. I guess we will see. He is certainly dedicated, which I can respect.¡± Jack saw the darkness starting to creep into his friend''s gaze and lightly nudged his shoulder to break him out of his thoughts.


    ¡°Should we go get the gatherers up and start boiling water? I know Mattock wants to go hunting early today rather than later. Once the sun is up I am guessing he will want to move.¡±


    Gordon nodded and helped Jack up after he winced on his first try.


    ¡°You should sit and rest. You need to heal.¡± Gordon scolded him. But Jack just waved him off.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve had worse.¡±


    Gordon just shook his head at Jack as they walked over to find Skye and started to organize trips around the creek to boil water. It was a painfully slow process, where they would take the beer can that Mavis had been carrying upon arrival and one of the small cooking pots from Mattock¡¯s camping bag, fill them with water from the creek, and then place them over the fire. They had to be careful not to damage the can in particular. When the water boiled they would remove the can by wrapping two of the spare shirts that had been donated by some of the men around their hands and grabbing the can. There were no metal tools so it was the best solution anyone could come up with for a makeshift oven mitt. Then they left the water cool to the point where it could be poured into one of the plastic water bottles without melting it, before repeating the process. The can was only twelve ounces, and Mattock¡¯s camping pot was about sixteen ounces. They would let the bottles cool more, then have people drink from them. If they had been living their old lifestyles, sitting inside with air conditioning for most of the day, they probably would have been able to make sure everyone got enough. But with sixty-eight people in a jungle trying desperately to survive, their required water intake was much higher than they could cover with just the can and pot.


    The answer would have to be that some people would need to risk the unboiled water. And hope they don¡¯t get sick. But no one was excited about this option. No one had any idea what type of bacteria was in the water, and what types of sickness they would get. But no one imagined it would be a pleasant experience.


    If people were going to start getting sick, they would need to have a basic base built if they were to have any chance of survival. Staying alert and on the move would only ensure they had no time to heal, and would end up in a dinosaur stomach eventually.


    Eventually, Marcus was woken up by someone and pulled aside by Mavis and Gordon to discuss what they had learned from Kyrxess. Jack was curious and wanted to listen in to what they were discussing but kept his focus on the slowly awakening jungle. They had noticed more and more movement as the sun rose and dinosaurs started emerging to drink from the creek before slinking back into the trees. They saw a small herd of triceratops that kept its distance from the fires, and the group of stegosaurus with the flat tails wandered back into view for a while. Jack occasionally caught glimpses of eyes in the bushes on the far side of the jungle, but whatever was there seemed to be driven away by the fire, and he never got a good look at them.


    By the time the sun was fully up, Thrasher had woken and released a good morning trumpet which awoke the entire tribe. Receiving glares from those who had still been sleeping, the big dinosaur was only happy that he had a herd again and wagged his tail back and forth as he drank a huge amount of water from the creak. Once he was up, everyone was up. Marcus gathered Mattock, Jake, Gordon, Haden, Soren, Clara, and Lottie first. His expression was tightly controlled by frustration. He started the meeting by taking a deep breath, and slowly letting it out.


    ¡°Alright. I am going to get people organized here, make sure everyone gets some water and berries, and that we have several people carrying the torches to keep the fires alive while we move. I have thirty people who are all starving and depressed and moving them is going to be a pain in the ass. I want you seven to move ahead of us and try and kill something. We need meat. Aim for something smaller than a Parasaour, that you could possibly carry back here. If you kill something larger and we can¡¯t move it, we will move the camp to the kill and make new fires there. Food will be our best motivator for everyone. But I need you all to be extremely careful. Gordon, you are officially second in command of this tribe, but Mattock is the most experienced hunter we have by far. Listen to what he has to say and work together.¡±


    Lottie raised her hand. And Marcus rolled his eyes, it was clear he was still waking up and a bit grumpy.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to raise your hand. Just speak up if you have questions.¡± He said with more attitude than he probably meant. Causing Clara to crack a smile and Lottie to look embarrassed.


    ¡°Um. I''m more than willing to hunt with everyone, and I know I''m not really a doctor, but shouldn¡¯t I stay here in case something happens and we need me to try and look after them?¡± She asked.


    Marcus looked tired but responded.


    ¡°Two reasons. First, to be blunt, you don¡¯t have any real experience with healing people. You were a student for animals, and you have gotten most of your practical experience in the past twenty-four hours. I am not saying I don¡¯t value your skills, but the people in camp are not in medical danger and there is little more you can do that you haven¡¯t already done. The second and more important reason is that the people most likely to need your help are beside you. If something happens to one of them, I want you by their side to give them the best chance of survival and recovery. You showed your skills when we tamed Thrasher yesterday, you have a good understanding of animals and a good head on your shoulders. So I am entrusting you with keeping these fools safe.¡± By the end of his explanation, he had a small smile on his face.


    Stolen novel; please report. At first, Lottie had looked crestfallen, but it was clear from his tone that Marcus was not trying to be mean, and he genuinely thought she could do the most good with the hunting team. She nodded, accepting her responsibility.


    With a final nod to the group, Marcus joined up with Skye and Jade and started discussing sending the second team of hunters to protect the gatherers and find more berry bushes. The hunting group looked between Gordon and Mattock, and they both eyed each other for a moment until Gordon spoke up.


    ¡°Should we trek into the jungle? Or head downstream? The terrain gets more and more rocky the farther upstream we go, so I don¡¯t think we should go that way.¡±


    Mattock looked downstream and nodded.


    ¡°Let''s move quietly into the jungle until we are out of earshot of the camp, then follow the steam from the treeline. There is basically no wind here, and I¡¯m not sure how well the dinos can smell so we probably don¡¯t have to worry about the wind direction for this hunt. Keep your eyes open, your footsteps light, and your weapons ready. We stab at the bushes to shake out anything that may be hiding in them like that giant spider from yesterday.¡± He nodded at Jack at the memory.


    Haden spoke up as he passed out new spears to Gordon and Lottie, who were still using some of the poorer quality ones from the day before.


    ¡°I spent some time on watch this morning making these. I have no idea what type of wood these are, but they should be much sturdier than your old ones.¡± He looked at Jack.


    ¡°Do you want a spear? Or are you going to rock the club?¡±


    Jack thought about it for a minute, then took the spear.


    ¡°Think I should carry both? I could toss the spear at something and then fight with the club. It was pretty effective yesterday, and if we run into more insects I think it will be more useful to just smash them and move on.¡±


    Gordon gave him a look.


    ¡°I¡¯ll carry the second spear, you are still recovering. I¡¯ll let you throw it if we can manage an ambush.¡± His tone was playfully scolding, but the worry was genuine. Gordon took the spear and led the group across the creak and into the jungle.


    The jungle was surprisingly cool in the early morning. With light just starting to filter into the tops of the trees a mist had started to rise above the canopy. The mist distorted the sunlight and the group moved quietly through the shadowy maze of trees. It only took a few minutes for the noise of the camp to fade, and the group started moving closer together and checking the vegetation with their spears. They did not talk, but each snapped twig and deep breath felt loud in the quiet of the trees.


    The sound of insects and small birds filled the jungle, replacing the camp noise quickly. Among the dense foliage, Mattock took over and started to guide them southwest. Following the creek. They walked in silence for ten minutes before they found the stegosaurus they had seen before, and they gave the herbivores their distance as the group passed by unnoticed. The large creatures were completely absorbed in munching down some of the larger ferns on the jungle floor.


    Three minutes later they heard small chirping sounds from the jungle, and they all stopped. It sounded like small birds calling, but it clearly came from the ground. The call and response of the chirps involved a few clicks, and the group all looked at each other before stalking forward. Jack found it incredibly difficult to remain crouched, and the second time he stepped on a stick Mattock stopped the group and had them stand up. Whispering, he explained.


    ¡°Getting low to the ground is great if you don¡¯t have cover. But if you have to move, you will just end up making more noise and potentially scarring the prey. It is better to stand tall, but walk softly.¡± He spent a moment demonstrating, and soon the group returned to creeping towards the chirping dinos.


    Jack found it much easier to move how Mattock had shown them. Stepping heals first, then gently rolling the rest of his foot and distributing his weight. It would take practice to master, but he was moving quieter when his footing was decent.


    When they caught sight of the creatures making the noise, the entire group was surprised to see a dinosaur that was about as tall as their knees, with brown feathers covering most of its body, large claws on its toes that curled up in a way that immediately reminded everyone except Clara of Jurassic Park. Their beady yellow eyes and mouths full of needle-like teeth sold the image of tiny velociraptors. The group watched the raptors, which seemed to consist of a pack of eight adults and six juveniles, argue over a sunspot that had managed to break through the canopy. They had either not noticed, or did not care about the group of humans.


    Lottie signaled for them to retreat, and after a moment Gordon seconded the decision. The group crept away from the dinosaurs and back towards the creak. They pushed out of the trees and looked around. Seeing that the coast was clear, Lottie spoke up.


    ¡°Velociraptor pack. They probably would have put up a pretty good fight unless we caught them completely off guard and got rid of the adults quickly. But we would still likely come out of that fight with wounds.¡±


    Jack was a bit confused, and Clara was totally lost.


    ¡°I thought the raptors were like three or four times larger than those?¡± He asked.


    Lottie shook her head.


    ¡°Those were sized up for the movie. However, there was a type of raptor that got about the size you are thinking of called the Utahraptor.¡±


    Clara decided to ignore her confusion.


    ¡°I still think we could kill a few of them easily, and scare the rest off. No way those little guys will go after anything really big, and they are like big turkeys, I bet they taste delicious.¡±


    Lottie once again shattered her dreams.


    ¡°They likely hunt lone parasaurolophus like Thrasher. Or other medium to small herbivores depending on the size of their packs. A group that size could kill a lone human in seconds. And they could probably bleed a group our size quite badly. I don¡¯t think it''s worth the risk. Maybe we could set traps of some sort, but that''s a long-term solution.¡±


    Mattock nodded in agreement with Lottie¡¯s words.


    ¡°They would probably be very lean. But meat is meat, and that pack seemed to not be going anywhere. I have a better feeling about hunting them than the Stegos. Let''s call that plan B.¡±


    They all nodded and continued to move further downstream. Haden eventually stopped the group with a wave and gestured for them to follow him into the jungle. Not hearing anything, the others all shrugged and followed him. About fifty steps into the jungle they found a creature the size of a dog. It had four legs, a short tail, a very thick neck, and a large head. Its skin was brown and leathery, and it was trying to crack open some sort of large fruit. It looked like a pudgy Komodo dragon, and even Lottie shrugged when they saw it. They all watched the creature for a minute, and when it was clear that it hadn''t seen them, Gordon offered the spare spear up. None of them had practiced throwing spears, but Jack was happy to give it a try.


    He took the spear and the others spread out. Jack waited until they had surrounded the creature as best they could without stepping into its line of sight or rustling the nearby bushes, and launched his spear with all his might. The weapon did not fly straight, but it didn¡¯t have far to go. It crossed the twenty feet between the creature and Jack and stabbed into its back right leg causing a small fountain of blood to spray from the wound and the creature to scream in pain and start running blindly into the jungle.


    Before Jack could take a step Soren and Clara were on the creature, stabbing down into its torso on either side of it. Its head whipped around to bite at Soren¡¯s leg, but he stepped back quickly and Gordon reached the creature, his spear taking it in the neck. A moment later Mattock¡¯s spear punctured its brain, and the creature dropped to the ground dead.


    The group held their breath for a moment. Half expecting something to go terribly wrong or for a giant version of the creature to step out and ask where its child was. But the jungle was quiet. After a few seconds, they all let out a small breath and grinned.


    ¡°Good work everyone.¡± Gordon said, pulling his spear from the creature''s neck.


    ¡°I have no clue what this is, but we can probably lift it. Jack, Haden, are you two good to carry this back?¡±


    The two men stepped up and passed their spears and club off to the others, then bent down together and each grabbed two legs of the creature. It was heavy, close to a hundred and fifty pounds, but between the two it was fine. They adjusted their grips and nodded.


    ¡°Let''s go, before the screams and blood attract something nasty.¡± Clara said, and the group moved quickly back to the creek.


    They traveled upstream, crossing the river once to avoid a small group of three male parasaurolophus that were drinking their fill, and just when the smoke of the camp was in sight, Mattock stopped them. He stood silently for a moment, his eyes scanning the jungle ahead of them on their left. He tightened his grip on the spear and spoke quietly.


    ¡°Drop the kill. Grab your weapons.¡±


    His tone was icy cold, and they did not hesitate to drop the body and arm themselves. Focusing on the tree line, Jack spoke up.


    ¡°Should I toss the spear again?¡± He asked.


    Mattock never took his eyes off the jungle, but he reached back and made a grabbing motion. Lottie handed him the extra spear, and with a flash, Mattock tossed it into the woods thirty feet ahead of them. They heard a tearing noise as the spear crashed into something, and then a deep roar shook their bones as the Baryonyx exploded from the bushes to rush them.


    The spear was sticking out of its ribs, having punctured quite deeply and getting stuck as the Dinosaur charged through the bushes. It covered the distance in less than a breath and its jaws were open wide to snap down on the closest person, who happened to be Mattock. He dropped to the ground, dropping his original spear but avoiding the snapping jaws of death by mere inches. But the Baryonyx¡¯s attack wasn''t finished. Its hooked claws shot out for Haden and Jack, but they had moved forward with their own weapons. Haden''s wooden spear snapped when it met the claws, but it provided enough time for Clara to pull Haden back by his belt. Jack''s club did better, as he was attacking from the same side that he had fought the dinosaur last time and its cracked ribs were causing it to move much slower. His club slammed into the back of its hand, causing the arm to snap at the wrist and go limp.


    The Baryonyx let out another bellow of furry and turned to tail swipe Jack, but he saw it coming this time and dove into a role. The monster stomped down hard beside Mattock''s head, narrowly missing him as the man drew his belt knife and stabbed at its achilles tendon. The tough scales blunted much of the force, but the knife was made of steel and very sharp, it only took a few seconds and he was able to cut into the tendon.


    The Baryonyx''s roar had turned from angry to afraid. Its jaws reached for Lottie, but Gordon''s spear stabbed into its eye, leaving a deep gash across its face. Jack scrambled up from his roll and planted his feet behind the dinosaur''s leg. He put all his strength into a mighty blow aimed at the creature''s knee. It stepped back when Gordon struck it, causing Jack¡¯s wind-up strike to miss and he was pulled off balance by his own momentum. Soren wasn¡¯t willing to run closer to the snapping jaws, so he bent down and picked up a rock, tossing it hard at the Biorionix¡¯s head. The stone hit as Clara and Haden charged back in and jumped onto the beast''s side, using the spear wounds and the shaft of Mattock¡¯s thrown spear as handholds to climb its back.


    Its uninjured claw scratched towards the humans trying to climb it, barely catching on Haden¡¯s baggy camo pants and tearing them. A small gash was cut into his leg, but did not hook on his flesh and he quickly pulled himself out of reach of the claws. On its back, the two madmen started to stab into the Baryonyx¡¯s neck and shoulders with their knife and spear. The dino started to buck and shake, trying to dislodge them.


    Mattock crawled out from under it, narrowly avoiding its sweeping tail as he scrambled back. Soren tossed his own spear to Mattock and continued to throw stones as Jack recovered his footing and retried his mighty blow. With the Baryonyx focused on Haden and Clara and its eye wounded by Gordon, Jack¡¯s blow landed on its knee, and the eight-foot dinosaur crumbled. Between a shattered knee and a damaged Achilles tendon, the beast was grounded. Haden and Clara jumped from its back when it fell, and Haden twisted his ankle on the rough landing. Lottie took the chance to stab at the exposed flank, causing a deep wound that started to bleed heavily. Unfortunately, her spear snapped when she tried to pull it out, the tip still lodged in it like a splinter.


    The roars became a low rumbling growl. As Mattock prepared to stab down into its skull he saw its attention flick to him, and he gave up his attack to jump to the side, tackling Gordon out of the way as the Baryonyx lunged forward using its good claw and leg. Its power was incredible and it moved far faster than a creature that size should have any rights to. The only reason Mattock and Gordon survived was because of its wounded eye and shaky right leg. Jack slammed his club into the base of its tail, but the bloody dinosaur hardly noticed as it took off into the jungle. It was limping badly and snarling with pain as it pushed itself to escape into the trees. With more than half of the party¡¯s spears broken or stuck inside the dinosaur, they all decided not to follow after it.


    They each stood up and quickly regrouped, weapons were still drawn as they watched the woods where a deep red bloodstain on the ferns marked the path of their foe¡¯s escape. Each of them was covered in blood, dirt, and sweat, fortunately, most of the blood was from the Baryonyx. Huge footprints marked where the dinosaur had stomped around, and there was a furrow in the ground where it had fallen. The fight had lasted less than a minute, but each of their hearts was pumping like never before.


    ¡°I think. That was the most badass thing I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Soren broke the silence first. There was a chorus of chuckles as the adrenaline slowly started to vanish from their systems.


    ¡°I wonder if that is enough to kill it?¡± Clara asked. ¡°I mean. It lost a lot of blood, and it was still bleeding badly when it ran off.¡±


    Mattock and Lottie shook their heads.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think it will die from blood loss. It lost a lot, but it has a lot to lose. But those wounds will probably lead to its death soon. Its eye, claws, leg, and I think some of its ribs are broken. It won¡¯t be able to run from other superpredators, or chase anything down. Its chances of any more successful hunts are basically non-existent. It might be able to ambush some smaller critters, maybe catch some fish. But it''s as good as dead.¡± Mattock said grimly.


    Jack felt conflicted over the fate of the Baryonyx. It had directly killed two of his tribe mates, and had nearly killed all of them just moments ago. It had tasted human flesh and apparently decided it wanted more. Part of him hated it, wanted to hunt it down and end it so that it couldn¡¯t harm anyone else. But he also recognized that it was now doomed to a terrible fate. It would slowly starve to death, or weaken enough that another predator could easily kill it. The fact that a creature clearly more comfortable around the water was up in the jungle probably meant it was either young or had been pushed out of its territory by something larger. A strange mix of anger and pity warred in this chest before he shoved it down.


    ¡°Well. As far as rematches go. I think we did pretty well.¡± Gordon said as he clapped Jack on the back. Everyone nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Let''s get this meat back to the camp. Lottie, can you take a look at Haden¡¯s leg before we go?¡± Gordon started getting the group moving, gesturing for Jack and himself to pick up their earlier kill as Haden and Lottie started to examine his leg. The cut would probably have gotten stitches if they were back on Earth. But it was ultimately just a deep scratch and wouldn¡¯t slow him down too much. Lottie used Haden¡¯s knife to cut away some of the already torn parts of his pants in strips and applied them as bandages over the wound.


    ¡°When we get back to camp I am going to soak one of these in boiling water and clean out your cut. You will have to try hard to keep it clean and avoid infection. We don¡¯t have antibiotics or anything like that, so you need to treat it as a life-and-death wound or it will become one.¡± She told Haden. Who¡¯s eyes had gone a bit wide at her words.


    ¡°Let''s get going before something else crawls out of the trees.¡± Soren said, taking point with Mattock as the group marched back to camp. Twenty minutes later they had arrived at the bustling campsite full of tired people. When they showed off their kill, the tribe cheered.

 Chapter 11: River Valley

    The creature they had killed and brought back was called a Moschops according to the alien encyclopedia. Mavis seemed fascinated to see one, but Jack was only happy to finally have some real food. Mattock gave a demonstration on how to gut, skin, and butcher a fresh kill to everyone who wasn¡¯t on watch as per Marcus¡¯ orders. These would be important skills to master in this new world. Fortunately, they would all get plenty of practice.


    Ms Marget roasted the meat on a spit. It came out a bit more well done than Jack would have liked, but no one complained. It was the most delicious meal he had ever had. The hunger had been tearing at him for more than a day, and relieving it with real food was divine. The gatherers had managed to pick clean another few bushes full of berries, filling one of the backpacks with them. They still had enough berries for everyone to have a few with their steaks, and they made the meal all the better. The biggest problem was the lack of plates, forks, knives, or anything even resembling them. Everyone had to eat with their hands and teeth alone. Mattock had lent his knife to Ms Margert so she could cut the meat off the cooking fire, so even he had to tear chunks off his steak and chew them slowly. By the time everyone was done, they were all covered with the juice of the berries and meat, so they spent some time cleaning their hands in the creek.


    When the food was gone Marcus gathered the tribe to speak. He had reclaimed the artifact from Mavis and Thrasher stood behind him, providing a rather imposing stage to address the tribe.


    ¡°We do not have a name for me to properly address you all yet. It has only been a day, and yet we are still here. We have survived. We have gotten food, boiled water, fought predators, and tamed a dinosaur. Our injured are being cared for and will recover, our bellies are full, and we are as well rested as we can be in such a dangerous place. Today will involve more walking, but if we are fortunate we will find a home for ourselves by nightfall. We will travel southwest, find the river valley the map has shown us, and find a safe way down from the cliff. Once we have an area with more visibility and fresh water access we will build a camp.¡± He took a long breath. It looked like he wanted to say something, but he stopped himself.


    ¡°Our hunters have had success. I am sure most of you have heard the story of how they fought the Baryonyx and won. And while I am overjoyed that they returned safely, we cannot underestimate the jungle or the dinosaurs. We have lost three people in one day, and the Baryonyx was half starved and likely young. We have a lot to learn about our environment. We walk in groups of at least four people, each one with a spear. DO NOT WANDER OFF TO PISS IN THE WOODS ALONE!. You will die!.¡± His tone was stern, his eyes hard.


    ¡°Yesterday a young woman ran into the jungle on her own when the Baryonyx first attacked. Once we drove the beast off I sent a group to try and find her. She was dead. She lasted less than five minutes alone in the jungle unarmed. I will spare you the details of her fate, but it could have easily been prevented if she had stayed with the group and carried her spear. I am not asking you all to be warriors, but I am asking you all to be brave. If we are attacked, we will only survive by meeting our threat with a wall of spears.¡± He turned to pet Thrasher, gently scratching his large neck and causing the dinosaur to nuzzle into his hand.


    ¡°Finally, we will rotate who gets to ride Thrasher. Those who are injured will have first priority. Followed by those without shoes fit for hiking. We will rotate people on and off every hour or so as needed. Keep in mind however, that those who ride Thrasher will not be getting an easy ride. Riding a dinosaur bareback through a jungle is not going to be easy or smooth. Do your best not to fall off. You will also be responsible for keeping watch while on Thrasher¡¯s back. And if something does attack us, Thrasher will fight by our sides, so be ready to hop off or hold on should something happen.¡±


    His eyes looked over the tribe, ending on Jade and Gordon who were in the back. They both gave thumbs up, the sign that they had done a head count and everyone was accounted for. Marcus raised his spear.


    ¡°Remember. You can talk as we walk. We will not be quiet in the jungle with this many people. But do not cry or scream, as those sounds will attract predators. Now, follow me. Torchbearers keep the flames lit, hunters to the flanks of the tribe as we move. Follow our big friend here.¡± He patted Thrasher again, and the dinosaur stood up and trumpeted loudly. The sound was energetic, and he turned in line with Marcus to start the trek downstream.


    The tribe followed easily, with fresh food in their bellies and hope in their eyes. They walked for thirty minutes alongside the creek, keeping their spears at the ready. Once people had some blood moving it became clear who was going to struggle. Marcus stopped the group for a quick break, letting Miles and Mavis climb onto Thrasher¡¯s back. Miles was fighting off a headache from his concussion, and Mavis was both out of shape and missing her shoes. Everyone else in the tribe had either taken a pair from the two dead tribemates or were already used to walking barefoot. Lottie fell into this category, arriving in her pajamas, but hadn''t complained a single time.


    The noises of the Jungle assaulted the tribe as they moved. The sharp chirps of the velociraptors and Compys hiding in the bushes sounded curious about the group, but were kept at a distance due to the tribe''s large numbers and the torches. They passed the group of stegosaurus they had seen the day before, and Mavis called out to Marcus to use the encyclopedia¡¯s identification ability on them. She dropped off Thrasher to stand beside him, and the tribe came to a halt.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Species: Stegosaurus Macuahuitl, (Blade Tail Stegosaurus)


    Sex: Male


    Age: 3 Years


    Approximate Weight: 14,000lb


    Approximate Length: 25¡¯5¡±


    Approximate Height: 12¡¯ at the plate, 8¡¯ at the back


    The Blade Tail Stegosaurus are slightly smaller than their cousins, but their tails pack just as much of a punch. They have evolved bladed tails that are sharp enough to cut through thinner trees, and they use them to keep their favorite clearings free of tall vegetation. This allows for their preferred foods to grow in abundance. While they tend to be less deadly than their larger cousins, they are fearsome enough that Tyrannosaurus tend to ignore herds of more than three individuals.


    They have a narrower range of food that can support them, so do not tend to migrate and will even ward off other herbivores that threaten their food supply.


    Estimated Uses for Tribe:


    Tall dorsal plates provide protection from ranged projectiles when traveling.


    Bladed tail is a devastating weapon against foes.


    High carry capacity.


    Boney plates and spines can be made into weapons and armor.


    Ability to chop down small trees easily, though the cuts will not be as clean as if done by hand.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Jack had been walking in the front of the column beside Mavis and Gordon. He looked over Marcus¡¯s shoulder at the display that popped up. Mavis was studying it with barely withheld glee.


    ¡°Wow. I have never heard of a species like this. It''s so cool. I wonder what other types of Stegos we will come across? Could you imagine riding one of those around? It would be like riding on a tank. A tank that cuts down trees and fights T-Rex.¡±


    Jack chuckled at her excitement.


    ¡°They are pretty intense. But I have a feeling that if we tamed one, the others would probably follow us. We would probably have to spend multiple days taming each one before they could safely be around the tribe.¡± Gordon said, leading the tribe around the grazing Stegos, giving them plenty of space.


    Jack watched the stegos over his shoulder as the tribe moved further down river. He had asked Marcus about the taming charm and it had been cool to the touch. Marcus suspected it would remain so until the end of the day, or perhaps the next. Both men realized they had no idea how long an actual day is on this planet. Jack had assumed the same twenty-four hours as Earth, but Kryxess had said this planet was much larger. Maybe they had been dropped off at noon, and he had even longer to wait before the artifact would become usable.


    He turned his attention back to the path ahead. There was nothing he could do to speed up the time it took to recharge, and worrying about the length of the day would be a fool''s errand. They marched down the path for three more hours. Each step seemed to lead to an encounter of some type. Nine times out of ten it was a small or medium-sized herbivore. They passed more groups of male Parasaurolophus, who seemed curious about Thrasher, but decided to leave them alone when the tribe raised their spears. The last thing the tribe needed was some dinosaur dominance fight during the start of their march. They saw several species of Triceratops and more Hadrosaurs like the Maiasaura and Iguanodon. Mavis was surprised to learn that nearly every single large herbivore they came across was male. Gordon and Jack guessed that the females would form larger herds, and would probably be in the valley where the ground was flatter and the forest was hopefully thinner. Apparently lots of earth mammals like Zebra would do something similar.


    They also noticed dinosaurs like the Pachysepholasurus. Each one stood about five feet tall, and they were much more skittish than the mostly ambivalent larger dinos. The Pachysepholasurus were drinking from the creak, then dashing back into the cover of the jungle. Most of the tribe thought they were cute looking, but Jack didn¡¯t see it. They had large bony skulls and green scales. Thicker scales covered their backs and bellies, and they had sharp beaks and tiny hands. The encyclopedia told them that the Pachy¡¯s skulls were hard enough to crack stone at full charge, and despite their skittish appearance, they would be quick to aggression if challenged. Sadly it also made it clear that anyone over a hundred pounds riding one for any length of time would break the dinosaur''s back. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    They also encountered carnivores. Most of the time they would retreat at the sight of the fire the tribe carried or would be warded off by Thrasher with one of his loud bellows. The majority they found were about the size of a child, with large singular crests on the tops of their heads. The encyclopedia called them Nomingia. They were pack hunters, with long sharp claws, sharp teeth, and dangerous cunning. They traveled in groups of around ten to fifteen, and according to Mattock, a group of them had started following the tribe from a distance about two hours into their walk.


    Gordon stopped the tribe and gathered the hunters. They all grabbed some of their weaker spears and stones, then waited for the next Nomingia to poke its head out of the jungle. As soon as it did, twenty projectiles slammed into it. Its head was crushed and five of the spears managed to connect, puncturing its lungs and causing it to bleed out in seconds. The rest of the pack stopped following them after that.


    The tribe stopped for lunch. Cooking up the Nomingia and unanimously agreeing that it was far too stringy and did not make for a good meal. But the calories were needed, so none of the complaints were serious. With one exception.


    ¡°I AM A VEGAN. We need to slow down and start collecting berries as we move. We need to live with the land, not like savages!¡± Lennox Miller, who was suffering under his heavy woolen suit and business-class loafers, was complaining to Marcus about the quality of the food.


    Marcus took deep breaths. And Jack was glad he wasn¡¯t in charge. He considered the ramifications of killing the spoiled man-child, and his respect for Marcus grew. Their leader was responsible for the lives of all these people. If he broke on the second day and killed the idiot, it would put tribe morale in the dumps and cause people to be afraid to bring complaints to him. Still, Jack was very tempted to punch the snooty asshole and leave him for the next group of carnivores they passed.


    ¡°Lenix.¡± Marcus said in his best customer service voice. Only to be interrupted immediately.


    ¡°It''s Lennox.¡± The way the man pronounced his name sounded identical to what Marcus had just said. And he looked smug about correcting the tribe leader.


    ¡°Lennox.¡± Marcus snarled a bit. Making it clear he was about done with his bullshit.


    ¡°We are stranded on a dinosaur-filled jungle planet. If we do not hunt and kill the animals around us, we will all starve to death. You have tried the berries here. They are not the nicely domesticated crops we are used to. We can not survive off plants alone. No matter how many we pick, we will not get the required number of calories to sustain ourselves.¡±


    Lennox opened his mouth to retort but Marcus raised his hand to cut him off and continued to speak over him.


    ¡°This is not Earth. Three people died yesterday, and a lot more of us will before we reach even a semblance of what we had before. I get that you are grieving. We all are. My wife just celebrated her forty-first birthday two months ago. And now I have to raise our children alone in this hell. So shut the fuck up, grab a chunk of meat, and stop bitching about every single thing you see. Or so help me I will leave your dumbass behind when you can¡¯t keep up.¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes were fiery as he gave Lennox his last chance of the day to stop being a pain in the ass.


    The man-child, having never been told no before by anyone who actually held any sort of authority over him, froze at the harsh words. For once he could not claim the moral high ground or flaunt his family''s superiority. He sat there with his mouth open like a fish until Marcus¡¯s glare snapped him out of it, and he meekly scampered away.


    Jack approached Marcus and gave him a respectful nod. Marcus didn¡¯t bother to watch if Lennox had gone to get the meat. They wouldn¡¯t leave him behind unless circumstances forced them to. And despite the man''s refusal to remove his nice coat and generally poor level of fitness, he was not the worst off. The number of people with twisted ankles or painful bruises was growing by the hour as they moved through unfamiliar rough ground


    ¡°That was impressive. I would have probably punched him.¡± Jack said, which caused the tribe leader to smile.


    ¡°I was tempted. But there are better ways to handle people. That was just fear, and some old-world privilege speaking. Hopefully, he will adapt. But I suspect a lot of people want to rebel against the current situation.¡± Marcus said as he took a moment to finish his own handful of dino meat.


    Eventually, the tribe got moving again. With new torches from the cooking campfire and full bellies once again. They hadn¡¯t stopped long enough to start boiling water, and Marcus pulled Gordon and Jade to the front of the group to discuss how long they could push before they would be forced to rest and drink more water. They agreed to give it another hour or so, and if the mapping charm was ready to use they would activate it and stop. They would start boiling water, then review the map and search for good locations.


    A crack of thunder in the distance grabbed the tribe''s attention. The jungle canopy was too thick to see any of the distant clouds. But they were all reminded that they would need shelter sooner than later. While the storm made everyone nervous, it made the leadership giddy with excitement. They could collect the fresh rain water and get enough for everyone to be fully hydrated. Gordon turned to Mavis and Lottie. Who had taken up guarding the front right flank of the tribe alongside Jack and Haden.


    ¡°Do either of you know how to sew?¡± Gordon asked the ladies, who each glared at him.


    ¡°Why?¡± Mavis asked, her tone dangerous. ¡°Because we are women? We all know how to sew?¡±


    Gordon held up his hands in peace.


    ¡°Lottie was studying to be a vet. I am pretty sure you would have to learn how to do stitches. And I have watched you sew buttons back onto Jack¡¯s pants. I was giving you the opportunity to brag about your mad skillz.¡± He smiled at her knowingly, referencing an inside joke from high school when her username had been madskillzgirl. Mavis had been very excited about her original username. She turned red at Gordon¡¯s words, looking away and keeping her lips sealed as Gordon and Jack laughed.


    Lottie shrugged.


    ¡°I can do a bit. But I was only at the start of my second year. I read about how to properly stitch wounds, but I don¡¯t have any real experience with it. I never learned as a kid.¡± She turned to Mavis. ¡°I should probably learn, if you are willing to teach.¡±


    It was Mavis¡¯s turn to shrug.


    ¡°I would be happy to, but it''s not like we have any thread or needles to even do it with.¡±


    Haden raised his hand.


    ¡°I can sew as well. Learned in the army. But Mavis is right, we don¡¯t have anything to actually sew with.¡± He looked at Gordon. ¡°Why did you ask?¡±


    Gordon rubbed his chin thinking. Then passed Mavis a handful of the Nomingia¡¯s thin rib bones and teeth. They had been cleaned in the creak, and she seemed more curious than grossed out by them. The bones were thicker than a normal needle, but not by much. They were long enough and if they could drill a hole in the end and get some thread it could work. It would be crude, but doable. The teeth could be used to make tiny holes, or maybe even drill the hole they would need in the bone. They would do for a makeshift blade to cut the theoretical thread at the very least. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was a step in the right direction.


    ¡°I was hoping you may be able to make a needle or something out of those. I know fuckall about sewing. But I was hoping you could make some bowls out of the large fern leaves and grass for us to collect rainwater in whenever we stop. Do you think that would be possible?¡±


    Mavis thought about it for a minute. Jack knew that back on Earth her initial instinct was to say she couldn¡¯t do it. But he was pleasantly surprised when she shrugged.


    ¡°No harm in trying. Worst case I cut up some grass and waste a bit of time. It¡¯s not like I have much else to do.¡± She was clearly still grumpy about not being able to use her phone. She had kept it, and Jack had noticed her checking it out of habit every few minutes. It was still fully charged, but there was no service and nothing to do on it. So she kept it powered off. He figured she would turn it on and look through her photos when she was ready to grieve. Or maybe listen to some of her music for the last time. He wished he had his on him to do the same, but he had left it on the table back in his apartment.


    Something snapped a branch in the woods, and all of their attention dropped from the conversation to scan the jungle. The entire tribe watched, spears ready, but whatever had made the noise didn¡¯t make a move as they passed by.


    The hour passed quickly, and just before Marcus was about to call a halt to start boiling water when the sound of a roaring waterfall started to break through the trees. The tribe got excited, and a few minutes later the trees thinned out as the jungle dirt transitioned into the ledge of a windswept rocky cliff. The creak formed a small pool at the top of the cliff, and its runoff formed a tall waterfall that danced into the valley below.


    The valley was beautiful. It looked like a postcard from some faraway tropical paradise. The far side of the valley was marked by towering cliffs of gray stone beneath three massive mountains. The mountains were covered in vibrant green vegetation as if a blanket of trees had been draped across them. The mountain peaks reached into the clouds, but Jack caught sight of what appeared to be an elephant-sized bird flying near them. He blinked, convinced that he was seeing things as the bird vanished into the clouds. The base of the mountains were maybe ten miles away from them, and the far side of the cliffs approximately eight miles. The cliffs were jagged and steep, covered in patches of moss, and decorated by thousands of tiny waterfalls that all poured down into streams that crisscrossed the western half of the valley before joining the winding river that dominated the valley floor. The five or so miles between the river and the cliff that the tribe was standing on was dominated by large open grassland and scattered patches of trees that were absolutely stuffed with massive dinosaurs.


    A chorus of laughter erupted as Clara saw her first brontosaurus. She had never seen Jurassic Park, and knew impressively little about the creatures. Her jaw literally dropped as she saw the titanic animals. There was one herd of eight Brontos several miles downstream of the tribe, and six lone Brontos surrounded by a herd of other herbivores scattered throughout the valley. It seemed like a good strategy to avoid the super carnivores was just to be beside the one creature in the jungle they would never risk messing with. Clara just pointed at the dinos and made sputtering noises. It only took a few seconds for everyone in the tribe to crack a smile, even Lennox.


    Jack wished he had a spyglass, as he was only able to see the rough shapes of thousands of dinos from the clifftop. Skye was beside him, eyes wide with excitement as they took turns pointing out all of the cool creatures. She and Mavis joined hands and started jumping up and down when Skye pointed out a group of flying pteranodons that were flying around the river and taking turns to dive into the water. They watched as one flapped hard to escape the waves, a fat fish trapped in its jaws. Jack smiled at their antics. Apparently Skye¡¯s favorite dinosaur was the Pterodactyl. This comment from her sparked a hushed but excited argument about the difference between a Pterodactyl and a Pteranodon. But it was soon clear that neither woman had any idea what the difference actually was. Mavis asked Marcus if she could borrow the encyclopedia again, but he told them to do it later.


    The cliff they were on was very tall. At least one thousand feet if not taller. The wind whipped across the cliff, blowing in a refreshing breeze of humid air. It would quickly get cold, but after hours of trudging through the hot jungle, it was a blessing. The sighs of relief were nearly universal. But no one was willing to get too close to the edge of the cliff. It would be very easy for a gust to sweep any of them to their deaths.


    As people enjoyed the view, Marcus had Gordon remind people to watch their backs with Thrasher, and had the gathering teams start a new fire and continue to boil water. Mattock, Skye, Mavis, Jack, Haden, Lottie, Gordon, Jade, and Miles all gathered together at Marcus¡¯s request. He extended his hand and activated the map. The pulse of green light traveled up his arm and covered him before passing into the ground. Several seconds later the holographic map flickered into being above his hand.


    ¡°Let''s find a way down this cliff, and a new home.¡±

 Chapter 12: The Perfect Spot

    The map turned out to be a lifesaver. Originally the tribe had planned to move south along the cliff until the slope was shallow enough to traverse. They could see from the other side of the valley that the cliffs slowly got shorter as the river moved away from the mountains. In theory, the cliffs they were on would do the same, but upon examining the map they learned that they were on a bit of a mesa. The cliffs curled back around to the east. They would have to navigate at least twenty miles along the cliff top and the jungle to maybe find a way down. Alternatively, they could travel half a mile north where there was a canyon offshoot from the main cliff that had a well worn game trail. It was a much shallower slope, and the game trail was wide enough to let even something the size of a t-rex walk easily along it.


    ¡°So. The question is, do we want to try and set up alongside the cliff face, maybe near or below one of the waterfalls, or closer to the river? According to the map, the valley is about eight miles across at any given point. So we will have plenty of space to expand without worrying about flooding as long as we build on the higher ground.¡± Miles said, pointing out a few spots within a mile of the river that were largely flat. The map did not show the herds of herbivores wandering through the valley, but being on the top of the cliff was a unique opportunity to examine all of the areas they liked from above.


    The area¡¯s that Miles had pointed out were each already claimed by a single Bronto and its herd of smaller herbivores. They moved in large roaming circles, constantly grazing and keeping the ever-growing vegetation back. A group of nesting mothers had dug out large divots in the soil near the center of the large clearings. As the tribe watched one of the closer clearings, Skye pointed out five large shapes bursting from the trees and rushing toward the straggling members of the herd. They were hard to make out from a distance, but Jack was positive they were carnivores. They were bipedal, and had large heads and small arms. At least one horn on their heads, though Jack couldn¡¯t be sure. They were a reddish gray color, and as tall as the Stegos they were hunting. The predators let out a roar, causing the straggling herbivores to realize they had been separated from the herd, and the Bronto¡¯s might would not be saving them. The Stego swiped its tail, but was too slow, and the five carnivores closed in and ripped the herbivore apart.


    Jack was happy he wasn¡¯t close enough to see any more details. They would have to be careful about the packs of carnivores. But that was just as true if they stayed on the top of the cliff. The predators started to drag the dead Stego into the woods, but the Bronto didn¡¯t even seem to notice, happily grazing on the taller trees.


    ¡°I personally would like the cliff at our back. If we are near one of the waterfalls we could even take showers. It would be easier to build up fortifications, and honestly, I don¡¯t want to worry about getting stepped on in the middle of the night by a Brontosaurus by accident.¡± Mavis spoke up, directing the map to show several spots along the cliff face that could be good. Each of them would require a lot of work to level out, move boulders and stones that had fallen down the cliff and had less space to work with, but would be safer.


    ¡°If we decide to go with a cliff base, we would need to climb the cliff again and make sure there are no boulders near the top that could be easily pushed off the side. If we were ever to be in a conflict with other people, that would be the first thing I would try.¡± Jack said. He didn¡¯t like the idea of killing other people, but he had a feeling this world of brutal survival and blood would not be peaceful. Conflict with another group of humans was inevitable, and he did not want to worry about being crushed in the middle of the night.


    Gordon and Marcus exchanged looks but didn¡¯t speak up. Haden examined the points Mavis had pointed out.


    ¡°I think we will need to be near water. The map shows small caves behind these waterfalls, those should probably be our first picks if they are empty. They look pretty small, but having a safe dry place just for storage could be huge.¡± Haden said, zooming the map into one of the small caves. It was the size of an average living room and covered in stalagmites.


    ¡°We need to be cautious around the waterfalls. Water falling from these heights would be both extremely loud, and if the rain causes the flow of the creak to pick up they could hurt whoever they landed on.¡± Mattock said.


    Everyone examined the map, then turned to Marcus. He looked up from the map to watch the Brontos.


    ¡°I want one of those. But I have a feeling that it will be extremely difficult and dangerous to trap one or earn its trust. Maybe if we gave it a ton of food and were very careful, but I think that will be a very long-term project. Until we have one tamed, those clearings are not suitable for long-term habitation. Our huts would be stomped flat, and our fires would likely cause stampedes.¡± He pointed to the closest Bronto, from the same herd that had lost the Stego to the pack of carnivores. The Bronto had stood on its back legs to push against one of the taller trees and reach some untouched vegetation. When it was done eating, it crashed back down onto all fours. Its massive legs crushed a poor Parasaurolophus that had gotten too close. The dinosaur was turned to paste instantly. The entire tribe was silent for a long minute, watching the Bronto wipe gore off its foot while taking another bite of the foliage.


    ¡°Sooooooo. Cliff base it is.¡± Skye said, and everyone nodded.


    They searched both sides of the valley for good cliffside locations, there were several contenders on both sides, but actually crossing the river would pose too much of a risk. There were a few places where the river had large islands or sand bars that could in theory make the river crossable. But once Mavis pulled up the encyclopedia and searched for aquatic threats no one wanted to risk it. The far side of the valley was also dominated by wetlands, so the amount of buildable space would be even more limited.


    ¡°I say we make our way down the canyon and move south along the cliff face. We can vet each spot as we come across them.¡± Jack said.


    Gordon nodded in agreement.


    ¡°We can¡¯t get too comfortable here. There is a storm somewhere behind us, and I think we should get through the canyon well before it hits. I don¡¯t want to deal with trying to climb down in the mud, or waiting up here for it to dry. If we can find one of the caves and clear it out, we can keep the fires from going out of the rain, and keep our clothes dry.¡±


    The leadership group all agreed and started to rouse the tribe into movement. Most people complained, asking for a longer break while they could enjoy the view and the breeze. Jack explained the need to get moving over and over, but it wasn¡¯t until another rumble of thunder sounded and Thrasher started to worry that people actually started moving.


    Finding the entrance to the canyon was easy, they only had to follow the cliff north for a mile. The canyon jutted east from the main river valley. The stone was a dull red color, which stood out from the bleak gray of the taller cliffs. The canyon was layered, with each layer being slightly darker colored. The layers formed natural steps up the canyon, which had been worn away by centuries of dinosaurs using it as a game trail. A series of smaller waterfalls cascaded down the end of the canyon, forming small pools on each step. The bottom of the canyon was a muddy mess of large footprints and stagnant water. Algae covered the rocks nearest the water, ensuring that any attempts to climb from the pools would be futile. Fortunately, the natural path was wide and shallow enough for the tribe to slowly move down as a group. The largest hurdle came from the five to seven-foot drops between each of the canyon''s layers. They found dozens of different types of claw marks along the wall as they scrambled down. Most of them seemed to be from smaller dinosaurs like the velociraptor that would need to scramble up the ledge, but there were several that were quite long and higher up on the walls.


    Thrasher did not like going down the canyon, and it took Lottie and Marcus to encourage and lead the big dinosaur through each of the drops. No one could ride him, and that slowed things down as the injured had to be lowered down. Jack spent most of his time in the canyon catching people from the drops. Even a small misstep here could result in a twisted ankle or worse. All injuries had to be avoided.


    About three-quarters of their way down the canyon, the path started to get muddy. Every dinosaur that had come this way had stopped at the watering hole to drink and had then tracked mud up the path. It slowed things down further, but no one slipped. Mavis had Jack come over to help her examine some of the mud along one of the pools. He started by searching the water. It wasn¡¯t large enough to sustain any of the massive predators they had read about living in the river, but that didn¡¯t mean it was safe. Fortunately, his instincts proved unnecessary, and the pool was empty. Mavis rolled up her sleeves and kneeled beside the mud. She stuck a hand into it and started to dig.


    ¡°Ummm. What are you looking for?¡± Jack asked, taking the moment to watch the tribe finish climbing down the latest drop.


    ¡°I am trying to figure out if there is any clay here. It would be super nice if we found some, but I am not sure where to find any. I was hoping that this mud may have some mixed in.¡± She explained, and quickly reached the bottom of the mud. Water and mud started to fill her hole immediately.


    ¡°I think the Tribe is ready to move on. It doesn¡¯t look like there is any clay here. But we should keep it in mind. I know mud bricks are a thing. We can come back here if we don¡¯t find any clay along the river.¡± He offered her a hand up, and she took it. Both of them were already filthy, and Jack suspected he would get a lot more mud on him as they finished the final leg of their climb.


    Mavis stopped halfway through her step and looked at the wall beside them. It was very steep but had a small ledge about eight feet above the pool. On the wall at Mavis¡¯s head height, was a massive paw print. She pulled on Jack¡¯s sleeve.


    ¡°Look at this. It''s huge. Way bigger than a lion. But it''s definitely some sort of cat.¡± The excitement of discovery was clear on her face, but Jack¡¯s eyes shot to the top of the ledge scanning for whatever made the prints. Another pair of paw prints were stamped in dry mud just below the ledge, but no tiger was watching them.


    ¡°Some sort of Saber Tooth Tiger? We found the Giant Ground Sloth in the encyclopedia so we know that some ice age creatures are here as well. We will need to warn everyone that there is one in the area. And we need to remember to look up.¡± Jack was very glad to not have to fight off a tiger in a muddy canyon. But he doubted he would be so lucky as to never come across one. He tugged Mavis¡¯s hand and led her back to the group.


    ¡°Go tell Marcus and Mattock about the tiger. We should probably double the night watch going forward.¡±


    She nodded and ran off. Jack watched her as she went. He couldn¡¯t help a smile from tugging at his lips. He had dragged her on a thousand hikes before, but she had never been so excited about the discovery of nature like she was now. He wished they had a safe place to return to, but he realized that he could see them all finding some happiness in this world.


    The Tribe made it to the bottom of the canyon with only one twisted ankle. They did a head count and then walked down the canyon to its exit. A pack of velociraptors was waiting at the narrowest point, but they ran as soon as they saw the number of humans moving together, and the makeshift torches at the front of the group. Thrasher let out a bellow of discontent at the raptors that echoed up the canyon and made everyone chuckle. It sounded like a herd of Parasaurolophus were laughing at the fleeing predators.


    They exited the canyon into much lighter woods. The trees were similar, but there was less undergrowth and far fewer impassable thickets. They walked with the cliff on their left, making decent time down the canyon. It took half an hour for them to reach the bottom of the waterfall they had taken their original break at, and the threat of the storm was getting worse with each minute. The thunder was getting louder, and each time they came across a group of herbivores the dinosaurs were huddling together under the trees.


    The exception to the rule was the Parasaurolophus. They all seemed excited about the coming storm. They started to make long trumpeting calls across the valley. The sounds blended together and echoed off the walls to create a unique melody. Apparently Marcus could feel Thrasher¡¯s excitement at the storm, and didn¡¯t stop him from joining the call of his brethren.


    The tribe universally agreed that the current spot would be terrible for building a home. The ground was uneven, rocky, and covered in algae. The nearest trees were at least a thousand feet down the hill, and the water was falling too hard for them to safely bathe. There was no pool under the waterfall, only hard rocks and several streams that made a muddy mess before trickling down the valley. The waterfall was also extremely loud to stand around.


    They continued moving along the cliff. Avoiding the larger clearings where they had seen the Brontos earlier. The river valley was much flatter than the jungle had been, and with the reduced density of the woods, the tribe was able to move much faster. They reached the second waterfall that had looked promising and found it much more to their liking.


    The waterfall poured into a large lagoon right out of a postcard. Large lily pads rested on the flat water away from the falls, and the water was a clear blue. The ground wasn¡¯t perfectly flat, but it was less rocky and the tree line came right up to the cliff. Lottie took a step up to the edge of the lagoon, but Thrasher stepped forward and nudged her back to the tribe with his long neck. He glared at the water and made a low grunt.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Marcus, Jack, Gordon, and Soren all stepped forward, spears raised. They stopped beside Thrasher and Marcus pet his head. They watched the surface of the water carefully. Everything seemed fine, and Jack was starting to question Thrasher¡¯s judgment of the pool. Clara joined the men at the front with a large rock.


    ¡°Shall we test what''s in there?¡± She asked, and after sharing a look they all nodded.


    Clara tossed the stone into the water about five feet from the shore. Immediately a thirty-foot-long Crocodile burst from the mud at the bottom of the clear pool and snapped towards Clara. The tribe screamed, but the hunters were ready. As it lunged Soren and Gordon interposed their spears, planting them against their feet and letting the crocodile impale itself. The spears snapped against its bony jaws and continued towards them. They were only saved by Thrasher and Jack slamming into its head with their full force. Marcus went for an eye, but missed his stab by a few inches, only leaving a small cut. Clara could smell the Crocodile''s rancid breath as its jaws closed inches from her head. Lottie pulled her back and helped her regain her footing. Mattock had been on watch at the back of the tribe, but he quickly tossed his spear into the creature''s side, well away from its face and the other members of the tribe, and started to run toward it.


    The Crocodile hissed loudly and turned to snap at Jack, only for Thrasher to bellow loudly and step between everyone and the threat. The Crocodile, having missed its opening attack and feeling the pain of multiple attacks, decided to slip back into the water to fight another day. Thrasher stood guard near the lagoon, not letting anyone else get near enough to be snapped up.


    ¡°Everyone ok?¡± Marcus asked, and the hunters responded with a chorus of yes. Clara seemed a bit jittery, but she nodded that she was fine.


    ¡°I think we should try the next spot. If that one is worse, we can come back here and go fishing for Crocodiles.¡± Gordon said.


    Jack shook his head.


    ¡°That thing was massive, I don¡¯t think we could get it out of the water. It would be quite the fight to actually kill that thing, and there could easily be more in there.¡± He gestured to where the lagoon flowed and met the trees. It certainly was large enough for multiple dino-crocks to live comfortably.


    ¡°It would be doable, but risky. Let''s keep it in mind.¡± Mattock said.


    ¡°I think that was a Sarcosuchus.¡± Mavis piped in. ¡°You know how they used to say that crocodiles are basically dinosaurs. Well, that''s their ancestor. I think we will see a lot more of them around the river and any large bodies of water. But they aren¡¯t the only type of Crocodile around here.¡±


    Jack recalled the name on the list of aquatic threats they had pulled up earlier that day, but like most dinosaur names he only really knew the ones from the Jurassic Park movies off the top of his head. Mavis and Gordon were the dinosaur kids.


    ¡°Let''s not waste any time here then.¡± Marcus said as he started leading Thrasher around the lagoon.


    ¡°Maybe we will come back and check the cave another day. I think this was the larger of the ones we looked at on the map. But I agree with Jack. This lagoon is too dangerous to camp beside until we have a way to kill those things reliably.¡±


    At their leader¡¯s words, the tribe started moving again. They had to stop to make new torches and keep the fires lit, but that didn¡¯t take long and they continued their journey. Mattock took the lead this time with Jack and Mavis, and they made a game out of trying to identify each type of dinosaur track they came across. Jack found it impossible to determine the difference between a Stegosaurus and a Triceratops footprint, but the other two were able to figure it out without too much difficulty. The only one he could identify regularly was the Parasaurolophus, and that was only because they had webbed feet. They found more Triceratops footprints than any others and changed directions to hug the cliff more as they noticed a herd of the three-horned dinosaurs huddled under some of the thicker trees. They gave the grumpy herbivores their space and reached their final destination just as the rain started to trickle around them.


    The cave behind this waterfall was much easier to see as the waterfall was both shorter and had less water flow than the previous ones they had passed. The cave wasn¡¯t huge, clearly carved out by the small pool of water that caught the waterfall. Unlike with the lagoon, this pool was crystal clear and constantly overflowed into a stream headed for the river. The ground was slightly elevated from the rest of the forest, but there were many small trees within two hundred feet of the cliff. The ground was littered with small rocks, and two large boulders made a windbreak near the cave opening. The pool was about twenty feet across, nowhere large enough for a full-grown Sarcosuchus to fit in it.


    As soon as Thrasher saw it, he climbed into the pool and paddled around in circles, making happy noises as the storm started to fall over them.


    ¡°Alright, everyone. Gather as much dry wood as you can and pile it up just inside the cave. I know the rain is starting so we need to move quickly. Torch holders, keep your fires lit. Hunters, I want half of you to do a thorough clear of the cave and kill anything you find inside. We don¡¯t need some bug biting someone in the middle of the night.¡± Marcus called out and started organizing people.


    Jack, Mattock, Gordon, Haden, Lottie, Clara, Soren, and Mavis with the alien artifact entered the cave with spears drawn. Mavis held a torch to provide light for the others, but it wasn¡¯t needed. The pool of water reflected light into the cave, and it wasn¡¯t deep enough to grow fully dark. The cave floor was mostly flat, and it was clear that the water had once been much higher. There were no stalagmites or rough stones on the floor, though there was plenty of sand and dirt.


    Jack had feared they would stumble across some giant Cave Bear or the Saber Tooth Tiger he had found evidence of beforehand. Instead, they found three massive Centipedes with dirty brown carapaces. They were each between eight or nine feet long, and they seemed threatened by the group of humans that had dared to intrude on them. All three of them reared back, and Lottie screamed and took a step back. Giant insects were apparently a new phobia for her, but no one blamed her for her fear.


    Mavis activated the alien artifact, but Jack didn''t have time to read over her shoulder. His focus was fully on the insects.


    ¡°Um. They are called Arthropleura. They are venomous, so don¡¯t let yourself get bit. Their blood is also highly acidic. So be careful.¡± Mavis backed away, but didn¡¯t leave.


    Jack shared a glance with Gordon and Soren and they all cracked a smile. Jack let out a bellow of pure caveman excitement as he leaped forward and smashed the first Arhtopleura¡¯s head into the wall with a heavy crack. Its brains exploded against the wall, painting it green with strange blood. The other hunters moved at the same time, dashing at the creatures and stabbing out with their spears. Gordon and Soren took the closest of the two surviving creatures, while Mattock and Clara attacked the other. Haden was too slow on his injured leg, and Lottie had taken a step back in fear. Seeing one of them die easily helped her conquer her fear and she started to move forward.


    Gordon¡¯s spear glanced off the hard chitinous shell, but Soren connected one of the leg joints and stabbed in. The Arthropleura let out an alien screech and tried to bite Gordon. It pushed away his spear and stuck out much faster than expected. It bit Gordon¡¯s forearm as he tried to pull back, delivering its venom and causing Gordon to scream out in pain. Soren stabbed it again, pushing it off Gordon as Haden pulled him back. Jack stepped into his place and brought his club down. The Arthrupluera tried to skitter away, but it was so large that he managed to connect his blow and crush a section of his mid-body. The chitin shell was tough, but Jack¡¯s club managed to break through it.


    Clara and Mattock had more luck, Clara¡¯s spear lanced into its softer belly, skewering it in place and holding its jaws back. The spear started to dissolve as it was exposed to the acidic blood, and the creature struggling was going to free it quickly. Mattock didn¡¯t give it a chance, stabbing it in the face with three powerful thrusts. The acid ruined his spear, but the creature died.


    The final Arhtroplura hissed in pain from the back wall. Gordon stepped to the cave entrance, where Mavis was examining his wound. The remaining hunters gathered up to corner the beast, and all stabbed forward at once, putting it out of its misery.


    ¡°You okay Gordon?¡± Jack asked, quickly turning to join his friend.


    Gordon nodded. The bite mark on his forearm wasn¡¯t huge, but he had clearly been poisoned. He looked worried but wasn¡¯t panicking.


    ¡°It''s numb, so that''s something. I don¡¯t think it''s good though.¡± He said. Examining his arm. Jack turned to Mavis, but she was reading through the encyclopedia and not paying attention to him. Lottie joined them and took a look at Gordon¡¯s wound.


    ¡°Well, let''s start by clearing it. That''s a good first step no matter what we do. I¡¯ll get you settled while Mavis reads. Jack, will you help Matt get the bodies outside and wash the blood away?¡± She asked. Her tone was upbeat, and it helped Jack keep calm despite not knowing if his friend would be ok.


    Jack took a breath. He clapped Gordon on the shoulder and the two men gave stoic nods.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. This will probably suck but I¡¯ll make it through. Go help the others.¡± Gordon gave Jack a smile, then helped guide Mavis away. She was still reading and nearly tripped, causing Gordon to roll his eyes as he caught her.


    Jack returned to Mattock, Soren, Haden, and Clara, who were examining the bug that Jack had brained at the start of the fight.


    ¡°Well. This one still has most of its blood I think. Should we try to save it? It ate through my spear in just a few seconds, so it''s probably pretty handy to have around.¡± Soren asked.


    ¡°Worth experimenting for sure. Let''s get them all outside the cave, but let''s keep this one head up, so we don¡¯t lose all the blood.¡± Mattock said as he gestured for Jack to grab the other end of it and they lifted. The thing was surprisingly heavy, and it took all four of them to drag the first corpse outside the cave and into the rain. As soon as they emerged the tribe gasped at the giant insect, and they soon had it laid beside one of the large boulders. Two trips later and the bodies were gone. Jack and Clara got into the water and started splashing at the blood. It was horribly inefficient and made a mess, but no one had been able to think of a better way to remove it.


    Thirty minutes later the entire tribe of sixty-eight was crowded into the cave. Only Thrasher stayed outside, seemingly overjoyed with the downpour. They huddled together and took turns drying off by the fire at the entrance to the cave. They had to be very careful to not let smoke fill the cave and suffocate everyone, but the entrance was wide enough that it wasn¡¯t a problem if the fire was near it.


    Everyone was damp, but no one was soaked. Many people took the time to sleep, and the rest all just stared into the downpour. Jack had gone to check on Gordon, but had been shooed away by Lottie and Mavis. From what he could tell he would be ok, but was absolutely forbidden from any sort of work until he was recovered. Lottie sat beside him and they chatted, but the conversation was lost to the murmurs of the cave and the roaring of water.


    Instead, Jack found himself sitting beside Haden, Skye, and Marcus. Skye handed Jack a small bundle of berries that had been wrapped in leaves for a makeshift bag. He dug in greedily, not having realized how hungry he was until that point.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He said in return.


    Skye smiled and kissed Haden on the cheek.


    ¡°Thank you for keeping this big lug safe. He told me about how the last two fights went, and I am very glad we joined up with you rather than that other tribe.¡±


    Jack blushed slightly. He hadn¡¯t really thought of himself as a fighter, but he had to admit that he was enjoying it. The rush of fighting and winning was wonderful, but the dread he felt in his stomach when other people had been hurt put a large damper on his willingness to run out and fight everything he could.


    Haden laughed.


    ¡°We need to get you some giant carnivore you can ride. Can you imagine seeing you with a big ass club on the back of a T-rex or something? Absolutely terrifying.¡±


    ¡°I would be unnecessary at that point. The rex is more than scary enough on its own. I want one of those big-horned guys we saw from the cliff. Big enough to make a difference, but small enough that I could reach the ground with my club. Also, no one would hear me coming from a mile away. T-Rex isn''t great with being quiet.¡± Jack replied.


    Syke shook her head.


    ¡°Men these days only think about who has the biggest club.¡± She said with a chuckle.


    Haden opened his mouth, but didn¡¯t bother to defend himself. Jack just laughed.


    They chatted about nothing for a few hours, just filling the air with their voices as they felt truly safe for the first time. The wind and water outside would have been awful to be caught out in, and even Thrasher decided to step into the cave, curling up in the pool of water beside the entrance, with just his head resting on the stone and receiving pets from Ms Margert and her small group of high schoolers. The cave was warm, safe, and dry. People naturally started to process their emotions, and everyone let them. Some cried, some just stared into the rain, some pretended to sleep. Jade and Marcus were the only ones moving around, as they made sure everyone got to drink their fill of the fresh rainwater.


    Jack took the time to cry silently. His parents wouldn¡¯t be coming back. He had never been particularly close with his extended family, and he was an only child. Most of his close friends were already beside him. Overall he had been lucky. He had no wife or kids that were missing, no girlfriend trapped halfway across the world to grieve for. Jack watched the tribe grieve. This was his family now. Even the big puppy in the shape of a dinosaur. He could protect them, so he would. He spent some time remembering his parents. Crying at the memories and vowing once more to never forget their smiling faces.


    The rain eventually let up into a drizzle. Night had fallen at some point, and Jack took the night crew outside to clear up space for the tribe to sleep more comfortably. They set up a simple watch and made another fire outside the cave. The roaring of the waterfall made casual chats a bit difficult, but none of the sleeping people could hear them for the same reason, so everyone just spoke a bit louder.


    The night seemed quiet. None of the bugs that had been harassing the tribe on their journeys were around, and the woods were thin enough that he was confident no super-predators could sneak up on them. The stars were bright, and the moon was large in the sky, providing plenty of light. People relaxed, no one had the energy to spend moving rocks or cutting trees, so they mostly just talked and kept watch.


    Jack suddenly caught a flash of yellow in the woods and grabbed a torch. He raised it up to extend the firelight down the hill, and a pair of glowing yellow eyes gazed back at him. They watched, perfectly still for what seemed like hours. Jack adjusted his grip on the club, and the others on guard noticed, grabbing their spears and torches from the fire. The eyes started to creep backward, and Jack threw his torch. The light illuminated a large gray-tan-furred cat with black stripes and massive fangs. The Saber Tooth Tiger vanished in a flash, escaping the light and returning to the shadowed woods.


    The damp ground put Jack¡¯s torch out quickly. But the night watch spent the rest of the evening much more on edge. Eventually, Soren took over for Jack leading the morning watch, and after passing a warning about the Sabertooth, Jack went to sleep beside Mavis. He knew the next day he would have to go hunting. There were many mouths to feed.

 Chapter 13: Bottom of the Tech Tree

    POV Mavis


    Mavis woke up with the sound of Thrasher bellowing like a rooster at the crack of dawn. Jack was snoring like a bear beside her, and she was covered in mud and grime. Overall an improvement from the night before, but not by much. Her stomach grumbled with hunger and it felt like every muscle was screaming in protest. She hadn¡¯t hated the times Jack had dragged her out hiking, but her favorite part was usually when she got home and had a renewed appreciation for air conditioning. Sadly, there was no air conditioning on Kittis.


    Step one for the day was a shower. She had been walking through a jungle and sleeping beside someone who regularly got himself covered in blood while fighting dinosaurs. She had been dressed in jeans and a t-shirt for the majority of three days and was desperately in need of a change of clothing. Unfortunately, there were none spare, as half of the men in the tribe were already topless. Everyone needed a long shower, and at least now they had a waterfall that wouldn¡¯t crush them to death if they stood under it.


    She waved good morning to Soren and Jade who had taken up the morning watch. They waved back from their position around the main fire. Mavis walked to the edge of the pond and studied the waterfall. If she were to take a shower under the waterfall she would need to stand in the middle of the pond. That was fine in theory, but the water would be up to her shoulders and she might as well just take a bath. She could ride Thrasher under the waterfall, but that wasn¡¯t a reliable solution and he would probably be of more help doing other things. She would need to figure out some sort of bridge across the pond that passed under the waterfall.


    Jade came to join her after a minute, offering what looked like a chicken wing. Mavis took it and gave the older woman a curious look.


    ¡°Is this a chicken wing?¡± She asked as she took a bite. There was no seasoning and the meat was a bit chewy. But it tasted almost exactly like chicken.


    ¡°Nope. That is Compy. There were a bunch of them that wandered into camp earlier. They stopped caring about the fire and one of them hissed at Taressa. Soren stabbed it and they scattered. We cooked it up, but the smell brought the pack right back. They seemed to have completely forgotten that we had killed one a few minutes ago, and started begging for scraps. They are pretty lean, and from what we can tell they will eat just about anything but mainly go for the small bugs everywhere.¡± Jade smiled as Mavis finished the meat.


    ¡°I wonder if we could fatten them up?¡± Mavis thought aloud.


    ¡°Probably not all that much. It''s not that efficient to farm carnivores. You have to feed them more meat than they will produce. I suppose it will depend on how many bugs they can eat. It would probably be a good idea to have some tamed ones around to help keep the mosquitoes and flies down.¡± Jade responded. Swatting at a fly that had followed her over from the fire. Mavis nodded.


    ¡°I saw on the encyclopedia that there are giant frogs somewhere in the wetlands that would probably do well to help keep the bugs down as well. But they have poisonous skin and mucus, so we should probably at least try to see if the Compy¡¯s will make good enough bug repellent.¡± Mavis said, still focused on the waterfall.


    Jade watched her with curiosity.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I want to find a way to make a shower out of this waterfall. I am gross and I want one. I think if we knock down two or three trees and lay them across here. If we dig notches into the bank of the pond we can secure them enough to be safe enough to walk on and shower. Honestly, the biggest problem is that we don¡¯t have any additional clothing, and I don¡¯t think anyone here has any ideas how to make them. I mean, I know how to sew, but we don¡¯t exactly have any needle and thread. And knowing how to use a tool we don¡¯t have doesn¡¯t help us make clothing.¡± Mavis explained.


    Jade tapped her chin as she looked thoughtful. She looked over her shoulder to glance at the clothes that the morning crew was wearing, then back to Mavis.


    ¡°You are right that we need showers. That cave smells disgusting, and I am tempted to just toss everyone into the pool myself. But the clothing problem will need to be solved. We can¡¯t risk hypothermia, and I don¡¯t think we want to start a prehistoric nudist colony.¡± She smiled at the joke.


    Mavis shook her head.


    ¡°That might not be a joke if we don¡¯t figure out more clothes. Half the people arrived in pajamas or without shirts. And everyone has new cuts and gashes in their pants. We need to figure out how to repair and make new outfits. Preferably ones that won''t make us so fucking hot in this humidity.¡± Mavis mused.


    Jade looked at the woods, her mind working on the problem.


    ¡°You want to make that your project? Marcus asked me to assign everyone a project of some kind today. Getting some buildings and a wall up are top priority. Miles is going to have most of the men running around with rocks today, Skye and the gatherers will be searching the surroundings, and we are sending Jack and Mattock into the woods to hunt. Do you want to be in charge of trying to make better tools and clothing?¡± Jade wasn¡¯t holding a clipboard, but she flicked the air in front of her on each point as if she was.


    ¡°I would love to. What is top priority?¡± Mavis agreed quickly.


    ¡°Well, Miles can keep the guys busy with rock duty for a few hours. But we need a way to cut down trees to make any real progress. So if you want your shower, we need an ax. If you can figure out the clothing issue along the way that''s great. Otherwise, we can just have different bathing times and send the men off for a bit. That will probably cause problems as well, but we can address those when we get to them.¡±


    Mavis nodded.


    ¡°Ok. We need axes and some sort of twine. I¡¯ll see what I can do. Give me an hour and I''ll have some sort of plan. I want to test some things.¡±


    Jade nodded, and started walking back to join Soren by the fire.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send some people your way when it looks like you have a plan.¡±


    Mavis pulled her hair back into a ponytail, cringing at how filthy it had gotten. She still had one hairband, and mentally added making more to her to-do list. Step one was an ax. Simple in theory, find a sharp rock, find a stick, tie them together. But therein lies the problem. She had nothing to tie them together with. So to make an ax, or any tool more complex than a sharpened stick, she would need to figure out how to make some sort of thread or rope.


    In the survival games she had played, plant fiber could be collected from ferns and used to make everything from clothing to bowstrings. She doubted it would be that easy, but it was worth a try. Many of the prehistoric ferns they had been walking through for the past two days did have a lot of stringy veins running through them. She grabbed Taressa and two of the others on watch and walked down to the tree line. The watchers carried spears and torches, and they would stay on watch while Mavis and Taressa gathered the ferns.


    ¡°Why do we want these?¡± Taressa asked as she ran a hand across one of the large fern leaves.


    ¡°I want to see if we can make anything useful out of them if we pull them apart. If it turns out to be worthless we could also use them to make more lean-tos or try and make bowls to catch rainwater or something.¡± Mavis explained as they tore off some of the larger leaves. They were surprisingly tough, to the point where they needed to cut the base of the fern with one of the spears and pull for it to come off. Mavis thought that was a good sign that her plan would work. Even if it was going to be a pain in the ass. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    They carried their collected leaves up the hill and made a pile of them beside the fire. Each leaf was between three and five feet long, making them difficult to carry for Mavis. Once they sat down she started to pick at the leaf, trying to isolate one of the long fibers that ran through it. She got a nail under one of the fibers and managed to pull it up enough for her to grasp. She slowly ran her hand down the leaf, pulling the stringy fibers out. She was left with a single long green thread that snapped easily, but she knew that her plan would work.


    Jade and Skye came by to check on her about half an hour later, and she showed off her single long piece of twisted twine. She had pulled five of the fibers out, tied them in a knot at the base, and started to twist them together. It was rough work, but she had figured out a way to make the simplest of threads.


    ¡°I think with enough of this, we could make larger ropes and maybe even nets. The fibers are pretty tough, but it''s just going to take a long time. I think with practice we could do it better, but I can start trying to sew together some clothing with this thread and a bone needle.¡± Mavis passed around her creation, and all of the ladies were impressed.


    ¡°What would we make the clothing out of? I haven¡¯t seen any wool or cloth around?¡± Skye asked as she tested Mavis¡¯s twine.


    ¡°I think we could make some simple skirts out of the ferns. I am sure with enough time we could figure out how to make a full shirt with the plant fibers, but I¡¯m nowhere near good enough to do something like that. With practice, I could probably figure it out, but that would take months. So instead we can do simple skirts and kilts made from the plants. That shouldn¡¯t be too hard to make, and will give everyone a change of clothes so we can do laundry without things being too awkward.¡± Mavis gave her pitch. She was never very interested in fashion, always having preferred simple jeans and plain t-shirts, but if she could get this project started she could pass it along to one of the people who actually knew about stuff like style and fashion.


    Jade nodded and handed the twine back to Mavis.


    ¡°Alright. I''ll gather up everyone with hurt legs or who need breaks. They can start making the twine. Skye, can your group start gathering more of the ferns? Try to leave some leaves alive on each plant so they will grow back. Once we have a good stockpile you can swap over to gathering firewood and berries again. Mavis, teach everyone how to make this stuff, and then see what you can do about an ax. Marcus is up and working with Miles. It won¡¯t be long until the men are running around moving rocks. We will need a way to cut the trees down soon.¡±


    Skye smiled and ran off to get her people working, and Jade and Mavis started to collect the twine crew. Mavis gave an explanation of how she made the twine, and they started working. It was mostly the people without shoes, but amusingly Haden had joined them due to the large cut on his leg from the Baryonyx¡¯s claws. He claimed that he felt fine, but Skye had just given him puppy eyes until he sat beside Mavis and started working. His knife sped things up drastically, letting people remove the fibers from the leaves quickly and then pile them for the next group to start tying knots and twisting them together. The knife was used again to trim the ends of the twine, and in a few cases to cut the knot and restart.


    Once her group was working, Mavis pulled out the bones and teeth that Gordon had given her the day before. They would not make the best needles, but they would have to work. She borrowed the knife and started sharpening the smallest bones. It took an hour of careful work, but she got the bone sharp enough to pierce the large fern leaves regularly. They were thick enough that she wasn¡¯t worried about them tearing, but that also made them heavier. Once she was satisfied that her needle wouldn''t break from just puncturing the ferns she started trying to drill a hole into the back of the needle. This proved much harder. She returned the knife to Haden, and started to use the Nomingia teeth as tiny drills. She cracked five of her practice bones before she eventually managed to figure out the correct amount of pressure to apply. She passed the bone needle to Taressa for her to use as the woman had much more experience with sewing and had been leading the others in twine making while Mavis had been drilling.


    They got into a rhythm, with Mavis making more needles, Haden leading the team stipping out the fiber, and Taressa leading the team twisting the fiber into twine. By the time Miles'' group had finished clearing the immediate area of large stones, Mavis had enough twine to make some experimental axes.


    Jack stopped by to say good morning, and then he and the rest of the hunting team left minus Haden and Lottie. Haden stayed behind to let his leg heal and Lottie was taking care of Gordon, who had gotten a fever and was resting inside the cave. Mavis checked on him a few times, but the sad truth was there was nothing she could do for him. The venom of the Arthroplura was noted in the encyclopedia to paralyze dinosaurs, however, there was no information on what it would do to a human. Gordon wasn¡¯t paralyzed but reported feeling nauseous and dizzy. All they could do was keep him hydrated and let him rest. Mavis had asked the artifact what they could do to help him but had gotten no response. She couldn¡¯t do anything to help him directly, so she put her effort into helping the tribe. Maybe if they did well the Aliens would provide some sort of medicine.


    She started searching through the rock pile the builders had created and eventually found five rocks about the right size for her needs. Each stone was a bit smaller than her head and in the rough shape she wanted. She carried them back to the campfire her crafters had claimed, then went and collected some sticks from Skye¡¯s group. This only took her one trip, and she was finally able to sit down and experiment.


    She had two problems to overcome. First, the ax head would need to be firmly attached to the stick. She had twine but wasn¡¯t sure of the best way to secure all the parts. The second problem would be the stone¡¯s shape. She would need to chip away part of each stone to make the edge sharp enough to actually be useful but without breaking the edge.


    She started by handing Haden the rocks and asking him to try and shape them. He was much stronger than Mavis, and didn''t make a fuss about it. He started banging the rocks together, knocking bits and pieces off until he found the hardest rock out of the bunch and started to make real progress. The final design for the ax head was a flat oval with a sharp edge. Haden figured out a reliable way to sharpen the ax heads, but it was a lot of work and by mid-afternoon he was exhausted and had to lay down. The ladies built him a shade structure using sticks and the fern leaves.


    Mavis experimented with tying sticks and rocks together. Her first thought of making a modern-style ax by attaching the stone to the end of the stick was quickly shown to be an exercise in frustration. Each time she thought she may have succeeded ended the first time she swung her prototype. The rock would shift, the twine would break or stretch, and the entire thing would fall apart. She wasted an hour on various attempts before giving up on making that style of ax. Instead, she spent some time playing with the sticks. There were six types of trees they could find in the valley, and two of them made very sturdy branches. She pulled the bark off each one and used one of the rougher stones to try and smooth some of the rougher parts down. It wasn¡¯t the best sandpaper substitute, but it got rid of some of the smaller bumps and made them easier to hold. She then grabbed the top of the stick and started to cut a hole about six inches down. She started with the knife, but quickly swapped to the ax head she was making the hole for. With it, she spent a full hour cutting away at the hole, being careful to not break the stick and ruin her work. Eventually, she was able to wiggle the ax head into the hole and through the stick. Then she was able to secure the stone in place by tying twine around it and knotting it. Finally, she used the knife to trim away the extra twine. And her first ax was done.


    It was rough, but it would work. She passed it off to Miles who looked at her like she was a genius. He quickly passed it off to one of the teams that was assigned to clear trees, and an hour later the first of the thin trees fell. The ax was far too small and inefficient to cut down the larger trees, but it worked well enough for the smaller ones, and the camp started to come together.


    Requests for better spears, shovels, pickaxes, and bandages came into the crafting team, but Marcus stopped by to tell them to focus on the axes. Once they had four or five working ones they could start working on shovels or some sort of saw. The one request that Marcus did agree was worth splitting the crafters was to try and make baskets out of the thinner branches that had been collected. Taressa took some of the women and started working on weaving baskets. They started out small, but that was fine. They were being used to collect and store berries, and the small size meant that each gatherer could carry one and fill it up on their own. By the time night was falling and the hunters came back, they had managed to make a single large basket that could be used to store whatever was needed.


    Mavis smelled the cooking meat over the fire and sighed, she was exhausted. She may have been sitting for most of the day, but she had been working hard. Three successful axes, a shovel, as well as a small basket full of thread. Her fingers were raw from working the thread, and she knew she would develop calluses with a few more days of work.


    Two of the smaller trees had been chopped up and installed as a bridge under the waterfall, and people were taking turns showering off and doing laundry in the pool. By the end of a long work day, no one even made a fuss about the nudity, and Mavis was thankful for the cool water as she scrubbed herself clean.


    Small improvements to life would make the difference in this world. A shower after a long day''s work and a hot meal were the perfect reward. She fell asleep feeling accomplished. Despite the frustration of many failures, they had made real progress today, and they would continue to improve their crafts. Maybe one day, Mavis could reinvent air conditioning.

 Chapter 14: Hunting in the Valley

    Jack woke up with a groan. His back was killing him from sleeping on the hard cave floor. His arm muscles were sore, and he was extremely thirsty. He drank his fill of the rainwater the night before, but he was already sweating when he woke up. It was just too hot and humid.


    He left the cave after checking on Gordon. His friend was asleep and Jack had been told several times that all they could do was wait for him to fight it off. They had to keep him fed, hydrated and comfortable. There was no timeline for him getting better, and there were a lot of risks, but at least he was still breathing.


    People had been organized into groups, and he spotted Marcus and Jade each directing people to start gathering one thing or another. Jack covered a yawn and waved good morning. Marcus waved back, but didn''t come over to chat. Jack figured he had a few minutes to himself.


    First order of business would be laundry. He walked down to the pool and took off his shirt. He sat on a flat rock and started washing it in the water. It had gotten three new tears in it from the adventures over the past few days. He scrubbed as much dirt and grime out of it as possible, then laid it on the rock beside him.


    He debated taking his jeans off to do the same thing. They definitely needed it, but seeing as the pool was the dead center of their camp and literally the entire tribe would be awake soon and looking at him, he decided to just jump in with them on. The water was cool and refreshing, and he had to constantly remind himself not to drink it. He was getting tired of hot water, and would have killed for some ice.


    He washed himself as best he could, scrubbing his fingers through his hair and along his jeans. When he pulled himself from the water he was cleaner, which was an overall improvement. He spent the next thirty minutes sunbathing on the rocks trying to get dry. When Marcus, Soren, and Mattock came to find him he was damp, but clean.


    ¡°I see you decided to take the plunge.¡± Soren said with a smile. ¡°How is the water?¡±


    ¡°It''s chilly, but in this heat it feels nice.¡± Jack said as he put his shirt back on.


    ¡°Well, Miles is going to try and turn this waterfall into some sort of shower, so hopefully everyone can get clean.¡± Marcus said. Mattock just grunted, he didn¡¯t seem to be much of a morning person. Eventually Clara joined them. She looked around and seemed confused.


    ¡°Where is Jack?¡± She asked, her tone playful.


    Jack waved at her, his eyes squinting some. She looked him over.


    ¡°Nah. This isn¡¯t Jack. This guy is clean. Jack¡¯s the guy with the club who¡¯s had gore in his hair for two days. Big dude, likes to smash stuff. You are far too clean to be Jack.¡± The group laughed, and Jack reached up to feel his hair. He was pretty sure he hadn¡¯t had gore in his hair. But he had carried a lot of bloody bodies over the past few days.


    ¡°Very funny. Should I toss you in the lake?¡± He responded, but Clara just stuck her tongue out.


    ¡°You would have to catch me first.¡± She teased.


    Marcus hid his smile and coughed. Getting the meeting on track.


    ¡°I¡¯m having Lottie and Haden stay back today. I want Lottie to stay by Gordon and keep him hydrated. She is also recovering from the past few days, and needs some time to rest for herself. She may be used to walking around barefoot, but that much travel is rough. Haden¡¯s leg also needs a day or two of rest. I handed him off to Mavis to help try and make some better tools. I would like you all to do some exploring and try to bring back some meat. Don¡¯t go after anything too big to carry home. Another Moschops would be great if you find one. Also, keep an eye out for nests. Dino eggs are going to be great sources of food, and if they hatch we get a free dino we can let imprint on someone. Secondly, keep an eye out for anything we can tame. I want to grab a Triceratops or Stegosaurus, something large that can help protect the tribe. If you find anything that fits the bill, come back to camp and grab me.¡±


    Everyone nodded along to Marcus¡¯s orders. When he was done and it was clear there were no questions, the hunters gathered their spears. Jack waved good morning to Mavis, and then met the others at the edge of camp. Soren was already waiting for him.


    ¡°So. What direction should we head? Just straight out into the woods? Or do you want to hug the cliff?¡± He asked.


    Jack shrugged.


    ¡°Well, we know the big herbivores like the clearings. Maybe we try to pick off a straggler from one of the herds? Or hunt the woods around them for outcasts?¡±


    Soren shuddered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to do with those big Brontos. One swipe of their tail and we are dead. I say we stick to the woods.¡±


    Clara and Mattock joined them a few minutes later, and the four of them set off into the woods. Mattock led the group, and after a few minutes of walking they could no longer hear the roaring falls or the tribe chatter, and they focused on moving quietly and listening to the sounds of the woods. Mattock started poking bushes again, sending a few small squirrel-like creatures scattering.


    ¡°Hmm. We could probably set snares to catch animals like that. Though we would probably get Compys more than anything else.¡± He said.


    ¡°What should we be looking for today?¡± Jack asked the more experienced hunter.


    Mattock started looking around for footprints, but didn¡¯t find anything noteworthy.


    ¡°I''m no expert. Maybe one of those Ostrich looking things we saw from the cliffs. They looked light enough to carry back, and had plenty of meat. But we will have to see what we find.¡±


    They continued deeper into the woods. According to the map they had used yesterday the river was a good three miles away from their base. One of the large clearings was two miles away, and spanned most of the remaining mile to the river. This gave the hunters two miles of woodland to cover on their hunt. They chatted for an hour as they explored. Finding and following game trials and learning their local environment. An hour and a half in, they found their first group of young Triceratops in the woods.


    The five herbivores were clearly uneasy with the hunters, and the largest of them stepped forward to bellow at them. Each one was the size of a truck, and the largest was closer in size to an eighteen wheeler. They could tell that it was agitated, and quickly backed off. That was a fight they did not want.


    ¡°What do you think it would take for us to take down a group that size?¡± Jack asked Mattock. Who looked back at the dinosaurs thoughtfully.


    ¡°I would say twice our number of hunters, with well made bows and arrows. If we surround them we could shoot past their bony crests. It would be difficult. I am guessing their anatomy is similar to a big cow, but who knows if their hearts are in the same spot. I would want to kill a lone one first and butcher it, figure out where we need to target to bring them down quickly. We either need better weapons, or some predators of our own. Two of those Baryonyx, ridden by people could probably tear that little group of Trikes apart. It would not be without risk, but that''s probably the easiest way to do it. I wouldn¡¯t mess with the big one though. That guy would need a rex to take down.¡±


    Jack nodded. Thinking through how they could get to that point.


    ¡°We will need bows at some point regardless. I don¡¯t want to fight a T-Rex with a spear. Do you have any ideas on how to make them?¡±  He asked the experienced hunter, but Mattock just shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ve not used a bow since I was your age. I used rifles when I hunted. One of my friends enjoyed bow hunting, but I never let him talk me into going with him. I don¡¯t know the first thing about making them.¡± Mattock leaned down to pick up a rock, hefting it over his shoulder.


    ¡°That''s a shame. I am sure we can figure it out though. The idea isn¡¯t hard.¡± Jack replied.


    Mattock chuckled.


    ¡°We will have better luck with slings I think. I can make leather if we can kill something with a hide or pelt. I don¡¯t know what to do with scales. I think I could make some sort of leather out of the Parasaurolophus skin, maybe. People used to make crocodile skin boots and such. But we really need to kill one of those sloths or some large mammal. I know what to do with those. I wonder if there are prehistoric deer or something?¡± Mattock mused as they walked.


    ¡°I remember reading about something like that. I think they used to live in the British isles?¡± Soren added. ¡°I think that was mostly ice age stuff though.¡±


    ¡°Well we saw sabertooth tigers and giant sloths. So it''s possible. They probably won¡¯t show up in the jungle though.¡± Jack said as he stabbed out at one of the bushes they were passing.


    ¡°That would be quite the hunt.¡± Mattock said dreamily.


    ¡°Matt, we¡¯re hunting dinosaurs. It doesn¡¯t get much crazier than that.¡± Clara said.


    Mattock blinked.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I suppose that is pretty cool.¡± He paused. ¡°It was a lot more fun in my head.¡±


    Everyone else chuckled.


    ¡°Well, as soon as we can figure out a solid bow, I bet you will be able to take down a T-Rex. That will be a hell of a hunt.¡± Jack said.


    ¡°Let''s hope we have some big dinos of our own by then. I want to ride a T-Rex, not fight one. Maybe one of those big Brontos would be good to ride on as well. They are certainly large enough to carry most of the tribe.¡± Clara said.


    Jack remembered watching from the cliff as one of the big sauropods accidentally crushed one of the smaller herbivores and barely noticed. The massive dinosaurs were impressive, and he had no doubt that they were capable of fully fighting off a T-Rex. Now that he thought about it, the large herds of herbivores probably followed the Brontos around for that exact reason.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about how much meat it would take to care for a T-Rex.¡± Mattock said. ¡°We would probably need to double or triple the amount of meat it takes to feed the tribe if we manage to tame one. The Rex would need to work just to feed itself with us.¡±


    ¡°Getting the big herbivores is probably better then. We can just let them graze when we aren¡¯t riding them. Less work and less upkeep.¡± Soren added.


    ¡°Did you see the water dinos when Mavis pulled up the river threat list? The oceans and lakes here must be insane. I am glad we don¡¯t have to deal with Megolodons or anything.¡± Jack said.


    ¡°Are those the mega sharks?¡± Clara asked.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Yeah, like three or four times larger than a great white, and they aren¡¯t even the biggest predators in the ocean.¡± Jack answered and Clara whistled.


    ¡°I suspect the first mega predator we will find in the valley will be Spinosaurus. I spent some time studying those footprints in the canyon. We found plenty of medium sized dinos, but nothing that could have been a mega predator like a T-Rex. I think the Rexs stay on the mountainside, and the Spinos stay by the water.¡± Mattock said.


    ¡°Spinos are going to be interesting. I didn¡¯t see any from the cliff, but if they are like the one from the movie they could easily fix our mega crocodile problem. And we could just let it fish for itself along the river. Might be even better than taming a Rex if we are going to stay in the valley for the long haul.¡± Soren said.


    Jack thought about the massive predator. It was certainly cool, and extremely dangerous. He would trust it to fight in the wetlands and river much better than a T-Rex. However, it would be harder to ride and its sail would make it a poor pack animal. He wasn¡¯t sure if there was any judgment to make on if the Spino or the Rex was stronger or faster. Maybe he could sit down with Mavis and read over the encyclopedias.


    Clara stopped the group and pointed out a small herd of herbivores. Three triceratops were walking alongside what looked like an armored boulder covered in spikes. It¡¯s armor was a dull gray color, and its tail ended in a massive club. Jack recognized it as an Ankylosaurus. Or at least something from that family. There were a few other dinosaurs that looked similar to Thrasher, but without the large head crest. They had longer heads and were fully quadrupedal. Jack guessed they were Iguanodon or some sort of Hadrosaur. He once again wished he could carry the tribe artifact around just to identify stuff.


    The herd seemed to ignore them until the breeze changed. The herbivores smelled the new people and started to become agitated. The Triceratops grunted at them and the Ankylosaur bellowed its dissatisfaction. The hunters took the hint and backed up. They traveled further around the clearing until the small herd was well away from them.


    After walking quietly for another hour, Mattock raised his hand to stop the group, and he pointed through the trees on their right. There was a lone Pachysepholosaurus chewing on a berry bush two hundred feet away from them. It hadn''t seemed to take notice of them, or if it had it simply did not care.


    The dinosaur was approximately five feet tall, seven feet long. Its large bony skull was covered in tree bark and dried blood. It had a large scar running across its right leg, and seemed less skittish than the last pack they had seen. It had clearly seen some sort of fight recently.


    ¡°Do we go for it?¡± Clara asked. ¡°This is the first thing we have found on its own. And it''s small enough that we could carry it back.¡±


    Everyone watched the Pachy eat from the bush with large blackberries. It hadn¡¯t even twitched when Clara spoke. Just continued to eat slowly. Jack adjusted the grip on his club and Soren pulled out his second spear.


    Mattock watched the Pachy. Waiting to see if it had others around or if its simple demeanor was a trick. They were downwind of the dinosaur, which could explain why it hadn¡¯t reacted to them. They had been talking when they first saw it and it should have noticed them. But it truly was alone and maybe even injured. Jack felt that it was worth the risk. He nodded to the group.


    ¡°Ok, Clara and Jack go left. Soren and I will go right and start by throwing our spare spears at it. It should flee towards you two. Aim for its belly or legs and try to bring it down quickly. Be very careful of its head. That beak is sharp, and it''s clearly used to using its skull as a weapon.¡± Mattock gave his orders, and everyone nodded.


    Jack and Lottie started moving to their left, slowly stalking closer to their prey. They tried to keep trees and bushes between them as much as possible, and from what they could tell the Pachycephalosaurus still didn¡¯t notice them. A few tense minutes passed as they waited for Mattock and Soren to get into place. Jack couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the dinosaur was somehow sick. It was barely looking around and seemed entirely at ease.


    Jack caught sight of Soren from behind a tree on the far side of the Pachy, spear raised. He didn¡¯t see Mattock, but that wasn¡¯t much of a surprise, the older man was head and shoulders above the rest of them in bushcraft. He caught Soren¡¯s eye, and the young man held up a hand, counting down from five. Jack gripped his club and prepared to react. The countdown ended, and two spears flew from the bush and pierced the Pachy¡¯s side. Its eyes snapped open and it let out a bellow of pain. Soren¡¯s spear had stabbed into the meat between its leg and tail and was stuck in, but Mattock¡¯s had hit the chest, and the dinosaur wasted no time in thrashing its arms and breaking the spear. A thick spray of blood poured from its wound, and its bellowing cry turned sharp.


    Jack wound up a swing, preparing for the dinosaur to flee towards him and Clara. Her spear was ready as well, and as soon as the Pachy stepped past their tree, it would take two blows to the back which would hopefully be enough to kill it quickly. But the footsteps of the Pachy did not approach Jack, instead the dinosaur decided to charge at Soren. He and Clara exchanged panicked looks, and that moment of hesitation cost them. A crack of bone on wood split the air as the Pachy collided with the tree Soren had jumped behind. It was one of the smaller trees, and the force was enough to shatter the bark and cause the tree to lean. Soren let out a shout of fear and surprise, and Jack could hear Mattock grunt with effort.


    Clara was a step ahead of Jack as they charged to help their fellow hunters. She sprinted the distance and stuck out with her spear. It collided with the hard scales on the dinosaur''s back that almost looked like armor, and glanced off. Its tail swung out and swept at Clara. Fortunately she had been close to the tail and it had not had the space to increase its speed and force before slamming into her. It was enough to toss her aside though, but none of her bones snapped. Jack followed up, swinging his club into the back of the Pachy¡¯s knee and shattering it. It fell to the ground, and a second later Mattock was beside Jack, his spear stabbing down into the dinosaur''s throat. The tip of the spear broke, but the blood poured from the dinosaur as its screams were cut off, and it finally went still.


    ¡°You ok?¡± Jack asked Clara as he ran to help her up. Soren let out a groan from behind the tilted tree, and Mattock helped him up.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It just swept me off my feet. If it had more time it probably would have tried to stomp on me, but other than a scrape I''m fine.¡± Clara replied as she took Jack¡¯s hand and stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine as well.¡± Soren groaned. ¡°But I think all our spears are broken. Mine snapped when I fell.¡±


    Jack looked down at the body, Soren¡¯s original spear was hanging limp from its side, and the other weapons were all snapped or broken. Jack held the only viable weapon, and his club left much to be desired.


    Mattock looked at the body of the Pachy. It was small enough that they could carry it back with some work. But the question was, how could they do it safely. Jack was undoubtedly the strongest one with them, but he was also the only one who could effectively use the club as a weapon. ¡°Well we either carry it back slowly, and have Jack guard us, or we all carry it back as fast as we can. I still have my knife, so we could try and make some more spears on the way back.¡± He glanced at Jack. ¡°Do you think you and Soren could move this thing on your own? If not we can do some field dressing and carry it back in smaller bits. Though I know we will want to gather the bones and such as well, so the more we bring back the better.¡±


    Jack thought about it. He glanced at Soren who just shrugged. Soren was fit, but Jack was easily twice as strong as him.


    ¡°I say we drag it back, you and Clara try to make more spears as we move. Once you each have one we can each take a leg and speed up.¡± Jack finally suggested. He moved to the Pachy¡¯s legs, and squatted down to get a good grip. The body was covered in blood and quite slippery.


    Clara took his club, and Mattock started searching for additional sticks to sharpen. Soren grabbed the Pachy by its arms and they managed to lift most of the way off the ground. Its tail still dragged, and Jack was doing most of the work, but they got moving.


    Clara led the way, taking wild swings at the bushes as they passed to clear the way and ward off predators. They were not going to be stealthy, not while carrying a bloody corpse with them, so they didn¡¯t even try. Mattock finished crafting a makeshift spear and strapped it to his back before starting on another.


    The group was extremely focused, and they knew this was going to be one of the most dangerous parts of their journey. A pack of a dozen Compy¡¯s emerged from behind them and started to chirp and follow them. They would run up and try to take bites out of the dragging tail, and Clara had to step back and swing the club at them to keep them away. She wasn¡¯t fast enough to hit them, but she pushed them off for a time. When a pack of Velociraptors started chirping in the woods ahead of them Mattock stopped the group and passed out the makeshift spear he had to Soren, and had Jack take the club back. He had his knife, and Clara used the second spear he had not fully finished as a staff.


    The raptors ran out of the bushes towards them, one leaping to attack Clara. But she battled it out of the air like a baseball hard enough to crush its skull against the nearby tree. Jack was just behind her, swinging his larger club in a downwards smash. The raptors were quick enough to dodge the swipe, but they had to slow their momentum and Mattock and Soren both took the chance to step forward and stab at the pack. The raptors cried out and tried to bite at them, but Soren¡¯s spear was too long and Mattock¡¯s steel knife had managed to cut deep into the second Raptor¡¯s neck, causing it to twitch and die. The turkey sized dinosaurs retreated once Clara landed another solid crack with her staff, and Jack¡¯s club sent one flying like a golf ball. The remaining creatures ran into the woods, not having expected to lose half their numbers so easily.


    ¡°Damn. Good thing those are the small ones. I would hate to try that against the movie sized ones.¡± Soren said, and Jack could only nod. He was still full of adrenaline and constantly searching the woods for more threats.


    Clara and Mattock checked everyone for wounds, and they decided they were well armed enough for everyone to grab a part of the kill and run on ahead. They bundled up the dead raptors and tossed it onto the Pachy, then continued their jog to camp. The herbivores they passed became agitated and retreated at the smell of blood. They did not encounter any more predators, save for the Compys that continued to follow them.


    Thirty minutes later, they had arrived back home and the tribe let out a small cheer when they saw the large kill and the extra raptor bodies. They dropped the body off by the largest campfire, and were all told to go bathe. Each of them were covered in blood and gore and dirt, and most of the camp could smell them from fifty feet away.


    Jack was surprised to see Miles and three other men finishing the installation of a wood bridge under the waterfall. They had cut down two of the thinner trees using stone axes, and lashed them together with twine, digging out furrows in the banks of the pond. They then piled mud around the furrows and secured both ends with large flat rocks. It was a very primitive bridge, but it would let them stand under the waterfall and take full showers. There was already a small group of exhausted men cleaning themselves, and Clara grumbled as she was politely sent to help with preparing the meat while the men bathed.


    It was awkward, bathing in boxers with a bunch of other men, knowing that they were also surrounded by thirty or so women who could just as easily look over at them. But the water was cool and refreshing and they quickly focused on the bathing. Jack did his best once again to clean his jeans and shirt. He got it wet and scrubbed off as much blood and gore as he could. He laid the shirt out to dry and shimmied the wet pants back on. It was uncomfortable, but he didn¡¯t complain. He went and sat by the fire, letting Clara go and clean off while he helped with the meat.


    Mattock had already gutted and cleaned the kill. It was a process Jack was familiar with, so he had stepped back so that others could get a full demonstration. He would need to practice, but he would get plenty of opportunities to do so. He spent time carving the Pachy meat into long strips and helping Ms Margret wrap them around the ends of sticks and slowly cook them over the fire. They didn¡¯t have a large enough spit roast to fully cook the dinosaur, but once Jack had worked at it for an hour they had managed to get enough meat to feed the entire tribe. There was still a lot more. A kill this size could probably last another day or two.


    Under the direction of Ms Margert, Jack helped cut and cook the long strips of meat, then lay the strips down on large leaves that Skye had delivered. Apparently they had been washed as well, and the stone knife Ms Margert was using had been made earlier in the day and sanitized the best they knew how. Once the cooked meat was laid out on the leaves, they bundled it up and wrapped it with primitive twine. Jack was impressed how well it was made, he doubted he could have done anything impressive with the random plant fibers. Finally the cooked meat was stored in a basket that was only half finished and placed in the cave. It wasn¡¯t refrigerated by any means, but it was slightly cooler in the cave and it would keep it out of the sun.


    As the sun set, a bonfire was built and Marcus gathered the majority of the tribe around it. They moved over logs and rocks, and cleared flat areas for everyone to sit more comfortably. The food was handed out, still warm and very juicy. They used leaves as plates, and the knives were passed around to help cut the meat. Clean water was still a problem, but people had gotten a few drinks in over the day. A few notable people were missing. Mavis and some of her crafting team had gone to sleep, Gordon was still knocked out in the cave, and Mattock was walking the perimeter on vigilant watch.


    As everyone began to eat and the quiet muttering overtook the crackling of the fire, Marcus stood on the largest rock overlooking the bonfire. He called out and raised his hands, getting everyone''s attention. Jade, Taressa, Miles, and Lottie stood under him, all facing the tribe.


    ¡°Good evening everyone. We have survived another day, and we have started to lay the foundations of a settlement here. Please eat and rest, but lend me your ears. Tonight will be our first official meeting and we have much that must be discussed.¡±

 Chapter 15: The World is Not Fair

    Jack was sitting beside Haden and Clara when Marcus started speaking. The tribe was treating them sort of like celebrities after they brought back the Pachycephalosaurus and Velociraptor meat. Everyone had been impressed that they had managed to carry it back, let alone hunt it down in dangerous woods and then defend it from predators. They were all grateful to eat a hearty meal and know that there was more for the next day. The days spent hiking and surviving in the jungle had been terrifying and difficult, so any sense of normalcy or stability was praised. Each of the hunters had been given a full bottle of water at the start of dinner, and it had not lasted long. Everyone was dehydrated and starting to miss salt and other minerals in their diets. The meat would go a long way.


    ¡°Firstly. ¡° Marcus continued. ¡°I would like to cheer for our hunters. They set out this morning undermanned with just four people and still managed to return with enough food to feed the tribe for another full day. Their hard work and bravery will let the rest of us continue to improve our lives here, and grow this camp into a home.¡±


    The entire tribe clapped. Someone cheered, and the general uproar of the tribe even made Thrasher trumpet in excitement. That got some laughs, and Skye went to bring the big guy some berries.


    ¡°I would like to thank the rest of you. Everyone has worked hard today. From our team of builders moving the rocks to prepare this area, and cutting down the trees to make the shower bridge, to the crafters who have made twine and stone tools. We have taken our first steps today to reach the top of the food chain once more. In the months to come when we have sturdy walls and clean water, we will look back on these early days and appreciate every drop of sweat we put into them.¡±


    More cheering ensued, and Jack joined in, clapping loudly and making a show of his support. Clara and Haden did the same. It was strange having people look to him for his reactions to stuff like this, but it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling.


    ¡°We have much to discuss tonight, and not all of it will be pleasant. This world has many new challenges, but we can and will overcome them.¡± Marcus took a breath and centered himself before continuing. ¡°Last night, the alien known as Kyxsyss returned for a short chat when Mavis was studying the encyclopedia. I was asleep at the time, but Mavis, Jack, Gordon, and Mattock all listened to what she had to say and brought it to me immediately after. Some of you have no doubt realized that not everything the Aliens have told us lines up. They are keeping things from us and acting strangely. We have confirmed that this is the case, but there is a lot more to it than we would like.¡±


    The tribe all seemed to hold their breath. Waiting for the bad news to drop. Fear, anxiety, and anger were all clear in people''s eyes as they thought about the aliens.


    ¡°They are watching us.¡± Marcus held up the bracelet. ¡°They can see through this device, but we suspect it may be more than that. This planet is a nature preserve for them, and they have been studying the dinosaurs for thousands of years. We have no idea how to determine how they are watching us, or when, but we know that they are. According to Kyxsess, everything we have been told is true. We are inside a nature preserve set up by ancient advanced aliens, and they have no way to get us out. Their government has decided to make the best of a bad situation and provide us aid. However, they do not have the facilities to mass produce advanced technology in the space station above us, especially not for millions of tribes. So they are going to ration the supplies. They are treating us like a reality TV show. Watching us struggle to overcome the dangers of the planet, and each other. The more entertaining we are, the more resources we will have the opportunity to claim.¡±


    The tribe was not happy with this knowledge, and multiple people shouted all at once.


    ¡°What about our rights?¡±


    ¡°What type of aid?¡±


    ¡°How can they do that?¡±


    ¡°How dare they¡±


    Marcus let the people express their anger. It was clear on his face that he was frustrated as well. Jack wasn¡¯t surprised by the tribe''s reaction, though he had expected more outrage. He had guessed something was wrong with the story they had been told, and this was a far better outcome than he had been imagining at first. Being alien slaves or some convoluted test of worth were the main ones he had come up with. It sounded like the aliens did truly want to help, but were just limited. That could be a lie, but he couldn¡¯t think of a reason they would need to lie if the other scenarios were true. The humans couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    ¡°I know you are all outraged by this. I am as well. But that won¡¯t help us survive. We do not know the answers to many of your questions, but this is what we do know. The aliens are watching us for entertainment. There are several species of aliens, and each faction seems to want different things. One faction wants to help us, see us grow and thrive. I suspect they will want to see us tame the land, tame dinosaurs, domesticate them. To build our home and trade peacefully with others. To farm and live lives full of creativity and artistry. They want to study our cultures and see our families thrive. The other faction is primarily made up of a carnivorous species. They seem to want to see if we are worthy hunters, fighters, and warriors. They want to see war, conflict, and empire-building. For us to tame carnivores and ride them into battle against our enemies. The final group is made up of a mix of the others, as well as the omnivorous aliens. We don¡¯t have a very good idea of what they want. My best guess is they are just curious, and will be very hard to predict.¡±


    Jack and Haden looked at each other. The aliens watching them would be annoying, but ultimately harmless if they were just waiting for their curiosity and rewarding hard work. But if what Marcus had guessed was true and the carnivorous faction of aliens wanted to see wars, Jack certainly wasn''t going to go start a war just to appease some asshole aliens who wanted to watch them die. But the mere fact that you could be rewarded for conquest would make it a near certainty that someone would try and bring war to the other tribes. They would have to fight to defend themselves or be willing to submit to the rule of someone stupid enough to go to war just because the aliens promised them something shiny. It was not a pleasant realization, but Jack knew at that moment that he would eventually be forced to kill other humans.


    ¡°Now we are uncertain what sorts of aid the aliens will be giving us, but we do know that they will be delivering them in airdrops. They will be placing them between tribes with the hope that we will fight over them. I would much rather use diplomacy over force. When the drops fall, I will take the majority of the hunters to the point and meet any other tribes who come. We can split the supplies and make a rotating schedule of who gets what. I would like to bring some twine and trade it with the other tribes near us. Establishing good relations with our neighbors early will be crucial to our success. However, we will also need to be ready for a fight. Jade did a survey, and between the close to seventy of us, we speak English, a small amount of Spanish, and ten words of German. There is no guarantee we encounter people we can communicate with, and those encounters could easily devolve into conflict.¡±


    The tribe had finished eating by this point, and now low murmuring broke out as people worried and speculated. Jack was most concerned about finding a group of aggressive people who spoke Russian or some other language and were hostile towards them. The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. He looked at his club. It was just a large branch with a thick knot at the end. It had nearly been broken twice already, and while he was impressed with it, against a real weapon it was just a stick. He would need to fight very well if he wanted to win with a weapon like this, or he would need to put the caveman side of himself away and use a spear.


    ¡°Now, I have two more things to say before I will turn this meeting over to Jade and then a public forum. The artifacts taming charge is ready again. It recharged near noon. Tomorrow I will venture out with the hunter team to try and tame another dinosaur. One that we can use to work the land and provide more protection. I would like to bring back a stegosaurus or triceratops, but if anyone has any ideas please speak up.¡±


    Several conversations all broke out at once. One person suggested trying to tame one of the flying pteranodons they had seen above the river, but the idea was shot down. They would be extremely difficult to catch, and they needed a beast of burden. Thrasher was great, and the suggestion to get more Parasaurs was popular. But he wasn¡¯t a fighter. At the end of the day, no one had any better ideas than a Trike or Stego. If they could find an Ankylosaur it would be good as well, but they were much rarer.


    ¡°I will keep all of your suggestions and ideas in mind. Please, try and think up creative ways to trap some of the dinosaurs we want. We will need to knock them unconscious or befriend them in order to tame them. I suspect that we may need to steal eggs for some of the larger dinosaurs, but that is a problem for later. Finally, today''s use of the mapping charge located a deposit of clay two miles down the creak from our base. Once we have solid baskets and another large herbivore to help carry it, I want to take a group down to harvest some. We need bowls and a way to boil more water. So that will be our goal for the next day or two. Miles will still be in charge of building and keeping our base here organized. Skye is in charge of gathering, Ms Margert is in charge of cooking and food preparation, Mavis will be in charge of the crafting team, Jade is going to be in charge of the tribe laws and organization, and Mattock will be our lead hunter.¡±


    With that announcement done, Marcus stepped off his rock and sat beside Miles. Jade stood and took his place, clearing her throat to get everyone''s attention. She had stripped off most of the upper layers of her business suit, leaving her in a white top that was covered in grass and dirt stains. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Hello everyone. Now that we have started working on building a home and won¡¯t be moving every day, it is time to establish some hard rules. There are sixty-eight of us and once we have sufficiently built up a safe home, our missing family will start to join us. If more survivors from other tribes arrive we could easily grow to well over a hundred people. That isn¡¯t a lot in the grand scheme of things, but we need to think about life a year from now, and ten years from now as well. I will start by explaining how the tribe''s leadership and governance will work. While we are small this will be largely informal, but as we grow it is important to have the framework in place. Marcus Wright is our leader. He will carry the artifact most of the time and have the final say on decisions. He will be the voice of our tribe and if snap decisions are required, his are the ones that we will follow. Beneath him in command, we will have Gordon Gears. The same man who is recovering inside the cave. If Marcus is unavailable he trusts Gordon to speak on his behalf and make important decisions. From there we will have a council, consisting of the leaders of each profession. My name is Jade Ryser, I will be the council leader of a civic organization. I will be helping Marcus organize everyone and make sure that all of our voices are heard, any issues are addressed quickly and efficiently, and our laws are followed. If I have any theoretical free time from my duties, I will be helping Skye Hollows, our leader of the gathering team. This is the largest team by far, and we will always need more hands. The gathering team is responsible for all things related to resource gathering. From picking berries and leaves, to harvesting clay and salt. Mavis Martin is in charge of the crafting team and is also one of the councilors. Her team will be responsible for making and maintaining tools. As they figure out how to make more tools such as the twine, the gathering or building teams may be reassigned to help produce them in the quantities we need. That leads me nicely to introduce Miles Brimmer and the building team. Their jobs are to plan and build our homes and defenses. Finally, we have Mattock Finch and the hunters. They will bring us food and protect us against the dangers of this new world.¡±


    As she spoke she gestured to each of the tribe council, some cheers were thrown out when each group was mentioned. Jack was surprised that Mavis was being put in charge of the crafting team. He had known she had helped design some of the stone tools and make the twine but he hadn¡¯t been expecting her to be leading others. That was something she had always struggled with. He turned his attention back to Jade.


    ¡°As our community grows, we will add more council members and responsibilities. Some day we expect to have a team dedicated entirely to the raising of dinosaurs, and another based around agriculture. But for now, the council will be made up of five councilors, the leader, and vice leader.¡±


    She let everyone take a moment to identify each of the tribe leaders. Mavis was notably absent, having crashed hard before dinner was even ready. Jack had brought her some meat before the tribe dinner at Marcus¡¯s request, and he assumed that she knew all of this.


    ¡°Every society needs laws, so we have come up with a few simple ones to guide our community. They are all common sense stuff that everyone should be able to get behind. Law one, everyone contributes. We are trying to survive in a hostile environment and we are not at the top of the food chain. If you do not help out in some way, you do not eat. We cannot afford to be lax about this. Everyone will have a job, and they must do their best at that job. If you do not like the job you have, ask for a different one. I know I will never be a wonderful hunter, but I can make myself useful by helping boil water, gather berries, or make twine. As long as you are working, you will be given a share of whatever food we have. The only exception to this rule is illness. Gordon was hurt in clearing out our new home. Without him, we would have been stuck out in the storm and still searching for a home. We will do our best to take care of him, but once he is better he will be right back to working alongside everyone else.¡±


    She took a long breath and lifted a second finger on her hand.


    ¡°The second law is a generic one. Do not hurt each other. No one should have to tell you not to hurt each other, but we have the rule in mind because it will eventually happen. Arguments happen. You will not be best friends with everyone here and in this world, violence will become a daily part of life. It is not acceptable to bring that violence against each other. If you hurt someone, the council will hear both sides of the story and pass judgment. Punishments will be proportionate to the crime. It could be anything from a less pleasant work detail to banishment or death if the crime is severe enough.¡±


    No one complained about the laws. It put people at ease knowing they had some rules to fall back on if needed.


    ¡°The third law is regarding personal property. None of us are used to communal living and sharing everything, but it has to happen. Until we have enough space and safety for everyone to have their own home, no one will have a private home. We will all be sharing the cave and then the longhouse that Miles has planned. After that, we will need to build things like a tannery, food storage, and stables for the dinosaurs. We just don¡¯t have enough manpower and tools to make everyone their own house right off the bat. So to start, we will all be living communally. Once we have homes, the laws of the tribe will protect your ownership of that property. Your current personal property only extends to your clothing. No one will try and take your clothing or shoes, and we are in the process of making more climate-appropriate clothing for everyone. We are going to make some simple kilts and skirts out of the larger fern leaves, and as we figure out a replacement for cloth or leather, we will make sturdier clothing. At the end of the day, we will all be living together, and you are going to see each other naked. It''s going to happen at some point, so all we can do is destigmatize it. Ignore it, and don¡¯t make a big deal out of it. Each of us only has one set of clothing at best. We will start passing out clothing as we make it, and you can change into it and clean your original clothing in the pond. We suggest that you save your better clothing, we do not know what winter will be like, so our heavier and better clothing will be useful to keep intact.¡±


    Jack suspected that whatever rules or laws they had in place now would be revised and edited later on. But he didn¡¯t think he could come up with any better ones. He figured that they don¡¯t hurt each other, don¡¯t steal each other''s stuff, and everyone has to work to survive, which made for a pretty good baseline.


    ¡°Fourth is a law for how we interact with the other tribes of this world. We will not be the aggressors for conflict. We desire peace and trade, not blood and war. If you encounter other humans in the wilds, use diplomacy first, not violence. Talk to them, back off if needed, and come back with the entire tribe to support you. They may call us cowards, but we will be the victors at the end of the day. Your lives are not worth any notion of honor or courage. We will focus on trade and building positive relations with our neighbors, but we will also prepare to defend ourselves. We think the best way to do this is to tame larger and more powerful dinosaurs and build defenses. If you start a war with one of our neighbors for a stupid reason, you will be punished in accordance with this law.¡±


    Jade finally extended the last finger on her hand. Letting the people murmur for a moment about the rule and the consequences of dragging the tribe into war.


    ¡°The fifth and final law, for now, is the buddy system. We are not equipped to survive on our own out here. No matter who you are, where you are going, or why you are going there, you must have at least two other people with you. At a minimum. If you are pooping, and something attacks your buddy, you will be caught with your pants around your ankles. It will be that third person who needs to save everyone. A pack of raptors has been seen to avoid a group of four or five, but we have seen they will attack if you stray off in pairs or on your own. It is your responsibility to form a group of three to five, and know where each other are at all times.¡±


    ¡°What about in the camp?¡± Someone asked from the crowd.


    ¡°Even in camp. We do not have a wall yet, so we need to be careful and vigilant. We will have night and day watch rotations, and we will always keep the fires burning. But predators are already lurking at the borders of the camp. A sabertooth tiger has been seen in the dark, and there are thousands of other threats that we will have to overcome. The buddy system is the simplest way to keep each other alive.¡±


    Jade put her hand down, and let people talk amongst themselves for a moment. A few people walked up to ask questions, many just stared into the fire. That had been a lot to dump on everyone, but it was also good to have figured out. Jack thought about the aliens watching them. He wondered what they thought of the tribe''s first laws and their rationale. Anger at them for playing games with his life. But deep down, he felt a bit of excitement as well. He liked the challenge. Some of the others were much more upset, crying and cursing the sky. Jack felt like he had a path forward. Maybe the supply drops would have the medication needed to help Gordon recover.


    Marcus returned to join Jade on the rock. He raised his hand and the tribe fell quiet again. He had a small smile on his lips, he was just as tired as the rest of them, but he was putting on a good show.


    ¡°The final thing to discuss before we open the conversation up to everyone is the tribe name. If we are going to be trading and meeting with others, we need one. Currently, the tribe log lists us as tribe number thirteen thousand seven hundred and forty-eight, but I would rather we pick our own name than be assigned one by the aliens or another tribe. I¡¯ve thought of a few, but naming things has never been a specialty of mine, so let''s hear some suggestions.¡±


    The crowd was quiet for a moment as people thought. Jack had a few ideas, so he started the conversation off.


    ¡°How about the Jurassic Warriors.¡±


    Everyone looked at him, and nearly as one shook their heads.


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡± ¡°Nope¡± ¡°Yeah that''s terrible.¡±


    Jack stood up a bit straighter. He thought it was a cool name.


    ¡°Ok, well what about the Wetland Bandits Tribe?¡±


    Skye and Haden started to laugh.


    ¡°Jack. You¡¯re not allowed to name anything. Those are terrible. We aren''t bandits or warriors.¡± Skye said with a giggle as the rest of the tribe started throwing out names.


    Jack huffed, but he wasn¡¯t upset. Those maybe weren¡¯t the ones he should have led with.


    ¡°What about the Whitewater Gators?¡± He suggested, and Skye¡¯s laughter got louder.


    Haden was chuckling as well, and put out his own suggestion.


    ¡°Let''s name ourselves after the waterfall. It''s the most unique part of our base after all.¡±


    The crowd seemed to like that, and they started to brainstorm a few different ideas. They argued back and forth on a few, but at the end of the night, one of the older men named Justin suggested the winning name. Marcus pulled up the tribe log and renamed the tribe, they were now the Tribe of the Roaring Falls.

 Chapter 16: The Second Tame

    Jack stepped outside the cave. The sun was still rising, and the camp was bathed in shadow. Three campfires fought back the darkness, illuminating the silhouettes of the tall trees. He noticed Thrasher first, drinking deeply from the pond beside a team of gatherers working to boil water for the morning shift. Marcus was beside the dinosaur, cleaning his shirt in the water. He had clearly just finished showering. Marcus was fit, not as well muscled as Jack or Haden, but he seemed to be in the prime of his life. Jack tried to remember how old their tribe chief was, and settled between thirty and thirty-five. Marcus noticed Jack and waved him over.


    ¡°Good morning Chief.¡± Jack said as he fought back a yawn. Marcus nodded to him. Jack could see that his eyes were a bit red and he looked tired.


    ¡°Good morning. How is Gordon?¡± Marcus asked as he put his damp shirt back on. Jack shook his head.


    ¡°I sat with him for a bit this morning. Made sure he got his water. But he isn¡¯t doing well. I think we may need to find a doctor or ask the aliens for help.¡±


    Gordon was seemingly stable now, but he was unable to move or speak very much. Jack had spent the last few hours of the night sitting beside him as Gordon slept. Lottie had done her best to keep him comfortable and hydrated, but they were just not able to do more for him. Marcus chewed his lip as he thought before he caught himself and stopped.


    ¡°I know. I am worried for him. I feel powerless to do anything at the moment. I think the alien supply drops will have medication or maybe just the knowledge of what we need to do, but I have no idea when they will start to appear. We may see one today, we may not see one for a week or more.¡± He shook his head. Jack could see the frustration and worry on his face. It was clear he hadn¡¯t slept well.


    ¡°Well, he is stable at least. If we keep him hydrated Lottie thinks we can keep him alive until he heals naturally or something better presents itself. The worry was that his lungs or heart would be paralyzed or damaged, but he seems to be breathing ok.¡± Jack tried to stay positive. But he was worried as well. Gordon was one of his oldest friends. He was like an older brother that Jack looked up to for most of his life. And despite the two sometimes butting heads over some issues, Jack felt like he could call Gordon part of his family.


    ¡°I wanted to talk to you in private.¡± Marcus changed the conversation, leading both Jack and Thrasher to the side of the pond, away from the waterfall and the rest of the tribe. Jack followed, curious more than nervous. It was always worrying when a teacher or authority figure wanted to pull him aside, usually because he hadn¡¯t been paying attention or had done something stupid. But this conversation felt different and he was pretty sure he wasn¡¯t in trouble. Once they got to the far campfire Marcus relieved the night guard and sent them off to get some rest. Then the two of them sat.


    ¡°Have you ever fought someone before?¡±


    Jack had to think. He had been in a few fights, but they were children''s arguments and tantrums. Mavis and Gordon had once dragged him to a ren faire, which he had been bored with until they had given him a foam sword. They spent a good hour or two playing with the weapons, and Jack had thought he was pretty good with a sword. At least compared to Mavis and the others at the fair. He wasn¡¯t delusional enough to think he could beat anyone with real experience. The only real fight he had been in was in high school. The neighborhood bully, Nathaniel Greer, had tormented Jack throughout middle school. But when Jack was sixteen, he hit a big growth spurt and filled out. That year when Nate had come to bully him and Mavis, Jack had pushed back for the first time. They ended up fighting, and Jack had managed to break Nate¡¯s arm in two places before the teachers broke it up.


    Jack didn¡¯t consider himself a violent person. He thought about how to answer Marcus¡¯s question. He let the silence draw out longer than he had intended to, he just wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to have the rest of the conversation. Marcus seemed to understand, and didn¡¯t push for an answer. He gave Jack all the time he needed to think.


    ¡°I had a few fights in high school, but nothing ever real or serious. I played hockey all through high school and college but our games never devolved into violence or anything. I can body-check people pretty good, but that''s about it.¡±


    Marcus nodded. That seemed to be the answer he expected.


    ¡°We may have to fight and kill other people.¡± He said calmly. His tone was neutral. Jack felt his stomach drop. Thinking about it was uncomfortable but he knew his tribe leader was right.


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t particularly want to. But if it''s us or them, I¡¯ll fight for us.¡± Jack pushed down the uncomfortable feelings. He would protect the tribe, his new family. If that meant killing other people, he would do it and deal with the consequences for his mental health later.


    ¡°So will I. You won¡¯t be alone in whatever comes. But the old saying is the way to go. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.¡± Marcus put a hand on Jack¡¯s shoulder. The motion was fatherly, and Jack returned the gesture with a nod and a forced smile.


    ¡°Good saying.¡± Jack said. He looked away from Marcus. He scanned the treeline, half expecting to see the sabertooth again.


    ¡°Well, I promise we will do everything we can to avoid any fighting, but it will help if I have people like you that I can rely on to not hesitate in the moment. I want to see how you do leading the hunter team over the next few days. If things go well, I am considering making you the second in command until Gordon is recovered. Jade doesn¡¯t want the job, and it is looking more and more like it will be a position of leadership during fights. Either that or some sort of council member representing the warriors. We don¡¯t have enough people to have a permanent standing army. It will probably just be the hunters.¡± Marcus shook his head.


    Jack thought about the offer. He had wanted to be in charge, but he had started to realize that he didn¡¯t have the right temperament to be in charge of everything. If he accepted it though, he would have to seriously think about how to fight others. He only hesitated for a moment.


    ¡°I would like that. I want to help as much as possible. If this is how I do it, then that''s what I''ll do. I¡¯ll be the war counselor or the second in command. Whatever is needed.¡± He looked Marcus in the eyes, and the older man smiled.


    ¡°Good. This is something I want to test you on a bit first. Each of the council members was tested before we settled on giving them the responsibility. You are just the only one who will know it''s a test. Mattock will be leading a second team of hunters, so the first group will be yours. Do well and I will make you the official war counselor.¡± Marcus shook Jack¡¯s hand, and Jack smiled.


    ¡°I can do that.¡±


    A few minutes later the rest of the hunting team started to gather beside them. They shared a water bottle, and by the time the sun rose everyone but Mattock was there.


    A second hunting team had been formed with some of the people who had not wanted to be builders anymore and were willing to give hunting a try. Mattock was taking that group out to teach them the basics. Lottie, Clara, Soren, Haden, Jack, and Marcus gathered beside Thrasher, who was enjoying a small breakfast of reeds. They all had fresh spears and full bellies. If they could find more food to bring back it would be great, but today''s expedition was not about hunting. Today they would be trying to tame a new dinosaur.


    ¡°Ok everyone. Today the goal is to find a lone Stegosaurus or Triceratops that we can add to our tribe. The first question is should we bring Thrasher?¡± Marcus asked.


    Soren and Clara both nodded.


    ¡°Absolutely. If the dinos think we are part of a big herd of herbivores they will probably be more at ease around us. Right now we are a new dangerous smell in the jungle. Walking with him should help mitigate that.¡± Soren said.


    Haden pet the big Parasoaurolophus.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t seen any Parasours mixing with the other herbivores. I don¡¯t think it will have much impact. Other than moving loudly through the jungle. Thrasher is great, but he isn¡¯t quiet.¡±


    ¡°I think Miles wanted to see if Thrasher could help knock over and move some of the trees around the camp.¡± Jack said, gesturing to where the building team was hard at work with two of the stone axes.


    Marcus nodded, looking between the workers and the dinosaur.


    ¡°I think you all have good points. At the end of the day, we just don¡¯t know how the other dinos will react to him. I would rather leave him here in case a predator attacks us. He can hit pretty hard if he gets some momentum, and with most of our hunters gone that security is needed here.¡± He gave Thrasher some scratches, and sent him to help out the building team. The dinosaur trumpeted and walked to a tree. He leaned up against it and started to scratch his hip. A few seconds later the tree started to crack and fall causing the workers to scatter and laugh at the dinosaur.


    Clara shrugged.


    ¡°So, shall we go? We may have a ways to walk before we find any lone dinos. The loners get picked off quick here.¡± She said, and they all nodded.


    Jack led the way with Clara on his left and Haden on his right. Marcus was behind Clara, and Lottie was behind Haden. Soren brought up the rear, and they moved in a diamond formation through the woods. It only took a few dozen steps to reach the treeline, and they pushed through it heading southwest, down the river and away from the cliff.


    They quickly encountered signs of life. Large piles of dino shit sat in steamy piles in the sun. They were tinted green and full of the fibrous leaves. The breeze was very faint, so the smell sat heavy in the area. Jack waved at his nose and checked for tracks. A few dozen large herbivores had been through here, and it wasn¡¯t difficult to find a few clean tracks to examine. They reminded Jack of elephant footprints, large and mostly circular, with clear indents for the toes.


    ¡°These are from some type of Triceratops. Maybe two dozen of them?¡± Clara said, gesturing to the ferns around them that had been heavily chewed on.


    ¡°I agree. This group probably wandered in from the clearings to get out of the sun, or maybe bed down somewhere less crowded. This is probably a large herd of females with one male.¡± Lottie said.


    ¡°Do ya think if we tame the male, all the females will come along with him?¡± Clara mused.


    ¡°Probably most of them will. I think it would depend on how much we let them roam from the camp. These are massive wild animals, not cows. They won¡¯t stay in nice little pens. But having a friendly herd living on the outside of our camp would do wonders for our safety.¡± Soren said, and Marcus nodded.


    ¡°We could have them nest close to our walls, or in a stable. Then we raise the babies and domesticate them the old-fashioned way.¡± Jack said. The women both cooed at the idea of little baby triceratops running around the camp. Haden and Jack also smiled at the idea. Jack was suddenly struck by the fact that their children would grow up around dinosaurs. Gordon¡¯s children would have pet velociraptors and ride baby triceratops around.


    They traveled further south than ever before, passing over another creek. Looking upstream they could see another waterfall that was slightly taller than the one the tribe had settled under. The valley started to wind east with the curve of the river, which put the group even further from the cliffs. After thirty minutes of travel, during which they encountered and avoided a small pack of raptors, they reached the river.


    It seemed much wider now than when Jack had seen it from the clifftop and on the map. A large patch of tall reeds and cattails covered the far bank, and Jack could see several shapes moving between their cover. He shuddered at the idea of being grabbed by one of the giant crocodiles and being pulled into the reeds and mud. There would be no escape from that, no matter how strong he was. Even if the crocs were the only danger there, which he doubted.


    The side of the river they were on was clear of vegetation for approximately fifty feet. Large footprints of dozens of different dinosaur species all mixed into an incomprehensible blend in the mud. This was clearly where many of the large herbivores came to drink daily. The predators knew it as well. Two hundred feet up the river a crocodile nearly thirty feet long was sunbathing in the open. Another was floating lazily in the water, its large eyes watching the hunters, daring them to come get a drink.


    The water had a dark green tint. It was flowing slowly, and plenty of algae grew along its banks. The color made it difficult to determine how deep it was, though looking downriver it seemed to increase in speed as the color turned more clear and more rocks jutted out of the water. Small rapids formed around them. Jack wished he could have gone rafting, the day was hot and he had always enjoyed riding the river with his father during the summer.


    A fish that had to be five feet long jumped from the water to catch a dragonfly the size of Jack¡¯s head out of the air. He blinked in surprise.


    ¡°Even the fish are giant. There goes my plan of laying some nets out. Something that size could tear through anything I know how to make.¡± Haden said with a whistle. Jack looked over at him.


    ¡°You a fisherman?¡± He asked, and Haden shrugged.


    ¡°Recreationaly. I used to go up to Minnesota for lake fishing with my old man. I tried fly fishing but it wasn¡¯t for me. I prefer to stay on the boat or dock. Wading into the water was always cold. I wouldn¡¯t risk it here, and I doubt those thin lines I used back then would work for these fish.¡± Haden looked like he was going to continue, but Lottie cut him off when one of the massive dragonflies buzzed into her face. She shouted in surprise and swiped out at it, only for the creature to zip away.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± She shouted, grabbing her spear and waving it hopelessly at the speedy insect. Jack kept his eye on the crocodile in the water, it was slowly moving towards them at the sound of the shout. Its form dipped below the water''s surface and vanished. He gestured for the hunters to all step back, and they did.


    ¡°I fucking hate bugs.¡± Lottie exclaimed.


    ¡°The mosquitos around the camp are going to become a problem.¡± Marcus said, swatting at some of the many smaller bugs. They were just as numerous, and Jack had done his best to keep them off his exposed neck and arms. When they were walking it hadn¡¯t been an issue, but whenever they stayed still their presence became extremely annoying.


    ¡°Mavis was going to try domesticating the little flock of compy around the camp. They are extremely dumb, but they are decent at keeping the bugs down. That or we try and find some of those frogs she mentioned. They are supposed to be three or four feet tall. If we have problems with the larger bugs they are probably going to be needed.¡± Haden said. Jack remembered he had spent yesterday resting his leg, and had probably had Mavis talk his ear off.


    ¡°Should we look around for a frog?¡± Clara asked, looking at Marcus. He shook his head.


    ¡°Not today. Maybe next time. I want to aim for something to help us fight if the Alien¡¯s meddling causes any problems. We don¡¯t know when the drops will start, and we need to be ready for them. Let''s keep looking for a lone one or a small herd.¡±


    The group started to trek down the river, away from the sunbathing crocodile. The river increased in speed and depth. It narrowed slightly, and more and more rocks started to jut out of the water. The rapids grew larger as the river sped up, and after a mile of walking, they could hear the sound of a small waterfall. The group followed the muddy path left by the herbivores. They kept a lookout on the sides of the trail, searching for any predators or branching paths that a smaller herd may have taken.


    They passed a herd of twenty Parasours who gave them little mind. The group had much more vibrant colors than Thrasher did, a mix of reds, greens, and yellows. They were also larger by a half foot. Jack guessed these were the fully grown females, and Thrasher was still a year or two away from reaching their height.Stolen story; please report.


    There were no babies with them, and the youngest looked to be around half the size of the adults. The group took a second to watch the peaceful herbivores. Lottie spoke up.


    ¡°I think they might be in their mating season. That''s what the bright colors could mean.¡± She speculated.


    ¡°Don¡¯t most animals get more aggressive during their mating seasons?¡± Soren asked.


    ¡°Sometimes. The males usually do. But it depends on the species, and who knows about dinosaurs.¡± Lottie answered.


    ¡°Does that mean we are in this world¡¯s equivalent of spring?¡± Marcus asked.


    ¡°That would be nice, but who knows? We might be close enough to the equator to not get a true winter.¡± Clara said.


    ¡°It''s getting close to noon, let''s keep moving.¡± Haden said, eyeing the woods.


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly hot enough here, I would guess we are in an area that won¡¯t see a bad winter.¡± Soren said as the group started to move. Marcus looked thoughtful, but Jack had his doubts.


    ¡°We have seen giant sloths and saber tooth tigers here. I''m no paleontologist, but I thought they needed colder climates. Also with these mountains, we are probably pretty high above sea level. We might get some snow.¡± He said. Causing Marcus to nod.


    ¡°We need to prepare as if winter is coming. That way we can be ready, or pleasantly surprised.¡± He said.


    Soren pointed at a set of tracks that led off the trail and called them all over.


    ¡°I think these are Trikes. A bit smaller than the ones near camp, but I would guess there are only three or four of them.¡±


    The hunters quickly moved to the side of the trail to examine the tracks. Jack was still unsure how anyone could tell the difference between the trikes and stegos, let alone any of the other herbivores. He could only reliably pick out the parasaur and brontosaurus footprints. The Parasaur had webbed feet, and the Bronto was just huge.


    Still, the footprints that Soren had found looked a bit off to Jack. They were definitely smaller than a full-grown trike, they had the four large toes, and a heavy footpad, but there was also a back toe that lightly touched the mud. He couldn¡¯t remember if triceratops had that or not.


    ¡°This is our best lead for a small herd. I say we check it out.¡± Clara said.


    No one could come up with any reason not to, so they all started down the new trail. Haden went first, with Jack behind him. The ladies were in the middle, with Soren and Marcus in the back. Haden and Jack took turns stabbing the bushes ahead of them, but other than some regular-sized bugs they didn¡¯t find anything. They moved quietly, eventually reaching a small clearing. A tree had fallen over, letting the sun shine down. It had let the grass grow to knee height.


    Three dinosaurs stood in the clearing. They were similar to triceratops but had a few key differences. They had much paler skin than the trikes they had seen, closer to a birch tree than the rutty browns and reds of the river valley trikes. They each had one large horn on their nose, and a large head crest. The crest looked sharp, and had four horns jutting up from it on both sides, each one was at least a foot long. The largest horn on its nose was closer to three feet. They had sharp beak-like mouths that were good at biting through the hearty fern leaves that grew at the edge of the clearing. They seemed to ignore the grass, which had let it grow. Each one was around twelve feet long, and only six or seven feet tall, much smaller than a Triceratops. Jack had no idea what they were.


    Clara stepped on a twig, and the three dinosaurs all turned to look at the group of hunters. No one moved, they kept their spears aimed up, and watched right back. After a tense moment, the dinosaurs decided they weren¡¯t a threat, and went back to grazing, but they were clearly agitated by the humans'' presence. Jack noticed the one at the far end of the clearing was trying to reach for some of the fruit that dangled from one of the trees, but it wasn¡¯t tall enough to reach them.


    ¡°Any idea what these are?¡± Lottie asked, her voice a bit nervous.


    Instead of responding, Marcus lifted his wrist and activated the identification function of the bracelet.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Species: Styracosaurus Parksi


    Sex: Female


    Age: 6 Years


    Approximate Weight: 5,000lb


    Approximate Length: 16¡¯1¡±


    Approximate Height: 7¡¯


    Styracosaurus are smaller than their cousins, the Triceratops. They reach full maturity at five years of age, and max out at close to three tons. Because of their smaller size, they are easily preyed upon by t-rex and other superpredators and tend to have much narrower ranges, and do not migrate.


    Due to this, they have more specialized diets. Their mouths have evolved to crush the hard shells of the nuts and berries they prefer. They can also eat some of the hardy ferns of the wetlands, though will not eat grass or reeds.


    Estimated Uses for Tribe:


    Their smaller size and weight make them more maneuverable than their larger cousins.


    Their central horn is a devastating weapon, capable of killing anything they gore, especially if they can charge and build up speed.


    High carry capacity.


    Prime species for ranching and domestication. They reach full size in two years and provide large quantities of meat. Without instincts to migrate, they will be satisfied in pens and barns.


    Cavalry and mounted travel.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Styracosaurus. From the looks of it, these three are fully grown.¡± Marcus said after reading off the entry. He quickly identified the other two dinos in the clearing, another female, and a male. The male was the one at the far side of the clearing, trying and failing to get the fruit from the tree.


    ¡°Should we go for them? Or try our luck with a trike?¡± Soren asked. The group examined the dinos. They reminded Jack of Rhinos, but the horns on their noses and crest were much longer.


    ¡°Not as big as a trike. We wouldn¡¯t be able to compete with rexes or anything that big. But they would make for great mounts, and we will need something to farm eventually. Having these guys would be good for that. Two females means eggs, and they are all fully grown so we don¡¯t have to wait. We could tame the male and bring them all back.¡± Haden said.


    ¡°We should keep in mind these are much rarer than regular trikes. This is the first time we have seen them, but there are dozens of trikes in each of the larger clearings. I say we go for them.¡± Clara said.


    Marcus nodded, and started to edge his way around the clearing. Lottie and Clara followed him, and they tried to act as non-threatening as they could. The closest Styracosaurus huffed at them, its tail started to swing back and forth. The other two made a low groaning noise, and Marcus backed off, putting a tree between him and the dinosaurs.


    ¡°They seem a bit irate. Any idea how to calm them down?¡± He asked.


    Just as he poked his head out from behind the tree, one of the female Styracosaurus bellowed at him and swung its tail towards him. It was probably meant to be a warning to back off, but Marcus didn¡¯t see it coming. He brought his arm up to shield his face, and the tail slammed into him before it bounced off the tree. Marcus was sent stumbling back with a sharp gasp of pain. The Styracosaurus let out another groan of displeasure before moving to the far side of the clearing and continuing to eat.


    ¡°Marcus! You ok?¡± Jack and Haden shouted at the same time. Soren pulled them both back from the clearing, while Lottie and Clara moved to check on Marcus. Only a few seconds passed before they could hear him moaning in pain. Not a great sign, but it meant he was alive. Jack couldn¡¯t see Marcus, but he listened to Lottie as she reached him.


    ¡°You are going to be ok. Let me see your arm.¡±


    Another groan of pain was the answer they could hear, and Jack saw Clara holding her spear poking around the tree. She made eye contact with Jack and Haden, then gave them a thumbs up. They both sighed in relief. Soren was watching the jungle for other threats.


    ¡°Your arm is broken. I¡¯m going to try and set the bone, but it''s going to hurt a lot. We need to get away from the dinos or we will just risk agitating them more.¡± Lottie said. ¡°Jack! Can you come here and help me move him?¡± She called out.


    By now the Styracosaurus were all huffing in annoyance. Jack moved quickly, staying well out of range of their tails by pushing through the ferns. He reached Marcus, with Haden and Soren behind him. He was lying on the ground, and his right arm was badly broken. It was already turning blue, and Jack could see it bent unnaturally halfway up his forearm. He was gritting his teeth, and holding back tears. It was clear he was in a ton of pain. Jack reached down to help move him, but Marcus waved him off. He reached out his left hand, the hand with the bracelet. He unclenched his jaw and took a shuddering breath.


    ¡°Jack. You and Clara figure out how to tame that male. Haden, Lottie, drag me away and fix my arm. Soren, keep watch.¡± Marcus said as Jack took the bracelet from him.


    Jack looked into his eyes, and saw that his chief was serious. He nodded and moved out of the way.


    ¡°Do what he says. We can make this quick. I have an idea to get them to calm down. We can¡¯t afford to come home with an injury and nothing to show for it.¡± Jack said in his best leader voice. He tried to remain calm, but he was starting to feel the pressure of the situation. He had found it easy to follow Marcus¡¯s lead, and when he had offered him some responsibility as a leader of the warriors it had been everything Jack had wanted. But his dream of leading suddenly felt a lot heavier. He would still do his best.


    ¡°Are you sure Marcus?¡± Lottie asked, clearly worried. She glanced at Jack as Marcus nodded.


    ¡°What''s your plan?¡± Clara asked. Haden pulled Marcus onto his feet, supporting him under his shoulder.


    ¡°The male has been trying to get to those fruits. The encyclopedia thing said they have specialized diets. I think if we climb the tree and gather the fruits, we can calm them down enough to let the tame work.¡± He explained. Lottie looked over to the tree, where the fruits were still hanging.


    ¡°Ok. But be careful. We will head back to the main trail. We will come check on you once we have done everything we can with Marcus.¡± She said.


    Jack and Clara watched as the group helped Marcus move away. Leaving them alone beside the clearing. Marcus was tough, but that was a bad break. That arm would be unusable for a long time. With Gordon recovering, and Marcus down an arm, he would have to step up. He turned to Clara.


    ¡°Ready?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not much of a climber.¡± She said, and the two began to move towards the fruit tree.


    ¡°I was a monkey as a kid. It''s been a few years since I indulged in it though.¡± Jack said. They could see the Styracosaurus, despite having just attacked them they seemed at ease. One of the females was still giving him the stink eye, but the male was completely focused on food. The other female was watching Marcus and the others hobble away.


    They reached the base of the tree from the far side of the clearing. The male gave them a strange look, but he had a mouth full of the ferns and they were keeping their distance. Jack wasn¡¯t sure how good their sight was. He remembered something about Rhinos being near-sighted, and aggressive because of it. If that was the case, the alien encyclopedia was lacking.


    He put his club down, and studied the tree. It had tall branches, but he figured if he jumped he could reach the lowest one. He turned to Clara.


    ¡°I can lift you, or you can give me a boost.¡± He said. Clara looked up at the branches.


    ¡°Give me a lift, I may not be used to climbing, but once I get that first branch I think I can pretty easily get higher. I have good balance, and I¡¯m probably a good fifty pounds lighter than you.¡± She explained.


    Jack nodded and moved his hands out in front of him. Clara put her spear down and stepped back. She took a running start, jumped into his hands, and he tossed her up with all his might. She was much lighter than he had expected, and overshot the first branch. She yelped, but managed to snag the branch on her way down.


    ¡°You ok?¡± Jack asked. The Styracosaurus was now watching her, having been alerted by her shout. The male looked curious, but the females looked annoyed. Jack hid himself behind the tree, determined not to make the same mistake as Marcus.


    ¡°Yeah. I''m good.¡± She did a pullup and grabbed the next branch. Once she had her feet, she started climbing higher. She reached for one of the ripe fruits, plucking it and dropping it down for Jack to catch. He missed the first one, and it splattered on the ground beside him. He was still focused on the dino¡¯s, and hadn¡¯t been paying attention to her once she started her climb.


    ¡°Try catching one.¡± She stage whispered to him. He rolled his eyes but managed to catch the next one. He collected five of the fruits, which looked like yellow apples upon closer examination. He looked up at Clara, still in the tree. She shrugged at him.


    ¡°Want more? I¡¯ll stay up here while you try. I don¡¯t want to agitate them when you do your thing.¡± She asked.


    He stepped away from the tree and took a breath.


    ¡°Stay up there. If this backfires I don¡¯t think there is anything to be done but let me try and scramble up after you.¡± He gripped each of the fruits in his hands, then slowly started to approach the Styracosaurus with his hands outstretched. The green alien bracelet dangled from his wrist, and he made note of the charm order.


    The male Styracosaurus grunted at him, which he wasn¡¯t sure was a good sign. He slowly moved forward, and when he got within five feet it snorted. He stopped. It¡¯s body language tense. Jack was sure if he took another step the dinosaur would charge. He bent down and put three of the fruits on the ground, then slowly backed up. He made sure not to turn his back to it.


    The male eyed him cautiously, and slowly approached the food. It sniffed them, then made a short bellowing sound and started to eat. The females started to approach, and Jack knew he would need to be quick. He approached again, and waved the fruits in front of its nose. The massive horn jutted out at him like a spear, but the dinosaur was entranced by the food. It lifted its head and swallowed the fruit it had grabbed. Then reached for the one in his hand. When it took one, he reached his hand out and gently touched its horn.


    ¡°Tame.¡± He said, and the alien device hummed with green light. It enveloped Jack in an instant, then spread out to cover the dinosaur. Moments later it was done. He could feel the emotions of the big beast clearly. It was still hungry, and it was happy to have a larger herd. One of the females pushed it aside to eat one of the fruits on the ground, and the third bellowed at Jack. He took a step back, but the male turned to bellow at the female. Jack didn¡¯t speak dinosaur, but he got the sense his new buddy just vouched for him.


    The grumpy female seemed to eye Jack up and down, then went back to ignoring him in favor of trying to snag the last fruit from the ground. Jack fed the last one in his hand to the male, then noticed the bracelet had produced a screen.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Congratulations


    You have successfully bonded with a dinosaur


    Species: Styracosaurus Parksi


    Sex: Male


    Age: 6 Years, 2 Months


    Please name the dinosaur to finalize the bonding process.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°I¡¯ll name you. . . Mike.¡± He said, and the screen vanished. Mike took the final fruit from his hand, and Jack could feel the happiness through their bond. He hadn''t felt this with Thrasher, but he wasn¡¯t the one who had tamed him, Marcus had. Though Thrasher still took commands from Jack, or anyone else in the tribe. He guessed Mike would be the same.


    ¡°It worked. But you should grab a few more to keep the females happy.¡± He called out to Clara. She dropped down from the tree a few seconds later, her shirt full of fruits.


    ¡°Good work.¡± She said, and gently reached out to pet Mike. The females eyed her again, but seemed to follow Mike¡¯s lead.


    ¡°He is a big friendly guy. It''s the ladies we need to be wary of. Especially that one. She was the one who hit Marcus, and I think she is just a particularly grumpy lady.¡± Jack said. Once the fruit he had provided was gone, all three dinos turned their attention to Clara¡¯s armfuls of the fruit. She started to feed the females, who seemed more than happy to eat out of her hand. Though the one still gave Jack the stink eye.


    ¡°Maybe she just doesn''t like men.¡± Clara said, rubbing the dino under its crest.


    ¡°So it would seem. Shall we go join the others?¡± Jack said, taking one of the fruits for himself. He wasn¡¯t sure if humans could eat these, but the dinos loved them, so planting some would be helpful.


    Clara started to walk around the Styracosaurus, leading them with the fruit.


    ¡°Come on Mike, let''s go find our friends and go home. You guys will be nice and safe.¡± She said encouragingly. The dinos started to turn around, their big tails nearly pushed Jack over. There wasn¡¯t force behind them, but they turned faster than he thought they could, and they were still big. He caught himself and patted Mike on his side. Then he reached up for one of the horns on his crest. Using it as a handhold he was able to pull himself up onto Mike¡¯s back and ride out of the clearing. He could tell that Mike didn¡¯t mind at all, and was more than happy to be ridden.


    A few moments later they rejoined with the others. Marcus was leaning against a tree, his arm was swollen, but no longer bent in the wrong direction. He seemed to have passed out, and Lottie was looking nervous. Haden and Soren both nodded at Jack and Clara as they emerged from the woods with the dinos.


    ¡°I take it that things went well?¡± Soren asked. And Clara nodded.


    ¡°Yep. Meet Mike, and his two cranky wives. The one is Cera, and this extra grumpy one is Karren.¡± Clara proclaimed, which caused a round of chuckles. Though Karren seemed to like her new name, grumbling at them in the friendliest seeming manner so far.


    ¡°How is Marcus?¡± Jack asked as the others came to give the new dinos pets.


    ¡°He passed out. Probably a good thing he did. I had to set his arm, and I don¡¯t have anything to numb the pain. Let''s try and get him onto Mike and get back to camp.¡± Lottie said. She sounded like she was on the verge of a breakdown. Jack hopped off Mike, and pulled Lottie into a hug. She stiffened, then returned it.


    ¡°It''s going to be ok. He is alive, and he will heal with time. You did good.¡± He did his best to sound reassuring. Like his father always had been to him. She nodded, and he felt a few tears roll down her cheeks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to be the tribe doctor. I¡¯m not so good at helping people.¡± She said.


    ¡°You did the best you could. Don¡¯t beat yourself up. Let''s get home, then we can all rest.¡± He said.


    Soren and Haden helped Marcus up, and he slowly came to. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. He briefly opened his eyes, smiling as he saw the dinos. He climbed onto Mike¡¯s neck with Soren¡¯s help, he was able to sit on his neck, under his crest. It made for very good protection, and with Soren on Mike¡¯s back holding Macrus¡¯s shoulders it was surprisingly easy to keep him steady. Mike barely noticed the extra weight, his neck muscles extremely strong to support his large horn and tall crest.


    They made their way quickly home, following the same path they had taken. They passed by a few more small herds of Parasaurs, and one mixed herd of Mayasaur and Hadrosaurs. They spotted a few Gallimimus, and another small herd of Pachycephalosaurus. Nothing messed with them as they traveled, and they made it home before dark.

 Chapter 17: Base Building

    That night the tribe had mixed reactions to Mike and his grumpy ladies. Most people were thrilled to have more dinosaurs, and their smaller size made them less intimidating. However, with Marcus injured and only one of the dinos actually tamed, people were hesitant to approach them. It didn¡¯t help that once they ran out of the fruits they had been feeding them, Karren became much less appreciative of the group of humans. She stuck around beside Mike and Cera, but she would huff at anyone who approached her.


    Jack ended up having them rest on the far side of the pond for the night. Mike didn¡¯t seem to mind the fires so long as there was a tribe member beside them, but the others were extremely skittish of them. If Jack walked by them with a torch, Cera would watch him nervously but Karren would start to bellow in anger. So they left them alone and kept the fires on the human side of the pond.


    They settled in for the night, leaving a large pile of dino poop at the woodline, then rested against the cliff wall in a cuddle pile. One of the few older men named Justin was overjoyed after he examined the poop. Apparently, the man was a farmer, and according to him, the Styracosaurus made excellent fertilizer. Jack could only shrug. To him, their poop looked no different from Thrasher¡¯s. At Justin¡¯s request, he borrowed the single camp shovel from the builders and dug a small hole. Justin filled it with some tree bark, and then they shoveled some of the poop into the hole. They covered it with more bark, and then cleaned and returned the stone shovel. Apparently, this would slowly turn it into fertilizer with time and heat. Jack was too tired to follow the explanation of how it worked.


    With some fertilizer presumably doing its thing, Jack went about his evening. He helped to reorganize the night watch to keep an eye on the new dinos. It wouldn¡¯t do to let them wander off after all the work that went into getting them. The bond was a powerful tool, but it wasn¡¯t mind control. Mike could still wander off if no one kept an eye on him.


    Once the light from the sunset fully faded to dark, the tribe quickly fell into a deep sleep. Everyone had been able to shower and the cave smelled much better than it had the first night. Jack checked on Gordon, and helped to carry him outside to let him relieve himself. His friend looked bad. He could barely talk and had spent the past two days lying against the cave wall as people helped him sip water and take small bites of food. Keeping him clean was difficult, but no one complained about helping him. The corpses of the Arthropleura that attacked him were still outside. They couldn¡¯t be eaten, but their blood and hard shells could be useful. Unfortunately, they were starting to rot and they would have to do something with them tomorrow or they would be useless.


    Jack had been able to smash through their shells with his club with ease, but the spears of his tribe mates had a lot of trouble with them. There was no shortage of dinosaurs that could crush someone underfoot or bludgeon them with their tails, but there were also many threats that relied on sharp claws and speed. The other hunting team, led by Mattock and Nathaniel, had been attacked while Jack and his team had been taming the Styracosaurus. A group of twelve raptors had tried to ambush them. No one had died, but the team had returned with many long cuts and gashes, and three people were going to be on rest for the next day or two. Fortunately for the tribe, the team had managed to kill a young Hadrosaur close to camp. With the help of the build team and Thrasher, they had taken the crafting team''s stockpile of rope and dragged the kill back to camp. There was more meat than they knew what to do with. Even a young dinosaur was close to a ton of meat, and without a fridge or salt, they had no way to keep any of their meat for more than a few days. Which meant that they currently had a ton of meat to spare.


    Jack had been able to eat three steaks before he was no longer hungry, and there would be enough for everyone to eat their fill the next day as well. They would still be wasting food. Currently, one person was stationed near the pile of meat with a torch, doing their best to keep the bugs off the food. They had wrapped it in leaves, but that wasn¡¯t stopping the larger insects from trying to bite through the leaves and get at the food. The torch was working well enough, but that job would be a pain for the guards. Jack spent the last two hours before his shift ended on bug duty, and managed to kill three of the larger dragonflies by the time he was relieved and able to sleep. He found a spot beside Mavis in the cave, and quickly fell asleep.


    He awoke the next morning to the sound of a tree falling. The ground shook and he heard the muffled sounds of people cheering before the rush of the waterfall once more drowned out the noise of the camp. He slowly stretched his tired muscles as he sat up. The bruise on his chest was much more painful than it had been the day before. He took a deep breath of the clean air. Even in the cave full of people without soap, the air here was so much cleaner than back on Earth.


    Most of the people in the cave were from the night watch, and several of them turned back over to try and get more sleep. Jack had never been able to go back to bed after waking up, so he stood up and left the cave. Once outside he saw that the camp was bustling with activity. All of the stones that had littered the ground when they first arrived had been collected by the building team and piled up to mark the western edge of camp. Someone had gone through and pulled out all of the weeds and patches of vegetation that had cropped up. The result was a large area of dirt clear of debris. The ground was mostly flat, with a few holes here and there, and it started to slope the closer it got to the cliff face.


    He saw Mike working with Miles and the building team, and he could sense a warm happiness from the dinosaur. He seemed to like being petted, and hand-fed ferns. He didn¡¯t seem to mind any of the ropes that had been tied to the horns on his crest, and he was hauling the fallen trees around without any issue. Three men with stone axes were working on the next tree in the line, and another was filling in the hole the recently cut-down tree had left behind. The large tree stump was placed on the side, likely to be broken down into firewood, or used for some other purpose Jack couldn¡¯t think of.


    Mike dragged the tree to the center of the clearing, where it was taken and placed beside four more. The gathering team, led by Syke, were using sharp stone knives to cut away the branches and greenery of the fallen trees. Only one of the trees had been stripped so far, and it lay beside the others. A massive pile of branches was slowly growing beside the central firepit. Some still had their leaves, but most had been fully stripped. A basket made from thinner, flexible branches had been filled with the green leaves. Jack wasn¡¯t sure what they would be used for.


    Skye noticed him and gave him a friendly wave.


    ¡°Morning, Jack. Sleep well?¡± She asked.


    Jack walked over and stifled a yawn. He reached down and helped one of the gatherer women he was not familiar with break off one of the larger branches, and tossed it onto the pile.


    ¡°Morning. I¡¯m still waking up. A bit hungry. How are you?¡± He responded.


    The women he helped gave him a smile, and a quiet thank you. She returned to stripping the leaves from the branch into the basket. Skye gave him a beaming smile.


    ¡°Today is a building day. We have more food than we can use or store right now, so Marcus said the hunters get to rest for a day or two. Mavis, Marcus, and Mattock took Thrasher and the second hunter team and went to gather some clay They should be back in a few hours. You can go get breakfast from Ms Margert, and then either join us if you need to take it easy, or go find Miles and help the builders.¡± Skye said. She seemed to be in a very energetic mood, and her smile was infectious.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see who needs help. I could use a rest day, but I can work.¡± He looked around and noticed that Ms Margert and some of the younger tribe members were gathered around the fire that had been built beside the pond. He saw Haden working with the builders, and Lottie was helping one of the hunters from the other team bandage up a gash on his arm. He didn¡¯t see the rest of his team anywhere, and he knew they weren¡¯t in the cave.


    ¡°Where are Soren and Clara? Did they go with Mavis?¡± He asked. And Skye pointed up the cliff face. Jack looked up, but only saw some dark clouds that hinted at rain in the future.


    ¡°They went with a group to do a survey of the top of the cliff. You said something about boulders being pushed down onto us when we were first picking this place out. Yesterday while you were out playing Tarzan, Mavis and I spent the entire dam day working on a rope to string up the cliff face. We just need a group to make the trek and secure it. We tested it out with the heaviest guy in camp, but you should still be careful on it. It will be a rough fall if it breaks.¡± Skye said with a pleased grin.


    Jack looked up at the cliff face and grimaced. He enjoyed rock climbing, but couldn¡¯t claim to be great at it. One of his teachers in high school had fallen from an indoor rock wall when his partner hadn''t been properly paying attention and had broken his back. He spent the next two years in a wheelchair, and it had given Jack a healthy distrust of the sport. He would avoid the cliff when he could.


    ¡°How was Marcus doing with his arm today?¡± He looked out towards the river. He hoped that his friends wouldn¡¯t run into anything crazy.


    ¡°He was holding it together well. Jade is acting like his secretary, and making sure he doesn''t have to use that arm for anything. Lottie and Mavis made a splint for his arm, but I couldn¡¯t say how well it works. Almost looks like wooden armor on.¡± She answered, breaking another branch off her tree.


    ¡°Who has the bracelet right now?¡± Jack asked. If the group at the river was getting clay, they might be able to tame a frog or something to help them keep the bugs down.


    ¡°Soren is carrying it. He went up the cliff with it and one of the notebooks we have. I think they are also going to try and locate a salt deposit or do some settlement planning.¡± She responded before leading him over to the cooking and water-boiling fire. They both waved hello to Ms Margret and her helpers.


    ¡°Good Morning Jack.¡± The kind older woman said, passing him one of the water bottles. He took it gladly and drank it down.


    ¡°Thank you. I always forget how thirsty I am until I have water in my hands.¡± He sat down across from her, and passed the water bottle to one of the helpers.


    ¡°Happy to help. It''s thanks to you that we haven¡¯t had to go to bed with empty stomachs. I don¡¯t think I would have it in me to go hunt down these monsters.¡± She said as she passed him a large chunk of cooked meat that had been wrapped in leaves. He took it and smiled at her in thanks. His stomach rumbled, and he started to eat.


    ¡°Thank you. The tribe is very lucky I¡¯m not the one cooking. I would have burned or undercooked everything. I am impressed that you can make a dinosaur taste like steak.¡± He complimented the chef. In truth, the meat was much more gamey than a real cow. He missed seasoning like garlic, salt, and pepper, but with how hungry he was each day, the meat was delicious.


    He took his time eating and sharing small talk with Ms Margert and the water team. He was surprised to learn that she was close to forty-one years old. She also had a knee replacement three years earlier that still hurt from time to time. That meant that the criteria the alien robots had used to save them was more lenient than he had originally thought. It also meant that there was a good chance Mavis¡¯s parents were alive.


    Jack stood up. He would tell Mavis his thoughts when she got back to base. Until then he would work. He thanked the cooking team again, and went to find Miles. His muscles hurt, but he wouldn''t slack off. He realized he had forgotten to ask Skye about the Arthropleura bodies. He would help out the builders for a while and then take a break to ask her.


    He gave Miles a wave, but the man¡¯s hands were full, so he returned the greeting with a nod. The building team were all working together to lift a tree and slide the ropes under it. Once it was set down, two men tied the rope to Mike¡¯s horns and started leading him back toward the wood pile. Miles turned to Jack with a smile.


    ¡°Good morning. How did the night watch go?¡± He asked. Jack smiled. He hadn¡¯t had much time to talk with Miles since landing on the planet, but he seemed like someone who he could become good friends with. They had fought together when the Baryonyx had attacked and Miles had suffered a concussion. It had only been a few days, but he seemed to be doing better.


    ¡°Nothing too interesting. I mostly just tried to keep the bugs away. I think the fires here are doing a lot of the work in keeping us safe.¡± Jack answered as the builders went back to work chopping down the next tree in line with the stone axes.


    ¡°Yeah, the bugs are a pain in the ass. But I won¡¯t feel safe until we have a wall. I think you are right though, the fire is the main reason nothing has come to fuck with us once the sun goes down. One of the morning shift watchers reported seeing the Sabertooth again so people are nervous. I have been trying to figure out how to make a wall that can have a fire pit on top of it without burning the entire thing down.¡± Miles explained as he led Jack over to another tree.


    ¡°What are our plans? Are you working on a wall first? Or a longhouse? I remember something about that being in the plans.¡± Jack asked, and Miles handed him one of the axes. It felt small in his hand, and the stone was a bit blunt from use. It would need to be sharpened soon.


    ¡°Palisade first. We¡¯ll sharpen the trees and make a large ring around the camp. That is what the gathering team is going to work on once they get all the branches off the trees. We use the smaller trees for the palisade, and the larger ones for the longhouse. Without Mike, we wouldn¡¯t be able to move the larger trees without getting all the men in the camp to help. Good work on bringing him home.¡± Miles said as he used his own ax to cut a small notch in the tree, and gestured for Jack to start hacking at it.


    ¡°What is the first step in making the longhouse? I don¡¯t know much about construction, but I¡¯ve seen plenty of log cabins. Is that the plan?¡± He asked as he started to swing his ax. He made sure to take long, controlled swings. His muscles would help here, but he couldn¡¯t cut the tree down in a single chop. It would take at least a hundred to cut through the larger tree they were working on.


    ¡°First thing we need is to level out the foundation. I won¡¯t bore you on the details, but that''s what we spent most of yesterday on. Then we will build the walls out of mud and rock. The roof will be these larger logs, and we will top it off with more mud, thatch, and wood.¡± Miles took up a position on the other side of the tree, and started swinging his ax, working towards the center.


    ¡°What is thatch?¡± Jack asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard it could be used for housing and stuff, but I''m not sure what it actually is.¡±


    ¡°It''s mostly dried plants. They would usually use straw back in Europe, but we can use river reeds and the larger tree palms. That''s why Skye is gathering them all. We will dry them out and make our roof out of it¡± Miles said with a smile.


    ¡°Smart.¡± Jack responded, and the two fell into silence as their axes clacked against the tree in a rhythm. Two more builders came to help them and one of the men started humming a work song. Jack followed the rhythm, and thirty minutes later the tree was ready to fall. Miles held his ax up to stop them and gestured for them all to step back. He swung a few more times then moved around the tree to the side Jack and the workers were on.


    ¡°Ok, everyone back. Jack, do you want to get the final hit?¡± He asked, and Jack nodded. Miles spent a minute explaining where to swing the ax, and how that would cause the tree to fall in the direction they wanted. Once they were ready, everyone stepped back, and Miles called out.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Timber!¡±


    Jack swung his ax hard, hitting the spot Miles had shown him. As he pulled back, the tree shuddered and started to fall. It fell a bit to the right of where they wanted, but no one was where it was standing. The tree crashed to the ground, many of its branches snapping as it fell. Skye and two of her helpers showed up and started collecting the fallen branches while Jack helped lift the tree and attach it to the ropes. Once it was dragged away, they turned their attention to the leftover tree stump. Three of them were still in the ground, and while most of the building crew went to start chopping the next tree down. Haden joined them with the shovel, and gave Jack a nod.


    ¡°Morning Jack. Welcome to the work crew. Less fun than playing Tarzan, but it''s damn satisfying to see the tree line cut back.¡± He passed Jack the shovel, and gestured for him to start digging around the tree stump.


    ¡°Morning, Haden. Skye said almost the same thing.¡± He chuckled as he started to dig.


    ¡°I swear we have the same sense of humor,¡± Haden said with a smile as he looked over his shoulder at his girlfriend. She was in the process of sneaking Mike a snack from the ferns they had gathered.


    ¡°You two make a good couple.¡± Jack responded. Grunting as he hit a root, and had to re-angle his next shovel strike.


    ¡°I think so. What about you and Mavis?¡± He asked.


    Jack shook his head. And Miles handed him one end of a rope to tie around the root he had unearthed. He tied it off, and Miles moved to wrap the rope around the stump. Then connected it to the one around Mike¡¯s horn. They all stepped away, and with a word from Miles, Mike started to pull the stump out of the ground. The rope started to fray and snap, but the stump was yanked out in a fountain of dirt sprayed across the area.


    ¡°You two can fill that in, I¡¯ll go mark the other trees we need down today.¡± Miles said, and both Haden and Jack started filling in the hole with fresh dirt. They only had one shovel, so it was slow work, with one of them just using their hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m not Mavis¡¯s type.¡± Jack said, continuing their conversation.


    ¡°Really? I thought you two were together.¡± Haden said as he pushed one of the smaller rocks into the hole.


    ¡°I used to have a crush on her. But we were never a thing. Have been good friends our entire lives.¡± Jack shrugged. He honestly hadn¡¯t given it too much thought. Though now that the world had ended and the number of people he knew was less than a hundred, his dating options were suddenly very limited.


    ¡°Well, she would be lucky to have you. But if it isn¡¯t to be, then it isn¡¯t to be.¡± Haden said, and they finished filling in the hole.


    ¡°Why are we filling these holes in any way?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°So Mike doesn¡¯t fall in one and break his leg.¡± Haden said, causing Jack to look over to the dinosaur that was helping to haul another tree.


    ¡°Do you think a hole this small could do that? If so, we could dig some out in the woods and trap some big prey.¡± Jack thought aloud.


    ¡°Good idea. Once everyone is back, let''s pitch it to them. We can go find a game trail, make a deep pit, and either catch something small enough to not get out, or a bigger dino with a broken leg. We kill it, and eat well. Easy hunting.¡± Haden said as they started walking back towards Miles.


    ¡°Good idea. That reminds me, do we have a plan for what to use today''s taming charge on?¡± Jack asked Haden. Who nodded.


    ¡°Marcus told Soren to tame something if he thought it would be useful, but if he gets back to camp without a new dino we will probably use it on Karren to get her to chill. She is extra cranky in the mornings apparently. She took another tail swipe at the guys who went to get Mike. No one was hurt, thankfully.¡± He answered, causing Jack to shake his head.


    ¡°What a pain in the ass. I suppose the name fits.¡± They both chuckled.


    The next few hours were more of the same. They cut down trees until their axes were too blunt to be of use. By then it was past noon and the group of thirty builders had cleared away a good portion of the treeline. They now had a good four hundred feet of cleared land between the cliff face and the woods, most of which was very flat. To Jack, the land almost looked like a farm. Most of the dirt had been churned up by the removal of the plants and trees and then stomped down by Mike and his ladies.


    They had cut down around forty small trees. Their tools were still unable to dent the larger ones, but fortunately, there were only three such trees scattered around the clearing. They provided nice shade for the tired workers to rest under, and one of them had some unripened fruit among its highest branches.


    Jack was sore. He hadn¡¯t been this tired since some of his early days playing hockey. His chest hurt with every breath, and his arm and leg muscles made their discomfort known with each step. He decided to finally rest and after another serving of meat, he went to sit with Skye and help the gatherers.


    ¡°Hey Skye, do you have plans for the Arthropleura bodies?¡± He asked as he sat down beside the tree pile, and started to slowly pull the branches off. He was glad he could do most of the work using leverage, and not his strength. She blinked at him for a few seconds, until he pointed to the three bodies against the cliff wall.


    ¡°Oh! The big centipede fuckers. I don¡¯t know. Mavis said their blood was acidic so I haven¡¯t really given them any thought.¡± She had put her blond hair in a bun, and used a small branch as a hairpin. It had three leaves on it, and it gave her a very charming druid look.


    ¡°They are probably going to start stinking soon. They have been in the sun for two days.¡± He said, which caused her to scrunch her nose.


    ¡°Gross. Do you have any ideas on what to do with them then? I don¡¯t think we need to eat them.¡± She went back to cutting one of the larger branches.


    ¡°Well, I was thinking that we could use their shells as armor or something. It wouldn¡¯t help against anything massive, but it would probably help against raptors or spears.¡± He pitched his idea and she glanced over at one of the men who was resting beside the pond. A fresh cut was still red on his exposed shoulder from the raptors.


    ¡°Probably a good idea. But I have no idea how to process those things without getting burned. Feel free to give it a try though. Just drag it a bit out of camp before you do. We don¡¯t want the smell of the blood to draw anything.¡± She said, and Jack glanced over at the bones of the Hadrosaur that had been cleaned and piled up beside the crafting fire.


    ¡°I think we might be beyond that. We still have a pile of cooked meat.¡± He said, and she shook her head.


    ¡°Yes, but we did our butchering and cooking of it away from the main camp. It may have only been a few hundred feet away, but I would rather have things get attracted around our camp, than in our camp. Also, it will probably smell.¡±


    Jack couldn¡¯t disagree, so once he had finished helping debranch the fallen trees he excused himself from helping build the palisade and went to experiment with the bodies. He borrowed one of the stone knives, and dragged the most intact Arthropleura to the western edge of camp where they had butchered the Hadrosaur the night before. The rocks there were stained with blood, and there were a lot more bugs swarming around him. He moved a bit further away and found a nice rock to sit on while he worked.


    The first thing he did was test how acidic the blood was. He dipped a regular stone in, but nothing noticeable happened. The blood was green, and left a slimy residue on the rock. But it didn¡¯t smoke or sizzle. He then poked it with a stick, and had similar results. Jack hadn¡¯t been the best in his chemistry class, but he remembered that sometimes when a chemical is exposed to air it could bond with the oxygen and change. He was pretty sure that''s how rust was formed, but he wasn¡¯t sure if that process applied to acidic blood.


    For his final test, he poked it with his finger. It was gross, but it didn¡¯t hurt. This more or less confirmed that the acid had lost its potency over the past few days. Either it had been the rain, the oxygen, or something else. He had no idea, but it meant the blood was useless to him unless he wanted gross, green paint.


    He tipped the body over, and let its blood drain from the wound where its face used to be. It would take a long time to drain like this, so he used his knife to try and cut it open. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t able to cut through its shell with the wimpy stone blade. He gave up on that, and just started working from the other end of the creature. It was approximately seven feet long, and its shell was segmented. He placed his knife between the segments and slowly tried to pry the shell off. It took some time, and the use of a stick to create some leverage, but he was able to pry off the first band of shell and cut away at the rotting muscle that connected it to the body. It was gross, and he would need to shower after this, but he had a process. With each segment he removed he was able to work faster, and it only took three hours to fully peel the shell off the creature.


    What was left behind was a disgusting pile of half-rotted meat with a green tint and a pool of slime. A pile of chitinous shells that definitely needed to be cleaned, but were otherwise in decently good condition. They were almost all the same size, and Jack guessed that he could fashion shoulder or chest guards for both groups of hunters, or maybe arm bracers for the entire tribe. Someone else could probably turn this pile into a full suit of armor for a single person, but he wasn¡¯t sure how you could make a helmet or boots out of the material. He plugged his nose and carried the rotting meat further away from camp. He jogged half a mile away before dumping it and jogging back. He made sure to stay far from the treeline.


    He took his prized pile of shells over to the waterfall. He was going to clean them and then shower, but from the looks he got from the water-boiling crew and the very unkind words Haden had shared about his smell when he passed the builders, he decided to just take a shower first. It took a lot of scrubbing to get the smell off of him, and his shirt was now stained green. It was inevitable that his shirt would change color from the grass stains, dirt, blood, and general grime that came with living primitively. He just hadn''t expected it to happen so soon. He spent another hour cleaning each of the shell pieces and then took another shower. He piled his spoils up near the crafting team¡¯s designated fire. They had spent the day making more stone axes for the building team and weaving more baskets when they could. Making the axes was difficult, and each one took them a while to properly sharpen.


    It was around this time when Jack heard voices from above him. He turned to look, and saw Soren and Clara at the top of the cliff. The cliff above them spanned nearly a hundred feet tall. It was like looking up a ten-story building. He couldn¡¯t make out what they were shouting, but he waved at them and they waved back. He could see another two people behind them, but couldn''t tell who they were.


    Jack walked over to Skye and pointed her attention up the cliff. She clapped as Clara tossed down the thick rope that Mavis and Skye had made the day before. It fell down the cliff face, but got caught on a ledge. Soren and Clara started to pull it back up. They threw it again, further out this time, and the rope cleared the ledge and made it all the way down to the camp. Jack was impressed with how well the rope was made. It looked like dozens of strands of twine had been twisted together to make each section, and then those had been knotted together to create a longer and longer rope.


    Despite its impressive length and construction, he didn¡¯t trust it to hold him. Maybe someone like Skye who was half his weight. Still, he would rather have it there should he need to climb up the cliff face. Soren yelled something else, but Jack couldn¡¯t hear him over the roar of the waterfall. They dipped back over the cliff face, and the rope went taught as they secured it to something. Skye had run over to grab the bottom end of the rope, and she anchored it to one of the large boulders that acted as windbreaks for the cave entrance.


    That was all of the excitement for around thirty minutes. Jack had gone to get his next ration of water when he heard a crash. He looked to the east, and saw a boulder the size of a desk crash down the cliff. It was far from the camp, and no one was in any danger from it or the smaller rocks that followed it down. A few seconds later another large rock went over the edge, and Jack, along with everyone else in camp, went to get a better look. They could see that Soren and Clara had spent the past half hour pushing the larger rocks on the cliff top towards its edge. Now they were pushing them all off in one big go.


    Jack was glad that these rocks couldn¡¯t be tossed down onto the camp by an enemy tribe. He watched one rock bounce and shatter one of the larger trees, causing it to creek and slowly crash to the ground. If they had built their longhouse, or wall, anyone could have destroyed it by just tossing rocks.


    Fortunately, there were only a few large boulders that needed to be shoved, and after a few minutes, the show was over. Soren and Clara must have decided to return to camp the long way, because they didn¡¯t climb down the rope. After Soren shouted something that no one could hear, they vanished again.


    The palisade was coming along nicely as everyone in camp was pulled in to sharpen the large branches and thinnest trees. Once they had a long line of spikes, the builders went back to work. They dug deep post holes, and then placed the spiked logs into them facing up before filling in the hole to secure the post. By the time they were done, it was nearly nighttime, but the camp had a ring of sharpened trees around twelve to fifteen feet tall surrounding it. They couldn¡¯t call it a wall yet, as anyone less than four feet wide could easily step between the posts. It was still a monumental amount of work to have completed in just three days, and as Marcus and the clay team returned, having to take Thrasher through the ¡°gate¡±, the tribe collectively cheered.


    They were still in danger, and a night watch would be kept, but they finally had a real defense against the massive dinosaurs they all knew could have crushed them without a thought. Any adult Triceratops, standing close to twenty feet tall, could have stomped through their camp, and a T-Rex would have slaughtered them. Now they had a wall of tall, sturdy spikes to keep the larger predators back.


    The clay team had returned with five large baskets filled to the brim. They had fashioned a simple harness for Thrasher, and used him like a pack mule to carry it back. He didn¡¯t seem to mind much, so long as someone kept giving him pets and encouragement as they walked. Though it was clear he was happy when they took the baskets off him, and he eagerly ran to the pond to clean himself off.


    Marcus looked tired and his arm was swollen, even though it was hard to tell with the splint Lottie had made for him. She and Jade more or less ordered Marcus to bed, and Jack wasn¡¯t going to be far behind him. He was assigned to morning watch, so he needed to sleep as soon as the sun went down. He checked on Gordon again, but he hadn¡¯t moved since lunch.


    ¡°Any change?¡± Marcus asked as he entered the cave.


    ¡°None.¡± Jack said, shaking his head as he sat beside his friend and faced his leader.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Was all Marcus said as he found his own spot.


    ¡°How is the arm?¡± Jack asked him.


    ¡°Hurts like a bitch. I nearly woke up the entire camp screaming when I rolled onto it last night. It just needs time, but I hate not being able to help. We almost caught one of those frogs today. Damn things are nearly as large as a pit bull. If I had both arms it wouldn¡¯t have gotten away.¡± Marcus closed his eyes as he leaned against the wall. He pressed his good hand to his face and shook his head.


    ¡°Jack. I don¡¯t know if Gordon is going to make it. My arm is fucked. We have dozens of people with cuts and scrapes, and I just got a report that three people drank from the pond without boiling it and are not feeling well. If those wounds become infected we could start losing people quickly. I might need to ask you to do something dangerous soon.¡± He continued. Jack sat up, anxiety struck at his heart at his chief''s words and the sense of despair in his voice.


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± He asked, doing his best to keep his voice calm. Marcus sighed and removed his hand to look Jack in the eyes.


    ¡°I might need you to go search for other tribes. Find a doctor or nurse, and ask them to come help up.¡± Marcus¡¯s voice was tired.


    Jack thought about the request. It would be extremely dangerous to go searching for other tribes. And trying to find a doctor that was willing to come back with him would be hard. He had other concerns. He would need to bring others with him, or he would quickly be killed by the first pack of raptors he came across. But if he brought his hunting team with him, that would leave the tribe without some of their most fit warriors and hunters. The other team was already injured. Not enough to stop them, but their wounds could easily become infected. If that happened, the tribe could lose all of their hunters.


    ¡°Does the mapping feature on the bracelet show other tribes?¡± He asked. If he had a map, he could probably make the trip quickly, and with only two or three others. Marcus shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but I don¡¯t think so. If it does, there are no other tribes within ten miles of us. But I suspect that there are. Another man at our landing spot made a tribe, and they would have to be idiots to try and survive in the jungle. They would have gone downhill and found the same river we did. I suspect they are to the west of us, upriver. Or they kept following the cliff face south and ended up much further to the east following the mesa.¡± Marcus answered.


    They both sat in silence for a while. Thinking over the problems. Eventually, Jack had to yawn, breaking the silence.


    ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll go. I want to bring at least two people with me. And if you can spare him I would like to bring Thrasher or Mike. I also want to see if we can make some armor out of the Arthropleura shells I dismantled today. Let¡¯s say I leave in two days. That gives us time to prepare.¡± Jack said.


    ¡°That works. I just worry we won¡¯t have long.¡± Marcus said as he closed his eyes and rested his head against the cave wall.


    Jack did the same. As night fell on the camp, the sound of the waterfall lulled him to sleep. His dreams were full of blood.

 Chapter 18: Night Fight

    Jack was woken by Soren hours later. His friend was sunburned and looked exhausted. He gave Jack a smile.


    ¡°Happy three AM. You are on morning watch.¡± He said with a yawn.


    ¡°Uhhhhh.¡± Jack said as he wiped the sleep from his eyes, causing Soren to chuckle.


    ¡°Yeah, that''s how I feel. If I ever get the bright idea to bring that Lennox guy with us on another adventure, do me a favor and kick my ass will you? I swear Clara nearly tossed him over the cliff. He is good with a pen though, I¡¯ll give him that. We now have a non-holographic map with a salt deposit marked on it.¡± Soren muttered as he found his own spot beside Clara, who was already snoring. He laid down beside her, and with a final wave to Jack, went to sleep.


    Jack yawned and slowly looked around. Most of the tribe was asleep in the cave. Gordon was still breathing, unmoved from when Jack had gone to sleep. Mavis was snuggled into Jack¡¯s side, which was unexpected. She didn¡¯t wake up when he removed her arm and slowly stood up. Instead, she just rolled over and took his warm spot on the cave floor which caused him to smile.


    He picked his way across the sleeping bodies of his tribe mates and stepped out into the crisp night. As he approached the watch fire and moved further from the roar of the waterfall, he could hear the sounds of thousands of insects, birds, and dinosaurs each calling out in a symphony of chirps and cries.


    He sat beside Haden, who was also on morning watch, and accepted a water bottle. Haden looked no better than he did, groggy and tired after a long day of working with Miles. They stayed by the fire for a while until Taressa and Nathaniel joined them. Jack and Nate hadn¡¯t spoken to each other since arriving here. Too much craziness had taken place, and their old middle school nonsense didn¡¯t feel important anymore. But there was still some tension there.


    Nate had filled out since their high school years. His right arm still had the surgery scars from where Jack had broken it. He had let his hair grow out, but had it currently tied back in a ponytail. A few days without shaving had left him looking gruff, but it worked for him. His mustache was not growing in well, but he wasn¡¯t the only man in camp who wasn¡¯t used to rocking facial hair. Jack certainly wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Jack.¡± He said in greeting.


    ¡°Nate.¡± He returned.


    Taressa rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Whatever it was between you two, get over it.¡± She sounded cranky. Which caused both Jack and Nate to smile at their own foolishness.


    ¡°Yeah. Probably for the best. Middle school wasn¡¯t the best years for either of us.¡± Nate said and Jack nodded.


    ¡°I think I can agree to a truce.¡± Jack said, and they both shook hands.


    With that taken care of, they went back to tending the fire. It was surprisingly cold, and the fire felt nice. Once he felt more awake, Jack grabbed his club and a spare spear, and took up his position on watch. Seven others, including Haden, Nate, and Taressa were on night watch as well. They were taking turns with three or four of them at the fire at a time, and the others keeping their eyes on the woodline and the tamed dinosaurs.


    The rows of spikes helped put people at ease, but there were still plenty of threats that lurked in the night. A group of Compys had come to investigate, and were hanging out around the fire. They scared them off a few times, but they were relatively harmless. One of them even jumped into the fire and died while the others just watched. One looked like it was going to follow its friend before Haden had kicked it away. So long as they didn¡¯t go into the cave or mess with the food, they were nice to have around. They would play with each other and make cute chirping sounds. Their general stupidity and quickness caused them to get into trouble constantly. It was sort of like watching Looney Tunes again, only bloodier. The main reason to keep them around though was their diet of bugs. With twenty of them around they managed to keep the bug population down.


    Jack was on watch away from the fire with Taressa beside him as they patrolled the edge of the camp. She was holding a torch, and he had his spear in hand. Her long brown hair had been braided into a bun, similar to Skye¡¯s. He suspected they had helped each other. She was Asian American, with almond-shaped eyes and a small nose. She was on the shorter side of the women in camp, easily a head and a half below Jack. Her brown eyes matched her hair and it was clear that the last few days of hard work had started to wear on her. That was true of everyone though, and her genuine smile made her easy to talk to. She was one of the first women in the tribe to embrace the new clothing, and was dressed in green fern skirt and chest wrap. She had stored her heavier clothing away in the cave for use when the weather got colder.


    ¡°So, what did you do before all this?¡± Jack asked as they made their rounds along the camp''s edge. He kept an eye on the woods, but it was very dark. The clouds above them were thick so there was next to no moonlight to help them see. They had several fires going, and each of them had at least one person with a torch.


    ¡°Believe it or not, I was a social media manager for some of the bars in Denver.¡± She chuckled. ¡°I drove up to the mountains to visit my grandma. That''s why I got caught up in this group instead of the Denver crowd. I would say I got lucky.¡±


    Jack heard a touch of sadness in her voice at the mention of her grandmother. But he could only admit she was right. Denver, and most of the larger cities, were full of the type of people who would not do well surviving on their new home. The Roaring Falls tribe was lucky to have been from one of the smaller college towns. They had people used to the outdoors and hunting, and no one was majorly out of shape.


    ¡°What about you?¡± She asked. Her tone once more friendly and warm.


    ¡°I was a hockey player in college, and I tried to go pro. But then the pandemic hit, and everything came to a standstill. I bounced around a bunch of meaningless jobs the past few years. Studied business in school, but I was a C student at best. My passion was in sports.¡± He said. Skipping over the fact he had been between jobs at the time of the apocalypse.


    ¡°Yeah. The last few years have been pretty rough. I¡¯m almost glad for a chance at a fresh start.¡± She swatted one of the bugs that had been attracted by the fire. ¡°Mostly. I could do without the bugs.¡± She scrunched her face in displeasure, causing Jack to chuckle.


    ¡°Yeah, I can drink to that¡± He said.


    ¡°God I want a beer.¡± She sighed. ¡°I miss it slightly less than I miss soap.¡± They both chuckled, and Jack smiled.


    ¡°Well, the one fact I remembered from history class is that every society eventually invents beer, the sword, and. . .¡± He trailed off, not remembering the full quote. ¡°Something else. Like I said, I wasn''t a great student.¡± He said, causing Taressa to laugh.


    ¡°Well, it''s only a matter of time until we figure out prehistoric beer then.¡± She said once she had stopped laughing.


    ¡°Well, there are all sorts of extinct and ancient fruits and berries here. I bet we could get some new flavors for our booze. I¡¯m no expert though. However, if a taste testing position opens up be sure to let me know.¡± He joked.


    A snapped stick in the woods drew both of their attention. Taressa lifted the torch up to try and shed light further into the night. They didn¡¯t see anything other than a wall of darkness broken up by the forms of trees and ferns. They listened, both of them going silent. Only the sound of the bugs and their own breathing greeted them. All of the chirps and random cries in the night had fallen silent.


    Jack gripped his spear in preparation to throw it, and his offhand moved to his club.


    ¡°Something is wrong. It''s too quiet.¡± He said, not taking his eyes off the jungle. Taressa took a step behind him, keeping her torch held above them. She was afraid, but Jack was just focused. He could hear the others on watch stop their conversations, and take up their spears. If this were a movie Jack would have expected a crash of lighting to illuminate the figure of a massive predator looming just out of their torches range. But nothing happened. The woods were silent.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Taressa asked in a whisper. Jack motioned for them both to keep stepping back, away from the woods and towards the fire. He started taking steps backward, slowly and cautiously. He made sure that his footing was secure with each movement, his spear ready to snap into whatever position he needed it at a moment''s notice. They had moved thirty feet when he saw movement out of the corner of his eyes. One of the other night guards, a woman named Maple, had turned her back to the woods and started to run toward the fire.


    A blur exploded from the treeline. It was impossible to make out any detail about the creature in the darkness, other than its size. It was slightly shorter than a person, and moved on four legs. The palisade wall did nothing to hinder it, as it slipped between the large posts. It made no sound as it ran across the cleared land.


    Jack started to move as soon as he registered what was happening. But the creature was in full sprint. Jack managed to take three steps before it leaped onto Maple. She screamed and fell. Her torch illuminated the yellow eyes of the sabertooth tiger before it hit the ground and the fire dimmed. Its jaws had clamped down on her shoulder, and its claws left a deep gash on her back.


    The sabertooth lifted its powerful neck, dragging Maple with it as it started to turn. She let out a whimper of pain, and weekly struggled against its jaws. Jack brought his spear up, and still running towards the creature he brought his arm back and tossed the spear with all his might. It flew fast and straight, powered by his momentum and adrenaline. It sailed into the darkness as the sabertooth dragged the poor woman away from her fallen torch. The big cat let out a yowl of pain, and Maple cried out again as she was dropped.


    Jack didn¡¯t stop running. His legs worked hard as he ate up the distance between him and the cat. His club was in his hands, but he could only see the silhouette of the cat in the darkness. It was still standing over his tribemate, but it was looking at him. His spear had pierced it just behind its shoulder, and a long stream of blood was leaking out of the wound. Another spear flew from over his shoulder, narrowly missing. He didn¡¯t have time to glance at who threw it.


    The sabertooth let out a roar of pain and fury that reverberated in Jack¡¯s chest and he felt a primal fear he had never experienced before. Something in him was screaming that he should be terrified of this creature. He ignored those feelings, and brought his club down. The sabertooth lunged forward to meet his charge, its anger from being wounded overtaking any caution. The extra reach of the club made all the difference as it cracked down onto the creature''s head before its claws could reach Jack¡¯s stomach. The sabertooth was knocked to the ground, stunned by the blow to the skull. It produced a yowling cry of pain and confusion, and Jack could hear the others in the cave start to make noises as the tribe awoke. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The Sabertooth swiped at him with its paw from the ground, but he jumped into the air and rolled over its body, quickly scrambling to his feet and gripping his club. The big cat tried to roll over to follow him, but his spear was shoved deep into its muscles, and it whimpered in pain when the spear shaft hit the ground. It started to climb to its feet, its head whipping around to bite at the spear and try and tear it out.


    Jack didn¡¯t give it a chance to recover. His club came down on its head, causing a swath of blood to stain the hardwood. It tried to swipe at him again, but was unable to move fast enough with its injuries. He could see the other hunters running towards him. Haden grabbed Mapel and pulled her out of the creature''s reach. She let out a loud scream of pain and the sabertooth turned to snarl at her.


    Jack¡¯s club came down again, causing a sickening crack as its skull broke. Its head slammed to the ground, and he hit it again with all his might. The sabertooth¡¯s cries went from angry to pained to silent. His club dripped with gore and the creature''s body twitched a few times before finally going still.


    Jack felt his muscles suddenly go limp and he stumbled back before collapsing on the ground. He took long, slow breaths as he tried to calm himself. His ears were ringing and his mind was spinning. He closed his eyes, listening to his heartbeat and trying to get it under control. Someone put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up. Taressa looked down at him with concern on her face.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± She asked. Jack took another breath, and nodded.


    ¡°Yeah. Just. That was a lot.¡± He said.


    She nodded, and used her hand to wipe some of the splattered blood off of his face.


    ¡°That was crazy. Are you hurt?¡± Jack finally looked down at himself. He was covered in blood and bits of bone. The sabertooth¡¯s head had exploded on his final blow and he had been peppered in its gore. He took a moment to make sure he wasn¡¯t injured. None of the blood was his.


    ¡°I¡¯m ok. Help me up?¡± He looked up, and Taressa gave him a hand to stand. He was exhausted, and his legs were shaky. Taressa noticed and moved to support him. He took a few moments to steady himself, and then pulled himself off of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m ok. Just. All my adrenaline went away. Feeling a bit lightheaded but I¡¯m alright. How is Maple?¡± He asked, and turned to look for his wounded tribe member.


    Most of the tribe had been woken up by now. Lottie and Jade were crouched over Maple and were doing their best to save her. Jack couldn¡¯t see what kind of state she was in, but there was a lot of blood staining the ground. Soren and Haden were keeping people back and he could see a group of people, led by Justin, carrying torches to check on the dinosaurs. Mattock and Nate were examining the body of the sabertooth, though Jack noticed they kept glancing over their shoulders at Maple. Mavis was with the other crafters, handing out spears and torches to the other hunters and sending them out to guard the palisade.


    Maple was crying and her screams seemed to quiet the woods and the waterfall to Jack¡¯s ears. He took a step towards her, but Taressa grabbed his arm.


    ¡°Let them work. There isn¡¯t anything else you can do. You saved her once, let Lottie and Jade work. Let''s get you cleaned up.¡± She started to pull him towards the pond. He followed after her, still dragging his club behind him. He started to use it as a walking stick and a few moments later they reached the pond. He put down his club and took off his shirt. He slipped into the water and started to scrub it. The water was cold, and it shocked him back to a more awake state. He wasn¡¯t sure why that experience had hit him so hard. It wasn¡¯t the first thing he had killed, and it wasn¡¯t the first time he had seen someone die in front of him. Maple wasn¡¯t dead, but it didn¡¯t look good for her. Occasionally her cries would cut over the volume of the waterfall, reminding him that she was still alive for now..


    ¡°Jack?¡± Mavis¡¯s voice called to him from the edge of the pool, and he turned to look at her. She was worried. He could see it clearly in her eyes as she watched him scrub blood out of his shirt. He walked out of the water and sat on the side of the pond. He tossed his shirt onto the rock he usually used for laundry. It would dry when the sun came up.


    ¡°I¡¯m ok. It¡¯s not my blood.¡± He said, trying to smile. She sat beside him, and hugged him tightly. She shivered at the cold water but didn¡¯t pull away. He slowly returned the hug.


    ¡°Good. I was worried. What happened? I woke up to screaming.¡± She said.


    Before he responded, Taressa handed him her torch.


    ¡°Stay warm. I¡¯m going to go talk to Marcus. You can get some sleep Jack. Everyone is awake and I¡¯ll help reorganize the watch.¡± She patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You did good. That¡¯s one less threat to the tribe.¡± She smiled at him, and he nodded to her, his hands full with Mavis and the torch. She joined up with the closest person holding a torch, and went to find Marcus. Mavis squeezed him, and slowly broke the hug, shivering. He handed her the torch.


    ¡°We were on watch. Everyone was exhausted from working all day but things were normal for most of the night. Lots of noise, bugs, birds, Compys. But no moonlight. The clouds are thick. Something stepped on a twig in the woods and everything went silent. We figured out something was wrong and started to move back towards the fire. But Maple was on her own and she turned and ran. A sabertooth charged her. I threw my spear. Then everything was sort of a blur. I ran at it with my club, it roared.¡± He gestured to the bits of gore that were still clinging to his shirt. ¡°I should probably hop under the waterfall for a minute. Will you hold the light?¡± He asked, and she nodded at him. They both stood up, and he walked onto the log bridge.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you are ok. But don¡¯t do that again. Wait for the others to come with you. If that thing had been bigger or faster, it could have killed you.¡± Mavis said, her voice a bit shaky.


    Jack stepped under the waterfall, and its roar deafened him. He scrubbed his chest and hair clean, enjoying the feeling of the water crashing down on his shoulders. Eventually, he stepped out of the water. He looked down at Mavis and nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful. I promise.¡± He said. She looked into his eyes, and though it was dark he thought she may have had tears in them. She nodded and handed him the torch.


    ¡°Good. Go warm up. It would be very dumb if you survived a Smilodon attack only to get hypothermia.¡± She said, forcing a smile.


    ¡°Smilodon?¡± Jack asked, taking the torch and using it to warm his hands. He was starting to shiver from the cold water and the gentle breeze.


    ¡°That''s the actual name of the Sabertooth Tigers. For those of us who get our dinosaur knowledge from other places than the Ice Age movies.¡± She said with a smirk.


    ¡°Ha!¡± He said, pointing at her, his own smirk on his lips. ¡°At least I know they aren¡¯t dinosaurs.¡±


    She shook her head, and the two of them walked to the largest fire. They sat down and warmed themselves. Jack passed his torch to someone who needed it and spent a while gazing into the fire. The screaming from Maple had stopped but Jack kept replaying the fight in his mind over and over again.


    He had known something was wrong. Should he have called out? Should he have tossed the torch toward the woodline to get more visibility? Would that have scared it off? If he had been faster, would he have been able to save her before it leaped? What had even warned him that something was wrong? A branch had snapped, but the Sabertooth had attacked from the east, and the branch snap had come from the southwest. Was there another creature still out there?


    He looked up, scanning the woods. Most of the tribe was awake now, walking around with torches and spears. The woods were once more full of noise, as dinosaurs chirped at each other and bugs swarmed. Whatever it was had probably left after the alarm was sounded. He relaxed again. Once he was dry Mavis had leaned against him, and quickly fallen back asleep.


    Mattock came to join him by the fire. His hands were stained with blood up to his elbows, and he stank of death. He gave Jack a nod, and warmed his hands by the flames. They sat in silence for a minute before the older man spoke up.


    ¡°Lottie thinks Maple will make it through the night. But she isn¡¯t optimistic. That thing¡¯s mouth was not clean, and there is a good chance her wounds will get infected. As things are, she has a week. Maybe a bit longer if we are lucky.¡± He said, taking one of the leafy ferns and wiping his bloody hands on it. He got some of the gore off, and then tossed it into the fire. Smoke started to billow out of the fire as the green leaf burned.


    Jack listened, his heart hurt at the bad news. But it was what he had been expecting. He hadn¡¯t been fast enough to save her. Now she would just die a slow death to infection. Gordon would probably be the same. He wasn¡¯t getting any better, and no one here knew how to help. He nodded to Mattock, but didn¡¯t say anything. If he opened his mouth he didn¡¯t trust that he wouldn¡¯t break down. But the hunter continued.


    ¡°You did good. She still has a chance to live because of you. If she had been dragged into the woods, she would be dead. You saved her and killed the beast. We have one less threat now, and I can make leather out of its hide. When you get back, I¡¯ll have some sabertooth armor for you.¡± The smoke was short-lived as the greenery burned quickly. The wind blew it east along the canyon wall. Jack looked up at Mattock.


    ¡°When I get back?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Marcus told me about his plan to send you and a few others to search for a doctor, or if you couldn¡¯t find one, to try and make friends with the nearby tribes. When the aliens start sending their aid packages, they will probably contain antibiotics, or other medical supplies. If you can make agreements with our neighbors, we won¡¯t have to fight over those supplies.¡± Mattock grabbed another leaf and continued to clean his hands.


    ¡°But we have no idea where any other tribes are. It could take weeks of wondering to find anyone. And we won¡¯t survive more than a week out there on our own. We all have to sleep eventually. If anything goes wrong we would have to turn back, if we are even able to.¡± Jack said, defeated. The idea of Gordon dying from a single mistake, of Maple dying from one fuck up, filled him with dread.


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. We found a tribe. Soren and Clara saw smoke from the top of the cliff. They didn¡¯t get back till after you and Marcus had fallen asleep. We think they kept following the cliff top and settled to the east of us. They are probably ten or fifteen miles from here.¡± He said, and Jack felt a spark of hope light in his chest.


    ¡°I suppose that means I should go in the morning then. It will probably take me at least a full day of hiking to get to them.¡± He said, and Mattock nodded.


    ¡°Take Soren and Clara with you. Ride Thrasher, and bring berries for rations. Meat will attract predators to you. Cover yourselves in the clay that Marcus gathered today and use it as camouflage and to help keep the bugs off of you. It will help you keep your scent down as well, though you will still need to be careful.¡± Mattock explained, and Jack suddenly wished he could take notes. Instead, he just nodded.


    ¡°I should probably bring some of the twine with me, and trade with the other tribe.¡± Jack said, and Mattock nodded.


    ¡°Go get some sleep. Talk to Marcus and Jade before you leave tomorrow. They will have everything prepared for you before you go.¡± He tossed the leaf he had been using as a towel into the fire, and then passed Jack a tooth. It was one of the massive fangs from the saber tooth tiger. It was close to ten inches long. The tip of the fang was extremely sharp as it was designed for piercing and shredding. It had been pulled out of the skull, and scraped clean, leaving a sizable handle that would fit his hand. It needed to be washed.


    ¡°You earned that. Use it as a backup weapon. Not great for cutting, but a good stabbing weapon.¡± He said, standing up and nodding to Jack.


    ¡°Um. Thank you. I will hold onto it.¡± He said. He didn¡¯t stand up, as Mavis was still sleeping on his shoulder, but he returned the nod to Mattock.


    The older man walked away, and Jack put the tooth down and wiped his hand on the dirt. He would need to clean the fang, but it would make for a good dagger. He watched the fire for a while, then carried Mavis back into the cave. He washed his hands and the tooth, storing it in his pocket until he could figure out a proper sheath.


    Once he was as dry as he could manage, he returned to lay beside Mavis, and did his best to fall asleep.

 Chapter 19: Travel Prep

    Jack woke up a few hours later, and it seemed that most of the tribe had decided to sleep in around him. He slowly sat up and blinked the sleep from his eyes. The clouds had cleared and the sun outside the cave was bright. He stood up and stretched. Mavis was still asleep so he went to check on Gordon. His friend wasn¡¯t looking good. He had spent the night tossing around his sleep, and his face looked pained when he did wake up.


    Jack gently shook him awake. Gordon¡¯s eyes were bloodshot but he managed a small smile when he saw Jack.


    ¡°Hey.¡± He said, his voice rough. Jack tried to smile for him, but it felt fake.


    ¡°Hey. How are you feeling?¡± Jack asked, and Gordon coughed weakly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve certainly been better. Could you bring me some water?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll bring you a bottle.¡± Jack tested his temperature as he spoke. Gordon was hot to the touch. ¡°I think you have a fever. I¡¯ll be right back. Hang in there.¡±


    Gordon nodded and returned his head to the wall of the cave.


    Jack got up and walked outside. He found Ms Margret, who gave him a water bottle and food for both himself and Gordon. She also pointed him towards a newly built lean to, made from ferns and the leftover wood they had processed the day before. She gave him an extra chunk of cooked meat, and sent him off. Inside the lean-to he found Lottie sitting beside Maple and one of the gatherers who had drank from the pond and gotten sick. Both of them were asleep, but Lottie was awake. She looked up to Jack as he entered.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± She said with a tired look in her eyes. ¡°Please tell me there isn¡¯t an emergency.¡±


    ¡°Um. Morning. It¡¯s Gordon. He is running a fever and I¡¯m not sure what to do.¡± Jack said.


    ¡°Take some cloth, dip it in the water and try to keep him cool. Give him as much water as we can spare. I¡¯ll come check on him when my replacement wakes up. We can¡¯t leave Maple alone right now.¡± She turned to look at the sleeping women. Her shirt had been taken off and torn into strips, cleaned, and then applied as bandages to her shoulder and back. Jack could see the long scars she would have, if she survived. He nodded.


    ¡°I um. I think I¡¯ll be leaving today to try and find other tribes.¡± He said. She looked worried for him, her eyebrows knitting together. But she nodded.


    ¡°I guess all I can say is good luck. You be safe. Try and bring home a doctor or something. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m cut out to work on people.¡± She said with a self deprecating smile. He sat beside her and gently nudged her shoulder.


    ¡°You do the best you can with what you have. We are lucky to have you. I¡¯m useless with this kind of stuff, but you have at least some idea what you are doing. Without you, Maple would be dead. Gordon likely would be as well. Don¡¯t beat yourself up.¡± He said, his own smile surprisingly genuine. He believed in her. She nudged him back.


    ¡°That''s sweet, but I want to be a vet. I would much rather cure Mike of his toothache than stitch up my friends.¡± She smiled, slightly more genuine. ¡°But, I¡¯ll keep everyone here breathing until you get back with either a doctor or some antibiotics.¡±


    He nodded, and passed her some of the food Ms Margret had given him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that. Do your best. I should be back in a few days at most. Soren saw smoke about a day''s walk south.¡± He said, standing up.


    ¡°You should get going then. It¡¯s mid morning already. I¡¯ll come help Gordon as soon as I can.¡± She checked Maple¡¯s temperature, and once she was satisfied, opened the wrapped meat and took a bite.


    Jack nodded to her, and slipped out of the lean-to he was mentally calling the doctors tent. He saw Marcus and Jade speaking with Miles beside the main bonfire. Marcus gestured with his good hand for Jack to come join them, but Jack held up both water bottles and gestured to the cave. Marcus nodded, and waved him on.


    In the cave he rejoined Gordon, waking his friend up again and helping him drink. Gordon was able to drink it all, and started picking at the meat while Jack grabbed his shirt from the rock outside, wet it again, and brought it inside. He put it to Gordon¡¯s forehead, letting the cool water fight his fever. Gordon let out a sigh of relief, and lay back to let the makeshift cloth rest easier on his head.


    ¡°So, sounded like there was some excitement last night.¡± He said. ¡°I have been in and out of things since I was bit. How have things been going?¡±


    ¡°Well. Last night I single handedly fought and killed a Sabertooth tiger. But not before it attacked one of the gatherers.¡± Jack said, taking a bite of his own food. Gordon winced.


    ¡°Did she live?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yeah. But she is pretty bad off. You have the second worst injuries in camp now.¡± It was supposed to be a joke, but he couldn¡¯t even fake a smile at his friend''s condition.


    ¡°But hey. She lived. And you killed a fucking Sabertooth Tiger. That''s pretty badass.¡± Gordon smiled at him.


    ¡°I also tamed a Styracosaurus, named Mike, and his two grumpy wives. Clara named them Cera and Karren. They are like mini triceratops. We got a good start on the camp wall, obviously it''s not Sabertooth proof yet. But it''s good progress.¡± Jack started telling the story of everything that had happened over the past few days. From their adventure to the river and how Marcus hurt his arm, to Soren and Clara¡¯s trip to the top of the cliffs and how they rolled the boulders down. Gordon smiled though most of the story, but didn¡¯t say much. Jack made sure he kept eating. He needed as much food as he could stomach.


    ¡°But, um. That brings me to today. The plan is for me to take a few people and go try and find some allies. We need a doctor and to make friends. So I will be traveling down the canyon towards some smoke that Soren saw. I¡¯ll probably be gone for three or four days. But I¡¯ll be back with help.¡± He forced a smile, but he knew the probability of finding a doctor in the closest tribe was minimal.


    Gordon put his hand on Jack''s shoulder. He pulled the wet shirt off his head, and looked into his friend''s eyes.


    ¡°Jack, I trust you. You¡¯ll find what you are looking for. But I have a big favor to ask.¡± He looked pained as he spoke. Jack couldn¡¯t tell if the pain was from his injuries, or the heavy emotions in his voice. He looked like he was on the verge of crying. Jack was not used to seeing his friend like this, and it made his stomach drop. He nodded.


    ¡°Anything you need. Just ask.¡± He said. Gordon coughed into his elbow, removing his hand from Jack¡¯s shoulder. His cough was wet, and lasted for half a minute. He took another breath.


    ¡°If you get back and I don¡¯t make it, I want you to finish the base and bring Ellie and the twins here. Take care of them for me.¡± Gordon asked. As soon as he finished talking he started to cough again, and rested his head back against the wall. Jack was surprised by the request.


    ¡°What about her brother? Isn¡¯t he also trying to bring her to his tribe?¡± Jack asked in confusion. And Gordon weekly nodded.


    ¡°He was in prison. Back on Earth. He was convicted for murder. It was gang related. His family testified against him at the trial. I don¡¯t trust him to take care of them.¡± He said.


    Jack took his hand and squeezed it. He replaced the wet shirt on Gordon¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll make sure they end up here. But you have to fight. I don¡¯t want to raise your kids for you. You have to do that yourself. So you better stay alive.¡± Jack said.


    Lottie came into the cave and gently placed her hand on Jack¡¯s shoulder to get his attention.


    ¡°Marcus and Jade are waiting on you. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of him.¡± She said. Jack nodded, and squeezed Gordon¡¯s hand again. Gordon returned the faint squeeze and gave him a smile.


    ¡°Go kick some ass Jack.¡± He said, before tossing Jack his shirt and closing his eyes. Lottie moved in beside him and produced a fresh cloth. She started to care for Gordon, and Jack took his moment to leave the cave.


    Mavis was awake and sitting beside Marcus by the fire. She was scanning though the alien encyclopedia and chatting Marcus¡¯s ear off. Jack sat beside her on one of the logs that had been dragged over for use as seating around the large bonfire. There were now enough seats for the entire tribe to squeeze in around the fire pit, and it made for a good centralized meeting spot.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t anything in here about how they interact with other herbivores, and there isn¡¯t anything about their gestation rate, how long their eggs need to be incubated before they hatch, or about the dietary requirements of the hatchlings. I mean, I checked, and Cera doesn¡¯t exactly have an udder.¡± Jack heard the end of Mavis¡¯s sentence. Marcus looked thoughtful at her words, and gestured for her to continue as he passed Jack one of the backpacks the high schoolers had been carrying when they were abducted.


    ¡°Morning, Jack.¡± Mavis said, giving him a warm smile. Seeing that Mavis wasn¡¯t going to continue, Marcus spoke up as well.


    ¡°Good morning, Jack. Jade prepared some supplies for you in there. We are also going to load Thrasher up with two baskets full of rope. We can only spare one water bottle for you to carry with you, so you will need to be careful and boil water when you camp. You will have the beer can, but with only three of you it shouldn¡¯t be too much of a hassle.¡± He said as Jack went through the bag.


    ¡°Thank you. I will make sure not to lose it.¡± Jack said. Inside the bag were several more wrapped cuts of cooked meat, some more rope, and as many spare torches as they could fit.


    ¡°The most important thing is that you don¡¯t lose your fire. Our torches are pretty bad and will burn though in about two hours of use at best. I¡¯ve tried making better ones, but we need a more reliable cloth or something. I¡¯m not sure.¡± Mavis said.


    ¡°If your torches start to burn out and you run out of spares, stop and build a fire. Make more torches, and gather spares. Even if it''s the middle of the day. Fire is what is keeping the dinosaurs away from us. If yours goes out, your chances of surviving the night go down dramatically.¡± Marcus said, looking Jack in the eyes. He nodded, and zipped up the bag.


    ¡°I understand. We will make it a priority. I aim to be back within three to five days, depending if the nearest tribe can help us or not.¡± Jack said.


    ¡°Soren and Clara are wrapping up with their friends right now. They will join us soon and then you should go. The sooner you are back, the sooner we can hopefully heal our people. But you need to be safe as well. A lot is going to ride on your success.¡± Marcus said.


    ¡°I know this mission is half to search for medical aid, and half diplomacy. What should I offer on our behalf if I need to negotiate with the other tribe?¡± Jack asked. Causing Marcus to nod.


    ¡°Honestly, just about anything. Especially if they have the skills or resources we need. Beyond doctors, we need more of everything. Skilled hunters, farmers, craftsmen, warriors. We need as many able bodied people as we can get. Currently we can bring down a Hadrosaur or Parasaur and get enough meat to survive for three or four days with more to spare. Literally tons of meat are going to waste because we cannot store it properly. I would be willing to let them join us, move here. I am happy to trade more rope, or stone tools once we have a surplus. We can also make agreements for trading dinosaur eggs, or assisting in trapping larger dinosaurs to tame.¡± Marcus listed the options he had prepared, but then his eyes turned harder.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°The only thing I am not giving you the ability to decide for us is if we go to war. I do not want to be in a conflict with another tribe, especially when we have so many people injured and no good way to help them recover. If they already know about the alien supply drops, you can make a deal where we split them evenly. If they don¡¯t know, or don¡¯t have any of the charms we have unlocked, you can trade that information as you see fit.¡± He finished. Jack committed his options to memory, which was easy because it boiled down to anything except war.


    ¡°If things are looking good, can I suggest a defensive pact?¡± He asked, and Marcus looked thoughtful.


    ¡°Offer the chance to negotiate one. I trust you Jack, but that¡¯s a conversation I want to have with all our counselors before we agree to anything.¡± Marcus said.


    Clara jogged over to the fire and sat beside Jack. She was dressed in the leaf skirt and wrap that the crafting team had started to make. Nearly all her exposed skin was covered in a film of gray clay, leaving only her face clean.


    ¡°Good morning. Are we ready to go?¡± She asked.


    ¡°You fall in a mud pit?¡± Jack asked, and she scowled.


    ¡°No. It was Matt¡¯s idea. He wants to cover each of us in clay to keep the bugs off us and hide our smell. I didn¡¯t feel like destroying my only set of real clothing, so here I am. It¡¯s honestly not that bad. My gym clothes were getting pretty gross.¡± She said. Mavis nodded, while looking down at her own clothing. Everyone was smelly, and everyone had grass and dirt stains all over them. He suspected almost everyone would be wearing the leaf skirts when he got back. He would be sticking with his jeans, at least for the journey he was about to go on.


    ¡°Looks like kilts will be in season for a while.¡± Marcus said. ¡°At least until we can make leather consistently. That Sabertooth should help with that, but we don¡¯t have any clue how to make proper clothing. I think most of its hide will either be turned into a blanket, or made into practice scraps so our crafters can learn how to use it.¡±


    Mavis nodded, and flicked through the encyclopedia on Marcus¡¯s arm. She stopped on an entry for Sabertooth Tigers.


    ¡°So, there are several subspecies of Sabertooth, but all of them have a few things in common. Importantly, they all live in biomes that experience snowy winters. So either the ones here are invasive, or we will be getting a harsh winter, eventually.¡± She said.


    ¡°But, it¡¯s almost tropical here. I know it¡¯s not as wet as a true jungle, but I have a hard time imagining all these big ferns surviving a harsh winter¡± Clara said, gesturing to the leaves that made up her skirt.


    ¡°I think it will be like the Appalachians back on earth. Dense woodlands, high mountains, and relatively soft winters when compared to the Rockies, but they still got snow, especially at higher altitude. We might not get more than a few feet of snow at a time, but it will get cold, especially at night. If we don¡¯t have warmer clothing and covered homes by then, it will be bad.¡± Mavis explained.


    ¡°And who is to say the AI that controls this planet won¡¯t change things. We know it can impact the terrain, replace materials when they are used. If the aliens are to be believed at least. I have been wondering if the divide between the denser vegetation at the top of the cliff and the more open woods down here is natural. There are a lot more herbivores down here, but the trees are almost completely different. I don¡¯t remember seeing any of the yellow fruit trees up top. Though I wasn¡¯t paying as much attention to the foliage when we were up there. Regardless, we don¡¯t know how much control the AI has over the climate here.¡± Marcus said.


    ¡°The only other mammal we have seen that could give us a decent amount of leather is that big ground sloth we found evidence of on the day we arrived.¡± Jack said, and Mavis nodded.


    ¡°It is listed in the encyclopedia for the dense mountain biome. We are in the river basin biome. I have gone through the list and there are a few mammals here that we could hunt. The problem is they are all listed as migratory, so they might not arrive until it gets colder. Giant elk, mammoths, and weirdly camels.¡± Mavis said, showing the group the list of large mammals in their biome. That list also included Sabertooth tigers and some type of prehistoric bison.


    Jack caught sight of Soren walking towards the fire. He had a bundle of spears strapped to his back. He was also covered in clay, but he was still wearing his jeans. His red hair had been covered in mud, and Jack barely recognized him. He sat on the far side of Marcus, and waved hello to the group, not interrupting Mavis.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± Jack said once she was done speaking. The group echoed his words, and Soren returned the greeting.


    ¡°Are we ready to head off?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Only two more things to go over.¡± Marcus said.


    ¡°Three.¡± Mavis said, interrupting him. She looked a bit sheepish afterwards, but continued talking as Marcus didn¡¯t chastise her.


    ¡°The alien encyclopedia isn¡¯t perfect. It''s missing a lot of information about the dinosaurs. It is a good overview, but we can¡¯t rely on it for everything. For example, there is almost no information on how long Styracosaurus eggs take to hatch, or how they are usually cared for. It also said that Sabertooth¡¯s always travel in packs, like lions from earth. But the one we found was a lone male. So we need to assume that there is more to learn about these creatures. If you use the encyclopedia on something you have never seen, you can¡¯t underestimate it.¡± She said, and everyone nodded. It was good to know, but it didn¡¯t seem relevant to their upcoming trip.


    ¡°That brings us to the next point. You will be bringing the alien artifact with you.¡± Marcus said, removing the bracelet from his wrist by rolling it against his leg. He tossed it to Jack, who caught it. That caught everyone except Mavis by surprise.


    ¡°Um. Isn¡¯t that a bit risky?¡± Soren asked before Jack was done processing what it meant that he had the bracelet.


    ¡°Yes. If you die, or are captured, we will be at a huge disadvantage. I don¡¯t know what happens if another tribe gets their hands on it. But I am not in the state to be running around taming more dinosaurs. We already know what berries are safe to eat, and we know what to hunt. We have the map that Lennox drew yesterday, and our current focus is on building up our home.¡± Marcus explained. Jack felt the charms, each of them was warm except for the taming charm. He looked around, seeing no new dinosaurs.


    ¡°Soren tamed Karren yesterday evening, so you won¡¯t have a charge for the day. But if you get the opportunity to tame anything that will help you or the tribe, take it. I would rather you have the map to get home with if you get lost, or the food scan to make your scavenging risk free.¡± He continued.


    ¡°Thank you for trusting us with it.¡± Clara said, and Marcus nodded.


    ¡°You are all extremely brave, and frankly good at what you do. Part of leading is making sure the right people have the right tools to succeed.¡± He looked at Jack, and their eyes met.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring back something useful. Thank you.¡± Jack said as he slipped the bracelet on.


    ¡°Good. That will also prove that you speak with my authority as a tribe leader, should that be necessary.¡± Marcus finished.


    ¡°What is the last thing?¡± Soren asked. He looked equal parts excited and nervous to be going. Mavis grinned. It was a grin that Jack had seen many times, and it meant he was about to have a bad time.


    ¡°Jack needs to get a mud bath, just like you two.¡± She said with an evil laugh.


    Jack shook his head, and stood up. He passed the backpack to Clara.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go wallow in the clay. I¡¯ll meet you both over by Thrasher when I¡¯m done.¡± He said, and the group stood. Marcus gave Jack an awkward handshake, with his dominant arm broken he had to use his left, Jack reached with his right on instinct, and then settled with a fist bump.


    ¡°Good luck.¡± Marcus said, giving proper handshakes to Clara and Soren. Everyone chuckled, and started to move away. Mavis grabbed Jack¡¯s hand to stop him.


    ¡°Good luck Jack. Don¡¯t do anything stupid. Make sure you have a watch rotation set up each night, even if you are with another tribe. You know what people can be like out here.¡± She said. He could hear the worry in her voice, and see it in her eyes. He pulled her into a hug.


    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be safe. Take care of Gordon and everyone else. I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± He said.


    The hug lasted a few seconds longer, before they both pulled away. She nodded to him, and he turned to go find the clay. He found Taressa and Mattock, along with half the crafting team working with the clay. Mattock grinned at Jack as he approached, and Taressa offered him a smile and a wave.


    ¡°It''s about time.¡± Mattock said with more joy that Jack had ever heard from the man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother running. It won¡¯t help.¡± Taressa said, her own smile slowly turning into a grin as she picked up a ball of wet clay and held it like a snowball. Jack chuckled.


    ¡°Do your worst.¡± He said, and spread his arms out to expose his chest.


    Instead of tossing the ball of clay at him, they led him to the area where they were storing the majority of the clay. They had dug a hole near the pond, and were keeping it wet. As they walked, Jack glanced at what they were doing with the clay. Five of the crafters were working with it, and each one had either a very floppy bowl, or a misshapen pot. No one looked satisfied with their work yet, and he watched two people push their clay back into a ball and start over. Jack wasn¡¯t sure how they could fire the clay, to his memory they needed a big fancy oven called a kiln. Someone clearly smarter than him had a plan as he couldn¡¯t imagine Taressa would be leading this group if such an obvious problem wasn¡¯t being solved.


    Jack was lost in his own thoughts for a second but was quickly brought back to the present when Mattock shoved him into the hole full of clay and water. It wasn¡¯t a far drop, but it surprised him. He landed on the soft clay, leaving an indent in it. The cold water full of silt rushed over him, and he shot to standing to give Mattock a glare. The man was nearly doubled over laughing, pointing down at the pile of clay. When Jack looked, he could see a similar indent on the other side of the pile that looked suspiciously like Soren.


    ¡°Very funny.¡± Jack said as he wiped the water out of his face. The silt was sticking to his skin, and he had no doubt that it would harden after some time in the sun. He picked up a chunk of the clay and started to rub it into his skin. It was cold, but the heat of the sun quickly warmed him. Once Mattock and Taressa had stopped laughing they started giving him a small safety speech.


    ¡°So, with you covered like this, you won¡¯t stink as much to the animals. They will have a much harder time tracking you, and you might even be able to sneak up on some. It will also keep the bugs off you. The problem is twofold though. A determined bug will get through it, so it''s not perfect. But it will also limit how much you can sweat. If you start to overheat, stop and rest, or scrape some of the clay off you. Also it can be uncomfortable. Make sure you don¡¯t have it down your pants, or it will harden and be difficult to run. Go wash off by the pond.¡± Mattock explained as he offered Jack his hand to get out of the hole. Jack took it, and pulled himself out. He was tempted to pull the older man in for revenge, but decided it wasn¡¯t the time to mess around.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll do that.¡± He said as he turned to Taressa. ¡°Good luck. We should be back in three to five days.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us. We have plenty of good people here to help keep us safe and busy.¡± She said.


    ¡°Be safe, Jack.¡± Mattock said more seriously, offering his hand. Jack took it and they shook.


    ¡°I will. See you all soon.¡± He said, and went over to the pond. He very carefully cleaned the clay from his legs and pants, then went to join Clara and Soren. He passed Haden and Miles on the way, and both men gave him words of encouragement as they passed. The final person they passed was Nate, who nodded to Jack.


    ¡°Good luck. Don¡¯t worry about the tribe. Matt and I will bring down another Hadrosaur tomorrow. But make sure you get back before the aliens start their supply drops. I don¡¯t want to have to fight someone off it alone.¡± He said, very seriously. Jack nodded, and shook his ex bullies hand.


    ¡°I will. Only a few days. With any luck, I''ll hopefully return with a doctor, if not, I¡¯ll make a deal with the nearest tribe to get us a fair portion of the supplies. The aliens will probably send antibiotics or some magic medicine down. All our people will be ok.¡± Jack said.


    ¡°Be careful of raptors. Especially when you sleep. The little fuckers are nasty.¡± Nate said, and with a final nod, they parted ways.


    Jack was getting tired of repeating his goodbyes over and over, of making promises to return safe and triumphant. His anxiety grew with each person he spoke to. He knew once he left it would fade as he focused on the dangers of the woods, but the longer he spent in camp the worse it would get.


    He reached Thrasher, and saw Jade speaking with Soren and Clara. She passed them each a lit torch, and was holding one for Jack. She gave him a warm nod.


    ¡°Good morning Jack. I won¡¯t keep you for long.¡± She offered her hand, and Jack shook it.


    ¡°The basket on Thrasher is filled with as much rope as we could make. We spent most of our time on the cliff rope and making more stone tools yesterday. But it''s a good sample of what we can make, and should be useful. The other basket has some bolas we made. It''s just a few rocks tied around more rope, and we weren¡¯t able to test them out much. But hopefully you will get some use out of them. I suggest you all practice with one as you hike. They could be helpful in hunting, taming, and if we need to, fighting other people.¡± She started to show them the bolas, opening one of the large baskets on Thrasher''s side and pulling one out. It was longer than Jack had expected them to be, but he supposed it needed to be if they wanted to tangle up some of the larger dinosaurs they would be fighting.


    ¡°Do we have any reason to think these people are hostile?¡± Soren asked.


    ¡°No. But that is something I want you all to observe as you travel. There were a lot of cultures on Earth that treated women as property. And who knows how bad it could get in a world like this. Watch how the tribes around us treat their people, make note of their governance style and any strong personalities. We need information, and if they are mistreating their women we can discuss raiding them.¡± Jade said, passing the bola to Clara.


    ¡°We can do that. But unless it''s really bad, we won¡¯t start any fights without coming home first.¡± Jack said, walking beside Thrasher and petting his head. The big dinosaur nuzzled into his touch and made a happy chirping sound.


    Soren looked uncomfortable at the idea of killing people, but nodded. Jade handed her torch to Jack, and gave them all a nod.


    ¡°Thank you, and good luck. Be safe. If you aren''t back in a week, we will send a full raiding party after you. Every hunter and able bodied fighter we have. So if the other tribe is hostile, hold out for a week and we will do our best to rescue you.¡±


    ¡°We will do our best to make sure that''s not needed, but thank you. Good luck, Jade. Stay safe.¡± Clara said, and Jack nodded to her.


    ¡°Alright. Get going. You still have a good amount of sunlight, but you will need to move quickly if you don¡¯t want to spend the night in the wilds here.¡± Jade said, and passed Jack his torch. It was burning low, slowly eating away at the long stick. He took it and held it away from Thrasher, who still wasn¡¯t a huge fan of fire. They started out of the camp. After a few hundred feet, the woods swallowed the noise from the waterfall, and their journey began.

 Chapter 20: Travel Day One

    The first hour of their journey was quiet. They walked in relative silence, listening to the sounds of the woods around them. The more Jack studied the trees and foliage, the more obvious the stark divide between the river basin and the mountain jungle was. The trees here were taller on average, but much less dense. Several trees had large leaves that reminded him of an oak. And while there were still plenty of large palm-like leaves, they were much less common than in the jungle. He also noticed a few trees that hung down like a willow. They were always close to water, be it a stream from one of the waterfalls or the river itself.


    The river valley supported an entirely different ecosystem from the jungle above them. He hadn''t seen any more of the massive spiders that he had crushed on day one, nor had he seen any snakes. He suspected there were snakes, but they were just rare down here. Parasaurs lived in both biomes, but he remembered something about them being migratory. He wondered what dinosaurs only lived in the jungle and if he would one day go searching for them to provide some unique purpose for the tribe.


    There was a large variety of dinosaurs that lived in the valley. From the massive Triceratops and Brontosaurus, to the smaller Gallimimus and Pachysepholaurus, they had seen dozens of subspecies of each family, and Jack could see uses for any of them. The smaller dinosaurs were candidates for swift mounts. The Gallimimus especially he knew was extremely fast. The question would be if it could hold enough weight to be useful. The ¡°medium¡± sized dinosaurs like Thrasher and Mike were incredible for both defense and labor. They could haul heavy trees and carry large quantities of resources, like the clay Thrasher had helped collect. Each of them could carry six or seven fully grown men without showing any sign of discomfort. If they could somehow make a saddle for them to better distribute the weight Jack was sure that they could hold even more.


    It was the large dinosaurs that were the real goal though. If they could tame a Brontosaurus or one of the slightly smaller but still massive Diplodocus, they could push over trees and carry just about anything they wanted, maybe even transport the entire tribe on the back of one creature. He hoped the aliens would provide some sort of saddle for them, as he had no idea how to even begin gathering the amount of resources it would take to properly outfit one of the giants.


    The biggest worry were the carnivores. Regardless of size, each one they tamed would be another mouth to feed. That didn¡¯t matter as much right now when a single successful hunt would last the tribe until the meat rotted, but even a few of the medium or large carnivores would force them to hunt more often. And if winter did come, they would have a hard enough time keeping the herbivores fed and happy. Hopefully the snow would be infrequent and the vegetation could sustain them. Eventually the farm that Justin had talked about would be realized, but hopefully it would be used to feed the tribe, and not just keep their herbivores alive.


    So far in the river basin they had seen Velocraptors, Sabertooths, Baryonyx and Sarcosuchus up close. They had also watched a group of medium sized Theropods hunt from the clifftop on their first day. Jack wasn¡¯t sure what they were, but he was always on the lookout for anything in the trees and bushes. They had looked at the biome information in the encyclopedia and found that Spinosaurus, Carnatorus, something called a Masiakasaurus, and Skorpiovenator were also common in the biome. No one had any idea what the last two were, even Mavis had been stumped. When they looked at the encyclopedia, Masiakasaurus had been some sort of raptor-like dinosaur. It was slightly larger than a raptor and without the hook claws. Instead they had weird teeth that jutted out from its lower jaw. The picture that had come up had been strange. Jack had no doubt that it would be a dangerous creature to run into unarmed, but he had a hard time taking it seriously. The other new dinosaur had been much more intimidating. The Skorpiovenator was related to the Carnatourus, though it was much smaller. It was about the height of an adult man and close to fifteen feet long. It had the wimpy arms he associated with T-rex, but its jaws were a serious threat. Unlike the long nosed Bayonix, its jaws were heavily muscled. Its neck was designed to shake anything it got a hold of, ripping its prey apart with ease. The worst part was that it traveled in packs. He knew it was only a matter of time before they encountered one.


    After the first hour Jack didn¡¯t have the luxury to pay attention to the trees and ponder the potential dinosaurs they could encounter. Instead he had to focus on the immediate dangers. They had traveled as close to the cliff as they could, having to move into the woods to avoid the steeper ground and larger boulders. The woods were dense, almost overgrown and full of Compys and chirping raptors, whose pack watched them from the woods. Jack counted four adults and two juveniles, but he guessed there were a few more. They must have not liked their chances of taking Thrasher and the humans and decided to keep their distance. Jack adjusted his grip on the torch. It had burned down more than half way and he was starting to feel the heat of the flame on his hand. He would need to pull a new one out soon, but waited until they were clear of the raptor pack to pull out a new one.


    As they stopped for a moment to grab new torches, they kept an eye on the wood line. The Raptor pack could be heard chirping and squawking to each other, until they suddenly went silent before letting out a high pitched alarm screech. Something was fighting them. One of the raptors let out a bone chilling screech of pain. Jack grabbed his spear and the group of hunters all backed away from the trees. The fight continued, each scratch and bite conveyed to them through the dying screams of the raptors. Something made a yelping sound, but Jack couldn¡¯t place what it was, but it was clear that the raptors were losing.


    ¡°We should go before whatever is in there finishes with the raptors. I don¡¯t want it to think we are challenging it for its kill.¡± Jack said, and the others nodded, spears gripped tightly in their hands.


    They moved quickly for the next three hours, constantly looking over their shoulders and scanning the wood line. Jack swore he could see something stalking them, flashes of movement at the edge of his vision. But when he tossed a stone at the rock he thought the creature was hiding behind, nothing happened. No one else saw anything and Thrasher seemed at ease. He was probably just being paranoid.


    The cliff slowly started to curl to the east, breaking away from the river. The woods slowly grew less dense and they came across another waterfall spilling off the cliff and crashing into a deep pool. There was no cave behind the waterfall to everyone''s disappointment. They decided to rest and let Thrasher play in the water. Soren started a small campfire and they each tossed their mostly burnt down torches into it. Without a cave they had to keep their backs to the cliff and a close eye on the woods as they worked. Clara started gathering wood to make more while Jack started boiling water using the beer can. He couldn¡¯t wait until they figured out how to make the clay bowls and mugs. They would probably keep the beer can, but boiling the water with it was so inefficient.


    Once the fire was a good size, Soren took watch and all three of them ate their packed meat. They took turns sipping from the water bottle and refilling it with the boiled water. They were nearly ready to leave when the ground shook. They all froze as it shook again.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Clara asked.


    ¡°Footsteps.¡± Jack and Soren said at the same time, each of them quickly packing up their camp. Jack grabbed the beer can, and Soren grabbed and lit a torch from the fire. The ground shook again and Thrasher pulled himself from the water to stand beside them, sensing their agitation. The big dinosaur didn¡¯t seem worried, which was a good sign, but they weren¡¯t going to take any chances. Clara grabbed one of the bola¡¯s from the now wet basket on Thrasher¡¯s side, and started to spin it around her hand.


    ¡°Any idea what¡­¡± She started to ask, but was cut off when a massive creature stepped into the clearing. It¡¯s neck towered above the tallest of the trees, and its gargantuan body pushed the smaller trees over without care or notice. Its body was around twenty feet tall, but its massive neck more than doubled that. The creature had light gray skin, similar to an elephant, that looked almost leathery rather than scaled. Its skull was somewhat flat, nothing like any creature from earth that Jack had seen, but he recognized it immediately from the movies. The Brontosaurus was probably around ninety feet from head to tail if it stretched out. It was like a walking building just emerged from the forest. Seeing it stunned them, and they all stared at it slack jawed until it let out a long bellowing cry that echoed off the cliff wall and drowned out the sound of the waterfall.


    They each took a step back as the sound seemed to reverberate through their bones. Clara stumbled and fell, fortunately avoiding hitting her head on any of the stones. Jack and Soren managed to keep their footing, but another three steps from the Bronto had it beside the pool. Its head bent lower to look at them, its massive eye taking them in. It huffed and Thrasher immediately took the message and started to move away from the behemoth.


    Jack stepped forward and helped Clara up while Soren grabbed an extra torch and kicked some dirt on the fire. The Bronto didn¡¯t seem to be afraid of it, only irritated, and that wasn¡¯t how they wanted this interaction to go. Once they backed off at least thirty feet the Bronto dipped its head into the pool of water, drinking deeply with loud gulps. The waterfall beat on its neck, thousands of gallons of water pouring down, but the dinosaur didn¡¯t seem to care. Jack knew that even if the entire tribe was here, they wouldn¡¯t be able to do more than annoy this creature. Its tail alone could kill them all in one sweep.


    When they were at the tree line, Soren passed out the torches again and they all took another minute to just stare at it. Jack noticed that it was male, and once he did it was hard to not look. He turned away to keep watch on the forest. It seemed that nothing was willing to mess with them while the Bronto was nearby.


    ¡°Should we try and tame it?¡± Clara asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that''s a good idea. It didn¡¯t seem to like us and it could have easily killed us. We need to study them, maybe figure out its favorite food or wait for it to sleep before trying. Can we even tame things while they sleep?¡± Soren answered, turning to Jack to ask his question.


    ¡°Um. I think so. We haven¡¯t tried it. The alien, Kyrxess, said the creature had to be trapped, unconscious, or totally calm. I think.¡± Jack answered. He checked each of his belongings to make sure he had the backpack, torches, his club, the water bottle, and his food. It seemed that they lost one or two torches but nothing else.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going. That thing looks grumpy and if it''s anything like elephants, the lone males are more aggressive.¡± He said as he pet Thrasher¡¯s nose. The big dinosaur didn¡¯t need to be told twice, and quickly started moving away from the Bronto. The three humans did their best to follow after him.


    They gave the Bronto a wide berth, but after twenty minutes returned to the cliff. As the trees thinned out even more they encountered a herd of Gallimimus. Unlike in the movies, they weren¡¯t orange and yellow but instead were a wide variety of colors. They were also covered in feathers and looked like a strange mix between an ostrich and parrot. Bright reds, greens, and yellow feathers all danced together as they ran across the valley floor. Jack counted around sixteen of them, but it was hard to tell since their figures easily blended into each other as they moved.


    ¡°So, is that a herd or a flock?¡± Soren asked.


    ¡°I mean, they are birds. So, flock?¡± Clara said, but she clearly didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°I see feathers. I say flock.¡± Jack said with a shrug.


    ¡°Fair.¡± Soren said.


    ¡°Prehistoric ostrich.¡± Clara said as she shook her head. ¡°What will this place throw at us next?¡±


    No one had anything to say, so they continued on. Jack was tempted to try and tame one of the big birds but knew it was needlessly dangerous, especially without a plan. They continued to follow the cliff as it turned fully to the east. The woods fully fell away, leaving a sprawling valley covered in tall grass. The river could be seen a good three or four miles to the west of them, still flowing south. The cliff was growing shorter as it pulled away from the river basin, or maybe the ground was rising up to meet it? Jack wasn¡¯t a geologist.


    They could see several herds of large herbivores roaming the planes. Triceratops, Stegosaurus, more Gallimimus, and a variety of other species they hadn¡¯t seen before but followed the general body shape of the more familiar dinosaurs. The most notable however was the herd of Brontosaurus. Twelve of them were in the center of the grassland, wandering around. They didn¡¯t seem to be eating the grass, but they were far away so Jack wasn¡¯t sure. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Wow. That''s a lot of dinosaurs.¡± Clara said.


    ¡°Why would they all be here?¡± Soren asked.


    ¡°What do you mean? They seem just as at home as any of the other massive dinos.¡± Clara said.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t eating the grass.¡± Jack said, and Soren nodded.


    ¡°If they aren¡¯t here for food, why hang out in the middle of this valley?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Maybe this is just where they socialize? Those all look a bit smaller than the big male we encountered back at the watering hole. They could all be younger ones, or a herd of females.¡± Clara suggested.


    ¡°I think you are right.¡± Jack said. ¡°I bet this is their nest. They probably spend most of their day at the edge of this valley eating from the taller vegetation, then walk back here for the nights to stay safe. They probably also lay their eggs here. I bet the center where they are all standing is completely empty of grass.¡±


    The others just nodded as they watched. The grass was around four feet tall. Not a problem for the fully grown herbivores, but it was a perfect hiding place for the Velociraptors and Sabertooths that Jack had no doubt would be lurking in the valley. It was a bit shorter near the cliff, but they would be going the wrong direction if they kept following it.


    ¡°Any idea how far the smoke was from here?¡± Jack asked, looking at Soren who just shook his head.


    ¡°No clue. We couldn¡¯t see past the cliff. It was just off in the distance, but we can¡¯t be more than two or three miles away. Maybe on the far side of this valley?¡± He said.


    Jack looked around. He had a bad feeling about the grass. If they tried to camp in it, they would probably start a fire, which could start a stampede. He didn¡¯t want to be in the tall grass at night, and he didn¡¯t think they could safely reach the other side before the sun went down.


    ¡°Let''s make camp here, close to the cliff or maybe back a quarter mile to that stream. I don¡¯t want to risk the grass at night, we will need wood for more torches and I don¡¯t want to start a grass fire.¡± Jack said.


    ¡°The grass looks pretty green, it probably won¡¯t burst into flames if we bring the torches through it.¡± Clara said.


    ¡°Still, I don¡¯t trust a fire overnight. If we mess up, we burn the grassland down and start a Bronto stampede. If there is a tribe on the far side of the valley, that could honestly wipe them out. I think a single pissed off Bronto could wipe out all our fortifications.¡± Jack said.


    They backtracked to the nearest water source, a small stream that trickled down from the cliff and flowed towards the river. It was only a few inches deep, but it was fast moving and clear. They set up camp, building a larger fire than before. Soren took over water duty while Clara and Jack built a small lean-to against the cliff wall with sticks and leaves. It wasn¡¯t pretty, but it would keep them slightly warmer while they slept.


    They ate some more food, and each of them greedily drank whatever they could. While the sun set, it made for a beautiful sight as the colors behind the mountains faded to pink and orange. The shadows slowly stretched across the valley, and soon after they finished eating night had fallen. The sky was clear, and the moon was close to full, providing plenty of moonlight. In the distance they could hear the sounds of dozens of giant herbivores calling out into the night. The stars twinkled in the sky, drawing the eye away from the tree line.


    Clara had been playing with the bola she had taken from the basket as they walked, and although she had broken one, she had gotten pretty good at it. Jack had tried throwing it a few times. It was difficult to throw in a straight line, but he thought with practice he could master the tool. Soren on the other hand was completely unable to use them. Each time he tried, one of the rocks would hit his arm and spin down around him. After giving himself two bruises he decided it was best left to his friends. Clara pulled one out again now, spinning it over her head and tossing it onto one of the small boulders beside the fire. Her aim slowly improved with each shot.


    Soren volunteered to take the final watch, and crawled into the lean-to. Jack sat by the fire, keeping it fed and watching the tree line. The distant calling of the herbivores slowly settled down.


    ¡°So, what did you do before all this?¡± Jack asked Clara.


    ¡°I was studying sports health and working at the gym on Eighth Street. I had another year of college left, but I wasn¡¯t sure what I wanted to do afterwards. My parents ran a grocery store in Texas, but I got sick of the heat and moved up north for school.¡± She shrugged. He could see some sadness in her eyes when she mentioned her parents. She wound up the bola again and threw it, then walked to pick it up.


    ¡°What about you?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I was a hockey player. I tried to go pro but didn¡¯t quite make the cut. Before this, I was looking for any job that would take me. I was a mediocre student, and put most of my energy into sports. After that didn¡¯t pan out. . ..¡± He shrugged as his voice trailed off.


    ¡°Honestly, life here might be harder, but it does feel good not having to worry about jobs and stuff. I could do with less violence, but I don¡¯t mind steak for every meal, and the air here is great.¡± She said, putting some humor into her voice. Jack chuckled.


    ¡°Yeah. Could use some salt, but who knew Hadrosaur would be so tasty.¡± He said.


    Thrasher let out a rumbling moan from where he had fallen asleep beside the lean-to almost immediately after lying down. That caused another round of chuckles.


    ¡°How smart do you think he is?¡± She asked, looking at Thrasher.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But when I tamed Mike I could sense his emotions, sort of? It¡¯s hard to describe. But I don¡¯t think he is very smart. Thrasher though seems to understand more. Maybe the aliens'' magic technology helps him understand orders. Or, maybe he is just capable of learning. Who knows?¡± He shrugged.


    She turned back to face him, and suddenly froze. Jack noticed her body language and turned to follow her gaze, looking into the eyes of a saber tooth tiger. It was stalking towards him and was only ten feet away. Its eyes glinted in the light and all of its attention was on Jack. He reached for his club, but it had fallen away from him. The tiger pounced, and Jack brought his arms up between them. The Sabertooth landed on him, knocking him off the rock he was resting on and onto his back. Its claws dug into his arms as its jaws snapped at his throat. He pushed with all his strength, and with a massive surge of adrenaline he managed to toss the tiger away.


    It landed gracefully on its feet. Ignoring the pain in his arm, Jack reached for his club as he rolled over and jumped to his feet. The tiger roared, causing Thrasher to sit up in panic and Soren to yelp as he was suddenly awoken. Clara still had the bola in her hand, and started to swing it over her head as she took aim. Blood trickled down Jack¡¯s arms. The long wounds stung as he moved, but the pain was manageable due to the adrenaline. He knew he would have to end this fight as quickly as possible and stop the bleeding.


    The Sabertooth charged again, incredibly fast. Jack swung his club to the side and the cat backed off, allowing him to take a step forward. The tiger hissed and swiped at him. He avoided its claws but it also dodged his club. This one was smaller than the male that he had killed the night before, probably a younger one.


    Thrasher stood up and bellowed, charging the Sabertooth from the side. Soren was scrambling to get out of the lean-to with his spear in hand. The tiger knew its ambush had failed, and with Thrasher joining the fight it decided to run. It turned and made a beeline for the trees, only for its legs to be caught by Clara¡¯s bola. The stones wrapped around its back legs and spun, catching its front right leg but missing the left one. It was enough to make the cat stumble and crash to the ground, yowling in displeasure as it squirmed its way free.


    Jack didn¡¯t hesitate. Running to the cat, he leapt on top of it and pushed its head down, stunning it against the rocks. He tried to keep it pinned but the cat was incredibly strong. It thrashed against him, trying to roll over. It swiped out with its one free claw trying to reach him, as he desperately tried to keep it restrained.


    ¡°I need some help!¡± He called, and a moment later Clara was beside him. She gave him a look like he was crazy, but jumped onto the Sabertooth as well. She was only around one hundred and fifty pounds, but she wrapped her arms around the creature¡¯s neck, doing her best to keep away from its teeth. That let Jack focus on its claws. He managed to grab the free leg and force it down, but it cost him another cut from its bound legs.


    ¡°Soren! Get over here!¡± Clara shouted. Thrasher was standing beside them, looking nervous. He clearly wanted to fight, but wasn''t willing to hurt his friends. Soren ran over, dropping his spear and landing on the cat¡¯s backside. He pulled its bound legs away.


    ¡°Now what?¡± He said, panic and confusion clear in his voice as he took in the situation.


    Jack adjusted his grip, he was sitting on the tiger¡¯s chest and he swung his legs around to keep its arm pinned. He brought his newly freed hand up and reached down to pet the tiger.


    ¡°Tame!¡± He said, focusing on the alien bracelet. The taming charge had returned shortly after the sun had gone down, and now was the perfect time to use it. The green energy built up in the tooth shaped charm, then washed though Jack and over the tiger. He suddenly became aware of its feelings; hunger, pain, anger, and a deep sadness. It was not what he was expecting from the creature. Once the light faded, it stopped fighting against them.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Congratulations!


    You have successfully bonded with a mammal.


    Species: Smilodon Populator (Sabertooth Tiger)


    Sex: Female


    Age: 2 Years, 5 Months


    Please name the mammal to finalize the bonding process.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Jack slowly stood and gestured for the others to let go. They nodded and stepped away. Clara went to calm Thrasher down, who looked nervous, but not because of the tiger. He was looking at Jack¡¯s bloody arms. The compassion in the dinosaur''s eyes made Jack smile.


    ¡°So um, we need to name her.¡± Jack said as he finally took in the extent of his injuries. His arms stung, and blood was still dripping from them. A set of long gashes ran down his forearms, and his left arm had an extra cut that was surprisingly deep.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± Soren asked, stepping beside him and looking at his wounds.


    ¡°If we were on earth, I would go to the hospital. It stings like a bitch, but the adrenaline hasn¡¯t faded yet and it''s keeping me going.¡± Jack said.


    The Sabertooth made a sad moaning sound, and tried again in vain to free itself from the bola. Jack wanted to pet her and help her free, but he was starting to feel a bit light headed. Soren guided him back to the fire and tossed a few extra logs into it.


    ¡°Sit down. Jade gave me one of the needles and some thread. I¡¯m no doctor, but I took first aid classes like, five years ago or so. I¡¯ll see if I can clean these and stitch you up.¡± Soren said. He immediately started boiling water, and helped Jack remove his shirt. It had some blood splatter on it, but that wasn¡¯t new at this point.


    ¡°Well, time to make use of this shirt to make bandages. I¡¯ll wash it with boiling water before we wrap your arms.¡± He continued, and Jack nodded. He focused on the fire, trying to ignore the pain.


    Clara settled Thrasher down, and the big dinosaur laid behind Jack, happy to be a backrest for him. He gently pet the big lizard, and Thrasher made a deep rumbling sound that caused Jack to smile. Clara then went about freeing the Sabertooth. She petted its head, and scratched behind its ears. Once the bola was removed the big kitty sat up and nuzzled into her touch.


    ¡°Awww. She is surprisingly soft. What a sweetheart. I think I¡¯ll name you, Tilly.¡± Clara said.


    ¡°What?¡± Jack complained, with humor in his voice. ¡°I was going to name her Megatron, call her Meg for short.¡±


    Clara rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Save that for when we tame a Megalodon.¡± She said, as she led Tilly over to the fire. She was hesitant to get close, but with Clara and the rest of them gathered around it, she slowly settled between Clara and Jack. Her eyes never watched the flames and Jack could sense a deep distrust of the flames from her.


    ¡°You know about Megalodons, but haven¡¯t seen Jurassic park?¡± Soren asked, his tone teasing. He was still focused on the water.


    ¡°Well there was that Jason Stathem movie. It was so good they made a sequel.¡± She said. Which made Jack chuckle.


    ¡°I must remember it differently.¡± He said.


    Clara blushed slightly, looking away from them. Soren cut any further teasing short by grabbing the can of boiling water and the bone needle he had been sterilizing in the fire. He threaded the needle with some of the twine they had been given, it wasn¡¯t ideal, but it would work. He passed it to Clara to hold and gestured for Jack to follow him to the stream. There they slowly and painfully cleaned his wounds using the stream water and a long piece of Jack¡¯s now cut up shirt. The cuts needed to be stitched up badly.


    ¡°Ok. This is going to hurt a lot. I will do my best to make this quick, but you should probably bite onto this.¡± Soren said as he passed Jack a stick. Jack nodded, and they returned to the fireside. He put the stick in his mouth and bit down. It didn¡¯t taste great, but that was the least of his worries as Soren took the needle from Clara and started to sew his wounds closed. It was agony. The needle was nowhere near as sharp as the metal ones he was used to and Soren was far from experienced. He bit down so hard on the stick that it snapped and Clara had to get him a new one to stop his screams. By the time they were done Jack had nearly passed out from the pain, but his wounds were now smaller, and not bleeding.


    ¡°Ok. I¡¯m done. We give these a few days to heal, and then Lottie or the doctor we find can take them out. Until then, we keep them clean as much as possible.¡± Soren said as he wrapped the wet bandages over the wounds. He had stuffed them into the can, letting the boiling water clean them as much as possible. He let them cool before wrapping them around Jack¡¯s arms, and binding them with some twine. After the torture of Soren¡¯s stitching, he barely felt the bandages being applied.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Clara asked him. It took Jack a moment to respond.


    ¡°Pretty bad but I should be ok. Nothing is broken. Just hurts. A lot.¡± He slowly reached down to pet Tilly and she leaned into his touch. Some of the sadness he was feeling from her faded.


    ¡°It will be worth it though. Tilly here is going to be a very valued member of the community. She is probably going to be our best hunter.¡± He said, and Clara smiled.


    ¡°Yeah. I won¡¯t lie, it feels good to have something as badass as a Saber Tooth Tiger as a companion. I mean, Thrasher is amazing, but he doesn¡¯t exactly strike fear into the hearts of our foes.¡± She said.


    ¡°Jack, you should try and sleep. Clara and I will take the next watch, I¡¯ll wake you up in a few hours.¡± Soren said, sitting beside him and leaning against Thrasher. He gently petted the dinosaur''s side, though the big guy was already asleep.


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± Jack said, giving Tilly a final scratch before walking over to the lean-to. He was asleep as soon as he laid down.

 Chapter 21: Bronto Valley

    Jack woke up with the rising of the sun. Something fuzzy and warm was snuggled against his chest, and he happily wrapped his arms around it to fall back asleep. He felt the emotional warmth and happiness through the bond and the lean-to was soon filled with the sound of purring. For a while Jack thought he was back on earth, sleeping in on a Saturday with his old family cat curled into his chest. He yawned, stretching his arms and legs out and was immediately reminded that he wasn¡¯t in his childhood bed. The primitive stitches in his arm stung and he kicked the side of the lean-to as he stretched. He winced in pain and opened his eyes. He was face to face with the jaws of a saber tooth tiger. He froze, his brain screaming that he was in danger. But then Tilly snuggled back into him and he remembered the events of the previous night.


    He relaxed and looked around, his hands moving to pet the big, sleepy kitty. It was light out, which made him frown. Soren and Clara should have woken him up for a watch rotation. He wouldn¡¯t lie and say he didn¡¯t need the extra sleep, but it was still worrying that his friends hadn¡¯t woken him up. He slowly crept out of the lean-to and looked around. Thrasher was still asleep by the fire, which was low but not out. Soren was leaned against him, sleeping peacefully. Clara was awake, sitting by the fire and trying her best to be quiet as she clacked two rocks together. Each time she did a few chips were knocked off the smaller rock, slowly shaping it into a stone spearhead. She looked over to Jack as he stepped out of the lean-to and gave him a small nod.


    ¡°Good morning. How are you feeling?¡± She asked. He could see small bags under her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m good. You need to sleep.¡± He said as sternly as he could manage. She shook her head.


    ¡°I got a good five hours or so. Soren was up most of the night. I just didn¡¯t sleep well. Something about being attacked two nights in a row by stealthy tigers gave me bad dreams.¡± She said. He sat down beside her, scanning the woodline before tossing a fresh branch onto the fire.


    ¡°Yeah. I slept like a rock, but that was mostly due to the pain and exhaustion.¡± He said. The fire slowly built back up, devouring the branch in a crackling shower of cinders. Clara had boiled water overnight to fill the water bottle and they passed it back and forth as they started another can-full on the fire. Clara went back to her rocks.


    ¡°I found some flint, I think. Or something similar. I¡¯ve been practicing making these spearheads. I can get it pretty sharp, but the last step is an absolute bitch. You have to chip the bottom of the spearhead so it fits into a notch on the spear itself. But if you fuck up it breaks the entire thing.¡± She demonstrated with a clack of stone. She got the first side right, but when she flipped it over to finish the piece, the angle was off and the entire thing splintered. She sighed and tossed it onto a small pile of broken stones that had been growing beside her throughout the night.


    ¡°Is that step necessary?¡± He asked, picking up a rock of his own to try his hand at it. ¡°It looks like you got it plenty sharp.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if you don¡¯t do that last step it will break really easily when you try to use it. At least that''s what my archeology teacher said. I used to hate that class, but it¡¯s been surprisingly helpful. The process is called knapping. I think.¡± She said, as she showed him some of the techniques she had worked out. His flint broke on his seventh hit, but she managed to make a good spearhead over the next hour. Soren, Thrasher and Tilly all slept despite the noise, so Jack and Clara drank their fill and enjoyed the sunrise as they continued working. This time Clara got the final step right and finished the spearhead. She grinned and immediately started working on the body of the spear.


    She took one of the sturdier branches that was taller than her and around seven feet tall. She peeled the bark off and smoothed out all the nubs and twigs poking off it with a rough rock. It wasn¡¯t as good as sandpaper, but it did a decent enough job. She stuck the end of it in the fire, charring the tip until it changed color to a darker brown. She pulled it out and stuck it in the stream to cool it off, then she took some of her failed spearheads and used them to carve a slit into the end of the branch. She fit the stone spearhead into the slit, the two indents on its base making the tight fit perfect, then she started to wrap it in twine. Jack helped her keep the twine taught as she wound it around the spearhead¡¯s base, and finally tied it off with a secure knot. One stone spear was done, and its tip glinted in the sunlight.


    ¡°Good work. We just need sixty seven more and the tribe will be quite fearsome.¡± He said, smiling at her work.


    ¡°O god. I don¡¯t want to make these all day. I¡¯ll show the crafters, but no thank you. I would much rather be running around out here using the spears than sitting all day and making them. If Soren doesn¡¯t get up soon I think I¡¯ll go mad.¡± She said, but Jack could see how proud of her work she was. They returned to the fire, and Jack tried his luck making another stone spear. He failed, but it was a good way to pass the time. He got a bit better at knapping with each failed attempt and finally finished sharpening a piece of flint into the shape he wanted. He paused and looked up to check the woodline again. Nothing was around other than some Compys who were drinking from the stream.


    He took a minute to admire the reds and yellows the sunrise was throwing across the clouds. The sky was beautiful, though it looked like a storm was brewing behind the mountain to the west. He could see a small flock of Pteranodons flying above the river, and couldn¡¯t wait to tame one. He doubted that he could ever ride one, but they would still be cool. When he looked north he could see the smoke from their home base. He could picture the large bonfire in the center of camp putting up smoke as the majority of the tribe woke up and added fuel to the fire. Then he noticed another trail of smoke to the south. It was closer than the Roaring Falls base, probably around three miles away.


    ¡°Clara.¡± He said, his tone grabbing her focus right away. He pointed the smoke trail out.


    ¡°Oh. We should probably get going then.¡± She said, stepping over to Soren and gently shaking him awake. He yawned and sat up.


    ¡°Gmoring.¡± He mumbled, rubbing his eyes. Jack passed him some water, then stored the flint spearhead he was working on in the backpack. His arms stung, but they hadn¡¯t started bleeding again.


    ¡°We can see smoke to the South. Time to go meet the neighbors.¡± Clara said, helping Soren up and passing him the water bottle.


    ¡°Oh joy.¡± He said. ¡°Breakfast first?¡±


    Jack had munched on some of the leftover meat, but it was starting to smell. He didn¡¯t trust it to stay good for any longer, but it tasted fine if a bit bland. They finished off their rations, and grabbed their torches. Thrasher had woken up when Soren stood, and went to drink his fill from the steam. He was chewing on some grass, waiting for them to get moving. Tilly was proving as lazy as any housecat, but after Jack started to rub her belly she woke up and licked his face. It was gross, but she was up. He washed his face in the stream as Clara laughed at him and showered the ¡°silly kitty¡± with attention.


    The sadness that he had been feeling from Tilly since the bond formed was still there, but it was fading slowly with positive attention and love. Jack wondered why she was sad. She had been alone, and the encyclopedia had definitely said that they were pride animals. Like lions, the females only ever left their pride when there were too many of them and the pride split, or when they traded members with other prides to keep the genetic diversity healthy. So why was she alone? Unless she wasn¡¯t. Jack suddenly felt guilty. He had killed the male saber tooth the night before. And ever since he had felt like he was being followed. Had Tilly seen him kill her mate? Had she been stalking them for revenge? He remembered a story about a tiger back on earth who had been injured by a hunter, and had stalked him back to his home and slaughtered him in revenge.


    He bent down to rub Tilly¡¯s ears and look into her eyes. She seemed happy. She had a new pride with them, but there was still some sadness he could feel in the bond. He gave her a smile.


    ¡°I know we didn¡¯t meet on the best of circumstances, but I think we will get along very well. Let''s be friends, Tilly.¡± He said. She didn¡¯t understand a word, other than her name, which she perked up at. He chuckled and scratched behind her ear until Thrasher pushed him over, demanding the same attention. Soren pet him, laughing at the jealous dinosaur..


    ¡°It''s okay big boy. You will get plenty of pets too.¡± He said.


    Jack stood up and they started moving. Each of them grabbed a torch and kicked dirt onto the fire until the flames died. With a nod, they set out back towards the open valley. After walking for ten minutes, the woods fell away and they could see the tall grass. A herd of twenty-four triceratops were grazing on the vegetation at the edge of the woods. Each one was around fifteen feet tall, with a single male that stood closer to twenty feet tall. They could see the massive Brontosauruses were still in the center of the valley, but they looked to be slowly heading towards the river. They also spotted the huge male Bronto they had seen the day before at the waterfall. It was still alone and hanging out near where the woods met the river, northwest of the herd. The smoke was to the southeast of them, on top of a hill that blocked sight of the rest of the valley. It was a good two miles away and a lot of dinosaurs stood between them and their destination.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do our best to keep away from any of the herds, but mainly focus on avoiding the Brontos and their nesting grounds. I don¡¯t want to mess with any of them.¡± Jack said.


    They started forward, keeping their distance from the Triceratops. Tilly entered the tall grass and vanished from their sight. Despite the grass being green, she managed to blend in amazingly well. He caught a few glimpses of her as they moved, but he could imagine that if the grass ever dried out her brown coat would make her nearly invisible here. Thrasher stood out much more and Soren climbed onto his back to keep a lookout around them.


    Jack noticed there weren¡¯t any herds of Parasaurolophus here for some reason. But he could see at least a few examples of the other herbivores that lived in the river basin. Triceratops were the most common, then Gallimimus, then it was a tie between Stegosaurus and Mayasaura. Several smaller herds of Styracosaurus, Ankylosaurus, and other Hadrosaur species all mingled as they munched on the tall grass. Interestingly, Soren spotted a small group of what looked like Bison. Jack couldn¡¯t find anything about them in the encyclopedia, and they were too far away to identify them. His best guess was that they had some long scientific name that he couldn¡¯t recognize. He made a mental note to let Mavis know about it when they got back.


    They kept their distance from the herds as best as they could. Jack lost sight of Tilly and he hoped that she was staying safe. They quickly found it impossible to track a straight path through the valley. Having to detour around a herd of Stegosaurus that made aggressive grunting sounds when they saw Thrasher and Soren. They apparently got too close to the Stegos, and one of them started to charge them; its tail swinging back and forth with long spikes glinting in the morning light. The angry dinosaur was easily twenty feet tall, and its plates made it appear even larger. It was like being chased by a semi truck, and they quickly started to sprint.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Clara cried out as they ran. ¡°Why is it so pissed off?¡±


    ¡°I think its nest is over there!¡± Soren said as he desperately hung onto Thrasher¡¯s neck. Thrasher was leading the charge away from the angry mother, clearly getting the message that he was not welcome here. Fortunately Jack and Clara were able to peel away from the charging Stego, as it continued to chase Thrasher.


    Jack kept his distance. His club wouldn¡¯t do anything to the Stego and they only wanted to escape, so it was easier to just run. He hoped Tilly wasn¡¯t in its way. Thrasher turned out to be faster, and after a few hundred feet the grumpy dinosaur turned around and started to lumbar back its herd and presumably its nest. The hunters quickly gathered back together.


    ¡°Well that sucked. Is this just a massive nesting ground?¡± Clara asked as she rested against Thrasher. She caught her breath quickly.


    ¡°Probably. That would make sense.¡± Soren said as he climbed higher onto Thrasher¡¯s back and looked around. Tilly poked her head out of the grass and chirped at them. Jack was happy to see her, though he was slightly confused to see her fangs covered in blood. She dropped the body of a raptor at their feet. It was missing an arm, and had several large bites taken out of its body. Its intestines were dragging behind it, and its face had been scratched deeply, exposing its skull.


    ¡°Um. Good girl. You can keep that one.¡± Jack said, and Clara gagged at the grizzly sight. Rather than watch Tilly eat, they started to move again. This time they made sure to give all the dinos as wide a berth as they could. Tilly walked with them for a while before vanishing into the grass again. Jack occasionally saw the grass shake nearby, but he didn¡¯t see her again.


    It took two hours to walk the two miles across the valley. They carved a twisting, zig zag path to avoid all the nests. As they climbed a hill, they got a good look at the center of the valley where the Brontos were nesting. The grass had been fully stomped down, and deep furrows were scattered about where the giants rested. A massive female was sitting around a nest that had been dug out of the soil, it wasn¡¯t looking at them. Considering the distance the other herbivores gave it, they had no doubt that it would be a death sentence to approach it. As they watched the dinosaur shifted its neck, and they caught sight of a massive egg. It was brown, and nearly the size of a washing machine.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°We should try and go around this place on our way back.¡± Soren said.


    ¡°Yeah. Let''s plan on that. I think Tilly is keeping the raptors away from us, but I still don¡¯t like it. It''s hard to keep an eye out for predators and avoid all these herbivores.¡± Jack said.


    They climbed to the top of the hill and could finally see over it. The valley was smaller than they had thought, as a smaller river came down from the eastern cliffs and joined the main river. This created a natural boundary for the valley. The far side of the river was an extremely tall forest of redwood trees. Each one was close to one hundred feet tall or more. It finally made sense why the Bronto¡¯s lived here, they could cross the water without risk and eat from the taller trees. The grass on the far side of the river was much shorter, though he could see some large bushes. It was strange to see the drastic change of biomes. The valley felt like a natural change from the river basin, and Jack wasn¡¯t even sure it was considered a new biome. But the redwoods were just there, like a wall of vegetation. The forest floor was much darker than the woods they had been traveling through and the trees were spaced far enough apart to easily let massive predators pass though. He had no doubt there was something massive living there. Maybe a T-Rex, or possibly something bigger.


    The smoke was coming from the hill close to where the two rivers met. The choice of location baffled Jack. The water was extremely dangerous, and the lack of trees in the valley would make building and survival very difficult. The angry herbivores in the valley would only make life harder. Whoever was there either knew something Jack didn¡¯t, or was suffering terribly from bad choices.


    ¡°Well, I only see one big herd of Mayasaura between us and the smoke. We can probably head closer to the water and avoid them.¡± Clara said. They didn¡¯t linger, moving down the hill towards the smaller river. The grass was slightly shorter here, and Jack caught sight of Tilly off to his right. The Saber Tooth was seemingly enjoying her stroll, unbothered by the humans'' anxiety.


    Jack wiped sweat from his brow. The clay bath that Mattock had given him had slowly fallen off as they walked the day before. Jack hadn''t realized how much work the shade of the forest was doing to keep them cool. There was no relief from the sun in the valley and as the day went on, it would only get worse.


    They reached the river, but kept their distance from the water''s edge. Jack couldn¡¯t see any crocodiles, but he had no doubt that they were present. A handful of Mayasaura were drinking from the water and surprisingly didn¡¯t seem bothered by their presence.


    ¡°Maybe the water is a neutral zone for them? No eggs to accidentally step on here.¡± Clara said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not test their temper.¡± Jack said, and the group kept moving. The smoke was close now. They were maybe ten minutes away from the hill the fire was on.


    ¡°How should we play this?¡± Soren asked.


    ¡°We walk up in the open, don¡¯t hide your weapons but don¡¯t point them at anyone. We come bearing gifts and seeking alliances. Let¡¯s put our best foot forward.¡± Jack said, channeling what he imagined Gordon would say.


    ¡°So you two won¡¯t be talking then?¡± Clara said with a smirk.


    ¡°I was going to let Thrasher negotiate, he is clearly our leader.¡± Soren quipped, which got some chuckles.


    ¡°Serious question though. What do we do if they can¡¯t speak English? Or if we run into some Mexican cartel or insane North Koreans? It¡¯s not like we can lose them in the woods.¡± Clara asked. It was something Jack had been doing his best to not worry about. They needed to check with the other tribe, and there wasn¡¯t anything he could do if they didn¡¯t speak the same language. He hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to fight or kill anyone, but he was willing to. His arms stung as he walked, his left arm was worse than his right so he figured he would be able to swing his club hard enough to hurt someone, but doing so would almost certainly cause the stitches to break and the wounds to reopen.


    ¡°If they are hostile, we run the way we came and follow this river northeast to the cliff. Tilly, stay hidden in the grass. If we run, you can ambush whoever chases us.¡± Jack said, and the big cat sank down, hiding in the grass again. He wasn¡¯t sure how much she understood, but the Alien taming magic seemed to let some form of communication happen. Mavis would probably love to test how it all worked. Maybe he would catch a Compy for her and let her tame it. Then she could experiment all day long.


    They walked up the hill, clearly visible beside Thrasher. The grass was still around four to five feet tall so their heads and shoulders, as well as their torches, were able to stay above it. No one called out, and they didn¡¯t see any people. Either the tribe ahead didn¡¯t have anyone on lookout, which would have been incredibly stupid, or they were all waiting to ambush.


    They reached the top of the hill and as it flattened out, they saw a small campsite. A campfire burned low, a large pile of grass sat beside it slowly being fed into it by a pale skinned woman with blond hair. All the grass within ten feet of the fire had been cut down, both to feed the fire and make sure it didn¡¯t spread. The woman was filthy and looked exhausted. She held a metal knife in one hand, which she was using to sharpen a short wooden spear. Around the fire three other women were sleeping. They were all white with brown or blond hair. One of them was fully naked, and the others were dressed in mostly shredded workout gear. Notably, none of them had one of the alien bracelets. The women beside the fire had deep bags under her eyes, and only noticed the party of hunters when Thrasher made a huffing noise.


    She turned to stare at them, her eyes first falling on Jack. Fear cleared any exhaustion from her and she shot to her feet, her spear shaking as she aimed it at him. She gave a wordless shout of surprise and panic, but only one of the sleeping girls woke up. Her eyes were just as full of panic. Jack raised his hands, letting his club rest against his side.


    ¡°Hold on. We don¡¯t mean any harm.¡± He said. Soren moved from around Thrasher, he kept a hold of his spear, but kept it pointing up. Either of them probably could have taken the women down. Her grip was bad, her feet were too close together, and her spear was far too short. If Jack took an aggressive step forward he suspected she would fall over when trying to step back.


    ¡°Stay back!¡± She shouted. Tears coming to her eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t take us!¡±


    Her words made Jack¡¯s heart pulse with anger. Someone had clearly tried to take advantage of these women. That was fear that had come from bad experiences. He doubted these women had set off alone to try and survive. Their original group was likely the same size as his own, which meant their original tribe was ruled by someone so terrible that these women would risk life out here on their own, or their original tribe had been raided or destroyed. If that was the case, a shirtless Jack carrying a club was probably the worst thing they could have seen. He took a step back, and gestured for Soren to do the same.


    ¡°We come in peace.¡± He said, but he noticed the women¡¯s body language change as he spoke. It looked like she was going to try and throw her spear.


    ¡°Clara. You might be better at calming things down.¡± He said.


    Clara nodded and stepped forward. She held her stone spear pointed up. The movement finally drew the women¡¯s eyes towards the third member of their party. She looked confused at first seeing Clara dressed in her fern skirt and wrap, and it stopped her from throwing her spear.


    ¡°Um. Hi. I¡¯m Clara. We come in peace. We are out here looking for other tribes. We won¡¯t hurt you.¡± She said, unsure of what to say as she took in their sad appearance.


    The woman who had woken up from the lookout¡¯s shout stood up. She had brown hair and blue eyes. Her clothing was torn up, and she had a series of cuts and scrapes across her legs. It looked like she had run through thorn bushes or lost a fight with a raptor pack. None of the cuts looked too deep, but they did look uncomfortable. Her eyes were harder than the lookout¡¯s, and she took in the group''s appearance and weapons. She put her hand on the other woman¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Shelby, it¡¯s ok. They are from a different tribe. I don¡¯t recognize them from that camp, and that man has a chief¡¯s bracelet. It¡¯s not them. Put the spear down.¡± She said.


    The lookout, Shelby, slowly lowered the spear and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± She said. ¡°I um. I thought you were someone else.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable. I¡¯m Clara, this is Jack, Soren, and Thrasher.¡± Clara said, pointing to each of them in turn as she made introductions. ¡°We are from the Roaring Falls tribe, North from here up the cliff.¡±


    The other woman sat beside the fire and tossed some of the piled up grass onto it. The fire grew again, and the smoke with it. She gestured for them all to sit, and they did. Thrasher tried a bite of the grass, but decided he didn¡¯t like it. He grumbled but settled down behind Jack as the women continued with introductions.


    ¡°I¡¯m Beth, this is Shelby, and those two are Aster and Isabel.¡± She gestured to the two women who had slept through the shouts and conversation. They were both clearly moving, but they didn¡¯t look healthy.


    ¡°Are they ok?¡± Soren asked, gesturing to the two sleeping women.


    ¡°They have been through a lot. We have been running for about three days nonstop now. We have been eating berries, fruits and a few roots but don¡¯t have one of the alien bracelets, so we couldn¡¯t check to see what was okay for us to eat and what wasn¡¯t. They had some bad berries yesterday and spent most of the night getting sick. They stopped throwing up a few hours ago, but honestly we are all dehydrated and hungry.¡± Beth said.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± Clara asked, her tone delicate. Jack could tell that this group had suffered a lot.


    ¡°We um. We landed south of here, I think. Down the valley and across the river. Near the base of that mountain.¡± Shelby said, pointing to the southwest. They could see the jungle covered mountain that reached up into the sky. The cliff at the bottom of the mountain was much shallower than the one they lived against, and where the river turned southwest around the mountain it could hardly be called a cliff at all.


    ¡°There were around thirty of us who stuck together at the start. Some others just gave up and a few handfuls of people wandered off together. One guy named Jason managed to calm people down enough to get one of the bracelets. We settled in the same clearing we all landed in. There was a stream close to us and no one had the energy to move much. We spent our first days aimlessly wandering around, grieving. That second night a big carnivore came into camp and we lost a lot of people. The third night we started to get sick from the water since we had nothing to boil it in. We sent out scouts to explore the nearby area and we made spears with the knives we had, but we lost more people. Four groups left, only two came back. We were down to around sixteen people and morale was low. One of the groups found another tribe living in the redwoods along with this valley full of Brontosaurus. Jason had the idea to try and tame one. He said we wouldn¡¯t have to fear any of the mega carnivores if we had one.¡± Beth said, shaking her head.


    Jack looked over his shoulder. The big mother Bronto was still guarding its nest and the others were walking back from the river. He could see the other herbivores moving out of the way. A mother Triceratops stood in their path, protectively guarding her nest. At over twenty feet tall she was big enough for the Bronto¡¯s to change their course around her, but one of the much smaller Mayasaura was not so lucky. The herd trampled over her and her nest without a care, crushing the stubborn dinosaur into a red paste.


    ¡°That big male, on the far side of the valley is the one he went for with our bravest hunters. He tried to calm it with some food, and it swatted them all with a careless tail swipe when they got too close. Then it stepped on Jason, destroying the alien bracelet and most of our supplies. There were only ten of us after that. We tried to get a new bracelet, but nothing happened. That night the last guy in our group was ambushed by a Dilophosaurus. The ones that spit poison in the movies. It didn¡¯t spit poison, but it was so much bigger than we thought it would be. It was at least fifteen feet long, and it tore him to shreds. We couldn¡¯t do anything but run. We decided to make our way to the tribe our scouts had found in the redwoods.¡± Beth continued. She stopped to wipe her eyes of tears.


    ¡°That¡¯s when we were attacked. A different tribe, they came down the river. There were twenty-four men. All white, muscular, spoke English with a midwestern accent. Most of them were wearing dirty sports jerseys, and all of them were strong. Their leader was riding a Carnotarus. They had six women with them, but they looked bad. They were all marching topless, and the men were¡­not kind to them. One of our girls threw a spear at them. She hurt their second in command and they decided to make an example of her.¡± She shuddered. Her voice was heavy with grief and sorrow.


    ¡°They were monsters.¡± Shelby said, taking over from her friend. Clara moved beside Beth and took her hand, squeezing it. The woman started to weep. Jack and Soren eyed the grass cautiously. Crying would be a good way to attract predators like the raptors. But neither of them said anything, letting her cry. Clara eventually pulled Beth into a hug and let her sob into her shoulder.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to describe what happened next.¡± Soren said, glancing at the naked girl. Jack had a bad feeling that he knew the people she was describing. Shane Gerling had gathered his buddies and taken around twenty five people with him to found his own tribe. They hadn''t seen any sign of them since they had fled the clearing. Jack hadn¡¯t known Shane well, but they had met a few times at parties in college. Jack played hockey, Shane played football, and the two teams had a friendly rivalry. Shelby followed Soren¡¯s gaze. She nodded sadly, but continued.


    ¡°They took us. And brought us back to their camp. They were starting to settle further up the cliff from where we landed and had found a flat spot with small trees and knocked them down with their dinos. They had a young Triceratops and a handful of Raptors. Apparently if you tame smaller stuff, the bracelet recharges faster. They had started to build a wall but were much more interested in us for the night. Their leader promised each man a fucking harem of wives and they drew lots to see who got to claim each of us first.¡± She scowled.


    Jack hadn¡¯t even realized that his fists had clenched hard enough for his nails to cut his palms. He was furious. Every part of him wanted to cross the river and charge up the mountain to crush the skulls of each of the stupid assholes. They would need to be dealt with. A tribe like that couldn¡¯t be allowed to grow near them. There were no cops in this world, no government or police and some people clearly thought that meant they could do whatever they wanted without any consequences. He decided that would be a good name for his club.


    ¡°That night it rained, and the darkness turned the jungle into a void. They didn¡¯t have any proper buildings, only some lean-tos. They don¡¯t have rope like you guys do, so they just kept a guard on us. He dozed off and we took his knife and slit his throat. We grabbed what we could and ran. They sent their raptors after us, but with the guards knife and spear we managed to kill two of the raptors and drive the rest off. Honestly, if it hadn¡¯t been raining I think the Carnotarus would have been able to find us. But we managed to make it down the mountain in the dark. They were still following us, searching in the forest. We had no choice but to try and cross the river. Six of us went into the water, and we are the only four who washed up on the other side. We lost sight of the others. I have no idea if they died in the water or washed up on the wrong side of the shore and were captured again. We forced ourselves to keep moving. Trying to get to the redwood tribe, hoping that they would be better. We have been walking up the river for two days, but we had to stop here. Honestly, without help I don¡¯t think we will last another night.¡± Shelby finished her story. She looked Jack in the eyes for the first time. Beth had stopped sobbing, but hadn¡¯t let go of Clara.


    ¡°Will you help us?¡± She asked.

 Chapter 22: Over the River and Through the Woods

    Jack didn¡¯t have to give the question any thought. He returned Shelby¡¯s gaze and nodded. Clara was already nodding as well, and Soren still looked sickened by the actions of the other tribe.


    ¡°Yes, we will help you. You can come back to our camp with us, but we are currently on a mission to try and find a doctor. We have sick and injured people that need more help than we can give them.¡± He said. ¡°It¡¯s at least a day and a half hike to get back to our camp, and I don¡¯t think you all will make the trip in the same time we did, even if you ride Thrasher. Do you know how close the Redwood Tribe is?¡±


    Shelby looked to Beth, who nodded. She wiped her eyes again and took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking.


    ¡°We encountered them near the edge of the redwoods. Maybe three or four miles from here. But there is a t-rex on the other side of the smaller river, between us and the redwoods. We had to cross the water again to escape it.¡± She said.


    ¡°Um. You said you are looking for a doctor right? I used to be a vet, before the world ended. I don¡¯t know anything about human medicine, but I know how to set bones and do stitches. I could probably help.¡± Shelby said. The look of relief on everyone''s faces made her smile shyly.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. We have a vet student back at home, but she was in her second year, and really hates being the tribe medic. Your expertise will be greatly valued.¡± Soren said.


    ¡°Do you think they could make it back to the waterfall if we get them some clean water and fresh meat?¡± Clara asked, gesturing at the two sleeping women.


    ¡°They need a few days to recover, at a minimum. Do you have a way to boil water?¡± Shelby said.


    ¡°We do, but this isn¡¯t a good place for us to stay for too long. We¡¯re too exposed here. If you are still being hunted, the smoke from your fire will give us away. There isn¡¯t enough real fuel here to keep the fire going long and hot enough. Plus it¡¯s only a matter of time before one of those big herbivores hurts someone.¡± Jack said.


    ¡°We should follow the river northeast.¡± Soren said, pointing towards the redwoods. ¡°We need firewood and to find this other tribe. At the very least they should be warned about the bastards who attacked the ladies. Best case, they have a doctor and we can trade with them while the women stay at their camp and recover.¡±


    Clara and Jack nodded. They still needed someone who knew how to take care of humans. Shelby would be a great boon to the tribe, but she likely wouldn¡¯t be able to help Gordon. If they were going to fight the other tribe, allies would be nice.


    Shelby stood up and walked over to her unconscious friends. Reaching down, she felt their foreheads and her expression grew more worried.


    ¡°Izzy has a fever. Aster is ok. I think she is just exhausted. Are those baskets strong enough to carry someone their size?¡± She asked, pointing at the two baskets on the side of Thrasher.


    Jack scratched his head, wincing at the pain from his wounds. He looked at Soren, who shrugged, then to Clara who also shrugged.


    ¡°I honestly have no idea. Our crafters made them. We are the hunting and exploration team. I¡¯m not actually the tribe leader. Our leader broke his arm badly while taming some Styracosaurus, but he is a good guy. Let¡¯s empty the basket of bola¡¯s and see if it will hold up with one of them inside it. Can you wake them up? I don¡¯t want them to come to while being lifted into a basket by men they don¡¯t know.¡± Jack said.


    The surprise in their eyes that Jack wasn¡¯t the leader was clear, but the current situation was dire enough that they didn¡¯t dwell on it. Shelby and Beth woke up Aster, the blond haired woman who was missing her top but still had leggings on. She was exhausted, barely able to lift her head. She smiled when they told her they were being rescued, and didn¡¯t resist when Jack lifted her into the basket. Soren and Clara held the bolas and Thrasher turned to smell the young woman who couldn¡¯t have been more than twenty. She fit in the basket, but didn¡¯t look comfortable. The crafters had made them very large to be used as transportation for the clay. She had to bend her knees, but the basket held and she was asleep again quickly.


    Isabel was harder to get into the basket. She was delirious, and didn¡¯t seem to understand that Jack and Soren were there to help. She started crying and screaming when she saw them, so they backed off and let Clara and the other women lift her into the basket. They took out the rope and Jack decided to wrap some around his waist like a belt. There was a lot more rope than he expected, so Soren got a new belt as well, then the rest of it was used to reinforce the rough saddle that had been made to keep the baskets on either side of Thrasher. Once both women were safely in their ¡°seats¡± and they were as sure as they could be that the baskets wouldn¡¯t break, they cleaned up the camp and started to move Northeast.


    ¡°There is one more member of our hunting party you still need to meet. She was hiding in case the fire belonged to someone less friendly and we needed to run or fight. Don¡¯t panic.¡± Jack said. He whistled, and could feel Tilly¡¯s excitement through their bond.


    Beth and Shelby looked confused at his words, until the Saber Tooth trotted out of the grass and calmly claimed her head scratches from Jack. The women spent a moment gawking at the big cat.


    ¡°Is that a Saber Tooth Tiger?¡± Shelby asked, her voice full of excitement for the first time. Jack chuckled.


    ¡°Yep. Meet Tilly. The newest member of our little family. She tried to kill us last night, but Clara here is a good shot with the bola, and managed to get her all tangled up. We tamed her, and she has already been a great help at keeping the raptors away.¡± Jack said as he scratched behind Tilly¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Tilly, this is Shelby and Beth. They are friends. Don¡¯t hurt them.¡± He said. Unsure if they were considered part of the Roaring Falls tribe or not at this point. Tilly didn¡¯t seem to mind them, but better safe than sorry.


    The two slowly walked up beside Tilly, and after getting a nod of encouragement from Clara, they started to pet her. Jack could see some of their stress leave them with each stroke of the kitty¡¯s fur.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to be so soft.¡± Beth said.


    Tilly suddenly tilted her head to the side, her ear pointed up. Jack felt a surge of excitement, and then she was gone, vanishing back into the tall grass. The girls looked disappointed, but Thrasher was getting further away so they started walking again.


    ¡°She will keep anything nasty from sneaking up on us. Her sense of smell and hearing is much better than ours. The only difference between her and a guard dog is she will probably kill whatever it is, rather than just scaring it off.¡± Soren said.


    ¡°Incredible.¡± Shelby said, staring off in the direction that Tilly had run. ¡°Was she the one who cut up your arms?


    ¡°Yeah. Soren did his best to stitch me up. But I won¡¯t lie, it stings a lot. Would you mind taking a look at it when we next stop?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Do you have an actual needle and thread?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Sort of. We have the twine here, and a needle made from raptor teeth.¡± Clara said.


    ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡± Beth said.


    ¡°Hope so. We plan on trading it with the other tribes in the area.¡± Jack said.


    ¡°Trading it for what?¡± Shelby asked.


    ¡°Alliances. Trade deals. Supply drop rotations. And hopefully help in destroying the tribe that attacked you.¡± Jack answered.


    ¡°Supply drops? What are you talking about?¡± Beth asked. Soren looked to Jack and Clara. He gave them an uncomfortable smile that Jack felt. They didn¡¯t know about the aliens using them for entertainment, or the supply drops that would start coming down any day now.


    ¡°Well, we learned some stuff about the aliens that dropped us here. Long story short, they have and will be watching us. They find us entertaining, and each faction of their government wants something different from us. Some want us to thrive, but others want us to fight. They are going to start dropping supplies for us. They say that there aren''t enough to go around, so they are going to drop them between tribes and make us fight, or be diplomatic and share. That''s the goal our tribe is aiming for.¡±  Jack explained.


    They walked in silence for a while. The ladies processing the information. After a few minutes Beth finally spoke up.


    ¡°So, those assholes could get rewarded for kidnapping women? Will the aliens give them more supply drops for being entertaining?¡± She asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know.¡± Jack said. ¡°There haven¡¯t been any drops yet so we don¡¯t know what will actually be in them or how tailored to the local tribes they will be. But I wouldn''t put it past them to give better rewards to the people who entertain them more.¡± Jack answered.


    ¡°How do they watch us?¡± Shelby asked. And Jack just raised his arm to show the bracelet.


    ¡°They have other ways, we just don¡¯t know them. Could be telescopes, could be nanobots, could just be magic.¡± Clara said with a shrug.


    They had to detour around a herd of Gallimimus that had gone down to the river for water, cutting further into the tall grass to avoid them. Jack noticed some rustling ahead of them. He stopped the group and pointed ahead. Soren passed him a spear. Beth and Shelby looked confused as they stopped. Thrasher moved behind the rest of the group at Clara¡¯s urging, keeping the baskets with the sick women safe. Jack wasn¡¯t sure where Tilly was, but he had no doubt she would show up when needed. The grass ahead of them had gone still, but no one moved yet. The wind picked up, blowing the grass in long waves across the valley.


    ¡°Should I toss my spear?¡± Soren asked, not taking his eyes off the spot they had seen.


    Another ten seconds passed without any movement. Jack held his spear in his right hand, and his club in his left. Beth and Shelby were carrying the torches.


    ¡°All of us throw together. Get your other spear in your off hand and swap as soon as you toss the main spear.¡± Jack said, readying his spear to throw. His party did the same, Clara had a wooden spear ready to throw and her stone spear in hand.


    ¡°¡±Three, two, one. Throw.¡± Jack counted down, then tossed his spear with all his might. The three spears shot into the grass, taken slightly off target by the stronger wind.  The loud thunk of wood meeting flesh was drowned out by a shrill cry of agony. It was so loud that Jack¡¯s ears were left ringing. The predator stood from the tall grass, two of the spears had only caused light wounds and were knocked free, the third had found its shoulder and was buried deep into its flesh.


    The dinosaur was covered in green feathers that helped it blend into the tall grass. It was around twelve feet long and seven feet tall. It had a long jaw full of razor sharp teeth, but its most distinctive feature was the two bony crests that ran along its entire skull. They were a brighter red in coloration, reminding Jack of a parrot with its colors. It had a similar body shape to a T-rex, though much smaller, its body sleek and nimble. He couldn¡¯t see its feet, but its hands had delicate looking claws. He had no doubt that they could tear him apart with them, but he guessed that it¡¯s main attack would be with its bite. Jack didn¡¯t recognize the dinosaur species, but that didn¡¯t matter right now.


    Jack heard the women behind him scream but he didn¡¯t turn around. He couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying with his ears still ringing. The creature was clearly in intense pain. It seemed like their spears had been much more effective against this dino than they had been against the Baryonyx. He swapped his club to his right hand, and wound it back for a strike. He took a step forward and the dinosaur¡¯s eyes snapped to him. They were full of anger, and it shot forward with far more speed than he had expected from something that size. Its jaws opened as it shot towards him, and he knew his swinging club wouldn¡¯t connect with the creature¡¯s skull in time. His brain seemed to slow down as death approached. He let go of the club and kicked his feet out to the side and fell hard to the ground. The dinosaur¡¯s jaws snapped shut inches above him.


    It wasn¡¯t giving up though. It took a step forward and was over him. It had four very long, hooked claws. For some reason the first thought Jack had as he saw them coming towards his chest was that this thing could probably climb trees really well. He rolled, trying to get away from its foot as it came down. He wasn¡¯t fast enough and received a long gash across his chest. But he wasn¡¯t crushed by it.


    Soren threw another spear into the creature''s side and it roared in pain once again. Blood dripped down its feathers and splattered the ground around Jack. Its long tail whipped around to try and swat Soren, but he was too far away. It was just lashing out in pain and anger at this point. Its ambush had failed.


    Clara ran towards Jack and when the dinosaur nearly crushed him, she aimed her stone spear at its chest and thrust forward. It turned to tail whip Soren, which made the angle she aimed at awkward, but she followed through with another step forward and stabbed again. This time the spearhead pierced easily through its feathers and hide. It cut though its lean muscle and broke several rib bones. They were apparently very delicate, and the shattered bones poked out of its skin with a spray of blood. Unfortunately, she missed its heart. That wound would probably kill it in a few minutes, but they would have to survive that long.


    Its jaws turned to snap at Clara, but her spear was between its head and hers. It bit down on the spear shaft and splintered it into dozens of pieces. Some of the splinters got lodged into its teeth, causing more blood to spill from its mouth, but Clara was able to leap backwards, away from its deadly hooked claws.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    The dinosaur seemed unsure of what to do next. It¡¯s head whipped around to glare at both Soren and Clara, but it was also eyeing Beth and Shelby. It seemed to have forgotten Jack for now. It was fast enough that none of them were safe. Its jaws could easily catch someone with a few lighting quick steps. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would run or fight, but he wasn¡¯t going to risk it. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Sabertooth tiger fang. He stabbed at the largest tendon he could see in the back of its leg, and the tooth pierced it easily. The creature¡¯s scream turned from anger to panic as it tried to flee. As soon as it put its weight onto the damaged leg it collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.


    Jack started to stand, and the large cut on his chest began leaking blood. His hearing hadn¡¯t recovered from the screeching roar, so he couldn¡¯t hear what everyone was shouting. Shelby ran up to him and put her hand on his shoulder, pushing him back down to the ground. She said something as she pointed to his wound.


    Both of Clara¡¯s spears were gone, so she kept her distance from the dying dinosaur. Soren grabbed one of his spare spears and started to approach. The dino had gone still, blood pouring from its wounds, but it was breathing. As soon as Soren stepped within reach, its head whipped around. It¡¯s bloody jaws aimed at his head. Before it connected, Tilly burst from the grass and landed on its neck, slamming it back into the ground and digging her fangs into the back of its skull. Her claws slit its throat, and after a loud crunch it falls to the ground dead.


    Soren stumbled back, falling over in fright as his foot caught on something in the grass. Clara helped him up. Tilly unhooked her jaws and let its neck drop to the ground. She made a happy chirping sound and walked over to Jack, nuzzling her head against his hip while he reached out to pet her head. The group gathered around Jack.


    It took a minute for his hearing to come back and in that time, Shelby had looked over his wound. She tested each of his ribs and had used some of the loose grass as a makeshift cloth to clean some of the blood off his chest. It didn¡¯t work very well, but it was enough to let her see the cut. It stung, but it didn¡¯t feel as deep as the gashes on his arms.


    ¡°You are stupidly lucky. If these were even half an inch deeper you could have died.¡± She said, reaching over to Soren who handed her the bone needle and some thread.


    ¡°That was way too close. I had no idea something that big could move so quickly. What is that thing?¡± He asked.


    Beth and Clara were making a small fire pit, cutting back the tall grass and digging a small hole. They tossed the torch into it and then covered it in the grass they had cut away. It wouldn¡¯t last long, but Shelby only needed a minute to sterilize the needle. Soren bent down beside Jack and lifted his hand up. He pointed the bracelet at the body.


    ¡°Fair point. Identify.¡± Jack said, and a second later the screen appeared.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Species: Dilophosaurus


    Sex: Female


    Age: 3 Years


    Approximate Weight: 650 lb


    Approximate Length: 14¡¯1¡±


    Approximate Height: 7¡¯


    Dilophosaurus range between several types of biomes, but prefer dense jungles and tall trees. They have delicate bones compared to other carnivores of its size. Its body is made for speed and maneuverability in the dense jungles of Kittis. They are very territorial and can commonly be found on the outskirts of their preferred territory after being pushed away by larger members of their species. Their head crests change color to bright red when they are ready to mate.


    Estimated uses for tribe:


    Fast mounts


    Ambush predators


    Territorial guards


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Soren and Jack both read the classification then looked at the body.


    ¡°I thought those things were supposed to be half the size of a person.¡± Soren said.


    ¡°Guess the movies got that wrong.¡± Jack replied. Shelby had finished with the needle, and returned to Jack¡¯s side.


    ¡°The one in the movie was a baby. But it¡¯s good they don¡¯t spit venom. That would be extremely annoying.¡± She said.


    ¡°Yeah. And that thing¡¯s jaws were deadly enough without venom. Thanks for the save Tilly.¡± Soren said, petting the Sabertooth who purred. Once she was satisfied with the pets, she got up and went to take a few bites from her kill.


    ¡°If we were back on Earth I would have guessed that you wouldn¡¯t need stitches for this. You would get a scar, but as long as you didn¡¯t touch it or move much it would heal fine. Here though. I¡¯m going to stitch up the worst of your cut. Hopefully it will heal faster and give you a bit more movement if you need it. Still, try your best not to tear them. This isn¡¯t exactly medical grade twine, so if you move too much they will break.¡± Shelby said, and brought the needle to the edge of the cut.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Jack said. ¡°Soren, could you grab me a stick to bite or something?¡±


    Soren nodded, and quickly grabbed one of the unlit torches. Jack bit down on it, and then nodded to Shelby.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll try to go fast. I don¡¯t want to stay here long if scavengers come running.¡± She said and started to stitch Jack up. The twine was thicker than it needed to be, so it took longer and did not look pretty. It was less painful than when Soren had stitched him up, and it went much faster. As soon as they were done, Clara helped Jack up. She had been butchering what they could from the body, taking its sharp claws and some of the teeth. It didn¡¯t have a lot of meat on it. Once they got around the feathers they found that the Dilophosaurus had been very skinny. Tilly had enjoyed what she could and the tail proved to have a few decent cuts, but it would take a lot of work to harvest any more from it. Jack knew carnivore meat wasn¡¯t the best to eat as they were more likely to have parasites in them. He couldn¡¯t remember if there were other reasons, but he knew it was almost never done back on earth.


    ¡°Sorry to cut the break short. But we have a herd of Triceratops headed towards us. It¡¯s time to go.¡± Clara said.


    Jack nodded and lit the torch he had been biting. He took a breath and pushed the stinging pain from his mind. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They moved quickly. Beth had checked on the two unconscious women, the travel was hard on them. The sooner they found the tribe, the better. The group walked northeast along the tributary river for two more hours. Jack saw three Bayronix beside the riverbank. Two of them were catching fish in the water that went to their knees. The other was resting in the mud, using it to keep cool in the hot sun. The group kept their distance, and fortunately the predators seemed happy to enjoy the fish.


    ¡°I think we are far enough from the T-rex we saw.¡± Beth said. ¡°We should cross the river and head into the redwoods. I¡¯m not sure where the tribe is. We were much farther south of here, but that was one of their hunting parties.¡±


    ¡°Ok. Let¡¯s look for a good place for a river crossing. I have been keeping my eyes out, but I haven¡¯t noticed any crocodiles. I think if we are fast we can cross safely.¡± Jack said. They approached the river. Both Thrasher and Tilly walked up to the water without fear and drank from it.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good sign. Thrasher was the only one who noticed that first crock back at the pool.¡± Clara said. She checked the bindings on the baskets carrying the women.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see any convenient bridges or sandbars here. But it only looks like it is a few feet deep. That¡¯s probably why the crocs stay in the main river.¡± Soren said.


    ¡°Should we cross here then? Or keep going until we find a shallower spot?¡± Shelby asked.


    Jack shook his head. ¡°No. Let''s go here. I haven¡¯t seen anything better, and at least we know there are no other predators at this spot.¡±


    Clara hopped onto Thrasher¡¯s back, she helped Beth and Shelby up as well. The big guy didn¡¯t seem to mind. Soren moved to join them, but she shook her head.


    ¡°Sorry boys. Ride is full.¡± She tapped Thrasher on the side and he started forward. His long legs and webbed feet made him a natural in the water. Despite not needing to swim, he was happy to cross the river without issue.


    Tilly took a running start, then leaped halfway across the river. She seemed unbothered by the water, and quickly swam to the other side. Jack and Soren started to cross. The water was cool, but it felt nice after having the hot sun beating down on them all day. The clay they had covered themselves in had rubbed off as they hiked over the last day and a half, and it felt good to have their lower bodies clean. The red of Soren¡¯s hair was starting to poke through.


    The water reached up to their hips. Soren was a bit taller than Jack, but he slipped on one of the many submerged rocks and ended up soaked to his shoulders. His torch went out, but Clara had one so their fire was safe. Other than Soren¡¯s slip, they made it across without issue. The ladies had hopped off Thrasher as they waited for the men. Beth was keeping her eyes on the bushes, and Shelby was checking on Aster and Isabel. But Clara was laughing at Soren as he pulled himself from the water. Until Tilly straddled up beside her and shook like a dog, covering Clara in water.


    Jack and Soren both laughed at her, and she scowled dramatically before joining them in laughter. They all pet the big kitty, then turned their attention to the forest. The trees were massive, seeming to span all the way into the clouds. The largest of them was easily four hundred feet tall, and around forty feet thick. Being beside them was like standing in front of a skyscraper for the first time. Each tree must have been hundreds of years old to get this tall.


    There were smaller trees, around fifty to sixty feet tall, and around five or six feet thick. But they didn¡¯t stand out like the others. The light in the forest only came through in long beams, and a slight breeze would cause them to shift and dance. It was beautiful, but made the woods feel dark and foreboding. They were still full of dinosaurs, and they knew for a fact that at least one T-Rex lived in them.


    The nice thing about the redwood forest was that the trees were spread out more. Each one was at least ten feet from any other. There were plenty of bushes and grass, but the underbrush almost felt clean when compared to the mess that was the dense jungle and thick woods they had seen before. There were also smaller trees, though they were thoroughly unimpressive compared to the redwoods. They were mostly fir and maple trees to Jack¡¯s unprofessional eye. He saw bite marks on the leaves of these trees, and could judge that something in here was around fifteen feet tall. The leaves higher than that seemed untouched. He guessed the Bronto¡¯s didn¡¯t like them as much for whatever reason.


    They started moving into the woods. As soon as they got around two hundred feet from the river Jack could feel the humidity change. It was a very strange sensation. Like opening the door into a cool room after taking a shower.


    ¡°What the?¡± Beth said. Which seemed to reflect what everyone else was thinking.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably the planetary Ai thing the Aliens talked about. The different biomes are walled off somehow. It doesn¡¯t make sense that a tree could grow this big on one side of a river and not at all on the other.¡± Soren guessed.


    ¡°Weird. But that''s alien space magic for you.¡± Jack said, pushing the group forward. Tilly was staying by their side this time, rather than exploring or hunting. He got the sense she was uncomfortable in this environment. Thrasher didn¡¯t seem to care though, happily moving along like always.


    They walked for twenty minutes before their first encounter with the wildlife. A bush covered in purple and golden flowers stood around fifteen feet tall. It looked small when surrounded by the towering redwoods. Several unripe berries lay scattered between the flowers, as the ripe ones were being eaten by one of the strangest looking creatures Jack had ever seen. It was taller than the bush, easily as tall as the bushes. Covered in brown feathers, its head was avian, with a noticeable beak that let it dig through the bush to find the buried hidden inside it. It stood on two legs, and had a long tail that snaked behind it covered in brighter feathers of red and orange. It looked sort of like a mix between an ostrich and a chicken, if he ignored its most prominent feature, its claws. Each arm was the size of a full grown man, and its fingers were tipped with the largest claws he had ever seen. Easily four to five feet long, they were curved like scythes, and gleamed in the light of their torches. The entire party stopped and stared at the creature. No one moved, and it didn¡¯t seem to notice them as it continued to munch on the ripe berries of the tree.


    It had a relatively small head and eyes, but Jack had no doubt it would see or smell them if they got closer with their torches. It might be a herbivore, but with claws like that they could kill them in an instant if it turned out to be aggressive or territorial. He slowly reached for the bracelet and triggered the identification charm.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Species: Therizinosaurus


    Sex: Male


    Age: 12 Years


    Approximate Weight: 5 tons, 10,000 lb


    Approximate Length: 33¡¯7¡±


    Approximate Height: 16¡¯3¡±


    Therizinosaurus are some of the most dangerous herbivores outside of the Sauropod family. They are not particularly intelligent, and have been observed being docile with members of their species. They are surprisingly caring parents, and are known to stay with their hatchlings for several years until they are large enough to survive on their own. There are very few predators willing to challenge a flock of full grown Therizinosaurus, though their juveniles are common prey for T-Rex and other large predators.


    Estimated uses for tribe:


    Vegetation Removal and Harvesting


    Predator Deterrent


    War


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Well, that''s terrifying.¡± Jack said after reading the description. He gestured for the group to back away. They were several hundred feet away from the creature, and no one complained about his order.


    ¡°One of those would be quite the threat on our side.¡± Soren said. He glanced to look at the bracelet on Jack¡¯s wrist. ¡°Is it recharged?¡± He asked.


    Jack shook his head. The taming charge was still cold against his skin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go around it then. We don¡¯t have a lot of light left today.¡± Clara said, guiding Thrasher around one of the giant trees.


    ¡°Think the tribe we are looking for has one of those?¡± Jack asked, looking at Beth. She shrugged.


    ¡°They had a young stegosaurus when we met them. But that was the only dino with them.¡± She said.


    They moved away from the Therizinosaurus, but Jack made a mental note to come back here one day to tame one. Something like that, even if they found a juvenile, would be an incredible asset to tame. Tilly bumped her head against his hip, and he reached down to scratch behind her ear. She had been slowly getting more and more used to the fire they were carrying with them, but still eyed the torches cautiously. He wasn¡¯t sure what the alien technology did during the taming process to make her think of them as family, but he could feel her growing more and more attached to them with each hour. When he focused on her he could feel the vague emotions of curiosity and tiredness. She apparently wanted to sleep for the rest of the night after eating most of the Dilophosaurus earlier.


    He was about to call a halt to the group¡¯s travel, when Tilly stiffened, and he felt a sharp sense pass through their bond. He couldn¡¯t put the feeling into words, but it did its job of warning him. He held his hand up, and the group stopped, looking at him with confusion. Clara had to grab Soren¡¯s shoulder and pull him back. But Thrasher stopped without needing a verbal command so Jack was grateful. Tilly growled softly at one of the bushes ahead of them. Jack didn¡¯t see anything in the evening light that danced through the thick treetops, but before he had a chance to look deeper, the bush moved.


    A man stepped out, holding a large club similar to the one Jack carried, though made from a different wood. He had white skin and blond hair that had turned dark brown from dirt. He had a short beard, large nose, and a fresh scar running down his cheek. His ears stood out to Jack for some reason. It took a moment to realize that one of them had been nearly torn off and was sewn back into place with extremely crude thread. He was shirtless, his chest covered in mud which did very little to hide his muscles. Jack would have called him a body builder or male model back on earth, but here it just meant he was even more dangerous. He had on torn leather pants, and worn down hiking boots. There was a hard look in his eyes as he took in the party. His eyes lingered on Jack and Tilly, then onto the women in the baskets.


    Seven more people stepped out from the nearby bushes and trees. They all carried spears, except for one woman with brown hair who had a very primitive bow. An arrow carved fully from wood was aimed at them. Unlike the buff man, the others seemed more afraid, their eyes falling on Tilly.


    Jack slowly raised his hand, letting his club fall to his side. Tilly growled louder and arched her back. Soren and Clara both looked to Jack, then followed his lead and slowly put down their spears. Beth and Shelby moved closer to Thrasher. They hadn¡¯t been carrying spears in their hands, instead holding torches.


    ¡°Hello. We have come to trade.¡± Jack said.

 Chapter 23: The Wild Bunch

    ¡°My name is William. But you can call me Butch.¡± The large man said, stepping forward from the edge of the torchlight. He kept his club at his side, but didn¡¯t raise it. He stepped up to Jack, his eyes not fully leaving Tilly as he walked. He extended his hand for a handshake and Jack noticed he was not wearing an artifact. Jack put one hand on Tilly¡¯s neck to calm her and tried to push calm through their bond. He reached out with his other hand to shake Butch¡¯s.


    ¡°I¡¯m Jack. From the Roaring Falls tribe. My friends and I were sent here to try and make friends, find other survivors and trade if possible.¡± Butch¡¯s handshake was firm. After a single shake they both let go and Jack gestured to his friends. ¡°This is Soren, Clara, Beth, and Shelby. The two in the baskets are Aster and Izzy. The Parasaur is Thrasher, and this is Tilly.¡±


    Butch took a step back, and Tilly relaxed even more. He nodded to each person as they were introduced, and Jack could see compassion and worry in his eyes as he looked at the women in the baskets. He turned his attention back to Jack, as the other members of his tribe approached.


    ¡°Nice to meet other friendly faces. But something about your story doesn¡¯t make sense. If you were sent here, why do you have a tribe leader¡¯s artifact on your wrist?¡± He asked, looking into Jack¡¯s eyes. Jack didn¡¯t blink.


    ¡°Our tribe leader, Marcus, gave it to me for this mission. He was injured, and isn''t in a state to be running around taming dinosaurs at the moment. He knew we would need it for our mission to be successful.¡± He said. Honesty was the best policy, especially when someone was clearly suspicious of him.


    Butch nodded, seemingly satisfied with Jack¡¯s earnest answer. He gestured with his head to the women inside the baskets. ¡°What about them? What happened?¡± He asked.


    Beth stepped forward and gave a small smile.


    ¡°We are from a different tribe. We were attacked by a group of assholes. All of our men were killed, and the women were taken. The four of us managed to escape.¡± She gestured to Jack, Soren and Clara. ¡°They found us in the Bronto Valley, and helped us. We had previously met a scouting group from a tribe living in the redwoods and decided to try and find you. Aster and Izzy need rest, and we couldn¡¯t make it back to their camp in a reasonable time. I can tell you the full story, but I would like to request your aid. Can we rest with you for a few days and let them heal?¡± She asked.


    Before Butch could respond the woman with the bow stepped forward.


    ¡°Butch, it¡¯s getting dark. Those torches are going to start attracting things. We should bring them back to camp and have this conversation there.¡± She said. Butch sighed and Jack got the sense that he wasn¡¯t in charge. He might be a respected voice, but not the one calling the shots.


    ¡°I agree. You lot, put your torches out. Once darkness falls some nasty stuff comes out of the woods. There are enough fireflies and moonlight to see by most nights. If we move quickly we should make it back before night truly falls. Keep a tight hand on your tames, they will lash out at people not in their tribe. We learned that the hard way.¡± He said the last bit almost under his breath. But quickly turned and started leading everyone southeast. ¡°We are the Wild Bunch. I¡¯ll introduce everyone properly when we are safe.¡±


    Jack and Clara shared a look. She nodded. ¡°I have a good feeling about them.¡±


    ¡°Good enough for me. We don¡¯t have much choice anyway.¡± Jack said, grabbing his club and following the other tribe. He kept a hand on Tilly¡¯s back. His mind thinking about how they had been lucky to not fall into the Alien¡¯s trap. Bringing Tilly home to the tribe could have ended in disaster.


    Another look from Butch had them putting their torches out. As soon as they did, the noise of the woods increased around them. Insects were the most noticeable, buzzing louder and closer to the group as they danced around the flowing vegetation. Many smaller noises started to appear, the calls of birds and shrill cries of something else echoed through the twisting undergrowth. Jack caught sight of a small rodent creature skittering out of a hole near a tree root. It jumped back into the hole when Tilly took a step towards it.


    A low rumbling noise made the members of the Wild Bunch stop in their tracks. Their spears raised. They glanced from bush to bush, and two people in the center moved back to back and looked directly up. Jack and his people followed their lead, but Butch held his hand up to stop them. He brought a finger to his lips in the sign to be quiet. The rumbling noise passed after a minute, but no one moved for at least five minutes. Thrasher started to shift his weight in discontent and Soren moved silently to comfort him. After another few seconds Butch motioned for them to start moving again. But he reiterated the need to quiet as they moved.


    It wasn¡¯t much longer until they reached their destination. They had gained a bit of altitude as the forest floor sloped upwards, and they passed a small creek trickling down the hillside. It was choked with vegetation when compared to the one they had found in the jungle, but still deep enough for small fish to swim along it. They followed the creek until they reached one of the downed redwood trees. It wasn¡¯t the largest they had seen, but it was easily twenty feet wide and two hundred feet long. It had clearly been laying in the jungle for a long time, as the inside of it had rotted away to the point where it could be used as a shelter.


    At the entrance to the tree was a small palisade of spears that had been dug into the ground to form a barrier to the forest. To Jack¡¯s eye, none of the spears were large enough to put up real resistance from any of the large predators he had seen. Even some of the ¡°medium¡± sized dinosaurs like a Baryonix could easily swipe those spears aside or just snap them with their bulk. The roaring bonfire that sat between the spears was most likely the real deterrent that had kept them safe. It was a healthy distance from the rotting wood that made up their shelter, but seeing it gave Jack a bad feeling. If that rotting wood caught fire, it would be beyond bad.


    Three men and one woman were on guard at the spear wall, and Butch called out with a whistle as they approached. The guards relaxed, and took steps closer to the fire to await their friend. Two of the hunters that had been with Butch moved ahead, sharing brief words of welcome with the guards before they ran into the tree and out of Jack¡¯s vision. With no torches, their vision ended with the firelight. The rest of the group stepped up to the guards, and Butch quickly explained that they had guests before motioning Jack and Tilly forward. The guards stiffened upon seeing the tiger, and she let out a low growl as they raised their spears. But Jack kept his hand on her and she didn¡¯t attack.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get those women out of the baskets and get them to our healer. We don¡¯t have any proper medical staff, but we have a fellow obsessed with gardening who has been trying to make natural medicines and stuff. He can manage letting them rest and keeping them hydrated.¡± He said.


    ¡°Thank you for the help. Shelby, can you go with them? Beth if you don¡¯t mind I would like you to stay with us and explain your side of the story when their leader arrives.¡± Jack said. Soren and Clara had already settled Thrasher beside the fire, and he was enjoying the warmth as they pulled his baskets off.


    Shelby and Clara helped get the women out of the baskets, and Butch noticed that they were both naked. He squinted at Jack, but Beth joined them and raised her hand for peace. Jack could feel Butch sizing him up, as he did the same. He guessed that Butch was physically stronger than himself, but they were close enough that it could go either way. Jack guessed that he had more experience fighting Dinosaurs, but he got the impression that neither of them had fought many people seriously.


    ¡°Ugh. Men.¡± Beth said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Both of you knock it off. Jack saved us, and Butch and his people are offering us help. Let''s sit and talk.¡±


    Jack chuckled to himself, and they both looked slightly chastised. Jack sat beside the fire, and Tilly lay beside him. Butch did likewise, and Soren moved to join them as Clara and Shelby helped the women into the trunk with the other members of the Wild Bunch. Jack started to warm himself by the fire, finally letting some of the pressure from the last two days roll off his shoulders. He felt the pain in his arms more than his chest. He started to open the bandage on his right arm, and winced as it came back sticky. Several of the stitches had broken, and the skin was red, but didn¡¯t look infected. As far as Jack could tell at least.


    ¡°What gave you those?¡± Butch asked.


    ¡°This little lady right here a few nights ago. She was stalking us after we killed her mate. Attacked while I was on watch. I took these to save my neck. Pure adrenaline and Clara¡¯s skill with a bola let us push her off me and pin her long enough for the tame to work. Soren here did the stitches, but I won¡¯t lie, it hurts like a bitch.¡± He said, showing both men the wound.


    ¡°Yeah, you are stupid lucky. If she was any bigger, or had gotten more than one claw into you there, that could have been the end of you.¡± Soren said. ¡°You want me to try and fix those broken stitches?¡±


    Jack shook his head, wincing as he remembered the pain of getting them in. ¡°I think I¡¯ll let Shelby do it if you don¡¯t mind.¡± He said, causing Soren to smile.


    ¡°Good answer. I never want to do that shit ever again.¡± The redhead replied. Before Jack could ask Butch about his scar, or Butch could ask another question, Soren continued with one of his own.


    ¡°So. How do you get Butch from William?¡± He asked.


    That question got a grunt from the man, but laughter from his tribemates. The young women who had been carrying the bow moved to join them at the fire.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°We¡¯re called the Wild Bunch. Back on earth they were a notorious gang of wild west bank robbers and cattle thieves. Under the lead of one Butch Cassady. Our leader is named Cassady, so it only felt fair that we should have a Butch, and Will here fit the bill perfectly.¡± The women ruffled his hair, which clearly only served to annoy him more. But he wisely didn¡¯t complain about it or the nickname. Jack saw acceptance in his eyes, and guessed that his relationship with the younger women was similar to his own with Mavis.


    A pang of worry for his friends shot through him. But he knew they would be okay for a few days without him, and that his work was important. Soren and the young women had started chatting about something that Jack missed, so he waited a moment before interrupting them.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t catch your name.¡± He said, and the women looked slightly embarrassed.


    ¡°I¡¯m Macy. Macy Heart. Nice to meet you.¡± She said, and Butch took his turn to chuckle.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure.¡± Jack said.


    Suddenly Tilly growled, her eyes looking into the darkness of the tree trunk. She didn¡¯t move, but Jack saw a large shape slowly making its way out of the darkness. As it entered the firelight he saw it was a stegosaurus. It lumbered into the clearing, its skin was a deep green, and its bony plates were covered in a network of blood vessels that caused them to flush a dull orange. He couldn''t see its tail in the light, only the glints of its spikes as it¡¯s tail waved back and forth. It stopped a good ten feet from the fire, unwilling to get closer to it.


    Beside the giant stood a woman with hair as dark as the night sky. She was short, no more than five feet, with suntanned skin and piercing brown eyes. What stood out to Jack more than anything was her outfit. A black cowboy hat, simple grey crop top, and leather biking pants with accompanying boots. She had a red pendant around her neck, and several rings of gold and silver on her fingers. The jade green alien bracelet rested on her right wrist, and her left hand hovered over a pistol that was in a holster on her hip.


    Jack could have probably crushed her with a single solid punch, and he could absolutely kill her with his club if he made contact with her. But the look in her eyes and her body language told him she was both smart and a force of personality. She wouldn¡¯t be the one leading a raid, but he had no doubt she would be a very dangerous enemy. He stood up, quickly speaking to Tilly to keep her calm.


    ¡°Stay girl. It¡¯s ok.¡± He said, taking a step towards the tribe leader. The stegosaurus eyed him, but didn¡¯t move. He could feel the women studying him, from the wounds on his chest and arm, to his muscles and the look in his eyes. She took a step forward, her hand moving away from the pistol on her hip. Jack wondered if it still had ammo. He suspected that was part of the reason she had worn it to meet him.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. My men told me the gist, but I wouldn¡¯t mind hearing it from the source. I¡¯m Cassady Calhoun, leader of the Wild Bunch.¡± She said, extending her hand to shake. Her voice was deeper than Jack had expected, but he didn¡¯t hesitate to return the handshake.


    ¡°Jack Wilson, I¡¯m the head warrior of the Roaring Falls Tribe. This is Soren McDarcy, and my companion Clara Green is inside with the sick women.¡± He said. He made a point to make his handshake firm, but not crushing. Her hand was not soft, but she was so much smaller than him that he was worried about hurting her.


    The handshake broke quickly, and she gestured for them to return to the fire. She eyed Soren for a moment, then Tilly and finally Thrasher. The Stego rumbled, then sat down behind her as Macy moved to scratch its neck. It made a happy rumbling sound not unlike the one¡¯s Thrasher makes. They all sat beside the fire, and Cassady tossed another branch into it from the pile of timber.


    ¡°So. Tell me about the naked women in the baskets.¡± She said.


    Jack gestured to Beth, who gave a nod to Cassady and introduced herself.


    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Beth. We aren''t technically part of the Roaring Falls tribe. At least not officially. They saved us from a Dilophosaurus and starvation this morning, and we led them here. We used to be part of a tribe to the west of here, across the river. We met one of your scouting parties, and after our leader died and lost the bracelet, we tried to find you for help. But by that point we were already sick from the water and lack of food. Another tribe found us, and.¡± She choked on the words. Tears stung at her eyes, gleaming in the firelight. Cassidy¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°They kill the men and take the women? Group of American men in their late twenties with sports jerseys?¡± She asked, and Beth nodded.


    ¡°I see.¡± Cassady continued. ¡°There is another tribe that lives north of us, beside a massive lake surrounded by jungle. They had a run in with this group and warned us that they had been moving around. Apparently they had tried to attack the Lake tribe, but had been scared off by their dinos.¡±


    ¡°They have a Carnotaurus now, and at least one triceratops. I don¡¯t think they will be so easily deterred anymore.¡± Beth said, wiping her eyes.


    Cassady¡¯s face was hard to read, other than the anger in her eyes. She kept her voice calm though as she spoke to Beth.


    ¡°Thank you. You don¡¯t have to say any more. You and your girls are welcome here as long as you need. Rest up. We have food, and clean water enough to go around.¡± She then turned to Jack and Soren. ¡°What about you two? Why are you here?¡± She asked.


    Soren opened his mouth, but Jack stopped him with a raised hand before he could start a tangent.


    ¡°Several reasons. We are looking for a doctor or medic of some kind. Our second in command was poisoned by an Arthropleura, and we have a woman who was mauled by a different Sabertooth.¡± He emphasized the word differently as he pet Tilly, who had started to purr. ¡°We are also looking to make friends. We originally came with two baskets full of thread to trade, but we had to leave much of it behind to carry the women safely. We still have some to serve as a demonstration of what we can make. From what we have seen, these woods lack the ferns needed to make the thread in the same way. But are full of other resources. And finally, we want to form some sort of alliance with you and any other tribes we can find. We don¡¯t know when, but sometime soon the Aliens are going to start dropping supplies between tribes to try and stir up conflict between us. We want to share these supply drops.¡± Jack took a breath. Both Cassady and Butch seemed happy with his words at first, but looked concerned when he told them about the drops.


    ¡°How do you know about these drops?¡± Cassady said skeptically. Jack glanced down at her bracelet and noticed it was missing the encyclopedia and tribe log charms. He made a decision and held up his own bracelet, showing off the extra charms on it.


    It took Butch a moment to understand, but he noticed Cassady¡¯s hands curl into fists. Before they could ask questions Jack spoke up.


    ¡°We figured out that parts of the alien story didn¡¯t add up. When we confronted them about it, they gave us more information. Apparently, we are being used as entertainment by their different factions. Some want war, some want peace, some genuinely want to help us, but they all want to watch. If you ask the right questions, this thing gets more features.¡± He explained.


    Butch and Cassady weren''t the only members of the Wild Bunch listening to them. The guards, still watching the woods, as well as Macy and several others who hadn''t been introduced looked on in concern as they spoke. Murmurs started to spread around them as people reacted to the information with varying amounts of concern and anger. After a few moments Cassady and Butch shared a look. They nodded and turned back to Jack.


    ¡°Tell us everything you know, and we will agree to be in an alliance with your tribe. Do you have the authority to agree to hunt down the bastards that attacked Beth¡¯s tribe?¡± She asked.


    Jack took a moment to think. He eventually nodded.


    ¡°The laws set down by our tribe leader Marcus and the tribe council encourage us to be peaceful and try diplomacy first. However I have no doubts that with Beth¡¯s story and my own urging we will have no issue in declaring war on them. I knew their leader back on earth, he was part of the survivors that landed with us at the start of this. His name is Shane Gerling, and he deserves death for what he has done.¡± Jack spoke with conviction. Finding himself getting angrier with each word. He took a breath to calm himself.


    Cassady nodded, and extended her hand to Jack once more.


    ¡°Well then. As leader, I officially offer an alliance between our tribes. We can sit down and settle the details for trade and such later. It¡¯s late and I don¡¯t have the head for it right now. But you are welcome here.¡± She said.


    Jack took her hand, and as he opened his mouth to respond both of their bracelets shone with green light. It was so surprising and bright that Jack could only close his eyes. But when he opened them, a new charm was resting on the bracelet. It was shaped like a scroll. He touched it, and a familiar screen showed up in front of him. It read Tribe Alliances and Diplomacy. The tab only showed one option, The Wild Bunch. He selected it and saw an outline of their verbal agreement spelled out for him. There were two other tabs, one for trade, and one for war. Both were greyed out.


    ¡°Well then. That didn¡¯t happen when we made a deal with the Lake Tribe.¡± Cassady said, looking at her own screen.


    ¡°Tom wasn¡¯t wearing the bracelet when we shook hands.¡± Butch said. ¡°They didn¡¯t have the extra charms either. What do they do by the way?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Tribe log lets you see who is in your tribe, and track your dinosaurs. The other one is an encyclopedia. It lets you study the dinos in each biome. Its similar to the identification feature it has, but more general to the different species.¡± Jack explained.


    A dark look showed in Cassady¡¯s eyes as she spoke ¡°Tribe log.¡± The screen appeared for her, but Jack couldn¡¯t see what it said. The associated charm appeared for her.


    ¡°If we had this, we wouldn¡¯t have had any casualties when we brought home Lego.¡± She said, gritting her teeth. Butch put a hand on her shoulder. She seemed to scan the list, then closed it.


    ¡°It''s still missing a few people.¡± She said.


    ¡°The alien told us that to join the tribe, you have to give your loyalty to the tribe leader. That will add you to the list.¡± Soren said.


    ¡°Well then. I won¡¯t be losing anyone else to this trap.¡± She stood up, looking at the bracelet. ¡°Encyclopedia.¡± She said, and the charm appeared. She closed it without digging into it.


    ¡°I suspect that being allies will let our dino¡¯s not attack each other. But to be safe, stay with your Sabertooth for the night and don¡¯t let her hurt anyone. We can talk more in the morning.¡±


    Jack nodded, and stood up to shake her hand one more time. ¡°Good night. We can discuss trade and such tomorrow.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what else he should say. But the moment didn¡¯t last long as she walked away.


    More people came out of the tree as she left, and they spent an hour or so chatting with the other tribe before laying down to sleep. Clara had returned with Shelby, and given word that the other women were doing ok. It seemed like there were only around thirty or so members of the Wild Bunch. Approximately twenty men and ten women. It turns out they were all from a town in northern Texas before the world ended, and had split from the rest of their landing group when they had been attacked by some sort of prehistoric turkeys. They weren¡¯t sure what had happened to the other tribe, but they hadn''t seen any signs of them since then.


    At some point Macy started telling scary stories with some of the others. Jack shared a few he knew from his days camping, but the creepiest one of the night came from one of the guards. It was about his first night on guard in this world. About how he looked into the darkness that first night as the campfire fought the edge of the woods back. It was silent for hours, without any movement save for the wind in the bushes. Until the firelight flickered and he added wood. When the light grew he saw a creature standing at the edge of the clearing. Two amber eyes watching him from the forest. He claimed it looked like a giant human, but he only saw its silhouette. The guard seemed more freaked out than anyone else as he told the story, and Jack got the sense it wasn¡¯t the first time the others had heard it. There was real fear in his eyes, and Jack didn¡¯t blame him. The night was full of terror here. He had been stalked by Sabertooth¡¯s during his watch at least three times. Maybe the man had seen some sort of great ape, or just a dinosaur that had been stalking him.


    Jack didn¡¯t sleep particularly well after that.

 Chapter 24: Interlude- The Hunter

    POV: Mattock Finch


    The sound of Nate throwing up made Matt smile. The young man had been very gung-ho about helping with the hide from the Sabertooth, and had promised that he wouldn¡¯t complain or lose his lunch when Matt had warned him about how disgusting the process could be. Matt had learned how to tan deer hide when he had followed in his father''s footsteps to become a professional hunter. He remembered his first time in the tanning shed and had done much worse than Nate. And that had been with the proper tools and chemicals. What they were doing now was on a new level of disgusting, so he was impressed Nate had only thrown up once.


    The day after Jack and the hunters had left, Miles and Mavis had started arguing about whether or not it was possible to make a saw out of stone. Neither of them had come up with anything, and their failure only added to the tense atmosphere in the camp. With Marcus¡¯s arm injured and no painkillers he had gotten grumpy, and with Gordon sick, Maple barely able to move from her wounds, and a handful of others with some sort of stomach bug from drinking unboiled water, people had more than enough to be worried about before thinking about the dangers that still surrounded their camp. Matt was more than happy to ignore it all for the task of tanning.


    He had gone to work skinning the tiger, already having removed its fangs and claws to give out for use as knives. While he was very practiced at skinning animals, he had never hunted a big cat before but the process wasn¡¯t dissimilar to skinning any other large animal. He had hunted elk and deer plenty of times, and while he wished he had all his tools with him, it only took a few hours to get the hide off the body. He checked it over, and was satisfied that it had clean cuts and no holes. He had been skeptical about Jack¡¯s ridiculous club, but other than the skull, which he didn¡¯t bother to skin, the hide was in near perfect condition.


    Nate and his friends had gone out hunting for the day, but returned empty handed a few hours before nightfall. They had described seeing a large carnivore of some sort, like a small T-rex with longer arms, and had wisely decided to not push their luck by confronting it. They had helped out around camp, adding manpower to get more of the wall up and start laying the first foundations of a longhouse with Miles. Nate had come to assist Matt though, and asked to learn the process of how to harvest the meat and tan the hides.


    Harvesting the meat wasn¡¯t hard, but the Sabertooth wasn¡¯t great for eating. Most carnivores weren¡¯t. He had given Nate an anatomy lesson to the best of his ability, carving away what cuts he thought could be edible. Back on earth he wouldn¡¯t have bothered, but here they needed the food. They had carried the meat to Ms Margaret, and Matt had made it clear that this meat needed to be cooked well done to remove the risk of parasites and other things common in carnivore flesh. Dinner that night had not been particularly tasty, but it could have been a lot worse.


    Matt spent the night shift explaining the process of tanning to Nate and whoever else wanted to learn. He demonstrated how to clean and trim the hide with his knife as they sat around the fire, but the more he explained, the less people wanted to learn. He had taken one of the smaller logs with Miles'' permission and made a very simple beam. He laid the hide on it and started to scrape it clean. It was much harder without a proper scraping tool, and he made a few mistakes, though none bad enough to ruin the hide. Mavis had come over when she noticed him cursing, and he described the type of tool he wanted to her. She said that she would see what she could do, but it would likely take a few days. He thanked her, and let Nate give it a go. They got all the flesh off and trimmed the edges of the hide until Matt was satisfied. He then weighed it down in the water and left it to soak. They had to shower three times under the waterfall and scrub at their arms to get most of the smell off. Matt hoped someone smarter than him would figure out how to make soap soon.


    The next morning he and Nate started the hard part. They moved the beam to the outskirts of camp and retrieved the hide to start scraping it. Soaking it overnight had caused the smell to worsen as it began to rot and fall apart. That was the goal however, and it let them get at the different layers of the hide to scrape away the parts they didn¡¯t want. They worked at it for a few hours before Matt was satisfied, and they took a break to clean up and rest. They showered again, and got some clean food and water. Berries were on the menu today, along with some other fruit.


    Matt overheard some arguments from the waterfall cave, and listened briefly as Marcus started to blow up at the lazy art student Lennox. He was ready to intervene if his friend went too far, but he agreed that the useless manchild needed a wake-up call. One of the few rules in this new world was that you needed to work to survive, and Lennox wasn¡¯t working. Marcus gave him the task to make a kiln, and start turning the clay they had gathered into pottery so they could gather and boil water more efficiently. Lennox didn¡¯t seem happy about it, but after Marcus yelled some more the man stopped complaining.


    Matt checked on Marcus after that, and the two shared some time together before Matt was called to continue with their project by Nate. He had given Marcus a nod and put his hand on his friend''s shoulder, which was as much as a hug as either men wanted to get or give when they both stank like a slaughterhouse and one of them was injured. They had barely exchanged five words the entire time, but that was more than enough.


    Nate quickly came to regret helping with the next steps of tanning. They had soaked the hide again, and then continued to scrape the other side. Matt was sorry they had not cut the hide into smaller pieces by the time they had finished, as the Sabertooth had so much fur to work with that each step took two to three times longer than he was used to. But eventually they got all the membrane off. When they were done, they wrung out the hide as best they could. Keeping it wet, but not soaking.


    ¡°Now for the fun part. You should go ask Mavis if she figured out nose plugs.¡± Matt had said to Nate. They both knew she hadn¡¯t but it was the first time that Matt had really made any sort of joke as they worked, and Nate took the excuse to smile.


    ¡°I can handle some stink. I helped muck out the area those Styracosaurus are nesting in.¡± He had said.


    ¡°Alright then, time to get the brains.¡± Matt had said with a smile, and led Nate to a hole he had dug. It was full of water, and a small fire had been built underneath it, tunneled in from the side. Matt was impressed with whoever had dug it. Apparently the highschoolers who usually helped Ms Margaret had been given the task, as they weren¡¯t strong enough to help with the building and too fidgety to help the crafters. It had taken a few tries until they got it right, but a hole in the ground with a fire below it wasn¡¯t the most difficult thing in the world to work out. It only needed to hold a few gallons of water. Still they had warned Matt not to poke too hard at the bottom of the hole or it would collapse and put out the fire.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Matt filled the hole with water using one of the leaf bowls that Taressa had made to catch rainwater, then lit the fire and let it warm. He had been pleasantly surprised when he asked Ms Margaret if she knew how to render the fat from the dinosaurs they had killed. There apparently was much more to her than just a school lunch lady, and she gave him a small amount of it. They didn¡¯t have the pots she was used to, but had managed to get some rendered fat by building a small stone bowl and leaving it by the fire. Most of her attempts had failed, but she apparently knew he would need some in his tanning process. He had thanked her graciously and made a mental note to do something nice for her at some point.


    When the water was boiling, he stopped the fire and let it cool to the point it wouldn¡¯t hurt to touch. He added the rendered fat to the water and told Nate to stir it. Nate shrugged and did as he was asked. It didn¡¯t stink at all, but that changed when Matt went to the edge of camp where he had stored the crushed Sabertooth skull. He carried it back to the hole in the ground, then slowly scooped out its crushed brains, making sure to remove the bone fragments. He added it to the warm water and took small delight in Nate¡¯s pale face. Obviously Matt had never used Sabertooth tiger brains to make a tanning solution before, but he also hadn''t used Hadrosaur fat. He wasn¡¯t a chemist but he could tell from the smell of the brain solution that what they had made was similar to what he was used to.


    When the brain had mostly dissolved, Matt grabbed the hide and tossed it into the hole. He had Nate stir it around and make sure that every part of the hide was covered. The hole was a bit smaller than he would have liked, and he realized that they would need a larger cauldron or bucket for the next time. He hoped that the kiln project went well.


    Once the hide was submerged and soaked, he and Nate had to both reach in and grab the hide to wring it out by hand. This is where Nate had to step away and throw up. The smell, combined with the texture of warm brain juice was too much for him and he took a few minutes to get fresh air before coming back. Matt gave him a respectful nod.


    ¡°You are doing quite well. My first time I didn¡¯t come back to finish. My dad had to come get me.¡± He said with a smile.


    ¡°This sucks. A lot. But I keep telling myself that if it gets cold, everyone here is going to need warm clothing or we will freeze to death. And this is the only way to do that.¡± Nate said, but his face turned green when he looked down at the white liquid.


    ¡°Good man.¡± Matt said, and leaned down to pull the hide out of the solution. He twisted it around and started to wring it out without Nate¡¯s help.


    ¡°And if the weather doesn''t end up changing, we can use these as blankets or simple doors. The Native Americans would make teepees out of buffalo hide. It can also be used for shoes, leather strips, armor, or to trade to the people who do live in cold climates. Using as much of every animal we kill as possible is a good way to treat the world.¡± Matt continued to explain as he got as much of the liquid out as possible from the hide. He then brought it to the beam and wrapped it around the pole. He twisted it as much as he could to wring out the last bits of the solution, then brought it back and dumped it in again.


    ¡°What''s the point of putting it back in?¡± Nate asked? Still visibly disgusted.


    ¡°We need to make sure to get the entire thing soaked all the way though. We do this four or five more times until we run out of the stamina to keep going. Or until we run out of solution. It¡¯s starting to seep into the ground more and more, so we may only get through three cycles.¡± Matt said, sitting down and gesturing for Nate to stir the foul smelling liquid.


    They let it sit for a few minutes and went to check in with Miles. The wall the builders had been working on was constructed by laying logs on top of each other and using mud and clay as mortar. It was already close to being done and surrounded about seventy five percent of the camp. They had only been able to stack the logs about eight feet tall, and they all knew that something like a rex could easily step over them, but the smaller predators and even the medium sized dinos would have a hard time getting through. The four legged animals like the Triceratops had the same problem as elephants back on earth, they were too heavy to jump. They could ram into the walls and bring them down, but most animals would only do that if they were extremely agitated. As the amount of space they had to work on decreased, a small handful of builders was no longer necessary. Matt had explained his plan to Miles the night before, and the builder had agreed to shift priorities from the longhouse to a small smokehouse for him.


    The construction had already been started. Calling it a shed would be generous, and they would need a bigger one once they had another big kill, but it was perfect for the small tanning operation he and Nate were working on. It would continue to be useful in the future as well. While it wouldn¡¯t be enough to smoke a full mammoth hide, it would be enough for a large elk or a dozen smaller things. Matt didn¡¯t need to stick around to watch them build it. At least one of the builders seemed to have a good idea of what was needed. Based on their current progress, it would be done in a few hours, so he and Nate went back to the brain solution.


    They spent the next hour and a half soaking and wringing out the hide. By the time the solution had either evaporated or seeped into the ground they were both exhausted. They stank, and whenever the wind shifted the people in camp would shoot them dirty looks. There was nothing to do about it though, and they moved onto the second to last step. They had to stretch the hide out to make sure it didn¡¯t harden into rawhide. They each grabbed a different side, and started to pull and stretch. Both of them were so exhausted by this point that Haden and some of the others on break had to come over to help them. They pulled and twisted the hide, then used some of the twine to string it up tight. They took turns hitting it, pulling it, rubbing it, and drumming on it. The younger men started to make bop-it jokes, which Matt was both too old and too tired to understand, but it got many smiles and laughs from his helpers so he didn¡¯t complain.


    When the hide was fully dry and satisfactorily soft, Matt carried it over to the new smokehouse. A fire had already been started, and Ms Margaret was directing some of her helpers as they added different types of wood and leaves to the fire. The winning combination was letting hardwood burn down to coals, then adding some wood that had been slightly rotted out. They had plenty of the stuff, and soon the smokehouse was living up to its name.


    Normally Matt would have stapled the hide into a sort of bag and let the smoke flow directly into it. But he didn¡¯t have staples, and didn¡¯t trust his sewing skills to replicate that technique. Instead he and Nate hung the stretched hide inside the hut, and let it rest.


    They spent a solid hour showering after that, scrubbing as hard as they could to get clean under the waterfall. They only stopped when the sun went down and they started to shiver. Most of the camp had gotten nose blind to them by then anyway, so they didn¡¯t get any complaints.


    Before he fell asleep, Jade pulled Matt aside. Apparently they were planning a celebration of sorts for the completion of the wall which should be finished the next day. They needed him to go hunting again and bring back something large enough to feed the entire tribe. He was happy to do so, and said he would gather the hunters in the morning.


    That night he sat beside Ms Margaret at the fire. They didn¡¯t talk much, but he enjoyed her company, and thought that she enjoyed his too. Life might be hard on Kittis, but Matt started to find a rhythm for himself. One he enjoyed quite a bit.