As the team walked, they couldn't help but worry about the tracks they had come across. Despite the size suggesting that the creatures would be easy to spot, they hadn't seen anything.
As if on cue, Lily's sharp eyes caught movement in the distance. She stopped abruptly. "Wait. Do you see that?"
The team followed her pointed finger, shielding their eyes against the sunlight. In the distance, a large herd of creatures grazed peacefully.
Their forms were hard to make out from this distance. However, one thing was for sure—the creatures were massive.
They seemed to have curved horns on their heads that glinted like polished stone but they couldn't make out anything else.
"What are those things?" Ethan asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
Sam tried guessing. "They look like some kind of... cow? Or maybe rhino? Hard to tell from here."
Walter, leaning on his cane, chimed in. "Whatever they are, they're big and might be the ones who left those tracks from before."
Lily nodded. "I think we should take a closer look. Maybe even follow them—they should know where to find water."
Victor hesitated. "We need to be careful. We don't know how they'll react or what they're capable of."
Ethan grinned. "What's the worst that could happen? They attack us? We can probably handle it."
Sam shot him a look. "Let's not tempt fate. We'll approach slowly and quietly. Let's first figure out what we're looking at."
The team moved forward quickly closing the distance. The closer they got the more cautious they were, the tall grass provided some cover, but the open terrain made it difficult to stay well hidden.
As they drew closer, they could see the herd more clearly. The creatures were even larger up close—their hide looked tough, similar to the mammoth's. Their heads were huge and had a large frill, their horns curved gracefully.
Lily crouched low, her sharp eyes narrowing as she tried to get a better look. "AJ," she whispered, "Can you see them clearly? Do you know what they are?"
AJ rippled slightly, his form shifting as Lily lifted him above the grass for a better view. His gelatinous body shimmered in the sunlight as he focused on the herd.
His voice, clear and confident, echoed in their minds. "They look like... triceratops. Prehistoric herbivores. They're tough... built like... tanks."
Ethan's eyes widened. "Triceratops? Like, the dinosaur? You've got to be kidding me. Which kid wished these back into existence?" he said in disbelief.
Sam's expression turned thoughtful. "AJ's right, we're looking at something straight out of prehistory. And those horns on their heads aren't just for show."
Lily lowered AJ back to the ground, her expression serious. "Let's keep our distance. We have plenty of food—it's water we need."
Ethan crossed his arms. "I guess we play follow the leader for a while then."
---
The team moved cautiously, keeping a respectful distance from the herd of triceratops. The massive creatures lumbered slowly across the plains, their heavy footsteps shaking the ground faintly even from afar.
The team stayed low, using the tall grass as cover, their eyes darting between the herd and the surrounding landscape for any signs of danger.
They're so much bigger up close, Lily thought, her grip tightening on her bow. She glanced at AJ, who rippled silently beside her, his form blending almost seamlessly with the grass. At least we don't have to worry too much about our surroundings since he can warn us if something's coming.
Ethan kept his axe at the ready. "You know," he muttered, keeping his voice low, "I'm starting to think following these guys might not have been the best idea. What if they see us and decide we're a threat? Or worse, what if something even bigger decides they look like a nice meal and we're caught in the middle?"
Sam shot him a sideways glance. "You're the one who said we could handle it," he whispered back, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Besides, they're herbivores. As long as we don't provoke them, we should be fine."
Victor, still favouring his injured side, spoke. "We'll know if they want to deal with us, we should be able to outrun them. Its the potential predators I'm worried about."
The team fell silent, their attention returning to the herd. The triceratops moved with a slow, deliberate grace, their massive heads dipping occasionally to graze on the grass.
The sun climbed higher in the sky, casting shadows across the plains. Hours passed, and the landscape began to change subtly. The grass grew thicker, and the air carried a faint dampness that hadn't been there before.
Lily was the first to notice it. She paused, crouching low and placing a hand on the ground. "Do you feel that?" she whispered. "The ground's getting softer and the air... it smells different. Fresher."
Sam knelt beside her, pressing his palm into the earth. "You're right. We must be getting close to water."
Ethan's eyes lit up with hope. "Finally! I was starting to think these big guys were just wandering aimlessly."
Victor shook his head. "Don't get too excited yet. Water means life, but it also means danger."
As if to emphasise his point, a distant roar echoed across the plains, sending a shiver down their spines. The sound was deep and guttural, unlike anything they'd heard before.
The triceratops herd paused, their heads lifting in unison as they scanned the horizon. For a moment, the plains fell eerily silent.
"That didn't... sound friendly," AJ's voice echoed in their minds, his form rippling uneasily. "and it's big."
The team moved closer together, their senses on high alert. The triceratops herd began to move again, this time with more urgency.
Their pace quickened, their massive bodies swaying as they headed toward a low ridge in the distance. The team followed, their footsteps light and their eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of movement.
As they crested the ridge, the source of the dampness became clear. Below them, a wide river cut through the plains, its waters glinting in the sunlight.
The triceratops herd made their way toward it, their movements slow but deliberate. The riverbank was dotted with other creatures.
Smaller herbivores drinking cautiously, birds flitting between the reeds, and even a few predators lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
"There it is," Sam said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Water. Plenty of it."
Ethan grinned, though his eyes remained wary. "Looks like our dinosaur friends came through for us. Now what? I'm guessing we're not going to waltz down there and start filling our bottles?"
Victor shook his head. "Not yet. We need to scout the area first. That roar we heard earlier... it came from somewhere near here."
Lily nodded, her sharp eyes scanning the riverbank. "I'll take point. I can't get any clear signals from the mana here, AJ, can you sense anything unusual?"
AJ rippled slightly, his form shifting as he extended his senses. The mana in the area was chaotic, a swirling mix of energies from the river, the plants, and the creatures nearby. After a moment, his voice echoed in their minds. "There's something... a powerful... mana signature... but it's faint. It's coming... from upstream... near those rocks."
The team followed his gaze to a cluster of large boulders further up the river. The area was shrouded in shadow, the rocks jutting out like jagged teeth. Even from a distance, it felt... off.
Walter frowned, his grip tightening on his cane. "That doesn't look like a natural formation. We should avoid it."
Victor nodded. "Agreed. Let's find a safe spot to set up camp first. We'll scout the area once we've secured our position."
The team moved carefully along the ridge, keeping to the cover of the tall grass. The river was within reach, but the sense of unease lingered.
---
The team found a small dip in the terrain, just far enough from the river to avoid drawing attention but close enough to keep an eye on the water.
The spot was sheltered by the tall grass, providing some cover from prying eyes. They worked quickly and quietly, setting up a makeshift camp with practised efficiency.
"We'll take shifts keeping watch," Victor said, his voice low but firm. "Lily, you're first. Keep an eye on the river and the herd. If anything moves, we need to know."
Lily nodded, her bow slung over her shoulder as she settled into a crouch near the edge of the ridge. Her sharp eyes scanned the riverbank, taking in the details.
The triceratops herd had gathered near the water, their massive forms casting long shadows in the late afternoon sun. They drank together, their movements slow and deliberate, but there was an undercurrent of tension in the air.
The rest of the team busied themselves with setting up camp. Ethan and Sam gathered dry grass and twigs to start a small fire, whilst Walter and AJ worked on organising their supplies.
AJ's gelatinous form shifted as he absorbed a few small rocks and sticks, converting them into usable materials for the camp. His ability to manipulate matter had become invaluable, and the team had come to rely on him more and more.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, painting the plains in hues of orange and gold, the camp began to take shape.
The fire crackled softly, its warmth a comforting presence in the vast expanse of the plains. The team sat in silence, their eyes occasionally flicking toward the river and the herd of triceratops.
Lily noticed something strange, a subtle shift in the herd's behaviour. The triceratops had stopped drinking and were now standing in a tight formation, their heads lowered and their horns pointed towards the river.
A low, rumbling sound echoed across the riverbank, and the ground beneath them seemed to tremble.
"Something's wrong," Lily whispered, her voice tense. "The herd's on edge."
The team turned their attention to the river, their senses on high alert. At first, there was nothing—just the gentle flow of the water and the occasional call of a bird.
But then, a ripple broke the surface of the river, followed by another. Something was moving in the water, something large.
Ethan gripped his axe. "What is that? Another dinosaur?"
Before anyone could answer, the water erupted. A large crocodile burst from the river, its jaws wide open.
Its body was covered in thick, armoured scales, and its eyes glinted with a predatory hunger. The creature lunged at a smaller triceratops, its movements surprisingly fast for its size.
The herd reacted instantly. The triceratops bellowed, a deep, resonant sound that echoed across the plains. One of the larger males stepped forward, its horns lowered.
With a powerful upward thrust, its horns slammed into the crocodile-like creature, the impact sending shockwaves through the ground.
The predator let out a screech, as its body was lifted clean off the ground by the force of the blow. It was sent a few metres up.
The team, who were getting up to check out the situation, were suddenly greeted with the view of a flying crocodile and were stunned by the sight, their jaws dropping.