FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Back at camp shortly after Matt and Jayden went into the woods, everything was going as expected, and the main fire was about to be lit when a sound catches the ears of a team member who looks up from the cardboard and sticks inside the ring of rocks.

"What is it?" someone asked.

After a brief pause, he said "almost like... big foot steps in the sand... whatever it is, it's being very careful"

All so slowly, carefully, the steps drew closer, until a shape broke through the trees, a large head with crests over the eyes, beautifully decorated in red. The animal looked around before emerging and showing its lightly feathered body of sandy grays and spots of black. It clearly didn't mind the crew.

Someone was already snapping pictures of it when the guy at the fire pit asked "what is it?"

"Allosaurus" a voice replied, calm, careful and confident, Hugh, an otter and the lead dinosaur expert.

The Allosaurus turned it's head and make a few gentle, almost purring calls. Soon a smaller, much more dully colored Allosaurus came out and they started looking around, slowly walking around, occasionally scratching the ground, coming close enough to camp to make everyone move. Suddenly the male started scratching the sand hard with his big feet, making a large trench which he soon laid down in. The female soon copied, giving space between her and her mate.

"what are they doing?"

Hugh replied "well, the big one, the male, he made sure it was safe, and now he's about to enjoy a dust bath with his mate"

The male puffed up his feathers and started scratching more sand around him with his mouth and hands, only to shuffle hi feet under him and kick it all up and into his feathers and scales, soon copied by the female.

The pair of Allosaurus took their time, scratching up more sand and shuffling and turning until it was level, once they where happy with how their stomachs where, they would roll onto one side and rub their heads and necks into the sand for a while before rolling to the other side and doing the same.

After nearly a hour of rolling in the sand, the male stood up and shook off, sending sand and rocks flying, he waited for his mate to do the same before leading her back to where they came from.

After trying a number of times already, a team mate finally got through to Matt with the radio "Matt, Jayden" he said "you should head back, a pair of Allosaurus just came through"

Matt and Jayden got dressed as quickly as they could and rushed back through the trees, despite the rush, Matt was still careful to not let the branches whip Jayden.

They broke through the trees and saw the two pits in the sand and a crushed tent. Jayden passed Matt "What happened!?" she called out.

"A pair of Allosaurus came through and took a dust bath" a member of the team explained and held up the camera "on the bright side, we got some awesome pictures"

Jayden looked around "is everyone okay?"

"We all got a little dust in our eyes, but other than that, we are fine"

Matt walked up behind Jayden "Perhaps we should move camp"

Jayden looked at Matt and than back at the tent and the team who nodded. She sighed and looked at her watch "in the time it would take to pack up it would be dark"

"Than I guess we stay" Matt said "I'll take the first night watch shift"

"I'm joining you" Jayden said and blushed "t-To make sure you don't fall asleep"

It was dark when Jake and Gena arrived, he pulled the boat up to the old dock and after checking it's stability, he tied the boat to it. "Now" he said "it's far too late to take off after them" He stood in the doorway and watched Gena, who eagerly wanted to slip past and find her son.

"But Jake" she said "Matt is out there and god knows what could be happening to him"

"I know... I know" he replied "but we won't be much help if we get killed on the way to him"

Gena nodded reluctantly "true..." she wanted to say more, but wasn't even sure what to say.

"We'll stay here for the night, get up bright and early and head out" Jake assured her and shut the door.

Outside, as the sun set and darkness fell, a pack of small dinosaurs raced through the trees and seeing the boat, they ventured onto the dock, curiously investigating the boat and ropes. They sniffed around, but found no signs of food and left.