Found family

It was a dark and stormy night…that’s how most dramatic tales are supposed to start. And how appropriate that *this* dramatic tale charts the journey of extraordinary creatures who choose a life of selfless service to others.

Isla Kela is at the mercy of storms that spend their time growing fat and angry over the fathomless ocean. They reach the shores and let loose their fury in waves of heavy rain and wild rapid breaths that can uproot trees. In one such storm, a sublime little creature rushes from cover to cover in the temperate forest. 

Covered in fine fluffy feathers of a tan-yellow colour, the young Therizinosaurus is drenched from head to toe. Panic-stricken and constantly looking for the next safe space, water drips from its gangly form. The youngster is far from its adult counterparts - towering, regal creatures that command awe and respect across the island.

Beneath the temporary cover of the large tree above, the youngster sniffles in the rain.

“Meep.”

The hatchling takes a few moments. She has been navigating the forest in this storm for what feels like hours. She’s not even sure if she has made any progress…or simply gone around in circles. What she wouldn’t give for the warmth and care of another living creature right now…

Barely a season old, she hatched in isolation in an old wooden shed. There was no sign of any others of her kind. Had it not been for a kindly owl that had taken up residence in the shed, the youngster might not have made it past her first few days. 

But an owl cannot raise a dinosaur.

With only a vague notion of trying to find others like her - someone who might be kind enough to take her in and at the very least show her how to survive - the youngster left the shed. And now here she is, squatting beneath a broad-leafed tree, ducking from the rain. In a contemporary world, she would be ‘considering her life choices up to this point.’ A big fat drop of water lands on her snout, making her flinch.

“Meeeeeeep,” she sighs.

Time to move again. One does not find a family by sitting still-

“Feeeep?”

The delicate little noise comes from behind the youngster somewhere. In the dim light of the evening and in the shade of this tree, everything is fuzzy and hidden in shadow. Save for two little glowing spots - a pair of eyes looking back.

“Feep?”

The tone is questioning and soft. 

“Meep,” she replies, in what she thinks is a confident manner.

The dark mass recoils slightly, and the glowing dots disappear and reappear rapidly - blinking. Whoever or whatever was hiding was trying to observe and analyse as much as she was. Based on her previous experience of meeting an unfriendly dinosaur - a meeting that is burned in to her memory - this was different. There was no growling, no screeching, and no chasing. If only she could see this other creature…

She lowers herself to a crouch and then steps backward a little. She doesn’t attempt to speak but makes a little ‘hmmm?’ hum. An invitation, to step a little forward into some light.

There is a pause as the stranger clearly contemplates their next move. 

With another couple of blinks, the dark mass starts to become less of a dark mass, revealing a creature with a slender neck but round little body, the early signs of large claws on little fingers, and covered in soft feathers in a canary-yellow colour. 

It’s another Therizinosaurus! Also a youngster!

“MEEEP MEEP!”

The excited squeak from the tan-yellow youngster is enough to startle canary-yellow, who scurries backwards a few steps.

“Meep-meep….meeeep…meeeeep” tan-yellow calms herself and slows her speech. She restarts the beckoning hums.

Canary-yellow steps forward again. Also dripping wet from the storm, she is a little smaller than tan-yellow - perhaps younger or less nourished. She shivers and sniffles.

“Feep,” she offers delicately. Her voice, even in infancy, is so soft and gentle. Tan-yellow feels comforted by it.

But there was clearly a language barrier here. Tan-yellow had not spent enough time with the owl to pick up any useful words, and her journey to this point had kept her constantly moving with little chance to interact with other dinosaurs. Perhaps canary-yellow had lived a similar life.

Tan-yellow takes a step forward and this time canary-yellow does not move. She looks about briefly, but does not move. Tan-yellow steps again. She keeps stepping, slowly and one by one until she is basically side-by-side with the other youngster. Despite being desperate for the comfort, she leaves space between them. She makes a slightly awkward shuffle until both youngsters are sat together, looking out into the gloom of the sodden forest. 

“Feep?” Canary-yellow questions.

“Me-meep,” tan-yellow responds.

For now, there seems to be a strange understanding between the two, even if its not a shared language. Perhaps its the shared experience in life. Or the shared mission. Was canary-yellow looking for a family too? 

They sat in a comfortable silence for some time, enough for the rain to start easing. It is still dark and the forest will be hard to navigate, but the lack of rain would make things easier. Tan-yellow moves first, making a sudden shuffle to stand up. This time, canary-yellow does not flinch. She does look suddenly to the other youngster though, eyes wide and slightly fearful. She didn’t want to lose the only friendly creature she had encountered.

Tan-yellow gives herself a shake and a little stretch, and takes just a few steps. She stops and looks back to canary-yellow using the beckoning hum. Canary-yellow gives her a pained expression, as if to say ‘do we have to move?’ She finally gets up and joins tan-yellow by her side. 

“Fe-feep,” comes a soft but firm little statement.

Tan-yellow gives a little affirmative nod and leads the way from under the cover of the tree. Canary-yellow stays close. The rain continues softly into the morning but with that rising sun and warmth comes the early blossom of a found family. What follows will be days of learning to understand each other, trust each other, and care for each other. 

They will need each other in the trials ahead.