Primitive Man

The cracking intensified, and everyone's attention was fixed on the emerging creature. Suddenly, a spray of egg juices erupted, catching Maro, Garnt, and Gundo off guard. Slimy and stinky, they exchanged surprised glances. Unami, having dodged the unexpected shower, smirked, "Luck was on my side this time!"

Gundo was on the verge of gagging, but she managed to stay calm for a second imagining Garnt's face and his naked body.

Ignoring the mess, they redirected their focus to the cracked egg. A reptilian eye peeked through, casting an eerie sensation. Rona, having returned with a container of insects, exclaimed, "Look! It's definitely the type of animal we fought inside that cave!"

Even Garnt was convinced at this point, that nothing was abnormal and this egg indeed belonged to that reptile they killed in the cave. He felt regret but he knew that's just how things worked, so instead of being sad he decided to take care of it.

"Is it a chameleon?" someone in the crowd wondered aloud.

As the eggshell continued to split, the emerging creature revealed itself—a small, scaly reptile covered in goo. Garnt, wiping egg juice from his face, couldn't help but marvel at what he witnessed next. It revealed a small reptile with two arms and two legs. It let out a series of squeaking growls, sounding much tinier than expected. Confusion filled the air.

"Wait, that's not a chameleon," Garnt said, realization dawning on him. "It looks very different, but for some reason, I know this creature,"

Ayra, who had gone silent, suddenly spoke up while still protecting Guni from any harm, "It's a dinosaur! Garnt, this is the same type of animal that attacked us on that day when we invaded Moga."

The crowd fell silent, stunned by the unexpected revelation. Garnt couldn't believe his eyes as the small dinosaur continued to growl in its miniature form. Maro, sensing the creature's vulnerability, approached it and began to lick the tiny dinosaur, providing the warmth it needed.

"What kind of twist is this?" Garnt wondered aloud, his gaze fixed on the unlikely newborn.

[That's my question. What is even going on here? I thought that egg was supposed to be a chameleon egg since that animal was close to it, but I guess it was there to devour this little one, as soon as it comes out.]

Eva had to guess since she knew that was something common with the animal kingdom most of the time.

Despite the initial surprise, a sense of awe filled the air as the majestic pet wolf embraced the small dinosaur, forming an unexpected bond. The once chaotic scene transformed into a moment of wonder and acceptance.

"What are we going to do now? Can we really keep this thing? It looks already big enough, but I can't imagine what it would look like in another few years," Unami was also worried about how things would go.

Garnt, still processing the bizarre turn of events, hesitated before responding, "I don't know, but we can't just abandon it. It seems to have imprinted on Maro, and they share some kind of connection."

Garnt then looked at his own daughter, who was hiding behind Ayra with her face looking rather uncomfortable with all the noises in the background.

*Sigh

"What choices do we have? Are we going to abandon this creature in the forest and take the danger of it growing up to be a threat to us, or are we going to tame it and make it more useful to us? What is the best choice? To me, it's rather obvious which one it is." Everyone nodded upon hearing Garnt's words.

"You're right, we can't be foolish when it comes to something important like this, so let's just keep it close to us for now and observe how it grows up." Ayra agreed and looked at her daughter and she knew why Garnt was trying to finish this little meeting, so she decided to leave and get some silent moment for their kid.

"Unami make sure you keep your eye on Maro and this new kid, I allow you to take action if this thing tries to harm Maro. I will think about how we are going to keep this thing,"

Unami nodded, and she quickly led her team to guard the area. Rona took control of the crowd, not allowing anyone to loiter around, and in just a few hours, the situation was under control.

Garnt again visited to see how things were going, and he felt rather awkward seeing Maro acting like a proper mother to this little dinosaur and he didn't even know where she got all this kindness from.

"Is she seeking children just like any other female? I guess finding a good mate for her would be the best option but even in the animal kingdom, they won't just go for anyone." Garnt looked at Maro still shielding the little dinosaur.

[Well, we have trained her to be the best hunter, so I think any other wolf would look pale in comparison. I don't blame her for not being able to find a proper mate.]

Garnt squatted down next to Maro, watching her protective stance over the little dinosaur. He couldn't help but marvel at the unexpected maternal instincts she displayed.

"Well, Maro, looks like you've got a little companion now," he said, reaching down to pat her on the head. Maro responded with a contented growl, appreciating the attention.

Maro nuzzled against Garnt's leg, seeking reassurance. Although she didn't understand his words, she sensed his concern. Garnt sighed and decided that they couldn't just abandon the little dinosaur.

"Looks like we're keeping this one, Maro," he said, patting her again. "Let's see if we can make it a useful member of our pack. I'll take care of it personally."

As Garnt reached down to feed the dinosaur, he couldn't help but be charmed by its innocence. The creature ate from his hand without any fear, a sight that softened Garnt's heart. Perhaps this unexpected addition to their group would bring new dynamics and strengths they hadn't considered before.

[Or it might become a curse, but I think your decision is the best one right now. Also, we can gain some clues about that dinosaur. I can't wait to see what kind of consequences this will bring to us.]

***

The tranquil atmosphere of the hot spring village was abruptly shattered by a sudden tremor beneath their feet. Startled villagers exchanged puzzled glances as ripples formed in the serene hot springs. Some of the rocks on the mountains also started to come down showing things were not looking good for the people.

"Did anyone else feel that?" A concerned villager voiced the collective unease. "I felt like I was shaking for a minute,"

Yenya, a wise and experienced leader, furrowed her brow. "That's not a usual mountain tremor. Something's off."

"What do you mean?" questioned a worried young woman, clutching her clothes tighter.

"Garnt, once told me about tremors like this. It's not nature; it's something else, If it's not coming from the land, we should be even more careful than we normally do." Yenya explained, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

As the tremor intensified, the ground beneath them seemed to protest against an impending threat. The once calm village was now in a state of unrest.

"It's getting worse!" someone shouted, panic spreading like wildfire.

Yenya's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "It's not just a natural occurrence. Something's approaching."

The villagers exchanged anxious glances, their fear mounting with each passing moment. The ground continued to shake, and Yenya's gaze darted toward the dense forest on the horizon.

"Everyone, we need to get to safety! Head for cave grounds!" Yenya urgently directed, her voice cutting through the rising panic.

As the villagers hurriedly made their way to safety, Yenya remained vigilant. She squinted her eyes, peering into the forest. The rhythmic thuds of falling trees echoed in the distance, and an ominous silence enveloped the air.

Then, in a moment of chilling realization, Yenya's eyes widened with terror. "No... it can't be."

A massive creature emerged from the depths of the forest, its towering silhouette casting a shadow over the once-peaceful village. The ground trembled beneath the colossal footsteps, and Yenya's heart sank as she beheld the unimaginable. And it didn't stop there instead, she heard the most scary growl she heard in her whole life causing almost breaking her eardrums.

"It's the giant animal that harmed Garnt!" she exclaimed, her voice barely audible over the chaos. She knew that because Rona had already taught her about things that she should be careful about.

With a swift motion, Yenya raised a hand to signal the remaining villagers to retreat further, urging them to find cover and stay hidden. Panic spread like wildfire, and the urgency in Yenya's voice resonated through the chaos.

"Get to the caves! We'll regroup there and figure out how to face this creature. Move quickly! This is not a training session." she commanded, her determination cutting through the fear that gripped the villagers.

As the last of the villagers disappeared into the safety of the caves, Yenya stood her ground, her eyes locked onto the approaching gigantic animal.

"This is not going to end up good!" She thought to herself and kept peeking through the cave waiting for the animal to leave the village, so she could allow her people to leave the cave.