Dinotopia: Summer Camp

CHAPTER I

By Quickstride

"Explain to me again why we're here?" she asked of her traveling companion, one Francis Huxley, a 12-year old dolphinback originally from England.

"You're parents said it would be good for us," he answered wearily, tired both from the long trip and repetition of the same question and answer routine.

Quickstride sighed at the reply as she had every time before. The Gallimimus had not wanted to go to camp, but her parents had insisted upon it. She again replayed that fateful scene in her head.

"You need to get out there, with other humans and saurians your age," Stormflash had told her, looking down at her through his golden eyes. They stood out in contrast to his feathers, which were stormy shades of gray, hence his name.

"But why do I need to?" whined Quickstride, knowing full well what the answer would be. This was not the first time she'd had this argument with her parents.

"You need to interact with others, dear," replied her mother, Ethel, in a gentle voice. "How will you work and live in Dinotopia if you don't know how to cooperate with others?"

"I get along fine now," answered Quickstride. "I even have a trade." She stood a little taller at this thought, ruffling slightly her gold and purple feathers and the black crest upon her head. She had been given the job of both scribe and historian of Outer Island's Kylum Skybax Rookery at a fairly young age.

"But that's not enough to get through life, or at least to enjoy life at its fullest," said Stormflash. "You need to have friends. Really, Quickstride, you didn't have a human partner to apprentice with, like most saurians your age, and you don't even have any very close friends."

"There's Francis," Quickstride pointed out.

"Francis is apprenticing with Jonathan, and anyway you only became friends with him after you were put in charge of his learning," countered Stormflash. "You would not have been friends with him if circumstances were different. But, back to the subject at hand. I think a summer camp could only be beneficial to you. I don't see how it could hurt you."

"I could always break something," said Quickstride. "You know, all that physical activity." She shuddered at the thought of exercise.

"Oh, I think you could use the exertion," said Ethel. "And if you like, we could invite Francis and Jonathan along, too. I'm sure they'd love it."

"But what will the rookery do without me? What will you do?"

"The rookery will get along fine without you for the summer," said Ethel. "Amerigo and Stella can cover for you. As for us, Skip, your father and I are going to visit the tribe in the mountains. It's mostly for your brother Skip- he's never met most of the older friends and relatives, whom you already know. You won't miss anything."

"But mom..." Quickstride began, but she knew it was no use.

And now, just a few weeks later, Quickstride found herself standing at the base of a large tree somewhere in Treetown, backpack full of supplies, waiting for she knew not what. Next to her was Francis, also toting a pack, with his Eudimorphodon partner Jonathan perch upon his shoulder. But that wasn't all of the merry party that had journeyed to that lofty town. Somewhere nearby lurked Scribble Celeriter, Quickstride's cousin. He had joined them when the family had stayed in Chandara on their way to Thermala and Treetown. He had loved the idea of a summer camp, and naturally Quickstride's parents had been more than happy to take him along.

"Where is Scribble, anyway?" asked Quickstride, looking around through her green eyes. Ever since the campers-to-be had parted company with her parents and brother at the foot of the Forbidden Mountains, Scribble had been her responsibility. A bit younger and much more rambunctious, he had proved a handful from the beginning, from constant games of "Raptor Attack", with him as the raptor and everyone else as the prey, to the race with a passing Dromecieomimus under the wheels of a sauropod- drawn cart. Now he had disappeared again, off on yet another adventure Quickstride knew she'd rather not know about.

A sudden rustling from the ferns tipped her off, and she calmly stepped aside as the green and blue figure launched itself from the foliage at where she'd been, instead hitting the base of the tree beyond.

"Ow!" said Scribble, falling to the ground. But in a moment he'd shot back up to his feet, acting as if nothing had happened.

"Welcome!" boomed a voice suddenly, making all four of them jump. "You are campers, to be sure. Breath Deep, Seek Peace." Francis, who only knew bits and pieces of the major saurian languages (fortunately Quickstride's tribe could mimic human tongues pretty well, so he didn't have to know other languages to understand her family) didn't understand this dialect, but he knew well enough the familiar greeting in almost every language on the island. The undergrowth then parted and the speaker revealed himself as a Dicraeosaurus. The sauropod lowered his head to better see the small group. He squinted hard, lowering his head further, and Quickstride realized that he must have very poor vision. She wondered why he didn't wear corrective lenses.

"Well, now, what have we here?" the Dicraeosaurus asked, doing his best to look them over.

"I'm Quickstride Celeriter, and this is my cousin, Scribble," said Quickstride, indicating the other Gallimimus (by shoving him forward rather roughly to make sure the Dicraeosaurus would see it.)

"Pleased to me you," said Scribble, confused by the action but not one to let confusion stand in his way.

"And I'm Francis Huxley," said Francis, stepping forward.

"REARK! Me Jonathan!" squawked the little pterosaur in introduction.

The Dicraeosaurus turned his head to them, seemingly surprised. "You are human, are you?" he asked questioningly. Without even allowing time for Francis to answer (even if the boy had understood the saurian's question) he said, to himself, "Ah, but of course you are, of course. And where is this other saurian, this Jonathan?" The sauropod swung his neck from side to side, scanning the area.

"Jonathan is a Eudimorphodon," explained Quickstride. "He's on Francis' shoulder."

"Ah, of course, of course," replied the Dicraeosaurus. "Goodness, where are my manners? You have all introduced yourselves to me, and I haven't told you who I am. Very well. I am Cornelius, Head Saurian Counselor of this particular camp. While I am primarily in charge of the needs of saurians here, all are free to come to me. The same is true of the Head Human Counselor, Morrison, except that he deals mainly with the issues of human campers. Now come with me, and I will show you to where all the campers are now meeting. There you will find which team you will be assigned to for your stay here." With that Cornelius turned around to lead the way, but not before hitting his head on the trunk of one of the many large trees nearby. Too proud to acknowledge anything had happened, he continued on with his head high. Quickstride decided that pride was also the reason why he didn't just wear glasses.

"Great," she muttered. "Just great." And with that the four of them followed after the counselor, anxious to know just who else they would be staying here with.

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