The Chaos Theory || Camp Cretaceous ||

8. Back Again

Summary: Kenji is back on the island with some very bad people. Serenity doesn't quite know what to make of them. 

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Serenity placed the barrel of water by their fresh stash and looked around the slightly improved camp. Hap had pushed two beds together and had made it more sheltered from wind and rain with a wooden wall and a tarp. Chaos and Limbo could now sleep inside the fence because Hap had made the door bigger and they could all be safe from predators and other things that went bump in the night.

Their stash of food consisted of Dinosaur meat, canned fruit and vegetables, and fresh fruit that Serenity picked from the trees. It wasn't an extremely balanced diet, but it could be survived on. Chaos and Limbo also filled up their meat every few days when they made a new kill.

"How's the water?" Hap asked as he climbed the ladder.

"Good," Serenity replied.

It had been three days since the kids had left and Serenity felt lonely, but she still had Hap, Chaos, and Limbo so it was fine. She had to adjust to being with a few people again, but that was going to be fine. She had lived most of her life alone, she would be okay.

"That's great. I've fixed the slide, so you can go down that again if you want," Hap said, pointing at it.

Serenity smiled and did so, sliding down it and running to Chaos to give her sister a big hug. Limbo joined in and they fell into a big pile. Serenity chuckled and hugged her sisters tightly, glad they were with her. She had to go see Bumpy in a bit, to say hi and bring her some berries. She'd promised Ben to look after the Ankylosaurus, after all.

"I'm going," Serenity shouted up.

Hap appeared and gave her a thumbs-up before vanishing and cursing loudly as something fell. Serenity chuckled and climbed on Chaos's back, instructing Limbo to stay and guard Hap. Chaos ran through the forest, now familiar with the route to Bumpy's herd. They got there quickly and Serenity hopped off, letting Chaos go her own way so she wouldn't startle the herd.

Bumpy! Serenity shouted, calling for her friend.

The Anky came bounding into view and almost flattened her in her excitement. They talked for a little bit and Serenity was introduced to the herd, and accepted by them and she told them all about how Ben had been the caretaker of Bumpy for most of her life. They were thankful for his help and promised Serenity that they would protect Bumpy with their lives.

After a few hours, Serenity noticed it was becoming dark and she returned to Chaos, who was sleeping on the grass behind a fallen log to keep out of sight. Serenity woke her up gently and they went on their way back to camp, picking up some more fruit and watching the sunset as they neared the shore for the shortest route.

She sometimes thought that she saw the boat with her friends on it glimmering on the horizon, but she knew they were just tricks her eyes were playing on her. Her friends would not return, they were safely going home and she would likely never see them again.

It hurt her heart, but it was what was best for all of them.

They returned to camp shortly thereafter and she stashed away the food, climbing on the roof to look at the stars. Hap came to sit beside her with a plate of food sometime later, his steaming from being cooked over the fire, hers cold and raw.

They ate in silence, leaning into each other's space and looking at the stars far above their heads. The sounds of Dinosaurs bellowing in the distance calmed Serenity's nerves and when she was done eating, she put her place to the side and leaned against Hap fully.