THE LAND OF THE ARK

Caving

"Oh my God, you made Vlinn talk" "he hasn't spoken ever since the... little accident a while back" they all ranted on about him apparently causing Vlinn to speak. "What's the... accident?", asked Rehn. "Ya know, it's getting late, suns setting." Acscued Micha. We'll tell you everything when we see you again", stated Beverly. The other five members of the gang hopped up onto their rides, and went back home. "Now, we find Dill" Rehn stated "Alright, a deal is a deal, we'll look for you little bird" said Venessa

Dill was terrified. This was his first night on a mountain, well actually his first time on one. There were countless beasts up here, in wich he didn't know what they are, nor what they do. Dill had gone someway down the mountain side, maybe a yard or two, but quickly went back after seeing something. Dill hid in a little spot between the fallen acacia, and the smashed boulde. The dodo cowered with fear, as the bare last bit of sunlight remained. All of a sudden, heavy footsteps went closer to him. Out of excitement, Dill jumped out of his spot, and chirped. However, what Dill saw was not Rehn, not at all. Instead, there was one spotted dog, that snarled. Before the animal pounced on Dill, the yellow and black animal looked over its shoulders, and ran off. Then came Rehn and Venessa. Dill chirped happily over to Rehn, who bent down and softly hugged him. "Stupid hyaenodons." "Oh I'm so happy to see you bud", Rehn stated. "Alright, let's go back to my place, tomorrow I'm going caving" Venessa said

"Whatver it is, I'm in, but Dill will stay at the base for a while", stated Rehn "works for me", added Venessa. The trio went down the mountain, through the jungle, and back to Venessa's base. The two walked through the door, and Venessa led Rehn and Dill to another door. "That's were I'm sleeping", Venessa pointed to the opposite door, and then pointed to the door infront of them, "and this is where your staying" "of course, my barns taken, and I have no third room, so Dill will stay with you", Venessa stated all this, and handed Rehn a grayish rag, "give this to Dill." Rehn took the rag, and went in the room "Thanks again, Venessa" "no problem", she replied, and closed her bedroom door. Soon after, Rehn closed his door, and folded up the rag on the floor. "You sleep here", he said pointing to the ground. The dodo obediently went over and sat on the mat, and quickly shut his eyes. "Fast sleeper", Rehn said to himself, before hopping onto his bed. He looked around the room, and closed his eyes.

The next morning, Rehn woke up in his now sweaty bed, and yawned. He looked over to see Dill scratching on the door. "Wanna get out, huh." Rehn walked over to where Dill was, and pushed the door open. The dodo quickly ran off into what Rehn believed was the kitchen. Rehn came down the halls, to find Venessa cooking something on a large grill. "Good morning, Rehn", Venessa greeted him with a smile. "Come over here, have a seat", Venessa pointed to a table. Rehn walked over, and sat in one of the wooden chairs, "so what did you make?" Rehn asked "Cooked meat and pachyrhino egg", Venessa replied. "Don't worry, I didn't steal it, ol Barley already has two children, just doing her a favor", Venessa added. "And for dill, fresh berries" Venessa threw some mejoberries on the ground, wich Dill pecked at.

Once the three finished their breakfast, Venessa went quickly into her room, and carried out with her a bunch of different things. "Trust me, we will need all these, here's a grappling gun, the grappling hooks, a rifle, shotgun, pistol, and bug repellent, and don't forget your sheild." "Venessa hand Rehn all those things, and he stumbled, and then put them on the table. "Oh, I almost forgot, here's your handgun holder, ammo and ammo strap, and gun straps. Venessa helped Rehn put his stuff on. "Alright, Rehn, your all set, now let's get going", Venessa guided Rehn out, and he quickly said "I'll hopefully be back with my limbs in tact."

Venessa went over to the barn, and came out with a long snouted animal. "This is Acklo, he's are baryonyx mount for the cave", she stated. Acklo looked over at Rehn, and snarled. "Whoa, calm down Acklo, he's a friend." Somehow, the baryonyx seemed to relax. "Like before, Venessa climbed up on the animal, and then helped Rehn up. The baryonyx then began to speedwalk forward. "Is this a gathering mission?" Asked Rehn. "Oh no," Venessa said "were going for something much more important" Venessa answered. "So what are we after then?" Rehn asked "The Artifact of the Clever", Venessa replied.

"What's the Clever Artifact?" "It's an ancient relic, used to teleport where the guardians dwell" "what are the guardians?" "There's three of them, the Broodmother, Megapithecus, and one I really don't want to talk about right now." They two soon arrived at the entrance of what Rehn thought had to be it. "We are here", Venessa said "What is this cave called?" "The Central Cave" Venessa replied. "Now, put on your bug repellent." Rehn proceeded to apply the paste to his skin. He then pulled out his rifle, while Venessa took out her shotgun, and they both went through the entrance.

Venessa whispered to Rehn, "Be quiet until they notice us." Rehn used sign language, and pretended to zip his mouth. They crouched forward, and kept Acklo at the entrance. They turned a corner, and saw a few giant centipedes (arthoplueras) and some spiders (araneos). They tried to go past them, but one of the centipedes were the first to notice the two. The arthopluera lifted its front slightly in the air, and hissed, alerting the other insects, and spit a green muck. It was enough to easily dent the solid metal sheild, and Venessa whistled.

Acklo came running in, and crushed one centipede with his foot, and bit down on the other, lifting it into the air , and then swung it around. Rehn and Venessa booked it down the cave, to then reach a fork. Let's go left. Up ahead, they saw more centipedes, along with scorpions. "Don't let the pulmonoscorpions sting you, they have a tranquilizing sting, that will knock you out in mere seconds!" Acklo came in running, and picked up both scorpions by the tail. The baryonyx threw the scorpions into the wall, and a centipede bit him. He crushed it, and then flipped the other over, gutting it. They continued on, when something went battering down on them. Giant bats flew down to attack.

"Onycs, here ta-" "This is bad, really bad" "what?!" Rehn asked as he shot one of the bats down. They've got a disease called megarabies, can kill in just an hour or so without a cure." She replied shooting a bat and scorpion. Venessa ran as she continued on, "I have a cure, but I forgot it, so watch the ceiling the most." Acklo bit one of the onycs by the tail, and threw it.

They continued through the caves, and then they came to some vines and vegetation. "Were getting close", said Venessa. They headed past the vines into a large room. The room had more bugs and bats, but now had those megacrocs that Rehn saw a while back. "Okay, you see those vines near the top, they should be stable enough to grapple, me and Acklo will, fight and you get the-", suddenly, a bat came down, and bit Acklo on the leg, he roared and bit the bat, throwing it into the pool of sarcos. Rehn quickly shot the grappling hook out of the gun, and he quickly climbed up. Rehn began to sweat, hanging above the pit, then swung hard, and let go.

Rehnn went falling to the ground. He did it, he made it. Rehn could see what looked like a glowing green statue. He wasted no time, and grabbed it. He used one hand to swing him over to where Venessa and Acklo were. The two quickly ran back through the cave to where the entrance was. The two cheered, and Acklo roared, but then sneezed. "Okay, let's get home, so I can fix up Acklo." "Also, hand me the artifact, I can put it somewhere safe. This is the key of many to leaving this island, and as you would expect, others would kill for it." "You mean this will get us home!" Rehn exclaimed joyfully. "Shh... but yes." "Do you go home?" Asked Rehn. "I don't know, I haven't heard of anyone escaping The Island, since I arrived, but I hope so."