𝗩𝗜𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬 》𝙗𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙪𝙨 [𝟐]

────── 𝟬𝟳

(gif will be posted later)

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻;
𝗿𝗲𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱

After a while, Vera glanced over her shoulder. "Wait—they're not following us!" Ben and Vera halted, exchanging a puzzled look.

"Maybe they got tired," Ben suggested, though his tone betrayed uncertainty.

"We need to find the others," Vera said, scanning the surrounding jungle.

"Okay, it looks like we're near—" Ben began.

"Wait. Do you hear that?" Vera interrupted, her hand instinctively reaching out to stop him.

Hushed voices drifted through the bushes. They approached cautiously, inadvertently startling Yasmina. She tumbled backwards with a surprised yelp.

"Bumpy? Rocky?" she muttered in confusion, then looked up. "Ben? Vera?"

Ben hopped down and helped Vera lower herself to the ground. "Hi," Vera said, the word hanging awkwardly in the air.

A charged silence stretched between them until Yasmina rushed forward, pulling them into a tight embrace.

"You're a hugger now, Fadoula?" Ben teased, breaking the tension.

"Still have mixed feelings," Yaz mumbled, her voice thick with emotion. "I just... you're here."

Brooklynn swept in, practical as always. "Yeah, yeah, we have been trying to tell you about it, but in more pressing news, Darius isn't taking the hunters to the watering hole." She handed a map to Vera.

Ben's brow furrowed. "What? Why would he take them straight to the T. rex?"

"Home court advantage," Kenji explained. "Darius and Sammy know the terrain. Tiff and Mitch don't. It'll be easier to lose them on Main Street than in the jungle."

Yasmina's urgency bubbled over. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go help them!"

"Yes!" Ben exclaimed, fist-bumping Vera. "We're ready to roll!"

Kenji's arms crossed, a classic defensive posture. "Uh-uh. Big problemo. We'll never make it to Main Street in time."

Brooklynn's whisper cut through the tension. "There is one obvious shortcut."

"Down there?" Kenji's voice rose in pitch. "You must be joking. Don't you remember last time? Not only is it super dark and creepy, but we nearly died! Nope. No go for Kenji."

"We're doing this!" Brooklynn declared.

Kenji's groan was part exasperation, part resignation.

The group plunged into the park's underground tunnels, Brooklynn navigating the bike with wild precision.

"Left!" Kenji shouted. "Now right! Right!"

Brooklynn whipped the bike around the corner, and Kenji clutched the side. "Could you maybe take some of these turns a little less... murdery?" he yelled.

Suddenly, Brooklynn slammed on the brakes. They gasped. Kenji whimpered before dramatically flopping off the bike.

A massive locked gate blocked their path.

"Let's take this down, Bumps," Ben said, tapping the gate with determination.

Vera joined in, scratching Rocky's neck."You got this, Roca"

The dinosaurs charged. The gate remained obstinately intact.

Yaz's sardonic comment landed perfectly. "Yeah, I don't think Wild Child, Indiana Jones, and their Amazing Dinos are gonna punch through that."