Rex tilted his head at the curious word that came from the long eared pup. Who in turn continued to stare at him in awe. Rex felt his tummy flutter at the look. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was feeling.
“Uhhh…Hermo…?
“Tracker! Are you ok?” Carlos asked while approaching the pups.
Tracker snapped out of his trance and quickly took the paw before leaping up.
“Si! I’m fine. Thanks to Rex here!”
“Hi Rex! Thanks for protecting my pup. I’m Carlos.”
“Nice to meet you Carlos!”
“Encantado de conocerte Rex!” Tracker added.
Rex just stood awkwardly, Giving another tilt of his head.
“Disculpe...I mean excuse me. I have a habit of speaking Spanish. My first language.”
“Oh! No problem. I speak Dinosaur myself”
“Oh, is that how you were able to talk to the triceratops mama?”
“Yup yup!”
“Lo seinto. I’m sorry if I upset her. I was just saying hi to her baby.”
“It’s no problem. I was sure to explain to her that you were no harm. I think it was the smell that threw her off.”
“I smell?” Tracker asked worriedly.
“No no, not in a bad way!” Rex couldn’t help but blush at saying that. “Just where you come from! It’s foreign to them.”
“Well, we do come from the deep jungle. I can only image all of the exotic wildlife they can smell on us.” Carlos said.
“Si, I just hope it doesn’t cause any issues with other dinosaurs.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem long as I’m around, I can tell em you smell alright to me!”
Tracker’s stomach turned with butterflies. Rex seemed to have realized what he said and just grinned awkwardly. Before Tracker could press further, two individuals came from the vet center.
“Whoa! Everything ok Rex?!” The older woman asked.
“Yup yup! Just our visitors making some Dino friends!”
“Quite a few from what I can see hahaha. Hello there Tracker, I’m Taylor!”
She leaned down to greet the pup. Who eagerly nuzzled his snout into her hand.
“Hola Taylor. It’s nice to meet you!”
“And this is my mom, Dr Tammy Turbot.” She said, pointing to the doctor.
“Lovely to meet you both!” She quickly offered a handshake to Carlos while Tracker barked in astonishment.
“Oi! Are you related to Cap’n Turbot? Primos?”
“Yes sir, Cousins.”
“Dr. Turbot was the one who called us here.” Carlos said.
“Indeed, Ryder mentioned that you were the best archaeologist he knew!”
“Oh I don’t know about that.”
Carlos scratched at the back of his head, taking the compliment in stride.
The pair were ushered into the base of operations. Tracker marveled at the sight of the vet center, taking note of some maps on the walls and a few x-rays scattered on one of tables. Tracker lifted himself on his hind paws to get a better look. Surprised to see Rex joining him, the pup lifting up and balancing himself on his wheels with ease.
“Whoa, I’ve seen animal bones before but never dinosaurs.”
“I prefer to see them like this than as fossils. This is a Pachycephalosaurus named Freddy who bumped his head a few times.”
“Pobrecita. Poor thing.”
“Don’t worry! He’s suppose to do that! Did ya know Pachys use their blunt heads to ward off predators and defend themselves?”
Tracker’s ears twitched at the strange fact.
“No lo sabía. I had no idea.”
“They can be a little hard headed sometimes.”
Rex laughed at his silly pun. It reminded the jungle pup of a certain dalmatian back home. He laughed along with his new friend.
As the pups hung out, the doctor pulled up a few specs on her PC.
“Per my email, we found these strange inscriptions at a site a few miles from here. We had never encountered anything man made along the Dino Wilds before.”
Carlos leaned in and tried to make out what he could.
“Very strange. I think I’d like to examine in person if possible.”
“Yup yup! Though I don’t think were all going to fit on Mom’s ATV!” Taylor said.
“Ahh true, I can fit two at most, maybe one more if they hang on tight.”
Rex, overhearing the others, chimed in.
“We can use my….Oh wait.”
¿Qué ocurre Rex? What’s wrong?”
“Well I have my own pup vehicle to ride around in whenever the Paw Patrol are here.”
“Neat!”
“Yup yup! Makes maneuvering around the jungle a little easier! Well, at least any where my wheels can’t take me.”
He winked at the jungle pup who felt his heart leap. Rex was surprised himself. Never having done that before to another pup.
“Though, It’s currently out of commission. We used it on a few runs to help a some dinos here and there. One of the wheels came out of alignment. I was hoping Ryder would be here to fix it but it might be a little bit before he can come.”
“Lo siento, I can fit two in my jeep at least.”
“Tracker, why don’t you let Rex sit with you. I can squeeze between Mom and Carlos."
“Sure thing! I think we can manage to fit. If you’re ok with that.”
Tracker wasn’t exactly sure if his vehicle was accessible to Rex but the mountain dog took it in stride.
“Let’s Dino do this!”
The sun had crossed the sky in the late afternoon, Doctor Turbot hugged her daughter tight as she sat in front of her. She was skilled enough to manage driving the ATV on her own when need be, with helmet on at all time of course. Her mom was quite proud of her. Carlos clung to the doctor awkwardly towards the back of the ATV. Following behind them, Tracker’s jeep kept pace with the trio. He maintained a safe speed with Rex’s wheelchair ratchet strapped to the back of his jeep. He felt a little awkward at having asked Rex if he needed some assistance to sit in the passenger seat but Rex had easily lifted himself into the vehicle with ease. He was stronger than he looked. Now the jungle pup sat close with his new passenger. He always tried to make small talk with any pup he met but he felt tongue tied all the sudden. Tracker thought and finally spoke up.
“You…see a lot of dinosaurs out here?”
Tracker mentally slapped himself on the forehead. What kind of question was that?! Rex didn’t seem bothered by the obviousness of what he said.
“Oh all the time! Lot’s of them! Can’t get enough of them.”
“Must be so cool to see them everyday.”
“Oh yeah, though I wish I had a few pups nearby to hang out with. Don’t get me wrong, I love having Dino friends including the doc and Taylor but I would also like to hang out with pups my age as well.”
“Yo también. I don’t have a lot of pups nearby the jungle.”
Rex seemed surprised at hearing that.
“Really? I thought you’d see the Paw Patrol pretty often. Being closer to Adventure Bay.”
“Not as often as I like too. Though I do have some animal friends to keep me company.”
“Like monkeys and stuff?!”
“Si!”
“That’s so cool! I’ve never seen animals outside of the Dino wilds. Before Doctor Turbot became a vet for dinosaurs, she used to take care of a few different animals. Monkeys, Tigers, Elephants.”
“Asombroso. She’s amazing. We see those pretty often where I’m from. Elefantes, Elephants can be almost thirteen feet tall. Muy alto!”
“Whoa! No way! That’s almost as big as Stegosaurus! Did you know that the plates on a stegosaurus back are meant to keep them cool during hot days?”
“Oi?”
“Yeah. That’s another dino fact just for you.”
He smiled a big toothy grin towards him. Tracker smiled back, Feeling a little more at ease. Every so often the pair would pass by a wandering dinosaur and the Bernese Mountain pup would go on with the facts. He pointed out the ones flying across the sky above them as pterodactyls and Tracker was in awe at how massive they were. Rex howled up towards the sky at them, barking out a strange growl in a greeting. Tracker loved how passionate he was about the world he lived in.
Soon enough, the team had reached the sight. The area wasn’t like the normal land you’d see in the Dino Wilds. Most of the wildness looked so lush and full of life. This place looked derelict, like no dinosaur had ever been near here before. The ground was brown and covered in weeds, beyond that was a large stone structure that had collapsed and worn with time, with black and white stones thrown about every which way. Carlos approached the sight curiously.
“Have you ever seen writing like that before?” Taylor asked him.
“No, but it looks kind of familiar.”
He ran his hand against the strange scripture along one of the rocks. Feeling the rough curvature. Taking note of the exterior of the structure nearby, a large broken golden slate sat near the front of it, almost looking like some sort of door.
“I might need to take some time to look things over.”
“Si, I wonder where… Rex?”
Tracker turned his head but didn’t find his new friend near the group. As the adults looked at the ruins, Tracker walked along the dead grass and eventually found Rex, noticing his friend was looking at something on the ground. Half buried under dry dirt and scattered weeds were dinosaur bones. They weren’t fresh, looking fossilized over a period of time. Rex just stared at them, looking uncomfortable. Tracker picked up on this really quick.
“Rex? ¿Estás bien?”
“Wh...What?”
“Are you ok?”
“Oh! I’m…Fine. I think.”
He looked at the remains and glowered.
“It’s just…seeing bones fossilized like this makes me anxious. They were alive at some point.”
Tracker eyed him with sympathy.
“Si, it is sad that they're gone but we're here to observe them now. Morn them if need be”
Rex smile at the jungle pup. That was a more positive way to think about it. His optimism was shot when he heard the sudden crash of a tree and saw a small squawking creature on the ground. The pups quickly approached what looked to be a baby Pterodactyl. It squawked loudly, flapping it’s wings to try and fly back up to no avail.
“Oi pobrecita.”
Rex gently spoke to the small creature. Cooing low and keeping her calm as he spoke in his dino tongue.
“She’s says she isn’t hurt, thankfully, but we got to get her back up there.”
“I’ve got this! Ruff ruff! Cables!”
On that call, Trackers pup pack shot his cables up towards the tallest branch in the tree. Rex marveled at the sight. With Tracker gently removing and flipping his hat over towards the baby.
“Just hop on in, you’ll be safe. I promise.”
The baby seemed to get the message and hop into his hat. Tracker launched himself back up. He eyed a nest with couple of other babies squealing loudly. Despite the strain on his ears, Tracker couldn’t help but admire them.
“Que lindo!”
“Ruff Ruff! Dino Claw!”
Tracker yelped, surprised at the massive blue claw that gripped the branch he was hanging on to. With Rex flying up next to him.
“Easy little ones. We’re just dropping your sister off. Safe and sound! Rawr rawr rawr!”
The small dactyl hopped out of the hat and quickly nuzzled her siblings.
“Awesome work Tracker.” Rex said with a smile. Raising his paw to give the Chihuahua a high five which Tracker gleefully gave back.
“Asombroso! What is that claw thing?”
“Oh, you mean my Dino Claw? It lets me get to places pretty easily.”
“Just like my cables!”
“Those cables let you soar through the trees huh? Bet you can get great air time with em.”
“Si, Up for a friendly race?”
“Ohhhhh yes please!” Rex beamed.
The pups began to race along the trees, admiring how each of them flung themselves along the canopy, jumping about in their own unique styles.
As Carlos examined the language on the ruins, Doctor Turbot looked at the fossil that Tracker and Rex had found. Taylor could feel her unease.
“Everything ok Mom?”
“Oh yes honey, It’s just…I need to take a closer look at this fossil when we can.”
“I can help with that too if you’d like Dr.Turbot” Carlos offered.
“I’d appreciate that.”
She reached down and carefully ran her hand against what looked to be a tail bone. Taylor noticed how closely her mom looked at it and realized what was concerning her.
“Mom, I don’t recognize this dinosaur.”
“Exactly Taylor. I don’t think we’ve seen this dinosaur anywhere in the Dino Wilds...”
