The Sierra Nevada.
"Aunnng—"
The crystalline, panicked cry of a herbivorous dinosaur echoed through the valley as a herd of Parasaurolophus stampeded across the snow-dusted lowlands beneath the towering mountains.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Three horses followed closely on their heels. Leading the charge was Owen Grady, special consultant for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, flanked by two seasoned rangers as they herded the dinosaurs.
"Let's bring 'em home!"
Across the vast, snow-covered highlands, white drifts surged like ocean waves as loose grass and gravel kicked up into the air. The Parasaurolophus herd moved like a burst dam, sending the snow rolling across the ground like a shifting white blanket as the heavy, rhythmic thumping of their strides shook the earth.
The powerful cadence of galloping hooves echoed across the wilderness, punctuated by another terrified bellow vibrating through the valley.
Clack-clack, clack-clack...
Owen rode his horse parallel to the stampede, attempting to flank the herd and force them to redirect their path.
The docile Parasaurolophus behaved much like a flock of sheep. Veering away from Owen's advance, they gradually turned right, but one high-strung individual, driven by sheer panic, broke away from the designated route and separated from the herd.
With a quick nod to his two teammates, Owen broke off from the main group to pursue the stray, pushing his horse down a narrow trail where the snow cover was sparse.
Drawing on his years of seasoned cowboy experience, Owen pulled a lasso from his saddlebag, unraveling it and swinging it into the air.
Whish—Whish—
The sharp, whipping sound of sliced air cut past his ears. Catching the perfect window of opportunity, he threw the lasso!
The loop soared forward, almost tracking its target automatically as it sailed over the Parasaurolophus's crest. A moment later, the rope dropped cleanly around the dinosaur's neck.
Owen gave the rope a firm tug, tightening the loop. He didn't choke the creature, but the sudden resistance forced the Parasaurolophus to break its stride and let out a sharp cry.
Even so, the sudden recoil nearly threw Owen off balance. He quickly gathered the slack, aiming to tie the rope off around his saddle horn.
But right at that moment, things went sideways! The Parasaurolophus hit a gentle downward slope and accelerated, while a steep drop appeared directly in front of Owen's horse.
The horse braked hard, but the dinosaur didn't. The moment Owen felt his horse decelerate, a massive forward jerking force yanked him. Before he could even think about tying off the rope, his head snapped up.
Uh-oh.
He was launched forward, sailing through the air and landing hard on the unforgiving snow. Yet, he refused to let go, allowing himself to be dragged forward across the icy ground by the Parasaurolophus!
Owen adjusted his posture instantly, throwing his feet out in front of him to form a "sliding tackle" stance, using his boots to kick away obstacles and prevent sharp branches from tearing into him.
Up ahead, a fallen log intercepted the middle of the rope. With Owen on one side of the log and the Parasaurolophus on the other, he seized the split second to plant his boots firmly against the wood. In a flash, the rope snapped taut, and he managed to halt the multi-ton dinosaur dead in its tracks by sheer brute force!
As everyone knows, a fixed pulley doesn't reduce the force required. This meant Owen had just won a game of tug-of-war against a multi-ton dinosaur using nothing but raw strength.
It was essentially the equivalent of a single man playing tug-of-war with an elephant and winning.
Yanked backward by the rope, the Parasaurolophus wheeled around, halting in place and letting out a frustrated bellow in Owen's direction.
Are you serious, bro?
Owen seemed to realize what he had just pulled off only after the fact. He stared blankly for a fraction of a second before quickly tying the rope off around the log to prevent the Parasaurolophus from bolting again.
Guess I'm still getting used to this body.jpg
Owen worked his way down the taut lasso, pulling himself forward with both hands. It looked like hard work, but he successfully forced the Parasaurolophus's head lower.
Honestly, considering the strength Owen just displayed, tying the rope to the log felt entirely optional.
Due to the nature of a lasso, the more an animal struggles, the more it suffocates. No matter how wild its temperament, an animal caught in a lasso will eventually quiet down.
Assuming the rope is strong enough, that is.
The Parasaurolophus's cries gradually faded into a calm murmur. Owen deployed his signature single-handed dinosaur-taming technique. The creature's hot breath formed thick plumes of mist in the freezing air, washing over Owen's leather gloves.
Owen gently placed his hand against the Parasaurolophus's snout, and in that moment, harmony was restored between man and dinosaur.
…
Clack-clack, clack-clack...
Under the glow of the setting sun, Owen led the Parasaurolophus while riding his horse, navigating the path through the pine forest to regroup with his two teammates.
The rest of the Parasaurolophus herd had already been driven back to their native habitat, a necessary intervention to preserve ecological stability.
A pack of Yutyrannus, also known as the feathered tyrant lizards, lived near Owen's cabin. Their territory was home only to Lokiceratops and Parasaurolophus. However, during a previous hunt, this particular Parasaurolophus had been separated from the main herd, which was what prompted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to launch a search and rescue operation.
After all, there were no other suitable habitats for a Parasaurolophus nearby. If they had to name one... a municipal city park? But local residents probably wouldn't appreciate that.
"Oh, thank—"
A group of rough-looking men materialized in front of Owen's trio, blocking their path.
Before they could even speak, Owen cut them off.
"Poaching carries a sentence of three to five years. You know that."
His words were laced with hostility right off the bat, but the men opposite didn't seem offended. Instead, they spoke with mock amiability:
"We need to take that dinosaur."
"I don't think so."
"Well... looks like our friends don't recognize a badge."
The man across from them, the leader, presumably, pulled a small wallet out of his jacket and flipped it open toward Owen, revealing a gleaming gold badge nestled inside.
"Fish and Wildlife... We're rounding up that dinosaur. For safety."
He made sure Owen got a clear look at the badge and credentials before tucking them back into his jacket.
However, Owen didn't relax. Instead, his face contorted into an expression that clearly said, 'How the hell did a guy looking like you get into Fish and Wildlife?'
It wasn't that he was judging a book by its cover, it was just...
"Funny..."
Owen glanced back at his two teammates. Both of them reached into their pockets, pulled out their credentials, and held them up high. The exact same badges, the exact same credentials, only the layout of the booklet was slightly different.
"Thing is... my friends here know everyone on the new shift."
The confident smirk vanished from the leader's face. Owen stopped playing games.
"What are dinosaur bones going for these days? Three grand an ounce? And a whole dinosaur... what is it, like five hundred thousand dollars?!"
The click of gun safeties switching off.
The five men opposite them, including the leader, drew four shotguns. Owen's two teammates pulled out a pistol each, while Owen didn't move a muscle, likely because he hadn't brought a weapon.
"Your bones aren't worth a dime to me."
This guy got called out playing cop and instantly lost his mind (confirmed).
Owen kept the same unyielding expression, showing no intention of backing down. But then, the poacher leader's deputy suddenly spoke up from the crowd:
"Hey, man... he's not joking."
Owen weighed his options for a moment, untied the rope from his saddle horn, and tossed it to the poacher leader. The leader caught the rope, and the poachers lowered their guns, walking away with the Parasaurolophus in broad daylight.
"See you around."
The parting words carried a distinct note of mockery.
Clack-clack, clack-clack...
As the poachers faded into the distance, one of Owen's teammates edged his horse a bit closer.
"Never seen you back down before."
Owen kept his eyes locked on the departing poachers. Hearing the remark, he shifted his gaze slightly, looking toward the smoke rising in the distance.
"I've got my own job to do."
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