Researching Jinx was item 400 on my to-do list for the day. It was an interesting new aspect of my taming skill, and I needed time to explore how I could make it work for me. He did not go under Trel’s curtain, which seemed to confirm that my mental instruction had worked. I was convinced Jinx pouted at me before he turned and scrambled over to the small woodpile. I hadn’t seen her since Sheela and I left earlier, and I wasn’t sure if her mood was better or worse. After my verbal command, I tested a mental idea that he shouldn’t bother Trel this time. “Go hang out over there,” I ordered the little bird while pointing to the pile of wood near Trel’s curtain. Even Jinx nosed around the edge of the fire, searching for ways to snatch a fish while we talked. “You have both earned a tasty meal,” Galmine added. My bravery was real, though, it couldn’t be faked in the unforgiving wilderness. I never had time to drop it off because I was trying to keep up with you.” It’s hard to say exactly what I thought when we were on the run from the mystery dinosaur, but a good part of my motivation was that Sheela said she liked strong men. Then I would have been forced to go back later and collect them.” Sheela poked a piece of firewood at the edge of the fire pit. If he hadn’t been there, I might have left our supplies when the big dinosaur attacked. “Victor did an excellent job leading and carrying our supplies back home.

Though, to be fair, I never had to work as hard as I did for these fish. The smoky smell of the filets stirred up good memories of fishing with my dad and then cooking our catch with my mom. “Sheela’s the fisherwoman, and I’m just the delivery boy,” I said as I bumped elbows with my feline warrior friend. “These fish look delicious,” Galmine remarked as she poked them with the wooden spoon. When Sheela mentioned the volcano, I hoped our gray-skinned friend would volunteer her experience there, but she never took her eyes off the sizzling meat. Trel remained behind her curtain, but Galmine tended to the fish while we filled her in. Galmine and Trel needed to know where we were in case we didn’t come back the next time.

Sheela told the others about our journey, including our stop near the volcano, our time in the lake, and the frantic run home. I’d just have to check that they were still grazing peacefully outside our cave every few minutes. I only allowed myself to relax when I figured out the trikes were our early warning system. The carnivorous predator Sheela and I evaded was still out there, and I was convinced it was coming for us. Galmine was cooking our fish before I could breathe and speak normally.

I let Sheela sit down first to be polite, but then I collapsed in a heap next to her. After I set down the pots of clay and water, I gave the string of fish to Galmine. Sheela and I walked into the cave weary but victorious.

Tamer king of the dinosaurs