𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍 - camp cretaceous

Courage

The routine the sole companions had formed continued for a month. Ben became more exasperated as the days passed. Finally, as she had frustratingly done every evening, Bumpy bounded towards the small shelter and paused directly above Ben's bed. She turned her head to face him with innocent eyes, contrasting the insanity in Ben's gaze.

He slowly shook his head, fingers twitching as he watched the ankylosaur. Bumpy smiled and dropped herself onto the bed, turning over to make herself comfortable. Ben stared at her with an outraged glare.

He pointed away with fury dancing on his tongue. "No!"

Ben threw his hands into the air, his emotions taking the chance to overwhelm his senses as he rushed towards the ankylosaur and began to shove her.

"Bumpy! When did you get so heavy!?" he cried, attempting to use his back to push her as he leaned his legs against the fallen trunk. Bumpy grumbled, barging over the frail boy as she retaliated to his unusual acts. As Ben was thrust towards the ground, he crashed through his shelter and brought it into a collapsed heap above Bumpy.

She slowly stood up, shaking off the leaves and twigs scattered across her armoured plate. Tilting her head to the side, Bumpy watched Ben with inquisitive but concerned scrutiny. He crawled to the subsided shelter and began to grab pieces in a failed attempt to put them back together.

Bumpy moved towards Ben and tried to rub her head against his side to comfort him as she felt the distressed aura pulsating from her companion.

"No, Bumpy! Bad girl!" he yelled, feeling his face heat with aggravation. Bumpy mewled softly, pushing into his back before Ben harshly pushed her back.

"No!" he screamed so loud that his ears cried in pain. "Don't you get it? Just go away! I'm mad at you!"

Bumpy, once again, tilted her head to the side in confusion at his words and sudden violence. Finally, seeing what appeared to be pity pushed Ben to his last nerve as he stood up, screaming and crying out as he flailed his arms about.

At Ben's alarming movements, Bumpy stepped back, whimpering in fright. He continued, startling the poor ankylosaur further to the point she turned and scampered. Ben watched her leave and groaned in frustration, glancing back at his ruined shelter and screaming until his throat felt too sore to continue.

~

Another sleepless night passed, and Ben finally finished rebuilding his shelter. However, it was not the same without the young female ankylosaur resting beside him. He missed her, and his heart fractured as he remembered how he had treated her. Ben brought his hands over his head as he stared at the ground, sighing.

"I'm sorry, Bumpy. Come back," Ben muttered, waiting for her to grumble in forgiveness. There was no response.

"Bumpy, I said I'm sorry," Ben repeated quietly. The jungle was the only one to respond, the cold winds causing the trees to whisper between themselves eerily.

"Bumpy?" he called out, his body shuddering as a wave of solicitude drifted through him.

This was when the dire reality dawned upon him, and Ben knew that Bumpy had left. And so, he took off. He strode through the jungle's darkest depths as his eyes flickered from left to right, searching for his best friend. Branches from some low-hanging trees tore at his body, scratching Ben's arms and legs as though their sole intention was to recede his fastly-paced steps. An hour had passed by, and Bumpy was still nowhere in sight.

"Bumpy? Bumpy!" Ben sobbed as he traipsed by a clearing surrounded by large bushes. "Please, where are you? Bumpy!? I didn't mean it! Bumpy, please. I didn't mean it!..."