text: [Themes: Children's, dinosaurs, Alternate History, male protagonist]
  
  > look at your surroundings
  Low bushy ferns give way to towering kauri trees here. Their delicate cones and thin, green leaves cast deeper shadows as the forest thickens to the northeast. A steep break in the cliff rock here leads southeast, down to the beach, and a faint animal trail leads into the forest to the northeast.
  
  Nagi is nearby, watching you with obvious disinterest and waiting for you to do something more interesting.
  
  > go to the northeast
  The ground cover has been pushed aside by passing animals just enough to make this weaving trail the path of least resistance. There is a very tall kauri tree here, its thick roots snaking in and out of the ground. You can hear swiftly running water from somewhere off to the north. To the southwest you can see the forest lighten as it thins out, and the trail forks here, continuing to both the northeast and the north.
  
  The two dinosaurs are engaged in an intricate and extensive mating dance. Tony is strutting in spirals around Dina, demonstrating his fitness and virility. Unfortunately, Tony keeps turning to glare at the nearby Nagi (who seems to be fascinated with this behavior) and in consequence Dina appears less than impressed by the performance.
  
  Nagi dawdles along behind you, curious to see what you're up to.
  
  Tony and Dina continue their flirtation, although the presence of a bored and mischievous Nagi keeps their mating dance from taking their full attention.
  
  > go northeast
  Here a mountain stream reaches the headwall and plunges over. The water falls forty feet or so, splattering off a black rock ledge below before reforming and flowing into the ocean. The cliff is too sheer to descend on this side, but you can see that there's a rockfall just past the north bank that you might be able to scramble down -- if you could get to it.
  
  Nagi saunters along off to your side, curious to see what adventures you have planned next.
  
  > look at GPS
  The GPS is bright yellow and labeled with the brand name "Amring". It's a very simple model, with just a single button to display coordinates. You push the button and your current latitude and longitude display: 46? 12' 26" S, 179? 12' 51" W.
  
  In the GPS is a battery.
  
  Nagi watches you, curiosity evident from her twitching tail and unconscious chittering. She notices you looking at the GPS and peers at it with exaggerated interest.
  
  > go to the southwest
  Low bushy ferns give way to towering kauri trees here. Their delicate cones and thin, green leaves cast deeper shadows as the forest thickens to the northeast. A steep break in the cliff rock here leads southeast, down to the beach, and a faint animal trail leads into the forest to the northeast.
  
  Nagi saunters along off to your side, curious to see what adventures you have planned next.
  
  > go to the southeast
  The black sand beach transitions to stones and boulders here as the seashore lifts into the black cliffs. To the northwest a break in the volcanic stone leads upwards and into the depths of the forest. Where the water eddies at the north end of the beach a collection of light, floating junk has collected.
  
  Shreds of what used to be a thick rope are here, washed up on the rocks at the north end of the beach and coated in black sand grains.
  
  Nagi ambles along behind you, curious to see what you're up to.
  
  > examine GPS
  The GPS is bright yellow and labeled with the brand name "Amring". It's a very simple model, with just a single button to display coordinates. You push the button and your current latitude and longitude display: 46? 13' 09" S, 179? 12' 61" W.
  
  In the GPS is a battery.
  
  Nagi watches you, her interest indicated by her perked ears and fixed gaze. She notices you looking at the GPS and peers at it with exaggerated interest.
  
  > Go northwest
  Low bushy ferns give way to towering kauri trees here. Their delicate cones and thin, green leaves cast deeper shadows as the forest thickens to the northeast. A steep break in the cliff rock here leads southeast, down to the beach, and a faint animal trail leads into the forest to the northeast.
  
  Nagi dawdles along in your wake, curious to see what you're going to do next.
  
  > go northeast
  The ground cover has been pushed aside by passing animals just enough to make this weaving trail the path of least resistance. There is a very tall kauri tree here, its thick roots snaking in and out of the ground. You can hear swiftly running water from somewhere off to the north. To the southwest you can see the forest lighten as it thins out, and the trail forks here, continuing to both the northeast and the north.
  
  The two dinosaurs are engaged in an intricate and extensive mating dance. Tony is strutting in spirals around Dina, demonstrating his fitness and virility. Unfortunately, Tony keeps turning to glare at the nearby Nagi (who seems to be fascinated with this behavior) and in consequence Dina appears less than impressed by the performance.
  
  Nagi scampers behind you, curious to see what adventures you have planned next.
  
  Suddenly, Nagi makes a lunge toward the GPS, but you snatch it away before she can get it away from you.
  
  Tony and Dina continue their flirtation, although the presence of a bored and mischievous Nagi keeps their mating dance from taking their full attention.
  
  > examine GPS
  The GPS is bright yellow and labeled with the brand name "Amring". It's a very simple model, with just a single button to display coordinates. You push the button and your current latitude and longitude display: 46? 12' 43" S, 179? 12' 69" W.
  
  In the GPS is a battery.
  
  Nagi watches you, curiosity evident from her tilted head and unblinking stare. She notices you looking at the GPS and peers at it with exaggerated interest.
  
  Tony and Dina continue their flirtation, although the presence of a bored and mischievous Nagi keeps their mating dance from taking their full attention.
  
  > go to the north
  You stand at the south bank of a stream rushing down from the western mountains. The water flows over a tumble of rocks and its level drops steeply here, cutting into the ground and leaving steep, raw slopes on either side. An old, dead kauri tree has fallen across the stream here, its straight trunk making a narrow bridge to the north side.
  
  Nagi saunters along in your wake, curious to see what you're up to.
  
  > Go north
  This is the north bank of the cascading stream. Water tumbles over rocks as it rushes through the forest down towards the shore. To the east, a shallow slope of rocks and debris leads down further into the forest, away from the western mountains. A relatively straight, dead kauri tree has fallen across the stream here, bridging the banks and allowing you to cross to the south.
  
  Nagi ambles along off to your side, curious to see what you're going to do next.
  
  Suddenly, Nagi makes a lunge toward the GPS, and succeeds in knocking it out of your hands!
  
  Nagi again rushes forward to seize the GPS as you drop it. She settles down to fiddle with it again.
  
  > go east
  To the west, a very shallow slope of mixed scree and debris leads up to the bank of the mountain stream. At the bottom, where you stand, the forest thickens again, with faint animal trails leading north into the deeper forest and east towards the thinner trees that line the coast. By keeping close to the streambank, you could also manage to follow the water southeast down toward the shore.
  
  Nagi dawdles along in your wake, curious to see what you're up to.
  
  > Go north
  The trail descends into a hollow here, free of trees. Centered in the valley floor is a large mound of volcanic rock, with a large boulder plugging up a fumarole on top. The surrounding rock is riddled with cracks, crevices, and fissures, and hidden in one of the larger depressions is a very large bird's nest, which doesn't look completely intact. The forest trail leads upslope to both the north and south.
  
  The moa sits on her nest, calm and satisfied.
  
  Nagi scampers behind you, curious to see what adventures you have planned next.
  
  > Go north
  The narrow forest trail opens onto a small clearing here, where the kauri gives way to unhealthy-looking ferns and thin, yellowish grass. The trail leaves the clearing to both north and south.
  
  Nagi ambles along in your wake, curious to see what you're up to.
  
  > go to the north
  Armed with your map and the powered GPS, you strike out into the deeper forest and head north, hoping the station is where Eruera thinks it is. Unfortunately, after just a few short minutes of travel, you hit a wall. Literally. Extending as far as you can see to the east and west is what must be about a twenty-foot volcanic ridge, the remnant of some long-ago eruption. You spend an hour or so scouting it out, trying to find a climbable spot, and eventually you find a place where the stone has crumbled and left a steep defile that you could probably scramble up.
  
  The problem is that there's an obstacle in the way -- a large, bony-headed dinosaur that is rubbing itself energetically against the broken rocks, trying to contort itself to reach a particular spot on its back.
  
  The breeze blowing the tops of the thickly-clustered kauri makes the few flashes of light dance and whirl around you. The trail is all but lost here. A tall, sheer, charcoal-gray ridge stretches as far as you can see from the east to the west.
  
  Standing alone in the shadow of the stone ridge is a huge animal. Its giant, bony head and squat, powerful body mark it immediately as a notoceratops mori -- the largest species of dinosaur in Aotearoa, and therefore the biggest dinosaur in the world! It's hanging around near a steep defile in the rock wall, rubbing against it like it's desperate. It notes your presence without reaction, obviously completely unthreatened by your presence.
  
  Nagi scampers behind you, curious to see what adventures you have planned next.
  
  The notoceratops flails its head towards its back frustratedly.
  
  > Name notoceratops fred
  You address the notoceratops. "I'm going to call you 'Fred'."
  
  Fred seems utterly disinterested.
  
  Fred rubs against a nearby rock outcrop in distress.
  
  > examine Fred
  Fred is an impressive animal, standing seven feet high at the shoulder and probably measuring twenty feet from nose to tail. Its large, bony head lacks the flattened, shield-like flange that the more commonly-known triceratops sports, but the bulbous knob the notoceratops has instead looks just as impressive. The dinosaur's skin is mostly a dull gray, similar to a hippopotamus, but it has dark brown spots on its torso as well. It is currently standing near the defile, attempting to scratch itself against the rough rocks, but apparently failing to reach the right spot.
  
  Nagi watches you, her interest indicated by her twitching tail and unconscious chittering. She notices you looking at Fred and peers at it with exaggerated interest.
  
  Fred flops on the ground and writhes around in obvious frustration.
  
  > look at the defile
  A tall barrier, the ridge seems to be broken by a steep defile here that might allow you to climb up. If you can survive getting to it.
  
  Nagi watches you, curiosity evident from her tilted head and unblinking stare. She notices you looking at the ridge and peers at it with exaggerated interest.
  
  Fred flails its head towards its back in distress.
  
  > examine GPS
  The GPS is bright yellow and labeled with the brand name "Amring". It's a very simple model, with just a single button to display coordinates. You push the button and your current latitude and longitude display: 46? 10' 58" S, 179? 12' 33" W.
  
  In the GPS is a battery.
  
  Nagi watches you, her interest indicated by her perked ears and unconscious chittering. She notices you looking at the GPS and peers at it with exaggerated interest.
  
  Fred snorts in obvious irritation.
  
  > turn on the radio
  You press the transmitter button. "Can I ask you a question, Eruera?"
  
  "Sure, Tim. What would you like to talk about?"
  
  Suddenly, Nagi makes a lunge toward the GPS, but you snatch it away before she can get it away from you.
  
  Nagi watches you intently. She makes a few halfhearted motions, trying to imitate calling Eruera on the field radio, but quickly gives up and returns to watching you.
  
  Fred flails its head towards its back in distress.
  
  (You could ask him about Fred or Mui.)
  
  > ask Eruera about Fred
  "There's one of the big dinosaurs up here. The notoceratops."
  
  Eruera chuckles a bit. "I hope you didn't run into it literally, Tim." You smile, even though it's not that funny. "And the great one did not chase you away?"
  
  "No, it didn't." There's a slight pause before he continues.
  
  "That is -- surprising. It takes both a special attitude and strong mana to approach the great taniwha. It is normally something that must be cultivated over time. That you have this gift is... interesting."
  
  You continue. "It looks like it might be itchy or something -- it keeps rolling around and rubbing against the rocks in the same area I need to climb up."
  
  "That is odd, Tim. It might have a fungus or other skin condition. You could probably try to scratch it. That won't fix the taniwha's problem permanently, but it might give it some relief so you could get past it."
  
  "Yeah, Eruera, I thought of that. But... it's... so big! It could crush me like a bug if it wanted to."
  
  Eruera is silent for a moment. "I think I see. Let me tell you a brief story that might help you out. It's a legend about how the Mori first learned to tame the taniwha."
  
  You wait, and in a moment he starts. "Long ago, the people came to Mui with a problem. 'Every year we plant kkmara -- sweet potatoes -- and take great care to guard them. We build tall fences to keep away the pkkeko -- the swamp hen -- and the old men chase them away night and day. Every year the kkmara grow, and every year we prepare for the harvest. And every year, the great taniwha come, break down the fences, and ravage our crop. We try to fight and chase them away, but they charge with heads down and scatter us like raindrops!'
  
  They pleaded with Mui to help them. 'We cannot continue to live when the taniwha eat most of our crops. Please, slay these taniwha and you may have anything you want as a reward.'
  
  Mui agreed, saying 'I will end the threat of these taniwha for you,' for he had heard stories of the giant taniwha and had a plan."
  
  Eruera pauses for a moment to catch his breath, then continues. "Mui lived among the people of the village as their honored guest all year, and there was much grumbling as the year went on, for Mui ate very
  well indeed and food was scarce.
  
  But finally the harvest drew near, and Mui set forth for the fields to confront the taniwha. The villagers were confused, as he took no weapon, only a large sack. 'How can he slay the taniwha without a spear?' they asked themselves, and the grumbling grew greater. Finally the villagers sent a small boy to follow Mui to make sure he did what he had agreed to do and didn't just run away.
  
  The boy saw something amazing. As the first of the taniwha approached, Mui stood still and silent. The taniwha stopped. Mui moved very
  slowly and smoothly, giving no offense to the great beast, and it didn't charge. Mui was able to walk right up to it and put his hand on it. Then Mui opened the bag, and inside were the kkmara he'd pretended to stuff himself with all year. As the boy watched, Mui pulled out a kkmara and fed it to the taniwha."
  
  Eruera pauses for a few moments. "Hours later, the boy came running back into the village. But before he could explain what he had seen to the elders, Mui appeared, riding proudly on the back of the great taniwha, and tossed down the empty sack. The elders were furious. 'You agreed to slay the taniwha, and you bring it here into our village?'
  
  'I never promised to slay the taniwha,' Mui responded. 'I have done what I promised. Remember my words. I have ended the threat of these taniwha to you.' The elders remembered, and although they were still furious, they had to agree that Mui had succeeded."
  
  Eruera concludes, "So the point of that story is that these taniwha react well to friendliness. Approach them slowly and respectfully, and work out a way to scratch this one's itch, and you should be quite safe."
  
  "Wow, Eruera, that's a cool story." You pause for a moment, thinking. It makes sense. But you do have one question. "So what did Mui choose as his reward?"
  
  You can hear the smile in Eruera's voice. "That is a story for another time, Tim. Good luck to you!"
  
  Fred snorts desperately.
  
  > touch fred
  Fred is thrashing around too much for a close approach.
  
  Fred flails its head towards its back in obvious irritation.
  
  > examine the head
  Fred is an impressive animal, standing seven feet high at the shoulder and probably measuring twenty feet from nose to tail. Its large, bony head lacks the flattened, shield-like flange that the more commonly-known triceratops sports, but the bulbous knob the notoceratops has instead looks just as impressive. The dinosaur's skin is mostly a dull gray, similar to a hippopotamus, but it has dark brown spots on its torso as well. It is currently standing near the defile, attempting to scratch itself against the rough rocks, but apparently failing to reach the right spot.
  
  Suddenly, Nagi makes a lunge toward the GPS, but you snatch it away before she can get it away from you.
  
  Fred rubs against a nearby rock outcrop in obvious frustration.
  
  > look at the bark
  The bark is about a foot in diameter, thick and round.
  
  Nagi watches you, showing her interest by her twitching tail and unblinking stare. She notices you looking at the chunk of bark and peers at it with exaggerated interest.
  
  Fred snorts in distress.
  
  > Go west
  You've already walked quite a ways to the west, and found no other places to scale the ridge.
  
  Fred flops on the ground and writhes around in obvious frustration.
  
  > go to the east
  You've already walked quite a ways to the east, and found no other places to scale the ridge.
  
  Fred snorts in distress.
  
  > examine the rocks
  You aren't sure where the sharp rocks are at the moment.
  
  Fred flops on the ground and writhes around frustratedly.
  
  > Things
  Nearby are Eruera, the stick, Nagi, the chunk of bark, the bucket, the battery, the GPS, the map, the ridge, Fred, the kauri forest, the ferns, the hole in the bucket, the blob of sticky gum, the field radio, and the call button.
  
  > look at the ridge
  A tall barrier, the ridge seems to be broken by a steep defile here that might allow you to climb up. If you can survive getting to it.
  
  Nagi watches you, her interest indicated by her perked ears and fixed gaze. She notices you looking at the ridge and peers at it with exaggerated interest.
  
  Fred flails its head towards its back in distress.
  
  > Scratch fred
  (with your fingers)
  You consider scratching Fred, but you don't have the reach required to get at Fred's itchy spot.
  
  Fred rubs against a nearby rock outcrop in obvious irritation.
  
  > Scratch fred with stick
  You approach Fred very slowly and deliberately with the stick, ready to back away if it shows any aggression. But it doesn't seem to treat you as a threat. Your heart pounds as you get close to the twitching beast, but finally you're in range. You reach upwards with the stick, toward where you've deduced the itchy spot must be. It seems that you've guessed correctly, as the huge beast immediately flops down on the ground and tilts its back towards you to improve the angle. Once your heart settles down after the huge dinosaur's abrupt movement, you scratch away as hard as you can, and Fred's satisfied grunts indicate that it, at least, thinks you're doing a good job. You study the impressive creature as you work, fascinated with its sheer size and power.
  
  Nagi looks at you curiously. She seems to be impressed.
  
  ...but you're completely surprised when a deep voice from behind you says "Awww, isn't that cute?"
  
  You whirl around to see who it could be and end up with a rifle barrel pressed into your stomach by a tall, brown-haired man in jungle camouflage. "Just stay right there, boy," the man says. "You speak English?" He plucks the radio out of your hands and looks at it briefly, noting the identifying markings on it. "Working with the Conservation Service, eh? I don't know where you came from, but you aren't going to be going back to tell them about us."
  
  He flicks one hand at the dinosaur without taking his eyes off you, and several other men in similar clothing move around you toward Fred, who lumbers to its feet, far too slow to avoid capture. Or so it seems. One of the men raises what looks like another rifle and points it at the beast, but at the last moment Nagi rushes from the undergrowth and hurtles onto him, scrambling up his back before leaping to the lower branches of a nearby tree and disappearing again. The man jerks as he pulls the trigger, and a tranquilizer dart goes wide, flying into the forest in a high arc.
  
  Fred surges to its feet, bellows, and crashes off through the forest as the leader curses. With a curt gesture, he motions for the men to return and tie you up instead. "Those bloody pests! Well, at least we know that big dino's still around here. It won't escape us for long. In the meantime, you can take its spot in the cages." He smiles. "You never know when a Conservation Service hostage might come in handy." The man's rifle butt whips up towards the side of your head, and you see a blinding, red flash of pain, followed by blackness.
  
  You awaken with a pounding headache, and your friend Nagi licking your temple with a raspy tongue. You can't tell whether it's the sandpaper sensation or the rank smell of her breath that succeeded in waking you, but you stagger to your feet and look around.
  
  You're in a large, solidly-constructed steel cage. If the roka on the ground wasn't enough to tell you what these cages normally contain, the intermittent bellowing from the captured notoceratops in the four other cages makes it crystal clear. The locked door of the cage leads north, if you could somehow get it open.
  
  Nagi is nearby, sprawled out on the ground in a funk. She glances at you every once in a while to see what you are going to do next.
  
  > examine the door
  (the cage door)
  The cage door, like the cage itself, is sturdy and solid, if not quite new. The bars are just slightly bent, which makes sense since they've been keeping live, agitated notoceratops in them. Unfortunately, the bend in the bars isn't enough to allow you to slip through like Nagi can. There's a lock mechanism on the door that looks like you could reach it.
  
  As you take a step you notice something flash at your feet. Nagi pounces on it and comes up with something that looks like a snippet of thick copper wire.
  
  > examine lock
  You can't see the lock mechanism, but you feel around the outside enough to find the keyhole. It seems simple -- turn the key and the lock bolt should slide back and unlock the door. But you don't have the key.
  
  > examine the roka
  The roka litters the ground in the cage. Apparently notoceratops have a healthy appetite.
  
  > Things
  Nearby are Eruera, Nagi, the wire snippet, the cages, the steel bars, the newer tent, the campfire, the piles of roka, the cage door, and the cage door lock.
  
  > examine the cages
  A row of cages occupies the south side of the camp. Yours is in the middle, with similar cages to your east and west. The other cages contain sad-looking notoceratops, bored and waiting until they get shipped off to wherever their final destination might be.
  
  > examine the tent
  This tent's heavy, waterproof canvas seems in the best condition of anything in the camp. It's smaller than the army-surplus tent to the southwest, but still looks roomy enough to provide a good amount of living space and headroom.
  
  > pick the lock with the wire
  You wait for a moment when no one is watching and start to work. With determination, you insert the copper wire and fiddle with the lock. The wire snippet is pretty stiff, and long enough to access the lock mechanism, but you have no real idea how to pick a lock, and all your fumbling does is attract attention. Nagi watches you intently, head cocked, trying to figure out what you're doing. And unfortunately, you're so engaged in trying to open the lock and fending off the "assistance" of Nagi that you don't notice the apparent leader of the poachers -- the man who hit you -- approach.
  
  "Well now, what's this?" He grabs your hand, painfully twisting the piece of wire free. "Oho, we've got Junior MacGyver here!"
  
  He grips your hand, holding on effortlessly as you try to twist away, and considers. "Amusing, son. But if I see you doing that again I'm going to shoot you, just on the off chance you might get lucky." He drops the piece of copper wire onto the ground, out of your reach.
  
  "Now behave, hear?" He turns on his heel and walks off.
  
  > examine Nagi
  Nagi looks kind of like a lemur, with spotted brown fur, delicate arms, and a long, thin tail. Her head is the big tipoff that she's not a lemur or a monkey -- two scooped ears that swivel around when she listens, beady yellow eyes, and a ratlike snout make it obvious that this creature has to be related to bats in some way. Nagi is nearby, slipping back and forth through the bars to demonstrate to you how to leave the cell. She periodically looks at you, hoping you'll do something interesting.
  
  Nagi seems drawn to the piece of copper wire. She slips through the bars of the cage, unnoticed, and picks the snippet up. She then turns it over and over in her hands, watching how it shines in the light.
  
  > Wait
  You pause for a moment, idly watching Nagi, and think about how you might get out of here...
  
  Nagi moves over to the door lock and inserts the piece of wire, imitating what she saw you do before. She wiggles the wire around for a while, but to no effect, and she finally sits down in confusion.
  
  > Lock
  You can't see the lock mechanism, but you feel around the outside enough to find the keyhole. It seems simple -- turn the key and the lock bolt should slide back and unlock the door. But you don't have the key.
  
  Nagi cocks her head and looks quizzically at the door, considering its lock and the piece of wire. You can almost see the wheels turning in her head. After a while, she glances over at the tent the leader entered.
  
  > examine the tent
  This tent's heavy, waterproof canvas seems in the best condition of anything in the camp. It's smaller than the army-surplus tent to the southwest, but still looks roomy enough to provide a good amount of living space and headroom.
  
  All of a sudden, Nagi takes off across the center of the camp to the north and disappears into the tent there.
  
  > Wait
  You wait near the door of the cage to see what Nagi is going to do next...
  
  > Wait
  You wait near the door of the cage to see what Nagi is going to do next...
  
  Nagi bounds out of the tent, carrying something shiny! You squint to look more closely as she approaches, and realize with a start that it's the key to the lock! Nagi must have stolen it without being detected! She sprints across the central area of camp and leaps up onto the door of your cell, then jams the key into the lock and starts moving it around. Somewhere in all the twisting and poking, you hear a "click".
  
  Nagi looks up at you and wiggles in excitement. She keeps making scooting motions with her head to try to direct you toward the cage door.
  
  > go to the north
  (first opening the cage door)
  
  You slip out the cage door with care, grateful that the door hadn't made much noise when you opened it. Nagi jumps excitedly as you come out, and then scoots over to the other cages and quickly unlocks those as well. The notoceratops in the other cells waste little time pushing through the doors and heading for the hills. Unfortunately, they trumpet and bellow in triumph as they go. You can hear shouts from the alerted poachers around camp as the notoceratops scatter, but in the confusion no one has yet noticed your escape. You look to the east, towards the boats, but in a stroke of very bad luck you notice two men off in that direction pointing at the dinosaurs and starting to run in your direction.
  
  This seems to be the center of the poachers' encampment. A banked campfire is in the center of a small cleared space here, a small, newer tent is set up to the north, and a collection of large cages is set to the south. To the east, a short trail leads down a slope to a beach, where the poachers keep their boats.
  
  Nagi is nearby, zigzagging back and forth as you run and occasionally surging towards the west before returning to circle you again.
  
  The formerly-imprisoned notoceratops spread out quickly and rampage around camp, trying to find their way out and avoiding the poachers who are trying to round them back up. Luckily, no one seems to have spotted you yet, although the men from the east are steadily approaching.
  
  > look at the campfire
  The campfire isn't burning right now, but looks like it's used for cooking to judge by the flat, stained rocks nearby.
  
  Nagi is nearby, trying to lead the way to the west as she flies over obstacles with amazing speed.
  
  The formerly-imprisoned notoceratops continue to roam about and rampage around camp, trying to find their way out and avoiding the poachers who are trying to round them back up. Luckily, no one seems to have spotted you yet, although the men from the east are steadily approaching.
  
  > Go north
  You attempt to duck into the leader's tent to hide and wait out the chaos, but run headlong into the leader himself as you approach. He reacts quickly, pulling out his pistol and shooting you down as you turn to try to run. "I told you I'd shoot you again if you tried to escape, boy..."
  
  > Go south
  You duck back into one of the cages, figuring that it should be safe from the rampaging notoceratops. Unfortunately, it also neatly traps you, and in a further display of bad luck one of the poachers sees you slip into the cage. He approaches, a sneer on his face. "Trapped yourself, eh? No ransom is worth losing our dinos." He reaches for his sidearm...
  
  > Things
  Nearby are Nagi, the newer tent, the campfire, the poachers, the cages, the herd of rampaging notoceratops, the cage door, and the cage door lock.
  
  Nagi is nearby, trying to lead the way to the west as she flies over obstacles with amazing speed.
  
  > go west
  You set out to the west, hoping to use the exodus of the dinosaurs to cover your escape, and staying low. As you near the outskirts of camp, you duck behind a partially-disassembled jeep for some cover.
  
  The poachers' camp borders the wilderness here. Deep ruts in the ground mark the likely spot where their vehicle is parked when it's not in use. One large tent lies to the south. To the northwest a crude road leads back into the forest, and you could also reach the forest to the southwest over a short rise and across a stretch of open field. The main portion of the camp is to the east.
  
  Nagi is nearby, zigzagging back and forth as you run and occasionally surging towards the southwest before returning to circle you again.
  
  The dinosaurs are fleeing the camp, pursued by poachers with guns, who are piling into a jeep. Apparently (and certainly fortunately), no one has yet seen you.
  
  > look at the tent
  This khaki barracks tent looks really old -- your best guess is it's army surplus from three or four wars ago. Its canvas is patched and worn, and you suspect it's not even waterproof.
  
  Nagi is nearby, alternating between chittering anxiously at you and scampering up your leg to your shoulder, looking towards the southwest.
  
  The dinosaurs are fleeing up the trail, pursued by poachers with guns roaring off up the trail after them. Apparently (and certainly fortunately), no one has yet seen you. Unfortunately, not all the poachers drove off in the jeep; there are a few still rounding up stragglers.
  
  > go south
  Nagi heads for the treeline to the southwest, and you realize that you probably should have followed her. Instead, you make a move toward the tent, hoping to hide inside. As you approach, however, you hear loud arguing from inside and quickly retreat back behind the jeep.
  
  The dinosaurs are fleeing up the trail, pursued by poachers with guns roaring off up the trail after them. Apparently (and certainly fortunately), no one has yet seen you. Unfortunately, not all the poachers drove off in the jeep; there are a few still rounding up stragglers.
  
  > Go northwest
  Nagi heads for the treeline to the southwest, and you realize that you probably should have followed her. Instead, headed up the trail toward the forest, and you're quickly apprehended by a group of poachers. This time you're thoroughly tied up before being thrown back in your cage, and escape proves impossible.
  
  > Go southwest
  You set out across the open space to the southeast, staying low and heading for the treeline, still unseen. And it seems to be going well until one of the men gets bowled over by a notoceratops and sees you as he gets back to his feet.
  
  "Hey! That kid's loose! He's getting away! Get him!"
  
  You've never been happier to see the thick forest -- you've got a good chance of losing your pursuers in here, you figure. The grasses of the slope to the northeast give way to ferns and kauri trees as the animal trail leads off into the shaded forest to the west.
  
  Nagi is nearby, alternating between chittering anxiously at you and scampering up your leg to your shoulder, looking towards the west.
  
  You hear shouts from your pursuers. "He's getting away! Faster, dammit!"
  
  > go to the west
  You dash up the animal trail, trying to keep distance over your pursuers, but they're much fresher and do a good job of keeping up with you. You burst from the undergrowth near the slope of scree.
  
  To the west, a very shallow slope of mixed scree and debris leads up to the bank of the mountain stream. At the bottom, where you stand, the forest thickens again, with faint animal trails leading north into the deeper forest and east towards the thinner trees that line the coast. By keeping close to the streambank, you could also manage to follow the water southeast down toward the shore.
  
  Nagi is nearby, trying to lead the way to the north as she flies over obstacles with amazing speed.
  
  The pursuing men aren't shouting any more, but you can hear them crashing through the ferns and undergrowth. They're not far behind you.
  
  > go north
  Turning abruptly, you head for the north at a dead sprint, bursting into the moa's hollow, causing her to squawk in alarm before she recognizes you. Your lungs are burning and you aren't sure how long you can keep this pace up.
  
  The trail descends into a hollow here, free of trees. Centered in the valley floor is a large mound of volcanic rock, with a large boulder plugging up a fumarole on top. The surrounding rock is riddled with cracks, crevices, and fissures, and hidden in one of the larger depressions is a very large bird's nest, which doesn't look completely intact. The forest trail leads upslope to both the north and south.
  
  Nagi is nearby, alternating between chittering anxiously at you and scampering up your leg to your shoulder, looking towards the north.
  
  The moa seems alert and agitated, but sticks near her nest and egg.
  
  Behind you, a group of pursuers rushes into the hollow. This second disruption alarms the moa, who stands, draws herself up to her full twelve feet of height, and challenges the newcomers from her nest. The poachers ignore the bird, instead pointing at you and calling out in excitement. "There he is! Grab that kid!"
  
  > go north
  You skirt the fumarole, heading farther up the trail toward the deeper forest, and although your exhausted body keeps telling you there's no way you'll make it, you keep pushing forward anyway. Unfortunately, the main danger isn't behind you.
  
  "Kai a te kur+! Gotcha, you little troublemaker!" A tall Mori man wearing camouflage clothing and carrying a rifle rounds the corner directly ahead of you and grabs your shoulder, crunching the bones painfully. Almost before you realize what's happening, Nagi leaps onto your shoulder with a great bound and sinks her sharp little teeth into the man's hand! "hah, what the hell?"
  
  He whips his hand off your shoulder to smack little Nagi, evoking a screech of rage. You twist free, sprinting towards the forest to the north, hoping there aren't any more poachers ahead of you on the trail.
  
  The narrow forest trail opens onto a small clearing here, where the kauri gives way to unhealthy-looking ferns and thin, yellowish grass. The trail leaves the clearing to both north and south.
  
  As you continue, you hear a shout of rage, and then a horrible, high-pitched squeal of pain. Despite your desperation, you slow for a second and risk a quick glance behind you. No sign of Nagi.
  
  I hope she's OK. If she can just get into the trees she should be fine...
  
  > go north
  You keep running, glancing to the side and over your shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of brown fur or beady yellow eyes, but you don't see anything. The forest seems silent, aside from the breath burning in and out of your lungs as you keep running north, heading for the defile you found earlier.
  
  The breeze blowing the tops of the thickly-clustered kauri makes the few flashes of light dance and whirl around you. The trail is all but lost here. A tall, sheer, charcoal-gray ridge stretches as far as you can see from the east to the west.
  
  Fred stands here, complacent and slowly munching plants with its powerful jaws as it watches you arrive, at a run and out of breath. It holds your gaze for a few eternal seconds, then slowly kneels down, as if in invitation.
  
  You stumble to a stop in front of the dinosaur. Maybe it's the fatigue blurring your vision, but you seem to see it with a strange kind of double vision -- as the powerful lord of the forest, but also as the Mori do -- as an avenging spirit, the taniwha, the protector of the land. You and Fred hold motionless, watching each other for what seems like hours, but eventually the sounds of cursing men crashing through the ferns breaks the spell.
  
  > Ride fred
  As you approach Fred -- the taniwha -- it feels inevitable. Even destined. You may be running for your life, but as you near the massive dinosaur there's a timeless moment when you can forget that -- can feel something like what those Mori warriors of legend must have felt
  before charging into battle on the backs of beasts just like this one.
  
  As if in a dream, you climb up onto the taniwha's back. It seems high up, and that's before it stands, but for once you aren't afraid, and it feels so good to leave that fear back on the ground. You can actually see that little Mori boy from your visions sitting on the beast's back along with you, even though you know he can't be real. He has a wild grin on his face, and when you see it, you feel a thrill of contagious excitement. As it rises, the power and size of the beast you ride makes you feel like a superhero, or a Greek demigod like Hercules.
  
  (While riding Fred, you can try to control its movements. Use the command FASTER to urge it to greater speed, SLOWER to try to slow it down, and LEFT and RIGHT to try to shift the direction it's moving in.)
  
  Deep Forest (on Fred, facing east and stopped)
  The breeze blowing the tops of the thickly-clustered kauri makes the few flashes of light dance and whirl around you. The trail is all but lost here. A tall, sheer, charcoal-gray ridge stretches as far as you can see from the east to the west.
  
  > Go east
  You can't directly make Fred move to a compass direction. Use FASTER, SLOWER, LEFT, and RIGHT instead.
  
  > Faster
  With some nervousness, you give Fred's flanks a bit of a kick, like you were riding a horse. For a moment, Fred doesn't move -- just stands there -- and a moment of doubt creeps in. What if the poachers find you while you're still just standing here? But then the beast lurches and you grab for a better handhold. It's stomping the ground with massive impacts, alternating sides and tossing its head, dancing a war-dance -- its own haka. It starts walking at a meandering pace, paralleling the rock wall.
  
  > Left
  You reach forward, lean to your left, and try to pull the bony plate of Fred's head to get it to go to the left. It reluctantly turns to the northeast. It snorts in mild irritation.
  
  > Left
  You reach forward, lean to your left, and try to pull the bony plate of Fred's head to get it to go to the left. It slowly complies, turning to the north. It then lowers its head to munch a few ferns.
  
  > Faster
  Although you're somewhat afraid of irritating it, you give Fred's flanks a bit of a kick, like you were riding a horse. Unfortunately, it's currently looking in the direction of the rock wall, and so it just sits there, unmoving.
  
  > Right
  You reach forward, lean to your right, and try to pull the bony plate of Fred's head to get it to go to the right. It reluctantly comes around to the northeast. It tosses its head a bit in apparent frustration.
  
  > Right
  You reach forward, lean to your right, and try to pull the bony plate of Fred's head to get it to go to the right. It grumpily veers to the east, parallel to the rock wall. Then it shakes its head and knocks your hand loose.
  
  > Faster
  With determination, you give Fred's flanks a bit of a kick, like you were riding a horse. For a moment, Fred doesn't move -- just stands there -- and a moment of doubt creeps in. What if the poachers find you while you're still just standing here? But then the beast lurches and you grab for a better handhold. It's stomping the ground with massive impacts, alternating sides and tossing its head, dancing a war-dance -- its own haka. It starts walking at a meandering pace, paralleling the rock wall.
  
  > Faster
  Although you're somewhat afraid of irritating it, you urge Fred to greater speed with another kick. It speeds up to a trot, jolting your body with each impact of its feet, still paralleling the rock wall.
  
  > Faster
  With determination, you kick again, hoping to spur Fred out of its jolting trot. Unfortunately, the notoceratops doesn't seem to want to go any faster in the thick forest.