text: [Themes: Children's, educational, male protagonist, kid-friendly, child protagonist]
  
  > Look around
  You stand on a thin strip of black sand lining the shallow curve of a bay to the east. A few seabirds fly overhead, and various clumps of driftwood, seaweed, and other shore debris litter the shore, the only visible evidence of the recent storm. A steep tumble of volcanic rock looms over the beach to the west and south, blocking travel in all directions except into the forest to the north.
  
  Eruera lies on the sand here, alert but unable to move.
  
  > examine the rock
  A section of the volcanic cliffs has collapsed in huge chunks here, blocking travel to the west and south. In a few thousand years they'll likely wear away to more black sand.
  
  > 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.
  
  A small dinosaur, which stands no taller than your shin, is nearby. She raises her head to issue a warbling call that sounds remarkably like a bird's, while continuing to watch you out of the corner of her eye.
  
  A shiny battery, apparently discarded or lost by someone, lies half-hidden by a pile of leaves that the female oviraptor is using as a nest.
  
  [You've encountered an animal that may figure significantly in the story! This story gives you the ability to name such animals with the command NAME FEMALE OVIRAPTOR BOOPSIE (or any other name of your choice). When you do this, the game will use your new name for the animal in descriptions, and you can use that name in your commands as well. Try it!]
  
  > look at the tree
  This kauri is intimidatingly tall, punching through the forest canopy into the full sunlight. It's very wide -- maybe three feet in diameter -- and its flaky bark has piled up around the roots of the tree, killing the grass and other plants in a wide radius around the trunk.
  
  [You've encountered an animal that may figure significantly in the story! This story gives you the ability to name such animals with the command NAME FEMALE OVIRAPTOR BOOPSIE (or any other name of your choice). When you do this, the game will use your new name for the animal in descriptions, and you can use that name in your commands as well. Try it!]
  
  > name the female oviraptor dina
  [Great! Now you can refer to the animal using your new name rather than its generic description. If you dislike the name, you can use the NAME command again to change it, or use UNNAME to remove it and revert to the generic description.]
  
  You address the female oviraptor. "I'm going to call you 'Dina'."
  
  Dina seems utterly disinterested.
  
  > get the water
  (using the bucket)
  You dunk the bucket into the stream, and pull it up brimming with fresh water.
  
  A thin stream of water drips to the ground as water leaks from the bucket.
  
  > go south
  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.
  
  Dina, who stands no taller than your shin, is nearby. She stares at you with intense, beady eyes, tensed to spring away.
  
  A shiny battery, apparently discarded or lost by someone, lies half-hidden by a pile of leaves that Dina is using as a nest.
  
  The water in the bucket drips away as the level slowly falls.
  
  > Go 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.
  
  The water level in the bucket drops as the contents leak away.
  
  > go 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.
  
  The water in the bucket drips away as the level slowly falls.
  
  > go south
  You stand on a thin strip of black sand lining the shallow curve of a bay to the east. A few seabirds fly overhead, and various clumps of driftwood, seaweed, and other shore debris litter the shore, the only visible evidence of the recent storm. A steep tumble of volcanic rock looms over the beach to the west and south, blocking travel in all directions except into the forest to the north.
  
  Eruera lies on the sand here, alert but unable to move.
  
  A thin stream of water drips to the ground as water leaks from the bucket.
  
  > give the water to Eruera
  (the fresh water to Eruera)
  You approach Eruera as he lies on the beach.
  
  "Eruera! I've got water for you!
  
  You hold out the bucket. "Here's some water, Eruera."
  
  Eruera sits up laboriously, takes the bucket from you, and tips it into his mouth. Water spills over his face as he drinks, and he closes his eyes in bliss. What seems like minutes later, he lowers the bucket. "Thank you, Tim. That's much better!"
  
  He gathers strength for a minute, panting for air a bit after downing the water. Finally he beckons you closer. "Tim, I'm sure the cutter was attacked, and I'm pretty certain it was by poachers -- criminals who illegally sneak ashore to capture the taniwha and sell them abroad. I'm not completely certain where we are at the moment, but if I'm right there should be a Conservation Service station about thirty miles to the north."
  
  He grins and spreads his hands. "Obviously I'm in no shape for such a trip through the bush, so it is going to fall to you to get to that station and get us some help. I'll try to answer any questions you have, and if you encounter anything unusual in the area you can always ask me about it."
  
  He steels himself, then twists, reaches into the pile of debris, and pulls out a solid-looking metal case. A huge smile spreads over his face. "By blind luck, that crate we stumbled across in the ocean had a set of field radios in it. They were in a sealed case, and they're pretty rugged, so they should still work." He hands you one of the radios and shows you how to push the button to make a call. You try it out, and the radio works perfectly! "With these we should be able to keep in touch in the field! If you run into anything, just give me a call."
  
  Having this link back to Eruera, even if he can't really get to you to help out, loosens up a tightness in your chest you weren't even aware you had.
  
  (You could ask him about himself, the coastal cutter, the dinosaurs, Dina, the battery, Aotearoa, or your vision.)
  
  > ask him about Dina
  "Hey, Eruera?"
  
  "Yes, Tim?"
  
  "I ran into a little dinosaur -- it was only about as high as my knee, but it was pretty active and, well, aggressive."
  
  "That was probably an oviraptor, Tim. There are several species of the little pests around here."
  
  You shift a bit. "Are they dangerous?"
  
  "Well, to small lizards, bugs, and eggs, sure. Not really to people, although they're protective and have a nasty bite."
  
  > ask him about the vision
  "When we were in the ocean -- before I made it to the crate -- I thought I saw my father, back before he died."
  
  Eruera looks at you with interest. "You had a vision?"
  
  "Yes, I was a little kid again, maybe five years old, and my dad was teaching me how to swim."
  
  "Tim, in the Mori culture, such visions are not uncommon. It is often said that the wairua -- the soul -- of an ancestor can send visions of warning or guidance. Perhaps your father's wairua gave you strength as you struggled in the ocean."
  
  > ask him about the battery
  "I found something odd in a little dinosaur's nest. She wouldn't let me near it, but it's obviously a battery of some sort."
  
  Eruera sits up and looks at you seriously. "Really? That's serious, Tim. "It's likely some trash from the same group of poachers that attacked us. I'd be very careful as you go through the forest. If they're that close, you'll need to be quite alert to avoid being spotted."
  
  > ask him about the cutter
  "I have to ask -- what happened to the cutter?"
  
  "You won't believe this, Tim, but I think it was a ship-to-ship missile." Your look of incredulity must be immediately obvious. He smiles faintly and continues. "I am serious, Tim. There have always been groups of poachers raiding the Protected Lands to take the taniwha away and sell them. They make a great deal of money, and so there's been an ongoing arms race between them and the Conservation Service for years. These poachers are pretty good at hiding their camps, but when they're cornered or feel they can get away with it they usually have some pretty heavy weaponry."
  
  > ask him about the dinosaurs
  "What can you tell me about the dinosaurs that live here?"
  
  Eruera shifts a bit, and there's a twinkle in his eye as he addresses you. "We really shouldn't waste time with this until we've secured rescue, but I know that's the main reason you came, and you haven't gotten your chance to see them yet, so I'll indulge your curiosity. In many ways, Tim, the taniwha are the living symbols of this whole nation. When the Mori first arrived in Aotearoa, they fought the taniwha simply to exist here. In those days, they covered the continent, for the most part, and weren't really willing to share it with humans."
  
  "But eventually the Mori learned how to coexist with the taniwha, and even partially domesticate some of them. When the pkeh came, bringing guns and colonists and looking for land to clear and farm, the Mori
  met their firearms with kairkau mounted on taniwha. Their mana was strong -- the British guns had some effect, but the bony plates on the taniwha's heads served as shields and made the riders difficult targets. The pkeh were unable to simply take Mori land, but they weren't willing to give up. Years of fighting ensued, until Pitiroi -- Robert FitzRoy -- was sent here from Great Britain and met with the great chiefs -- the rangatira -- and signed the Treaty of Waitangi."
  
  "The Treaty established a permanent state of alliance between Great Britain and Aotearoa. Mori sovereignty was guaranteed, but the pkeh were granted rights and brought into the iwi, or family, of Aotearoa. Many speculate that if the taniwha had not existed, we might have ended up like the aboriginal people of the Australian or American colonies -- a broken people, stripped of their land and heritage."
  
  "So the taniwha are vitally important to the Mori people, Tim. That is why we work so hard to protect them."
  
  > ask him about Aotearoa
  Which do you mean, 1) Aotearoa 4 Kids! or 2) Aotearoa?
  
  > 2
  "I've read about Aotearoa, but I don't really know what it's like here. Could you tell me about it?"
  
  Eruera chuckles. "That is a lot to cover, Tim. How about I just tell you how I see it? Aotearoa is home. It's not like we don't have problems here -- we have poverty and some pretty harsh political fights over taxes and resources and things like that, but so many things went right here that seemed to go wrong other places. We've kept our precious indigenous species safe -- we haven't had an extinction since the Laughing Owl back about a century ago. Race relations here are good compared with some -- well, most, really -- other former British colonies."
  
  He leans back. "Let's leave it at that for now, OK?"
  
  > ask him about the station
  You walk up to Eruera where he lies near the pile of debris. "I'm sorry, Tim. I don't think I can help you much with that."
  
  (You could ask him about himself, the captain, the poachers, your vision, or the Conservation Service.)
  
  > ask him about  the poachers
  "So, about these poachers. What should I expect?"
  
  Eruera's face stills as he looks at you. "Be very careful, Tim. If the poachers are in your path, do everything you can to avoid contact with them. These men killed my brothers on the cutter in cold blood, to protect their profits from stealing the taniwha. The best you could hope for if you are caught would be to be held for ransom."
  
  > ask him about Conservation Service
  "So what is the Conservation Service like?"
  
  Eruera frowns. "To work for, I'm guessing you mean? They're a good employer. I've not worked elsewhere, but I am told it's one of the better places within the government to work. More importantly, though, I see a great deal of Aotearoa the way the tkpuna did -- wild and unspoiled. And I feel like I'm doing my part to keep the mana of my homeland strong -- to protect the whenua rhui."
  
  > ask him about Captain
  "The captain -- I'm guessing he must be ... dead, right? Did you know him?"
  
  Eruera shakes his head. "Captain Hunapo? Yes, I suppose he is dead, although if anyone else managed to survive it would probably be that old kak+ mrM. Too stubborn to admit he's dead, I don't doubt."
  
  He sighs. "No, I'd known him by reputation -- a very skilled sailor, a long-time veteran of the Service, hell to work under -- but this was the first time I'd sailed with him."
  
  > Go north
  As you leave, Eruera calls out to you. "Haere r and waimaria, Tim. Come back safely."
  
  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.
  
  > go to the north-west
  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.
  
  > 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.
  
  Dina, who stands no taller than your shin, is nearby. She slowly moves from tree to tree, searching for something while always managing to keep you in view.
  
  A shiny battery, apparently discarded or lost by someone, lies half-hidden by a pile of leaves that Dina is using as a nest.
  
  > take the battery
  Dina steps forward, lets out a violent hiss, and glares at you in rage as you approach her nest. You retreat empty-handed, not wanting to get bitten.
  
  > examine Dina
  Dina stands on her hind legs, her tiny head and sharp teeth about knee-high. Her front arms are short and clawed, making her look like a very miniature T-Rex, except for a smaller, almost birdlike head, and she has muted and dappled green and brown skin that makes her very hard to pick out of the undergrowth. She eyes you warily, unsure whether you're dangerous or not.
  
  > examine the tree
  This kauri is intimidatingly tall, punching through the forest canopy into the full sunlight. It's very wide -- maybe three feet in diameter -- and its flaky bark has piled up around the roots of the tree, killing the grass and other plants in a wide radius around the trunk.
  
  > Up
  You approach the giant kauri and look up. It's impressively tall, and the first branches that look like they'd support your weight look like they could be almost thirty feet up. You begin to feel dizzy just thinking about trying to climb it. What if you fall? What if you get stuck?
  
  > look at the nanakia
  The nanakia 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. The nanakia stands on her hind legs on the far bank, watching you intently and mimicking your every move.
  
  The nanakia watches you intently from across the stream. She notices you looking at her and gets very excited. She draws herself up to her full height, wiggles her handlike paws, and twitches her tail.
  
  > Name nanakia naginata
  You address the nanakia, who draws herself up with a look of interest. "I'm going to call you 'Naginata'."
  
  Naginata's eyes gleam, and she preens with the attention.
  
  > ask the radio about Naginata
  You can only do that to something animate.
  
  > turn on radio
  You click the transmitter. "Can I ask you a question, Eruera?"
  
  "Sure, Tim. What would you like to talk about?"
  
  Naginata watches you intently from across the river. She makes a few halfhearted motions, trying to imitate calling Eruera on the field radio, but quickly gives up and returns to watching you.
  
  (You could ask him about himself, your vision, or your fear of heights.)
  
  > ask Eruera about Naginata
  "I'm sorry, Tim. I don't know much about that."
  
  (You could ask him about himself, your vision, or your fear of heights.)
  
  > ask him about the fear of the heights
  "I wanted to ask you about... well... climbing."
  
  "Climbing, Tim?"
  
  "Yes. I've wanted to climb some of these trees -- I've even started to try -- but I just... Are they safe to climb?"
  
  "Ah, I think I understand. The bark is smooth, yes? And the branches are high?"
  
  "Yes! I've never climbed a tree like this before. They're so tall! If I slipped and fell, I might break a bone, or even get killed!"
  
  Eruera is silent for a moment. "Well, Tim, I'm not sure what to tell you. I can't tell you it's completely safe, but I will say that Mori children often climb and play in trees much like these, and these are children younger than you, Tim. I feel certain that if you feel you need to climb a kauri, and you concentrate hard on what you are doing, that you will succeed."
  
  Immediately your mind fills with an image of the young boy you saw when you imagined being back learning to swim with Dad, before the accident. But this time the young boy is scampering up a tall tree like a hairless monkey, grabbing handholds quickly and surely as he climbs. After reaching the lower branches, he turns to you and beckons, and somehow your fear lessens. It's still there, but somehow more manageable. Something you can master, rather than the other way around. The young boy smiles and the brief vision ends.
  
  "Tim? Are you listening?"
  
  You shake your head, back to reality. "Yes, Eruera," you say. "You know, I think I might be able to give this a try."
  
  "You do? Very good! Take care and I'm sure you'll be fine."
  
  > Up
  You release the transmitter as you walk, ending the conversation.
  
  You are perched on a fairly thick branch of a kauri tree about thirty feet above the ground, which is about as high as you can climb, and higher than you feel truly comfortable with anyway. Above this level the bark is too smooth to climb, and you can't imagine trying to climb any higher even if it wasn't. The branch extends north out over the river. You take a moment to savor your victory -- you did it! You actually climbed all the way up to the low branches of a tall kauri tree! Sure, you were scared, but you did it anyway!
  
  I wish that little Mori boy was here so I could thank him.
  
  Across the river, you notice Naginata watching you climb with great interest. She hops onto what looks like a dead or dying kauri on the north bank, which appears to have some sort of major trunk damage near the ground. The nanakia scampers up the trunk to a branch, about at your level, that reaches south across the stream.
  
  > Go north
  You carefully creep out along the branch as it sags more and more under your weight. Your deathgrip on the branch takes most of your attention, but out of the corner of your eye you see Naginata approaching you, moving out over the river on her branch. The damaged kauri's limb sags and creaks alarmingly even under the slight weight of Naginata. She doesn't seem the slightest bit concerned. You, however, come to the abrupt realization that you're hanging about thirty feet above a rushing stream in the middle of the Aotearoan bush, and decide to retreat to the trunk.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  a field radio
  a leaky bucket, currently empty
  
  Naginata watches you intently from her perch on the branch across the stream. She watches you taking stock of your possessions, then starts looking at herself and patting her fur in a pretty good impersonation of you. Her search reveals a flea, which she pops in her mouth and crunches with gusto.