Chapter 2

Book based on the lore of ARK: Survival Evolved

We swoop up and over the Gate, relieved to finally be home. Mines a modest camp, composed of one main building and a scattering of pens for the miscellaneous dinosaurs I have accrued over the months. My main building is what I’d call home. A moderately sized, two story house with a comfortable amount of room on both floors. The bottom floor dedicated to crafting and storage of my wares, the top being the living quarters.  

  

We land in our courtyard surrounded by an audible buzz of excitement, all my party are ready to greet me. I check on the raptors first, making sure to top off their trough with some of the leftover meat from the wolves, then move to the next.  

  

“Hi Stumps, how are you?” The trike nods in excitement, bounding up to me as quick as his short legs allow. I’ve found trikes to be some of the most enjoyable companions, as far as personality. Not the brightest, but few can compare to their affection. I open my palm to show him a few of his favorite treats, mejo berries. Stumps quickly cleans my palm of the tasty morsels, then looks expectantly at me for more. “Not yet bud, you’ll have dinner later”.  

  

Finishing my rounds to the troughs, filling them as need be, I head inside to store away my traveling gear. The light thumping of Lucy turns my attention to the other room just a second late, and I’m tackled to the ground. When I said few can compare to the trikes affection, the lystrosaurus is clearly at the top of the class.   

  

“Yes, yes, hello, sorry I was gone so long!” sitting up, I pull a few orchids from my chest. “Sit!.” Lucy plops into a sitting position. “Good girl, Lay down..” she pushes her front feet forward and rests her head on them. Scratching the top of her head, her tongue flops out of her mouth, panting just like you’d imagine a dog to do. I toss the flowers in the air and Lucy jumps up and catches them, performing a perfect backflip in the process. Patting Lucy a last time, I head over to my room. Taking a seat at the table, I collect my thoughts, planning for the day. Lucy waddles over, curling  up on my feet.   

   

“what are we going to do today, huh girl?” Lucy tilts her head in acknowledgement. I gaze out my window, into the frozen expanse that I call home. Some mammoth crosses by followed by another, presumably it’s mate. “We don’t have a mammoth, Lucy, would you like one?” Not even a budge. “I’ll take that as a no.” Turning away from the window, I decide to draw inspiration from my implant. I hold my hand open and up pops the familiar display. A dim blue interface filled with tabs for various things ranging from crafting items to my own personal health information.  

  

I tap on the engrams icon, hoping to find something worthy of a new adventure. Skimming through the now expanded list of items I can, or learn to craft my mind drifts. I’ve grown quite comfortable as of late. My company is small with only a few raptors and a trike to my name, but they’re family. I remember exactly where I found each and every one of them, and the days and nights spent at their side through the taming.  

  

The process of taming is, in fact tedious, that is without question. It is however, rewarding. The bond made with the dinosaur during the process is unparalleled. I remember finding Stumps on the beach where I first awoke. He was somehow wedged between two tree trees, from which he was later named. I had just found a wrinkled note in a chest on the beach, not but a half day before. On the note, written in frantic, but elegant penmanship was a set of steps. The note read:  

  

To tame that which yearns to be free, one must first lay it to sleep.   

Be it through fist, sling or bow, consider the threat and you will know.   

To remain asleep, find the berries of black,  

to gain their trust provide a tasty snack.   

The carnivores prefer the flesh of the slain.   

Feed herbivores crops or berries and their trust you will gain.   

The process takes time, so make sure you’re prepared.   

Sleeping dinosaurs attract the nosy so do take care.   

   

With the note, I found a slew of materials for the budding dinosaur tamer. A slingshot, accompanied by a handful of stone. A bow, complete with quiver of arrows tipped in some form of tranquilizing agent, that I now know as the ever-useful narcotic. Finally, a stockpile of the black berries mentioned in the note. Taming armory in hand, I continued my exploration of the coast until coming to the entrapped triceratops. Cautiously I approached, readying my new-found slingshot. With great hesitation, I shot the first rock.  

  

Out of frustration, Stumps lurched and strained against the trees, but could not get free. I paused for a moment and considered leaving him be, the spectacle was truly upsetting, but the thought of having a dinosaur as a companion was enough motivation to continue. A final rock rendered the beast unconscious. Slowly, and ever carefully, I walked up to the massive creature. There it was, a dinosaur in the flesh. This can’t be real. Frantically I went from bush to bush finding as many berries as I could. Pockets full, I run back to the trike and lay them down before him. His nostrils flare, smelling the treats. With his nose, he picks through the berries, tossing aside the red, then the yellow and blue. His nose finds what he was looking for, the pale purple berries. He opened his mouth, slowly scooped them in and crunched, breathing a heavy sigh.  

  

“So you like the purple berries, yes sir.” I spend the next several minutes running up and down the beach, searching for more of those berries. Running past all types of dinosaurs I have yet to even consider, only thought on my mind was my new friend. I come back this time with several handfuls of his favorite berry, assembling them in a pile like before. Again, those powerful jaws open and chomp a mouthful. Another sigh. Happy with the pile before the trike, I start to think of when I was supposed to use the black berries. The note didn’t say when, just mentioned to keep him asleep. But for how long?  

  

Not willing to possibly botch my first go at this, I reach down to the sleeping giant and place a few of the black berries in front of his nose. Much like he did to the other assorted berries, he pushes them out of the way.   

  

“Well then,” I look down at his mouth, then at the berries. “the note said you have to eat this buddy, I’m sorry.” I reach down and grab a few of the berries, placing them in the trikes opened mouth. Reflexively, the trike expels them with his tongue. Thinking of taking a gentler approach, I reach my hand out, shaking, but confident, to the trike’s nose. My fingertips graze his rough beak like snout, slowly allowing my whole hand to rest on his nose. His eye opens just enough to look out at me. “It’s okay buddy, I’m not going to hurt you.” softly, I reassure the gorgeous creature. “but, I need you to eat some of these.” I reach out again, this time bringing my hand up to the trikes open mouth. Never taking his eyes off me, he scoops them into his mouth. Chewing, I can see his breathing begin to deepen as he lays his head back down to rest.   

  

“It’s all about building trust…” I realize out loud. Over the next few hours, I sat with Stumps. Occasionally handing him more of the narco berries, as they’re called, and making sure his stockpile of mejo berries never dwindled. I lit us both a campfire on that beach, only leaving his side to gather some more berries. Happily, I snacked on the ones he didn’t care for. I feel the ground shake as it normally would when Stumps was getting restless and moving about, so I prepare to hand him some more narco berries. Instead of the half-asleep trike I look up and see him, still laying down, but his head is raised, alert.  

  

“Hey there buddy.” Reaching out he meets me half way. Eyes locked with mine the trike pushes his head under my hand, forcing it to the top of his nose and breaths deep. As he exhales his eyes close slowly and he begins to stand, shaking the drowsiness away. He walks up to me, his massive frame dwarfing mine and stares expectantly. I take a few steps back, the trike follows happily. Making sure it was no fluke, I take twice as many steps, once again he bounces over to me.  

  

I stare in disbelief at the dinosaur, he stares back at me. “This can’t be real, well, I guess you need a name, don’t you?” I see the tree stumps that I freed him from during his nap. “Stumps?” The trike tilts his head ever so slightly as if considering the name. It must have passed. He bounds up to me mouth open and tongue flopping. I spent the next 10 minutes wrestling, and running around with a dinosaur.  

  

Shaking my head at the memory, chuckling as I realize how little Stumps has changed, I continue flicking through the entries in my implant. Just as I get to the next page, the implant dims and a message pops up. Engram list updated. These updates aren’t uncommon, new technology is often made available to me. Excited to see what the update was, I begin scanning row by row to find anything I haven’t seen before. Then, on the last row I see it. Allosaurus Saddle:Unlearned.  

  

“Allosaurus…I don’t remember ever seeing an Allosaurus before.” I have noticed over the past months new entries in the implant would show up. New building materials, crafting stations and from time to time, a new saddle. Most recently, I remember an engram for a direbear saddle appearing, shortly thereafter I spotted my first grazing near a river in the central redwood forest. It seems that the Ark has had a gradually expanding repertoire of prehistoric creatures. The most recent addition however, the Allosaurus, sparked some interest.   

  

Storied pack hunters, capable of posing a threat to even the feared Tyrannosaurus. They would be welcome additions to my group. I run down stairs, Lucy in tow, and begin searching through my cabinets and chests.   

  

“Alright, engram says 320 square feet of hide, 170 strands of fiber and 30 pounds of metal. Not too bad.” Sifting throw all the various storage, I grab a ring of fiber out, it’s 30 more strands than I need, but I’ll just put whatever is left over back. I look into my chest with my rolls of hide and grab two of them. Conveniently sewn into rolls of 200 square feet, it will be more than enough. “and now for the metal.” I typically keep that stored away in my smithy since that’s where I use it most. Counting out the bars I see I’m a few short. “Well, looks like I need to go get some metal Lucy, keep the place safe?” Lucy grumbles her acknowledgement and plops down at the door.   

  

I step out into the courtyard, looking up to the neighboring mountain. Frozen tooth, it’s called. I was happy to locate so close to metal deposits, repairs on armor and tools are much easier to manage. Which is a welcome convenience, given the dangers of my home's location. Winter’s mouth isn’t as hospitable as one would hope. The constant threat of dire wolves is always looming, and much to my dismay, so are the visits from rexes. Although Freya and I have done well up until now protecting our home, the addition of an alpha predator like the allosaurus would be welcome. Freya dismounts from her perch atop the house, and walks alongside me as I make my way to the raptor’s pen.  

  

“Not today Freya, you still need some rest.” Patting her beak, she accepts my dismissal and returns to her perch. “You however, Maleficent, we’re going for a ride.” Maleficent hisses her approval looking over to her companion. “Yes he can come too don’t worry.” I had found both Maleficent, and Alduin, at the same time. They were hunting together along the shore one day. It only seemed right to tame them both. I hop on Maleficent’s saddle and whistle for Alduin to follow. Once at the gate, I jump off and climb the ladder to the viewing platform. Its a small tower of sorts to make sure the coast is clear before heading out.  

  

Out to my right, the frozen expanse of winter’s mouth. The mountain’s peak, barely visible through the billowing frost and pines scattered across the landscape. To my left, the climb to frozen tooth. Despite its name, the tooth is anything but frozen. As opposed to snow and pines, the mountain is scattered with the rarer of the resources on the ARK. Obsidian and metal are plentiful, as well as clusters of crystal spotting the mountainside. Other than the setting sun resting atop the mountain, the coast is clear.   

  

“Alright you two, looks like we’re all set let’s go get this done and run on back.” They nod an agreement, and we’re off. In unison, we trot to the base of the mountain. Sighting nothing yet, I ease Maleficent to a walk, scanning the climbing horizon for any signs of metal. Squinting against the sun's final moments, a beam dances off a node just atop the nearest ridge. Sliding off the saddle, I grab my pick and make my way towards the node. The wind pushes up, and over the hill. With it, the faint fragrance of the fields below. The flowers and berries in full bloom in the valleys, not only dot the mountainside with refreshing bits of color, but also cast their scent through it. I can’t help but take a moment to bask in the setting sun's glow and close my eyes.   

  

Snapping back to the task at hand, smile spreading across my face, I start chipping away hunks of metal. I’ve grow proficient at this once unfamiliar task and now adeptly shave the metal off in one pound chunks, perfect for measuring how much I’ll need for the required ingots. As I work away with the metal, Maleficent and Alduin begin playfully nipping at one another. Running with their remarkable speed in tight circles chasing one another through the trees. I let them have their fun, finishing up with my own work.  

  

Chiseling off the last of the metal I need I whistle for the raptors, I distribute the metal between the two and hop back on to Mal’s saddle. Racing back down the mountain towards home, the first stars of the night twinkle across the growing night sky, the moons glow taking over for the sun as it takes its rest. Our gates quickly approaching, the soft thud of the raptors feet are slowly being over lapped by the distant pound of a much larger creature. Listening closely hoping to identify the possible threat, I am only met with confusion.  

  

“It sounds like there’s a few of them?” Alduin slides closer to Maleficent as we grow nearer to home. “Shouldn’t be a rex, they’re normally alone, sounds heavier than a carno…” Spotting them, my voice trails off. There were three in total, charging purposefully up the mountain towards us. The largest of the group emanating a fiery orange glow. Ushering the others, the beast let’s out a bone shattering roar which the two mimic with matched ferocity. The Allosaurus’ were on the hunt, and I, their prey.