The dinosaur's powerful legs propelled him up the jagged rocks, his claws gripping the stone with ease. Each movement was deliberate, his muscles straining against the incline as he ascended. The higher he climbed, the more the wind howled around him, carrying whispers of a world long gone.

At the summit, he crouched low, his tail curling around his body for balance. From this vantage point, the wasteland stretched endlessly in every direction—a sea of cracked earth and crumbling ruins. But then, something caught his eye. Far to the east, a glimmer of reflected light danced on the horizon. It was too steady to be a mirage.

His heart pounded, a rare surge of hope tightening his chest. Could it be water? Or perhaps the remnants of civilization? He stared, unblinking, as if the distance would shrink under his gaze. The wind shifted again, carrying a faint, metallic tang. Unfamiliar. Not water, then. But something else.

A low growl rumbled in his throat as he considered his next move. The journey would be long, and the sun was already dipping toward the horizon. But the alternative was to remain here, alone, until the last ember of life flickered out.