The last dinosaur crouched low, his massive tail curling around his haunches as he studied the small creature. Its scales were a mottled brown, blending almost perfectly with the cracked earth around the water's edge. It had a lean, agile body—built for survival in this harsh world. As it tensed under his gaze, he noticed the way its claws gripped the soil, ready to flee at the slightest threat.

A faint memory stirred in him, something from the Before Times. This was no dinosaur, but something that had endured where his kind had not. Its nostrils flared as it watched him back, its sharp, quick breaths audible even from this distance. The dinosaur tilted his head, intrigued. How had something so small lasted so long? Was it alone, like him?

The creature suddenly darted forward, not away, but toward him—just a few paces—before stopping again. It sniffed the air, then let out a chittering sound, almost inquisitive. The dinosaur rumbled deep in his chest, a noise that might have been curiosity or warning, he wasn’t sure himself. The creature didn’t retreat. Instead, it flicked its tail and took another cautious step closer.