Dinosaur Hunter Diaries #033: The Night People
Turok: Son of Stone #20
All it takes is one volcanic eruption and the idea of fair play goes out the window.
A volcano erupts and traps our heroes beneath rubble, but they’re quickly saved by Galt and his travelling tribe. They’re in search of a safe cave to hide from the choking volcanic ash, but all the good spots are taken by the dinosaurs!
They try to flush them out with arrows, but that gets them nowhere. And if arrows accomplish nothing, it’s down to their second most reliably fallback — fire! They smoke out the cave-dwelling honkers, prodding them along so they don’t get second thoughts, and soon the cave is theirs!
Another tribe see all the commotion, and realise they could do the same thing to claim a cave for themselves. Not the smoking-out-honkers bit, that’s too much like hard work. No, they beat up Galt’s tribe and kick them out, while keeping Turok and Andar for themselves. There’s more than enough room for everyone in the cave, but the new tenants aren’t having it; Galt and his friends can choke for all they care.
Then the honkers return to retake their cave. Quick, set up the fire again! This keeps the dinos at bay, and also serves as an excuse to smoke out the place again, allowing Turok and Andar to escape their captors…
… and signal for Galt’s tribe to return, slipping by while the tormentors are still stumbling out of the smoke. Once they’re safely in, he extends his hand to the other tribe, welcoming them in on the condition they cease their attack. They survive the night, and come morning the air is safe to breathe once more, putting an end to this game of cave hot potato.
The next night, however, they awaken to find Turok’s knife missing from their new camp. While he blames this on Andar’s carelessness (HE’S JUST A KID DON’T BE MEAN), the next morning their freshly-caught food is also stolen, and he certainly can’t blame that on his young comrade.
They ask around the local tribes, and though they all consider the pair to be their friends, they’re all tight-lipped on the subject of stolen goods. Only one person is willing to reveal the secret — the night people! The tribes leave offerings to them in the night, and if they are not appeased, they take what they want. The one man who dared follow had his sight taken from him! Turok deems this ample reason to leave well enough alone, but try telling that to Andar. He sneaks off to guard the offerings during the night…
… and witnesses strange glowing men approach it, but is knocked out and taken with them. Turok follows the trail and uncovers a hidden entrance in a rock wall…
… leading to a vast cave coated in bioluminescent gunk! He soon spies Andar being held captive by the night people, also coated in the glowing goop to give them their mysterious sheen. For spying on their transaction, they aim to punish Andar so he never sees again!
Turok gives them a taste of their own medicine, as the night people were so kind as to announce they’ve a debilitating weakness to bright light. He takes Andar and flees, holding back their pursuers once more by exposing them to the natural daylight from their cave entrance; Turok demands they cease stealing from the tribes before he shuts the door, and they give in. You could say the night people won’t be… darkening their doorstep anytime soon!
