On May 4th, Stegosaurus left his cave in Colorado and again stomped forthrightly to the State of Wyoming, returning to the greenery of his friend, the retired Congresssasurus Triceratops. Steve Beavers was there as well as visitors Trachodon and Agathaumas, who had left Colorado earlier.

“Hail and well met! Stegosaurus returns!” exclaimed Agathaumas.

“Nice to see you again!” said Trachodon.

“Welcome again, friend Stegosaurus. What brings you back to us so soon?”

“I recalled upon my last visit, however recent, that I had promised to introduce our good mammal friend Steve Beavers to some of our seafaring friends such as Elasmosaurus and Plesiosaurus.”

“You certainly can, Stegosaurus. Steve Beavers is in the greenhouse now working on the coffee plants that you and Styracosaurus requested of him,” said Congresssaurus Triceratops.

"You mean you don't mind me stomping with him forthrightly to North Carolina so soon after he returned from his vacation?" asked Stegosaurus.

"No, of course not," said Congresssaurus Triceratops. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our favorite mammal. Such a good friend of Dinosaurs as has proven his loyalty and friendship to us many times over and deserves every opportunity that can be had."

"You are generous." said Stegosaurus.

"Trachodon and I are here to help Congresssaurus Triceratops and will be here until you return." said Agathaumas.

"Thank you. My good friend. Let me visit Steve Beavers now. I will see you all shortly." said Stegosaurus.

Stegosaurus stomped forthrightly into the greenhouse and found Steve Beavers intently on work planting coffee plants as he'd promised.

"How are the coffee plants coming along, Steve?" asked Stegosaurus

"Hello, Stegosaurus, said Steve. "Good to see you. I have only just begun the planting you are way too early to eat them now."

"I will remain patient," said Stegosaurus "I appreciate your work, but I am actually here to take you, with the permission of Congresssaurus Triceratops, to visit with Elasmosaurus and Plesiosaurus, Even though you returned from a fishing trip not that long ago, we can go on another down to North Carolina. Elasmosaurus and Plesiosaurus are coming from Scotland to meet you."

"I am honored," said Steve. "I know you're not a seafaring animal, and it is very nice of you to make the effort so I can meet Elasmosaurus and Plesiosaurus. Scotland is quite a trip for them to make. Again, I am honored."

"Traveling by sea is not my favorite method of travel, I admit, but it is the least I can do to help one of my best friends." said Stegosaurus. "Thank you for working on our coffee plants. While you are working your magic, i will work on eating trees and simultaneously building a raft, so we can travel. You can travel with me, if you don't mind raft travel." said Stegosaurus.

"I will be glad to travel with you," said Steve. "We're going back to North Carolina, correct?"

"Yessir," confirmed Stegosaurus. Then he stomped up into the closest forested area, where he found groves of Populus deltoides, which Stegosaurus found to be both useful for the building of rafts, and quite delicious.

On May 14th, Stegosaurus completed his raft, after getting hungry and eating the first two he crafted.

When he was content with his craftsmanship, He called upon Steve Beavers.

"Steve, I have completed our raft; let us stomp forthrightly to the sea, and then float forthrightly through the waters until we reach the State of North Carolina."

"I will be ready to leave once I thank Triceratops and of course Agathaumas and Trachodon for helping in my absence. So recent from my last one. I appreciate this opportunity to make friends with more prehistoric animals. "said Steve.

"Of course you will be allowed to go, " said Triceratops. "We appreciate you and know that we will make sure you have your place here at my greenery when you return, full of new adventures."

"Trachodon and I excel at the tending of things green and growing. We'll take special care of the coffee plants for you, as well as the avacados. Have a safe time, and tell Elasmosaurus and Plesiosaurus hello for us." said Agathaumas.

"Travel safely, Steve and Stegosaurus! We will be excited to hear of your adventures when you return!" said Trachodon.

"Thank you everyone and farewell!" said Steve as he climbed up to ride on Stegosaurus' back.

Stegosaurus and Steve stomped forthrightly until they reached the Pacific Ocean. Then they floated forthrightly and thankfully uneventfully till they reached Cape Hatteras in North Carolina

/

From there, Stegosaurus and Steve floated forthrightly on their raft to the Atlantic Beach area, near Morehead City.

"Usually, I contact Captain Stacy here, and fish from his boat," said Steve. "But I suspect that this time I won't be fishing with The Captain Stacy Fishing Center," said Steve.

"No, sir. This is a special trip," said Stegosaurus. "You I trust," said Steve, "I look forward to meeting new friends and solving problems together"

Stegosaurus and Steve floated forthrightly in the Atlantic Ocean for some time; the seas were calm

"We must float out to the deepest waters to see Elasmosaurus and Plesiosaurus," said Stegosaurus.

"Now remember, Plesiosaurus is rather personable. but Elasmosaurus is agoraphobic, and she's very very shy."

"Okay," said Steve. And then, Steve noticed a familiar ship at sea in the distance.

"Oh, look! It is Captain Stacy!" he exclaimed. "Let's wave as we float by!"

"He will think it strange to see me with you, Stegosaurus."

"He will think it strange to see a Stegosaurus at sea," said Stegosaurus.

"He will think it strange to see a Stegosaurus at all," said Steve.

"Very fair," said Stegosaurus. "I am very odd and strange as a general rule."

As Stegosaurus' raft approached Captain Stacy's ship, Steve waved enthusaistically at Captain Stacy, who was on deck. He was first surprised to see Steve on a raft, but then noticed Stegosaurus, and at once appeared alarmed.

"I wish he could hear us," said Steve I would tell him not to worry. I should have told him I've made a habit of hanging out with dinosaurs lately."

"I'm sure it will be okay." said Stegosaurus.

"If we see the Coast Guard, I'm sure they'll be reasonable and understanding." said Steve.

Steve and Stegosaurus floated forthrightly on, and when they had long passed not only Captain Stacy, but any ship sailed by mammals, Stegosaurus announced, "Here is the spot. I think I see at least one of our seafaring friends now. They will be as surprised as any mammal to see me at sea,"

ery shortly thereafter, Steve saw what Stegosaurus saw. It was indeed Plesiosaurus.

"Hi, there, Stegosaurus! Is that indeed you? I'm surprised to see you here. You aren't thinking of becoming a seafaring animal, are you?"

"No, not at all. I leave the sea in your capable flippers," said Stegosaurus. "I have come all this way out to sea in order to introduce you to a good mammal friend of mine, Steve Beavers. He has had many adventures and accomplishments in his life, and to those, he wanted to add meeting you, and if we can, convince Elasmosaurus to say hi as well."

"We can try our best with Elasmosaurus," said Plesiosaurus. "Once you get to know her she's a real sweetheart, but really very shy, especially around mammals."

"Well let me introduce you to Steve Beavers, the mammal who can make Avocado trees grow in the Commonwealth of Virginia."

"Pleased to meet you, Steve," said Plesiosaurus. "I have heard so much of your fame that I had to swim all the way from Scotland to meet you."

"Do you live in Loch Ness?" asked Steve.

"No, you are thinking of Elasmosaurus. It has been well established by now that it is Elasmosaurus who lives in Scotland's famous loch."

"What can you tell Steve about yourself?" asked Stegosaurus.

"Let me start at the beginning. I was discovered by a mammal named Mary Anning ( 1799 ~ 1847 ) in the year 1823. This was in Dorset, England. My type A is still in the English History Museum to this day. It has been there since 1848. Ichthyosaurus had been discovered in the same rock strata that I was, earlier, in 1814. My taxon is of the wastebasket variety, but I am totally okay with that as I am in good company with Megalosaurus. In 1864, the author Jules Verne wrote about me in his book Journey to the Center of the Earth. I wasn't lucky enough to appear in the movie, some 90+ years later, but I am immortalized in the book. which I am perfectly content with. A nearly complete fossil of myself was discovered in Kansas in 1867, this was the most complete fossil of me to be found since 1823, and the first in North America.

My story is very closely intertwined with Elasmosaurus, as she is part of my family, and I would want to have her tell you her story, if she chooses; I hope you will be patient and watch with me for her to arrive."

"Of course," said Steve.

"I think I see her now!" said Stegosaurus.

"I think you're right, Stegosaurus!" said Plesiosaurus.

Everyone watched in awe as Elasmosaurus approached, only visible by the rapid rippling of the water. No animal could yet be seen. Then suddenly the iippling stopped, and graduallly, the waters became still.... right in front of Stegosaurs' raft. For some time, the waters remained still, and everyone was silent.

Then, slowly, Elasmosaurus' head appeared, rising above tthe waters.

"Um, hello?" Elasmosaurus looked up at Stegosaurus timidly

"Hello, Elasmosaurus," said Stegosaurus. "How do you do?"

"Um, I am, I am, um, well." Elasmosaurus. "What brings you to the sea? This is an unusual spot to find a Stegosaurus.

"I have traveled so far by sea for only one purpose, and that is to introduce you and Plesiosaurus to my mammal friend Steve Beavers. He enjoys the company of dinosaurs and megafauna, and is very skilled in the ways of growing plants. I will tell you something you will not believe, much more amazing than seeing a Stegosarurus at sea. "

"Steve Beaver," said Stegosaurus. can make Avocado trees grow in the Commonwealth of Virginia.">/p>

"I am a seafaring animal and rarely encounter any variety of tree," said Elasmosaurus, "Nonetheless, I am profoundly impressed by anyone of any species who can grow an Avocado tree in the Commonwealth of Virginia," said Elasmosaurus.

"Thank you for your kind words," said Steve. "Please do not be shy. I am pleased to meet you."

"I will try and tell you my story," said Elasmosaurus. "I am Elasmsaurus, and this means thin plate reptile. My fossil was discovered at Fort Riley, Kansas USA in the year 1867 by US Army surgeon Theophilus Hunt Turner ( 1841 ~ 1869 ) and it was sent to Professor Edward Drinker Cope, who was so kind as to classify me and name me shortly thereafer in 1868. When Professor Cope published his study on me, Stegosaurus' father, Othniel Charles Marsh pointed out an error made in my reconstruction: Professor Cope had my head on backwards. Professor Marsh joked with his friend, but Professor Cope did not take well to such jests, and their friendship began to sour, and evolve into a bitter rivalry commonly known as the Bone Wars. So, apparently it is so that I am the Helen of Troy of all prehistoric animals I as I started a War. Because of this, I have felt very bad, and I am very shy around most mammals from 1868 to this present day.

I am generally a total of 34 feet long, with just my neck being 23 feet long. I'm sure you've already noticed it. I have 33 sharp teeth in my triangular head; 14 on the top and 19 on the bottom. Despite early depictions of my neck as flexible, it is not by far, and I generally do not poke my head above water I stay low and let my relative here Plesiosaurus take most of the credit, the most popular of these is the idea that he lives in Loch Ness, even though I am the one true answer to this question."

"Well, I am pleased to meet you, and if my opinion counts to you, please note that I do not blame you for the Bone Wars, and you should not feel guilty about something which you cannot cause. The Bone Wars came about because of a disagreement between two, um, mammals who probably would have been determined to disagree even if the perceived impetus was not an Elasmosaurus fossil". said Steve Beavers.

"Thank you, you are very kind to say this," said Elasmosaurus softly, though the timid response was immediately followed by a toothy grin. 'If I still seem shy and agoraphobic it is because that I, like many dinosaurs, operate on geologic time. It takes a long time for us to change."

"Well, now that we're all introduced, let's go fishing!" Steve declared. Yet before anyone had begun, a familar voice was heard to say, "If you're going fishing, don't forget your friend Spinosaurus, who has come all the way from South Africa to see his mammal friend Steve Beavers."

"Aha!" said Steve. "Spinosaurus! You startled me! I remember you indeed from my visit to South Africa. "Nice to see you again. Please don't eat me."

"Fortunately, I am still feeling some Christmas spirit," said Spinosaurus. "You are safe.The apex predator of the sea ( that's me, ) will protect you."

Then suddenly and quite unexpectedly, Spinosaurus was pushed and dragged several feet by something underwater. Spinosaurus roared in pain, as the sea around him turned red with his blood. He disappeared beneath the waves, but Stegosaurus and the others knew he was stil alive underwater, as there was sudden commotion below and the sea was disturbed by waves.

"What is going on?" asked Stegosaurus.

"I will go underwater and find out," said Plesiosaurus.

"Be careful," said Elasmosaurus.

Plesiosaurus went underwater to look around. Yet before he returned the onlookers had their answer as Spinosaurus again appeared above the waves, locked in battle with another ancient serpent of the sea, Mososaurus.

"How DARE YOU come to my domain, ( the sea ) and declare yourself the apex predator when it is clearly OBVIOUS that I, Mososaurus, am the apex predator of the sea! Undisputed until recently. I will not bow to the johnny come lately Spinosaurus, who could only swim in the last flipperful of years; and that decision made by weak, land dwelling mammals!"

"Go back to Morocco, Mososaurus!" screamed Spinosaurus, the right side of his rib cage bleeding profusely.

"I can't! It is now a desert, and not fit for seafaring animals. But that's okay, because I am the apex predator of the sea! Fear me!" said Mososaurus.

"You prove my point, as to why I should be considered the apex predator of the sea though I am merely semi acquatic ... because I could live where I grew up as a young Spinosaur 70 million years ago just as well when the sea flowed there!"

Plesiosaurus again appeared beside Stegosaurus' raft. observing, "So much for the Christmas spirit, perhaps we should float on a way, and give these two some space to work out their differences."

"A wise plan," agreed Elasmosaurus.

Elasmosaurus and Plesiosaurus were first to take a safe distance back; Stegosaurus and Steve Beavers followed close behind, floating as forthrightly as they could manage.

"This is quite a spectacle," said Steve. "I wonder if we will get to go fishing at all."

"Eventually, we will, " said Stegosaurus. "We have to wait and see if Spinosaurus will be joining us .... or .... not......"

Spinosaurus went under the waves, clamping his jaws onto Mososaurus' left flipper.

Mososaurus roared in pain, but otherwise did not let the circumstances deter him from his course. In spite of Spinosaurus being clamped onto him, he swam about partially dragging Spinosaurus with him, until he could reach Spinosaurus' tail. This action did cause Spinosaurus to lose his grip on Mososaurus, and still more blood flowed into the sea.

Mososaurus saw that Spinosaurus was attempting to swim by him and then clamp onto his back using his mighty claws.

Mososaurus decided it was probably going to be a great idea to retreat to a safer position, maybe by the mammal that was with Stegosaurus on a raft.

Mososaurus knew that Spinosaurus would not put his friends in danger to attack him, so he approached the raft Plesiosaurus and Elasmosaurus were directly behind the raft.

Spinosaurus appeared on the side of the raft opposite Mososaurus, and Mososaurus was correct. Spinosaurus was battered but well, and the fight had been taken out of him, the predators considered that they had won, and their point made... for now.

"I see you are bleeding there, Spinosaurus, said Stegosaurus. "Are you going to be OK?"

"'Tis but a scatch!" declared Spinosaurus. "This is a day in the life of an apex predator, you know."

Due to this conversation, no one noticed what Mososaurus was up to. He was considering eating Steve Beaver.

"Who have we here?" thought Mososaurus. "I haven't often had the opportunity to eat a mammal such as this. What a novelty!"

Mososaurus approached quietly while everyone was distracted, thinking no one would miss one small mammal after all.

Then Elasmosaurus happened to see how wide Mososaurus opened his mouth towards Steve, and roared a warning. Steve cried out in alarm, and tried to get away, as far as he could and still be on the raft.

"Hey now, Mososaurus!" said Stegosaurus. "What ARE you thinking of doing?!? Do you know who this is?"

"Um, no. Who is this?"

"This is the famous well traveled mammal and friend of dinosaurs and megafauna, Steve Beaver."

"I have never heard of him, is he delicious?" asked Mososaurus.

We do not eat our friends!" said Stegosaurus.

"This may be a policy for plant eaters, but I do you see these teeth?" asked Mososaurus, displaying rows of sharp teeth. "Your policy is not the policy of an apex predator of the sea such as I!"

Stegosaurus was immediately concerned, and he didn't think he could get enough leverage on the raft to use his cool, spiky tail as effectively as he'd like.

Plesiosaurus and Elasmosaurus were nearby, and had sounded the alarm, but at the end of the day, they too, were predators of the sea and Stegosaurus was concerned they'd start fighting with Mososaurus over Steve, just as Spinosaurus had, even though Spinosaurus had different motives.

"WAIT!" Stegosaurus cried. "You can't eat a mammal such as Steve Beaver!"

"Oh? Why not?" asked Mososaurus.

"Because he is very wise and skilled beyond even other mammals of his kind! It would be a pity to eat such a kind and wise mammal as he!"

"Why is he so special?" asked Mososaurus.

"He's famous because he can cause an Avocado tree to grow in the Commonwealth of Virginia! Why, even right now in the State of Wyoming he is attempting to grow coffee plants in a greenhouse for me and my friends!" said Stegosaurus.

"Oh, you're right!" said Mososaurus. We cannot eat such a wise mammal as Mr. Steve Beavers it would be a great loss for mammal and dinosaur alike! What a skill it must take to grow such a tree out of its growing zone! I'm impressed, and that's saying something, because I am seafaring amimal and rarely see trees!"

"I'm sorry for trying to eat you, Steve Beavers. Can we be friends?" Mososaurus pleaded.

"I ... don't know," said Steve. You just scared me half to death."

"Fair, but you're also friends with Spinosaurus over there...."

"Whom you just tried to kill..."

"Also fair. I guess I'll just go fishing by myself. If it helps, I'll let you know I haven't eaten all the Red Snapper or Mahi Mahi."

"Well, I admit, that is very kind of you."

"Please give me a chance...."

"Mososaurs aren't known for being all that contrite," observed Plesiosaurus.

"Yet I detect a level of sincerity in those pleading eyes," said Elasmosaurus.

Mososaurus looked hopefully at Stegosaurus, and said, "Look, you can stay by the friends you trust and I will personally bring you the best fish I can find, in all of the sea, to prove to you how contrite I am."

"I will find an herbalist to make a poultice to heal Spinosaurus' wounds.... I'm sorry , Spinosaurus, maybe you ARE the apex predator of the sea.... if there is a poultice of seaweed to heal such wounds, I'll hunt for it myself.."

"I think he's really trying," observed Spinosaurus. "It seems to be the sea is large enough for at least two apex predators, and for my part I'll try to get along with you."

"Well, we can at least go fishing together," said Mososaurus.

"Okay, I will stick by Stegosaurus on our raft here, and I'll tell you what, if you can find some Sharks for me to fish for, I'll think about being friends with you, and if my coffee plant experiment works, in about 8 years, you too can have coffee plants grown in a Wyoming greenhouse owned and run by a retired Triceratops."

"Gee, that really would be swell," said Mososaurus, "I have never eaten coffee plants, but I am willing to try them."

And thus, Mososaurus gained friendship with those present, and contrary to what one might think, he actually was sincere and made a genuine effort to right the wrongs of his past behavior, as far as his status as an apex predator would let him.

Steve found himself a shark with the help of Mososaurus, and in the last week of May Stegosaurus returned to his cave in Colorado, prepared to rest a little bit before the celebrations for his milestone birthday began.