Epilogue

"So that is how the Exodus of Sorrow ends, huh? That was actually kind of a cool story," said one of Aladar's grandchildren.

"Believe me, I didn't even tell about how many we lost across the desert nor to predators. Not as much as I could have, anyway," Aladar confessed. Many of the youngsters looked at each other and chuckled at the idea of such a thing even being possible. After a total of almost all his life, Aladar had a way of ensuring eternal peace for his relatives or what looked like it for many years.

"Has anyone ever gone back outside the cave to see what the world is like out there?" asked one of the grandchildren. Aladar chuckled at the idea, confessing to himself that he found it somewhat amusing. Nonetheless, he indulged his impetuous grandson who seemed to have the same spark he once had when he was younger.

"We send regular patrols of those who are brave enough to do so back through the cave and into the old world. The desert hasn't changed much and we've heard that the struggles of those who didn't join us remain the same. Except the world outside has calmed sufficiently enough to where the struggles are more bearable. I pray to Old Gotama for a time when we will return and never have to learn about fear, about watching your back lest a predator be chewing on it," Aladar said. But his grandchildren's next words were more encouraging and uplifting than he had expected them to be when they next spoke.

"Don't worry, Grandpa. Next time we face a carnotaur, we'll just do what you did and stand up to them. The herd knows it works, knows it isn't widespread enough reach every predator in the world, so what'd be the problem with that? Even if they are as frightful as you've said, you stood up to them, right?" said one of his more outspoken descendants. Aladar laughed a little inside, realizing maybe he'd be dead by the time the Carnotaurs ever did find this place.

"If a carnotaur should find this place then we should trust in you to lead its greeting party, eh? You certainly have the right idea about showing it out the door from the start," he retorted with his cynical, old man's sense of humor. The other kids laughed at their brother who only snorted and promised that when he grew up, he'd be as great as his grandfather. I can only hope so, something tells me I should be concerned for the way my sons are running the herd. Though Neera and I tried our best to put them on the right path, all but one refused to follow it Aladar thought grimly.

Since he stepped down as a result of his aging, his seven sons took joint command of the herd. Five were fierce in their hold over the herd while the other two, who tried emulating their father, had enough power to be heard but not enough to do anything serious. Sooner or later, there would be fights among the five and Aladar knew this to be true. It was the reason there had never been more than three alphas before and he had stupidly seen no reason to stick to that. Still, like all of life's dilemmas, nature would find a way of solving these problems without Aladar's intervention.

Dismissing his grandchildren for the day, he and Zini pondered the future of their clans when they were gone. "Seven leaders, Aladar. The herd might be big but I don't see the problem in one alpha and six lieutenants, maybe that's what you should've done when you stepped down. Your five oldest and fiercest fight among each other in private which leads me to fear that it will spill over to affect the whole herd before much longer. Right now, your existence is really the only thing keeping the peace, the way I see it," Zini admitted.

"You're right old friend, which is why I did it. Without the dangers of carnotaurs, raptors, or other meateaters, the herd risks becoming dull and placid in their existence. If their vigilance isn't regulated and kept up on controllable highs, a carnotaur could stroll through and have a buffet without fear or wound from any of us," Aladar told his old friend.

"So you deliberately allowed all seven of them a portion of the leadership title? Just so you can keep the vigilance the herd still has alive after you're gone? I don't understand you dinosaurs sometimes," Zini admitted.

"There's a difference between being vigilant and remaining forever scared. My tactics will look like fear but actually, should a predator come, it will be rewarded vigilance. By keeping the herd's senses tuned up even past my death, fewer die when there is another predator attack. I don't expect that there will be one anytime soon but you never know," Aladar admitted. Zini merely shook his head in his hand before returning to watching the clans graze in the peace Aladar had worked hard to gain for them.

In time, even Aladar became too weak to walk anymore, much less feed himself. When that time came, he was kept alive as best as possible but there was simply nothing that could be done to stop what was destiny. One day, Aladar simply closed his eyes and was no more, never again to rise up and guide the herd with his experience and wisdom. When that happened, the herd buried him quickly in mud near where Old Gotama was buried. About two hundred years later, the skeleton was excavated and it was perfectly preserved over the years.

The lemurs did a similar thing with Zini when he passed away, ten years after Aladar did, as well. A similar preservation of his bones was achieved in a similar time of period and all three were remembered for the courage they showed in saving their clans from death and decadence. Despite Aladar's fears, the herd never knew another attack from carnotaurs but always the herd remained on alert, ever watchful for the return of the meateaters into their lives. Nonetheless, Aladar's time would be remembered and when the end of his clan inevitably came, new dinosaurs remembered his courage even unto the ending of all dinosaur life. But even when that great extinction occurred, the bones of Old Gotama, Aladar, and Zini survived.

The will of the Great Spirits had decreed it, ensuring that the heroes of the Olden World survived for those that'd replace the dinosaurs. Even as a new species arose, calling itself Homo sapiens, Aladar, Gotama, and Zini were recovered and preserved in their Natural History Museums. There they now still stand, for those who wonder about the origin of heroes and why they mean so much to those who cannot fight for themselves.

A/N: Here it is, guys, as promised: the end of the story! In case this is the true end of my fanfiction career, I hope you've enjoyed this story like I enjoyed writing it, I hope to read your reviews, and I hope some of you will help me get a career started with my original works Kingdom of Demigods and Lost Legends of Egypt to name a couple. It would mean the world if you could help me out and I'm glad you took the time to read these stories! Thanks guys, have a beautiful day!