Time circuits, pterodactyls and treacherous trees [attn: Donna]

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, stretching as he did! The landing had for once been surprisingly soft, mounds of leaf litter helping to buffer the shuddering of the small blue box. The dappled sunlight of the surrounding forest was really rather pretty and he stared up into the trees taking it all in... and then his brain caught up with that thought. Forest?

"Um, Donna?" The Doctor spoke hesitantly, knowing his companion would be less than happy with this little deviation from plan.

"Donna, I think The TARDIS' time circuits may be acting up again." A sharp screech from above was accompanied by the beating of wings as something very large flew over the forest above him. "I'm pretty sure we're in London, just missed the century...by a few billion years."

The Doctor scruffed his hair with both hands, watching the shadow of the pterodactyl passed over them again and wincing slightly as he waited for Donna's reply.

That actually wasn't a half bad landing... Donna thought to herself, but wouldn't ever admit out loud to the Doctor. She stretched her arms over her head as the Doctor made his way straight for the doors of the TARDIS, pulling them open and stepping outside.

As she was changing into a more comfortable shirt - the one she'd been wearing was much less casual - Donna heard the Doctor addressing her.

Um, Donna?"

Donna closed her eyes and tipped her head back, letting out a sigh. There was a familiar tone in his voice and she knew what it normally meant...now would probably be no exception to the rule.

"Donna, I think The TARDIS' time circuits may be acting up again. I'm pretty sure we're in London, just missed the century...by a few billion years."

"OI!" she shouted, drawing out the word with annoyance as she opened her eyes again and made her way outside the TARDIS. "I think you've started doing it on purpose just to make me mad," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. One look around at the foreign-but-not-too- foreign trees and the sounds in the air - not terribly unlike they were portrayed in the cinema - told Donna that the Doctor was likely not wrong. He usually wasn't anyway, but Donna wouldn't be admitting that anytime soon, either.

The Doctor turned to Donna, giving a slightly apologetic look, before turning around again to peer into the trees. He breathed the unspoilt air, scratching behind his neck and thinking for a moment.

"Those time circuits are acting up more lately. I should probably run a diagnostic, before we end up somewhere annoying." He strode back into the TARDIS, calling out to Donna as he went. "Should only take a couple of hours at most."

"Those time circuits are acting up more lately. I should probably run a diagnostic, before we end up somewhere annoying."

"Right, yeah..." Donna said, rolling her eyes. "Wouldn't want that to happen..." But by the time she'd finished her sentence, he was already on his way back inside the TARDIS.

"Should only take a couple of hours at most."

"Well, that's brilliant," Donna retorted, starting back toward the TARDIS, as well. "In the meantime, I'll just play fetch with the dinosaurs, yeah?"

Just as she was about to walk back inside, though, the TARDIS doors slammed shut on her. "Doctor, that's not funny!" she shouted as she tried - and failed - to open them. Donna closed one hand into a fist and pounded on the door. "Oi, just let me back in," she snapped angrily.

A large shadow fell over her then and Donna swallowed hard before slowly looking up. Overhead, loomed a gigantic winged creature. Its claws, Donna estimated, were about the length of her entire body, if not longer. Eyes wide, Donna pounded more urgently on the door. "OPEN. THE. DOORS!" she screamed.

"OPEN. THE. DOORS!" she screamed.

"Okay, okay. Hold your horses," The Doctor muttered, coming over to open the unlocked door.

He pushed at the door, but it didn't budge. He tried the lock. Open. Pushed again. Frowning now, he shuffled back a few steps and put his shoulder into it. The door popped open suddenly, sending The Doctor sprawling to the ground outside beside Donna.

Shaking his head, he looked up at Donna - "What was all that abo...?" The question died on his lips as he took in the looming form of the giant, winged dinosaur. One clawed foot hooked the door and slammed it shut, holding it closed, as its beady eyed gaze came to rest sharply on the two of them.

"Donna. I don't mean to panic or anything, but..." He popped up, grabbing Donna by the wrist. "RUN!"

"Donna. I don't mean to panic or anything, but..." He popped up, grabbing Donna by the wrist. "RUN!"

Donna didn't have time to protest before the Doctor yanked her to her feet and had started running. She looked over her shoulder to see the winged beast releasing the TARDIS from its talons, knocking it onto its side in the process, and taking off after them.

Turning to look straight ahead again, Donna's eyes went wide. "Doctor..." she said in a shaking voice between huffs and puffs, gasping for air as they ran. The creature's shadow loomed over them again and Donna felt a sudden resistance when one of its claws snagged her shirt. She grabbed the Doctor's wrist in her free hand, wincing for him when the movement opposed the momentum he'd been building and he sling-shotted back toward her. "Sorry," she gasped, "but you're not leavin' me!"

Just as she'd said it, the material on the back of Donna's shirt gave out and her eyes went wide again as her balance was completely lost and she fell forward, taking the Doctor down with her, landing sprawled on top of him. She looked down at him as the shadow seemed to shrink around them - as if the creature was ascending; leaving them alone for a moment, or perhaps just watching them to see what they'd do next. "Doctor, I hate to say I told you so, but I bloody told you that we should go forward in time on this trip," she snapped at him.

It occurred to her that she was still on top of him, but as badly as she wanted to, she didn't dare move. What if that species of dinosaur had the type of vision where it could only see movement. If they stayed still long enough, maybe it would go away. The shadow from above shrunk a little more, giving hope to Donna's theory.

"Doctor, I hate to say I told you so, but I bloody told you that we should go forward in time on this trip," she snapped at him.

The Doctor puffed, looking up at the sky from his position flat on his back. "Yeah, well, then we wouldn't be getting all this exercise," he sniped back.

He kept his eyes on the pterodactyl, watching it wing its way slowly higher into the sky, always circling above them. Sighing, The Doctor pushed gently at Donna's side. "Roll very slowly that way, so I can move. Then we're going to get up calmly and move further into the trees. I doubt it can fly in the denser parts of the forest and we can't just stay here."

"Roll very slowly that way, so I can move. Then we're going to get up calmly and move further into the trees. I doubt it can fly in the denser parts of the forest and we can't just stay here."

Donna looked down at him, incredulous. "We're what?!" she hissed. "There'snogettingupcalmly,Doctor,thatTHINGisgoingtokillus!"

Never the less, his hand was still on her side, prodding her to move and it wasn't as though this was the most comfortable position to be in, anyhow. Or, rather, when the Doctor was the person beneath her, it wasn't, anyway. His hips were bony and digging into hers. Moving sounded like a fantastic idea...in theory.

As slowly as she could, eyes closed out of sheer and total fear, Donna began to roll herself off the Doctor. She opened her eyes when she felt the forest floor beneath her back, wincing when something - probably a rock - scraped across the bare skin exposed by the rip on the back of her shirt. "Okay..." she whispered, reflexive rather than strategic, "what now...?"

"Okay..." she whispered, reflexive rather than strategic, "what now...?"

The Doctor swallowed, his adams apple bobbing in his neck as he did so. The two of them now lay side-by-side, hands held between them as they stared up at the still circling, giant reptilian beast.

"We have to move. It knows we're here." He spoke in a low quiet voice. They'd somehow run to the edge of a clearing... or been driven there. From the way the creature had manipulated the TARDIS door, it may well be more brainy then the history books implied. "We need to get back under cover. We're sitting (well lying really, not that it matters) ducks out here."

"On the count of three, we run for those trees, okay?" The Doctor squeezed Donna's hand, tensing muscles in readiness to move. It couldn't be more than four or five meters and once they we're in there, again, it'd have to slow down or land to maneuver.

"Okay. One. Two. THREE!"

As The Doctor darted up from the ground, he couldn't help but notice the shadow of the pterodactyl began to suddenly grow larger.

Donna could feel herself shaking with fear as she stared up at the belly of the beast. The Doctor's hand closed around hers and she felt her muscles tense. He didn't just take Donna's hand; that wasn't the way the two of them worked. So, he was either trying to console her by reminding her that he was still there or he was signaling to her to ready herself to run like mad. Donna thought it was probably a little bit of both.

He was talking in a low voice, but Donna couldn't focus on the words, too paralyzed in fear as she noticed that the creature's shadow was very slowly expanding once again.

"On the count of three, we run for those trees, okay?"

Then, the Doctor squeezed her hand and she snapped back into it. She'd heard the words and they were finally registering. His plan was to run. As terrified as she was to try that, Donna couldn't think of any better ideas. "Okay," she breathed. Donna took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he began to count.

When he'd gotten to three, the Doctor jumped to his feet, dragging her up with him as he did so. Donna could actually hear the rage in the pterodactyl's screech as she and the Doctor made a run for it. The shadow was getting larger, still, and now it was doing so alarmingly fast.

All Donna could do was focus on following the Doctor and not letting go of his hand. Losing him now would not only be terrifying, but dangerous, as well. She felt the whoosh of air from the pterodactyl's rapid descent blowing her hair into her face. She pushed away that realization and just ran, hoping that the Doctor had a plan from there on. Even if they managed to evade the thing, what if something worse was lurking in the trees? And, even if they managed to get back to the TARDIS, it had been overturned; would it still work?

The Doctor practically dragged Donna up behind him, but once they were running, she held her own as always. They made a mad headlong dash for the trees, not daring to look behind him, even though he could feel the whoosh of air as the pterodactyl came closer.

And then the trees were closing over them and to their right there was a particularly dense patch of foliage. He mad a last mad scramble toward them, feeling the heavy beat of wings close by as he slid into the patch of what passed as shrubbery in this time - large ferns and sticky stems - sliding onto his bottom into a large patch of mud.

There was an irate screeching sound from the pterodactyl above as it had to break its dive toward them. The Doctor picked at his now wet and muddied suit and Jacket, peered across at Donna and snorted a laugh.

In spite of the fear that had previously consumed her, Donna bit her bottom lip and laughed out loud at the Doctor where he sat at her feet in a puddle of mud. "...my hero," she joked, holding out a hand to him to help him to his feet.

The pterodactyl was still screeching angrily overhead, but she couldn't see it anymore when she looked up; the trees were too dense; so she felt pretty safe for the time being. "All right, then," she said to him. "You're muddy and my shirt is practically in two pieces. This is a really lovely time, Doctor, thanks so much," she joked dryly. "Where to, next? Feed the baby Tyrannosaurs?"

Her breathing had slowed back to normal and her heart didn't feel as though it was going to pound right out of her chest, either; that was a good start. Next step, clear her head and hope the Doctor had a plan.

The Doctor took Donna's hand and pulled himself to his feet. He wiped ineffectually at the mud on his jacket.

"All right, then," she said to him. "You're muddy and my shirt is practically in two pieces. This is a really lovely time, Doctor, thanks so much," she joked dryly. "Where to, next? Feed the baby Tyrannosaurs?"

The Doctor ignored Donna's sarcastic remarks, instead opening his muddy arms up to Donna. "Give us a hug?" he joked.

Folding his arms back into his body, he put one hand up to squeeze the back of his neck in thought. Now that he wasn't running, the many sounds of the rain forest around them were incredibly loud. Chirping and rustling and buzzing and... <i>thud, thud, thud</i>... A rhythmical noise like large foot steps approaching.

"I think we should try to get back to the TARDIS. We can run the diagnostic at the next stop," he whispered. He parted the fronds and vines in front of them, hiding them from the main forest, quietly peering out. "Looks clear."

A small furry mammal squeaked as it swung from a branch high above them and then a large set of reptilian jaws snapped it up. "Or not."

"If we stick to the denser foliage, we can head back to the TARDIS. We'll be fine," he stated in a slightly more up-beat tone than he felt.

"Give us a hug?" he joked.

Donna was so happy to still be in one piece - even if her shirt wasn't - that she did just that, throwing her arms around him, giving him a squeeze, and stepping back, looking around as the Doctor began squeezing his neck in the way that said he was trying to think of what to do next.

He went on suggesting that they make their way back to the TARDIS. Donna wondered if he was forgetting the very important fact that the TARDIS wasn't even upright.

"Doctor..." she said reproachfully. "The TARDIS tipped over. What if the doors are face down? Are we supposed to will ourselves inside?" she asked, frowning.

"Doctor..." she said reproachfully. "The TARDIS tipped over. What if the doors are face down? Are we supposed to will ourselves inside?" she asked, frowning.

"Well, we still need to get back to the TARDIS, we just need to find a way to turn her over when we get there is all. That's still our only transport option."

At the sound of The Doctor's voice, snuffling, squeaking noises started up from somewhere behind them. Turning, the Doctor opened up a gap in the ferns to reveal a small dinosaur about the size of a large Labrador. There was a line of plates running down its back and a number of nasty spikes on its broad tail.

"Aww, would you look at that. Stegosaurus. And it's just a baby." The Doctor reached down a hand, grinning foolishly as the little guy snuffled at it.

Donna looked 'round as the Doctor reached a hand down to the small dinosaur. Every time Donna thought she'd seen everything, she'd see something to prove her wrong. Part of her thought maybe she ought to stop thinking she's seen everything. That thought made her smirk a little.

"He's cute," she agreed, crouching down in front of it. "They're...you know, not meat eaters, right?" she asked as she reached her hand out slowly so that it was a few inches away from the Doctor's. It might not be entirely wise, the two of them petting a baby dinosaur - where there is a baby, a mother is probably not far behind - but, when else would she ever get to experience something this unique?

She looked over at the Doctor. "Why do you suppose he's alone? Are dinosaurs--were dinosaurs--that independent from their parents when still so young?" she asked warily as she felt the thing sniffing at her hand, its nose brushing her fingertips just slightly as it did so.

"He's cute," she agreed, crouching down in front of it. "They're...you know, not meat eaters, right?"

"Nah, Stegosaurus was, or is, a herbivore. They could defend themselves though." He pointed to the little guy's heavily armed tail that was twitching back and forth. "Stay clear of that."

The Doctor scratched the dinosaur's scales around the neck, like it really was a dog, and he got something like a low purring growl in response.

"Why do you suppose he's alone? Are dinosaurs--were dinosaurs--that independent from their parents when still so young?"

"I think they stayed with their mother. Maybe he's lost." The Doctor was lost in thought when a much larger head pushed it's way through the vines above them and snuffled at the baby's skin.

The Doctor stepped back in fright, then slowly raised his hands. "Friends," he stated calmly to the dinosaur. "It's alright, Donna. Just remember they're herbivores."

He pointed to the little guy's heavily armed tail that was twitching back and forth. "Stay clear of that."

Donna nodded as she ran a hand gingerly over its scales. When the Doctor scratched the scales around its neck and it began to growl non-threateningly, Donna grinned. "I think he likes you," she said softly. She could barely believe she was really here, petting a baby dinosaur.

The Doctor stepped back quickly and Donna froze, her eyes lifting upward and she gasped at the sight of what was probably the baby's mother, peering down at her. She opened her mouth to let out a reflexive, strangled cry, but the Doctor spoke again.

Friends," he stated calmly to the dinosaur. "It's alright, Donna. Just remember they're herbivores."

Donna looked over her shoulder at him and then back at the larger dinosaur, holding her hands up defensively as well. "Yeah, friends," she echoed as she very slowly got to her feet and stepped back until she was able to hide behind the Doctor. "Herbivore or not, that thing is huge..." she breathed.

"Herbivore or not, that thing is huge..." she breathed.

"Yeah, I noticed that," The Doctor replied, peering up and up...

The mother Stegosaurus stopped snuffling at her young, apparently convinced he was in one piece and instead stared at Donna and The Doctor. She made something like a dismissive noise after a moment and began nosing her baby to get him moving.

The baby wasn't having a bar of it though, bounding out from beneath the safety of his mother's feet and right up to The Doctor, where it snuffled at his coat.

"Alright, alright." The Doctor laughed, fishing about in his pockets until he found an apple. "Is this what you're after?" he asked.

As the Doctor was feeding an apple from inside his coat - and who kept fruit in their pockets, anyway? she wondered - Donna looked up at the sky. The pterodactyl's shadow loomed down amongst those of the trees, slowly making its way back to where Donna had first seen it. "Doctor...the TARDIS..." she said softly, so as not to startle the other dinosaurs.

"Doctor...the TARDIS..."

The Doctor stood up straight, absently patting the small dinosaur nosing at his jacket for more. He could see what Donna had already noticed, the pterodactyl was winging its way back to the TARDIS.

"Its smarter than they give it credit for. Looks like it's going to wait us out."

"Its smarter than they give it credit for. Looks like it's going to wait us out."

"Fantastic," Donna replied dully. At least she was in good company...and the dinosaurs were rather fascinating, since they weren't trying to maul or eat her. She sat back down on the forest floor and leaned back on her hands. "Wonder for how long..." she thought aloud absently as the baby dinosaur nuzzled her shoulder and she reached over to give it an affectionate pat on the head.

The Doctor watched as Donna sat down with a defeated comment.

"Hey now, none of that. Our little Stegosaurus here, gives me an idea." The Doctor rummaged in his pockets, pulling out a banana and another apple. He pocketed the apple and held out the banana, walking backwards.

The baby bounced along after him like an excited puppy and as they walked out into the clearing, the mother stepped over her baby, keeping him sheltered from flying predators and the like. "Mum's going to keep him sheltered. All we have to do is lead him where we want to go." He grinned wickedly, holding the banana just out of the little guy's reach and looking back at Donna. "And before you say it, I'll give it to him eventually."

Donna looked over at him as the Doctor announced that he had an idea. He pulled a banana from one of his pockets and began leading the baby dinosaur away.

"Mum's going to keep him sheltered. All we have to do is lead him where we want to go."

The Doctor grinned wickedly and Donna opened her mouth to protest that teasing the poor thing just to get to safety wouldn't exactly be fair when he interrupted her.

"And before you say it, I'll give it to him eventually."

Donna looked back at the Doctor thoughtfully before breaking into a grin. "You're brilliant, you are, sometimes," she said and got to her feet, to catch up with the Doctor.

"You're brilliant, you are, sometimes." As Donna got to her feet to follow, The Doctor just grinned even harder, slowly herding the Stegosaurus family along with a single piece of fruit. "Don't you forget it, either," he replied.

It took a good lot longer to get back to the TARDIS than it had to get away from it in the first place, but he couldn't say he minded a bit of a walk. Running in fear was fun, but walking with dinosaurs certainly had its moments too.