River Quest

River Quest
Author	John Vornholt}
Publication order
Preceded by	Windchaser
Followed by	Hatchling

River Quest is the second of the Dinotopia digest novels, written by John Vornholt.

Synoposis

"Waterfall City is in grave danger when the Polongo River mysteriously dries up. Magnolia and her dinosaur friend Paddlefoot, along with Birch and a triceratops called Rogo, battle the elements in their desperate quest to save Dinotopia's most beautiful city."

Plot summary

Attention:  This article, or section, may contain spoilers! Read on at own risk!

Apprentices Magnolia and Paddlefoot, a Lambeosaurus are testing geysers with their mentors, Habitat Partners Edwick and the Saltasaurus Calico when an earthquake hits, injuring Edwick. Edwick declares a reluctant Magnolia and Paddlefoot to be the new Habitat Partners and sends them off to Waterfall City.

Upon arrival in Waterfall City, the new Habitat Partners discover that the Polongo River has dried up. Without the river powering the Great Spiral Clock, the city will become abandoned. Magnolia and Paddlefoot set off to journey upriver and find out what has happened to it. Two messenger Dimorphodon, Bippa and Peebo are assigned to help them.

Walking on the dry Polongo riverbed, Paddlefoot finds himself trapped in quicksand. Bippa and Peebo fly off for help and come back with Birch, a human farmer, and his Triceratops companion, Rogo. After the newcomers help the Habitat Partners out of the quicksand, they join them on their quest.

The party wades through the Hadro Swamp, where Magnolia deduces that the Polongo River hasn't been flowing into it. They are attacked by a swarm of dragonflies and brave a thunderstorm, where a lightning strike nearly causes a forest fire.

Returning to the riverbed, the party continues on their quest when they discover a wooden lifeboat and Aaron Ruzzo, a Dolphinbacks who was attacked by a pack of Tyrannosaurus.

The five finally make it to the headwaters of the River, where they discover that the earthquake has caused an avalanche, damming the river, and opened an underground chasm that the river is flowing into. Using Aaron's lifeboat, Magnolia, Birch and Aaron follow the diverted river underground where they discover that a new lake is forming in a large chamber covered with reliefs chronicling an ancient war between humans and tyrannosaurs.

After escaping a whirlpool and a Tyrannosaurus rex, the three abandon the lifeboat and head back to the dry riverbed where Magnolia sends Bippa and Peebo to Volcaneum and Treetown with messages to bring all the Brachiosaurus and Triceratops.

When the dinosaurs arrive, they clear up the dam and plug up the chasm, restoring the Polongo River to its proper course and the party returns to Waterfall City, where they are greeted with great celebration and fanfare.