NEW PREMIUM TRAILER: Discover Dinosaurs

0:00Hello, and welcome to a special taster of our new Premium Only Story. We hope you like it. Hello, I'm Josephine, and this is the Animal Tales podcast, home to over 450 stories, written just for you. Our Friday Story is especially for our premium subscribers only. Max is a premium member from Frateria in South Africa, and he would like a story with a triceratops, a t-rex, and a peregrine falcon. Don't forget to listen to the animal facts after the story to learn more about these creatures. For now, it's time to sit back and get comfy, because it's time to begin. Discover Dinosaurs.

1:02It was Discover Dinosaurs Day, where incredible fossils, handmade sculptures, and interactive dig sites were on display at the museum. It promised to be a great day of fun and education, creating a buzz of excitement with the animals of the city. Most of the animals that is. Max was a peregrine falcon, and he didn't want to discover dinosaurs at the museum. He wanted to go skydiving. He would much rather fly high up into the clouds, and then dive downwards at a speed no other animal could reach. That, thought Max, was much more fun. Unfortunately for Max, he'd promised his friend Leon a scops owl that he would go with them to the museum, and he couldn't let Leon down. So it was off to the Discover Dinosaurs Day exhibits for now. The young peregrine falcon was not a huge fan of the museum.

2:05It was all a bit dull and dusty, with everyone shuffling around far too slowly for his liking. All Max could think about was flying. Leon had spent ages looking at fossilised dinosaur eggs, and then some models of small prehistoric mammals. They didn't impress Max much, but a family of meerkats were clearly delighted by it. The only thing Max found remotely interesting was a display of feathered dinosaurs. Apparently, according to the sign, these kinds of dinosaurs and Max shared a distant common ancestor but all the dinosaurs had been wiped out when an asteroid had hit. Oh wow, look at this, Leon said excitedly. These are newly discovered cave paintings left by actual dinosaurs. How cool is that? Max just shrugged, unable to hide how unimpressed he was.

3:09Ah, it's alright, I suppose, he said. Look, Max, if you want to, you can go, said Leon. I'll be okay on my own. Oh, I can't, said Max, feeling embarrassed. I promised. Don't be daft, insisted the scops owl. I know you'd rather be flying. You've spent more time looking at the sky out of the window than looking at the dinosaurs. Go on, go and enjoy yourself. I really don't mind. Max felt a wave of relief wash over him. Thank you, Leon, you really are an amazing friend. With Leon's blessing, Max raced for the exit. As he stepped into the fresh air and the sunlight struck his face, the Peragon falcon spread his wings and launched himself into the air. Freedom!

4:09Max cheered as he raced skywards up between the buildings. Now this was much more exciting as far as he was concerned. Now high over the city, Max lifted his wings so that he hung in the air for a moment, then tipped forward into a plummeting dive. Peragon falcons were made for this bit. Max loved the feeling of the air racing past his feathers as his speed became faster and faster. He loved this part the best, and today he was quite sure he was going faster than he ever had before. In fact, at that very moment, Max was travelling faster than any Peragon had ever flown before. He was like a rocket streaking towards the ground. He was just grinning from the sensation of it all when the world around him became a sudden brilliant white,

5:10like a flash of lightning. If you'd like to hear more, please join our Premium Service. You can find out how in the description. The Premium Service means you can listen to all animal tale stories, Advert 3. Get bonus stories, and we guarantee to turn your animal suggestion into a future tale. I look forward to seeing you there.