You are in the deserts of Mongolia, Asia, 75 million years ago.

The wind across the arid Late Cretaceous whipped sand against your protective gear, but you stayed crouched behind a dune, breathless. You were surveying a relatively flat, sandy area when the shape caught your eye—not just one, but a dozens of low, circular mounds in a loose cluster

As you moved closer, you see that each of these mounds have a large, crested creature sitting perfectly still on it. They were Citipati, standing roughly eight feet long and covered in mottled grey-brown feathers that blended into the landscape. Its bony, cassowary-like crest was distinct against the bright blue sky.

You stopped immediately, keeping low. The creature that was closest to you noticed you and let out a low, vibrating hiss, snapping its toothless beak. It didn't flee, however. Instead, it shifted its weight, spreading its feathery forearms wider over the center of its circular nest, displaying a protective, avian-like brooding posture.