[* * * * *]
The metal thing honks.
It's a loud honk.
Long, loud, rude, and accompanied by Alpha bellowing, "Blue!" It's his biting voice, the one that says he's fed up with a hatchling turning the nursery into a racetrack or chewing holes in the soft skins he wears on his feet. There's a lot of 'Back off!' snapping teeth at her in the tone.
Blue nearly stumbles, head popping up in shock. Her foreclaws drop slack, and she turns her head to stare, surprised.
Alpha yells, head and arm outside the metal thing's head as he whacks on its flank, causing yet more confusing noise. The banging is harsh, metallic. It reminds her of prey-fangs, and even knowing Alpha is making the noise, she flinches. The metal creature revs, reversing further into the clearing and roaring. It's loud and angry. It makes her anxious for her siblings. They're not waking up. Alpha is barking at her, the metal thing is angry, and Blue is halfway across the prey-area from the pack.
Overhead, the gray clouds of a tropical shower cover the sun. Thunder peals, sudden and close, and Blue flinches again, sidestepping.
Everything's unfamiliar, strange, frightening.
She shies, turning a tight circle. She bobs her head, cocking it toward Alpha, then toward the buildings. The prey inside are nervous, afraid, rustling about. She wants to hunt them, but Alpha is snapping teeth at her in his weird way. He doesn't want her to split off and hunt alone. He wants her to stay with the pack.
Her gut twists, hunger painful in her stomach as she flares her nostrils, dragging in thick, humid air. It's rich with prey-scent. More than that, however, she can smell fangs inside with the prey. They're dangerous. She doesn't know how to hunt alone. She doesn't know what to do. If Alpha won't hunt beside her, and the prey have fangs…
Her memories remind her that Alpha provides. Alpha has always provided. Alpha will provide again, if she trusts him and follows where he leads, staying with the pack.
But for how long? She's so hungry, and the prey is right there. Her stomach gnaws her, urging her to hunt, to kill.
The blue-marked raptor turns her head back and forth, unable to decide, but the truck keeps honking. Thunder booms a second time. Rain begins to pitter-patter on the dense foliage over their heads. The humidity is stifling.
Alpha calls her name again, lifting his hand when she looks at him. "Ho!"
'Stop; pay attention.'
She freezes, only her tail moving. It lashes behind her as she stares expectantly. Stern, narrowed eyes holds her gaze. Alpha knows what he's doing.
Blue reluctantly purrls.
"Go!" His hand drops, opening, and his other hand chitter-clicks, 'Eyes on me.'
'Follow.'
The metal thing starts to run forward again. Blue ducks her head and slinks after it, a bit sullen, a little chastised.
And soaking wet, as the rain pours down.
Blue really doesn't like water.
[* * * * *]