Hey there everyone, so sorry for the long wait. I'm sure this has become quite annoying for you all. ^_^'
I've been having a lot of stuff keeping me busy lately, so I appreciate the patience and how kindly my readers have been inquiring about updates. It helps me stay motivated to keep going, even though my production time is a bit slow.
I'm hoping to pick up the pace a bit. This chapter is quite large, and some following chapters are already being written, so I might post them one or two days from now, depending on the fact I don't have anything crazy happen. (My life is a ball of crazy)
This chapter is very important, to character development and hints to something special that I have planned. :) I would appreciate it if you guys let me know what you think, so that I can tweak little things and make sure all of this flows into one smooth bundle.
Thank you again, everyone! :) I continue to enjoy writing this wonderful story, and I look forward to your reactions.
"Jurassic World: Why So Blue?"
Chapter 25
"Darkness Pressing In"
~Blue's POV~
She didn't like it. Something was terribly wrong...and the worst of it was that she didn't know what exactly that was.
Everything was dark around her, and it was a pressure like she had never felt before. When she opened her eyes the black came in from all around, so suddenly and so heavily against her mind that she recoiled in horror and confusion. Her thoughts flashed with whirlwind emotions, but much as she felt her own self, she couldn't sense anything around her. It was as though the world had simply ceased to exist, and she was floating in the space left behind.
Pack? Alpha Kilo?
The last thing Blue remembered was the sparse texture of her nest beneath her, so thin that the den's cold stone floor pressed up against her belly. She remembered curling up for the night and closing her eyes as the pack went to their own nests. She remembered seeing them bed down to sleep and snuggle with their nest mates...but everything that seemed fresh in her memories was gone. The den was black and the very meaning of existence seemed to fall just short of her.
Beginning to grow frightened, Blue tried to move. She hoped deep within her chest that it was simply dark and the sun had yet to rise, but as she strained and fought to sit up, her body wasn't a thing she could seem to get control of. She tried to smell for scents, yet they came to her bland and empty. She tried to listen for sounds, but the only thing she could hear was her own rushed breathing.
In that moment Blue realized she was capable of sound. Immediately she let out a shrill call as though to somehow locate something or someone she knew, to find a familiarity that she could find comfort in. Her voice echoed as though in a cave. She waited some moments but no answer came.
Suddenly, the darkness ahead of her was disturbed. A sliver of light appeared and reflected in her eyes, making her squint and pull her head back, then flare her nostrils and listen with a burst of curiosity.
Through the new crack in the dark Blue could hear noises. She could smell fresh plant life, and hear the truckle of water down a stream. With that she could smell familiar raptors, as well as hear their happy voices that pulled the fondness of her heart.
Star? Curare? Mike?
Blue hesitated, but with a small snort and she strained to was startled to find she had a new control of her legs. They were weak and felt like tingly, but they moved on command and got underneath her, shoving up into a standing position before slinking forward.
As the female walked on, she took a few experimental breaths. She again smelled the pack younglings and heard them play fighting, mixed in with the sweet chirping birds and the quiet rustle of leaves in the breeze. She could begin to feel it brushing up against her scales, as the crack in the darkness widened and seemed to melt around her.
Suddenly, Blue was standing in the middle of the pack's secret meadow. The light blinded her eyes and the grass tickled her calves, but she coed and looked about in an effort to locate Star, her greatest comfort within the Waterfall Pack.
Star? Younglings?
She had to find them. If anything, they would put some sense into the horrible things she was experiencing. Her heart was still racing with no sign of slowing down, and she didn't like feeling that kind of anxiety, bubbling up from her gut into her mind.
From behind a happy chitter sounded. Blue turned just in time to see Star bounding up towards her, followed by the adolescents whom chirped and cried in mock aggression. They had been wrestling just moments before, and judging from the dirt on their bodies and the grass stuck between their claws, Blue could tell it was rather rough.
Star crashed into Blue's leg and chittered as though she was giggle. She hid behind the older raptor as the adolescents seemed to hunt her, crouched down and slinking around like lizards over the ground.
The feeling in the air was happy. Blue was purring...but yet...her heart still raced. Something still didn't feel right.
Star?
The little one looked up and wagged her tail as though nothing were amiss, regarding her friend with affectionate eyes.
Hello, Blue! Want to play?
Not now, little one. How long ago had the sun risen? Where was the rest of the pack?
Blue asked her those questions, but Star continued to wag her tail, as though they just whizzed over her head past deaf ears. She chirped again, tone sickeningly happy to the point it almost sounded flat.
Want to play?
Blue was confused, but suddenly from behind she heard a soft snort. Immediately she stiffened and turned around just in time to see a dark form slip into her range of vision. A single golden eye fixed on her soul and she blinked, before she realized that the approaching figure was alpha Kilo himself.
For a moment Blue didn't understand what was happening. She regarded her leader with a bright gaze and alert posture, as her tail wagged and she tried hard to translate his story face. He stared directly into his blank eye and cooed, trying to lift the darkness from her heart and elicit a good response from the male.
Hello, alpha!
The male remained unmoving. He stared at her, flicking his tail but not doing much else.
Blue stepped forward and ducked her head with a friendly and nervous coo, showing her teeth in a raptor smile.
Alpha? Was something wrong?
In that instant, Kilo's demeanor flashed from unresponsive to savage. His head shot back with a snarl and his expression shifted into curling lips that showed baring teeth. His tail thrashed back and forth like a bull whip that could crack the air in two.
Blue was so shocked by the sudden change that she stumbled back onto her haunches and cried out of fear. Her submissive urges made her leg lift and her neck turned to display the soft underbelly tissue, while her lungs pumped out pleading whimpers and her heart shuddered as though the darkness gave it a good shake.
Alpha! It was just her! There was nothing to be angry at! She had done nothing wrong!
Kilo continued to growl with no acknowledgment to her begging. He stepped forward and gnashed his teeth, eye a burning flame and tongue flicking out like a dog at its peak aggression. Behind him the younglings were cowering and whimpering, staring at Blue like all of their happiness was suddenly sucked out and replaced by terror.
They were afraid of her? Why were they afraid?
Blue cooed and leaned towards Star, but the little grey raptor leapt back and Kilo kicked out with his feet. He puffed out his chest and strutted, then bent down and nuzzled each of the babies away from their omega.
Blue whimpered. Why was alpha pushing her away? Why didn't he just talk with her? Why was he so angry?
The three younglings disappeared into the grass, and Blue was left alone with her higher rank. She was left with nothing to do but stare at him, trying to take it all in and understand.
Alpha?
Kilo looked down at her. For a moment his eye flashed an emotion of disappointment, before he spat and hissed at her.
Traitor. Enemy. She was no longer pack and had no business being anywhere near him or his niece.
Blue ducked her head. Her eyes distanced as she watched the male turn and walk away without another sound, striding into the grass with smooth grace and no hesitation for leaving her. A fog began to pull in and everything disappeared behind it, including him, but Blue continued to stare and whimper.
Alpha? Star? Pack?
Feeling a terror pierce her, the omega struggled to her feet and wailed. She puffed out frantic breaths and looked about, disorientated and feeling as though the world was crashing in. She could feel it squeezing her heart till it nearly stopped.
Blue's own worst fear was to be left alone again. She could feel the loneliness as it lurked behind her, raking its sharp claws down her spine and cooing sick greetings in her ear.
Oddly, the cooing voice sounded horrifyingly familiar. Blue tried to ignore it and focused her attention on calling for Kilo, but it clung tight and hissed. She could recognize it as raptor, but with it were other creatures' voices speaking at the same time until it was a horrible jumbled mess.
It told her it wasn't her fate, to be happy with a pack. It was never her fate to belong and have a family again. She failed her last family, and she failed her new one. Did she remember her old family? Did she remember her sisters?
Blue closed her eyes. No! She didn't want to remember. Where was pack! Where was alpha and Star!
The voice cackled. She did not deserve them. She was a disease, rotting all those she touched and sending them to death.
Suddenly the awful sound cut out, and the whole world went to blackness again. Blue was left alone in it all, whimpering and shaking like a youngling abandoned in the cold. Through the dark she instead began to hear footsteps, followed by whispers that raked her brain and made her eyes bulge. They came slow but she could hear them calling her name, more and more eager, with more and more hate as seconds went on.
A figure appeared and Blue looked up. She blinked when she came face to face with Charlie, standing before her perfect and happy with a shine to her eyes.
Charlie?
The young female stared. She stared so blankly that Blue ducked her head and sunk backwards, because just like she felt with Kilo, she felt ill when her sister looked at her like that.
That wasn't Charlie. Charlie was dead.
Yes...Charlie was dead. Because of her.
The image of Blue's sister began to distort. Her flesh disintegrated down to bone in places, her eyes went bloodshot, her scales charred, and her lips turned up in a sneering snarl. Behind her more figures began to appear, and as they stepped from the fog Blue scrambled backwards with frightened cries.
There were three figures in total, all raptor, and all her deceased siblings. Taking the lead Delta walked boldly, but just like Charlie her body began to change, transforming so that it matched her appearance after the time of her demise. Her flesh was seared and blackened, her eyes were bloodshot, and glowing coals clung to her scales.
The last figure was Echo, trotting with all the confidence she possessed in life. Before Blue's eyes her skin tore into great wounds, and her bones snapped with awful cracking sounds. Her back drooped and her limbs crumbled, but with the same bloodshot eyes she fixed her attention on Blue and snarled.
All sisters displayed hate. Blue could hear it in their voices, mixed with death cries and sadness. It made her whimper and stumble even further, until she was in a moment of disorientated terror.
The voice of loneliness rose again, taunting her and her ability to protect her family. It called forth yet another figure from the shadows, but it was much larger, and as its great head appeared Blue shrieked and swiped her claws as though to make it go away.
The Indominus was as terrifying as ever. She peered down at Blue with eyes of death, water dripping down her body and neck shredded with dozens of horrible bite marks. She growled and commanded the three wounded sisters, to go and attack their loved one as she had once ordered them all to attack the humans.
Blue shrieked again, but lifting her head she began a series of distress calls, crying for alpha Kilo and the pack to come to her aid. She wanted to swing her claws at Delta as she came within striking distance, but she looked upon her face and wasn't able to deal the blow.
They were her sisters. She loved them, and now she was being tortured again by their fates. Her failure to protect them was being rubbed into her face and she had no control over it, or any sense of reality that had clearly abandoned her. If her emotions were translated, she would say that she was cast into hell and its most terrible of torments.
Suddenly, the Indominus ordered attack, and Blue felt her siblings crash into her body. She felt their teeth and their claws ripping through her flesh, the pain all too real and the fear making her wail. She was on the ground in a pool of her blood. She was unable to move and unable to defend herself.
Then, it all stopped. Blue closed her eyes and the blows ended, leaving her splayed out on the black ground with ragged breaths and racing heartbeat. Her ribcage was torn and her body was ragged with slashes, most certainly fatal.
She was going to die.
But then she heard more footsteps. She heard snarling, and without lifting her weak head she looked up to see many raptors again approaching her. She choked out a whimper. Her glazed eyes narrowed with a realization.
The Waterfall pack had surrounded her. They were watching, bobbing their heads and showing their teeth as the Indominus whispered from the shadows. She poisoned their minds with her words, lying to them and spreading hate into their hearts, just as she had spoken to Blue on the night Jurassic World fell.
She was a snake, and Blue watched with horror as her command made Kilo step forward out of the pack and approach her. She whimpered and tried to move her limbs but he stood above her, baring his teeth and fixing a wild hate filled eye on her. He put one foot on her side so that his talons sunk into her ribs, then stooped down and latched his jaws across her throat. From there he pulled so hard that the omega's entire upper body was lifted off the ground. She cried and struck at his head with weak swings of her arms, as blood began to drip from her life vein and her breaths began to cut short. Her tongue fell out as she struggled to breathe.
Blue cried and begged for mercy, but her alpha was an unmoving force controlled by the Indominus, commanding him in a way that he would never accept from another creature.
It was all wrong, but Blue drowned in her fear and closed her eyes as the raptor she had come to admire tore her own throat out.
She just wanted it to stop. She wanted the pain to end and the horrible things to leave her alone.
A white light flashed, and suddenly Blue was thrown from her dream in a violent rejection. Problem was...the omega was so wrapped up in her torture that she didn't realize it.
~Kilo's POV~
Being alpha wasn't any party. Being alpha took guts, smarts, and a good sense of leadership. It was stressing, challenging, and taxing on both the body and mind.
For Kilo, the brunt of the pack's stress rested heavily on his shoulders. All the worries and questions whirled about like a hurricane in his head, waiting for him to make decisions that benefited the pack and kept their wellbeing a priority. Everyone expected him to be the best he could be. Everyone looked to him for support and guidance, depending on him to be their brave and smart leader.
Kilo wanted to succeed by his duties, but in all expectance that became significantly harder when the Spinosaurus came into the picture.
Suddenly, Kilo wasn't feeling so smart and brave, like he had somehow fallen short of the adequacy needed to drive their new intruder out.
Days after the sail-back's first meeting with the pack, it became clear that he wasn't leaving the territory any time soon. Whenever the pack went out into the prey valley to hunt or patrol, he became a sharp thorn in their side. He raided their hunts and took the carcasses for himself. He chased them from their land, agitated as though they were the intruders in his territory.
Some days, if the pack was lucky, they managed to make a kill and keep it undetected. Sometimes they managed to get a good portion of meat home to the den, but those times were few and far between. Their biggest successes were with the occasional Gallimimus, but such kills weren't enough to consistently feed a pack of hungry raptors.
So the list of problems began to grow. Low food supply, Spinosaurus attacks, and a poorly kept territory border all made for an incredibly cranky alpha Kilo; cranky, stressed out, and dead tired. The exhaustion was due to his recent difficulties to sleep at night...a good case of 'raptor insomnia' caused by all that was happening.
Kilo's mind was too abuzz with all the things he needed to fix. His calculations and observations whirled about so fast in his head, he couldn't sit longer than a few minutes without going crazy.
That night wasn't all too different from the others.
As the pack bedded down to sleep, Kilo busied his restless self by checking them over and making sure everyone was well kept. He went to each nest and nuzzled his sister, chuffed to the elders, then nibbled each of the youngling's necks as they chitter sleepily.
Hush, little ones. Lay down.
They all bid him goodnight with the same admiration and faith in their eyes. Their voices were soft for him, even Lima who looked up from her place in the corner and cooed, wagging her tail in some hopes that alpha would pay special attention to her.
Kilo acknowledged the female with a chuff and bob of his head, but he refused to give much more than that. She glared at the back of his head a dark look and flopped down in a dramatic way, but he ignored her exaggerations and turned his attention to the last pack member.
Omega Blue.
He found the female already curled up in her nest near the den entrance, which was unusual, compared to her usual routine of saying goodnight to the rest of the pack. He at least expected her to be sitting up and looking around, but she seemed quite asleep, how her eyes were closed and her sides moved with even breaths.
Kilo was confused, but the more he thought on it the more he realized that Blue was probably just as tired as he was. After their troubles with the Spinosaurus began, she really upped her game in order to assist the pack any way she could, becoming more aggressive in the hunts and pushing her usual limits. It was as though she was trying to prove herself, but Kilo wasn't sure why. What else did she need to prove than the things she already had?
The alpha had also noticed she was quieter. She wasn't as playful as she used to be, and she acted paranoid, as though she was constantly looking over her shoulder for danger.
A little voice hissed in Kilo's thoughts. It reminded him that Blue's inner troubles were low on his priority list, and that he had bigger things to obsess over.
For example, the fact that their hunt that day had been a complete bust. They had failed to bring home food for the second day in a row, and thus the younglings were starting to get ravenous. Hungry younglings were cranky younglings, and with Kilo's bad mood, he didn't want his entire pack falling apart as well.
So, he made up his mind that they would go hunting the following morning. Planning that was far more important than playing shrink over Blue's unusual behaviors.
Grunting softly and turning away from Blue and her little nest, Kilo walked to the middle of the den and found his own bed there. It was big and well built, with dried mud and grasses for the walls. The floor was padded with fluffy bird feathers kept from kills, and the outer rim was reinforced by a few thick branches.
He was good at nest building. When he was young he was smart and learned by watching older raptors, observing their different techniques until he had developed his own style and preference of comfort. Said style was much more adequate than Blue's poor construction skills, which had resulted in the birth of her...dirt mound...or...whatever he would call the thing she slept in.
Kilo stepped into his bed and used his nose to fluff the bird feathers, stirring them up into a pile as he turned in a couple circles, then flopped down with a low sigh. He stretched out and rested his chin on the outer wall, while his tail went limp over the opposite side.
Sleep, Kilo. Rest your mind and forget about stresses for just one night. Tomorrow you have to organize a hunt to the west. Everything will be fine.
Minutes passed, but even as Kilo relaxed enough to close his eyes, his brain kept its strenuous activity. Every time he felt ready to fall asleep, it kicked into high gear and focused on the anxieties of pack problems.
It didn't seem that he was going to get much rest...again. Was it so bad to wish for rest and peace? Did it have to be so hard to just close his eyes and let it take him?
Kilo wanted his head to stop aching and his eyes to stop burning. For hours he tossed and turned in his nest, growling to himself and gripping the dirt with tense claws, flicking his tail side to side as he stared at the opposite wall. Even as his eyes fluttered and drooped, he had a gaze of loathing exhaustion, but he was never able to relax enough to just let them stay shut.
It wasn't until just before dawn that the calming darkness dared approach Kilo. His eyes began to close for longer periods, and he was loosing sense of his surroundings.
He was there...but in that one brilliant moment, the den's silence was split in half by a great shriek. It was so sudden and full of fear that the alpha's eyes shot open and his brain zapped to life, as though someone had hooked him up to a jumper cable. His body lurched upwards and his mind struggled to keep up.
What just happened? What was wrong?
The shriek lingered, before falling away and giving Kilo a moment to realize it was a raptor's voice. His reacting alpha instincts were almost immediate.
Danger! Pack member in distress! Protect!
It was an impulse that the male followed without hesitation, as he rolled swiftly out of his nest and stood up, curling his lips and parting his jaws with the intention of sounding a danger alarm.
Another cry sounded, softer than before, followed by shuffling and the sound of claws scraping over the stone. Kilo searched desperately for the source, but he looked to each nest surrounding him and found its inhabitants safe and sound. They shifted from time to time, stirring from the noise, but otherwise he could see nothing wrong.
Suddenly, one of the low whimpers rose up and directed Kilo's gaze towards the den entrance. He found himself facing Blue's nest, but when he expected to see her sleeping like the others, what he saw was enough to make his eye widen and a concerned chuff to escape his chest.
Omega?
Blue's nest was absolutely destroyed, and the female was thrashing about in its crumbled remains. Her eyes were clamped shut and her movements were frantic, kicking out with her legs and springing talons, or throwing her head about and accidentally hitting it on the floor. The sounds she was making was a mixture of terror and sorrow, told through wailing cries and choking whimpers. She was calling for help from something he could not see. The pain she expressed was so raw that Kilo felt his chest seize up and his heart begin to race.
Something was incredibly wrong.
As Blue again cried, the alpha male sprang forward and went to her, neck arched and eye flicking about trying to see what was hurting her. He frantically searched the darkness and bared his teeth at the unseen...but nothing caught his eye. No enemy presented itself, and no scent other than Blue's fear was reaching his senses.
There was nothing, yet Blue was acting as though she was being murdered.
What in the name of Compies had come over her?
A bit annoyed that his rest was disturbed for no good reason, but concerned by the omega's behavior just the same, Kilo edged closer to where she lay. He chuffed sternly in an attempt to get her attention, but she shied from his presence and went into a fit of body tremors. Her whimpering worsened and she struck blindly towards his face with her claws.
He was only trying to help. Why wasn't she calming down? Why didn't she realize it was him?
Kilo became irked that Blue was attempting to strike him, but suddenly, the female's body rolled forward in a sharp movement. Her feet swung wild and he had half the mind to leap back, but too slow to react he felt one of her death talons swipe ever so slightly across his chest. The pain shot into his brain and drew a sharp snarl as he lunged away, but such a sudden aggressive tone only made Blue whimper and shrivel up with even greater fear.
For a moment Kilo's instincts were crying foul, and he struck his claws on the ground as a way to vent his anger, away from Blue so that he didn't tear her apart. He curled his neck down and discovered a small gash on his chest had cleaved the muscle open, not deep but bleeding quite well.
Had the female gone mad!?
Blue's eyes were still closed when Kilo turned to look at her. Her sides were shaking and her lips were pressed together from severe tension. He licked the blood coming out of his wound and saw her scratching at the ground until it sounded like a knife being drug over a chalkboard.
Even though he was angry, it began to make sense the longer Kilo listened to Blue and watched her actions. He began to recognize the signs and eventually that understand changed his anger to pity, removing any urge he had to discipline her for wounding him.
Blue was having a nightmare, and a bad one at that, considering the violent state it put her in. She was hung between the world of reality and the fogginess of sleep. She didn't know what was going on, and she probably wasn't able to stop it because her fear was too great.
Which was a problem, considering her screaming would eventually wake the entire pack. Kilo didn't want to deal with that mess, but thus far his attempts to wake her with his voice had failed...and he was far from calming her.
He had to do something however. The female's crying was upsetting to him, and he had his fair share of nightmares to know what she was experiencing, which made him feel sympathetic.
So, the male ignored his hurting wound and watched Blue with a careful eye. He sidestepped closer but just out of her reach, studying her strikes and movements so that he could predict the moment he had an opening. Whenever her claws came a bit close for his comfort, he bit back the warning growl and kept himself as quiet as could be.
There. For a single millisecond the female lost track of him and slumped back, giving him a chance which he took without hesitation. He jumped forward and circled around so that he put himself between Blue's back and the cave wall, dodging a frightened swing of Blue's head as she sensed him. She was panicking again once she knew someone was suddenly standing next to her, but as Kilo considered his next course of action she bumped him with her head and yelped.
Comfort, was what his brain suggested over brute confrontation. He didn't quite agree with it but letting out a sigh he lowered down to his belly beside Blue. She flinched and was about to struggle but he moved his head so that his chin rested over her brow, restricting her upward movements and pushing her head downwards. He crooned in an urge for her to relax, one of the softest sounds he had ever given to her.
For a moment Blue resisted the contact, but eventually her struggles began to weaken. Her winkled snout relaxed and her pawing feet went still, before she finally gave in to the pressure Kilo applied and let him guide her head to the floor. Her whimpers lessened to soft grunts, all to which he replied with a coo that surprised him.
It was oddly satisfying to watch his omega calm. He felt her rushed breaths against his chin and the shivering of her back just barely touching his flank, as she gurgled and kneaded her claws.
Hush, Blue. Everything was alright.
Kilo held his position for a few moments as Blue continued to soften. From time to time he glanced towards the pack to make sure they were still asleep, dreading the possibility that someone saw him and Blue in such a situation.
He wanted to be annoyed by the fact that he was in such close quarters with the female, but try as he might, he couldn't even muster the smallest of low grumbles.
Maybe once she calmed he could return to his nest.
Kilo waited a while longer, and once he was sure Blue was back to deep sleep, he lifted his head and intended to stand. He was as silent as he could possibly be...but the female sensed his presence draw away and immediately her body stiffened back up again. With a little mewl she shifted and lifted her head after him, blindly seeking him as her claws flexed and her tail writhed on the ground.
Kilo froze. He looked down at Blue and blinked at her, unsure what to do, before she whimpered and sucked in a shaky breath. Fearing that she would start crying again, he quickly laid back down and gave a long huff.
Fine...he would stay a bit longer.
Blue sensed the presence return to her, and immediately her fussing silence. She was still asleep and not truly aware of who was next to her, but she inched up against him and clumsily bumped her head against his neck. Kilo choked at the close contact but he used his paw to gently push her head down. She made little noises and he answered with another coo.
She was kind of cute when she was peacefully sleeping, dare he think of such a thing. The little noises she made soothed him in an odd way, and her faces reminded him of his sister when they were young, how she made expressions as she slept.
Looking over at the pack, Kilo again checked that they were still asleep after Blue's moment of panic. From what he could tell none had woken, so feeling a bit reassured the male lowered his head and rested it on the stone beside Blue's.
He discovered it was a bit rough sleeping on the cold hard floor. He felt bad for Blue knowing she had to lay on such a surface each night, but in that moment she turned her face and nuzzled her snout under his jaw, which forced him to lift up and let her tuck her head in the crook of his throat.
Kilo wasn't sure of the female's touch. He was torn between being comfortable and annoyed, but he didn't dare risk disturbing the female and waking her up, so he closed his eyes and released a deep breath.
Laying there, warmed by another's body, Kilo slipped into sleep faster than he could realize what was happening. For the first time in days he was able to rest...but for the first time in many years, he was treated to the pleasure of having someone with him.
It was nice, he had to admit that. Shadow stopped sleeping with him once she became Victor's mate and had their own nest. He had kind of missed having the comfort and obviously having it again was enough to lull him to sleep.
Don't get used to it, the stern part of his mind urged, but he ignored it. As long as the pack or Blue didn't know what happened, he would let the whole 'nightmare incident' slide.
Before long, the sun rose into the sky and its first rays spilled into the entrance of the den. The moment Kilo felt them on his face he used it as his cue to wake, opening his sleep fogged eyes as he yawned and lifted his head. A little mewl sounded when he moved, and he looked down to discover he had was more or less laying over Blue, one arm draped over her shoulder as she snuggled even closer to his chest than before.
A little shocked and embarrassed by the situation Kilo chuffed and carefully peeled himself free. He was worried Blue might protest, but she allowed the change and curled up into a ball without fuss, which gave him the freedom he needed to stand.
Just in time too. He could hear the elders shifting in their sleep, and it was important to him that they didn't see him with Blue in such a way. If they did, he wouldn't hear the end of it...especially from Hook, who still had his opinions of Blue and her ways.
That prompted the most unusual of questions.
Did he still feel like that towards the female? Did he still resent her?
That question went unanswered, as Kilo wrenched up to his feet and heard Alden do the same. He quickly moved away from Blue and stretched the kinks out of his legs, while positioning himself in the den entrance to give the illusion that he had already been awake.
Act casual.
Alden was quiet as he arched his neck and groaned behind the fog of sleep. He yawned, scratched an itch, then stepped forward with a subtle crack of old joints and bones. His eyes narrowed and he lengthened his strides with a bit of pain for his arthritis, but very quickly it was clear he was heading for Kilo. When the albino reached his alpha's side, he bobbed his head and chuffed a greeting, to which Kilo responded with a small look and simple nod that said 'good morning'.
They seemed rather quiet and calm, but after a moment Alden blinked, and he expressed concern with a small snort.
What happened to his chest? It was bleeding.
Kilo looked down and grunted when he saw the cut Blue had put into his scales. Surrounding it was a thick layer of dried blood, but the wood was open and bleeding slightly, probably revived when he got up moments before.
Alden persisted with a flick of his tail.
Was alpha alright? Did something happen last night?
Kilo curled his neck and licked the wound clean, only to answer his elder with a soft chuff, insisting that it was an unimportant accident. Nothing more and nothing less.
Alden was shocked by the blunt and unclear explanation, but not being stubborn enough to press further he dropped the subject. He instead looked to the foggy meadow outside and gurgled.
Were they going on another hunt that morning?
Kilo sighed and suddenly he felt his spirits deflate. He thought of their failed hunt the day before, chased off of a group of Parasaurolophus by the Spinosaurus, and he felt his frustration return.
It would be a good idea to go out again, before the pack got too hungry and temperamental. If they had the smallest chance of scoring some food, they needed to push hard and take it, using the best tactics they could muster and keep it all under the Spinosaurus' radar.
Once the pack was awake, they would go out on a split hunt attempt. One group would go to the western edge of the territory, one would go to the south, which would broaden their hunting area and increase the chance of finding easy prey.
Alden perked up. He seemed curious who those groups would be made of, so Kilo explained that he intended for Alden to take Blue and Tango to the south, while he took Hook and Lima to the north.
There was a pause, and Kilo gave the smallest of glances in towards Blue before adding.
On second thought...Blue would lead their group. She could use the challenge to brighten her spirits, after whatever horrible nightmare she experienced, but somehow he felt in his gut that it was time to slacken the reins on her.
Alden would make sure she didn't run off, of course. They didn't need to chase her all over the island, and they certainly didn't need her bumping into the rival pack, or the humans.
Humans...just the thought of those soft fleshed creatures put a bad taste in Kilo's mouth, making him stiffen and puff up his chest.
All contact with the humans and their things was forbidden, and it was imperative that his rule was obeyed. Did Alden understand that importance?
The old albino bobbed his head with a calm face. He seemed pleased by Kilo's decision to assign Blue as group leader, but he had always had a soft spot for the omega, and he had seen potential in her from the beginning. He liked her.
Day by day, Kilo was beginning to agree with that once bizarre notion.
~Blue's POV~
The sunlight was warm on her face, lulling her from slumber with fluttering eyes and soft grumbles. Her limbs twitched and her nostrils quivered behind awakening senses, which filled her brain with information and images that stimulated emotions.
Fear and pain, were the first things Blue felt when she remembered what took place the night before. It made her stiffen and clamp her eyes shut, shrinking up as though she worried the pack would suddenly maul her and finish what they started.
Kilo...why would he turn on her like that? Why would any of them turn on her for no reason? Kilo treated her as a traitor and enemy, and she didn't understand what she did to earn that treatment.
Wait...
As Blue lay there, she came to realize that she was laying on bare stone rather than the floor of her nest, which confused her for a moment. When she shifted about she felt a warmth beside her as though someone had been there recently, and when she breathed she came to smell a scent on her body which wasn't her own.
How odd...
The longer Blue was awake the more her mind began to process puzzling facts. Her fear disappeared behind embarrassment as she realized her terror in the night was just a bad dream, conjured up by inner fears, or triggered by her recent stresses with the Spinosaurus and human presence on the island.
She was in the den, safe and sound. The pack was waking up, and they were her allies...not her enemies.
Blue opened her eyes and immediately her reptilian pupils contracted in the sunlight. She stifled a yawn and stretched out her toes before sitting up and focusing on what was happening around her.
Kilo and Alden were standing in the den entrance. Shadow was getting up from her nest as the younglings woke and began their usual morning antics, nipping each other and squealing before racing outside to cause a ruckus. Lima was grumbling at the noise and Tango was trying desperately to catch her brother, in order to pin him down and give him a quick morning groom. Victor was getting up from his nest, his nearly healed leg proving a bit stiff as he licked his mate's neck in affectionate doting.
Blue purred at the sight of the two lovers, before she looked down and her eyes widened with a squawk of horror. Such a sudden outburst alerted the whole pack and caught Kilo's attention, but even as he fixed his eye on her, she didn't notice behind the heavy disappointment she was feeling.
Her nest was absolutely destroyed. She was laying outside the pile of debris and dirt, gawking at the damage and poking at it with one claw.
All of her hard work was gone! What happened to it!?
Suddenly, the omega heard footsteps and sensed a presence approaching. She tensed up a bit from her dream's lingering effects, but upon looking around she saw that it was Kilo standing over her, his head tilted to the side and his eye looking her over.
Good morning, omega. How was she feeling?
Blue was shocked by the alpha's sudden interest in her, but she puffed out her chest and gurgled softly, answering with a bit of hesitation that she was alright.
Kilo seemed pleased. He looked into her eyes and she felt an amount of anxiety, but that was bashed away when she heard him purr. She stared at him as though he was a ghost and he stared right back.
What had come over Kilo? Why was everything so odd that morning?
Blue was about to ask, when the male standing before her snorted and bobbed his head. In quick raptor chirps he informed her of his hunting plans for that day, including his decision to make her a group leader, how he looked forward to seeing the results of her leadership skills and hunting strategies.
Wait...group leader? He was assigning her as a group leader for the hunting party?
It was all very abrupt news to hear so early in the morning, but despite being caught off guard Blue chuffed and tried her best to seem confident. Her heart was racing from the excitement but she kept it hidden behind her calmest of expressions.
Yes alpha. She wouldn't let him down.
Kilo looked his omega over one last time, as though making sure she was alright, before he flicked his tail and turned. He moved back to the cave entrance and on towards the drinking pool, where Alden was already getting his morning dose of water.
Blue shuddered slightly and stared blankly at the floor. Her nostrils flared from her tension and her claws wriggled slightly out of anxiety.
Group leader...what in lands name made Kilo assign her as group leader?
The female was utterly stupefied. She had no way of knowing what had her alpha going through such a drastic change, but as she sat there her nose began to pick up on something. It was small and just brushed against her senses at first...yet it called to her with a mysterious importance, and she turned her head with blinking eyes.
She smelled Kilo. That much wasn't a surprise at first, but the more she sensed it the more she realized it wasn't just because he had come over to see her. Her snout wrinkled and her neck arched downward with a snort of confusion.
Kilo's scent was plastered over her scales. She could sense it once she was wide awake and her olfactory system was in full working order, helping her identify the tags until she was bobbing her head and chuffing like she had found something that deeply shocked her. Which it had, and it started a storm of "why?" questions.
Her alpha had been lying with her in the night. Why had he done that? Why hadn't she felt it? Why was he behaving so...not Kilo?
Either Blue was still dreaming, or the male was possessed...
~Kilo's POV~
For the first time in a long time, Kilo felt his heart and mind torn two ways, against his better judgement and denying his attempts to recollect himself. It was making him frustrated and confused. He didn't quite know how to handle himself, as though such simple emotions of trust and affection were alien to him.
Kilo's harsh side was growing weaker. It still tried to repulse at the thought of growing closer to omega Blue, but his gentle side was beginning to develop and take control, which was especially embarrassing, after his lack of using it made him clumsy and inexperienced with the softer emotions.
The alpha had become a squishy blob of uncontrolled vulnerabilities...or at least in his mind.
Alphas were meant to be strong! They weren't supposed to be squishy and falter whenever a certain omega had him choking on his own stomach. That just wasn't desirable in a strong leader, to break down under such a trivial thing.
Needless to say, between the both of them, things were a bit awkward when they had to exchange words. Kilo wanted to make sure Blue was okay, but at the same time he begged himself to straighten up and get down to business. He was a squishy emotion ridden blob, and she was a stricken headless Compy. He didn't know how to control his clashing emotions, and she didn't know how to possibly cope with his odd behaviors.
Kilo had seen the look of shock in her eyes. He knew she was caught off guard, and at the same time he had the audacity to think she was amusing or CUTE, how she fumbled over his actions and decision to make her a group leader.
Cute? Seriously? What was wrong with him?
Kilo grumbled as he made his way to the drinking pool, gait long and sauntering as his talons scuffed the ground and his teeth clicked together. His one eye was narrow with thought and his lips were pressed together. They twitched from time to time to show his unease.
Suddenly, a chirp sounded from behind, and Kilo looked around to see his sister trotting after him. A bright look was in her eyes and apparent in her showing teeth, further expressing happiness when she chittered.
Was it true? Did he assign Blue as group leader?
The female met her brother with croons and nuzzles, rubbing up against his body like a cat on a human's leg. He braced against her and lifted his head away from her frantic licking. He made annoyed grumbles, but she didn't seem to notice.
Shadow had long since tucked Blue under her wing. To hear that her brother was finally accepting the omega was wonderful news to her, making her as happy as Star finding a dead bird in the meadow.
Kilo pushed his sister away with a gentle nudge of his head. She licked his nose, purred, then arched her neck and regained a small level of composure as he chuffed.
There was work to be done. If they were to beat the Spinosaurus to the valley, they had to leave early in the day, and move swiftly. He couldn't do that with her hanging off of him.
Soon, the rest of the pack came into the meadow and expressed their own feelings for Blue's part in the hunt. Kilo would have rolled his eyes, as he turned his back to them and got some water from the drinking pool.
Tango was beside herself with joy. She was bouncing on her toes and chittering to herself, causing a bunch of noise as Blue herself came out of the den. The two young females talked to each other like giddy teenagers, expressing a friendship Kilo had seen developing over the past few weeks.
Hook and Lima were grumbling a bit. The distraught female cast glares to her adversary, as well as to Kilo, expressing her horror that he was starting to give Blue more slack. She whined and made a show of it all, but everyone ignored her and before long she just slumped down and huffed.
Victor congratulated Blue between stern growls to the younglings, who were bounding about making noise, and Alden showed his pride with a soft gurgle.
Blue wasn't used to the attention, but she puffed out her chest and made little noises that communicated her excitement and anticipation. Her eyes often strayed to Kilo and he found himself trying hard not to meet her gaze on accident.
Did she know? Why was she looking at him in that odd way?
He could see the hidden wonder in her eyes, amidst confusion and concern. At the sight of it his chest puffed out and his eye narrowed, before he called for the pack's attention in order to get business underway, and his mind onto more important matters.
It was time to move out. The sun would be high before long, and the Spinosaurus would be moving about. He was always more active when the sun was warm and his big sail could soak in the rays for extra body heat.
So, the groups came together and those that would stay in the den gave their fond farewells. The younglings stopped their playing long enough to lick each hunter, and Shadow made sure to give encouragement to the omega.
Everyone was anxious. Kilo could feel it and see it in their eyes, mirroring his own worry should they fail yet another hunt and extend the pack's hunger.
Very likely, if they didn't get a handle on the hunt success ratio, the pack could be facing a famine crisis.
Kilo was impatient, as he called Hook and Lima to his side. Blue hesitantly did the same with Tango and Alden, who obeyed her and gave their soft chirps of encouragement. The two groups exited out of the secret meadow and into the black ravine, then onwards until they split at the opening to the prey valley.
For a long time, Kilo lingered in the long grass and watched as Blue's tail disappeared into the distance. His gaze was blank and full of thoughts that worried for the omega's safety and success. He was distracted until Lima rubbed her shoulder against his and purred in a poorly executed sweet tone.
Ready to go, alpha?
She was more confident, when Blue wasn't in the picture. She had the audacity to intrude on his personal bubble like a love struck yearling, thinking he wouldn't mind her 'doting' once his attention wasn't being wasted on the omega.
Lima couldn't have been more wrong.
Angered by his stubborn admirer, Kilo shrugged her off with a gruff hiss. She responded with a drooping head and a heavily played 'poor me' card, which made him growl with an even greater anger.
Now was NOT the time for her flirting game nonsense. The hunt had begun and they all had work to do.
Focus, Lima!
A little voice in the alpha's head piped in, as though it didn't want to leave him out.
Focus, Kilo!
~Some Hours Later~
Luck was with them that day, it seemed. As the hunting group traveled across the valley and into the northern forests, they came to find many small clues to passing herbivores, from a faint scent to a dim footprint or semi-dried pile of dung. Kilo's anxious worries were soothed by the food menu, which had grown significantly and promised success for his pack. They all knew the cause for sudden fortune.
The Spinosaurus hadn't come to the valley yet. He was likely still fed by the previous day's large kill, and in his absence the prey animals were taking opportunities to relax.
That was precisely the chance they were hoping for.
So, Kilo led his hunters deep into the shadows of the forest, following the borders of the territory. His eye was ever alert in the search for visual signs, while his nostrils flared in efforts to find scents, and his ears strained to hear the heavenly sound of herbivore voices. Hook gave equal passion into the search, while Lima just glanced around and showed her teeth in a sign of impatience.
Crest headed Parasaurolophus, big bodied Edmontosaurus, and dangerous Triceratops. They found traces of Gallimimus here and there, but Kilo didn't want to put effort into such a small kill if they could help it. His pack needed a big kill to fill their bellies.
The Triceratops were too much of a risk. The Parasaurolophus scents were weak with age, but the Edmontosaurus signs proved promising. From what the raptors could tell, the group was only four animals strong, with a young calf and an aged bull that could be their best targets.
Yes...that was the hunt Kilo was willing to bet his chances on. Hook and Lima agreed without much hesitation.
The male then moved with a greater purpose, ever alert with his head down and nose sniffing at the trail they followed. Some of the trees were damaged by browsing, or pushed at an odd angle from big bodies trying to fit through the cramped spaces of foliage. Footprints became ever detailed, scents became strong in the air, and dung piles began steaming with a freshness that told Kilo animals had passed through just some time before.
Suddenly, they all heard a bellow in the distance. It was deep pitched and familiar to their ears, which made them slide to a stop and lift their heads with sharp eyes of excitement. Kilo made little chuffing sounds and glanced about. Another bellow told him there were large animals, Edmontosaurus in breed, just a hundred yards ahead.
They found them.
Gurgling quietly to save their aspect of surprise, Kilo glanced to Hook and arched his neck in a show of determination. The old male returned said gesture, and it was silently communicated between them the next course of action. Alpha took lead of the group and ducked into the bushes, followed by his hunters as they made their way to where prey could be heard.
Kilo had hope. He told himself over and over in his head that the hunt would be successful. It HAD to be, for the pack's sake.
Before long the group came to an end of the trees, and up ahead they could see a small meadow open up with healthy green grass. Out of caution Kilo stopped at the line of brush, crouching and tilting his head at an odd angle to properly see what lay before him, struggling a bit with his blind eye as the run peeked down on him.
Suddenly, the male stiffened and his lips curled. His tail thrashed with an excitement and slapped against Hook's chest, who gurgled quietly in annoyance.
What did he see? Where was the prey?
Kilo gurgled back. His eyes were fixed across the clearing, beyond a section of head high long grass, to where the plants and brush were beaten down. Some of it was trampled, some of it was grazed down, but his attention was on the culprits of such damage.
Four big figures rested in the shade of a tree, standing with one back leg cocked as a horse rests standing up. Big arched backs twitched from time to time from insect birds, while box heads with beak lips hung low and grunted peacefully.
Kilo was thrilled. They had successfully tracked the group of Edmontosaurus, and they found them in a state of perfect vulnerability. His heart was racing with the anticipation of hunt and victory, but he forced himself to remain calm as his intelligent mind got to work with analysis.
Two of the targets were adult females, fully mature and standing four meters tall at the peak of their back. They appeared strong and healthy. Their bodies showed no sign of damage, which was a bit of a turn off for raptor hunters.
Edmontosaurus subjects of that size and health could prove difficult to take down. Attacking one could result in a raptor getting injured, if not killed, by well aimed kicks and swinging heads.
Kilo groaned and turned his eye to the other targets, an adolescent calf and an old bull.
The calf was the only one moving about. Weaving in and around his adult guardians with little bawls and playful frolicking, he was unaware of the five eyes watching him, inspecting his every move and longing after the body of meat he carried.
Kilo liked that option, if he could catch him away from the adults. A calf of that age was twice the size of a raptor and could easily cure the pack's short food supply.
Finally, although content with the youngling, Kilo directed his gaze towards the figure of the old bull. He was vaguely uninterested and didn't expect much...but the moment his eye fell on the wrinkled hide it widened and a short chuff escaped him. Hook and Lima mirrored such a reaction.
The bull was stirring from his rest, and was shuffling over towards the sunlight in order to warm his old body. His big head drooped low and his lips parted in labored breaths, giving sign to great fatigue. His eyes were dull from what seemed like a great burden.
Kilo knew perfectly what that burden was, when he came to see the wounds spread over his target's flanks. Great slashes from claws split the outer flesh open, scabbed over from some days of healing. Bite marks set painful pits down to bone, and bruising gave a hint of purples and greens from harsh collisions of a big predator.
The species of the predator was obvious, particularly from a long snouted bite mark placed squarely over the bull's spine, across the place just in front of his hips, torn up from a struggle that happened earlier in the week. It went deep and damaged parts of the vertebrae. Communication between the brain and rear limbs was hindered...which resulted in the bull having a stumbling stride, when he wasn't dragging at least one of his legs across the ground.
An unfinished attack from the Spinosaurus resulted in partial paralysis. Such a candidate was more than the pack could ever ask for.
Kilo was absolutely giddy, as he watched the bull teeter back and forth into the warm sun. His tail wagged and his lips quivered excitedly. His heart begged for action with pounding beats.
It was time to act.
So, the alpha raptor crept forward out of the trees and into the long grass tall enough to hide his body. His hunters followed and took position some distance on either side of him. They were equally silent and swift in their movements, creeping along the ground until they nearly had to walk on all fours.
They came to the edge of the grass, and Kilo stopped for a moment to assess his options. His eye stared ahead to the bull just a few dozen yards away, who was standing and shaking a bit from weak legs that threatened to crumble.
Kilo flexed his body. Hook and Lima took that as a signal to prepare for the charge, but the old male seemed distracted. He was looking over to the left with narrowed eyes, which caught the attention of Lima, who grunted and arched her neck in a show of shocked aggression.
Kilo raised his tail. He didn't notice the absent minds of his hunters, even when Hook sent a discreet chuff his way and called for attention.
Alpha?
No answer, but the alpha male bared his lips and the springs in his legs activated. He lunged out of the grass and fixed every fiber of his being to the hunt, gearing muscle and mind to the wall of flesh he set his sights on.
Hook blinked, but rather than following his leader, he stood straight up and shrieked.
Alpha!
In that moment Kilo realized something was wrong. His concentration broke and he looked about in disorientation, wondering what his elder was going on about and why they weren't joining the attack. The bull was bellowing and drowning out all sound with a panicked fear, as five raptors burst out of nowhere and raced at him.
Wait...five?
That was when Kilo's mind caught something. In the chaos of crying prey and rising dust, he heard an unfamiliar shriek, and the thud of many feet coming up from the sides. His flaring nostrils caught unfamiliar scents, which burst into his mind with a raging realization that came two seconds too late.
The collision was unexpected. One moment Kilo was glancing over his shoulder, wondering what was wrong, the next he was thrown against the ground. It felt as though he was rammed by a Triceratops. His head rang from the impact of hitting the ground, and his lungs fought for breath amidst sharp pain and surprise.
What happened?
Disorientation clouded Kilo's senses, as he fought to get up and look about through the dust cloud. His limbs fought against him and hindered his movements, which became jerked and frantic. He became aware of another figure laying just ahead of him, crumpled and struggling to stand with an equal amount of confusion.
He heard raptor cries that communicated rage and shock. They pricked at his mind and triggered his own rage, because he did not recognize the voice and knew that it wasn't Hook or Lima.
It wasn't pack.
In that moment, Kilo looked at the figure of a raptor, and sharp eyes stared right back. Both of them froze behind dumbfounded surprise. Both of them curled their lips back and arched their necks with snarls that said "What are you doing here?"
Kilo's mind raced into a mixture of fear and absolute hate. He rolled to his feet and the strange raptor did the same, resulting in a face off that immediately set the mood to aggression and defensiveness. It took a moment but the alpha male had himself straightened out, and was caught in a whirlwind revelation.
The raptor before him was a male, quite unknown to him yet sporting the poisonous scent of the rival pack. He was skin and bones from lack of feeding, his tattered mouse brown hide was loose, and his face was turned up in the bravest of wild frothing threats.
Neither expected the other to be there, but both reacted with the same amount of hostility, and Kilo puffed out his chest with a massive bellow. He arched his neck in a show of alpha dominance, and he tensed his death talons until they were curled straight back against the front of his leg.
Questions poured out. Why was the rival pack in his territory? Why hadn't he sensed them?
The hunt was a bust. Hook and Lima went immediately to their leader and stood behind him, expressing aggression and reinforcing his strength with numbers. The rival raptor's three cronies did the same, all of them sharing the same emaciated look with frothing mouths and sparking eyes.
Kilo stomped a foot and strode forward with such a rage that the enemy was forced to stumble back. He showed his teeth and snarled, while looking them over and cursing the fact that they dare step into HIS lands.
The raptors before him were subordinates, specifically scout ranked. They were scouting HIS territory, and took a shot at the prey HE had rights to!
How dare they! He was going to tear them apart!
For a moment, the rivals stood their ground and were foolish enough to resist Kilo's advances. They moved their tongues through their teeth like angry dogs, thrashing their tails and moving their claws as though they considered mauling him.
Kilo sucked in a breath, then stomped towards them and roared with a rage that surpassed the angriest of predators. He became a whirlwind of dominance and threat, coming close to striking the leader's face with his claws, or disembowel him with a flashing death talon.
Get out! Get out, get out, get out!
The rivals faltered. Their leader's bravery lessened and his erect tail dropped low, followed by a submissive bow of his head. His lips still curled with a show of aggression, and they all seemed reluctant to stand down...but being subordinates they didn't hold the confidence that an alpha did. They worried what would happen if they should provoke a full scale attack.
Kilo snarled again, and the four intruders turned tail, before slinking calmly off into trees and disappearing within the shadows. They glanced often over their shoulders, but Kilo followed them and gave pressure when they didn't move fast enough.
The rivals left, and the hunt group rejoined with an air of disturbed horror. Kilo was breathing hard. His body was covered in dirt and his lips still curled out of agitation.
Hook growled. What were they going to do?
No answer, and Lima expressed her own worry with a low snort.
Alpha? What were they going to do if the rivals knew where their territory was?
Kilo looked to both of them. In his eyes was a look of despair and fear, coupled by rage and sorrow.
It was devestating to learn that the rivals knew of his territory. It worried him deep down, what such a thing could mean for his pack, and what problems it would present in the future.
The male's mind was no longer on the hunt. The prey had run and his thoughts fixed squarely on something new and very dangerous for his family.
Suddenly, Kilo snorted and turned on his haunches with a stern order.
They would return home immediately. If the rivals were in his territory once, they would return, and his upmost priority was keeping the pack safe from such an attack.
He had to speak with his sister...and he had to make sure Blue's group was okay.
~...~
The trek back to the den was a long and silent one, tension thick in the minds of Kilo's group as they glanced uneasily about, nervous another rival attack would catch them by surprise. Their stomachs protested hunger, and their bodies began to tire from a long day of work wasted.
When Kilo finally reached the secret meadow's entrance and walked in, he was faced with the trouble of announcing to his pack what happened.
No...he didnt need to worry them all. Only Shadow and Alden needed to know, for now, until they formed a plan of precaution and had an idea what was going on.
The alpha crept into the den, and despite trying to go unnoticed, he was met with happy cries from the younglings, who flocked from the shadows and opened their mouths with eager chatters. Star herself was the most excited of them.
Uncle Kilo was back!
At first, Kilo groaned and curled his head back with a guilty look. He braced against the joyful onslaught with a dark look in his eye, as Hook and Lima made little chuffing sounds ducked their heads with shame. They waited for the dissapointment to rise, and for the younglings to suddenly realize that no food had come for them.
They failed the pack. Kilo was hurting by that fact...but slowly, his head lifted and tilted to the side with a curious coo.
Wait a minute...
Star came to a stop and licked her lips with a content gurgle. Her stomach was distended in an odd way, and her mouth was coated by a faint layer of blood. Her gait was precariously wide when she walked, like a bow legged cowboy walking after a week of horseback riding.
Hook noticed the same things with Mike and Curare. All of them seemed fed until ready to burst...but how could that be?
Kilo ventured further into the den. He peered through the shadows and gave a curios welcome chirp, which was answered by soft purrs and content gurgles, joined by the faint sound of ripping and teeth gnawing on bone. Eyes turned up at him and multiple tails thumped against the stone in a wagging motion.
What was this?
Kilo was blessed by the sight of meat, laid out in a mangled pile surrounding by happy raptors. When he saw it his eye widened and his jaw went slack, which caused Shadow to gurgle as though she were laughing. She lay with a particularly thick chunk between her forelimbs.
Come, brother! Eat with us!
Kilo arched his neck and stepped close. He marveled at the sheer size of the kill, and was further shocked when he smelled it and discovered it was once the hefty hindleg of a mature Ankylosaurus.
Kilo knew of the club tailed herbivores. He knew how dangerous they were, and how difficult it was to hunt one succesfully.
The chances of success were a hundred to one. How in the living world did-
Suddenly, a voice interrupted the alpha's thoughts, and a presence came up towards his good eye's side with a cautious air. He flinched slightly, but upon turning his eye fell onto a soft face, and his nose was gifted with the pleasant smell of fresh meat.
Omega Blue was standing there. Her eyes were soft and her head was ducked to a respectful level, while in her mouth she held a chunk of food that was absolutely dripping with blood. She wagged her tail and greeted him happily.
Hello alpha.
Kilo stared at the female for a moment and remained silent. He looked from her eyes to the meat she held, before he began to walk a circle around her and inspect her for wounds. Blue remained still, tail arched up and chest puffed out with hesitant pride.
She was just the way he had left her that morning. Not a single scratch marred her grey and blue scales, which amazed him.
Alden appeared, and the old albino began to explain with his own deep pride.
Blue led their hunt into a thick section of the forest, where there were many steep slopes and ditches. It wasnt long before they found the club tail...but despite Alden's warnings of such an animal...Blue insisted upon the hunt. She directed them to chase it down a hill, and the squat armored dinosaur faltered, before rolling to the bottom and getting cast on its backside.
They killed it, ate their fill, then drug a massive leg back with just a little struggle up the hills. Alden was absolutely surprised by their luck.
Kilo felt the same, as he looked to Blue and gurgled softly. She wagged her tail again in response, then extended her neck so that her mouthful of meat was just beneath her alpha's muzzle. Kilo was confused by this, but the female purred and jiggled the food as though she were prompting him.
She was giving him a ration of meat, from her kill.
Kilo wanted to refuse. He lifted his head and stared at the gift, before his hunger finally won over and he reached out to clamp his teeth on an edge of the moist delicacy. Blue released it to him and licked her lips, before she stared intently into his eyes and seemed to go distant.
He was a bit lost on what to do, torn between saying thank you and questioning her reason behind the gift. Blue just stared back in an unsettling silence, driving him mad until she finally bobbed her head and turned away with a little flick of her tail.
Again, Kilo wondered if she knew about their incident the night before. Did she know what he did to help her?
He hoped she didn't. Just considering that possibility put a heavy knot in his gut.
Forget the omega, his mind insisted. He had the rival pack to worry about, remember?
Kilo snorted and immediately his softness disappeared behind tension. He quickly swallowed his food, licked his lips, then looked over at Shadow and called to her with a discreet chitter. When she looked up she saw the urgency in his gaze. She immediately sensed something was wrong and he flicked his snout in a signal to join him outside.
He needed to have a long talk with his beta.
As the two siblings met and walked together into the meadow, Kilo looked to the ground and became lost in his thoughts. The more he thought of the rivals, the more his mind became darkened and stirred, forced to remember memories that he once tried to suppress and forget.
He didn't want to accept it...but the rivals were a strong factor behind the Waterfall pack's history, and more specifically, his childhood. Whenever he thought back to those days, he was met with an overwhelming amount of pain and fear, as well as anger and a wish that things had somehow turned out different.
Kilo chuffed and he looked up to the sky with a faint breath, blind eye twitching sporadically.
The news was going to devastate poor Shadow.