Language isn't a known behavior. It is learned.
Successful communication was certainly quite the debacle to both parties.
Roberta never saw a creature such as her new rival. She did not know how to decipher his body language, his odd, guttural hisses or his harrowing, deep yet shrill roars. She did not understand him. And thus, Nublar's Queen was constantly guarded. Constantly tense. Constantly ready for a physical altercation.
All she saw when she looked upon Sorna's Spinosaurus, was a threat.
In truth, Roberta was not very keen in the skill of communication.
She did not know how to socialize-truly socialize. When Roberta saw prey, she gave chase, and went for the kill. When Roberta saw rivals encroach, she bellowed, and charged forth to defend her territory. Sinking her teeth into hapless prey, commanding her maw to crush down with such force she could feel the bones and cartilage break, taste the heated iron of blood flood into her iron viced jaws, hear the strangled gasp and feel the body cease, and become lax...
That was the extent of Roberta's communication-and socialization. Her jaws were her tools, and she knew how to use them well.
The only instance of non hostile interactions Roberta could recollect was not too long ago. Fairly recently, in fact. It was with the little grey Raptor that helped her fight The White One. And even after The White One fell, the Queen was unsure of the little grey creature's intent. But the small creature kept her teeth sheathed and claws lowered, her head wobbling in an unsure, curious motion, as if attempting to discern if this great and looming beast was just like The White One, a threat.
Roberta remembered one thing she did towards the curious, little creature.
She chuffed.
Chuffed, and then lumbered away.
The Grey One did the same, padding off.
That was the only instance Roberta could remember.
Roberta slowly turned her head to look upon the sailed beast.
He was still looking upon her, jaded gaze ever piercing, ever watching. Ever so slightly, the Bull's scales lips pulled upward along his snout, teeth bearing in a marred snarl with his broken jaw, a low, serpentine hiss vibrating his maw and into the earth which he lay.
The Bull was taking the Queen's lingering gaze as a threat, rather than observational study.
The Queen responded with a rumble from her throat, deep and intimidating.
The pair resumed to stare upon one another, amber and emerald eyes locked into a silent war of dare and dominance.
Neither was willing to break contact.
Neither was willing to show submission.
This was the extent of their dysfunctional and uneasy truce. Each saw the other as a threat, and neither were entirely willing to let their guard down.
It was made even worse due to the fact that while Nublar's Tyrannosaurus had no interaction with other, larger carnivores that were this tame, the Bull's interactions with the other Tyrannosaurus upon Isla Sorna all resulted in hostilities that lead to death.
Yes, Sorna's Spinosaurus slew many of the Queen's kind upon Sorna. It was quite a feat, for one such lonely predator. Hunting them, and stalking them, and fighting them, and killing them. Eliminating the competition and expanding his territory. He knew how to wage war against them. Render their crushing maws useless and shut, and they could do very little to defend themselves. Their jaws were their strength, but also their weakness.
Yes, Sorna's Spinosaurus slew many of the Queen's kind upon Sorna. But this was the first time any had wounded him to such an extent. This was the first time he had battled one that was large enough to give him enough a struggle that he could not end the fight quickly.
The Bull knew time was vital in fighting. The faster he killed, the less chance they had to harm him. The Bull knew this female was different the moment he had difficulty twisting her neck. Knew the moment he felt her powerful muscles tensing like solid stone under her scarred hide that she was not like the others.
It was the first time, in a long time, ever since the fire that burned atop of the water in that storm leapt upon his scales and branded his hide, that Sorna's Apex Predator felt fear.
And that fear kept his gaze locked upon the Queen.
Roberta resumed her staring, golden-brown hued iris juxtaposing his vivid green.
Her circular pupil juxtaposing his slitted one.
The Queen stared, and thought.
Thought back to The Grey One.
It was then that Roberta's throat rivetted in a sudden huff of breath, her scaled maw puffing slightly as heated breath passed her crushing teeth in a chuff.
The Spinosaurus craned his neck backwards, head cocking slightly in confussion. That was a strange noise. What was it? A threat? A warning? But it did not sound like a grumble or bellow? Perhaps it was nothing? Just an exhale of breath?
The Sailed Water Dragon was unsure of the Queen's attempt at socialization, unsure how to respond save for the low crocodilian hiss that slithered off of his tongue.
Roberta wobbled her massive head, as if attempting to better see her motionless rival, or attempting to decipher the noise that slipped passed his teeth. Was it a warning? She was unsure...
Nostrils flaring, another puff of breath escaped Nublar's Tyrannosaurus in a chuff.
This time, the Bull was positive she was making that specific noise for a reason.
But why?
What did it mean?
Was it a normal sound for one of her kind to make?
The Spinosaurus did not know. He just knew her kind liked to bellow, and bellow loudly.
Roberta awaited some kind of response, blinking slowly.
While the Bull did not verbally reply, Roberta noticed something.
He blinked.
He blinked after she blinked.
When Roberta stared, he stared.
Both unblinking.
Roberta turned her head to the left.
Sorna's Apex turned his head to the right.
She retracted her neck to face forward, looking upon him.
He retracted his neck to face forward, looking upon her.
Roberta blinked, and breathed deep, her chest expanding whilst she lay.
Upon exhaling, she noticed he released his breath, too.
He was studying her, and she was studying him.
It was then Roberta noticed something upon her rival. He had wounds like her, too. Old scars carved into his hide and telling stories of old battles won. But unlike hers, they did not look like they were from teeth or claw. The Queen did not know what made them.
Intricate, almost vine like patterns were upon his hide, scars from fire upon water.
Roberta never saw scars like that before.
If ever briefly, it made the Queen curious.
Her curiousity, however, was broken by a noise.
A huff of breath escaped the maw of her rival, the noise he produced sounding more akin to a nasily sneeze.
Roberta's gaze turned towards the Bull, head once more wobbling, nostrils flaring and chest expanding.
The Spinosaurus merely looked upon the Queen, head slightly tilted and turned, as if perplexed.
An air of pregnant unease fell upon the pair, both anxious, tense and unsure.
The Bull produced the same nasily sneeze twice, then thrice.
It was then Roberta realized that her rival was attempting to copy her.
Blinking, Roberta raised her snout, and produced a chuff.
Her chuff was answered by a sneeze.
His sneeze was answered by a chuff.
The pair slowly, if ever slightly, began to relax. The noises each other were making did not seem to be hostile or threatening. Nor did any physical cues or body langue show any esculating hostility.
The funny noises the other made seemed to be good noises.
It was then that Bull decided he had enough of laying around upon the knoll, and rose to his feet, joints popping and muscles stiff. His sudden action made Roberta tense, for she suddenly felt vulnerable laying upon the ground whilst her rival stood.
The Spinosaurus looked down upon the Queen, thinking, and debating. His taloned hands clentched and unclenched in thought. He could kill her. She was vulnerable. He could have all the kills for himself...but she still had her jaws. That made her dangerous. Even if the Bull did attack from behind, she was large, and powerful...and he was still weak...
The Sailed Predator shook his head, unaffected arm rising to scratch a claw against his neck.
...No. It was not worth it.
Not now.
A soft, sneeze like noise escaped the Spinosaurus, gaze still upon Roberta.
The Queen almost responded with a rumble in warning. Almost. While she did not respond, she still remained tense, and alert.
Once more, the Bull produced as much of a chuff as he could, and turned to moved towards the flooded knoll.
Their surplus was almost gone. Soon they would be forced to hunt. Alas, his jaw and arm was far from healed, and the Queen could not afford to be very mobile...But that would be a problem when the time came.
For now, Sorna's Spinosaurus searched the flooded knoll for any more carcasses that washed down from the mountains.
For now, he could relax, if ever briefly.
I apologize for the wait. I'm rather busy.
I might make a one shot series revolving around a shitty male Raptor OC (Rex) and his relationship with Claire (you can take that however you will) along with Owen and Blue. But mainly Claire and said shitty OC. Chapters will be random and may or may not develop loose plotline.
Or I can make a one shot series with Miss Rexy and Mister Spino with random topics and whatever comes to my mind. It would give me an excuse to write fluff and stuff.
Tell me what you guys think!
Thank you for reading and supporting! Have a good day!
:D