Hello peeps. :) Books here for Chapter 13!

Wanted to just get this finished and up there, so that I could get us all to the excitement. It's coming and oh boy I'm anxious to show it all to you.

Thank you all for the reviews, favorites, and follows. I hope they continued to come and I hope you all continue to like what I whip out. :)

Enjoy, Chapter 13!


Jurassic World: "Why So Blue?"

Chapter 13

"One Lone Star"


"Where did it come from?"

"I don't know, I've never seen it before."

She was growing tired of this. Why couldn't they just get over it and help her? Yes, it was a hatchling. Was that any reason to sit and fuss?

Blue stood impatiently in the middle of the room; the grey hatchling still dangling from her mouth by her tail as Owen and Barry stood before them. Her eyes smoldered with frustration and her tail whipped back and forth as her humans busied themselves with endless questions.

Owen, currently looking down at her and the youngling with a curious smile, annoyed her the most. He was supposed to help her, and all he could do was sit and stare like a stricken Gallimimus.

So, reaching the end of her patience Blue hissed loudly before bending down and gently setting the hatchling onto the floor. The little one tried to squawk and hide behind her, but she nudged it foreword, then looked up and snapped her jaws in an effort to grab her Alpha's attention.

Both him and Barry flinched, and Blue released a heavy breath that she soon regretted when it put strain on her broken ribs. But she hissed again, and flicked her snout to her tiny admirer.

If she had to strike the situation into these male's heads, she would. The youngling was hungry and Blue was intent on making sure she was cared for properly. That required guidance from Owen, and she would have it.

Slowly, reacting to her small outburst, Owen sucked in a breath and gave Barry a slight glance. But he shifted, and nodded slowly, "What do you want?"

Now...this was the hard part. Sometimes she wished her Alpha could understand her; it would solve so many problems between them.

Blue chuffed in exasperation, and looked down to the hatchling whom now huddled on the floor as if it would hide her from the human creatures. Purring in encouragement Blue wriggled her claws, and moved her gaze to the nearby edges of the room.

It seemed while they were gone, Barry had moved the kitchen table out into the main room, and had organized their entire collection of supplies out onto its surface. Odd little plastic containers, human guns, more of the odd propane canisters for lantern refills, and...

Blue's nostrils quivered, when she caught the sent of dried meat similar to what she remembered of Barry's jerky bag. The familiar smell was tantalizing, but at the moment Blue was only concerned with the feeding of her new charge.

So, moving towards the table Blue churred at the sight of the hatchling following close underneath her. She avoided her feet but took great care in hiding within her shadow. Blue was also cautious as to not tread upon her.

As she approached the table, Owen and Barry frowned and Owen spoke up, "Blue?"

The raptor ignored them and came to a stop with her head just above the tabletop. Her nostrils quivered and her eyes darted about before landing upon an odd brown package. At one point of time it had been sealed, but one end had been ripped open, and inside it she could see a chunk of odd dried meat.
It would be a bit tough, and it didn't smell nearly as bearable as Barry's jerky, but what else was she going to find at this point for the hatchling?

She was so close to leaning over and snatching it into her jaws, when there was a shuffle of feet and a quick gasp, "She's after the MREs."

"Barry, don't. You know how this will end."

Blue wasn't about to give it any thought, until from the corner of her eye a hand shot out, and she jumped back with a shocked snarl in reaction. Out of reflex her teeth snapped, and she heard the sharp sound of ripping clothing before tasting a chunk of it in her mouth. The hand continued to push foreword, and when she looked up she found that Barry had jumped in and snatched the food bag out of her reach.

That selfish little human!

Hissing sharply Blue flashed her teeth and Barry stepped back, "I'll not have you take our food from us! Go get your own!"

He was using his stern Alpha voice, but Blue glowered to him. He was no Alpha; why couldn't he get that into his tiny human brain?

As far as Blue knew, an Omega of their little pack had challenged its Beta once again for food, and any resisting dominance of that kind was to be dealt with. Barry was getting braver with her the more she was around...and she wasn't liking it.

Rising up as far as she could whilst not stressing her wounds, Blue bared her teeth and snarled in an accepting challenge; snapping her tail back and forth as the hatchling watched at her feet. Her little eyes were lifted in shock and she chirped in curiosity.

It appeared as though this raptor ruled over the soft fleshed creature that stood defiantly before them...but how? It was clearly not raptor.

Confused and putting her young brain to the max the tiny hatchling saw a look of concern cross the challenger's face, and she chittered in amusement.
Her guardian, as she was calling her since saved from the big raptor, was strong...strong like her pack's elders and Alpha.

The hatchling was very pleased at this; looking onto Blue's confrontation with admiration.

Blue otherwise did not notice her charge's growing interest, and kept her attention on Barry. He appeared tense; good, maybe she was finally getting somewhere with him.

But suddenly from behind, a stern voice lifted. Not quite a shout but not a whisper either.

"Blue, back off!"

It was Alpha Owen...

Shocked by his interference, Blue snapped her teeth shut and turned her gaze to see that he was not far off from her side. His eyebrows were lowered and his lips pursed into a firm line as he stared right back into her eyes. That was his Alpha glare; one Blue knew meant he wasn't pleased.

Reluctantly, hissing one last time to Barry, Blue stood down and chittered to her Alpha.
Surely he saw that Barry was trying far too hard to best her. Surely he knew that her job as Beta was to help keep the pack in line.

Okay...so maybe she wasn't as hard on Barry before, but back then he was a caretaker and giver of comforting pats and strokes in the holding chutes. Now he was true pack, and pack members who challenge the Beta were to be disciplined as she had once disciplined her sisters when they challenged her.

But Owen continued to glare sternly, and Blue bowed her head in submission amidst a sharp mutter of growls and clicks.

The hatchling beneath her was equally bewildered.

Her guardian, was higher over the dark skinned creature, yet the pale skinned male commanded her with dominance and no fear.
He commanded her as an Alpha, and hatchling realized, and again her brain shot out a hundred questions.

Why was this weaker creature Alpha over her guardian? He had no claws or fangs...and from the appearance of his body he was not nearly as strong.

Yet her guardian backed off from the challenge, and the hatchling remembered not to question the pale one's command despite the unease it gave her.

Meanwhile, Owen looked away from Blue to his friend, and crossed his arms, "You're pushing your luck with her, you know that right?"

Barry busied himself by locking all the MRE packages into metal containers; replying sharply, "So you let her eat our food? And then what? Who knows how long it could take Claire to get back with the pilot."

Owen nodded, "It's not like there aren't options for food on this island."

Barry looked up, and stated flatly; face unmoving with confidence of his reply, "I'm not eating dinosaur."

"Oh come on. It tastes like chicken."

There was no answer that time, and Barry finished with putting everything away before fixing his eyes onto Blue. She looked straight back at him, and curled her lips making him take in a deep sighing breath of defeat.

"There's a dead Compy out by the warehouse...I could get it for her."

Owen blinked, and Blue tilted her head in curiosity.

"A dead Compy?"

Barry just nodded before grabbing a lantern and heading for the front door, "It tried taking a chunk out of my leg while I was working today. I attempted to scare it off but the little thing was persistent...so what was I to do?"

Blue followed him with her eyes as he ventured out into the night, before flashing to Owen and giving him a short chirp of annoyance.

The man glanced to her and huffed, "Don't look at me like that; you know what you did wrong."

The raptor chuffed back in retaliation. Nothing she did in that moment was wrong; disciplining a challenging pack member was required of her and she listened to that requirement.

She was going to 'argue' with her Alpha further, when footsteps sounded on the front deck and the smell of death wafted into her nostrils. It smelled incredibly familiar and caused Blue to stiffen before turning.

Barry entered the front door holding a limp form; extending out in front of him like a person holds a dead rat after finding it in the mouse trap. His face was less than amused and he walked up to Blue with a short snort, "Here...relatively fresh."

To her utter amazement, it was one of the green vermin. It's blood slowly dripped onto the floor and its body...well...it's body was intact, but it's head was crushed from a heavy strike that most surely brought its end.

Had Barry killed this creature? How! How could a human such as him defeat a vermin while she could not?

Blue growled softly and glared up at him in outrage, amidst a light thankfulness that he had thought to give her the dainty meal.

As she looked down at it her stomach churned, and her eyes distanced with a lick of her chops.
How did the Compies taste, she wondered. She'd finally be able to find out-

Blue was about to snatch the little meal from the man's hand, when she remembered why she was truly searching for food. Her head lowered and she found that the hatchling was still hiding beneath her; little golden eyes fixated onto the Compy carcass as if she had not seen meat in years. Her lips quivered and her body was tense...

Hatchlings must eat often in the day, Blue assumed with a gentle sigh. She was hungry and she was to be fed first above anyone else; that's what her instinct demanded of her.

So, kneeling down, Blue gently grabbed the hatchling in her teeth and ignored her cry of shock. Pulling her foreword she set her before Barry, and purred whilst she nudged her to stay put.

Barry and Owen smiled, and Owen reached out for the Compy, "Here."

Once he held it in his hands, not minding the blood, the man bent down to the hatchling's level and spoke soothingly, "She can learn we're a good thing...positive reinforcement."

The petite raptor cowered at his slow approach and considered running back to Blue, but her tiny nostrils were flaring with the scent of the Compy's flesh and blood now just a foot away. Her eyes flickered between Owen and the meal and her claws wriggled in confliction.

The Compy, wasn't much smaller than her. It would serve her better than it would to Blue.

For another moment she stared up at Owen before daring herself to inch foreword in little shuffles. Blue purred in reassurance and the hatchling made sure to glance back at her, but she was still frightened; sides heaving in quickened breaths that fluttered whenever Owen shifted.

He held the Compy out further and purred, "It's alright little one..."

The Compy was so close...and the pale creature was speaking in foreign yet gentle tones. It confused the hatchling greatly but her stomach had the majority of the opinion.

Anything that provided food to her; her mother, her Alpha, and the elders were all things of comfort and safety...

Maybe these soft fleshed creatures weren't so bad...

Blue watched in silence from above, and chuffed softly when the youngling took a final step foreword and lunged out to snatch at the meat in Owen's hands with a sharp coo.

He laughed, and she grumbled.

She would have to wait for another day to try a Compy...


~...~


Slowly, the night passed, and Blue began to achieve her wish of quiet and relaxation to recover from her wounds.

One of the lanterns had been moved to the middle of the room, and all now lounged around it with varied lengths of exhaustion and comfort.

Owen and Barry were currently sitting on the couch; fussing endlessly over the appearance of the young hatchling and where she came from.

At Owen's feet, gnawing on a leftover bone from her meal, the hatchling purred gently and was quite content cuddling up against the human's boots. Her yellow eyes often strayed to Blue and she would give her a happy coo.

And Blue? She was currently laid out on her side before the light of the lantern; upper portion of her body spread across a couch cushion Owen had so kindly set out for her. It smelled musty and had a large buildup of dust...but it was softer than the wood floors, and gave the raptor some comfort from her injuries, along with an application of an odd smelly substance Owen insisted he put on her; calling it "Salve". But she did not know this word.

Eyes gazing about lazily the female yawned and half listened to the human's banter.

"There's no chance it might be Blue's?"

It was Barry, and at the sound of that assumption Blue shot her head up and blinked. She may not have understood the human words well but she heard what he implied within his tone.
Her lips twitched, and she snorted with such a severity that it caused the hatchling to flinch.

How could they even assume this youngling was hers? She had never seen it before...much less did she know exactly where hatchlings came from.
All she remembered from her own coming into this world, was that she was trapped in a dark prison; no light or breath of air available to her until she was overcome by the undeniable need for freedom from her tiny black world, and she broke free amidst crumbling eggshell and a slimy substance.

Now that she recalled the moment she realized how incredibly odd it was, but her instincts insisted it was completely natural and necessary. Before her release from the egg...she didn't know for sure.

Reacting to her sharp snort Owen shook his head, "I don't think that's an option we even need to consider. The hatchling's much too old for her to have been born within these two days..."

"So she found her and adopted her then?"

Again Owen shook his head, "I don't think it's like that..."

Blue chuffed softly, and lowered her head back down to her cushion before resituating herself.
This hatchling wasn't hers. Her mother was waiting for her with the pack and even though the humans didn't know it, she would soon be returned...Then she wouldn't be their problem anymore.

Thinking that, Blue looked over at the youngling and blinked.
Why, if returning the hatchling meant their safety, did she feel pain?

Was it because of the admiration the young one gave her? The acceptance?

Maybe...

Flicking her tail, Blue chuffed and looked up when Owen smiled down at the raptor beside his feet.

"So what should we call her? 'The hatchling' seems a bit...underrated."

Hearing his voice the little one dropped her bone and looked up at him; clicking her teeth gently and purring under his gaze.
The way she lay, her right hip and thigh was turned up into clear sight, and the small white birthmark there caught the human's attention.

Tilting his head Owen raised one eyebrow at the four extending corners and crisp white color. Like a star...

When the hatchling chirped he chuckled softly, "We'll name her Star, for her mark."

Blue watched this from her seat, and purred ever so softly in approval as she knew what the human word 'Star' meant. It was the name of the tiny lights that appear in the night sky...and really...what better name could there be for the young energetic hatchling?

Star, unaware of her new title, flicked her tail and stared at Owen for a moment before turning to Blue and chittering happily. Despite being separated from her parents and pack she was incredibly comfortable, and set to gnaw on her bone until there was nothing left.

The moment was quiet and relaxed, until Owen nodded and slapped his knee, "I'm going to get some rest for tomorrow. Claire should be arriving with the helicopter and we've got some things to settle."

Barry smirked, "You're really gonna tell her you need to stay?"

"Yes...do me a favor and pray she doesn't behead me."

The humans laughed weakly and got to their feet, which caused Star to look up and chirp in confusion and concern.
Where were the soft fleshed ones going? Were they leaving them?

She called after them as they moved up to grab the lantern from the floor and blew it out, then proceeded to grab small bags containing what Blue assumed was human bedding. Owen would have used his the night before, if she hadn't dragged him off and trapped him in the back room.

Sighing, Blue laid her head down onto her cushion and glanced upwards when a soft whine rose from the nearby hatchling. Star was roaming about now between Owen and Barry's legs; whining and tilting her head up with a concerned gaze. When they didn't react, her cries heightened to sharp chitters and Blue chuffed softly.

From her spot on the floor, she watched the humans move off to get themselves set up for the night. Star tried to follow them, but once they had left for the back rooms she came to a still and crooned. Her head lowered, and her tail drooped, before her eyes glanced about.

She was just a youngling in a strange place, required to sleep on her own for probably the first time in her life...
Blue remembered the distress and sadness she felt when she had to sleep by herself for the first time; curling up in a ball alone in the raptor enclosure. It was cold, dark, and lonely amidst a feeling of being incredibly vulnerable.

Star made a once over of the room before laying her eyes upon the wounded raptor on the floor. Blue could see a flash of contemplation and curiosity, as her tiny tail whipped back and forth.
She appeared as though to consider approaching her, but after a moment it seemed she decided against it and looked away to find her own spot on the cold floor.

Blue snorted as she began to move off, which caught Star's attention and drew her eyes upwards once again with hope.

Surely it would not hurt...if the hatchling slept with her for one night. A part of her was beginning to ask for the company just as it had the night she forced Alpha to stay with her.
But this little one would not have to be forced; Blue knew that as she was held under her expecting gaze.

So, shifting with a slight pain, Blue lifted her head and extended one leg out away from her side so that there was a small space between her thigh and her belly. It would be a little tight, but a warm place for such a creature as a hatchling seeking comfort.
After that was finished and the pain in her rips died, Blue turned to the hatchling and called to her with a whisper like purr then flicked her muzzle to her side.

Star, blinked, before chittering softly in response and striding foreword without a single moment of consideration or hesitation. She was at her side; looking up at her guardian with a bright gaze of what Blue could only interpret was...affection...

Blue then made way, when Star eased ever so carefully over her leg before finding the nook at her side and walking a little circle within it. Her tail and nose brushed against Blue's scales in sensations of gentle touch, then she eased down and curled into a ball to give a stronger yet warm presence.

For a moment she seemed to inspect the soft properties of the cushion she now lay upon; curling up into a ball till her tail tip touched her nose. Her eyes fixed on Blue and her chest shook with a continuous quiet purr.

Blue purred back, and shifted slightly before resting her head near her side so that she could keep an eye on the hatchling if she needed to. A sigh escaped her and she locked gazes with the smaller raptor for a long moment, before Star reached out with her neck and dared to gently lick her guardian across the muzzle.

The action surprised Blue and her golden eyes widened. Then, with a pleased rumble in return, she reached foreword to gently prod Star until she lay pressed up against the warm of her scales; careful to keep her away from her ribcage. Star purred loudly at this, then settled down and closed her eyes to drift off into the world of sleep.

As Blue went to do the same she took a moment to gaze at the hatchling. She felt an odd...satisfaction within herself...as well as the slow onset of affection returned to Star.

As Blue's eyes slowly closed she flicked her tail.

The hatchlings were a mystery for her as to where they came from...but were proving to be a creature that provided much affection and the feeling of duty to their caretaker.

Did Star truly have to leave?


~...~


The darkness was welcoming...quiet...void of any hurtful dreams and nightmares.

That is, until her peace was shattered by a shrill hunting cry, followed by scuffling and the returning cry of fear and pain from a prey animal.

Confused, Blue grumbled and shifted from on top of her cushion, then opened one eye and blinked against the passing flash of brown and grey. Another sharp cry filled the room, and again there was a scuffling before there came a frightened cry...rodent...now that Blue could hear it clearly.

Sitting up the female raptor yawned heavily and blinked past her sleepiness to discover it was already morning; the sun's light reaching in from the foreword windows of the house. Her side protested in pain but it was not as sharp as the night before.

Suddenly, as Blue fully awoke, movement from beside her drew her attention to one of the boxes of light cast upon the floor from the window. There, she saw a tiny raptor that took her a moment to recognize and remember, and...

Blue tilted her head, and chittered in surprise at the sight of a rat; a very large rat not much smaller than Star herself. It was running about on scrabbling as the hatchling gave chase, and gave a particularly ugly hiss when she managed to latch her teeth onto the length of its tail. It then broke away, and the two circled the room once again.

Surprised by the miniature hunt Blue situated herself on her cushion and took to watching the show; clicking her teeth when Star made a rather impressive leap at her prey, or growling softly when the rat managed to scurry out of the way. Often it tried to run for the walls or back rooms where it might earn its escape, but Star was faster in her turns, and kept to herding the rodent towards the middle of the room where it could not hide.

Obviously...instinct was strong in this young one. Blue knew she wasn't nearly old enough to go out on any real hunts, but taking down such things as rodents and insects...obviously she was capable of that.

Blue snorted softly in amusement of the night before. If the little one was so capable she made quite the effort to get Blue to coddle over her.

But keeping quiet, the older raptor continued to watch her entertainment with an onset of pride at each lunge, swipe of the claws, and nip of the teeth.
Star was doing well...but never getting much closer to the kill strike than a few light attacks.

After a few moments she appeared to grow tired, and the rat was gaining in distance...no...Blue would not let her fail.

She remembered her first few hunts...when she was old enough to handle smaller creatures and took to learning the techniques to taking their lives. Blue remembered the struggles and the failures, but she also remembered that first victory...the satisfaction of feeling flesh tear beneath her claws and smell the scent of blood on the air.

Blue didn't know if this was Star's first 'hunt', but she wanted her to succeed and feel that satisfaction.

So waiting for the opportune moment when the rat chose to pass by close to her, the raptor curled her lips, and lifted her tail with lightning movement. She struck out with it, and felt it crack against the rodent's side; tossing it to the floor from the impact.

Dazed, the little creature cried out loudly in horror and scrambled to get to its feet, but giving her the chance she needed Star was upon it within seconds.

Pleased with herself, Blue heard the snap of fragile bones as the hatchling latched her tiny jaws around the rat's head and proceeded to shake it harshly; struggling a bit due to the prey's comparative size. But the rodent writhed, life blood poured from the neck, and then all went still.

For a moment Star held it in her mouth making sure it was indeed dead. Her tail whipped back and forth and Blue could hear her small attempts at snarling and growling in fierce aggression. They came out as little gurgles and rasping vocalizations, but the little one was proud of herself.

Pulling away, blood coating her lips, Star's yellow eyes gleamed in victory that made Blue arch her neck.

Calling the youngling, she praised her with proud croons congratulating her for the kill. Star responded with sharp chitters, then proceeded to inspect her meal with great excitement. Her tail began to whip back and forth which caused Blue to chuff in amusement...but the sound hung in her throat, and her eyes lost their luster.

This couldn't remain...she couldn't have this again...

Blue remembered her duty with the hatchling and what she needed to do for her safety. Star had to be returned to her pack as soon as possible; that morning if they could help it. Part of her protested but she shook it off and flicked her tail.

Star was not hers to keep, no matter how much she was beginning to enjoy her company.

Knowing this, Blue chuffed heavily and shook her head a bit, before shifting on her cushion so that her legs could get underneath herself. Her ribs protested but she just grit against them and strained to bring herself to her feet.

Looking up Star chirped curiously and licked the blood from her lips, and Blue responded with a flick of her muzzle to the rat. She needed to finish her meal, before they started their journey over to the prey valley and on to the pack canyon.
Star blinked at first, but young mind unable to grasp the situation right away she purred softly and turned to again rip at her carcass. The mess was everywhere now but surely Owen would not mind it.

Remembering Owen, Blue glanced to the kitchen and the back rooms. She couldn't leave without him...not after what happened...

But how could he possibly understand what she was to do? How was she sure he'd be safe from the pack if he did come with them?

Blue's mind told her these doubts. If she hadn't seen his fiercest anger before, she would surely see it when he found out she went out again by herself.
Again, Star was her priority, and she had to take care of her before anything.

Turning Blue crooned softly in a call for Star to come to her side. Her tiny head shot up from her meat, and she chirped happily before bounding foreword and beside her guardian. She glanced about with alert eyes and she chittered as if to ask what they were about to do next.

Blue churred in reassurance and made her way to the front doorway to -hopefully- find a way to open it and head out for their destination.

She came before it with thought in her eyes; gazing down at the round metal knob and clicking her teeth sharply. Blue had seen Owen use it to open the house entrance, by grabbing it with his hand and twisting it...

Slowly, almost hesitant Blue lifted one forearm mimicking the memory of his movements and awkwardly latching her claws over the knob. They made a soft scratching sound against the metal and they slipped, but the raptor gave a short unsure twist and tilted her head with hope.

She blinked in amazement, when a click sounded, and the door shifted before popping open in towards her. The sun shone through the crack and a whisper breeze eased into the room.

Pleased with her own craftiness Blue heard Star jump a bit in surprise and her own happiness surged. Her tail flicked and she was about to ease the door open with her muzzle...when she was stopped.

Her senses flared, and forced her body to a still as her eyes widened in confusion.

Her nostrils quivered and her talons wriggled in a sudden rise of shock and familiarity. A sound...low at first...was rising gradually up to catch her attention and hold it in a death grip. It was a rumble like thunder yet there was no storm.

As it came closer Blue blinked, and flashed her head around to call into the house with a loud cry. It was the low beat of a human vehicle, a flying machine; one that Owen called a 'Helicopter".

Even after her urgent cry, the roar of the engine entered the house and filled it through every room; causing a ruckus in the back from feet on the floor and voices calling out.

"Is that what I think it is?"

A second later Owen shot into the main room, wearing his attire from the day before, and eased past the raptors to hurry out onto the front deck. His eyes trained up to the sky and Blue tilted her head when he nodded.

"It's Claire! She's coming in from the north."

More shuffling came to ear and Barry joined them, "Where is she landing?"

The village wasn't clear enough for a landing, but if they could find a place relatively flat and free of obstructions...

There was another pause, then Owen looked down, "Looks like they've found a spot just to the east of here. We need to go meet them before Claire tries to come find us herself."

Blinking, unable to catch all that they were saying, Blue glanced to the sky and saw a black form soar over the village; the rumbling going quiet as it gained distance and began to descend a little ways off from them. She felt movement beneath her, and in looking down found that Star was hiding between her legs. once again; shaking a bit with anxiety. A quick croon reassured the little one but she was reluctant to come out into the open so long as that thing was roaring overhead.

Barry glanced inside and nodded, "We should gather the supplies."

"No, leave them. If I've got any shot at convincing Claire I need more time, we'll need to delay as long as we can manage."

Owen's reply was unusually sharp, which caused Blue to snort.

She needed to be leaving and getting Star back to her pack...not fussing over the human Claire. If she was an adult, why did she require so much attention from Owen and others of her kind?...and why was Owen so tense?

It wouldn't really surprise her...if most of Owen's tension came from that woman. Blue didn't know why but imagining Claire with her Alpha, she felt that tension within herself...

The raptor's lip twitched, then she glanced down at Star and chittered with a heavy breath.

They would be going soon...right after they tend to Claire.