Well chapter was horribly overdue. hehe. Sorry everyone, for disappearing and failing to update in a good time. Life has been super busy and writer's block got me good for this one.
The events which take place in this chapter are crucial to Kilo's development. :) I hope you like them, and I hope you guys will send a review with what you think. Whether you liked it or not. I'm open for both, really, as criticism always helps me improve. ;) hehe.
Also...I kind of made this chapter 16,000 words long. XD Might want to grab a coffee and a comfy chair.
"Jurassic World: Why So Blue?"
Chapter 27
"History - Pt. #2: A Mother's Love"
"A Mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law nor pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path."
~Agatha Christie
Tap...tap tap...tap...
Momentarily, the peaceful darkness of sleep was interrupted. An exhausted mind was suddenly roused, as though someone had hit a counter bell and was demanding their needs be met. Such needs must have been VERY serious, judging from the persistent way a tiny muzzle prodded her cheek bone. It would have ONLY been the hundreth time she had to abide by such 'important needs'.
Mother just growled and clamped her eyes shut tighter. She forced her mind to remain in the dark, to savor the rest one of her profession could only find sparingly.
Being a single parent was hard. Hadn't she earned her sleep? Couldnt they just leave her alone for ten more minutes?
Tap tap.
Five?
Another tap, bumping up against her cheek, before a wet tongue licked her eyelid and a young voice chirped. Little talons clicked on the stone like someone was nervously tapping their foot.
Mother made a rushing sigh noise. She cracked one eye open and shifted her body up from the curled sleeping position she had kept in the nest, before yawning and licking her chops.
Fine...
There were three small figures standing directly beside her, up on the lip of twigs and dried grass. Little tails wagged and expressive eyes gleamed with happiness, as freshly developed baby teeth clicked together in a cheery "Good morning".
The younglings werent nest worms anymore. As the weeks came to pass, their young minds and bodies flourished within the world, growing like plants climbing for the sun. Intelligence sharpened and strengthening muscles better managed the growing desire for mobility, less like blind mewling blobs and more like baby raptors that liked to romp around the den.
Kilo was at the head of the group, standing on the nest rim with head up and chest out. In that stance he expressed a sense of pride that was developing over recent days. At the same time he made little chuffing noises and showed his teeth as a half submissive gesture, which showed an astounding respect and love for his dear parent.
Essentially, the little raptor was Mother's male clone. After molting all of his newborn downy feathers, he too was classed a Velociraptor Sornarensis - Featherless Variation. His body type was lean yet strong, and his eyes held the same fire she did, full of intelligence and an instinct that geared him towards all things curious.
Almost the same...minus the dazzling red markings of course. Shadow was the one well blessed in the "colorful marking department".
The second born female, a bit smaller and more clumsy than Kilo, crouched behind her brother and swayed a bit as she struggled to balance on the pads of her feet. She looked up at Mother and wagged her tail until she almost fell over. Her lips curled up to show partially developed teeth, and the back of her head was left a little ragged, from downy feathers that were halfway through a molting that would leave her featherless as well.
Poor thing was lost in a bit of an ugly growth stage to be honest, with bald patches and areas that looked more like black dust bunnies clinging to her scales. Some might have said she resembled someone with a horrible haircut...but Mother didnt think a thing of the unsightly fuzz. She only purred to her babies and shifted her eyes to the third one that waited patiently in a crouching position.
Grey Brother was a bit different than his two siblings. It took him a bit to get going in the world, taking the longest to open his eyes and develope his teeth. He wasnt walking strong until some days after Shadow, and he wasnt eating hard meat until an entire week had passed.
He was the runt of the clutch. It just took him longer to do things.
The little male stood at the back of the triplet group, head low and big yellow eyes fixed on Mother with gentle love and an underlying timidness. His tail flicked and his chest fluttered with frail breaths that shook his body...which was thin and bony...far unlike his sister and brother's body types.
Grey Brother followed the Velociraptor Sornarensis - Feathered Variation. Although his downy fuzz molted, wispy black feathers replaced them, making a sharp contrast to his solid grey scales.
If one didnt know he was born from Mother's clutch...they would have doubted his relation with them entirely.
Still, Mother loved her children equally, and gazed down upon them with love in her eyes. She purred to them and forgot her frustration of being woken up early. She reached forward and offered to lick them in gentle strokes of affection, ignoring Grey Brother's flinch and uneasy gurgle.
She didn't mind Grey Brother being so timid. She always gave him comforting tongue baths when he was frightened, and cooed lullabies until he drifted to sleep at night. She loved him even though the other raptor mothers gave peculiar glances, descriminating against her choice to coddle such a 'weak gene'.
Shadow was the affectionate one. She liked to cuddle with Mother in the shade, or preen Grey Brother's maturing feathers. Every thing she did, she did it with a gentleness, and every thought was selfless even in her young age.
Then there was Kilo...
Kilo was an instigator, and the leader in all things troublesome. He was bold and mischievous, seeking out the things that fascinated his sharp mind and amused him enough to pass the time. Every moment of every day was spent trying to prove he was brave and strong, and dominant enough to boss Shadow and Grey around.
Only Mother knew that Kilo was deathly afraid of pack alpha. Only she noticed the terror in his eyes whenever the old male passed by, even though he tried to act tough as nails in front of his siblings.
Some days, Mother wondered what it would be like to leave the pack. She wondered if it would give her young a greater freedom, without fear of leadership corrupted by evil intentions, worrying every day for their safety from an alpha that wanted her sons dead.
Such a thing was impossible to attempt, sadly. To leave the pack was to leave protection, consistent food supply, and shelter. Lone hunting for a single mother was foolish, in the forest where other bigger creatures would see her family killed by the end of the week.
No...she would have to make do with their current pack. Leaving it was out of the question, as was the prospect of challenging alpha for his throne.
Many rogue raptors over the years had tried to take top tank, only to find their fate as a pile of ribbons and blood upon the ground. Even Hook had once fought with alpha, over a female that they both sought to court.
Survival of that battle came with the cost of a death talon, and cursed to forever be a bachelor within the pack. From that day on it was rare for any pack members to form a life bond, if at all, because the tyrant alpha began denying the natural order of courtship. He forbid the coupling of females with other males, as a lion might have total control of his pride.
It didnt matter. Mother's heart did not long for a mate so long as she had her young, who held upmost priority over intimate relationships. They were all that mattered to her heart.
Which brought her back to one question...what did they want with her so early in the morning?
She could sense that it was before the normal time to wake up, and saw that the sunlight only barely reached into her den, meaning it wasnt high enough in the sky to reach for the back wall.
Kilo wagged his tail and chirped happily. His golden eyes shone, as he parted his mouth and tilted his head back in a gesture Mother knew all too well.
They were hungry. How were they hungry? Wasnt there meat left over from the previous night's hunt?
Hook had gone out with the pack's evening hunting group to get them fresh meat. After the incident involving Kilo's escape from the den, he did more for Mother as a way to apologize to her, making up for his failure to keep all of the younglings safe and hidden from their tyrant alpha.
She fell asleep in the nest assumming her uncle would be back with dinner for her children. Did he not tend to them?
Shadow mewled softly and ducked her head, showing a slight unease at the sense that something was wrong. Uncle Hook didnt bring any food back. He was grumpy too...snapped at them and told them to go to bed without dinner.
That made Mother snort and turn her eyes towards a figure sleeping at the opposite end of the den. She heard heavy snoring and saw a brown tail flicking sharply back and forth, which stirred a slight annoyed feeling in her heart and made her lurch to her feet.
She would have a talk with uncle Hook.
The babies all made relieved sounds, and proceeded to follow her over to where the old brown male was sleeping ducking their heads and bouncing clumsily on their toes whenever he moved. Mother avoided stepping on them as she looked her relative over. She showed her teeth in distaste of his laziness, then reached out and tapped him with her foot in an effort to wake him.
There was a low growl. A dark yellow eye cracked open and lips curled in aggresion...probably thinking that one of the younglngs had bumped into him...until he saw his neice standing above him with an angry look in her own eyes.
Hook grunted, then sat up and chuffed as though nothing were wrong.
What was she doing up so early?
Mother snorted back. What was he doing sleeping? Why didnt he bring food home to the children?
Hook paused and seemed to go distant. He thought a bit, pursing his lips, before huffing and shaking his head in frustration.
He went out with the pack hunters, but all of the prey within their hunting grounds had gone missing. They searched for hours, through all the trails and clearings, yet found no traces that would lead them to a kill.
Hook came back to the den unsuccsesful, but figured that he would hunt again in the morning. He had it in his mind that a big carnivore was passing through the territory. Such a thing was normal, and the prey would be scarce until their visitor moved on. He wasnt too worried about it.
Mother stared at her uncle, but her harsh expression softened behind understanding.
She may have been upset that her babies werent fed...but being without prey was normal in the world of survival. If anything, the three younglings would learn from being hungry, to know that food wouldnt always be around and an animal such as themselves would need to work with what was available.
However, when Mother looked down at the three little ones, she saw that they were laying on the stone in a fit of pouting. Kilo growled and Shadow whimpered, while Grey Brother just curled up in a ball and kneaded the floor with his claws.
Guilt set in, and Mother found herself trudging towards the den entrance with an exasperated sigh.
Seeing as Hook was still tired from his late night hunt, it was up to her to provide food for her young. Maybe she could catch some field mice in the lower clearing? That would at least tide the younglings over until a proper kill was made with good hefty meat.
Just what she wanted to do. As if she wasnt already exhausted out of her mind, taking care of the little troublemakers.
So be it...
Mother was nearly to the exit, stretching her legs out and wiggling her claws, when a shrill cry sounded and many talons pattered after her. Three little figures squeezed between her legs and nearly tripped her. She looked down and met three sets of eyes looking up at her in an excited way.
Kilo, wagging his tail against her ankles, lifted his head and chittered.
Could they come this time?
Them? Come with her?
Mother blinked and chuffed to herself, before stooping over her children and nudging them back with her muzzle. Her body tensed up and her tail went upright, showing her disagreement to such a question and the anxiety that came with it.
Absolutely not! It wasnt safe outside the den. Didnt Kilo remember that?
Her oldest son thought for a moment. He tapped his claws, arched his neck, then gave a challenging gurgle and click of his teeth. Hopping in place his eyes gleamed and forbid the fear Mother hoped he still held for the outside world.
It wasn't that scary.
Mother scoffed at that notion and snapped her tail. Not scary? Didnt he realize how terrified she was, coming home to see him with their alpha, just seconds away from being struck and killed? He wasnt frightened by the thought of that happening to him?
The den was safe. As far as Mother was concerned, she wanted her babies to stay inside and away from the pack forever, hidden from the horrible tyrant alpha.
So, the concerned parent ushered her brood back to the nest and ordered them inside. She pressed them down onto their stomachs with her muzzle, licking them, before looking to Hook with a loud snort.
Hook?
The old male snored, unmoving, and Mother grunted in frustration.
Hook!
Again, no response. He just kept his back to her and slept his exhaustion away, something she wish she could do, but was unable.
In that moment the female looked down at her brood and realized something. If Hook was asleep, could she truly trust him to watch them? Would he keep them safe while she was gone?
Having all three of the hatchlings venture outside the den was the stuff of nightmares. What if something happened? What if they came across the alpha, or one of the aggressive pack members?
Suddenly, Mother wasnt so sure she wanted to leave her treasures alone. Her heart ached with uncertainty and her brain taunted her with the anxiety that something bad should happen.
Leave, and risk that they would go out of the den while she was gone. Take them with her, and risk drawing unwanted attention to her family.
Somehow the second option seemed more logical. Much as she hated the idea of letting her young leave the den, it gave her more reassurance to be there for their protection, rather than leaving them with a drowsy Hook.
Alright...fine.
For a moment, the younglings laid in the nest and pouted, unaware of their mother's inner decision. Kilo scraped his miniature claws over the moss and clicked his teeth in a bored way, while Shadow groomed her scales and tried to ignore the pestering noises of her hungry stomach. Grey Brother just curled up in a ball and let out heavy sighs of dissapointment.
Even the most timid of them wished for freedom. It was in their natural insinsts to seek the world...and it wasnt their fault that Mother wanted to delay such instincts. She had the right to be worried.
So, the black and red female arched her neck and chuffed. Three pairs of confused eyes turned up to her and the tips of three tails tried to make a hopeful wagging motion.
They could come. ONLY if they were on their best behavior, and listened to everything she asked of them. Was that understood?
Kilo leapt to his feet and puffed out his chest with a thrilled cry and gleaming eyes. Shadow got up with equal vigor, and Grey crept behind them in silence. They hopped out of the nest and crowded around Mother, rubbing their bodies on her ankles and purring like cats.
The older female purred and softened her heart to their happy voices. She licked their faces, assured herself, then spun on her hindquarters and began striding towards the den exit.
Alright. Stay close everyone. Dont go too fast, and dont dawdle behind. Dont look anyone you dont know in the eye, dont try to communicate with them, and CERTIANLY dont try to play with them.
To that rule Mother glanced down at Kilo and the little male showed his teeth in a sheepish way. He remembered trying to play with the three females that found him during his first escape, and he remembered their leader trying to beat him up.
That was okay. He had grown bigger, and could beat them up if they tried to hurt him again!
Mother kept looking ahead and chittered as though giggling.
All Kilo had to do was give it time. He'd be a big strong raptor someday, even bigger than her.
Kilo wagged his tail in awe, pleased with such a thought as being bigger than his perfect Mother. In his eyes she was the strongest and smartest...and being even remotely like her was a goal set into his heart.
With that, the family left sleeping Hook behind and braved through the blinding light of the outside sun. Kilo and Mother squinted and strode proudly, but Shadow and Grey Brother clamped their eyes shut and stumbled along with whimpers of anxiety.
The cave was behind them, and suddenly the world was big again, going off down a steep rock slope and over a dark forest that stretched into the horizon. Early morning bird songs filled the air and the wind brushed soft on their scales, as heavy scents invaded their olfactory systems.
Kilo arched his neck at the things he had once seen. His sharp eyes flickered between it all and his nostrils flared to detect every smell he could get his mind around.
Kilo was familiar with what the world looked like, but Shadow and Grey Brother crouched against the rocks and became overwhelmed by the unknown. They whimpered for Mother's assurance and failed to realize that nothing was going to jump out and hurt them.
Nothing was going to try it, certianly not so long as Mother was standing above them.
The female broadened her stance and became an intense body guard the moment they left the den. She arched her neck and curled her lips to the raptors she saw across the hillside, flashing her teeth in a threatening way to any that were within glaring distance.
MY children, she announced with her voice and body. MY treasures.
The other pack members responded with ducked heads and uneasy growls. They respected Mother and her place in the pack. In dominance standings she was the highest of subordinates beneath beta rank, and was especially feared since the birth of her clutch.
Feared and respected by most...except for the tyrant alpha himself. Luckily the nasty male hadnt shown himself yet. Maybe he was out on a hunt?
Mother relaxed a bit and chirped to her young. She beckoned them to follow as she picked her way down the rock slope, past other raptor mothers whom lounged upon big boulders and glared down at her.
Kilo saw the looks in their eyes, and for a small moment he wondered why they would look upon his mother with such hate. What had she done to them?
The little one couldnt understand, but Mother bristled at the eye contact and bared her teeth. A sickness seeped into her heart and was joined by something close to pity.
The females glowered at her and her young, specifically the males of her clutch. They loathed her for the fact that her sons were alive, while theirs had been hunted down and murdered by the cruel alpha.
Why was she so special that he let her children live? How were their lives more important than the other male hatchlings he destroyed?
Mother honestly couldnt answer those questions. She didnt know why alpha didnt try further to exterminate her sons, but she wasnt about to take her good fortune for granted. Not at all.
Before long, the four raptors finally reached the hill's lowest ridge, where the grass creeped up amongst the rocks and flowers dared to bloom bright colors. The stream that was up by their own den came this way, so that it trickled down through the rocks until it became a miniature waterfall, and continued to widen down as a growing creek.
Kilo didn't like to get wet. His siblings crashed into the shallow current and played with sharp squeals, but he hung back and gave little growls of distaste. He preferred to take a series of stepping stones, making sure to keep his claws from dipping into the water as he walked.
You could say his first experience with water made him a bit hesitant.
As Kilo hopped again onto dry land, he lifed his eyes and noticed that the others were up ahead of him. With a happy chirp he sped up so that he was at the head of the group, strutting around with head high and tail arched as a gloating display, to show he was leader of his siblings.
Shadow and Grey Brother mumbled soft protests that he was slowing them down.
Come on! This was their chance to finally explore the meadow! Walk faster!
The meadow was a beautiful place. Surrounded by big dark trees, it was full of long grass and various colorful flowers, swaying in the gentle breeze and filling the air with warm scents. With the coming of the dry season the flooding was given time to dry up, yet just enough moisture was left to keep everything a burst of blinding green.
As the birds chirped, Mother stopped at the foot of the pack's den hill and hesitated before the line of long grass. She arched her neck and peered across the meadow, into the forest, and within the thick brush. She looked for any signs of danger...and there was none. They were far away from the den area, with no raptors to glare down at them and judge their existence within the pack.
Excellent.
Mother looked down at her younglings and purred. She found them standing in a line, with heads up and eyes wide to show their anxiety. Their claws wiggled against their chests. Their miniature death talons dug down into the soft dirt.
There was nothing to be afraid of. See?
Mother slipped forward into the long grass and bounced on the pads of her feet, as though to prove that she wouldnt explode upon entering the meadow. She wagged her tail and chittered airily, then crouched low and nuzzled her young as a prompt to beckon them in.
Kilo chirped. He took a cautious step forward, and suddenly Mother felt her heart burst. Her body shivered and began moving on its own, so that her hips wiggled and her head bobbed up and down. She bounced backwards with surprising agility that made all three of her offspring tilt their heads, then scooted up to one and licked its face before dodging away again.
In that moment, the female was overtaken by joy, and she dove off into the grass as though she was only an adolescent.
Come, my children! Catch me if you can!
Shadow cooed. Was this their Mother? What happened to her?
Kilo wagged his tail and cackled. He didnt know why their mother was suddenly acting so odd...but his heart was racing a thousand miles a second. He didnt care! She was playing with them! OUTSIDE the den!
All three infants made cries of joy and bounded after their parent, up and down through the grass as though they were deer fawns. Springs came alive in their steps and stars gleamed in their eyes. Their teeth nipped at Mother's heels and made her chortle with a little snap of her tail.
They played for some time, back and forth, swapping between "it" and "the chased". They covered the entire space of meadow with beaten pathways, and rolled around in wrestling matches that left them panting for air, laying in the center of big flattened grass circles. Every bit of wild energy was used up from weeks of being cooped up in a gloomy cave.
It was amazing. Mother never had so much fun in her life, having the chance to properly play with her children and give them the one-on-one attention they all deserved. Seeing their happy faces did all sorts of good for her weary and stressed heart.
When they finally collapsed of exhaustion, Mother was at the bottom of a big dog pile. Kilo lay sprawled over her side, Shadow curled up against her chest, and Grey Brother clung to the back of her neck like a jockey on a race horse. Every one of them panted in the hot sun. Every tongue lulled out and every eye was narrow with content happiness.
The bond between mother and child was a strong one, even for raptors. As the adult female curled her head around to begin grooming her young, her heart continued to burst and maternal instincts rejoiced at all the little good things. She licked her tongue over their faces and caressed them with gentle bumps of her muzzle, to which they licked her face back and kneaded their claws over her smooth scales like cats expressing pleasure.
The perfect moments passed like whispers. Mother pulled her head away and regarded her clutch with warm eyes, purring something like a lullaby as they made little chirping sounds and leaned their heads against her body. She loved them, more than anything else in the world. They were truly her treasures and she was the queen spoiled by her riches.
Suddenly, Kilo looked up and made a curious chirp, as a small butterfly fluttered over their heads and tickled at Mother's muzzle. He sat up and fixed his eyes on the yellow wings marked with black. His tail flicked and his body tensed with the slightest hint to mischief.
Shadow and Grey Brother both looked up as well. The little male ducked his head and whimpered uneasily, begging for assurance, while Shadow stood up and crept forward with big eyes.
It was so pretty and small. What was it?
Grey Brother whined. It was a dangerous creature! Leave it alone!
Kilo wiggled his hips and growled playfully. It was a play toy! Catch it!
Shadow snorted to both her brothers and watched as the bright colored bug landed upon Mother's hip, with delicate wings spread and antennae twitching. She flared her nostrils and studied it closely, making sure to keep her movements gentle and actions slow so that the odd creature didn't fly away.
Mother cooed. She watched them stare the butterfly down, until it fluttered back up into the air and went off towards the grass. All three infants went wide eyed, but Kilo let out a cry as he lunged to the ground and took off.
Now chase it!
Shadow cried at the sight of her brother trying to snatch the 'pretty thing'. She dove after and tackled him to the ground with an angry scolding, while Grey Brother followed behind and begged for the unruly actions to stop.
It was loud. Mother would have rolled her eyes if she knew of such a gesture, and she would have scolded them for the racket, but she watched the scene and found their antics to be amusing. She chuffed softly whenever they got into a wrestling match, or tripped over themselves and ended up in a tangled mess of limbs.
Better to let them figure it out themselves. Butterflies didn't taste good anyhow, and Kilo would figure that out once he-
There was a furious snarl from Shadow, followed by Kilo gagging and spitting out mashed up pieces of butterfly. His lips curled up in distaste and his eyes clamped closed, while she ran circles around and nipped his flanks in small fury.
How dare he kill it! That butterfly was HER pretty thing!
HER pretty thing? Oh please! It was fair game, and didn't even taste good! What a waste of effort...
Kilo's feelings were far from hurt, and after cleaning the nasty tasting bug parts from his mouth, it didn't take him long to find something else to catch his short attention span. He ignored Shadow's fit throwing and led a jittery Grey Brother into the thick grass, where they caught sight of a little field mouse and started chasing it for fun.
After a small sulk, Shadow went running after them and made a vow to tackle them good as payback! Her voice carried to Mother's ears even after visual was lost. Their shrieks came up ever so often and was accompanied by the scuffle of little claws in the dirt.
Mother was relaxing. She purred and listened to her young as they played, feeling her eyelids grow heavy. Her head wobbled, her jaw slacked, and her body screamed for the rest she had been denied that morning.
The warm sun felt good, as did the soft grass beneath her. Holding still even just for a moment nearly did her in and left her victim to a quick nap.
However, something caught Mother from dropping her head and dozing off. A small sense of unease still clung to the back of her mind, and it was an insistent thing that clung on even though she told herself everything was fine.
What was wrong? Wasn't this the perfect moment?
No...something wasn't perfect. Something made her lips twitch and her nostrils flare with the detection of a miniscule smell...one of which that put thoughts of fear and dread into her heart, behind automatic reactions of defensive submission. In that moment her airy happiness drowned behind horror, and her eyes snapped upwards to see a dark figure in the grass some dozen yards away. She could sense cold eyes fixed on her. With every breath she could smell a harsh scent that rode in on the changing winds.
There were only a few raptors that Mother feared in the pack. Only they could withstand her dominance and parental instincts...but within that group there was one male whom she downright feared and hated. Only HE could look into her eyes and draw emotions from her heart that nearly crippled her.
Pack alpha was laying down in the grass. The moment her gaze met the harsh yellow of his eyes, she saw his teeth gleam and swore she heard him shift around in the grass, chuffing to himself and looking over her body in a way she did not like.
How long had he been there? How long had he been watching?
Keeping a cool head best she could, Mother arched her neck and remained splayed out in the grass. She looked directly at the silhouette of her alpha and chuffed to him. Her voice was stiff yet reigned in so that she did not violate the terms of her rank.
What was he doing here in the meadow? What did he want, and why was he staring?
No answer, but alpha tilted his head to the side and ground his teeth together. His pale grey scales shifted beneath tense muscles, and his wispy black feathers bristled up like the mane of an agitated dog.
He wasn't planning on her seeing him. Just knowing that he was sneaking around and spying on her made Mother feel sick with worry.
But, the male lurched to his feet and she found herself looking away, as he strode forward through the grass and turned his chin up. He headed straight for her and made it clear that -whatever for- he meant business and expected some kind of result.
Alpha was like a shadow of death descending upon Mother's meadow of sunshine and joy. He strutted with confident flair and arched his neck like a stallion parading the streets, eyes gleaming dark with aggression, communicating dominance and an underlying tone of emotion Mother knew was characteristic for him...yet never hoped to see turned her way again.
Alpha stopped just feet away from her, and the female choked out a thick growl.
Go away.
Her visitor narrowed his eyes and rebuked her hostility with a half soft growl. He looked her over and sneered with his teeth, before changing his voice to a sickly dishonest croon.
What was she doing so far away from the pack that morning? It was awful dangerous to nap in the grass where...predators...might snatch you up.
Mother glared and refused to answer at first, but in the distance her playing young made a burst of noise and alpha reared his head back. His eyes smoldered and his claws clicked together in obvious annoyance.
Oh. She had her whelps with her. How delightful.
Mother snarled warily and recalled his previous attempt to kill Kilo, knowing well that he would see both of her sons dead if he had the chance.
Don't even think about trying it again!
Alpha made a sound something like a human's laugh, clearly playing dumb. Try it? Try what?
Honestly...he had no interest in the pesky nest worms that day. His focus was actually on Mother, that much was made clear when he stepped close and laid himself down in the grass next to her. His eyes roamed her body as though gazing upon an angel in the dark of his heart. His tail swayed and his talons shifted in a way most peculiar, ever intense and making Mother more nervous with every second that passed.
Don't show it, was her inner voice's advice as her skin crawled and her heart skipped. Don't show him that you are frightened, or he'll use that to his advantage!
She was tiny in comparison to the big and older aged male. Her feminine body was draped in his shadow, of gaunt limbs and prominent bone structure that gave him the "half starved" look, even though she knew he was one of the best fed raptors in the pack.
Alpha sensed Mother's anxiety and that she was casting shaky glances to his physique. Letting it tickle his arrogance he made an amused snort, before reaching into the female's comfort zone to nip her jaw in a harsh way. His croons to her were sickly affectionate, insincere and tainted by what humans might call lust. His whole body then went forward and rubbed against her shoulder in poisonous contact.
Mother was bewildered by her leader's flirtatious actions. She heard the intimate sounds coming from his chest and faltered. Her eyes got big and her body stiffened, while her brain tried to wrap itself around just what was going on. The place he nipped on her jaw stung and made her heart drop into her gut.
The tyrant alpha was known as a female keeper, and never bonded with a life mate as all raptors were supposed to do. Since he banned courting within the pack, he had the freedom to roam between whatever lovers he wished. With his level of dominance and ranking, he got whatever he wanted...whenever he wanted.
Most of the female hatchlings in the pack were his own spawn. The males that he murdered so horrifically were his own sons.
Mother had been approached by her leader once before. As the first male to have ever expressed interest to be her mate, she was blinded by his flattery and false courtship. She fell for his lies...and just some time later he abandoned her for the next pretty little female that caught his eye.
Alpha was a thing not natural, and there he was...crawling back for her company after he grew tired of his previous lover. Mother wanted to be furious by his bird-like love song singing, and displaying his body as a way to impress.
Nothing of the child murdering, adulterous tyrant was worthy to become her mate...much less did she want him any closer to her young where he could have the chance to strike them down.
Unfortunately alpha wasn't one to take no for an answer. Mother knew that she couldn't possibly beat him off, for getting into a fight with him was to fight with death itself. He was too powerful and much too experienced for her to handle alone, which would certainly mean her end.
A raptor couldn't protect its babies if it was dead. She had to play this suitor rejection smart.
So, Mother forced her aggressiveness to drop. Her eyes darkened and her body conveyed a level of submission, while she cast a weak look towards the grass and tried to see if her young knew what was going on.
It seemed they were far too busy to notice her distress. That was good. They wouldn't understand what was happening, and if a scuffle broke out, she didn't want them to be around for it.
Alpha purred impatiently as he again nipped Mother's neck, then pushed on her with one paw. He didn't seem to pay mind to her lip curls, or stabbing glances from her eyes. He seemed used to such behavior from the females he sought company with...but that wasn't a shock because not one of them met his "company" with the affection of a loving mate.
WHY alpha came to Mother was simple. His previous lover was busy setting a brood of his eggs, and broody mother hens were much too focused on tending the nest to give him the time of day.
Mother hens who's eggs were already hatched, however, were much easier to woo. So he came looking to soothe his pent up loneliness with the company of one who wasn't quite as preoccupied.
When alpha saw her in the meadow, he chose her as his target and made his move...but unfortunately he wasn't counting on her annoying little whelps to be with her.
Such an annoyance would not deter him. He licked Mother's cheek and purred to her, as she shot a glare back at him and shoved him off with her shoulder, making him gurgle in amusement.
~Kilo's POV~
Were they sure it was safe for them to be so far from Mother? Weren't they worried something bad would happen?
Grey Brother slithered behind his siblings as they bounced through the grass, head low and feathers puffed up in a sign of concern. His big eyes flicked to every moving thing, and his heart fluttered nearly just as fast.
Kilo grunted and pounced on a small defenseless rock. No time for whining! They had to explore!
With a storm of happy chitters, the younglings ventured forth into the grass and inspected all of the wonders it had to offer. They looked at the bugs crawling about, and chased field mice that tasted good to eat. When birds fluttered up from ground nests, they jumped high into the air and snapped at their feet with empty clicks of their jaws.
For some time this went on, until the grass faded away and they came to one the edge of the clearing. They found themselves standing beneath massive trees, dark and ominous as shadows fell over their bodies and unknown sounds reached their ears.
Kilo flicked his tail and gazed upon the new things without fear. His lips turned up and his tongue relaxed with breathy pants, which gave him somewhat of a grinning face, much different from Shadow and Grey Brother's cautious eyes.
Grey whimpered. He didn't like being so far away from the den, or away from Mother's safe presence. His body pressed against the ground and his mind became overwhelmed by the things he saw.
Kilo...
The black youngling ignored his whine, and Grey persisted.
Kilo!
No one listened, but suddenly the group was startled by a sharp chirping. They looked about, wondering which one of them was making the noise, but discovered that it wasn't them at all.
A green figure darted just out of view. It snuck through the foliage near to them, peeking with beady black eyes before darting away and chirping again.
Kilo had never seen a Compy before. He tilted his head at the slender body, working his teeth together in response to the foreign voice that was lined with mischievous curiosity. His heart and mind jumped at the hunt.
It wasn't much bigger than them. It was scrawny! They could take it!
That began the game of 'chase the Compy', which lasted well into the hour as Kilo and Shadow darted about the tree line and tried to catch their prey. It seemed to play with them as well, the way it poked its pointed snout out of the leaves and teased them, then drew back when they bounded up to the spot and thrust their toothy jaws in. It then moved to another place just feet away, and the process was repeated.
Grey Brother watched on, until Kilo and Shadow came stumbling back, utterly exhausted as they plopped onto the ground and gasped for breath with happy chirps.
All worry of Mother was forgotten behind fun. They all became too focused on the freedom, as the younglings found a rock out in the sun and laid across it, splayed out with bellies up so that they could bathe in comfortable warmth.
Kilo loved the unfamiliar world. He loved discovering new things, and it thrilled him to work his sharp mind over the hows and the whys.
The Compy was fast because of its long legs and slim body. It could slip through the smallest of spaces, then zip over the ground faster than a mouse could scamper.
As Kilo relaxed, he wondered if the little creature was good to eat. Did it taste like the things Mother brought home? Could it even be caught?
It was then that a new thing caught the little one's attention. As he laid on his back, puzzling over why the world hung upside down when he did so, he caught movement within the trees. He saw slivers of sunlight breaking behind a black shadow. He heard footsteps and flared his nostrils to find a scent.
That was odd...it was about the height of a raptor...but the shape didn't match that of a raptor. He couldn't catch a scent against the wind direction.
Kilo rolled onto his stomach and snorted softly. He stared at the place where he saw the shadow, and discovered that it had disappeared completely.
Where did it go?
Shadow? Did she see it?
The black and red female refused to open her eyes, as she grunted and waved Kilo's voice off with a flick of her tail. She refused to answer his curiosity. She had her efforts put into a nap, NOT chasing another Compy.
Kilo growled. But it wasn't a Compy!
He became frustrated, as the other younglings ignored him and continued their resting. He sat up and nudged Grey, but even he growled and turned his back to him.
Fine! He'd investigate on his own!
No protest, and Kilo huffed before jumping off the rock and trotting to the edge of the tree line. His head ducked low and his eagle eyes focused on the small details, from disturbed birds to the slightest rustle of a leaf. His death talons raised as an underlying instinct, reacting to the thrill of hunting something, tensing up his muscles and making him ever alert.
There was most definitely something in the trees. He could sense a presence ahead, down in the bushes and just out of sight. It moved ever so often and he sensed the change on a microscopic level, then heard the smallest of sounds like a metallic click...or what sounded like fluttering wings and something scraping on the ground.
Perplexed, Kilo sucked in a breath and caught a wave of scents. They seeped into his olfactory senses and sent his brain into overdrive, trying to identify things that puzzled him even further.
This creature smelled heavily of sweat, and an unknown aroma that made Kilo's nose wrinkle in disgust. There was a vague tone of dirt, with other earthy things and more smells like nothing he had ever smelled before.
Very, very interesting.
Kilo was not afraid of the unknown things, as he was afraid of alpha. He had no reason or experience to make him cautious, or have the instincts to know what was bad and what was safe. He had no way of knowing that this thing could be bad. He only knew that he saw it, he was curious of it, so it automatically became a thing of interest to him. Things of interest needed to be investigated, so that he could learn and soothe his curiosity.
The little raptor stepped into the ferns. He ducked under and sniffed at the ground, flinching and snapping his jaws when a branch suddenly moved just some feet from him. Kilo tilted his head when the branch, long and perfectly straight, glinted in a sliver of sunlight. The movement caught his eye like a bird might have been drawn to a shiny coin. It was oddly metallic for being a branch.
Then, something else moved, and Kilo saw the outline of a living creature in the shadows. It was by far the strangest looking animal he had ever seen in his life. His eyes bulged at the sight of it, his nostrils flared, and his body tensed up as a sign of uncertainty.
What in the name of raptors was it?
Kilo's mother had brought dead monkeys to the den before. They were soft fleshed, with a coat of hair and a body unlike any of the dinosaurs in the area. Their eyes were forward facing...and Kilo had been scared to death by it before finally discovering they tasted almost the same as normal prey.
He didn't have the words or the knowledge to describe what he saw, but what he saw was a human, and the first one he had seen during his short time in the world. It kind of looked like a monkey...but at the same time, it didn't. Kilo was both concerned and fascinated by the new discovery, so much that he crouched down and wagged his tail as his eyes made a visual once over.
The human was a slender Costa Rican man, with rough dark toned skin and dark eyes, shadowed by the wide brim of a hat meant to shield him from the glaring sun. He wore loose fitting clothing, dark in color so that he was easily hidden in the shadowed foliage of the forest.
In one hand, the man held a pair of binoculars, which he looked through now and again at something off in the distance. In the other, was the odd branch Kilo had seen. By human words it was a hunting rifle, but the little raptor didn't know any better.
He saw a strange naked monkey, and a silver branch. Such things were not dangerous in his eyes.
But suddenly, as Kilo laid there in silence, he failed to notice a second figure sitting in the brush not far from him. He failed to see two eyes staring down at him, wide with surprise and wonder, as teeth flashed in somewhat of a smile. It moved its hand out as slow as could be. It opened its fingers and positioned them just a few feet above where Kilo was.
Then, with speed that surpassed the little one's senses, the hand snapped downwards and closed around his muzzle. Kilo was so shocked by the movement that his eyes bulged and he shot backwards with a terrified squeal...but he found himself weighted down, and his voice cut off from the pressure keeping his jaws closed.
Now Kilo was very afraid. He thrashed and riled about, as the human above chuckled softly and tried hard not to get scratched by flailing claws.
"Oh, quiet down, scales. No need to make a big fuss about it."
The first human became aware of the struggle, and he flashed his head around with an expression of confusion. He lifted his gun and dropped his binoculars, but upon seeing the baby raptor his eyes became wider and he shot out a hastened whisper in Spanish.
"What are you doing!"
Kilo kicked the second human's wrist and caught the sleeve of his jacket with one death claw, making him adjust his grip and growl sharply.
"English, remember?"
The Costa Rican paused a moment. He stumbled over his words, licking his lips, before shaking his head and attempting to use English the second time around. It was clear it wasn't his first language, and being upset didn't help for mistakes, but the frightened look in his eyes helped get the point across.
"That is a Velociraptor. It is dangerous!"
"I'm aware," said Kilo's captor as he struggled not to drop his quarry. "You see the claws on him?"
"You must drop him, now!"
"He's just a little one. Calm down."
The man holding Kilo shifted. He was heavier in build, with sharp eyes and short grey tinged hair, as well as a rounded face and big hands. He handled Kilo in a rough way, so that the youngling dangled about like a hung ragdoll.
The Costa Rican was the guide, someone who was familiar with such landscapes and could navigate the terrain. He was a nervous one...especially once they made it onto the island. His eyes were locked on the thrashing dinosaur as though it would suddenly break loose and rip him apart.
"Coming into contact with a young raptor is dangerous. The mother will hunt for us."
Kilo growled and snapped his tail, as though to prove the guide's point about his specie's danger levels. He stared with wild eyes at the man who held him, gripping his claws until he swore he felt them sinking into the soft flesh of his fingers. His little heart fluttered and his mind throbbed with thoughts of hate and regret that he ever went into the trees.
The heavy set man grunted and began fumbling with an old canvas bag, using one hand as Kilo swung from the other. When Kilo managed to nip at his thumb and draw blood from needle wounds, he made a small growling sound and tightened his grip.
"The mother wont be a problem. We have work to do."
Kilo worked his jaws open and managed a small snarl. He tasted the human's blood on his lips, and had a thousand questions going through his terrified mind.
Where was Mother? Where were his siblings? What were these creatures going to do to him?
Thinking the same questions, the guide blinked, "What are you doing with him?"
The canvas bag was emptied, and Kilo shrieked as he found himself shoved into it, talons scratching at the thick fabric. The top closed over him and he began crying as a realization hit him.
He was trapped!
~...~
"I don't understand why you're wining so much, Nicolas."
"I'm whining, because I know that infant's pack. Haven't you heard the stories?"
A snort was heard, as the heavy set man made sure Kilo was secure, then grabbed a second hunting rifle off the ground and put a round in the chamber. His face was tight with a serious frown, yet his eyes sparkled with a hidden excitement for what they were about to do.
"I've heard a bunch of hysterical locals turning natural attacks into monster encounters."
'Nicolas' was somewhat offended. He gave occasional glances to the canvas bag that lurched and made muffled crying sounds, before muttering something broken between Spanish and English.
"That's what all of the hunters say, before they meet la terrible muerte."
"Isn't that what you called the pack alpha? Muerte?", the heavy set man snickered, "What does that mean?"
"It means death. He has killed countless hunters, and you'll share their fate if you don't take this seriously."
There was another chuckle as the second man peered through his rifle scope towards the pack's den hillside, "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't serious about it. You have any idea how much money this job will get me? The credentials?
"Ingen doesn't know the kind of power they've got in their hands. If I land this job, big things will change, and someone who actually knows what they're doing will be in charge. I've got all the important things taken care of."
A long and awkward pause drug out. Nicolas stared at his comrade - or rather, the man he was paid to obey- then shook his head and muttered. He lifted his rifle to his shoulder and released the safety with a frighteningly shaky hand.
"Ingen trusts you?"
"I've got them eating out of the palm of my hand, after the Pterosaur wrap up in Canada. The people that sent me here will be doing the same when we take care of their raptor problem, and bring back that baby raptor for good measure. They might be able to use him."
He activated a radio attached to his jacket, speaking softly to someone on the other line. There were four other men positioned in various places at the edge of the pack's den site.
They came in fast, they would finish the job fast, and they would get out fast before the pack knew what happened. Rather brutal if one had the heart to look past the paycheck.
"All shooters, get ready to light it up."
Nicolas grunted and put his finger on his rifle's trigger, "I hope you know what you're doing."
"Just shut up and drop some raptors."
A mutter was the only reply, and Nicolas tried his best to keep his annoyed voice down.
He knew something was fishy about the operation on Isla Sorna, but he wasn't sure the American rifleman gave much thought on the matter. He figured he was in it for the money, the power, or the fame...just like all the other reckless gunmen and officials that wanted their hand in whatever was going on behind the curtains.
Nicolas himself was hired by the hush hush organization some time before, to become familiar with the island and it's creatures, so that he could serve as field guide for the groups that did business there.
Supposedly, they were given the task of population control, specifically for a pack of raptors that was in the way of their 'important plans'. He didn't have the slightest clue what those plans were, but he knew that the raptors were dangerous. It was crazy of people to invade the island in the first place, whatever their reason.
A gun was shoved in his hands and he was told to be careful. That was it.
The middle aged Costa Rican gave a dark glance to where his commanding officer sat with rifle ready. He muttered again, but made sure to use full Spanish that time around.
"Stupid fat man."
"Wanna say that to me in English?"
~Kilo's POV~
After a few moments of struggling, Kilo laid down inside the canvas bag and panted. His scales were slick with sweat and he was exhausted, after fighting for so long where fresh air couldn't circulate.
The bag didn't tear very easily. Once or twice he got his talons stuck in the material, but he couldn't put enough force into the downward strike to make a large enough slash. He only stumbled around inside the bag and hurt himself when freedom wasn't gained.
Too tired to cry, and left without hope of escape, Kilo closed his eyes and lulled his tongue out. His sides shook and his nostrils puffed. His heart raced a thousand miles a second like he had been running just as far.
He couldn't stop thinking of his Mother and siblings. As he listened to the strange creatures, curling his lips at their voices, he wondered where they were and if they were safe.
Did Mother know he was captured? Was she coming to-
Suddenly, the silence was broken by something that made Kilo jump upwards and get tangled up in his prison. The air split in two as though thunder had struck the ground just yards away, bigger than the biggest storm that had ever come over the island. A sharp aroma seeped into his nostrils, and the shock made him wail despite being out of breath.
A rifle had been shot. The boom was enough to scare the baby raptor out of his skin, before he smelled gunpowder and heard the pleased whisper of one of the humans. He laid on his back with feet up against the loose canvas. His eyes were wide and darted about in an expression of new terror.
"That's an excellent shot, if I do say so myself."
Pause, then a second gunshot, and Kilo again erupted into a fit of thrashing and frightened yowls. He wailed and slashed in all directions like he was a ball of fury and knife blades.
What was happening?! What was that awful sound that hurt his ears? What were the creatures doing?
Some more booms passed, before the humans had to reload and a moment of quiet was granted. Kilo slumped into a heap and panted again. He stared blankly ahead until he began hearing other sounds that made him whimper.
From within the canvas bag Kilo could hear terror calls of raptors, amidst other gunfire that was quieted with a bit of distance. They were crying out in a way most dreadful, sounding alarms of confusion and rage that could only mean one thing.
The pack was being attacked. The creatures had ambushed them!
Kilo was horrified by knowing his home was under threat. His body began to tremble as all boldness left him, replaced by fear of the unknown creatures and the unimaginable damage they were suddenly dealing into his life.
Never before had the little raptor wished for his mother so hard.
~...~
Mother! Mother come quick!
Shadow and Grey Brother were in a panic. Their eyes were wide and their hearts were racing, fear flooding their systems as little legs sent them barreling through the long grass, towards the place they last saw their Mother in the center of the meadow. They shrieked and cried out as loud as their lungs could muster.
Mother!
The gunshots hadn't started yet, but they heard Kilo's terror calls and knew that something awful was happening. Every instinct they held pointed them to the protection from their parent. Every fiber of their bodies ached with the dread that Kilo had been attacked...but Mother would surely save them all! She was the bravest and strongest raptor they knew!
But, the moment the two hatchlings burst from the grass, they found themselves gazing upon a scene that shocked them to the core. Shadow whimpered with a confused tilt of her head, and Grey Brother ducked down in a gesture of horror.
Before them was the pack alpha. He stood tall and mighty over the crumpled form of their Mother, laid in a shivering mess on the ground, lifting one leg in the most submissive act a raptor could give to their higher rank. Her eyes were clamped shut and a deep gash was set into her neck, which the male had struck there in response to her rejection of his...affection.
What was alpha doing to Mother!?
At the sound of her young's voices, Mother opened her eyes and slid her head across the ground to look at them. She whimpered and immediately tried to stand, but her suitor snarled and pushed her down with a sharp shove of his foot. He curled his lips and snapped his jaws. His eyes made murderous looks that cursed the interruption of his courtship.
Go away, whelps!
Mother struggled and looked to Shadow. She purred softly in an effort to calm them...but then...she noticed that one of her children were missing. A note of terror struck her weak heart, and she forced her body upright with a shaky croon, pushing past alpha's heavy foot.
Where was Kilo!
Shadow whimpered and clacked her teeth together. Kilo was attacked! He needed help!
What!?
That was enough to stop Mother's heart. She choked, terrified, before putting her strength into shoving alpha away. Blood oozed from her neck but she didn't let the pain get to her, nor did she plan to let alpha keep her from standing.
The male was about to knock her back, but that was the moment the gunfire started. The sky split apart and a death shriek sounded from further up the den site, where a young female was blown off her feet by something that could not be seen. Her body tumbled down the rocks and landed in a crumpled heap. A gaping bullet hole bled through her ribcage in a wound that had never been seen before.
A moment of silent horror ensued. Alpha shifted in place and wrinkled his snout with uneasy snorts, as Mother crept closer to her young and hid them beneath her body.
What was happening?
Silence, until the sky again split and two raptors fell dead just outside their dens. An old male was struck across the hip and left wounded on the rocks, but they were just the first in a line of many. None of them could have been prepared for the chaos that would descend upon the pack.
As raptors began dying left and right, alpha was overtaken by confusion and fear. He stumbled back from Mother and chuffed uneasily to himself, all dominant aggression disappearing by his cold hearted nature.
The alpha, meant to protect and serve his pack, turned tail and raced off across the meadow. He dove into the dark trees and betrayed every duty he held towards the raptors he ruled over.
Mother curled her lips and winced through the ear ringing gunfire. She felt fury in her heart, for being treated like garbage by the tyrant male, and to see him abandoning his pack in their time of need.
Coward!
Shadow whimpered. She nuzzled her face alongside the older female's ankle, taking comfort in her presence, yet disturbed by alpha and worried for the fate of her brother, flinching whenever the strange thunder sounds hurt her ears.
Was Kilo going to be okay?
Mother shuddered heavily. She looked down at her daughter with pain in her eyes and fear in her heart, which burned and made her body beg to run for the trees.
Find him...find Kilo...now! That was what her instincts were telling her. Save your son!
So, the female bent down and nudged her two babies close together. They seemed confused until she took both their bodies gently in her mouth, cradling their ribcages between her teeth like they were china dolls.
Hold on.
The den site was hell on earth. It wasn't safe for them to stay, and Kilo needed her.
She had to run as fast as she could possibly run. Every second count...and when she found the creatures that did this to her world...she'd make sure their death was slow and painful. If they did anything to her son, that would be the least of their worries.
When Mother came to the tree line in which Kilo's scent entered, she felt weak with pain and fear. The wound in her neck continued to bleed, but she ducked into the foliage and held her head high, so that Shadow and Grey Brother were spared the wounds of passing branches, and harsh contact of leaves against their bodies at such high speeds. She dared herself to keep going and never stop searching for her third child.
Kilo?
Where was he? He had to be around somewhere!
KILO!
Suddenly, the bushes just ten yards away from Mother rustled, and one of the gunshots fired directly from it. The sound was so loud it made her head ring and startled her body three feet up into the air. It caught her off guard and made her snarl with terrible malice.
Never in her life had the raptor discovered creatures who could deal damage with thunder. What horrible things were they? What did they look like?
The gunfire echoed off into the distance, and Mother heard an odd sound, something like an animal's vocals...but not quite. It made her head tilt to the side and her lips quiver with suppressed hostility.
"You aim for the little one. I've got the old brown guy."
"The one with the missing claw?"
"Yah. He's a gnarly looking one, isn't he?"
Slowly, the female set Shadow and Grey down within the brush, nuzzling them onto their bellies and cooing as a soft order to remain unseen. Once she was sure they were hidden from sight, she turned her attention back to where the thunder sounds originated and crept forward into the thicket.
A boom sounded and Mother did her best not to jolt. She flared her nostrils and caught the scent of her child Kilo, she cooed for him, but there was no answer and another boom was followed by the strange voices.
"You missed him."
"I know I did! Shut up and deal with your own shots."
That was when Mother poked her muzzle through the ferns, and she found a small opening in the heart of the thicket. Her chest barely fit through the brush and tree trunks, but with a little bit of wiggling she broke through and crouched underneath some shadowed leaves.
The humans were a shock to her. At the sight of them sitting there, strange bodies and strange clothing wielding odd silver branches, she widened her eyes and pressed her lips together in anxious curiosity.
These things were decimating her pack? How? They looked so...feeble.
One of the creatures shouldered his weapon, and thunder erupted from its muzzle along with a millisecond long flash of smoke and light. The air smelled of fired gunpowder, which burned at Mother's senses and made her shudder. Her claws dug into the earth to release her tension without physically mauling the enemy she saw before her.
With the explosion however, the raptor came to see the smallest of movement, coming from within a brown lump thing laid across the ground. At first she didn't care to give it any thought...but her eyes kept going back to it...and her heart kept lurching when it flopped and twisted around.
The heavier set man growled and reached out to tap the canvas sack with his boot.
"Hush in there, scales."
The thing fell over, and from within came a muffled cry, broken with fear that touched Mother's instincts like a knife. Her eyes bulged and her senses honed in on the sack alone, so that she heard the cry again and came to recognize it.
Kilo! Her son was in there!
It was like a switch was flipped. Mother's cautious wish to stay hidden in the shadows was shattered apart by an uncontrollable fury, fueled by her love for her son, and the urges she held as a parent to protect him. She lunged from the ferns and cackled loudly, so that the humans jumped to their feet and turned around with exclamations of shock.
"Shoot it!"
Mother was unaware of the danger she put herself in. Planting both her feet over the brown canvas sack and bending low to shield it from the humans' eyes, she snarled and gnashed her teeth angrily. Her claws wriggled and her death talons flicked up in a preparation to strike flesh.
How dare they try to hurt her child! How dare they try to take him from her!
She lunged at them, but the heavier set man shouted, and he stood his ground with weapon pressed into his shoulder. With finger on the trigger he stared the raptor down and shouted at the top of his lungs, as she rose up and flicked her claws sideways towards his face. Her body became perfectly profile to the muzzle of his rifle, providing full view of her vital zone.
That was when the gun went off. In a deafening close range shot, it spewed smoke and gunpowder onto the scales that covered Mother's ribs, just as a great pressure connected with her body and sent her falling over backwards. Her ears rang with the echoing thunder and her eyes rolled back in a moment of shock, before she found her voice and released a horrible cry.
What was that? It felt like she was just rammed across the middle by an angry Triceratops!
In that moment, Mother's system was overloaded by adrenaline and flight instincts. As she lay crumbled on the ground, she began to feel a painful burning sensation in her ribcage, and her breaths became short like someone was squeezing her right lung. All of her bold aggressions became crippled with new fear.
Get Kilo and get out of there, was what her instincts demanded. She had no problem obeying them.
The raptor wrenched to her feet and curled her lips in a nasty way, before bending down to grab Kilo's sack and run for freedom. She stumbled on roots and almost couldn't fit back out the thicket, but a trunk just feet from her head exploded and the American human yelled.
"I couldn't have missed it from that range! How is it still running?"
"I-I don't know...she had red markings, I couldn't pick out any blood."
His guide could be heard fumbling with his own weapon, as Mother broke through the brush and nearly fell on her face. Her breaths sounded like gargled nails, and her shaky chitter was muffled behind the thick fabric of the bag in her mouth, barely loud enough to call for her other two hatchlings.
Shadow! Grey!
The infants rose up from the ferns and whimpered in response. Their eyes bulged and fixed upon Mother, whom nudged them forward with her snout.
RUN!
~Kilo's POV~
He wasn't entirely sure what happened. One moment he was kicked over by the human, crying and panting for fresh air, then the next the outside world seemed to go into chaos.
Was that a raptor's voice he heard?
Everything that followed was kind of a blur, from a snarling raptor, to angry human voices, and a boom so loud that Kilo tried to cover his ears with his paws. He felt his bag lifted up into the air and flopped around, which kept him off his feet and made him dangerously nauseous.
What was going on! Where was he?
Some moments passed and Kilo remained sprawled in the canvas back, whimpering and panting as he listened to the quick thumps of running feet. He tried to smell for scents, but the thick fabric blocked them out. He tried to slash his claws through, but just like before they weren't sharp enough to cut.
Finally, there was a weak croon from above. It caught the hatchling's attention and made him look up, as familiarity struck his heart and mind with joy.
Mother? Was that really her!?
Kilo became so happy that he tried to stand, only to wobble and fall back down with a loud grunt. His tail thumped in the confined space, and his lungs made continuous purrs of affection. He never felt so relieved in all his life.
Mother came to save him!
The hatchling cooed and sought his parent's comforting voice, to soothe his fear and distract him from the horrible things that were taking place. He clicked his teeth and "baby talked" for a good minute or so...yet there was no answer. Mother had gone silent, save for the sounds of her running feet and heavy breathing.
Mother? Was she okay?
No answer, but suddenly Kilo heard a rasping breath, followed by coughing and what sounded like gurgling water. His bag lurched harshly and Mother's footsteps faltered into a stumble, before she recalibrated and ran onward.
Mother?
Kilo was starting to feel concerned. A few moments passed, then another rasping cough and gurgling sound, followed by a slight stumble between Mother's stride. It was worse than last time, and just faintly the infant heard a pained whimper, broken as though it was underwater. The wheezing breaths became more labored and were horrible to listen to.
Frightened, Kilo whimpered and began to notice something odd about his bag. Staring at the top seam he noticed a color change, oozing down through the tan fabric and turning it an ugly dark color. It got darker and darker, then looked wet, and began dripping down on him in little droplets.
For a moment the little black raptor stared at the speck on his side. He tilted his head at it, heart fluttering, then reached forward and gave it a good sniff.
Blood. What horrified him more was the realization that it was raptor blood.
In that moment, Kilo felt Mother come to a stop and wobble. He heard her cough again, wheezing, before she made the weakest whine he had ever heard come from her mouth.
She was frightened, and in pain. To know that made the youngling whine back and curl up into a sad ball.
What happened to Mother?
That thought was interrupted, when Kilo felt her move forward and his bag swing with the lurch of an exaggerated and stumbling gait. She was walking through some thick trees, judging by the branches that poked and slapped against her body and the package she carried.
Suddenly, Mother stopped, turned around a bit, then Kilo felt her lower down and set his bag onto something soft. He got to his feet and cringed at the bloody canvas that laid over his back. The smell of it filled his nostrils and made him whine sadly.
He needed to be out. He had to see Mother, and make sure she was okay.
There was a soft shuffling sound, before Kilo saw a big black claw pierce through his bag and slash it open with one muscle flick. Open daylight blinded him for a few long moments, before the white spots faded away and he stumbled forward into a scaled chest.
Happy cries met him. Shadow and Grey Brother, panting and shivering from an exhausting run, crowded around him and licked his head in gestures of happy and affectionate relief. They nibbled his neck and gripped at him with gentle claws as though they never wanted to let him go again.
Still, Kilo braced against the bombardment and turned his eyes upwards. He kept his focus on his Mother. He cooed to her and wagged his tail in some hope that she was alright.
When he saw his dear Mother, however, Kilo's body froze and his hope caught in his throat. His young mind faltered and tried to understand the sight before him...but it almost couldn't, as though the impossible had happened and he was in a stupor because of it.
For the longest time, since he was born, Kilo was positive that his Mother was the strongest being he knew. As far as he was concerned, she was invincible and could never be hurt. In his eyes...she couldn't bleed.
Kilo's eyes widened and he pushed away from his siblings to press up against her chest, flinching at how cold her scales were. He couldn't stop looking between her face and her side, equally frightened by the things he saw.
She was very much bleeding. Her face was covered in blood that oozed from between her lips, and bubbled out of her nostrils with every gurgled breath she took. Her ribcage was also covered in blood, from a small round wound that penetrated between two ribs, unlike any wound he had ever seen before.
Mother gagged on the blood in her throat, before managing a weak purr and reaching down to lick her eldest son. Her breathing worsened and her eyes were dull, as they clamped closed and cracked open in gestures of immense pain.
No raptor was familiar with the kind of wound Mother received. No one knew that it was from the bullet of a .338 Winchester Magnum, designed to kill grizzly bears and moose. No one knew that it went in through her ribs and pierced one lung, then exited her body through the muscle of her back, narrowly missing her spine.
Mother had run for some time, before blood loss and the cost of breathing with one lung caught up with her. She was forced to stop and take shelter in a group of close-growing trees, covered in vines so thick they almost blocked the sunlight from getting in.
Instincts had such an affect on almost all wounded animals. Her brain demanded that she find a safe and quiet place to rest, and she listened for the sake of her children and her body.
The female was terrified. Her body was going into shock, feeling numb and cold, confused by what was happening and struggling to function after the damage she sustained. She stared at Kilo in a distant way, and answered his sad cries with weak coos of encouragement.
It was alright...everything was alright.
Kilo knew it wasn't. As his mother laid there and fought to breathe, he licked her and curled up in the crook of her arm. Shadow and Grey Brother squeezed in next to him so that each raptor had skin contact with the other.
Mother purred and rested her head on the grassy forest floor. She ignored the sticky pool of blood underneath her, choosing instead to savor the quiet moment she had with her young, away from the death and chaos.
In a sense, the female knew she herself was dying, but her young hadn't yet grasped the concept. They didn't realize the fate that was waiting for her, and it broke her heart to think they would be left to fend for themselves.
Mother whimpered. She moved her head back until her trembling body was encircled around her children, so that her weak breaths drew in their scent and gave a small comfort to her fuzzy mind.
How was she going to protect her babies if she wasn't there? How were they going to resist the alpha?
Even if Hook had managed to survive the attack, could he protect them well enough on his own?
She wasn't ready to die...
~Hook's POV~
It felt like an eternity passed, before the attack subsided and the terrible gunfire went silent. Every moment was terror and sorrow in the hearts of the raptors whom struggled for their lives, hiding from mysterious wound givers and watching other pack members shot off their feet.
When it all ended, everyone was looking for someone they lost; whether it be parents, siblings, mates, or offspring. The air was full of mourning cries given for the dead and dying, marked by bullet holes and laying in a pool of their own blood.
It was only by great luck that Hook survived.
Staggering about the den site, bleeding from a minor flesh wound in his thigh, the old male searched for his niece in frantic worry. He called for her with bellowing cries. He searched every square inch and even inspected the bodies lying about.
She was nowhere to be found. He couldn't even find traces of her three children.
That was when the tyrant alpha, the one known as "Muerte" by the humans, came back from his cowardly retreat. He walked up the hill with head down and eyes narrowed, looking calmly across the damage done, while angry raptors cast dark glares and bared teeth when he wasn't looking.
Where was he when they were being attacked? Why wasn't he there to defend them?
Muerte stepped over a dead body and ignored the curiosity over his disappearance. He walked up the path towards his den, snorting at a wounded raptor's pained whines, then dismissing the sight of a young adolescent standing over her deceased sister.
Along the path, Muerte also passed by Hook. For a small moment he stopped and regarded him, cold eyes full of something close to disappointment, while his tail flicked and he uttered a small chuff. To some it may have sounded a little like mockery.
Couldn't avoid getting wounded, could he?
Hook fought a curl of his lips and growled. He stood awkwardly on his wounded leg, which hurt something awful and made his nostrils flare in response to the pain.
That was when he smelled it. Mother's scent, all over Muerte's scales and in the dried blood on his claws, from when he struck her in the meadow. It went into his mind and sparked emotions of rage and shock, fueled by the underlying dread that something happened to his niece.
Did alpha have something to do with her disappearance? What did he do to her!
Muerte pulled his head back and gurgled. Giving a sideways glance to the lower meadow, he wriggled his talons and ruffled his feathers in a defensive way.
He didn't know where she was, and he had nothing to do with it.
Hook didn't believe that. The wounded elder limped up to his alpha and snapped his teeth, despite the retaliating snarl and glare from the dominant leader. He stood as tall as he could and snapped his one talon into the rocks with a sharp click.
The pack, expecting the tension between the two males to go south, backed a respective distance away and ducked their heads. Hook hissed in that undeniably challenging way he was known for.
Where was she!
Muerte grunted. He stood his ground and seemed amused by Hook's faith to his family...so much that he flicked his tail and groaned, like a kid forced to tell the truth.
She was down somewhere in the forest. One of her whelps had run off just before the attack.
Hook didn't stay long enough for anything else to be exchanged. He shoved past Muerte onto the stone path, going rather clumsily as he more or less stumbled down the hill, blood trickling down his leg and muscles working around a bullet lodged in his flesh.
He had to find his niece...no matter what it took.
Eventually, Hook made it to the meadow and found Mother's scent, leading him into the trees and to a very thick part of the forest. He found the place where the humans were taking their shots; snarling at the scattered bullet casings, boot prints, the smell of gunpowder, and Kilo's presence, before finding Mother's scent and a droplet of blood on the ground's layer of dead leaves.
That blood led Hook back into the forest. The trail started out small, but as time went on and ground was covered, the red droplets were accompanied by chunks of flesh and lung tissue, becoming bigger and bigger until it seemed the stream was constant.
Hook was devastated and horrified. He whimpered to himself and clenched his teeth together, showing his sorrow, as his tail snapped and his nostrils quivered to the blood's smell.
The amount was deadly. To think that Mother had come so far with such a nasty wound was...almost impossible to believe.
Then...the trail stopped. Hook searched and backtracked and searched again for it to pick up, but it was as though Mother had evaporated, or plucked up from the ground...
Hook certainly hoped that was not so. A T-Rex could have easily stumbled across her and taken advantage of her terrible wound.
Many long and frightening hours passed. As the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, temperatures made a nosedive and the forest was plunged into darkness. The night time predators skulked about and ever so often they pounced on unsuspecting prey, making horrible scuffles that crashed and shrieked through the trees.
Hook was terrified he would never find his niece again. He slipped through the shadows and moist foliage, scales cold and wet from the moisture that clung to every surface like recent rainfall. He chittered from time to time in hopes he could call to her, while trying not to alert a larger predator of his presence.
The old male sighed, came to a stop, and smelled the damp air. His leg hurt and his body was exhausted.
Where was she? Where were the younglings?
Suddenly, branches some fifty yards ahead of him snapped. The male froze and became alert, listening intently, as footsteps neared and ferns rustled. He flicked his tail and chittered in a hesitant greeting, hoping it was a familiar face.
No answer, but there was a flash of something in the trees, like a star in the black night. Moving around it made Hook blink in confusion, before a powerful stream of light crossed over his body and blinded him. He choked on a startled grunt and fell to his belly in an effort to hide. Voices could be heard not long after.
"Have you found any more blood yet?"
"No...not for the past ten minutes. Are you sure you hit her vitals?"
"You saw the trail, right? I'm positive."
Hook clenched his teeth together and studied the scent of the creatures making such weird vocalizations. He couldn't understand the foreign language, but upon smelling their aroma he recognized them as the suspects of the attack.
These things...they were not like the animals and dinosaurs Hook usually saw on the island. They were strange...and very dangerous.
The light, coming from a flashlight in one of the humans hands, passed over Hook a second time and caught the reflection of his eyes. It halted and a voice whispered.
"You see that?"
"Could be a howler monkey."
"Could be our raptor too. You have your gun ready?"
Hook flinched and made a low growl, as hate seeped into his heart and begged him to charge. His instincts demanded that he kill the creatures responsible for the deaths in the pack, and for hurting his niece...but he was still cautious. He had experience in his years and he knew being stupidly brave could get yourself killed.
Instead, the elder began crawling backwards, into a cluster of bushes and small leafy trees. The branches snapped on his hindquarters and made him flinch, but he kept quiet and locked his eyes on the space ahead of him.
"The eyes are gone."
"Well...lets go after them."
As Hook backed through what turned out to be a small thicket, he became aware of a presence behind him. His foot touched something wet and sticky on the ground. His tail brushed up against smooth scales that were ice cold to the touch.
Growling instinctively, fearing that he had bumped into a threat, Hook looked over his shoulder and clicked his teeth. He expected a hostile dinosaur, but instead he saw little eyes staring up at him, as frightened whimpers met his ears and scents tugged at familiar affection. That was all it took to make him realize what he truly discovered.
Hook went wide eyed and spun around as fast as the small space would allow, thick tail slapping against a tree trunk and rustling the leaves.
He found them!
~Kilo's POV~
Statistically, the odds stacked against them were a hundred to one. Without the protection of an adult raptor, expecting Kilo and his siblings to survive one night was like asking a human child to survive a month in a normal forest.
Mother's condition wasn't improving. After losing so much blood and being denied proper oxygen, her body and mind were failing her, flickering like a candle in a breeze. Her bloody scales were so cold they no longer provided warmth to her young. Her glassed eyes staring into the dark trees and showed micro expressions of pain and sorrow, yet the seemed detached from reality, slipping further and further until she wasn't really looking at anything in particular.
There was a loud whimper, and Mother's candle brightened just so. She refocused her eyes and uttered sad wheezes, not strong enough to make a true sound, but trying her best to give some form of comfort. The very tip of her tail wagged and her lips trembling amidst half dried blood.
Kilo, who was pressed up against his Mother's chest alongside his siblings, stared back up at her and opened his mouth as a gesture of hunger. His ebony scales were wet from droplets of moisture. Much as he clung to the bodies around him, he couldn't stop the shivering, so violent it wracked his tiny body and made his teeth chatter together.
Shadow and Grey Brother were the same. Exhausted, starving, and chilled to the bone. They begged their Mother to help them, but she could only stare and wheeze in a dull state of awareness. After some minutes of soft crying they gave up and went to sleep.
Kilo remained awake and stared at his mother. He nibbled her clammy scales and purred to her, shaky between shivers and the hungry protests his stomach was making.
Suddenly, a great disturbance came to the thicket, and all three hatchlings wobbled to their feet with frightened whimpers and wide eyes. They huddled in a ball against Mother's side, and she lifted her gaze with a little tremble of her claws.
A figure appeared in the thicket and for a moment the family was certain they were done for. Mother gagged on a hiss and the younglings panicked, as a tail swooped overhead, then two yellow eyes turned down on them. Teeth flashed and claws wriggled, a second before there was a shocked chuff.
Kilo blinked. The voice touched him in a familiar way, and made him stand straight with a nervous chitter.
Uncle Hook?
Shadow and Grey Brother gurgled. The figure chuffed again, then eased down onto its belly with a relieved sigh. The dim moonlight spread across a face they all knew well.
It was Hook!
The triplets ran up to their elder relative with happy cries, chirping and cooing as they rubbed against his chest and licked his scales. He nuzzled their little bodies affectionately, without protest to them touching him as he usually disliked such bubbly interaction.
Were they hiding in this thicket the whole time?
For a moment, sadness and ill fate left the minds of the younglings. They bustled about and doted on their uncle, and he licked their dirty bodies in a small instinct to clean them off.
It lasted just a moment, however...then Hook lifted his eyes to Mother. His body tensed and he reeled his head back, as a whimper caught in his throat and his claws dug into the earth. His heart skipped a few paces and dropped low into his gut.
His dear niece lay there in a pool of blood, struggling for breath and looking back at him with sad eyes. The very tip of her tail wagged and she worked her jaw as though to speak. That only resulted in harsh gagging and more blood.
Hook crawled forward and nuzzled the female gently, licking her scales and purring to her as though she were a newborn hatchling. He sniffed at her bullet wound and wrinkled his snout at the severity of it. She gurgled and flopped her head onto the grass beneath her.
The poor raptor was like a daughter to him...always had been. He raised her from an adolescent and taught her everything he knew, caring for her and loving her more than he had ever treated another raptor. He deemed it his responsibility to raise her strong. It was his job to keep her safe.
Hook loved her, and now as he looked into her eyes he saw a dull unfocused gaze, fading with every moment and becoming less pained...more peaceful.
He had seen that look many times in his life. It was the look of a raptor on death's doorstep, too far wounded and gone to save. There was nothing that could be done and nature was required to take its course.
Hook understood, even though it hurt his heart and made him choke on whimpers of sadness. He glanced down at the younglings and watched them creep forward to Mother, rubbing on her face and wagging their tails with little purrs.
They on the other hand, did not understand. They ate meat and had instincts of the hunt...but they themselves did not understand death. They didn't understand that their mother was heading towards such a fate...and that they would soon be orphans.
Suddenly, before Hook could chitter at Kilo and his siblings, a flash of light entered the thicket and illuminated the leaves. He went wide eyed and lifted his head as they cried out in fear. Not very far away he heard the voices of the human creatures.
"I hear them in there."
"Have your gun pointed in that spot."
Hook stood up and spread his legs. He snarled loudly and gnashed his teeth, and immediately all three of the younglings huddled at his feet, shivering and hiding in his protective shadow.
Time seemed to stand still...until a weak voice drifted up from the ground.
Hook...
The old male flinched, then looked down and lowered his lips. He saw Mother looking up at him, her eyes sad but soft with bravery he admired and loved.
He had to take the younglings to safety. He had to leave her behind, for their sake.
Hook growled, but what she asked of him was the most logical thing they could do. It agreed with his instincts to save the children, to continue their bloodline and promise they had a better chance to live.
If he stayed to fight, they could all be killed by the human creatures. If he left...they would live another day...at the cost of a few extra moments with their doomed mother.
It still wouldn't be easy for his old heart.
Leaning forward, cooing, Hook nuzzled his niece and licked her cheek one last time. She closed her eyes and savored the soft contact, before looking over at her children and cooing. They crept to her in confusion, and she licked each one in a tender final goodbye.
Be strong. Take care of each other, and listen to uncle Hook.
Shadow and Grey Brother sensed something was wrong, but Kilo wagged his tail and whined to her with little hops on his feet, not understanding what she was asking of them.
Come on, Mother! They could get home, to their nice warm den and yummy food! She just had to get up.
Mother stared at him. She remained silent, then looked up at Hook and grunted shakily.
Go.
Hook purred to her, and he leaned forward to nuzzle the three younglings together. He bumped them onto their bellies to that they were in a line, tails together and eyes wide with confused chirps. Kilo wiggled around and tried to get back to Mother.
Human voices got closer.
"You have your machete?"
That was when Hook began to hurry. He grabbed all three tails gently in his mouth and lifted the younglings off the ground, so that they whimpered and dangled about. Kilo was beginning to panic and thrash.
Mother!
The next moment Hook burst out of the thicket, away from Mother and into the path of two dumbfounded humans. He snarled and thrashed his tail about as they shouted and jumped back, but he dove to the left and began running like fire was on his heels.
Kilo screamed as they left Mother behind. He cut at Hook's face with his claws and bit him with his needle teeth, fighting and begging to go back.
They couldn't leave her!
Hook ignored him and kept running. For many long moments the leaves and vines slapped against their bodies and whipped past them, giving distance and silence that burned Kilo's ears.
Then...splitting that silence, a single gunshot rang through the forest and Hook glanced over his shoulder. Kilo went wide eyed and stared at the darkness as his young mind wrapped around what was happening. He could only whine and paw at Hook with a greater passion, mixed with horror of what had been done.
Mother was gone.
