Oh my goodness! I've finally made it!

Sorry everyone, for making you wait once again, and taking so long to write this chapter. ^_^' Life has been a bit stressful lately, and I had some troubles with the scenes in this chapter...so production wasn't going as I previously planned.

Before reading begins, I would like to thank you all for the amazing reviews and thoughts on my story. 3 Many times I have been reading through them, and I've almost been brought to tears, by all the amazing praise and words. The reaction for Mother's death ALONE, made me want to reach through the screen and hug you all!

Its so very awe inspiring. Thank you so much!

NOW! On to the more serious notes I wanted to mention!

Throughout Kilo's history series, I have been hiding little hints to a secret within the plot. ;) Its a pretty big thing involving Kilo and his siblings...but so far no one seems to have caught my hidden secret hovering just on the surface. I am quite surprised, but anxious for the moment in which people do start realizing what's going on. hehe.

And, I have been getting a couple reviews about my writing style. ^_^ They asked if I could find some way to separate a raptor's thoughts from the narrative, which I had to think over for a bit.

Originally, I was going for a mixture of Raptor Red and White Fang's writing styles, where the animal's thoughts were kind of "Part" of the narrative. I will however change this, so that the defined thoughts are put into italics, in hopes to smooth things out.

Let me know what you think of this new change! :3

Finally, I'll have you guys know really quick that this was SUPPOSED to be the final chapter of Kilo's history. XD It was supposed to involve the final aspects of his pack's creation...but unfortunately the scenes were fighting me...and I decided to split the chapter for my mind's sake and the flow of the scenes.

SO! The next chapter will be smaller than my average updates. It will also be posted later this evening, as it is pretty much written out with the final scene missing. ^_^ I figured this would keep my sanity and get the chapters out there...because...like you guys haven't been waiting long enough for them already. hehe. (Heavy sarcasm implied.)

Thank you again everyone! Please let me know what you think of this chapter, and stay tuned for the final part of the Waterfall Pack's history!


"Jurassic World: Why So Blue?"

Chapter 28

"History Pt: #3: Youngblood"


The world was a blackened canvas, a scene not set. In every direction there was only nothingness, without depth or texture, which would give him a sense of space and distance. The only sensations he felt was a hard surface beneath his feet, and a stale scent in the air. Everything seemed stale in fact...as though he was only half there...only half in existence. He didn't know where he was, how he got there, or how he could get out.

Lucid dreaming had never been one of Kilo's skills. Each one was just as fresh as the last, with no memory of previous experience or the realization that it wasn't reality. He felt deep in his mind that something was wrong...but he could never put a claw on it...and that wasn't really his fault.

It always started the same. A black world, then something strange would happen. Every dream felt like a case of deja vu that he could never anticipate.

Was anyone out there?

No answer. Just terrifying blackness.

Kilo felt horribly lost, as he turned in a circle and clicked his little teeth together. His own ebony scales molded with the black until it seemed as though he could disappear completely...making him whimper and go wide eyed with rising fear.

What was happening?

Suddenly, the darkness burst. Dim light came from an unknown source, and black silhouettes began moving, taking different shapes that began to look more like the tree line on a night time horizon. Large redwoods shot up from a soft earth, ferns unfurled at their base, and the hard surface underfoot became a moist jungle floor.

In just moments, Kilo found himself transported to a new place. His senses were filled with a world more natural, so that he looked about and found himself shivering, both from fear and from the damp evening air that chilled him down to the bone.

He didn't like it. Where was Mother?

Splat. A rain drop landed on the edge of Kilo's nose, making him flinch and duck his head with a confused whimper. Upon looking up he saw the forest canopy, and through gaps in the leaves he noticed clouds that flashed blue with lightning.

Splat. Another rain drop landed between Kilo's eyes, and he wiped it away with his paw. He whimpered again out of dread, because he didn't much like thunderstorms. The noise scared him.

He just wanted to be home with his family. He wanted to be snuggled up with his siblings in the nest, out of the rain and with a full tummy of meat.

Suddenly, the little raptor's thoughts were interrupted by the faint sound of branches breaking close by. They made him freeze and stare into the shadows, chest fluttering with weak breaths and wide eyes. Instincts made his death talons stand up and his chest puff out in a subconscious effort to look bigger than he actually was.

What was that!

Again the branches snapped. Feet crunched on the forest floor, as if the thing or things was coming closer, which made Kilo shudder and step backwards with a frightened whimper. He curled his lips in a halfhearted hiss and waved his arms clumsily.

Stay back! Don't come any closer!

The footsteps stopped. As an eerie wind started blowing through the trees, carrying scents, Kilo rocked uneasily on the pads of his feet and chuffed. His nostrils flared and his eyes struggled to see through the rain began coming down harder and harder. The dirt under him was quickly turning to mud.

Suddenly, the youngling found a group of weak scents through the downpour. He immediately identified them as foreign to the forest; clothing, shaving cream, leather, oil, and gunpowder. Deep in his foggy memory they triggered a spark of terror that made him go wide eyed and stiff.

Kilo knew those smells. Almost immediately after sensing them he saw outlines of figures in the trees, more upright than a raptor, and moving around like wraiths in the night. He couldn't see their eyes, but he saw white teeth grinning, and caught the glint of long metallic objects held by pale skinned hands.

A voice broke the silence in a hearty laugh. He recognized it from somewhere deep in his memories, and it made him almost shatter into a hundred pieces.

"Hush, scales."

In that moment, two upright figures stepped out of the brush, covered in shadows so that they had no faces. They held rifles in their hands...things that Kilo looked upon and felt great terror.

He remembered the guns...he remembered the pain and loss they caused...but he didn't understand why. All he understood was that the upright creatures were terrifying, and their shiny metal sticks were dangerous.

Run! Get to safety!

Kilo was about to spin and dart into the bushes, when one of the humans lifted its rifle and shouted. The words it spoke made no sense to him, but in his mind is struck a terrifying familiarity.

"Shoot it!"

Then, like a ground level thunder strike, the air split in two and Kilo's ears rang like church bells. He felt a massive force crashed into the middle of his chest, which sent him flying backwards, head first into the black mud which blinded and choked him. Pain burned his flesh...but when he managed to sit up and regain his sight, he looked down and saw no wounds in his scales.

No bullet holes. Not even a tiny scratch.

"Shoot it!"

The second human figure shouted and lifted its gun, striding towards Kilo with big boots that's squished in the mud. Again the air split and a flash of light burst from the rifle's muzzle, just before another force slammed into Kilo and shoved him back into the mud. He coughed and wailed in terror. His young instincts begged for an adult's protection.

Mother! Hook! Please, stop the pain! No more pain!

There was no answering call in the black forest. No raptor came running to his aid, and he could smell nothing but burnt gunpowder. The rain was coming down so hard it stung at his already hurting scales, churning the mud until it clung to his little body like tar.

"Come here you little beasty."

Kilo suddenly felt hands grabbing for him, and he let out a shrill cry. He rolled onto his back and kicked out with his talons, then tried to get upright and into a position where he could run to safety.

The mud was too slippery. He couldn't get a grip, and both of the humans were trying to grab him...snatching at his neck and tail but cursing when he slipped from their fingers. Kilo felt like he was going to collapse. He was gasping for air between sad cries, and his body was becoming exhausted from efforts to escape. The rain was making him so cold he couldn't feel his limbs.

Suddenly, a new noise burst into the chaos. Lightning flashed overhead and a figure leapt from seemingly nowhere, fangs gleaming and golden eyes bright with uncontrollable rage. A snarl rose so loud it almost sounded like thunder.

The humans were slaughtered, as Kilo curled up into a little ball and covered his face with his paws. He whimpered to himself because it was the only thing he could manage at the moment.

But then...everything went quiet. The rain stopped, and very faintly the hatchling could hear feet moving through the mud. Out of fear he curled up even tighter and whined.

Don't hurt! Go away!

Kilo flicked out one leg and felt it kick into a hard body. He heard a startled snort, then felt the body draw closer and lay down in the mud beside him.

Go away!

Hush, dear child! Do not be afraid!

A soft purr met his ears, and suddenly Kilo didn't feel so cold. Instead he felt warm breath wash over him, which welcomed a whole new range of scents into his olfactory systems.

They were raptor...but Kilo faltered upon the identification tags and felt his heart lurch.

It was an adult female. Her scent was warm and almost sweet smelling, like green grass after a rainfall, and it convinced him to look up with wide eyes and a shocked sob.

Mother?

She was laying beside him, an image of perfection and glory. Her gentle yellow eyes locked with his and communicated motherly affection, while her powerful arching neck gave him a sense of protection, and her voice cooed ever so daintily.

Do not cry anymore, little Kilo. Everything would be alright.

Mother!

The hatchling made a loud cry of shock and glee, as he got up from the mud and toddled to his parent like a newborn fresh out of the egg. He pressed against her smoky black scales and nibbled them, reveling in the joy of feeling her own tongue clean his back, hearing her voice purr lullabies in his ears.

Oh how he missed this!

Somehow, Kilo felt like it had been years since he was last caressed by his mother's muzzle, or since he last heard her soothing voice. He didn't understand it, but lost in that glowing moment he didn't care to notice the uneasy feeling in his gut.

All that mattered was Mother. She was his light in the blackness and he never wanted to leave her again!

But, something was indeed wrong, when mother coughed and Kilo noticed a trickle of blood coming from the corner of her mouth. He whimpered and licked her nose, and she cooed to him in an unconcerned way. She continued nuzzling him even when her breaths became labored by visible pain.

The female was changing before her son's eyes. Her perfect black and red scales were collecting dirt and blood, the stream at the corner of her mouth intensified, and she was beginning to grow weak. Her breaths began to wheeze and her eyes took on a clouded look.

Kilo...

The youngling was whimpering again. In a small way, he knew what was wrong, yet his mind refused to accept it. He clung to her arm with his claws and begged for her to be okay, resisting against the scent of her blood and the sound of her voice.

Everything was fine! She was going to be fine!

Kilo could see faded scenes play within his mind; the human attack, the gunfire, and the thicket. He saw Mother collapse from pain and blood loss, and he saw Hook carrying him and his siblings away from her body. His memory burned with the recollection of a final gunshot in the dark forest. The sick feeling in his gut intensified, and he realized that all of what he was experiencing was a result of memories...real memories that he tried to shut out, but could never forget, even if he tried.

All of the pain and fear he experienced was real. The humans, the guns, the blood, and the death.

Mother was dead. She wasn't truly there.

Suddenly the adult raptor pulled away from Kilo and let him fall into the mud. She was turning away from him, limping towards the trees as she coughed and gagged on her own lungs.

Mother! Don't go!

Kilo tried to stand and follow her, but the mud had enclosed around his legs. It sucked him down to his belly and kept him from moving, so that he wriggled about and screamed, golden eyes wide and voice shrill with sorrow.

Mother!

She ignored him, as a blinding light enveloped her and Kilo clamped his eyes shut. He choked on the terrible nightmare that was crumbling around him. His heart was almost ready to burst with the pain and suffocating weight of loss.

Don't leave!


~...~


MOTHER!

Kilo lurched awake with a sharp cry, teeth bared and golden eyes bulging as his claws screeched over stone like fingernails on a chalk board. His jaws were parted in frightened gasps, his chest was heaving in the effort to hold back sad whimpers, and his tail thrashed wildly.

Don't go! Plea-

The male's frantic voice was lost through the falling veil of sleep. Sitting upright he remained stiff for a moment or two, as his brain woke and his wide eyes stared blankly ahead. His awareness fixed on the physical things surrounding him. His heart still raced, but his panting breaths were deepening. Expanding lungs were working hard to provide plenty of oxygen that helped soothe adrenaline induced panic.

Kilo wasn't in the forest anymore. He was no longer laid out in the mud, but curled up on a massive slab of cold bare stone, located at the center of what seemed to be a large thorny bush. Its hollowed interior made a poor excuse of a 'den', and it smelled unpleasant, primarily of decaying plant life and rodent droppings.

Definitely not the family cave either...

Kilo began to realize that he had woken from a nightmare, and his brain kick started like a spark of electricity. With a shake of his head he glanced about, wide golden eyes narrowing into a mixed look of sadness and disgust. It was only a dream. Just like all the others...it wasn't real.

That didn't mean they hurt any less.

Splat.

Splat.

A droplet of water fell upon Kilo's snout, and he curled his lips up with a soft growl. His tail flicked in agitation but he yelped when it struck the edge of the den's thorny walls. It drew back against his side and he brushed the sharp twigs out of his scales with one paw.

Stupid leaky bush, on a stupid rock, in a stupid rainstorm. It was ridiculous! He hated it!

Splat.

Kilo's snarl was a good indicator for his stress. As he plopped back down on his rock, he covered his face with his paws and let out a few rushed breaths, cursing the world and everything in it. His neck and shoulders rippled with muscles that begged for some kind of emotional release.

Three years had passed since Mother's death, and Kilo had grown to be a strong young adult. By raptor standards he was well built, albeit skinny from poor feeding, with lean muscle and good bones. His teeth were clean and straight. His black scales only had the slightest of scuffs and scars from minor wounds of the past.

A fine young male. In just a couple more years he would reach full physical maturity...but it was nothing short of a miracle that he had survived thus far.

As Kilo laid in silence, trying desperately to forget his pain, he came to hear footsteps outside the thorn bush. He heard claws scraping on rocks, and saw a shadow fall over the small hole through which he entered and exited the den. He saw sharp yellow eyes and gleaming teeth. Inside his chest, his heart gave a sudden burst of fear adrenaline.

Danger! Intruder coming for the den! Defend yourself!

Almost immediately Kilo was sitting up, curling his lips and snarly savagely, scraping his talons over the stone and stomping one foot.

Back off! Don't come any closer!

However, instead of a rival pack member snarling back in aggression, a soft voice rose and asked him to calm.

Relax, brother. It was brutish to be so quick to violence.

Kilo blinked and fell back on his haunches. He watched as a raptor head poked into his den, smoky black scales and red markings catching his eye, but he ushered painful hopes away that it was his dear Mother. He ducked his head and clicked his teeth together in a sheepish greeting.

Shadow was looking more and more like their mother every day. She was a beautiful young female, with fine bone structure, good muscle toning, and a sense of grace within every move that she made. In her eyes she held that same look of gentleness and love, mixed with a hidden strength and confidence that always made Kilo admire her.

Through all their painful years, Shadow was the one who kept him strong.

But, why did she sneak up on him now? Why did she want him awake so early in the morning, during a rain storm no less? Her scales were practically dripping a river of water, and he had no desire to get himself wet.

No thank you!

The female gurgled as though chuckling, and she purred to her sibling in a comforting voice, encouraging him with little bobs of her head. She even reached forward and nipped his cheek in a playful way.

Uncle Hook wanted them gathered in the lower meadow. He sensed prey, and he wanted them to score a kill before the rest of the pack beat them to it. The rain storm was playing to their advantage.

At the mention of prey, Kilo lifted his head and licked his chops. His hungry stomach protested, reminding him how long it had been since his last meal, and how long it had been since Shadow herself had eaten. The poor thing was just as skinny as him, if not worse. Every rib was visible through her scales, and her spine was becoming noticeable through the waning muscles of her back.

They needed food desperately. A little voice of reason in Kilo's head was scolding, reprimanding him for trying to put off another hunt, while his dear siblings were treading a faint line between emaciation and the mysterious illness of lysine deficiency.

Selfish! What kind of a big brother are you, avoiding that kind of responsibility?

Kilo knew he had lost victory over the debate. He looked into his sister's yellow eyes and he saw love, which softened his weary heart and sparked the sibling loyalty that had been between them since birth.

The male grunted and let out a deep breath.

Alright...he'd try one more hunt. ONE more.

To that Shadow crooned gleefully, and she pulled her head back as Kilo began crawling towards the exit. She watched as he winced and squeezed out the tight space, gurgling sympathetically when he received a sharp thorn in his flank.

After their family's den was stolen by a gang of dominant bachelor males within the pack, the three orphans were forced to find some other means of shelter, and as a last ditch effort...made do with the bushes at the top of the den site.

The thorns were painful downsides, but they provided at least some shelter from the elements, and the sharp barbs proved good defenses against rival pack members, whom more or less wanted their lives to be a raptor's hell. All they had to do was hide until their offender grew tired and gave up on the fun.

Omegas...that's what they were. Defenseless low ranks that served as pincushions for the more dominant fangs; good bodies in which to vent one's anger upon.

Kilo hated being an omega. Some days he wished he could challenge the higher ranks, to earn himself an easier time of life...but those wishes were short and foolish, for the consequences of such rebellion could prove too risky.

Omegas that challenged their leaders were killed, or wounded and left to die a slow and painful death.

If Muerte, -the pack's tyrant alpha- was feeling particularly ruthless, he'd leave the omega and kill someone important to them. He enjoyed spreading that kind of pain amongst his pack...like it was amusing to him.

Kilo couldn't stand to lose either his sister or his brother. Not after what happened to Mother.

So, he kept his head down, and advised his siblings to do the same. If hiding in thorn bushes and fighting for scraps of food meant life...albeit a horrible one...he'd stick to it.

Now...what was it Hook said about prey? Was the old coot sure?

Shadow chuffed as though laughing, but she gave her brother a scolding look, which asked that he give respect to their uncle. She shook her body and sent water droplets in all directions, then turned and began walking in graceful stride down the rocky slope. The way she moved was almost a mirror of her mother's arched neck and arms tucked against her chest.

Hook said they were going to hunt a group of "tiny grunters". Shadow could only describe them as that in her head...while in the human language their proper name was "Protoceratops".

Apparantly there was a whole passel of them, not too far from the den site. Probably wallowing in the mud like wild boars, either too distracted to sense the raptor pack nearby, or unable to catch a scent in the difficult wind and pressure system.

Kilo hated the wet season. He hated the rain and the cold...or rather any water contact further than what he had to drink. You could say that was from his first water experience, when he ventured out of the den for the first time and discovered one couldn't breath under water.

The sooner they caught their breakfast, the better. He'd go back to his bush and take a nice nap afterwards.

He walked stiffly behind his sister, head low and golden eyes narrowed. His tail swished anxiously, his lips twitched, and his claws wriggled in a "twiddling your thumbs" motion. Every look into every cave they passed was a look of fear and edgy aggression.

Shadow cooed gently.

The pack wasn't awake yet. No need to be afraid so long as they were quiet.

Kilo grunted back to her, but he wasn't watching his steps, and he almost fell on his face when his foot slipped on a wet rock. It skittered down the slope and cracked into almost every boulder on the way, launching itself off a slab, then splashing down in a large mud puddle at the bottom. The racket felt like it went on for whole minutes.

Both raptors froze and Kilo growled under his breath. They ducked their heads and looked about at all the caves...waiting...not daring to move as they curled their lips and tensed their trembling claws.

Silence. No one woke up, and Shadow cast a hard look back to her brother, whom squared his shoulders and played innocent. He avoided direct eye contact and snorted, then walked past.

It wasn't his fault. She made him trip.

It was all Shadow could do, not to trot after Kilo and nip his flank for teasing her. Instead she moved to walk beside him, where she flared her nostrils and looked ahead, down the rocks to the place where the lower meadow started.

There...half hidden in the wet long grass, they could see two pairs of yellow eyes staring back at them. It was of no concern however, when a head rose up and teeth gleamed in a chitter.

Grey Brother always looked ridiculous in the rain. The poor male's light grey scales were dirty from mud, and the crest of black feathers on his head was plastered down, practically hanging over the ridges of his forehead like bangs.

Just like his siblings, the young male had grown over the years, although he wasn't blessed with Kilo's large size and good muscle development. He was more slender than even Shadow, with small bones that made him look far thinner, and a face that still had that "baby look".

Sometimes Kilo wondered if his brother was ever going to mature. His head barely reached the middle of his neck, and being smaller than average wasn't good in their case. Being smaller meant you were a target. The dominant pack members like to jump Grey when they could, to have their fun knocking him around and venting their stresses on him.

The small scar on the bridge of his nose was a good reminder for one of those fights.

As Shadow and Kilo hopped down from the rocks and onto the wet soil, Grey stepped forward and greeted his sister with a friendly muzzle nuzzle. He wagged his tail like a hatchling, licked her cheek, then turned and regarded Kilo. They stared at each other for a moment...silent, until Grey snorted and bobbed his head in an ever so slight dominant gesture.

Kilo bobbed back, lifting one side of his lips in a larger assertion of dominance.

The two brothers had come to discover they had their differences. As the years passed, Grey still had his timid moments...yet something was changing inside him, as his mind became more intelligent and the stresses of survival wore heavy on his soul.

Kilo loved his brother dearly...but he didn't like that look of "I dare you" developing in his eyes. It made him uneasy...sometimes angry...

Since the beginning, Kilo felt he was the leader of the siblings; the alpha of their pretend pack. Why was Grey challenging that role he was so proud of? Why that year worse than ever?

But, before anything else could be exchanged, a gruff voice rose and a second figure came from the long grass. All three orphans stiffened and lifted their heads like soldiers in an army, taking steps so that they practically stood in a line.

Hook looked at them all with narrowed eyes. He chuffed, sternly, then stepped forward and arched his neck.

The old male hadn't changed much as time went on. He was the same crotchety elder that Kilo met as a hatchling...probably even more strict after what happened to Mother. He raised them best he knew how, and it was quite the childhood, being taught by a raptor whom seemingly knew everything but good gentle parenting.

Mother used to purr lullabies when they were afraid, and sleep with them in the nest at night. Hook just chuffed and told them to be brave...and he did not tolerate anyone touching him while he slept.

True compassion seemed to leave Hook after his niece died. He fed them and kept them safe. That's what had to be done, and he did it well.

Honestly Kilo didn't blame him. He understood the ache...wearing down on his heart until he didn't want to feel it any more, so that just to feel tender emotions made his gut curl with fear.

In a raptor's life, particularly theirs...loss was a daily chance. Anyone could die, and Kilo dreaded the day he would ever loose someone special again. He didn't think he could handle it.

Yet again, Hook interrupted Kilo's thoughts with a low growl.

Pay attention. There was prey to hunt, and they didn't have much time. Did they want food or not?

Shadow and Grey Brother came to attention. Both wagged their tails and licked their chops, while Kilo glanced upwards and tilted his nose in quiet affirmation.

Well then...if they failed, he couldn't promise when there would be food again. Did they understand the importance of success?

Kilo was the first to gurgle, puffing his chest out with confidence as Grey tried to do the same. They seemed quite ready for the hunt, despite the rain that still pelted their hides and made them squint past the water.

Years ago, their first hunting lesson involved mice that lived in the rocks above the dens. As time went on Hook taught them how to work together and take down larger prey, perfectly honing their skills with every bit of knowledge he had accumulated through the years.

Grey brother stepped forward and chittered proudly. HE was going to be the hunt leader that time around, correct?

Hook stared at him in surprise. He chuffed, as though laughing, before turning to Kilo and bobbing his head.

The eldest sibling, the largest of them, would lead the hunt like always.

Grey growled in frustration and gave Kilo a dirty look. Kilo returned it, but before the two could start exchanging hisses, Hook heightened the urgency of his voice and berated their immature actions.

Males! They all became such basket cases during the rainy season!

They had to find the prey and keep silent while doing it, as to not wake the pack and spoil their chances at a decent meal. There wasn't much time before the storm would let up.

Go!

All three siblings flinched, and Kilo ducked his head before turning into the meadow of long grass, towards the nearby tree line. Shadow and Grey followed behind, with Hook bringing up the far rear to supervise. He always went along to watch and make sure they did their parts right, like a good teacher makes sure his students are ready for the trials of life.

Yes uncle.


~...~


Why was Kilo always the hunt leader? Why was he so special?

Grey was deep in a pity party, growling and glaring at his brother's backside, following him through the ferns as they tracked prey. The smaller male was disgusted that he hadn't been chosen to lead the hunt, just like all the other times Kilo was chosen and he was charged with backup duty.

Why didn't Hook see his potential? He could be a good hunter too! He was smarter than Kilo anyway!

A growl sounded, and Grey looked up to see his black sibling looking at him, meeting his intense golden eyes that spoke disappointment and annoyance.

The prey scent they were tracking was fresh. They were getting close, but Grey's fussing would ruin everything. He needed to be quiet.

Kilo waited for silence, and once it came he then focused on the trail and began walking again, slinking through the shadows and flaring his nostrils to keep track of what surrounded him. He was cold from the rain, and his stomach was growling. That combined with a grumpy sibling was making up for a grumpy Kilo.

Wait...what was that?

Shadow, walking through another cluster of ferns just some yards from them, came to a sudden stop and lowered onto her belly. It made Kilo look over, so that he saw a look of excitement in her eyes and copied her actions. Grey and Hook plopped down a few feet behind him.

There...figures moving in the trees up ahead. If they listened closely, they could hear gentle grunting and bleating with the sound of many feet in the mud.

They found the prey. Hook was right.

Immediately, Kilo fixed his eyes ahead. He curled his lips and swished his tail in a moment of thought, contemplating the options and strategies that he should take for the best result.

Protoceratops were small game, in comparison to Isla Sorna's Velociraptors. They could be easy...but they could also prove difficult, if they detected their hunters prematurely, and fled into the brush with an uncanny gift of disappearing.

He had to be smart...

Grey grunted impatiently from behind Kilo. He smelled the prey and licked his lips, before he decided to sit up altogether and shove past in order to get closer. Hook saw what he was doing and chuffed sternly.

Stay back, Grey. Let Kilo do his job!

The grey siblings huffed. Things weren't moving fast enough for him. He was too hungry to wait for orders, especially from his brother. He had grown sick and tired of that!

Kilo growled. In a fit of anger, he reached over to nip Grey's neck, who hissed and tried to nip back aggressively. The two males almost curled their lips and forgot about the hunt...faintly realizing that the prey had stopped making noise.

Silence. No more grunts...no more feet in the mud.

Suddenly, a squeal broke the quiet, and Kilo went wide eyed when something burst out of the brush towards them. He saw a large head with a beaked face and small eyes, racing blindly towards him until it seemed they would collide.

They did. The thick skull slammed into Kilo's chest and knocked him to the side, tearing his breath away and making him gasp in order to catch it. His legs kicked out and his tail whipped around in an effort to regain his footing. He was vaguely aware of many more tiny Ceratopsians racing past him.

They were getting away!

Hook could be heard snarling, berating Grey and directing Shadow at the same time.

Go after them! They were heading for the den site!

As Kilo lay in a heap trying to pull himself together, he heard his sister chuff and leap from where she was hiding. He caught a glimpse of her red markings streaking past, and Grey's pale hide following her. Hook was there urging him to his feet.

Finally, the raptor wobbled upwards, and he turned. He staggered forward, shook his head, trotted, then managed a fast run. He lifted his talons in preparation, as ferns and leaves slapped against his body, and mud splattered onto his underbelly from quickened steps. Hook ran beside him and made angry sounds behind heavy breathing.

Grey was becoming more trouble than any of them could handle. So foolish of him! So foolish of BOTH of them, starting a fight like they did!

Kilo could hardly see anything through the rain at such a high speed. He tried to listen for Shadow, but his own heart was pounding in his ears. His lungs were hurting and his brain was foggy because of it.

They were getting close to the pack den site again. He could sense it in their direction of travel, and soon they would be arriving in the lower meadows, far too close to go unnoticed.

This was going to ruin everything. He had to get up there and help his sister.

Kilo forced his body into another gear, quickening his piston steps and ducking his head so that he was more streamline, bursting through the brush and jumping over a rotten log when it crossed his path. He began to see a gap in the trees ahead, something like dim light in comparison to the forest's dark shadows. His heart sunk and he steeled himself for a struggle.

Too late. They were already there.

But then, before Kilo could continue on and break through that tree line, he heard a shrill squeal to the left of him. Upon looking there he saw Shadow jumping onto a small figure, and he heard her murder cry mix with tearing flesh and Grey's happy whoop.

She was making the killing blow. She had managed to keep their prey inside the trees by just yards!

Once it was done the female lifted her head covered in blood, showing her teeth and arching her neck in a proud gesture. Kilo and Hook turned so that they calmly walked to where she stood, and she sought their affirmations with a little head bob and happy chirp.

Did she do good?

Hook praised with a surprisingly gentle purr. He looked to her feet and regarded the mangled body of an old boar Protoceratops, taking time to notice how his back was broken, and his neck was slashed for the killing blow. The forest floor was painted with blood.

Yes! Very well done!

Grey ducked his head and crept towards his uncle, to lift one leg and display a wound on his belly, from getting too close to the cornered Protoceratops and allowing it to bite him with its beak. It was bleeding only slightly, but he sought Hook's sympathy all the same. Instead the old male narrowed his eyes and growled sternly. He again scolded Grey for complicating the hunt, so that the youngster backed away and went very quiet.

Things were settled rather quickly. The hunt was finished...and it was time for the siblings to savor their meal as much as they could...or rather...not.

Kilo had grown far too used to the hard times of his life. When he approached the carcass and began to feed, he ate violently, tearing flesh from bone and swallowing it as though it would suddenly run away from him. He growled and hissed and continued to eat like that, soon joined by Shadow and Grey whom shared his voracious heating habits.

Hook waited patiently nearby as the carcass was literally torn apart. He wasn't fazed by how his charges ate, for he understood their instincts and knew that they couldn't control it.

He blamed it on the pack. After so many spells of famine, with the bare minimum of food to eat, the three orphans learned they had to eat what food they could, as fast as they possibly could...lest it be taken away by other more dominant raptors. They had to be quick in order to survive.

There was a sudden sharp hiss, and Hook looked up to see Grey curling his lips, growling at Kilo as he greedily tried to steal a chunk of meat from his mouth. Kilo gurgled and wanted to curl his own lips...but Hook also saw his eyes go soft, just before he opened his mouth and allowed Grey to snatch it from his teeth with a victorious hiss.

Kilo loved his brother dearly, but Hook was seeing a change in the young male that he didn't like; that he recognized. He saw a gleam of selfishness in his yellow eyes, and heard a tone of arrogance in his voice whenever he challenged his brother's leadership.

Hook hated to admit it...but when he looked into Grey's eyes...he saw something that concerned him greatly. The resemblance was becoming all too easy to see, and yet Kilo tolerated it with a stiff upper lip and blind affection. Neither he or Shadow could see it.

Grey was becoming more and more like his father.

Suddenly, as Hook stared at his nephews contemplating their life in the pack and in the future, he became aware of noises behind him. He sensed them somewhere beyond the tree line, the slightest of footsteps and bodies moving through grass.

Something splashed through a puddle, and the old male turned around with a low growl. This alerted the three siblings, whom lifted their heads and went wide eyed with shock and fear.

Someone was coming...but was it someone from the pack? Were they not quiet enough?

A series of whispered chitters sounded, and Kilo ducked his head with an angry hiss. He knew those voices all too well, from past meetings that were burned into his memories and instincts of rivalry. He could even smell their scents, confirming his worry.

They needed to go.

Shadow whimpered. She licked the blood from her lips and look at her older brother, clearly disappointed that they were being forced to abandon their kill. He could see the hunger in her gaze, and he felt horrible for denying his dear sister the food she needed.

Kilo hesitated, but he nuzzled Shadow and chuffed gently. He ushered her to go to Hook, along with Grey Brother whom was whimpering and ducking his head with curling lips. He hoped that the elder could keep them protected if things went downhill.

A growl rose not far away in the trees. Shadow hurried to Hook's side, and Kilo bent down to grab his family's kill in his jaws.

The Protoceratops carcass was heavy, as he began dragging it beside him, heading towards the tree line with slow steps and clumsy movements. His golden eyes darted every which way, wide with aggression and fear of a thing not yet visible.

What he feared was not any single thing. It was a group of things, raptors specifically...

Shadow needed the food. Kilo wouldn't see her starve, thus he latched himself to the carcass and made it clear that he was protecting it, arching his tail and growling stiffly to assert possession.

HIS meat. No one else's!

But, as Kilo made it free of the trees and trudged out into a muddy clearing, he was disappointed to sense the stalkers following him. He began seeing figures moving about in the grass, and noticed eyes gleaming hungrily back at him.

Hook grunted as he kept Shadow and Grey close. He told Kilo to be careful...as multiple raptors came into view and made a circle around them, hissing and chittering to one another like wild dogs up to no good.

One, a large young male with chocolate brown scales and black markings, approached Kilo from the front and cackled. He gazed upon the carcass with wide hungry eyes, and his lips curled up in aggressiveness. The raptors following him echoed such threats and bobbed their heads.

Kilo snarled back. He stomped his feet in the mud, but the gang surrounding him responded by squeezing in closer.

That's what they might as well have been called; a "gang". The group of eight raptors was primarily made up of bachelor males, each who boldly thought they were an alpha and had their own rule over the pack, while Muerte's back was turned.

Seeing that Kilo and his siblings were omegas, the gang automatically liked to pick on them, like a pack of jackals pestering lone wolves. They seemed to live for it...and with the rainy season in full swing, the males were particularly aggressive.

The gang leader suddenly lunged. He latched his teeth onto Kilo's carcass and tried to pull it away, thrashing his tail and snarling orders for it to be surrendered. He shook his head and used every muscle to back up...but Kilo wouldn't have it. He kept his grip and planted his feet into the mud, snarling angrily as his larger size helped maintain stability.

HIS meat!

The gang hooted and hollered. They wiggled around in excitement and surprise at the omega's resistance, amused that he would try to stand up to them.

Their leader growled, continued to fight, then looked to his followers and directed them with a discreet head bob.

Get him.

Kilo stood his ground, but slowly, he began to sense something creeping up behind him. He tried to look there, but his head was restricted by the grip he had on the carcass. He flicked his tail and tried to growl...but a hiss responded.

Teeth snapped down onto Kilo's tail like a vice grip. He went wide eyed at the pain and tried desperately to break free, but the raptor latched onto him pulled back and planted his feet. It felt like they were pulling his spine apart from two ends.

Hook called from where he stood with a frightened Shadow. He urged Kilo to surrender the meat...but his nephew resisted. He ignored the pain in his tail and stared at the gang leader.

Another presence drew close, then Kilo felt a raptor biting one of his legs. He yelped and jumped a bit, but they held on and he felt blood trickling down his calf in a small amount.

Instincts began to scream logic.

Under attack! Outnumbered! Let go of the meat and save yourself!

Another mind voice tried to argue that the meat was precious, for Shadow. It told him that he had to protect it...but with every harsh bite and nip to his scales, he was loosing his enthusiasm.

Shadow herself suddenly began calling to him, fear and sadness in her voice.

Kilo! Just drop it!

Another bite, and Kilo found his jaw opening. He heard the carcass fall to the ground with a loud thud, as he spun onto the fool biting his tail. The entire gang went into an uproar as raptors crowded around Kilo and tried to attack him, but the black male was whirling, snapping his jaws and slashing his talons to anyone that got close enough.

Bit by bit, Kilo made his way towards Hook. Most of the gang crowded around the Protoceratops and started fighting over the spoils, but the ones left out fixed their frustrations on the omega they practically had pinned in a corner.

Hook snarled. He hurried towards Kilo and assisted in beating the attackers away, yelling and making all sorts of a ruckus. They yelped and ran with heads down when he swatted their faces, or managed to bite their muzzles and toss them to the side like ragdolls.

When the gang was finally driven off, Kilo stood beside his uncle panting and curling his teeth. He had bite marks here and there, some bleeding, others not so. His tail flashed angrily and he stomped one foot to release some of the tension, lest he charge back into the crowd and try to get his food back.

Almost every hunt ended the same. Kilo couldn't remember the last time his family got a kill to themselves, and it made him furious.

Monsters! The whole lot of them!

Hook groaned, and Shadow crept forward towards her sibling with a sad croon. She nuzzled her face under his jaw and tried to soothe him from anger, then began licking his wounds to show her appreciation for his effort.

He tried...that was what mattered.

Kilo leaned into his sister's comforting touch and sighed. He closed his eyes for a moment of thought, but a sound from above drew his gaze to the rock slope, up at the caves where he could sense movement.

He didn't know what drew the gang to his family's hunt...but no doubt his fight with them was enough to wake the rest of the pack. They came from their dens wondering what all the fuss was about, faces lighting up and jaws quivering at the sight of fresh meat disappearing down gullets that were not their own.

A large adult female came stumbling down the rocks like her tail was set on fire. She snarled and bared her teeth at anyone who stood in her path, leading right up to the carcass, where she pushed the younger raptors aside and plunged her snout into a pile of mangled organs.

Not far behind her came other brave high ranks. Kilo saw hunger and determination on all of their faces, and he ducked his head with a disgusted hiss, when they burst onto the scene and caused an uproar of 'who had rights over the scraps'.

Selfish monsters, every single one of them. He wished he could march right up and give them a piece of his mind, but he knew such outrageous actions would get him killed.

No...they needed to get away from the scene. FAR away, before they were noticed by-

But suddenly, before Kilo could relay his mental decision with the others, they all heard a commotion further up the slope. Every eye turned to the sound of harsh wailing, just in time to see a young male almost fall on his face as he was racing down the rocks. His shoulder was cleaved down to bone...blood pouring out and fear easy to see in his bulging eyes.

A proud snarl came from up the hill. All eyes lifted again, and Kilo blinked before ducking his head and taking a side step against Shadow's flank. His mind began throwing out instinctive orders like a screaming child backed into a corner, both it and his mind becoming overridden by deep fear.

Fear! Hide! Danger coming! Doom!

Shadow whimpered softly and nuzzled her brother's neck with equal dread. Hook moved to stand close to them, as two figures came strutting down the rocks and the pack moved aside like a parting sea. The commotion of the frenzy feeding was silenced until even raindrops on blades of grass could be heard. Not a single body moved for the fear that weighted them in place.

Muerte, was an ever present shadow of death that loomed over his pack. He was the raptor that put their lives into such dark chaos...yet also kept their disheveled society from crumbling apart completely, like a cracking mountainside held together by the roots of the very tree pulling it apart.

He walked down the rocks with chest out and neck arched, ghostly scales gleaming with health and crown of black feathers groomed so that they rose up like the hackles on an angry dog's back. He walked without the slightest hint of weakness, and looked about using cold yellow eyes that spoke hate to every gaze he met.

The alpha male was the very image of death in Kilo's eyes, as he was pushing against his sister's body and sneaking glances from around Hook's shoulder.

He hadn't gotten over his childhood fear of Muerte...not even close.

There was a wave of nervous chitters, when the tyrant alpha came to stop on a large boulder at the foot of the slope. Raptors shifted on the pads of their feet and bound muscles, as he looked down and saw the Protoceratops carcass laid out in the grass, tilting his head with a surprised grunt.

The pack's hunting group hadn't gone out yet that day. To see a dead animal just lying about was a surprise indeed.

Who killed it?

The other raptors grumbled and growled, but eyes looked towards Kilo's family, and Muerte directed his own attention to them with a note of amusement and annoyance. He sneered at them from afar and clicked his talons in thought.

It was the whelp's meat?

Interesting...quite interesting indeed.

Muerte always enjoyed it, when Kilo and his siblings were at the end of his wrath. It was fun for him to see them squirm and whimper under his toes.

Hook growled in a half threat and broadened his stance. He began to protest that the meat rightfully belonged to his niece and nephews, but Muerte hopped down from his rock and calmly stalked closer. Standing before the brown elder he flared his nostrils and snorted.

Move.

Hook glared up at his alpha. Muerte glared back, and in his impatience he bared his teeth, making it all too clear that if the old fool didn't step aside...he'd lose an eye.

Nearby raptors chittered uneasily to each other. Hook resisted, for a moment, but knowing he was pushing luck he groaned and stepped to the side. This cleared the way between Muerte and the three orphans, whom suddenly found themselves caught with nowhere to go.

Shadow and Grey both pressed against their older brother's ribs like shivering hatchlings. Kilo could only choke on his fear, as alpha looked him over and chuffed in a terrifyingly relaxed way.

Was that their kill over there?

Kilo stiffened. He glanced over at the Protoceratops, then back to Muerte, before he pressed his lips together and mumbled acknowledgment.

Surely they wouldn't mind sharing with him, would they? Spare a little fresh meat for their king?

The old alpha was looking for a fight. He was hoping one of them would be stupid enough to defend their meat rights...but at the same time, seeing them almost collapsing in his presence was enough to make him purr and boost his ego.

There was nothing for Kilo to really do. For him and his sibling's sakes, he simply lowered his gaze and ducked his head as a sign of submission and surrender.

A very amused Muerte showed his teeth like he was grinning. He snorted hot air on the three, turned, and succeeded in slapping his tail across Kilo's head with a loud FWAP!

They made a good choice. Kilo kept telling himself that as he watched his alpha strut over to the meat and stoop down to begin feasting, pushing stricken raptors away and snarling when they didn't get out of his sight fast enough.

Don't challenge alpha Muerte unless you plan on dying. That was something he had learned very young, after watching many foolish raptors end up in a thousand bloody pieces on the ground.

Kilo liked to think he wasn't a fool. His decisions were smart...weren't they?

Yah, but he was some coward. The little mind voice teased him of this and made his heart sink.

Shadow, sensing her brother's dark emotions, cooed and nuzzled his throat as Hook stepped close with a low snort. He looked his nephews over to make sure they were alright, before he gave Muerte a cold glare and pointed his snout uphill, trying to give hope to his little family.

Maybe they could score some prey in the high rocks, at least to give them something to digest? Would they like that?

Kilo wrinkled his nose in slight distaste. Rats? Again?

The island's booming rat population had often served as the omega rank's main source of food, when times got rough and the pack made good feeding difficult for the timid. Kilo had his fair share of rodents for dinner...and although he disliked spending so much effort on such small prey...he could see no other options to take.

Alright, fine. Was communicated through a low snort.

Once everyone was in agreement, Hook took lead in the group and began walking towards the rocky slope. Kilo and his siblings followed close behind him, past other raptors that liked to taunt them with sharp hisses, then up on the boulders not far from where Muerte sat.

The old male was lazily gnawing on a fleshy leg bone. He laid out comfortably in the grass, looking around at his pack. When Kilo accidentally met his gaze for a moment, he arched his neck and chuffed dominantly.

Keep moving, whelp.

Kilo choked on a whimper, but he obeyed his alpha and crept past old Hook, who was beginning to have troubles with the uphill climb. Upon looking back he saw him trying hard to hide a limp...on the side of his hip where he had been shot years ago.

The bullet was still in there, encased in scar tissue and pinching nerves when he did certain things...like climbing up hills or laying on his belly..

Their uncle looked up and grunted softly. Kilo saw the frustrated look in his eyes, before those eyes widened and he made a sharp warning chirp.

Look out!

Kilo, confused, turned his head as he kept walking. It was only then that he realized a raptor was standing in his path, and so close that no sooner had the realization crossed his mind, his chest bumped with its chest and a surprised snarl reprimanded him.

Watch it!

Kilo ducked down and made no sound in reply. He pressed his tail submissively into the ground, as the other raptor took a step back and eyed him, chest out and tail up in alarm.

But then...the figure relaxed upon recognizing Kilo as a lowly omega. It rocked thoughtfully on its toes, chuffed, then almost seemed to crouch as it uttered the most gentle of coos, laced with mischief and flirtatious hope.

That was odd...no pack member spoke to him with a such a tone.

Kilo, far too surprised and curious to resist, looked up at the raptor. He saw a feminine figure, smelled her familiar scent, and immediately he was staring at the ground again. It was a gesture both of feared respect and of good sense.

Muerte's consort was a beautiful thing, even Kilo had to admit. She stood there like a swan with her neck arched into an S, dark eyes fixed on him and scales glistening in the rain. They were a blinding white, groomed to perfection, accented by little creamy feathers atop her head.

There was another soft croon from the white beauty. She swayed her head in an effort to grab Kilo's attention, but he kept his eyes lowered and didn't dare respond.

The 'white beauty' was a harlot, in a way that rivaled even Muerte's habit of female chasing. She liked to tease and flaunt herself about, just to see other males squirm and fawn at her feet. She acted innocent but he had watched her in action before...and he knew her game.

Besides...any male dumb enough to go after Muerte's mate was playing with death itself. If the alpha found out someone was trying to steal HIS female, he would be out for blood and hell unleashed if he didn't get it.

No. Kilo wouldn't be caught fraternizing with the King's wife.

So, he bobbed his head to the white beauty and walked around her. He ignored her shocked chirp and disappointed lip curl. He kept walking and glanced over his shoulder to urge Shadow and Grey along.

Grey, walking slower than his sister, looked up at Muerte's consort and fluffed his feathers. His eyes were soft for her, and she turned her charm onto him with a lighthearted coo, raising her tail and swaying dramatically on her legs.

Hook hobbled along in the back and nipped his nephew's flank. Hissing urgently.

Keep moving, Grey.

The young male groaned. He cast a glare to his uncle, but begrudgingly continued up the hill, bidding the white beauty a fond goodbye to which she purred.

The wet season was a difficult time for the pack, but not just because of the wet and the cold. Being that it also brought the courting season, a month in which each raptor sought to find its life mate, everyone within sexual maturity had the natural right to be on edge.

Even more so, after Muerte's greediness of the females forbid any male to court and mate. The tension amongst the bachelors multiplied tenfold and could not be soothed easily...not until the season ended.

Kilo himself had long made up his mind to remain a bachelor, for his first year of sexual maturing. Finding a mate just seemed too dangerous and bothersome, and almost all the females in the pack hated him anyway.

Grey didn't seem to share that disinterest. Kilo often caught him ogling after all the pretty females, seeming all too eager to give them his attention even if they drove him away for being omega ranked, or if their interest was cut off by Muerte's possessive snarling and screaming.

Like father like son indeed.


~...~


Ha! Gotcha!

Kilo lunged like a cat from his belly, off of a large boulder and on top of a crevice some feet away. He shoved his snout between two rocks and rummaged around with his claws, until something small and furry brushed up against his lips and a shrill squeak met his ears.

A quick snap of the teeth gave him the pleasant taste of warm blood. The small furry thing fell limp in his jaws, and he wrenched his head free from the rocks with a victorious gurgle. The large rat he caught dangled heavily between his teeth. Its fur tickled the roof of his mouth so that he wrinkled his nose and stifled a sneeze.

Mammals were such odd creatures. He didn't understand how such itchy fluff could prove useful to them...but still...he didn't think too hard on it. Instead he turned and gurgled gently, calling out as he reached down and let the rat fall to the ground with a thud.

Shadow!

A soft coo answered him from behind, and Kilo turned to see his sister sauntering forward, faint blood on her lips and a hungry look in her eyes. He purred to her and she licked her chops, then got close so that she could run her body against his in an affectionate "thank you".

For the past hour or so he had been hunting for her, generously gifting his food for her to eat, to ensure that she was taken care of first and foremost. Even if the blood tasted good on his tongue, and his stomach growled protests...he gave his food to his hungry sister before he kept it for himself.

He liked seeing her eyes light up. Such moments healed the hurt of living in such a horrid place.

As Shadow laid down and gnawed on her little meal, purring happily, Kilo let his gaze drift across the rocky hillside, to where Grey and Hook could be seen napping on a big boulder. Beyond them he could watch other raptors...starving omegas just like them...turning rocks over and giving a loud bark when they saw a long skinny tail and furry body scampering away.

For a few moments the nearby hunters would scramble and struggle, until one lucky raptor caught the prize and everything quieted back down.

It wasn't like the Protoceratops carcass. The omegas didn't try to slash each other's eyes out, like the higher ranks did when food was involved. They were gentle to one another...respective...considerate.

The omegas treated each other like comrades, if not family members. They were a true pack hiding within Muerte's rule, and were the few raptors Kilo didn't feel like he had to keep one eye out for surprise attacks.

For instance, there was an elder male with albino scales and rosy eyes, whom was rejected from higher subordinate rank because of his unnatural color. With him was a raptor couple and their single adolescent daughter, whos male siblings were killed not long after joining the pack; a second mated pair yet to have their first clutch; and a young female almost his age, somehow still unmated and successfully avoiding Muerte's harem of wives.

They made somewhat of an odd group...but Kilo could see that they looked out for one another and fared decently amongst the pack.

As he stood there, watching them work together to pin a burrow of rats, Kilo saw a small figure darting around the larger legs of the adult raptors. He followed it with his eyes and recognized it as the adolescent female, with grey scales marked by splotches of camouflage green.

She was chirping excitedly and bouncing around with youngling energy that kind of amused him. Her yellow eyes were wide and happy...despite the environment she was born into.

Tango. That's who she'd grow up to be.

Seeing that the little one had yet to be fed, and that her inexperienced parents were having difficulties catching meat that day, Kilo grunted and began looking through the rocks. He did this quietly so that no one would notice, until he managed to kill a small rat and began walking towards the group.

At first they looked up at him and stiffened. Tango hid between her mother's legs with a fearful yelp, and the adults positioned themselves in a cautious display of defense. The old albino eyed him calmly, while the young bachelorette female jumped to the front and snarled like she was going to kill him.

That was the first time Kilo got a close look at her. She was as big as him, with tan scales marked by golden yellow over her eyes, and in two stripes down either side of her back. The aggression she gave in her eyes made him blink and chuff gently.

Lima wouldn't change much over the coming years.

They were nervous around other raptors. Kilo didn't blame them, thus he came to a stop and looked around at the faces staring back at him.

He simply wanted to give the young one some food. See?

Kilo bent down and rested his gift on the stone, then nudged it with his nose towards Tango. She was gawking at him from where she hid, unsure of him but giving interest to the meat that he brought.

That was when he looked up and met the mother's gaze. Immediately his heart ached, and he stared at her for a long moment in memory of his own mother, until something touched his leg and he looked down.

Tango was there, running her body up against him with grateful purrs. She cooed and chittered in a friendly way to him, as her parents shifted around and Lima growled, before lifting her head and eyeing Kilo with awe in her eyes.

Kilo didn't know what to do for a moment. He chuffed gently to Tango and she looked up at him, eyes bright and teeth showing. In her face he saw an image of himself...young...living life as a careless adolescent under the protection of his dear mother.

He saw a version of himself that never existed. It drew him to the little female, and for some reason, he wanted to make sure that she didn't end up like him.

Suddenly, as Tango stooped down and hungrily snatched the rat into her mouth, a commotion ruined the peaceful quiet. It burst through the air as a sharp snarl that made the entire omega group jump, followed by thuds and scraping of talon on stone. Rocks skittered from further down the slope and bodies slammed together repeatedly.

Someone was fighting, but that wasn't anything new. Raptors in Muerte's pack got into dominance brawls all the time.

However...Kilo sensed something on the tone of the screaming voices he heard. It made his heart jump and his instincts rise up in persistent thoughts, so much that he lifted his head and found himself chuffing nervously.

Grey was doing it too. His younger brother was awake and peering down the slope with wide eyes and a wagging tail.

Look! Look! Its two of the bachelors fighting over a female!

He sang with peculiar excitement in his chirps, which drew Shadow and the rest of the omegas in to see whatever was going on. Hook and the old albino male were snorting and shaking their heads in disapproval of the upheaval.

Kilo couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. What was happening? Who was fighting over a female? What female?

Giving up, he crept over to the group and joined them in spectating, looking down the hill to find a bloody scene. He blinked and arched his neck in an excited way...not helping the way he shifted in place and clicked his teeth together.

Two males were latched together at the face, biting each other's snouts and slashing their claws across necks and chests. They were covered in blood and dirt, as they threw themselves to the ground and kicked out with their death talons, then got back up and spun in dizzy circles.

Their screeching and cackling was enough to make any animal go deaf. Tango was huddled between her mother's legs with her paws over her head, trying to block out the horrible noise. Grey seemed thrilled by it as he rocks on his feet and wriggled his talons together.

Kilo himself was searching for the female straight off. He looked all around the fight and examined the faces of each raptor watching, until he saw one lone raptor laying proudly across a boulder, tail flicking from side to side and dark eyes watching the blood bath taking place.

Of course! It was the white beauty!

Kilo didn't know how she managed to start a fight between two young males, but he did see how she bobbed her head and twitched her lips. It seemed as though she was quite pleased with herself, as love stricken fools practically tore each other apart at her feet.

All for her.

Before long, it became clear who would win the challenge and who would fail. From beginning to end it was rather quick...but for Kilo it felt like an eternity of apprehension.

The smaller of the males, wounded and exhausted, pulled out from the fight and staggered a submissive distance from the female being fought over. He coughed blood and limped on a strained hip, as the victor stood tall on his feet and brushed off his wounds with a proud cackle.

Beauty was showing her teeth like she was smiling. As her male suitor got close and spread his arms, which were feathered green and painted by his own blood, she purred and encouraged his actions. He displayed his body off for her and she praised him...but Kilo saw a lie in her body language and voice. Her eyes were casting small glances to something off in the distance. Her lips were curling higher, and her claws were kneading the stone with hidden excitement.

Rule number one had been broken. NEVER, try to steal one of Muerte's females.

He came from behind, in a blur of grey scales and flashing teeth, snarling and shrieking. The young male barely had enough time to look up, before his alpha crashed down on his back and knocked him to the ground with breath taking force. He gasped for air and snarled back, but Muerte was standing over him and blocking his way to stand.

Kilo's lips twitched and his eyes narrowed in somewhat of a wince. Hook and the albino male shook their heads, before turning and leaving the audience for what was to come next. The rest of the group quickly followed them, save for Shadow, Grey, and Kilo.

There was an awful screaming, coming from the young male as Muerte pinned him to the ground. Using a grip on his throat to hold him down, he slashed his claws and kicked with one death talon. All of these strikes landed on soft belly flesh, dealing fatal damage as the young male was cut open, cleaved from the bottom of his ribcage to his pubis bone, exposing major abdominal muscles which Muerte also severed.

He kept slashing. He held his grip on the young male's neck, but he did not use it to puncture the life vein for a quick kill.

Kilo knew he liked to hear them scream. He liked them to die slow and painfully, and that's how death came to claim the victim. He fought and cried every moment that his body was mutilated, bleeding from exposed organs and severed tissue, until the massive blood loss made him go limp.

Muerte dropped his grip and stepped back to admire his handiwork. His lips curled and his neck arched dominantly, as pack members watched on with horror filled eyes and anxious chuffing.

Beauty, whom had watched the whole scene with somewhat of a grin, hopped down from her perch and coyly walked up to her alpha. She nibbled his bloody jaw making a soft coo, and he acknowledged her, but his growl and nip was far from the affection usually found between raptor couples.

The look in his eyes was wild and uncontrolled. Everyone knew the messages he was communicating to them, and everyone ducked their heads like commoners bowing to their tyrant king.

His female, his kingdom, and his rules. Anyone to threaten what was his, would end up like all the rest; torn apart and laying dead on the ground!