Oh my gosh, hello there everyone! I have returned for a LONG overdue update for WSB.
First off, I would like to apologize...again. This update would have come back in September, but my summer/fall job got me a bit off track, and I was forced to take a break from writing for a week or two.
But, when I had the chance to write again...I was stuck. Some emotional stuff was going on, and life was throwing some nasty curve balls, so writing had become difficult for me. Any kind of writing, and all the tricks and tips I knew couldn't help me get back into it.
I know this is just another excuse and some of you may not appreciate it...but these months that you've been waiting, I have been fighting as hard as I could to get another update done. Its finally happened...and you have no idea how thankful I am to have such patient readers.
Before we get started, I'd like to mention some things.
First off...Fallen Kingdom has been releasing trailers, and oh my gosh guys. It's so awesome, right? :D The hype train is at full speed!
This also presented kind of a worry for me...that you guys would no longer be interested in WSB. I was worried that the purpose for writing it was gone.
But then...after asking a question on my other site Deviant Art...I discovered that there's a good number of readers whom would like to stab me with a fork if I stopped writing WSB. (Not literally of course, hehe) They insisted that I continue WSB despite Fallen Kingdom...and it made me so happy that you guys like my story so much.
SO! WSB will now become an "Alternate Sequel" to Jurassic World, and will not be tied to Fallen Kingdom. That way it can continue as I've had it planned since 2015. The plot has all been written out and unchanged...so anything you see from here on out has been in the works since just after the first film was released in theaters, and nothing has been inspired by Fallen Kingdom. (May have a few nods here and there, however.)
I'm excited, because in all honesty...my plot for WSB might not be as far from Fallen Kingdom as one would think. (Ooooooooo)
-
The second announcement, concerns my writing style for WSB.
In the last chapter, I tried changing things up a bit by putting the raptors' thoughts into italics, to a few readers' request. My thoughts on such a change are actually against it...which I am sorry to those that requested it to help them better understand what was going on.
Adding the italic thoughts, if anything, made it harder for me to continue writing. It almost seemed to snuff out my connection to what was going on with the characters, and honestly it made it sound more like a Disney animal show than a "Raptor Red" or "White Fang".
I hope this comes to no offense, but my original plans for this story were to make the character communicate as White Fang communicated in Jack London's story.
This meant a whole lot of body language, and inner thoughts translated through narrative. The italics made it seem too much like they were talking.
So, I've decided to go back to my original writing style, and continue with it through the rest of the story. (I again apologize to those whom requested the italics. I did my best to try it, and I didn't like it too much, unfortunately.)
And now! Drumroll please!
Chapter #29 of Why So Blue. The last chapter of Kilo's backstory, which will soon be followed by Chapter #30. Blue shall soon be in the spotlight once again! (You all are probably sick to death of my OC baby's childhood story. hehe)
Thank you everyone!
"Jurassic World: Why So Blue?"
Chapter 29
"History Pt #4 - The Scars That Define Us"
The rain was coming down in torrents over his head. With what seemed to be the force of a waterfall, it drummed into his scales and ran down his face, so that he constantly sputtered and wiped at his eyes with the backsides of his paws. The rain hitting the earth sounded like thunder in his ears, and the streams of water he moved through turned his feet to ice.
Even as Kilo ventured into the black night, he could feel the terrain shift and sink beneath his feet. Sometimes it gave way completely and caused him to stumble with a loud grunt.
Mid-August was the wet season at its very peak. The storms were the worst of that year by far, causing all manner of floods and damage to the island so that the meadows became submerged and mountainsides crumbled. In all three years of Kilo's life, he had never seen such a terrible season. Never before had the rains gone for so long, and caused so much chaos within Muerte's territory.
So why was he out in such horrid conditions, while the rest of the pack retreated to the safety of their dens? Why couldn't he do the same and curl up for a good sleep?
Because somewhere out there, lost in the same raging storm, was his egg-head of a brother.
Kilo growled to himself. He meticulously picked his way down the slope, pausing to judge the stability of a rock, then jumping up on it in order to get a better perch. From up there he kept very still and tried to hear through the rain. His nostrils flared to find scents, but they were watered down and too faint to identify.
Many long sniffs and frustrated growls later, nothing was found and the black omega trudged onward. His hissed and ground his teeth angrily together, as a small sign to his inner torment.
This business of running away to court females in secret was getting old. Grey knew very well there were rules against courting...but as the last weeks of the mating season went by, his common sense was lost further behind instincts demanding to be obeyed. He became bolder, and the consequences of his actions became increasingly dangerous.
They all saw what happened to the last male who tried such foolishness with the bachelorettes. Stepping out of line was punishable by death, and the horrid murder of the young fool had served a good lesson to the pack. They heeded it's warning for some time...but just as time ended all living things, the memory of such good lessons faded in the minds of Romeos seeking their Juliets. The body wasted away and the bachelors went right back to their reckless behaviors, just like before.
The business of love was at hand, and as the final days of the courting season waned on, even Kilo could feel the natural call. It pestered him in every waking moment that a female was within sight or smell of him. He strove to resist such urges, and to keep his brother safe from them as well.
Suddenly, coming to a full halt, Kilo lifted his head and flared his nostrils with a high-pitched gurgle. He wriggled his claws and flicked his tail, as he became aware of something on the edge of his visual range. It was big and looming above him, so that even through the pouring rain he recognized it as the mouth of a sizeable cave. He could see water pouring down like mini waterfalls from the rocks that made the entrance.
A moment of stillness and anticipation followed. Kilo stared at the den and chuffed, but he was unsure if he should investigate.
Big caves also meant high-ranking raptors. Only the "aristocrats" of the pack; the alpha, beta, or the high subordinates were allowed to have the best cozy dens. Risking a potentially fatal confrontation with such pack members made him nervous.
But then, almost as the male ducked his head and decided to retreat, something from within the den caught his attention. It made him blink and tilt his head to the side, with a low grunt of curiosity.
Silence...maybe it was nothing...but then he heard a soft chitter, and his eyes widened. His nostrils puffed and his tail flicked, as scents caught the identification portion of his olfactory senses. Interest in the den skyrocketed within seconds as he smelled a female, one year older than him, subordinate rank, and bachelorette. He heard feminine toned chirps and coos, but he also heard the voice of a male raptor, chirping and cooing along with the unmistakable script of a courting song.
Kilo's lips curled and his golden eyes narrowed into slits. As the rain continued to pour, he felt the muscles of his back and legs bind up on their own will, and his lungs fill with air that wanted to escape in an infuriated call.
He knew that voice...
Tossing hesitation to the wind, Kilo lunged forward into the den like a bullet. His black scales blended with the shadows and his cries echoed against the rocks, just before there was a heavy THUD and talons scratched like knives over a chalkboard. A violent battle of snarling and struggling ensued.
Occasionally a black tail whipped into the dim light for a fleeting moment, or ghostly grey scales, or flashing teeth and burning eyes. It went on that way for some moments...then suddenly, Kilo came bursting out of the cave. He drug a second raptor with him. He had a firm tooth grip on the end of his tail, and held his head so high the smaller male almost couldn't touch his feet to the ground.
With all the thrashing and screaming of a tantrum throwing child, Grey fought his brother and tried to break free. Behind them a flustered young female stood in the entrance of her cave, not all sure what to make of the situation, her eyes big and her voice making chirps of unease.
All mating bonds began with a courting trial; a time in which the male raptor spent hours or even days performing acts of worth, to prove himself as a strong and worthy mate. The courting trial itself started with a dance, and to some might even look similar to how birds of the rainforests woo their chosen lovers.
Grey was halfway through the dance when Kilo found them. The female was just showing her interest when he came thundering in and almost literally drug her suitor out by the ear. It was safe to say she was turned off by Grey's seemingly insane older brother. Even as they left her den she was shaking her head and making little chitters of disappointment, before turning and disappearing into the shadows back to bed.
Kilo snarled through clenched teeth. He pulled his brother a few more feet, then pointedly dropped him in the center of a large mud puddle with a loud splat!
How dare he take a risk with the females! How dare he disobey direct orders!
Grey sputtered and slowly got to his feet, as his lips curled and his yellow eyes glared shards at Kilo. He was an absolute mess with wet black feathers plastered over his head, and his voice was dropped into an enraged snarl, protesting that his latest "date" was apprehended. The male shook the mud from his belly and continued to glare at his concerned brother, who had gone quiet and stood his ground with a stature of proud dominance. Grey saw that and he let out a heavy breath of contempt.
His dear brother, always watching out for him; coddling him, warning him to stay home, keeping him safe, telling him what to do, and what he couldn't do.
Grey was sick of always having to listen to other raptors. Kilo's show of bravery and dominance was a bluff that melted into fear and submission whenever a meaner pack member bared its fangs. It wasn't real.
What gave Kilo the right to deny him love? A mate? A bond that his instincts demanded more than the urge to survive?
Grey snarled again and stomped out of his mud puddle to face Kilo head on. He went right up so that their faces were only inches apart, his breath visible in the cold damp air, and their bodies glistening from the rain that came down. He stared right into Kilo's eyes, and Kilo stared back in an infuriatingly calm way.
It was time to go home.
Grey narrowed his eyes and stood his ground, as he bared his teeth and challenged leadership. Kilo firmed his growl and repeated himself.
Home. Now.
Silence...then...finally breaking...Grey's lips trembled and his head lowered before he turned away and began slinking up the rocks towards home. His rogue actions betrayed the childhood image of a meek and timid youngling, that used to follow his siblings around and look up to them with big sweet eyes.
Kilo thought back to that with dismay, and a tired grunt escaped him. Sadness crept into his eyes that he tried to hide.
His heart still bore the scars from Mother's passing. If the day ever came that he would lose one of his siblings, he feared he would break completely...but he could only drag Grey away from danger so many times...
It was getting worse. Why didn't his brother understand that he was trying his best to keep the family safe?
Angry, tired, and discouraged, Kilo walked close behind Grey. They made their way up the slippery trail in total silence...save for the younger brother's hushed growls and clicking teeth. Kilo pretended he didn't hear it, and simply wished to be home again as soon as possible. Home in their nice warm den snuggled up next to Shadow to get the rain chill out of his body.
It wasn't long before something caught Grey's wandering eyes, however. When he came to an abrupt stop, Kilo restrained from nipping his flank with a stern hiss, looking about in an effort to see what was so fascinating.
Keep moving! It wasn't the time to stop and gawk!
Grey, of course, ignored him. With head high and tail wagging, he uttered a soft coo, as his big yellow eyes fixed in one place and a gleam of attraction filled them. Such an expression was quite familiar to Kilo...frightening almost...and made him curl his lips in frustration.
Pay attention, Grey. It was no time for-
But then there was a responding coo, and Grey wagged his tail hard enough it slapped Kilo upside the head. This knocked him to the side a bit and dazed him...but when he looked up, his own eyes widened and his lungs wrenched out a grunt.
The White Beauty.
There she was...in all her glory, standing within the mouth of a massive cave. Her slender body was elegantly posed; tail swishing, claws tensing, neck arched, feathers ruffled, and dark blue eyes fixed directly on them. She seemed to study them from head to toe, thoughtfully cooing and dipping her head to the side.
How long had she been awake? How long had she been watching them?
Kilo stepped back and dared not make eye contact with the female. Grey bobbed his head a little, as he rocked on his feet and made little chirping sounds to voice his curiosity...no...his infatuation with the alpha's queen.
It was obvious from the start of the courting season, that Beauty had poisoned his brother's mind, just like the other young males groveling at her feet. With each time that he saw her, his eyes gleamed a little brighter, and his vocalizations became just a little bit louder. Each time Beauty pulled him in with a little look or a purr that seemed to have him buckling at the knees, like she knew exactly what his weaknesses were.
Absolutely unacceptable. Kilo wouldn't let Grey get within twenty feet of that "disaster waiting to happen".
Snorting, having half the mind to snarl at Beauty for tempting his brother, Kilo reached forward and shoved Grey's shoulder with his snout. The younger male stumbled forward and cackled angrily. He gave Kilo a cold glare, but big brother kept his own eyes on the female.
Her stare had shifted his way. The look in her eyes was almost amusement, mixed with a seductive charm that poked at even his suppressed instincts. It made him blink and curl his lips like he was being violated.
Beauty ought to have been ashamed of herself, being so disloyal to her mate. Granted he was just the same...but raptors weren't meant to be so. They were meant to be forever bonded and loving to their mates...not jumping from partner to partner whenever they felt like it.
She betrayed the raptor way, just like Muerte, and that's why Kilo had developed a deep hate for her.
Home. No distractions.
He nudged Grey's hip and gave him a stern hiss, which earned a hiss in return and a dark look. The two of them shuffled on their way as Beauty snorted and followed with her eyes.
~...~
As Kilo and Grey Brother gained distance up the slope, through the slippery rocks and past swelling streams, they did not climb towards the upper ridges as they usually did, to get to the thorn bushes. Instead, their destination led towards a group of small caves on the ridge below, where they had an actual den...but that was only thanks to the young fool's death, and his home left abandoned for almost anyone to claim.
It wasn't prime real estate, by any means. It was small and smelled odd like wet moss, but it was more of a home than they had in a long while. Kilo was glad to be rid of his painful and leaky bush. Very much so indeed.
Strutting up to the cave, shaking the water from his scales and wiping it again from his eyes, the male stepped inside and let his eyes adjust to the darkness. A chitter of greeting barely left his mouth before a dark figure came barreling towards him.
Brace for impact!
Shadow met her brother in a storm of coos and licks. He ducked is head down so that she could nuzzle against it, and he echoed her frantic affections with reassuring rumbles, telling her that all was fine.
Kilo could tell that his sister had been worried for them. After Grey went missing and he left the cave to go find him, she was tortured by all manner of anxieties and imaginations of the worst scenarios.
Questions like; Was Grey in trouble? Did he go out and get attacked by another male? By Muerte? Was he okay? Was he hurt?
Hook, of course, slept blissfully unaware of the situation at the back of the den. It was a wonder Shadow hadn't worn a path into the stone with all of her pacing.
She finished greeting Kilo with a final nuzzle, just as Grey stepped into the den with an intense gleam in his eyes. She turned to him and went very quiet, seeming to think for a moment, as her narrowed eyes and grit teeth showed disappointment in his rogue activities.
But, making a soft purr, the female stepped forward to caress her younger sibling as well.
Grey growled and lifted his head out of her reach. He let her nip his throat and gurgle at him in gentle reprimanding, all the while glaring at the ceiling and flicking his tail in annoyance.
Big sister didn't approve of his behavior either. It made him angry, so much that he peeled away and crept to the back of the den, where he moodily flopped onto the cold stone and faced his back to them.
As the rain continued to fall outside, the three siblings settled down for the rest of the night. Kilo attempted to invite Grey to where he and Shadow slept together, trying to smooth their confliction over, but he only got a sharp growl in response.
Grey didn't much like sleeping with them anymore. Kilo just growled back and laid down, snuggling up next to Shadow and reaching forward to lick the back of her head. She purred and looked up at him sleepily, playfully batting him with her paw before he draped his neck over hers and practically hugged her to sleep.
From behind, two yellow eyes watched on with a gleam of jealousy and anger.
~...~
Throughout the night Kilo checked on Grey, making sure he stayed out of trouble, safe in their den. Throughout the night the storm raged on, so that gusts of wind made him and Shadow push closer together in search of one another's warmth, and a growing puddle at the entrance of the den forced them to shift back a few feet.
Each check was the same. Kilo would open one sleepy eye and see Grey laying with his back turned to the rest of them, sides moving on even breaths and tail twitching. He'd watch him for a moment, before closing his eyes and letting the falling rain lull him back to sleep.
Fifteen minutes passed and he would wake again on a mental alarm; check grey, listen to the rain, and fall asleep. Seven times this repeated and it seemed the rest of the night would go by uneventful...yet on the eighth check, Kilo immediately sensed that something was wrong.
He first sensed that the rain was no longer falling outside and that the wind had gone eerily still. He shivered slightly and tucked his nose into the crook of Shadow's neck, but as he did so, he cracked one eye open to glance over at his little brother.
Darkness. He could see all the way to the back wall, where Hook was laying on his side snoring. It zapped something in his brain as his eye slid shut, taking a moment to process, then waking him with a jolt and a sharp inhale. Both eyes snapped open and stared at the bare stone in absolute bewilderment.
Grey was gone...again.
Kilo lurched to his feet with an angry growl and shuffled over to the spot where his brother had been sleeping. His tail flicked in agitation and his claws flexed for all the tension he was storing up in his muscles. Shadow woke from the disturbance and looked up at him with a confused groan.
Grey's scent was decently strong, but the heat of his body was almost gone from the stone surface. That meant he had left the den some time ago, and had done so without alerting his family.
He just didn't know when to quit! Kilo was ready to discipline him with a good tail-whack to the head; maybe it would fix his broken survival instincts!
The black male stomped to the cave entrance and looked out at the cloudy night sky. He took a moment to think about what needed to be done next, breathing unevenly, as Shadow sat up and whimpered softly. He chuffed back at her to stay in the den, to which she flopped back onto her belly and gurgled in disappointment.
He didn't need to worry about two siblings. "Grey the problem child" was one enough.
So, walking swiftly out of the den and into the damp post-rainstorm air, Kilo squinted through the dark and picked his way once again down the rocky slope. He again flared his nostrils in an effort to catch Grey's scent for tracking...but he did not have troubles like before. The scent was suspended in the air like an invisible string, stale but easily detectable now that the rain wasn't washing it away. It wafted into his nostrils and immediately led him towards the source.
The flooding had gotten worse in the passing hours. His feet slipped through puddles on the rocks, claws keeping traction best he could manage. In some places, the damage had grown significantly worse and washed entire sections of the hillside away.
Once, Kilo stepped onto a large boulder and found it giving way underneath his feet. He only barely managed to jump clear as it crashed down the slope, causing raptors in their nearby caves to wake and poke their heads out with low growls. Some stepped out and gave him threatening looks.
What was the omega doing up so early? Why was he making such a racket?
Kilo ignored their sharp chuffing and continued to follow the trail. As his eyes adjusted to the night and his olfactory system picked up strong aromas, he began tensing up and sensing that something was very wrong, in both the direction he was heading and the hidden messages he was picking out from Grey's scent.
He was going back for the bachelorettes, as Kilo suspected...but not towards the female from earlier that night. His scent was full of excitement and bold male instincts...but there was fear and anxiety mixed into it. Signals of bad intentions oozed from such a mixture, and made Kilo himself chuff nervously for fear of what his brother was getting into.
Ground to the dens was covered quickly. With each minute that passed by, Kilo was walking faster, and growing more frantic that his brother had not yet been found. The scent led him past countless dens occupied by females, so that it was questioned if Grey was trying to find a female at all.
Where was he going? What was he doing?
As Kilo climbed up a small ridge and reached the top, he found himself breathing hard and trying to calm his heart. His wide eyes searched frantically for a sign, and his chest tightened as a soft chitter escaped him in an effort to call to Grey.
No answer.
But then, as Kilo took a moment to find his bearings, he heard a skitter of rocks coming from a shallow ravine below where he stood. His eyes immediately went there and his lips flinched, hope running through him that he had finally caught up to his brother.
There was nothing to see at first...just rocks and sparse vegetation, until from around a big boulder Kilo saw a flash of grey scales. He scrambled to another position to get a better look, and in doing so saw Grey come waltzing up the hillside behind another raptor, bumbling over his own feet, trilling a courting song with all of his might.
Kilo hissed. He saw the joy in his brother's eyes and his chest burned with something between jealousy and disgust. He looked to the other raptor in efforts to identify it...but upon laying his eyes on the slender form, they widened further and his heart stopped in his chest. A choked grunt escaped him but nothing else could be managed.
The White Beauty moved like a woman on a catwalk, quite amused by the young omega she collected while getting a late night drink. She went some distance up the hillside and let him follow her, then came to a stop and let him approach. Her tail brushed against his throat seductively and her eyes spoke attraction, but the moment he tried touching her face with his snout, she pulled back and frolicked away like a hatchling. Grey chased after her and chittered like it was the most wonderful of games.
The fool! Of all the females to court, why did it have to be HER!
Kilo snarled. It was his job to protect his family and see them survive another year. Seeing them safe gave meaning to his life, and he wouldn't see his little brother killed for the sake of foolish love!
He had to put a stop to it.
So, watching the two raptors and the course they were taking, Kilo plotted a way that would cut them off on the top of the ridge. He hurried along its crest and up onto a group of large boulders, just as Grey and Beauty climbed into view with tender chuffs and muzzle nuzzles.
Kilo curled his lips. He waited until they were standing almost directly below him, before he arched his neck and hissed, then jumped off of his perch and landed with a thud on the ground. So suddenly was his presence revealed that Grey and Beauty lurched in surprise. Both raptors yelped and whirled to face him like two teenagers caught in the act, wide-eyed and breathing hard, blinking at the sight of him.
Grey's look of fear immediately shifted to disgust. He ducked his head, growled at his brother's interruption, then stepped sideways so that he stood directly in front of Beauty. His flexing talons and shining eyes gave clear challenge of possession.
Kilo hissed in reply. He tried to step forward, but Grey's hackles lifted and he showed his teeth with a warning snarl.
Stay away! My female!
Beauty cooed in approval, but secretly she had her own dark eyes locked on Kilo. She gawked at his boldness as he attempted to push towards them. She flicked her tail and tiled her head when she heard the deep growl in his puffed chest and anger in his gaze.
The female looked him up and down like a queen admires a soldier in her army, acknowledging behavior and physical strength. She knew Kilo as a submissive raptor and had never seen him so riled up before.
But there were two of the pack's most timid of omegas...facing off and showing their confidence in such ways that she couldn't contain the shiver through her nerves and fluffing of her adorning feathers. Her interests skyrocketed behind mischief.
Grey cackled, and suddenly the female's thoughts were interrupted. She looked between the two brothers and was slightly annoyed by their bickering holding up the excitement...yet in doing so...she had an idea.
Beauty liked it when there were two. Two suitors meant love battles; bloody, savage, thrilling, and ALL for her affections.
Was it possible? Would their sibling bond stop physical confrontation?
That worry was blasted away when Grey bounced on his feet and cackled again. He made a mock charge towards Kilo and the black raptor stumbled backward with wide eyes, almost tripping on a rock before he snarled angrily.
No...she could sense that their relationship was strung across a burning bridge. She could sense a deeper conflict between them, getting more and more agitated as Grey fought for what he desired, and Kilo tried desperately to persuade him from it.
The White Beauty was experienced in such situations. She knew if she played her cards right, the bridge would fall...and she'd have front row audience to possibly the best love battle of that season!
So, tilting her head up and fluffing her feathers to perfection, Beauty sauntered around Grey. She let her body slide across his shoulder, causing him to stiffen and puff out his chest, especially when she began walking away and her tail dragged against the crook of his throat. She teased him with her voice...then looked ahead and continued her graceful movement right on up to Kilo.
The black male watched her with a sideways look of confusion. As her big eyes locked with his, he choked on a grunt and stumbled in reverse, so that she was following him and forcing him to retreat until there was nowhere left to go. His backside hit the rocks behind him and he stared down at her like she was acidic to the touch.
Kilo was bewildered by her actions, having not been courted by a female before. He pulled his head as high as he could and found himself trapped under her doe-eyed gaze, as she inched so close her body threatened to press up against him.
With what little space between them, Kilo was given a view of Beauty he had never seen before. As he stared down at her, trying to avoid the ocean blue of her eyes, he noticed just how soft and curly her tan feathers looked. He realized that she was actually not solid white at all...but she had two markings like smoky brown eyeshadow, and down her neck were tan stripes so faded one couldn't see them unless they were in such close quarters.
Suddenly, flashing her head up to lick his throat and nuzzle him, the female turned so that she was looking at Grey, watching for his reaction. Her doe eyes shifted to dark mischief, and her singing purrs turned to coos of temptation.
Come on boys! Fight for me! Winner gets the prize!
Kilo blinked. Fight? With Grey?
Stimulated instincts sang for joy of a female's attention. His mind and heart for sibling loyalty, however, balked at the idea of battling his brother for rights to a female. Surely she didn't expect them to betray their family bond. Surely Grey had enough self-control to realize she was trying to cause trouble.
But, when Kilo tore his eyes away from Beauty, he found himself choking on his bewilderment. His body tensed and instincts decided that courting a female suddenly wasn't so important, as the female in question dodged sharply to the right and gave a sharp WHOOP of excitement.
Grey came at him in a flurry, low to the ground with arms spread out in attack position. Surprisingly nimble movements carried him over the rocks within just a few strides, then catapulted him upwards, legs out and jaws spread wide in a cackling battle cry. Kilo barely had enough time to see him and process just what was happening. He barely had enough time to put his own claws out, before they came together and the force of it almost stole the breath from his lungs.
Both raptors fell to the ground in a mess of screeches and flashing teeth. Grey was on top, slashing blindly with his claws that cut and gouged, while Kilo shrieked and struggled to get himself free. His pleading voice fell on deaf ears as wild eyes burned into his own with no remorse.
The fight felt like it went on forever, but it actually only lasted a few seconds. During these seconds Beauty had moved herself to a nearby boulder; watching on and chittering happily to herself, kneading her claws, pleased by Grey's performance.
It wasn't long before the noise gained more attention. From nearby dens, raptors poked their heads out and growled tiredly. Some stared in bewilderment at the fight, some trudged back to bed, while a good number of them rushed from their homes and gathered around. The enthusiasm of their cackling and stamping feet only seemed to thrill Beauty more, and she praised her wonderful chaos with lighthearted coos.
Never before had lowly omega ranks gotten into a love challenge for her. It was absolutely unheard of...and positively thrilling.
Suddenly, as Grey gained the upper hand and pinned a screaming Kilo to the ground, something rose up above the noise. It was distant and no one noticed at first, but when two figures came rushing down the hillside, raptors turned their heads away from the furor and curled their lips back. Beauty made disappointed growls and hopped down from her perch.
Hook and Shadow burst through the audience and stared with wide eyes at the fight. Shadow whimpered, frightened for her brothers, while Hook wasted no time and burst forward with a commanding shriek.
GREY! KILO!
The brothers were clawing at each other. Grey was using his arms to shove Kilo's chest, slamming his upper body and head repeatedly against the rocks, until spots appeared in the black male's eyes and a ringing started in his ears.
They were almost oblivious to their family members until Hook drove himself between them and slapped Grey to the side with one paw. He snarled and scolded their foolishness with the fiercest voice he had ever given them, while Shadow hurried to Kilo's side and gently nudged him a safe distance away. With a dazed expression on his face, he looked up at his sister, who was fussing over him and whimpering at the bloody wounds.
The confusion and fear was easy to see in her yellow eyes, trying to understand why her brothers were hurting each other, and determine which one of them started it in the first place.
Kilo slowly got to his feet, and his eyes turned to where Hook was giving Grey the talk of his life. Their brother flexed his claws and looked at the ground in frustration. Sometimes he cast small glances and hidden glares when he didn't think anyone would notice.
But someone did notice.
Beauty came to him with a graceful gait and neck arched into an S, making Hook choke on a growl and Shadow duck her head uneasily. She stood right beside Grey and defended him with her commanding presence, to which he wagged his tail and cooed. She allowed him to nibble her throat, for a single moment at least.
Hook finally shook out of his stupor and showed his teeth to Grey. He demanded that the young male step away from Beauty, the harlot, but Grey responded with narrowed eyes and a snort.
No. He was done listening to their orders!
Shadow, Kilo, and Hook all stared at him. He snorted again, and Beauty turned her nose up before turning to walk away. Her tail grazed her suitor's shoulder and he turned to follow her down the slope without hesitation. Not even a look back to the family members he turned against.
Shadow whimpered. She stood up and tried going after her brother, but Hook blocked the way and she thrashed her tail. Kilo tried to comfort her with a soft coo, but she ignored him and cried loudly.
Come back!
Still no acknowledgment.
As a devastated Shadow mourned their abandonment, Kilo looked up and followed Grey with his eyes. He silently begged for him to turn around...to see them and realize his mistake...but instead Beauty turned. She glanced over her shoulder and for a small second her smug gaze met with his, but then it looked to something behind him. Her lips curled and her nostrils flared excitedly.
The game wasn't over yet. He could see the expectancy in her eyes, waiting for something to happen even though the fight was done.
But of course...he should have expected there was more to Beauty's plan. She had made sure the fight took place in a very specific location, and she made sure Grey's claiming of her was very clear...for someone that made Kilo's heart race and his breaths come in frightened gasps.
In the same moment that Kilo turned, a figure appeared from of the ridge in an almost unnatural silence. Smoldering yellow eyes locked with his and grey lips seethed over glistening fangs, releasing what started as a low growl which then heightened into a furious snarl. Talons were rigid and feathers bristled until every vane was standing on end.
Muerte had woken. It was all in Beauty's plan for pleasure...to see her terrifying mate do what he always did best.
As the alpha male hopped down from the ledge and made his presence known, raptors fled for their homes to escape the coming eruption. Shadow pressed flat into the ground and whimpered fearfully, Kilo froze, and Hook turned with a sharp growl...but Muerte kept staring at them. His eyes never left Kilo, until they shifted further down the hillside, straight to the young omega marching alongside HIS female.
The cretin trying to steal HIS mate!
HOW DARE HE!
It was all a whirlwind after that. As the alpha male leapt forward, Kilo let out a shriek of danger warning, and Hook jumped to block Muerte's path. He boldly braced for impact, yet the second Muerte met him, the older male was shoved to the side like a ragdoll. His bad leg gave out and a cry of pain made Shadow panic, to leap to her feet and beg Grey to save himself.
Grey! Danger! Run!
From down the hillside, their brother finally looked up. He finally bothered to acknowledge them...and in doing so his eyes saw Muerte barreling down the path. His heart stopped in his chest and he instinctively huddled against Beauty's side with a terrified yelp, taking naïve confidence in her to defend him, trusting her after their "bonding moment".
But the female cackled happily. She shoved him forward into death's path and slashed at his shoulder, so that his eyes widened even further and his heart for her shattered. A second after that his instincts were screaming right along with Shadow.
RUN!
Like a terrified rabbit fleeing from hounds, Grey jumped down the rocks and across the slope. With Muerte drawing in from behind, he screamed and dodged with all the previous boldness and confidence vanishing in an instant.
No longer was he fooled by a female's charms. Now he was running for his life, and there was no stopping to fight the male trying to kill him, not like he fought Kilo.
There was no surviving a fight with Muerte. There was only run. Only flee.
So, Grey did just that, and Beauty hopped up onto a rock with a proud cackle. She urged her mate on and bounced on her legs like a giddy child, anxiously waiting the moment their prey made a mistake or slipped in the post-rainstorm conditions. The screaming and the roaring echoed all over the den site. Raptors hid in their dens and waited for it all to stop...for the omega to meet his end.
Kilo was pacing, growling to himself and peering over the rock edge with wide eyes. Shadow was curled up in a ball with her paws over her head, and Hook was trying desperately to pick himself up off the ground. He wanted to go down the hill and save his nephew, but after the collision with Muerte...his bum leg was in no shape to chase after strong alphas and young males.
It appeared that there was nothing they could do against such a foe, but Mother wouldn't have accepted defeat so easily. Kilo couldn't shake that from his mind, as his lips curled away from shining teeth and his talons snapped down onto the rocks. He couldn't bear to think of her sacrifice to save them...to let them live on...while his brother was just moments from death and they did nothing.
He was the protector of their family, and it was his job to take care of them; to keep them safe, sheltered, fed, and comforted. It was his vow to their dear Mother, from the very day he was old enough to bare tooth and claw for the name of defense.
Her sacrifice would not be forsaken.
Kilo snarled and stomped one foot in a burst of fear and anger combined. He hesitated for the smallest of moments, then rushed up to the ridge line and startled Hook, whom made a confused chuff. Shadow looked up and whimpered in equal confusion.
Kilo?
The black male was off before anyone could realize what was happening. He bolted down the slope and navigated skillfully through the rocks as Shadow's cries faded to the back of his mind. He was absolutely silent, predicting where Grey was running and where he would be in the next ten seconds.
Seven seconds to run down the hill, three seconds to cut them off, and less than a second to make the correct attack. Be brave! Do not hesitate!
The first three seconds passed, and Kilo was halfway there. He was gasping for breath and couldn't hear anything but his heart in his ears, and the pounding of his running feet like thunder in his head. With every stride he adjusted the approach to where Grey was heading, so that when little brother streaked by, Muerte came barreling through the mud straight towards him. Kilo didn't have any more time to change his mind or think up another strategy.
For a moment, omega and alpha made eye contact. Hatred gleamed through Muerte's eyes as he realized there was an ambush. His lips curled and his body made a last second effort to turn, while Kilo himself let out a challenge cry and leapt almost vertically upwards towards the bigger male's chest.
They came together with earth shaking force. Shrill screams replaced the heartbeat in Kilo's ears, but he wasn't sure if it was Shadow, Beauty, Muerte, or himself making the noise. Limbs tangled together and claws struck anything they could reach. Blood became painted over their scales and pain blossomed down Kilo's back like fire. He was vaguely aware of being smashed against boulders, pushed down into the mud, and kicked so hard in the stomach that he wanted to vomit.
Neither male really knew what was going on, if they were spinning or falling, but somewhere in the struggle Kilo found his teeth clamped over Muerte's lip. He tasted warm blood across his tongue, and became smothered as it flowed down across his own face. The old alpha was thrashing and wounding him with more and more earnest; eyes bulging, bloody feathers bristling, and unholy shrieking that demanded he be released.
GET OFF, WELP!
Kilo winced. In the background he began to hear Shadow's terrified cries drawing near, and Hook's angry cackles. He sensed them coming to his aid and immediately he became frightened that they would get themselves hurt.
This was his fight.
So, mustering up all the strength he possessed in his body, Kilo released Muerte's face. He gripped his talons into the mud as the furious alpha drew his head back, with thick neck bulging in front of him and teeth parted with a bloody sneer of torn features. There wasn't much time...but Kilo's eyes locked on that great bulging neck, and the life vein he knew pulsed underneath.
It was so close. The second Kilo saw such a lucky opportunity and foolish mistake on Muerte's part, he was reaching up and fitting his mouth over that exact place. He clamped down so hard he heard a gagging cough, and almost felt a heartbeat as Muerte began to panic and throw himself around like a wrecking ball into nearby boulders.
The alpha couldn't breathe as his wind pipe was forced closed. His blood was everywhere, and Kilo was biting down harder. Beauty was shrieking angrily and hopping on her feet, as raptors poked their heads out of dens and gazed in shock at what was taking place.
An omega was taking on the tyrant...and he was winning!
Other low ranks came running back out of their homes. They gathered round and cheered Kilo on, with bright hopeful eyes and excited chitters for the chance they would be set free from their leader.
Kilo didn't listen to their voices. He shut it all out, as he closed his own eyes and focused on two things. Keeping his grip...and his family.
But, something changed in the fight. Muerte jerked differently, and Kilo felt his spin wrench as his head was thrown upwards at a painful angle. He groaned and opened his eyes, to see that they were standing dangerously close to the edge of a steep ridgeline. Then the claws came at him.
Muerte struck both arms down with swift accuracy towards his foe's head. Kilo only had enough time to see the threat flashing before his eyes, before searing pain burst down the sides of his face and his vision shot to black completely. He tried to hang on, but instincts overloaded, and his body was sent into an uncontrollable state of panicked thrashing.
Closer to the edge they stumbled. Muerte was snarling and coughing, Kilo was wailing...then they fell. Beauty shrieked from her perch and Shadow cried her fear, as her brother hit the rocks and began bowling over and over down the slope.
Kilo's awareness was a blur, behind all the pain. Both sides of his face throbbed as his body crashed through gravel and against boulders, cracking ribs and bruising his flesh with bloody impact marks. It felt like he fell forever...then with one final heave over a boulder, he rolled to a stop amidst thick black mud.
There was silence, as Kilo simply lay there and held his breath. With eyes clamped shut he was dazed and miserable, until burning lungs demanded oxygen and he gasped amidst a wave of pain that spread everywhere. It seeped into his chest with he breathed, it traveled down his limbs when they moved, and it lingered on his face that felt hot against the freezing mud.
Shadow? Grey?
The male whimpered and very slowly began to pick himself up. He opened his eyes despite the agony...but that's where he froze and went completely silent.
Something was wrong. Through his right eye he could clearly see the uphill slope above him, and that he was laying in a particularly large puddle at its base. He could look down and see the wounds across his side and arms, with great bloody gashes and jagged edges of pink flesh.
But the other side was very different. His vision was full of black spots and shapes, to the point he could barely see out of it, if at all. His eyelid fluttered and fought to squint closed, around massive amounts of blood that dribbled from three slash marks across his face.
The middle slash, from Muerte's second digit, ran straight over his eye socket and nearly split his eyelid in two. The eye itself was partially hidden under the blood, but its surface seemed misshapen and the pupil dilated to a massive size.
He felt sick. Head wounds were the heaviest bleeders, and the loss was starting to affect him, so that he groaned again and looked around with a dazed whimper.
Shadow? Grey?
Kilo called for his siblings with a sad voice. He tried to get up, but noise from ahead made him flinch and turn to see.
It was Muerte himself. The male was splayed across a boulder further up the slope, gasping for breath and grimacing at a fractured bone in his wrist. He too was picking himself up, with a jagged bite mark across his throat, some slashes on his jaw, and one great wound on the right side of his face. What was left of his upper lip was a torn mess of tissue, exposing gums and teeth in a bloody snarl that he couldn't remove...thanks to Kilo, whom he immediately locked hateful eyes on, and snarled deep in his chest. With surprising ease he hopped down from his boulder and into the mire, where he began to inspect his own handiwork across the younger male's face. His expression of malice shifted to mirth upon realizing just how severe the wounds were.
Hah! The fool though he was strong enough to take on the alpha? Pathetic!
He should have expected the eldest of the three orphans would try to stand against him. To think he sired such a weak creature...to think he didn't smash all three eggs after they were born, or kill the males once their dear mother was out of the picture.
Kilo was growing up to be just like her...but no matter. Son or not, he held no affection in Muerte's heart where parental instincts should have been. He was nothing but an omega, and a rival male threatening his place as alpha.
How DARE he scar his flesh!
Kilo couldn't muster the strength to stand, as he sensed Muerte comin close, and heard his furious snarl. He could only whimper and sway his head with lips curled, as a foot suddenly crashed into his damaged ribs and sent him rolling another few feet through the mud.
Die! Muerte ordered with a shrill roar, and Kilo was hit again and rolled onto his back. With belly up and legs flailing, he became the alpha's perfect target, to stand over him and slash his stomach like all the other victims.
That was going to be the end. Kilo was certain his death was imminent...until cries broke the suspension, and feet splashed through the mud behind them. Watching pack members watched on in awe as two raptors rushed to the scene and shoved Muerte to the side, with challenging barks and nipping teeth. He snarled, but they stood together and blocked his way.
Was it Shadow and Hook?
Kilo lifted his head and turned it to see, but he blinked. His one working eye was met by a rosy pink gaze, belonging to the elder albino. Beside him stood the feisty tan female, with neck arched and teeth bared. They had been watching the fight from the upper ridges, and had seen Kilo risk his life in order to protect his family. Alden could not stand by and watch such a noble raptor die beneath Muerte's claws, who's uprising game him the confidence to charge down the hill and put a stop to the madness.
Not moments later, the rest of Alden's group came. Tango and her parents crept past Muerte and regarded Kilo with concerned eyes, followed by the young mated couple, and a grey male with white flecks down his spine. Kilo had never seen him before, but judging from his ducked head and wary eyes, he was a shy omega rank like the rest of them.
Then Kilo heard a familiar cry. His head shot up once again, at the blurred sight of Shadow and Hook coming down the hill full speed. Muerte watched on in bewilderment as Hook snarled in his face, and Shadow hurried to Kilo's side with worried coos.
Kilo tried to keep his eyes on her, but as her body went into his blind spot, he felt her soft tongue lick the blood from his cheek. It soothed his cold scales as she whimpered and Hook continued to curse and rant angry chuffs.
They were terrified for his safety. Shadow was whimpering as she nuzzled him over and over, but it was at that moment when Muerte snapped out of his daze and gave a threatening cackle to the group.
What was all this? How dare they stand in the way of his kill! Move aside, omegas! He ordered with a hiss and stomp of his foot.
But Hook and Alden exchanged glances, and they did not move from their places. Shadow laid her chin over her brother's forehead with curled lips and flaring nostrils. Little Tango growled as savagely as she could manage.
No!
Muerte blinked. He made a scoffing snort at their resistance, then thrashed his tail and bared his bloody teeth.
Fine! Then he would kill them all!
From up the hill, spectating raptors flinched at their alpha's voice. They cowered behind boulders frozen with fear, by his blood thirst and rage filled eyes. For each moment that he was defied by the omeags, they saw him growing more and more tense. Practically quivering with hate.
Muerte charged with a bellow, but Alden and Hook jumped up to defend, aided by Lima and Tango's father. They nipped and snarled at him on all sides, so that he gave a sharp yelp and scrambled back onto his rock with a shocked look.
Again this happened, and again Muerte was forced back by the group, and he began to loose his nerve. He was dreadfully outnumbered, with no backup from his pack hiding like cowards up in the rocks. Even Beauty was watching with disappointed eyes that made him fume.
It was absurd...blasphemy...never before heard of in his rule as alpha. Never before had his power been threatened, much less by a group of lowly omegas.
He didn't like loosing his power! He didn't know what to do!
Licking the wound on his face, Muerte let out a cackle and poofed his feathers.
FINE! If they didn't want to be his pack anymore, then they wouldn't stay with his pack. He wouldn't stop them! They could strike out on their own, into the dangerous territories of larger carnivores and rival raptor packs. Omegas wouldn't last a month on their own!
For a moment, the alpha's eyes locked onto Kilo, and he growled. With all of his heart he wanted to tear out that whelp's neck. Oh how his muscles pleaded to leap down and finish him off! Make him pay for daring to wound him!
But Muerte wasn't a dumb raptor. He knew when he was outnumbered...and much as he tried to hide it, he was in a great deal of pain, and the two old males could see right through his act. They could see how one arm drooped, and caught when his eyes narrowed to cope with a wave of discomfort. They knew he wasn't up for another fight.
So, Hook arched his neck and turned to the rest of the omegas. He looked each one in the eye to give encouragement, and an order to start walking away from the den site, south through the meadow and into the black forest beyond. Each raptor gave him nervous looks, but they bobbed their heads before turning and slinking into the long grass.
Alden stayed behind to keep an eye on Muerte. Hook turned again to where Kilo and Shadow lay, but rocks scrabbled, and all their eyes turned to see one last raptor creeping down from the rocks to join them.
It was Grey brother...covered in mud from his chase with Muerte, head down and feathers plastered to his head as he almost seemed to rub his paws together like an ashamed child. He made no sound other than soft gurgles, when he glanced over to see Kilo and the bloody slashes over his body. He was very careful not to make eye contact with anybody.
Hook and Shadow just stared at the male. The uncle's gaze was tinted by disappointment and anger, while Shadow's was full of sadness and confusion.
He knew that he was the cause for all the trouble. He saw what it did to Kilo...what he did to Kilo...and suddenly the females didn't matter as much. Suddenly the old Grey had taken control again, and he was so wrapped up in shame that it was all he could do to face his family again. As silently as he had come down the hill, he followed after the other omegas and slipped into the grass.
Hook snorted. Well...that was that. And then, attention was shifted to Kilo.
He still lay in the mud, not all sure what was happening, as both elder males approached and gave him soft chuffs of encouragement. He barely saw them through a blood fogged gaze, but Shadow cooed in his ear, and he realized that they were asking him to stand. He groaned and she nuzzled him tenderly before standing herself.
Come on brother, she seemed to urge with a wagging tail and hopeful eyes. She made sure to stand in the middle of his good eye's range, as Hook and Alden went to his sides and used their muzzles to push him upright.
The pain was still clinging to him. He made a sharp yelp when Alden accidentally hit a broken bone, and the albino apologized hastily before pushing again where there were no wounds. They rocked him back and fourth in order to get his feet under him, then gave one big push and a collection of stern barks.
Up!
Kilo hissed weakly. He strained every muscle in his body, to do as they wished and stretch his legs up into a wobbly standing position. Shadow cooed happily, Hook chuffed in a proud way, and Alden voiced his own relief with a soft chitter of praise.
Stay strong, alpha!
Alpha?
Kilo barely had the time to hear the old male's tone of praise, before Shadow was cooing again and Hook was standing up beside him. They were urging him to start walking, and he grimaced, before putting one foot forward and nearly falling back into the mud. His uncle shot forward to catch him, encouraging all the while, then pushed up against his side in order to prove support to lean on.
From behind, came Muerte's mocking cackle. He almost seemed to laugh at Kilo's weakness, and how his wounds still bled. He knew the little whelp wouldn't last long. His wounds were far too severe, and the dangers of the forest would be far too much to handle in such a state! One of the big predators was going to find him, and pick him off!
Kilo growled softly. He stretched another trembling foot out, put some weight on it, then did the same with the other side. Each step became easier and easier, so that he looked up to the raptors walking by his side and found his heart full of...peace...in a way.
The realization of what happened was seeping in. It gave him the strength to lift his head and resist the pain that wanted to pull him down, so that Alden gave another praising gurgle, and Shadow bounced on her feet.
They were leaving the territory.
They were free.
