It was the first warm morning of spring, and Beta was excited to leave the forest and go into her favorite clearing, where she would play in the snow while her mother hunted the mice that scurried along the ground as they ate the seeds and tender roots that were now appearing among the frost-killed grass. But when Beta walked into the clearing, she was greeted by the sight of a shallow pool of water.
Where was the snow?
The little raptor sniffed suspiciously at the water.
"Prrt?" she said bewilderedly, looking at her mother for reassurance.
Blue made a funny little noise that sounded very much like a laugh, and with a deliberately casual movement, she leaned down to dip one clawed hand in the water and splashed Beta. Beta leapt back, staring at her mother in surprise. The older dinosaur's only response was a reptilian grin.
Then, Beta stomped her little foot and splashed back! Soon, mother and daughter were caught up in an all-out water fight. Beta's excited chirps and Blue's amused screeches let every mouse for miles know that the raptors were around, but both were having too much fun to stay quiet. Besides, their prey always came back, eventually.
After they were tired and muddy from playing, Blue led Beta out into a meadow adjacent to their forest, heading directly to the small creek just a few yards away. Beta, however, was distracted by her surroundings, jumping in surprise as she stirred up butterflies, and was soon hopping all about the meadow, batting at the dragonflies that floated above the grass and trying to catch the butterflies. It felt like they were teasing her, staying perfectly still on the flowers until she was less than one claw's length away from it, and then flying away!
Blue doubled back, suddenly realizing her baby wasn't right behind her. In a panicked run, she caught up to Beta, scolding her with several stern screeches. Memories of Beta being taken away by Raine Delacourt were still very fresh in her mind and she wasn't going to risk losing her again.
Thus, she made a very despondent Beta abandon her play and led her to the creek, where the two dinosaurs rinsed the mud off of their skin and had a drink.
On their way back to the shelter of the woods, Beta stumbled into a patch of fuzzy dandelions, staring in amazement as the downy wisps swirled into the air in a shimmering haze. When her mother pushed her away, she shrank back dejectedly.
"Mmrrr?" Beta said, looking longingly at the fluffy orbs that grew among the other wildflowers.
Her mother stopped for a moment, as if considering, and then surveyed the meadow with alert eyes. There was not another living thing in sight except for the insects and birds. She listened No sound except for the quiet drone of insects. Cautiously she sniffed the air and smelled flowers and woodland creatures. But no humans. Blue relaxed visibly while her daughter looked on quizzically, wondering why her mother was standing so still.
Suddenly, Blue bent down and snorted at the dandelions! Before Beta could react, she was caught up in a cloud of silky bits of fluff. Delighted at the way the down swirled on the gentle breeze, Beta did a happy little dance, swatting at the feather-light strands. When the air was clear again, she copied her mother's trick, blowing on the dandelions, endlessly fascinated. This continued for many hours, while Blue looked tolerantly on, ever watchful, but enjoying the sunny meadow and her daughter's antics.
And so the two raptors spent the day, while the sun shone warm in the endless Montana sky.