*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Flight of the Raptor
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jesper stalked out of hideing. He tipped his head and watched as the other raptors of his pack followed him. He noted all who were behind him. There was Zanerkand, Chasidy, Chanhassen, Elsa, Salmanca, Qwill, Loria, Wrex, Jay, Zomba, and Soria. Jesper needed to make sure they were all there before they started the attack. Human beasts could be cunning, but not as cunning as raptors.
In the tents, men were sleeping. In the tent farthest from the group was a young girl. She was with her brother. They were both of Hispanic origin, but spoke English. They had been caught as stowaways on the ship. The girl was Haily and the boy was Jamie. They became frightened when they heard the snarling raptors and had fled into the surrounding woods.
Jesper ignored the two young Humans he saw running from the far cave. His attention was focused on the caves in front of him. He leaped and slashed easily through the fabric. The tent fell apart before him, and he landed among two men. They screamed, but where shortly cut off. With two quick, crushing bites, both were dead.
Zanerkand and Elsa formed a barricade for the men who tried to escape the tent in front of them. The men would run out and then Zanerkand would snap at them, forcing them back in. Finally, Elsa pounced and slashed the tent in two with her razor sharp hind claw. Zanerkand joined her in killing the two men.
By this time, the men were abandoning their tents to the twelve raptors storming their sleeping grounds. They were regrouping at the ship. Only thirty men out of fifty three made it back to the ship. By then, the raptors were slashing through the tents to find nothing.
The captain pointed to the raptors. He had no idea what they were. He thought they were some sort of demon birds. He ran up and down the ship's gallows, bellowing orders to his crews men in Spanish. He sounded like a drill sergeant, and his men didn't obey at the first word.
"Shoot the Demons!" he bellowed. "Start the ship! Get 'er out 'o 'ere!"
"Sir, what are they?"
"Who cares? Shoot 'em an' lets land somewhere else! Now shoot it!"
A single shot went off in the air. One of the raptors dropped. The others charged the ship. They leaped up, snarling and snapping at the men onboard. The ship was already moving back down the river, out of reach of the raptors.
When it was sure that the human beasts were gone, Jesper turned and dashed to the fallen raptor. The others followed him. They circled round the fallen raptor in a curious circle.
Jesper purred softly, nudging the raptor with his snout. It wouldn't wake. He coughed, and the raptor still wouldn't wake. He nudged it one last time. Then he accepted defeat. He had seen death many times before, and this was another. The hole, with the death bringer in it, was nearly the size of the raptors head. Jesper let out a long mournful note that was sweet and sour at the same time. The other raptors followed suit, and the almost-howling symphony of the raptors filled the night sky.
The message was clear as day.
'One of us is dead. Expect no hunts. We are mourning.'
Chanhassen was gone from the raptor pack. Her spirit roamed freely over the invisible boarders of her packs territory, never to return to her dead body.
Flight of the Raptor
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jesper stalked out of hideing. He tipped his head and watched as the other raptors of his pack followed him. He noted all who were behind him. There was Zanerkand, Chasidy, Chanhassen, Elsa, Salmanca, Qwill, Loria, Wrex, Jay, Zomba, and Soria. Jesper needed to make sure they were all there before they started the attack. Human beasts could be cunning, but not as cunning as raptors.
In the tents, men were sleeping. In the tent farthest from the group was a young girl. She was with her brother. They were both of Hispanic origin, but spoke English. They had been caught as stowaways on the ship. The girl was Haily and the boy was Jamie. They became frightened when they heard the snarling raptors and had fled into the surrounding woods.
Jesper ignored the two young Humans he saw running from the far cave. His attention was focused on the caves in front of him. He leaped and slashed easily through the fabric. The tent fell apart before him, and he landed among two men. They screamed, but where shortly cut off. With two quick, crushing bites, both were dead.
Zanerkand and Elsa formed a barricade for the men who tried to escape the tent in front of them. The men would run out and then Zanerkand would snap at them, forcing them back in. Finally, Elsa pounced and slashed the tent in two with her razor sharp hind claw. Zanerkand joined her in killing the two men.
By this time, the men were abandoning their tents to the twelve raptors storming their sleeping grounds. They were regrouping at the ship. Only thirty men out of fifty three made it back to the ship. By then, the raptors were slashing through the tents to find nothing.
The captain pointed to the raptors. He had no idea what they were. He thought they were some sort of demon birds. He ran up and down the ship's gallows, bellowing orders to his crews men in Spanish. He sounded like a drill sergeant, and his men didn't obey at the first word.
"Shoot the Demons!" he bellowed. "Start the ship! Get 'er out 'o 'ere!"
"Sir, what are they?"
"Who cares? Shoot 'em an' lets land somewhere else! Now shoot it!"
A single shot went off in the air. One of the raptors dropped. The others charged the ship. They leaped up, snarling and snapping at the men onboard. The ship was already moving back down the river, out of reach of the raptors.
When it was sure that the human beasts were gone, Jesper turned and dashed to the fallen raptor. The others followed him. They circled round the fallen raptor in a curious circle.
Jesper purred softly, nudging the raptor with his snout. It wouldn't wake. He coughed, and the raptor still wouldn't wake. He nudged it one last time. Then he accepted defeat. He had seen death many times before, and this was another. The hole, with the death bringer in it, was nearly the size of the raptors head. Jesper let out a long mournful note that was sweet and sour at the same time. The other raptors followed suit, and the almost-howling symphony of the raptors filled the night sky.
The message was clear as day.
'One of us is dead. Expect no hunts. We are mourning.'
Chanhassen was gone from the raptor pack. Her spirit roamed freely over the invisible boarders of her packs territory, never to return to her dead body.