Raptorsong
Part Five
There it was, a lone creature standing there in the large clearing. Five or six of us stood motionlessly in the bushes, not wanting to frighten our prey away. It looked around, lost, and moved toward an old tree stump that had a fork in the middle. As he approached, on of the males in the pack jumped into the fork and hissed at the intruder. What was this creature, why was it here, why had it come to our home?
When the male jumped out at it, the thing ran from him. We stood there, motionless, watching the thing as it stood there, dumbfounded. Now was the perfect time! Why didn't somebody tell us to attack? I looked toward Cleo. The old raptor matriarch stood stalk still, her cool yet piercing eyes watching the lone figure in our midst. Her long, cream colored tail swished slowly back and forth. Then her head turned to me. She stared me down, and I turned away, trying not to be hypnotized by her icy glare.
I heard a tiny squawk, not loud enough for the thing out there to hear, but I knew what it meant. I was to lead our troops into battle. I turned to Moonmist, who stood looking at the creature, oblivious to all else that moved. I nudged her very gently. She ignored it, so I tried again, a little harder this time. She slowly nodded her head and moved forward, as did I. The others turned and followed our lead. Slowly, we marched toward the lone creature. Our pace quickened, faster and faster we went, until we had it surrounded.
The thing, bewildered stared at us. We knew that it was frightened. I could smell its fear. The group of raptors circled it as an act of intimidation. It was working, as the intruder backed away slowly, only to find another raptor's snout behind him. We were winning a war of wits against it.
Then, something hit my ear, a very faint sound like a small creature running from a Rex, or the Spino himself. We looked around, but there was nothing there. Then, suddenly a large cloud of fog descended upon us. I had no Idea what was happening. It all happened so quickly, that none of us could see how it happened or who did it. I cried to the pack to retreat, but I doubted anyone could hear me. I pulled back, to find the rest of the pack safe and sound. That is, all the pack but one. Moonmist. She wasn't there! I called to her, but there was no answer. Suddenly, I felt a heavy drowsiness, and swooned. I caught myself, and called to her again.
"Oh please," I thought, "Please tell me she isn't dead! My dream mate, the one I had chosen for life." With that I plunged into the dark grey cloud, looking desperately for her, but the mist was too thick. I heard Cleo calling for me, telling me to move on, to go home with them. I turned to follow, but could not bring myself to leave the spot, so I just stood there, waiting for the fog to clear.
After about twenty minutes, I shook myself back to life, as I must have fallen asleep. The fog was gone, and I could faintly see a shape on the ground, lying still. Stone still. Dead. I got up and walked toward it. What I saw broke me. It was Moonmist, my mate. I nuzzled her with my snout, searching for a heartbeat.
But I couldn't find one for some time. Lowering my face so that it was next to hers, I felt a small breeze. She was alive! I nuzzled her again, and this time she opened her eyes weakly and let out a tiny squeak. I lay down beside her, and pushed her up. She was alive, but very weak. The fog had been a tranquilizer, perhaps even poisonous to raptors. I helped her walk, and the two of us headed home, to the rest of the pack.
Part Five
There it was, a lone creature standing there in the large clearing. Five or six of us stood motionlessly in the bushes, not wanting to frighten our prey away. It looked around, lost, and moved toward an old tree stump that had a fork in the middle. As he approached, on of the males in the pack jumped into the fork and hissed at the intruder. What was this creature, why was it here, why had it come to our home?
When the male jumped out at it, the thing ran from him. We stood there, motionless, watching the thing as it stood there, dumbfounded. Now was the perfect time! Why didn't somebody tell us to attack? I looked toward Cleo. The old raptor matriarch stood stalk still, her cool yet piercing eyes watching the lone figure in our midst. Her long, cream colored tail swished slowly back and forth. Then her head turned to me. She stared me down, and I turned away, trying not to be hypnotized by her icy glare.
I heard a tiny squawk, not loud enough for the thing out there to hear, but I knew what it meant. I was to lead our troops into battle. I turned to Moonmist, who stood looking at the creature, oblivious to all else that moved. I nudged her very gently. She ignored it, so I tried again, a little harder this time. She slowly nodded her head and moved forward, as did I. The others turned and followed our lead. Slowly, we marched toward the lone creature. Our pace quickened, faster and faster we went, until we had it surrounded.
The thing, bewildered stared at us. We knew that it was frightened. I could smell its fear. The group of raptors circled it as an act of intimidation. It was working, as the intruder backed away slowly, only to find another raptor's snout behind him. We were winning a war of wits against it.
Then, something hit my ear, a very faint sound like a small creature running from a Rex, or the Spino himself. We looked around, but there was nothing there. Then, suddenly a large cloud of fog descended upon us. I had no Idea what was happening. It all happened so quickly, that none of us could see how it happened or who did it. I cried to the pack to retreat, but I doubted anyone could hear me. I pulled back, to find the rest of the pack safe and sound. That is, all the pack but one. Moonmist. She wasn't there! I called to her, but there was no answer. Suddenly, I felt a heavy drowsiness, and swooned. I caught myself, and called to her again.
"Oh please," I thought, "Please tell me she isn't dead! My dream mate, the one I had chosen for life." With that I plunged into the dark grey cloud, looking desperately for her, but the mist was too thick. I heard Cleo calling for me, telling me to move on, to go home with them. I turned to follow, but could not bring myself to leave the spot, so I just stood there, waiting for the fog to clear.
After about twenty minutes, I shook myself back to life, as I must have fallen asleep. The fog was gone, and I could faintly see a shape on the ground, lying still. Stone still. Dead. I got up and walked toward it. What I saw broke me. It was Moonmist, my mate. I nuzzled her with my snout, searching for a heartbeat.
But I couldn't find one for some time. Lowering my face so that it was next to hers, I felt a small breeze. She was alive! I nuzzled her again, and this time she opened her eyes weakly and let out a tiny squeak. I lay down beside her, and pushed her up. She was alive, but very weak. The fog had been a tranquilizer, perhaps even poisonous to raptors. I helped her walk, and the two of us headed home, to the rest of the pack.