While Hans and Mark were being rescued from the bottom of the drop, Joanna and David set off in one of the Land Rovers to find a location worth setting up camp. Jim had told them to cross the plains, which is what he had intended on doing in the first place, before Hans and Mark had made a complete mess of the situation. The Land Rover rumbled over the gentle slopes, and both David and Jo observed the landscape.
"So beautiful", said Jo, her voice full of a passion for nature.
David liked to hear this in her voice. He smiled at her, and asked out of curiosity.
"Why did you originally go on a hunt in Africa, if you love nature as you do?".
He really asked because he wanted to make conversation with her, but having said it, he really did start to wonder why she had come.
Jo smiled at him.
"I do love the natural world", she said, "But I also love mankind, and so I respect both ways of life, including man's instinct to hunt".
David felt he kind of knew what she meant. Instead he replied, "How about we stop here for a bit".
He hoped he could use this time, with a full view of the most awe inspiring sight in the world, to get to know Jo that bit more. They both got out of the vehicle and sat down on the grassy hill. The sun had gone behind the clouds, so it wasn't too hot, and a fresh breeze blew over the plains.
"Yes I do love mankind", repeated Jo, she then turned to David, "But I also love you".
David couldn't believe it. His love interest felt exactly the same for him, as he did for her. One in a million, his mind triumphantly told him. They drew closer, and they're lips touched for the first time. They kissed for a long time. In the distance, the melodious calls of the Brachiosaurs could be heard.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself", said Jim angrily to Hans and Mark, now that they had been pulled out of trouble. Both men were in a complete state, with torn clothes and in Hans' case, a particularly muddy face.
Hans smiled as Jim predicted he would, but Mark looked a little worse for wear, and everyone could tell that he had probably learnt his lesson and would be more careful in future. But not too careful thought Jim, otherwise he'll be of no use.
Herman approached his brother, and gestured to everyone else that he needed to have a private word. The others got the message, including Mark, who walked off with the help of a friend, since he was in a dazed state.
"What did you do that for?", said a frustrated Herman.
"Oh come on, I'm alive aren't I", replied Hans, completely missing the point.
"First you kill innocent creatures; then you almost kill yourself and wreck one of our vehicles", said Herman angrily, "And then you pissed off that horned dinosaur, all in under half an hour".
Hans had paid particular attention to the word 'innocent', which caused him to protest.
"Innocent", he exclaimed, "These dinosaurs were created by man, so it is our choice what we do with them, not theirs".
"You're impossible", Herman ended the conversation with a cold stare, and walked off.
"They're only clones", Hans mockingly called, "Only clones".
"So what was that we just encountered?", asked Jim, as he approached Sarah, who herself had just climbed into a jeep.
"Ceratosaurus nasicornis", she replied, "Ingen bred them after realising that the first Ceratosaurs they bred for Jurassic Park, the Proceratosaurs, wouldn't be as popular as their larger cousins".
"You sure seem to know a lot about these creatures", continued Jim, "And all from one trip to the original park I gather, even though you were only a child then".
Sarah smiled at him.
"I guess dinosaurs are my passion", she replied, "I've read most of Ingen's dinosaur reports, especially the ones on carnivores", she continued, as she started the ignition on the jeep.
"I would quite like to discuss the raptors", said Jim.
"Sure", answered Sarah, "We can do that later".
"So I'll be off to meet up with Jo and David?", she then said, changing the subject.
Everyone was clearing up after the rescue, and it was Sarah who was first to go and meet up with David and Jo, who themselves had left twenty minutes earlier. Jim nodded in reply to Sarah's obvious question.
"But take someone with you", added Jim, "No one is to travel alone".
"Sure", said Sarah, "Hey Mike", she called.
Mike looked up in astonishment.
"Do you want to come with me?", she called again.
"Yeah alright", his face full of excitement, though he personally hoped that didn't show up too much.
He got into the jeep and they were off. Jim smiled at the two leaving youngsters.
Mike sat in the passenger seat; rifle butt sitting in his lap. He felt nervous since he was now alone with his crush, and he didn't want to screw it up. As he pondered what to say Sarah asked him a question.
"So, what are you interested in?", she said.
Mike felt a bit better about the situation now. He found it much easier to respond to a question, rather than think one up himself.
"Well...erm...", he mumbled in reply. He was half tempted to say 'at the moment, I'm interested in you', but he knew that would be a bad idea, so instead he said.
"I like to travel...and...er...dinosaurs", he half-fibbed.
Though he knew hardly anything about dinosaurs, he did indeed find them incredible, though he had only just realised that 24 hours ago.
"Oh really; the same as me then", said Sarah, "What's your favourite?" She spoke with an interest in Mike.
Now he'd done it, he had to search his memory for the name of a dinosaur, otherwise he'd blown it. He did remember something. He'd read it in a book somewhere.
"The...uh...Velociraptor", he said slowly, and clearly.
"Same here", replied Sarah, intrigued by this share in opinion.
Mike sensed that they would now probably discuss raptor's, which wasn't too good as he didn't know anything about them, or any other dinosaur, apart from the name.
No discussion came however, and Mike took a few seconds to register that the jeep had stopped moving. Sarah was just staring ahead at something, her hands resting completely still on the wheel. Before them was the other Land Rover. No one was in it though. Behind it, rose the head of a Ceratosaur, which let out a purring roar at the sky. It had seen them, but was taking no interest.
Sarah cursed, and imagined the worst had happened with Jo and David.
It was too her great relief then that she noticed two figures down by the river. Mike was a little too worried about the Ceratosaur to notice though.
Another of the creatures appeared from over the hill, followed by a small 2 metre long juvenile. It was now obvious that the three theropods they could see where a family. By the looks of it they were going down to the river for a drink, and had merely stopped on the way to investigate the strange vehicle before them.
"We can't let those things see them down there", Mike suddenly spoke up, through a tightened throat. He did worry for Jo and David, but more so for himself at that moment, as the dinosaurs were that bit closer to him than they were to them.
The largest Ceratosaurus started sniffing at the Land Rover, especially near the exhaust where it could smell the unusual whiff of petrol. The windows had been left open, probably to prevent the wheel from heating up too much thought Sarah. The inquisitive theropod didn't neglect this, and proceeded to stick its head inside. It could just fit, and the creature licked at the leather seats. The small juvenile also licked at the vehicle's chassis, but suddenly let out a stunned squeak. It was apparent that the creature had recieved a small static electric shock on its tongue.
Both Sarah and Mike watched in amazement, and humour, at this spectacle. The small juvenile was also checking out the vehicle, casually test biting the bull bars on the front.
Then, what Sarah imagined would probably happen, did. As the creature tried to withdraw its head from the window, it got stuck. This gave it quite a fright, and as it struggled, it hit the horn, causing the all two familiar noise to blare out.
Both Jo and David, who had been enjoying another passionate kiss, were alerted at that moment. They turned to see the carnivore withdraw its head, accompanied by the scrape of metal and a few gouge marks in the window frame. The three Ceratosaurs finally made their way down to the river for a refreshing drink, albeit not without one last curious look at the motionless vehicle.
Jo and David, they're love now discovered, had decided to take in the view by the riverside together, just for a few moments. However, the thirsty Ceratosaurs coming their way complicated matters. They held each other lovingly for a second, as they looked at the oncoming creatures.
"Okay Jo, we need to get out of the way of those dinosaurs", he said calmly and softly, "I hope you don't mind getting wet". Jo smiled in acknowledgement. Then, still holding her protectively, he slid themselves down into the water, gently kicking to create distance between them and the carnivores.
The dinosaurs had reached the bank by now, glancing at the two with a curiosity. The water was lovely and cool, and Jo actually relished every moment of it, as did David. Their skin welcomed the cooling currents after having been exposed to the hot and humid outside temperature. With intrigue they watched the beasts tongues lap at the waters surface.
Jo admired how even carnivores could be a loving family. David thought likewise, but he couldn't help but notice that the largest of the three had stopped drinking and was maintaining direct eye contact. A very unnerving feeling settled over him, and he let out a few more gentle kicks to create more distance.
Jim could see this as well. Through binoculars he peered at the situation, with several thoughts running through his mind. What the devil were they doing there anyway? was the main query he was having.
He himself had just climbed into the second Land Rover, and was just about to meet up with everyone else, when he had heard the horn go. As he watched this he fumbled around for the satellite phone, and hoped David was carrying his.
As they floated in the water, bobbing like a cork, David heard the muffled noise of his phone ring. He slowly pulled it out of his pocket, thinking how inconvenient the call was. Answering quietly, he said.
"Hello".
"David, what's going on down there?"
He was pleased to hear Jim's voice, though his actions of answering the call seemed to have caused further agitation to the Ceratosaur.
"I think, the er, situation is under control", David answered, "Though any help would be appreciated".
"Okay, we're making our way down, just hang on for a few minutes, though once your safe I am afraid I will have to ask you what you were doing down there".
"Sure", said David, "Sure".
He was calm, but there was a note of anxiety in his voice that Jo could detect. She held him tight, to give him the feeling of protection that was to help them through this.
A loud snort came from the creature, as it suddenly took a step back.
It then lunged itself forward, and into the water. Jo screamed, but as the Ceratosaurus hit the surface, the momentum carried them to safety. Or so they thought, as they suddenly realised that they were caught in a current and being swept down the river. The dinosaur swam after them, but gave up shortly, as the current had got stronger and had pulled them further and further away.
Jim had leapt into action as he watched this. The Land Rover drove across the grassy plains at top speed. Sarah and Mike had also started their own rescue operation, driving along the riverbank, in hopes of being able to through a rope.
The situation got worse when the river divided into tributaries, Jo and David being sucked down one, which led off into the dense jungle.
"Its okay, its okay Jo, I've got you", said David, making sure that Jo's head was above the water. The currents were less strong leading into the jungle, but he knew of the greater amount of dangers that would lurk within it. What will find us in here? he thought. He managed to pull himself, as well as a grateful Joanna, out of the water, and up onto the bank, but by now they were completely disorientated, their only hope resting on the ability of Jim and the others to track them.
They were both laughing though, after their abrupt escape.
"We made it Jo", he said with a great big grin across his face.
"That was good thinking, we got a wash as well as escape", she replied, "But what am I going to do with my wet clothes?"
She said the latter with a saucy smile, adding the statement, "They'll probably take a while to find us you know".
David got the idea, though he thought it rather impulsive for the present situation. They immediately embraced in a passionate gesture.
"We need to find a shallow part of the river", ordered Jim. He was becoming increasingly worried about his friends, who had vanished out of sight into the thick jungle. I just hope that they're still alive, thought Jim.
The plan was that once a section of river had been found that was shallow enough to transport the jeeps and Land Rovers across, the hunting group would be split into two. One team going off to set up camp and a rendezvous point elsewhere, while the other, led by Jim, would go on a rescue mission in search for David and Jo. The team heading off in search of a new campsite consisted of a fairly large group, around half of the expedition. They took the vehicles they needed, and set off, leaving Jim, and everyone else behind by the churning waters of the river, setting up an inflatable raft.
Hours had passed and light was fading. David lay alongside a sleeping Jo, in a feeling of comfort and unease. He was getting anxious now because Jim still hadn't located them, and darkness was falling. I got more on this trip than I originally bargained for, he thought, half-smiling to himself.
Something suddenly made him sit up in fear though. The background noises that usually accompany a jungle were silent. He could hear the odd cricket chirping, but he did not perceive the noises of geckos and other small fauna. He immediately sensed that they were being stalked.
Slowly, he turned around, and stared into the bushes behind him. The hairs on the back of his neck tingled, and a lump rose in his throat. Jo slept soundly beside him.
Straining his ears to hear, he heard a creature breathing. It was a hoarse sound, but he could not see where it was originating from due to the dim light. His gun was back at the Land Rover, over a mile away, he thought to himself. And he had lost his expensive satellite phone in the river, after the sudden departure from an afternoon drink with the Ceratosaurs.
He looked at the bush, with a sense of anger as well as apprehension. He hadn't come this far to get eaten by some hungry dinosaur. I will not go silently into the night, thought David, and Jo gives me a good reason to fight. He looked back at his beautiful partner, his first major relationship ever, and it wasn't going to be ended by a peckish dinosaur.
The bushes rustled further, and out of it appeared what he had been dreading the most. A Velociraptor.
Unknown to him, the raptor had been watching them ever since they had arrived at their location. The two humans display of affection had given the raptor great bewilderment, as it watched the two unfamiliar creatures roll around, emanating a variety of noises as they did so.
It had actually guessed that this display was probably something to do with courtship, but the main thing on its mind now was food. Are they for the taking? it thought, as it eyed David and his sleeping mate.
As it watched out of curiosity, David, the adrenaline now coursing through his veins reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. The knife in question was a proper hunting knife, and perfect, he thought, for the present situation.
He looked up into the inquisitive eyes of the raptor, which stared back, and he told it.
"You're not the only one who can kill!"
He lurched forward and hit out against the dinosaur, which let out a confused yelp. Jo was woken by this and immediately got up to see to her horror, her lover grappling with a Velociraptor. David had lurched so hard that the raptor had fallen to the floor.
"Run", he yelled, "I'll follow once I've sought this thing out".
She did so with hesitation, though eventually she took her lover's request and made her way down the river, further into the jungle, but away from the temporary danger.
He stabbed again with the knife, penetrating the raptor's chest, warm blood oozed out of the gaping wound. The creature squealed in pain. This sound sickened David, so he silenced it forever, with one hard slash to the raptor's neck. Blood sprayed out and covered his clothes. The creature stopped struggling at that moment, its muscles went limp.
He got up, and looked at the dead beast. He had killed it because it looked like it was going to do the same to him and Jo. However, unknown to him, the raptor had merely been investigating him out of curiosity, and had passed the idea of them being a source of food. Raptors were too intelligent to just eat anything they found, and regarded creatures of a similar intellect with both fear and respect.
David stepped back, weary from his fight, and ran the direction Jo had gone, calling her name so he could locate her. His feet splashed loudly in the shallow water of the river now turning stream, so he did not hear Jim approach with Sarah, Bruce and Peter, in the rescue raft. They turned the corner too late, to see the disappearing David recede into the distance. They all took a deep breath when they suddenly noticed the lifeless body of the Velociraptor lying in the dirt, its cause of death clear.
"So beautiful", said Jo, her voice full of a passion for nature.
David liked to hear this in her voice. He smiled at her, and asked out of curiosity.
"Why did you originally go on a hunt in Africa, if you love nature as you do?".
He really asked because he wanted to make conversation with her, but having said it, he really did start to wonder why she had come.
Jo smiled at him.
"I do love the natural world", she said, "But I also love mankind, and so I respect both ways of life, including man's instinct to hunt".
David felt he kind of knew what she meant. Instead he replied, "How about we stop here for a bit".
He hoped he could use this time, with a full view of the most awe inspiring sight in the world, to get to know Jo that bit more. They both got out of the vehicle and sat down on the grassy hill. The sun had gone behind the clouds, so it wasn't too hot, and a fresh breeze blew over the plains.
"Yes I do love mankind", repeated Jo, she then turned to David, "But I also love you".
David couldn't believe it. His love interest felt exactly the same for him, as he did for her. One in a million, his mind triumphantly told him. They drew closer, and they're lips touched for the first time. They kissed for a long time. In the distance, the melodious calls of the Brachiosaurs could be heard.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself", said Jim angrily to Hans and Mark, now that they had been pulled out of trouble. Both men were in a complete state, with torn clothes and in Hans' case, a particularly muddy face.
Hans smiled as Jim predicted he would, but Mark looked a little worse for wear, and everyone could tell that he had probably learnt his lesson and would be more careful in future. But not too careful thought Jim, otherwise he'll be of no use.
Herman approached his brother, and gestured to everyone else that he needed to have a private word. The others got the message, including Mark, who walked off with the help of a friend, since he was in a dazed state.
"What did you do that for?", said a frustrated Herman.
"Oh come on, I'm alive aren't I", replied Hans, completely missing the point.
"First you kill innocent creatures; then you almost kill yourself and wreck one of our vehicles", said Herman angrily, "And then you pissed off that horned dinosaur, all in under half an hour".
Hans had paid particular attention to the word 'innocent', which caused him to protest.
"Innocent", he exclaimed, "These dinosaurs were created by man, so it is our choice what we do with them, not theirs".
"You're impossible", Herman ended the conversation with a cold stare, and walked off.
"They're only clones", Hans mockingly called, "Only clones".
"So what was that we just encountered?", asked Jim, as he approached Sarah, who herself had just climbed into a jeep.
"Ceratosaurus nasicornis", she replied, "Ingen bred them after realising that the first Ceratosaurs they bred for Jurassic Park, the Proceratosaurs, wouldn't be as popular as their larger cousins".
"You sure seem to know a lot about these creatures", continued Jim, "And all from one trip to the original park I gather, even though you were only a child then".
Sarah smiled at him.
"I guess dinosaurs are my passion", she replied, "I've read most of Ingen's dinosaur reports, especially the ones on carnivores", she continued, as she started the ignition on the jeep.
"I would quite like to discuss the raptors", said Jim.
"Sure", answered Sarah, "We can do that later".
"So I'll be off to meet up with Jo and David?", she then said, changing the subject.
Everyone was clearing up after the rescue, and it was Sarah who was first to go and meet up with David and Jo, who themselves had left twenty minutes earlier. Jim nodded in reply to Sarah's obvious question.
"But take someone with you", added Jim, "No one is to travel alone".
"Sure", said Sarah, "Hey Mike", she called.
Mike looked up in astonishment.
"Do you want to come with me?", she called again.
"Yeah alright", his face full of excitement, though he personally hoped that didn't show up too much.
He got into the jeep and they were off. Jim smiled at the two leaving youngsters.
Mike sat in the passenger seat; rifle butt sitting in his lap. He felt nervous since he was now alone with his crush, and he didn't want to screw it up. As he pondered what to say Sarah asked him a question.
"So, what are you interested in?", she said.
Mike felt a bit better about the situation now. He found it much easier to respond to a question, rather than think one up himself.
"Well...erm...", he mumbled in reply. He was half tempted to say 'at the moment, I'm interested in you', but he knew that would be a bad idea, so instead he said.
"I like to travel...and...er...dinosaurs", he half-fibbed.
Though he knew hardly anything about dinosaurs, he did indeed find them incredible, though he had only just realised that 24 hours ago.
"Oh really; the same as me then", said Sarah, "What's your favourite?" She spoke with an interest in Mike.
Now he'd done it, he had to search his memory for the name of a dinosaur, otherwise he'd blown it. He did remember something. He'd read it in a book somewhere.
"The...uh...Velociraptor", he said slowly, and clearly.
"Same here", replied Sarah, intrigued by this share in opinion.
Mike sensed that they would now probably discuss raptor's, which wasn't too good as he didn't know anything about them, or any other dinosaur, apart from the name.
No discussion came however, and Mike took a few seconds to register that the jeep had stopped moving. Sarah was just staring ahead at something, her hands resting completely still on the wheel. Before them was the other Land Rover. No one was in it though. Behind it, rose the head of a Ceratosaur, which let out a purring roar at the sky. It had seen them, but was taking no interest.
Sarah cursed, and imagined the worst had happened with Jo and David.
It was too her great relief then that she noticed two figures down by the river. Mike was a little too worried about the Ceratosaur to notice though.
Another of the creatures appeared from over the hill, followed by a small 2 metre long juvenile. It was now obvious that the three theropods they could see where a family. By the looks of it they were going down to the river for a drink, and had merely stopped on the way to investigate the strange vehicle before them.
"We can't let those things see them down there", Mike suddenly spoke up, through a tightened throat. He did worry for Jo and David, but more so for himself at that moment, as the dinosaurs were that bit closer to him than they were to them.
The largest Ceratosaurus started sniffing at the Land Rover, especially near the exhaust where it could smell the unusual whiff of petrol. The windows had been left open, probably to prevent the wheel from heating up too much thought Sarah. The inquisitive theropod didn't neglect this, and proceeded to stick its head inside. It could just fit, and the creature licked at the leather seats. The small juvenile also licked at the vehicle's chassis, but suddenly let out a stunned squeak. It was apparent that the creature had recieved a small static electric shock on its tongue.
Both Sarah and Mike watched in amazement, and humour, at this spectacle. The small juvenile was also checking out the vehicle, casually test biting the bull bars on the front.
Then, what Sarah imagined would probably happen, did. As the creature tried to withdraw its head from the window, it got stuck. This gave it quite a fright, and as it struggled, it hit the horn, causing the all two familiar noise to blare out.
Both Jo and David, who had been enjoying another passionate kiss, were alerted at that moment. They turned to see the carnivore withdraw its head, accompanied by the scrape of metal and a few gouge marks in the window frame. The three Ceratosaurs finally made their way down to the river for a refreshing drink, albeit not without one last curious look at the motionless vehicle.
Jo and David, they're love now discovered, had decided to take in the view by the riverside together, just for a few moments. However, the thirsty Ceratosaurs coming their way complicated matters. They held each other lovingly for a second, as they looked at the oncoming creatures.
"Okay Jo, we need to get out of the way of those dinosaurs", he said calmly and softly, "I hope you don't mind getting wet". Jo smiled in acknowledgement. Then, still holding her protectively, he slid themselves down into the water, gently kicking to create distance between them and the carnivores.
The dinosaurs had reached the bank by now, glancing at the two with a curiosity. The water was lovely and cool, and Jo actually relished every moment of it, as did David. Their skin welcomed the cooling currents after having been exposed to the hot and humid outside temperature. With intrigue they watched the beasts tongues lap at the waters surface.
Jo admired how even carnivores could be a loving family. David thought likewise, but he couldn't help but notice that the largest of the three had stopped drinking and was maintaining direct eye contact. A very unnerving feeling settled over him, and he let out a few more gentle kicks to create more distance.
Jim could see this as well. Through binoculars he peered at the situation, with several thoughts running through his mind. What the devil were they doing there anyway? was the main query he was having.
He himself had just climbed into the second Land Rover, and was just about to meet up with everyone else, when he had heard the horn go. As he watched this he fumbled around for the satellite phone, and hoped David was carrying his.
As they floated in the water, bobbing like a cork, David heard the muffled noise of his phone ring. He slowly pulled it out of his pocket, thinking how inconvenient the call was. Answering quietly, he said.
"Hello".
"David, what's going on down there?"
He was pleased to hear Jim's voice, though his actions of answering the call seemed to have caused further agitation to the Ceratosaur.
"I think, the er, situation is under control", David answered, "Though any help would be appreciated".
"Okay, we're making our way down, just hang on for a few minutes, though once your safe I am afraid I will have to ask you what you were doing down there".
"Sure", said David, "Sure".
He was calm, but there was a note of anxiety in his voice that Jo could detect. She held him tight, to give him the feeling of protection that was to help them through this.
A loud snort came from the creature, as it suddenly took a step back.
It then lunged itself forward, and into the water. Jo screamed, but as the Ceratosaurus hit the surface, the momentum carried them to safety. Or so they thought, as they suddenly realised that they were caught in a current and being swept down the river. The dinosaur swam after them, but gave up shortly, as the current had got stronger and had pulled them further and further away.
Jim had leapt into action as he watched this. The Land Rover drove across the grassy plains at top speed. Sarah and Mike had also started their own rescue operation, driving along the riverbank, in hopes of being able to through a rope.
The situation got worse when the river divided into tributaries, Jo and David being sucked down one, which led off into the dense jungle.
"Its okay, its okay Jo, I've got you", said David, making sure that Jo's head was above the water. The currents were less strong leading into the jungle, but he knew of the greater amount of dangers that would lurk within it. What will find us in here? he thought. He managed to pull himself, as well as a grateful Joanna, out of the water, and up onto the bank, but by now they were completely disorientated, their only hope resting on the ability of Jim and the others to track them.
They were both laughing though, after their abrupt escape.
"We made it Jo", he said with a great big grin across his face.
"That was good thinking, we got a wash as well as escape", she replied, "But what am I going to do with my wet clothes?"
She said the latter with a saucy smile, adding the statement, "They'll probably take a while to find us you know".
David got the idea, though he thought it rather impulsive for the present situation. They immediately embraced in a passionate gesture.
"We need to find a shallow part of the river", ordered Jim. He was becoming increasingly worried about his friends, who had vanished out of sight into the thick jungle. I just hope that they're still alive, thought Jim.
The plan was that once a section of river had been found that was shallow enough to transport the jeeps and Land Rovers across, the hunting group would be split into two. One team going off to set up camp and a rendezvous point elsewhere, while the other, led by Jim, would go on a rescue mission in search for David and Jo. The team heading off in search of a new campsite consisted of a fairly large group, around half of the expedition. They took the vehicles they needed, and set off, leaving Jim, and everyone else behind by the churning waters of the river, setting up an inflatable raft.
Hours had passed and light was fading. David lay alongside a sleeping Jo, in a feeling of comfort and unease. He was getting anxious now because Jim still hadn't located them, and darkness was falling. I got more on this trip than I originally bargained for, he thought, half-smiling to himself.
Something suddenly made him sit up in fear though. The background noises that usually accompany a jungle were silent. He could hear the odd cricket chirping, but he did not perceive the noises of geckos and other small fauna. He immediately sensed that they were being stalked.
Slowly, he turned around, and stared into the bushes behind him. The hairs on the back of his neck tingled, and a lump rose in his throat. Jo slept soundly beside him.
Straining his ears to hear, he heard a creature breathing. It was a hoarse sound, but he could not see where it was originating from due to the dim light. His gun was back at the Land Rover, over a mile away, he thought to himself. And he had lost his expensive satellite phone in the river, after the sudden departure from an afternoon drink with the Ceratosaurs.
He looked at the bush, with a sense of anger as well as apprehension. He hadn't come this far to get eaten by some hungry dinosaur. I will not go silently into the night, thought David, and Jo gives me a good reason to fight. He looked back at his beautiful partner, his first major relationship ever, and it wasn't going to be ended by a peckish dinosaur.
The bushes rustled further, and out of it appeared what he had been dreading the most. A Velociraptor.
Unknown to him, the raptor had been watching them ever since they had arrived at their location. The two humans display of affection had given the raptor great bewilderment, as it watched the two unfamiliar creatures roll around, emanating a variety of noises as they did so.
It had actually guessed that this display was probably something to do with courtship, but the main thing on its mind now was food. Are they for the taking? it thought, as it eyed David and his sleeping mate.
As it watched out of curiosity, David, the adrenaline now coursing through his veins reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. The knife in question was a proper hunting knife, and perfect, he thought, for the present situation.
He looked up into the inquisitive eyes of the raptor, which stared back, and he told it.
"You're not the only one who can kill!"
He lurched forward and hit out against the dinosaur, which let out a confused yelp. Jo was woken by this and immediately got up to see to her horror, her lover grappling with a Velociraptor. David had lurched so hard that the raptor had fallen to the floor.
"Run", he yelled, "I'll follow once I've sought this thing out".
She did so with hesitation, though eventually she took her lover's request and made her way down the river, further into the jungle, but away from the temporary danger.
He stabbed again with the knife, penetrating the raptor's chest, warm blood oozed out of the gaping wound. The creature squealed in pain. This sound sickened David, so he silenced it forever, with one hard slash to the raptor's neck. Blood sprayed out and covered his clothes. The creature stopped struggling at that moment, its muscles went limp.
He got up, and looked at the dead beast. He had killed it because it looked like it was going to do the same to him and Jo. However, unknown to him, the raptor had merely been investigating him out of curiosity, and had passed the idea of them being a source of food. Raptors were too intelligent to just eat anything they found, and regarded creatures of a similar intellect with both fear and respect.
David stepped back, weary from his fight, and ran the direction Jo had gone, calling her name so he could locate her. His feet splashed loudly in the shallow water of the river now turning stream, so he did not hear Jim approach with Sarah, Bruce and Peter, in the rescue raft. They turned the corner too late, to see the disappearing David recede into the distance. They all took a deep breath when they suddenly noticed the lifeless body of the Velociraptor lying in the dirt, its cause of death clear.
