CHAPTER THREE: ORNI ALONE


Orni had rested for the night, having cried for hours before finally falling asleep. When she woke up the next day, she was saddened to find that it had all not been a dream and that her family really had abandoned her.

When she woke up the next, she was saddened to find that it had all not been a dream and that her family really had abandoned her. She searched for her family, looking everywhere for them. At one point, she saw her own shadow and thought it was her mother. "Mom, wait up!" she yelled. She ran toward the shadow, but it seemed to be running from her. Finally, as she reached a dead end, she found that what she thought was her mother's shadow was really her own. She was truly and utterly alone. "Fine, I don't need her! I don't need any of them!" she pouted. A minute later, she shouted "I don't need any of you! I can survive all by myself! I hate all of you!"

She quickly realized how foolish she'd been to shout while out in the middle of a desert. Her outburst had attracted the attention of a pack of Sharpbeaks. "Kaw-kaw-ranh-ranh-ranh!" they all let out a hunting cry. One Sharpbeak would not have been a match for a Fast Hand, even a young one like Orni, but a whole pack could certainly rip apart and devour a child.

Orni knew that she couldn't possibly hope to get away from creatures that could fly, and fly fast, so she grabbed the only thing nearby that she could think to use as a weapon: stones. As she let fly the first stones, Orni realized that she had another talent besides taking eggs: she was a good shot. The first stone sailed right at the neck of a female Sharpbeak, striking her hard and snapping her neck. Another stone hit a Sharpbeak in the wing so hard that it broke and he fell to his death. The other ones that were close enough were also injured, but not killed. Soon, the pack realized that they had underestimated the Fast Hand and retreated, carrying off the injured members of the hunting party while leaving the two dead ones behind.

Orni felt pleased with herself at fending off the Sharpbeaks. Her brother and sisters would have believed that those Sharpbeaks would have killed her. Even she herself was still amazed that she had been able to fend off so many. She stared at the dead bodies. Her teeth were ill-equipped to tear and cut meat like this; the most they could handle were snapping shells, crawling slimies (snails), and maybe a partially developed critter in an egg. However, her cunning mind began to hatch an idea. Perhaps even if the dead Sharpbeaks couldn't be food, they could help her get some.

Orni saw some Tickly Fuzzies in the distance. One of them was a female. She didn't think that this female would be able to stomach both of these Sharpbeaks, but maybe, just maybe, this female would be a mother and take the food back to her nest. Orni knew that this type of Tickly Fuzzy laid eggs, just like dinosaurs and pterosaurs. She stood there for a moment, wondering if she should risk stealing eggs with a sleeping parent present.

Deciding that she needed some food and that now was a good time to get some, she tiptoed toward the nest, slowly inching toward it. Still, the mammal slept on. Orni slowly and quietly took each of the six eggs, one by one. When she had the last one, she slowly crept out of sight. The mother woke up soon after Orni was gone, but she'd had a head start and quickly hid inside a tree trunk, having climbed up several feet into the air. In here, she ate some of her catch, planning to keep the rest till later. Orni began to feel that, despite her young age, she might just be able to make it on her own.