Please obey all park rules.

Due to original development issues, certain liberties have been taken to expand and make the park fully functional.

Velociraptors are born out of pack animal research, information from the first Jurassic Park, and several classified genomes.

Thank you to Katnip for your kind review.

Welcome...to the Paddock

Chapter 1

Fight Like A Brave

Metal stone can be heard screeching around the territory. Immediately, I sprint to the northwestern wall. There's a space between our night caves and the metal jaws that clamp over our heads in which, sometimes, another cave appears. Stopping within the thick bushes, I scent for the possibility of meat.

My gaze narrows on the dark opening in the corner not more than a leap and a half away. In the high sun, I cannot see what lies within. My tail swishes as Delta slides up next to me. She leans slightly forward, nostrils flaring with each sniff.

"What's in there?" she growls softly. Her talons stomp on the damp wood chips, and she flexes her claws.

With a hiss at her, she backs up slightly. Eyeing the darkness, I take a deep breath. My head turns slightly to the side. It smells…familiar. Squinting, I try again to peer through the dark veil. Slowly, I step out of the cover and growl.

Two bright, blinking, yellow eyes peer from the darkness. Inch by inch, they move forward.

The bushes rattle softly as Delta steps out beside me. She snorts as the shadow begins to form. A low growl forms in my throat as I realize it looks familiar.

The green-colored foot that moves into the light is a surprise. It reminds me of Delta but lighter. However, before the creature is allowed the chance to emerge, there's a screech and a streak of brown.

A yelp echoes from the cave as a familiar snarl follows.

Without a second thought, I lunge into the dark. For a breath, my eyes can see nothing. After a blink, my gaze settles on a creature cowering in the far corner attempting to hide from an onslaught of slashes.

In a heartbeat, I've wedged myself between them and snarl at the brown flash. "Echo!"

It's enough for her to pause. A flash of teeth and a roar are what I receive in response. "Get out of my way!"

There's no mistaking the ferocity in my snarl as I pounce. Echo has been out of claw since she arrived one full moon prior. While she's sneaky and waits for the opportunity to take a snap at me, she's getting bold. We roll back into the light, and she snaps her jaws at me.

I grow weary of her asinine behavior.

Planting my feet, I watch her muscles shift into a lunge. It takes nothing for me to swing my tail and send her flying several feet. Her snarl consists of anger and shock. For a breath, I think she'll settle down and submit.

"We don't need another!" Her glare narrows as her brownish skin heaves with each furious pant. "You would know that if you knew how to lead!"

My patience with Echo is as thin as leaves. There are other things to worry over—the green familiar in the darkness for starters. "You do not know what you speak about."

"We need food," she growls, her left foot sliding back slightly. "That creature is either another mouth to feed or a full mouth. You'd realize that if you were competent."

I bare my teeth. If she's looking for a challenge… "If you think you know best, Echo, you know the law."

There's a growl of encouragement from the cave, and I'm surprised to hear it's Delta. Unless it's the night cave, she does her best to stay out of cramped spaces.

Thinking I'm distracted, Echo lunges again. I step to the side.

Echo is two full moons younger than Delta and me. While she may be more aggressive and angry, she's not as wise and allows rage to dictate her moves.

This becomes ever apparent as she lunges a third time, and I roll under her.

While I am strong enough to put an end to this game, a lesson needs to be taught. It's not about strength. Never is.

It's about cunning.

As angry as she is, she isn't allowing herself to be levelheaded. She can't see the next move. She can't see the big picture. She can't see past sunset rage.

Her muscles shift to rush me instead. With a simple leap, I land behind her and turn to see Delta emerging from the darkness with a creature that looks strikingly similar. For a breath, my thoughts slide on the new.

She's fragile, timid, trainable. Her bright green skin is flawless with youth and the dark green stripes on her back contrast well. There are several very light patches of blue around her jawline, shoulders, and tip of her snout.

Regrettably, she is significantly smaller, and this poses a problem.

Delta's snarl comes too late as I'm suddenly hitting the ground several feet away. It doesn't hurt, but I am stunned. Shaking my head, I see Delta move in front of the little one as Echo lines up a jump. When she leaps, I hit her mid-air, sending her into the stone wall several feet away.

By the time I've reached her, Echo's rolled to her side, blinking rapidly and trying to catch her breath. She shakes her head and looks up. A snarl forms in my throat as she attempts to rise.

"We can all share in the feast," she growls.

I look at the new green, scenting the breeze as it blows past her into me. "She's one of us."

Delta's roar sounds in my ears as I suddenly find myself on the ground again. I'm surprised to see Echo claw at me. In the distance, Delta shifts her talons.

I hiss.

This started with Echo and me, and it will end between her and me.

A whip of my tail sends wood chips and dust flies into the air, causing Echo to back up and cough. It's not much time, but it's enough for me to plant my feet on the ground.

With a roar, I startle her, allowing for a well-placed tail whip that sends her flying several feet. Echo hits the dirt and rolls. This time I don't allow her a chance to stand. With a leap, I'm glaring down at her.

Echo struggles to stand. I place a talon on her muzzle and snarl. She winces and my talon slashes across her eye. It's an unfortunate injury, but she's lucky I don't rip out her life vein.

The entire event is a regrettable situation since she is my sister, but there is a reason I am lead.

"Echo, do not try my authority again. Next time, I won't be so kind."

｡.•°•.｡ɹǝƃunH｡.•°•.｡

The sun reflects off the ocean and casts his shadow across the metal bars—which isn't a rare sight. He's here often enough in hopes of relaxing, and so is his shadow.

Part of him wonders if there's some sign by the way it's looming there on the cold, unforgiving metal. It reminds him of those Slenderman Creepy Pastas the younger employees yammer on about. Owen's never been one for superstitions, though.

And in any case, if a white, faceless man in a dapper suit showed up, he had four girls who'd put an end to that shit in an instant.

He leans against the wall, not too close to the bars, for he knows what can happen. More times than the park would like to admit, someone's got too close and found the hard way of what lies beyond.

Stupid, he thinks and crosses his arms.

He's got maybe an hour of dying light left; even now, it fades, and his shadow lengthens like a Laffy Taffy pulled too tight. That means there's less than an hour before his girls will be corralled into their cages for the night. He knows it's a sad fate for such pretty ladies, but the park demands it.

A slow glance is what he gives the quiet enclosure. The palm leaves appear waxy as if they'd been bought from a home décor store and don't actually need water and sun to survive. Damp wood chips on the ground show no sign of the dark red blood that's been spilled on them. The enormous cement walls are silent, refusing to speak of the fight they witnessed earlier.

A sigh crosses his lips. Owen doesn't like it when his girls fight, but really, that's more to do with him than anything else. He's just not that fond of arguments.

Period.

While he learned to overcome fear in the Navy—needed to overcome it—family fights still haunt his nightmares. He's seen more hospital room trips for loved ones than he cares to admit.

That's what happens when you have unstable relatives and a brother who needed the military, he's told himself numerous times. And on more than one occasion, he remembers cowering in the corner—not unlike what he saw from Charlie today.

But those were different times, and now his family generally gets along, or so he thinks. He doesn't talk to them often because there's still a measure of grief they give him about working on Isla Nublar. Apparently, training raptors isn't a worthy profession to them—not that he's entirely sure he's worthy of training them.

If his past has taught him anything, though, it's that he wants better for his girls—especially his Blue. She is his pride and joy. She is the light in his life. He's never had kids, but he's come to imagine his feelings toward her is quite like how parents feel over their tiny screamers. When he looks at her, he knows he's done something right and feels content.

Not that he doesn't love the others…

Delta is wise, and Owen knows she lends this wisdom to Blue. She seems to be the stability in the pack. The one who keeps things from getting out of hand. Owen isn't oblivious to the fact that Barry has many of the same qualities and often gives the same advice he imagines Delta gives Blue. Perhaps that's why the man favors the dark green-grey raptor over the others.

Then there's Echo. She is, in essence, everything the first park's raptors were made to be. She's dangerous. She's volatile. She's sneaky. But she does lack in cunning and intelligence. And that's where Owen thinks Blue has the upper hand—and hopes it stays that way.

He can't lie. Sometimes, he grows nervous about Echo being around Blue. Echo did kill her hatch mate several weeks back, resulting in an early entry into the main paddock.

Shaking his head, he feels some sort of sadness at the death. It reminds him of Charlie, but in a completely different way, and how lonely he imagines she must feel. He can't stop himself from seeing his youngest in the Hatchling Paddock, whimpering. He can see her crying in a way he never imagined raptors could. He can still feel his heartbreak as he sees her wailing out to the motionless sibling on the ground before her—a life not strong enough for this harsh world.

As he looks over the silent palms, Owen wonders where Charlie hides and if Blue has taken her in. He knows she's too young to be in the main paddock, but she also can't be isolated. She's barely five months old, and if Blue doesn't teach her, Echo will kill her.

Owen's thoughts circle back around to his main girl as he pulls a Slim Jim from his pocket. A soft tune leaves his lips, and he's barely opened the package before a soft growling is heard at the gates. Looking at him are those bright amber eyes, which have matured in the past eleven months.

The tension from his shoulders and chest unravel as he smiles, and his song momentarily stops. He breaks the jerky and hands her half as he breathes out softly. "Hey, Blue."

She tosses the meat to position it better in her mouth before swallowing it. He can hear her scenting, but he knows she's not looking for more food.

Instead, those bright eyes blink at him, and he softly picks up the tune again. The cruel look that's taking over her features disappears, and her snout gently rests on the bars. He imagines she's remembering how they used to spend time without bars and cold metal between them.

Since she's been deemed lethal, he considers it a hazard to be around her. Especially when Delta and Echo enter the picture.

"I need you to do me a favor," he finally says and hopes she's can understand him. "I need you to take care of Charlie."

A soft snort is heard as Blue's eyes narrow slightly.

"She's all alone," he continues. "She needs a family. You're meant to be her family."

He takes a bite of his jerky before tossing the rest to Blue. "Please help her."

There's a smacking of lips before those amber eyes appear again. A soft growl is heard as is the screeching of the cage doors opening. Blue looks over and Owen knows she smells the meal waiting for her in her cage. It calls to her more than a simple tune from a bedtime song. Her gaze settles on him again with a growl before she darts off for dinner and bed.

As the last rays of the sun fall over the ocean, Owen climbs on his motorcycle and rides for home. The entire time, he sings Blue's song softly to himself… "O-o-oh, child, things are going to get easier…"

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