Warning: This chapter has attempted rape, violence and more character death.
The Doe thought it was a trick of the mind, at first.
A trick of a distant memory.
Of her child-little and fragile-now an adult, large and strong.
At first, she thought he was her mate.
But as the ruddy female approached, he did not smell like her mate.
He smelled different, yet so familiar.
She did not see her son in years-ever since he left the nest to claim a territory of his own.
But her baby was still her baby.
When mother and son met, they stared, at first.
Uncertain, and wary.
And then the Doe called-as if a mother calling to her chick.
It was a noise the adult male responded to as if he were a hatchling again.
Their tails wagged faintly to and fro.
Their large, bulky bodies moved forth and crashed together, warm bodies pressing against one another and bulky heads nuzzling.
They booped heads, and rubbed and pressed.
A series of deep, guttural purrs riveted from their scaled throats.
When the Buck return-he noticed the younger male that looked like him, yet was different.
His chest swelled in pride upon seeing the bull his son became.
Large.
Powerful.
He sported scars from battle and hunt-if fewer than his father.
When the mother stepped back, the father approached.
The males grumbled and shook their heads, before bumping their snouts together.
It was good to see his parents again.
The Buck and Doe were pleased to see their child.
It was good to have another ally against monsters.
It was a monster.
It was like one of the others she saw before.
But this one was different, if slightly so.
It was alone, unlike the green one and the ruddy brown one.
It was alone, but it was more vivid in color, like the green one.
Green, but less scarred.
Anathema's sapphire eyes narrowed as she watched a member of her pack get crushed within the beast's jaws-and get tossed away.
A triumphant bellow trumpeted from the beast as her remaining pack members scattered.
Slowly, carefully, the white Indominus emerged from the treeline, branches breaking and foliage crunching.
The green bull was feeding upon a kill.
Her pack was waiting their turn to feed-when one got too close.
The large beast caught her in her jaws, and crushed her in one bite.
Anathema's pack scattered into the forest after that.
But it did not draw the Indominus' ire.
Death happened.
And with this bulky headed beast-death seemed to happen a lot more often.
This bull was intruding upon her territory.
And yet-Anathema did not seek to fight.
Her approach was one of curiosity-but also one of purpose.
In the death of her packmate-she saw opportunity.
If the monster would not feed upon the raptor-she would.
Her pack could wait their turn, in the meantime.
When the white Indominus neared, a soft, low rumble escaped her throat.
It was simply a noise to announce her presence.
It was a noise that drew the bull Rex's attention, his beady yellow eyes upon her, a chunk of flesh still within his jaws.
His throat muscles bobbed as he swallowed the bloody chunk.
A rumble escaped the bull's throat, small circular pupils widening as he saw the large predator approach.
He eyed the white predator whose hide slowly crackled to life with rich sanguine stripes along her body. Anathema's gaze did not leave the bull Tyrannosaur.
She was wary, and she did not know if the green male would take offense to her intrusion.
The leg muscles of the intruding predator tensed as she neared his kill, small yet muscular arms tensing.
Anathema was not sure how to react.
Should she fight?
She did not seek combat.
Yet, this creature was treading upon her territory, and killed a member of her pack.
She had never fought a large predator before.
Anathema preferred not to fight.
She preferred to ambush, and deliver the crippling, fatal blow whilst her pack distracted and drew ire.
Her heart hammered within her chest in trepidation.
It was fear.
The fear of battle, the fear of injury.
The fear of change.
Her home that she knew so well-was now becoming so foreign.
Her home was suddenly not feeling like her home.
Thus, when the green bull turned towards Anathema-and took a step forward with a low, warning bellow and a snap of the jaws-she flinched.
She halted in her advance, and crouched low, white taloned claws flexing and tensing. She rolled her wrists. They cracked.
She stilled, and stared, snake like pupils wide as she flicked her gaze from the bull-guarding his much larger kill-to the feathered raptor corpse that lay nearby.
For a long time, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Indominus Rex stared at one another, leering and gazes intense.
The bull's nares flared, a deep, guttural rumble escaped his throat, snout bloody and chunks of flesh wedged between thick teeth.
Anathema remained within her submissive posture.
She did not feel safe.
She did not feel comfortable.
She attempted to call.
It was a noise that came out pathetically soft and quivering for such a species of infamy.
The bull Rex stared, and blinked.
The coolness of the valley seemed to thicken and warm with the rising tension.
It was uncomfortable.
However, the bull Tyrannosaurus turned his head away, and began to lower himself to feed. The snapping of bone could be heard as he tore another chunk of bloody flesh away. One of his beady, honey hued eyes remained fixated upon the Indominus.
The white and red female watched the male feed for a few seconds, before carefully, cautiously approaching the dead raptor. Briefly did her head tilt to look upon the green bull.
His yellow eye was still focused upon her, even through his feeding.
He did not trust her.
She did not trust him.
After a moment of pause, Anathema bent down, and lowered herself upon all fours. Her jagged jaws opened ever so slightly, nares flaring to inspect the dead raptor.
Large puncture wounds were covered by rich red feathers.
Her chest was crushed.
Gingerly did the Indominus' jaws scoop up her fallen packmate.
The ground shook and quaked, and before Anathema could react-the brutish slam of a bulky head with tremendous force behind it knocked her off her feet. The charge briefly sent her through the air for but a second. It did not stop the force of the landing from knocking the air out of her lungs, and her jaws to lose her grip on her would be meal.
Dazed, and confused, Anathema roared, arms sprawling and legs moving to get herself up.
The ground quaked, and a shadow fell over her.
Crushing jaws descended, and piercing, painful pressure and the scent of death and blood painted its way in moist puffs from the Tyrant's breath. The pain was intense, and the Indominus squealed as she felt something crack in her snout, a tug forcing her head skyward.
Anathema was focused so much upon the pain, she did not realize the bull's weight was upon her back, his belly pressed heavily-crushingly upon her. Her tiny arms were shockingly strong, and gripped her sides to hold her in place.
The Indominus wiggles and squirmed, head shaking as she attempted to rise using her arms and powerful hide legs.
The green bull only grunted, and slammed her head upon the ground.
Her bottom jaw slammed into her top jaw.
Something in her mouth was bleeding.
Her mouth hurt.
Anathema didn't realize she pierced her own tongue with her teeth.
The pressure upon her snout was relieved as the bull pulled away-Only for the pain to return as his teeth dug into the crown of her head.
The Indominus squealed in horror-in terror-as she attempted to crawl away from the dominant predator.
Her heart was hammering in terror.
She couldn't defend herself!
She couldn't defend herself!
She couldn't defend herself!
Cold fear raced through her blood.
Anathema attempted to cry out-to call for help.
Her head was slammed back down into the ground by merciless jaws.
The Indominus resumed to struggle, mustering the strength in her legs in an attempt to buck the male off-to rise-to do something.
Anything.
She barely noticed something that was heated, large and pulsing slip under her belly and smear something wet.
A foreign musk filled the air.
She felt the green bull shift his weight.
The pulsing heat moved, and slid backwards, in between her legs.
Anathema squealed in horror-and confusion.
She didn't understand what was happening.
She felt the bull shift, and move.
She felt the heated, large stick slide forward and jab her thigh.
Whatever it was, it was hard, and powerful.
Anathema was not sure what the other predator was doing-and she didn't want to know.
Thus, she waited, and timed.
The bulky headed beast seemed to try and shift to a pattern.
The Indominus waited to feel the shifting of his hips.
Her arms tensed.
Her legs tensed.
When she felt the shift in his weight as the male prepared for his next clumsy thrust-her body exploded into action.
Anathema vaulted, and threw herself off to the side.
The jaws upon her head left as the green male produced a short roar in surprise, weight uneven and caught off guard.
Both were thrown to the side, the Tyrannosaur grunting as he lost purchase upon the Indominus, and fell to the ground.
Anathema was swift to scramble to her arms and legs, releasing a hoarse, yet harrowing scream of rage.
The green male bellowed in frustration and anger, struggling to rise to his feet with a pulsing arousal between his legs.
Seeing the offender attempt to rise-The Indominus decided she would not allow him that opportunity.
Her jagged jaws clamped upon his crushing maw, the bull groaning in pain. Her jaws tensed and shook like a rabid dog, slamming his head into the ground.
A powerful kick from one of his hind legs struck her flank.
Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
The third was enough make something within the feathered Indominus' side crack, and send her sprawling to the ground. Anathema opened her jaws to snap-to bellow-to hiss-but found the pain within her side was too much. It hurt to breathe.
Her jaws snapped as she twisted her neck, limbs moving in an attempt to rise. She struggled at the newfound stiffness in her trunk.
The bull snapped his jaws as well-and with horror-the Indominus realized he was rising faster than her.
Anathema snapped her jagged jaws and hissed as the bull approached. The pulsing erection was still quite visible between his legs, lazily dribbling fluid.
The Indominus Rex did not know what it was-but she knew it has something to do with her.
And she wanted nothing to do with it.
Or this invading predator.
The bull Rex neared the still struggling to rise female, a deep, trumpeting bellow of frustration erupting from his maw.
He neared the short distance away, delivering a harsh kick to the female's head as he passed, and circled around.
His muscular, if short, arms readied to grasp, jaws readying to bite.
His arousal pulsed in desire-and anticipation.
Anathema spat out blood from her maw-and several teeth. She attempted to call-but it was garbled in her haze.
The light was too bright.
The forest was spinning-or was it trembling?
She couldn't tell.
Everything was whirling and confusing.
She couldn't tell what was up or down.
Left or right.
Everything was either too bright or too dark.
Too loud or too silent.
The world quaked again.
Trembled.
Rocked to and fro.
A distant roar bellowed.
Different than the deep and trumpeting calls of the invaders.
More bellows-of the deeper rumbles against the harsh grating of low hisses slipping passed jagged teeth.
Anathema's neck twisted, attempting to see what was happening.
Attempting to find her purchase upon reality.
Her sapphire eyes widened as realization struck her.
She knew that call.
It was Zeb.
The Giganotosaurus approached with snapping jaws and wrathful hisses
Anathema's mind couldn't keep up with the events that seemed to transpire in a blur and whirl of gnashing teeth, raking claws and the twirling of bodies.
All that she knew, was that Zeb had managed to muscle the tyrant away-and wedge himself between his female and deprived trespasser.
Zeb's throat was aflame in vengeful red, scarred maw opening and ushering a harrowing wail.
The green bull's nares flared, yellowed eyes narrowing upon the larger predator.
His taloned feet stomped upon the ground and kicked up dirt like an enraged bull.
The male Giganotosaurus' arms flexed and tense, claws fingers ready to rake and rend.
A tense moment of silence.
Stillness.
And then the green male charged, jaws opening to crush.
The earth quaked as the black striped male met his opponent in full, muscular bodies slamming and crashing like two battleships. Zeb's claws raked and slashed against the tyrant's head, flesh rippling and tearing as he sought to control he opponent's maw by keeping his head low.
The green bull grunted as his head was lurched from side to side-and then a greater weight descended upon him, following by jagged teeth piercing the tough hide upon his neck.
The Rex whined, and bellowed, tensing his muscles and legs moving to combat the weight of the male apex predator.
Zeb felt the power and force of the foreign male under his jaws.
It was like biting solid rock.
Zeb's arms moved, clawed fingers gripping at the male's calloused neck, fingers gouging at an eye.
He attempted to twist.
To break.
But the male was too strong.
The bull roared in pain, and his body shook and trembled, thrashing violently.
Zeb's grip broke, teeth and hands slipping.
The green male moved to recover, and strike-but found the larger predator giving no quarter.
Zeb rammed into the Tyrannus, teeth once more at his neck.
The Giganotosaurus used the momentum of his charge to control the bull-and slam him into a tree.
The tyrant grunted, and the forest cried out as birds flew aloft.
The green bull recovered, and swooped low.
His jaws clamped upon one of the male Giganotosaurus' hands-and crushed and tore.
Anathema then heard a noise she never heard from Zeb before.
Pain.
Agony.
Fear.
When the Rex lurched his head back-the popping of bone and tearing of skin was heard. Blood poured from the bloodied stump as Zeb reeled back and cried in terror. Only a single clawed finger remained.
The other two were gone.
The damaged hand was waved haplessly in the air, Zeb's amber eyes widening in horror at the realization, predatory pupils wide.
Terror overtook him.
He opened his jaws-and screamed.
His cry was cut short by the green bull slamming into the larger predator, and knocking him over.
The bull Rex bellowed, moving to deliver the killing blow.
A set of jagged jaws clamped like a vice around his muscles thigh.
The green male cried, and twisted around to see the female biting his leg. The force of her bite was threatening to topple the male over, and he began to stand upon his free leg, attempting to stabilize himself.
Zeb then stood up, blood staining his neck and chest.
He leered.
Silently, the black striped male charged forth.
The trumpeting bellow of the foreign male was cut off as Zeb's jaws bite at his exposed throat. A crushing of cartilage-followed by the savage tearing of flesh and arteries.
A forceful spray of blood flooded the male's throat. He attempted to cry, to draw breath.
Blood erupted from his torn throat instead.
Sanguine pooled between teeth and over green scaled lips.
Anathema released her hold, and the beast collapsed.
Quiet, choking and squeaking gasps came from the panicked Rex, eyes wide in horror.
Quiet, soft noises of struggling breath, and then silence.
Zeb's amber eyes stared at the beast as he swallowed the chunk of flesh that was in his throat. Anathema inspected the bull with a harsh kick of her own.
He did not stir.
A moment of silence passed before the pair looked towards one another.
Slowly, tiredly, Zeb moved to lay down with a heavy weight.
He began to lick and tend to his wounded hand.
It was hot and throbbing and bleeding.
Sluggishly, painfully, stiffly, the white Indominus approached.
Her jaws lowered, and laid down a gift.
Zeb's amber eyes looked towards the sapphire ones of of the female.
Her color dulled to pure white, which contrasted the red feathered raptor she carefully set in front of him.
A quiet, low rumble escaped the male Giganotosaurus, jagged jaws moving to accept, and pull closer.
It was then that Anathema lowered herself to settle down beside Zeb.
Her breath was stiff and shallow, skin pulling taut over cracked ribs despite her gaze focusing upon the male's hand.
Zeb's eyes focused upon the teeth marks that cut into her snout and scalp.
She was bleeding, too.
Slowly, gently, tenderly-and cautiously-did Zeb turn his head to face the Indominus. His nares flared, and a thick, moist tongue moved to softly glide across her wounds and warm her skin.
It was an act that caused Anathema to purr, and nuzzle her snout against his.
Jagged teeth clanked against jagged teeth.
Teeth that were meant for savagery and utter cruelty-were gentle.
The pack waited their turn.
When the alpha and other apex predator left-the pack swarmed like vultures, and ate their fill.
Little was left of the corpse of the prey animal the foreign predator killed.
When the ground quaked and shook with two pairs of weighted feet-the pack was long gone.
The Buck and Doe followed the scent of the kill.
What they found instead, gave them pause.
They found the body of their child.
An adult-but still their child.
The old pair paused, a silence filling the air.
Nothing but the crickets singing a chorus echoed in the misty woods.
The Buck released a low grumble in concern-and worry-as he neared. His nares flared, head falling low to better inspect and see. His snout gingerly pressed against the head of his son, and nudged.
Twice.
Thrice.
Attempting to rise.
Attempting to wake.
The Doe remained locked where she was, head warbling, breath still.
Attempting to make sense of what they had found.
A low, mournful groan rumbled from the green male.
Unlike most calls of his kind, they were soft and crooning.
Slowly, hesitantly, the reddish-brown female approached upon trembling legs.
Her breath hitched.
Her heart hammered.
When she moved to inspect-she, too, ushered her child to rise with a gentle nudge.
Gentle, at first.
Then more desperate.
Urgent.
The cold feeling of dread crept into her chest at the harsh realization.
Her child was dead.
A wail of agony-a shriek of heart stabbing pain-pierced the night skies.
It was a cry so high pitched-it did not sound like a Tyrannosaurus.
It was a mother mourning her child.
The piercing wail roused Zeb from his slumber with an upward jerk of his head. His eyes blinked, pupils adjusting to the lack of light.
He felt Anathema shift, and wake beside him with a groggy grumble.
The wail was haunting, and it carried across the valley.
The Indominus and Giganotosaurus would not sleep throughout the night.
They were too wary about the monsters that lurked in the dark.
I always envisioned Anathema being an ambush predator and relying on stealth rather than brute force. She doesn't have the personality to be a slaughtering machine. So she generally targets smaller, easier to take down prey.
I wanted to write Skunk being an Indopupper and more on the Indoraptor siblings. but wanted to get this out, first, and flesh out Zeb.
So I assume he'll just get hunted down by angry parents.
:)