The family travelled for two weeks through the volcanic wasteland. They arrived at what once could have been a bountiful valley, now covered in ash and rock without a living thing in sight. They followed the massive herd of dinosaurs from their old home in hopes of greener pastures. Sometimes one would die from hunger or thirst, and there would be food. But most of the time, the raptors got to the carcass first. They numbered in the dozens and didn't suffer from any weakness brought on by hunger. Even a tarbosaurus couldn't fight them all.
Blue Eyes limped after the rest, slowly falling behind as her infected leg festered and bled without proper nutrition for her to heal. The limb was stiff and painful; she could barely put one foot in front of the other. But she continued to press on because there was no other option.
Until she couldn't.
She stumbled her last few steps before her legs gave out and collapsed onto the ground with a thundering crash.
The family turned to the sound of her roar.
She opens her eyes, still dazed. She tries to lift herself but her injured leg simply slips out from under her. Her mate Speckles watches and finally sees how bad the wound is. There is nothing he can do. He beckons the hatchlings to follow him to their mother.
They watch hopefully as she attempts to stand.
She succeeds for a moment before her injured leg could no longer support her weight. Her head lolls limply and her mouth hangs open. She falls heavily on her side, her groans of agony echoing through the valley as the injury scrapes against gravel and dust. The wind is knocked from her lungs and her bright eyes are half-lidded when the dust clears. She is exhausted.
Speckles worriedly calls her name from a distance, but she isn't strong enough to answer. She is unable to take in enough air as her whole body shudders with her frantic panting.
Junior runs up to her and nuzzles her, to comfort her or because he himself is afraid, she doesn't know. She closes her eyes for a moment to focus on his touch. She can only lie there limply, desperately pulling air in as her children whine.
Speckles calls for her again in a comforting tone, telling her to get up.
She lifts her head to look at him, gently shaking off Junior as she slowly pushes herself to raise her upper half off the ground. Blue Eyes looks to the side, watching a lone pukyongosaurus keen as its massive body falls. It's dead before it hits the ground, too starved to go on.
The raptors are on it in an instant, fighting over parts of the corpse as more and more arrive. Even a sauropod isn't enough to share for them. They are impatient and greedy things. Her hatchlings watch in fear and eventually look to her.
If she doesn't get up, Speckles tells her, it will happen to her as it did to the pukyongosaurus. She will be devoured.
She rolls onto her stomach and heaves herself to her feet with every ounce of her remaining strength. But it isn't enough. She is a fraction of her previous might. Infection, starvation, and fatigue have weakened her for weeks. Her legs shake and she is helpless as they begin to give out once more. Blue Eyes moans as she topples over, first her knee breaking her fall with a sickening crack, then the rest of her body. Her voice fades with the crash and the world goes dark. She does not react when Junior tries nuzzling her again.
Speckles pleads for her to wake up as she gasps for breath on the ground, to no use. She has broken several bones in her fall, but for the moment she is unable to feel the pain.
The raptors come, smelling fresh meat. Speckles kills any who come too close, but he tires. And so does she. As she lays still, her panting grows weaker, more lethargic. Her hatchlings stay close to her body as the carcass claimers continue their assault.
The hungry raptors lose patience and surround the family in a last-ditch attempt to force her mate to give up.
Then Blue Eyes finally wakes. All she feels is the pain in every inch of her failing body. She has barely enough energy to raise her head and weakly call for her family. They don't hear her the first time. She tries again, using up all her breath, and this time, it works. The next growl from her is almost inaudible, but her family is already approaching. Her children wail for her to get up. She can't.
She feels completely spent.
Her mate leans close and gently begs her to open her eyes.
Blue Eyes tries, but with every passing moment she finds it harder and harder to keep them open. She can see Speckles' wounds from protecting her.
She groans weakly, low, sad, and long. It takes a minute of choking and gasping to recover. She knows she doesn't have long left.
He begs her not to give up. She wheezes and groans as her strength fades and her head drops a little. The only thing her mate can do now is vainly call her name.
Agonizingly slow, she lifts her head one last time to gaze at her family, then breathes her last breath. Her eyes slide shut and her head sinks to the ground. Blue Eyes quietly slips away.