Turtle and the migrating group had been migrating south for 10 days now. They had left the snow and permanent darkness behind them. Turtle looked up to see the dark grey clouds above them as it was clear they were now in volcanic territory. One of the Edmontosaurus that were migrating with them soon stumbled as they were beginning to get weak. It was clear the herd marched on their stomachs and they were now running on empty. The cats could easily adapt by feeding off of scraps of meat of the fallen behemoths. And being smaller came with its advantages; they didn't need that much food to keep them going. Turtle stumbled around finding two dead Edmontosaurus near him. A kit and a fully grown adult; Turtle grabbed some meat as he ate it from one of the carcasses so starvation wouldn't get him next. He began running for the herd. For Turtle, the herd always represented for safety but now the weaker members of the herd were collapsing and dying around him. A huge animal with wings big enough to block out the sun were circling around as they knew a free meal was upon them.
The Quetzalcoatlus is the largest flying animal of all time. With a wing span as long as a tree they were capable of long distance gliding. They also had a taste for meat as the migrating herd was their moveable feast. Three Quetzalcoatlus landed as they began feasting on the carcasses. Turtle looked at them as he kept trotting after the herd.
Turtle soon caught up as they were still traveling. It was clear starvation was also taking its toll on the cats too. Sparrow's cry knew she couldn't do anything about it.
"I'm hungry!" Moth complained as she was starving. Turtle looked at them. Sparrow's cry turned to the kits as she spoke.
"I'm hungry too but I can't just make food magically appear." Sparrow's cry mewed to the kits as she stumbled. It was clear that she needed food too. Tiger's Leap soon looked out as he raised his head and began to sniff the area around him.
"Cats, we're getting somewhere as I can smell what appears to be plants." Tiger's Leap mewed to them as they continued walking along. Turtle raised his head as it appeared that the herd has stopped. They were all munching on the patches of plants that were growing around them. "Finally a tiny oasis of green in the barren wilderness." Tiger's Leap began munching on the plants as it was clear that those that made it, get what they deserved.
"Finally food!" Moth cried out as she began eating the plants. They all knew that they needed to share the spoils but there was just enough for everyone to go around. The lightning crackled in the distance as they were going to approach that area.
"It's good and we get it all to ourselves." Cedar Leaf happily responded as the four kits get their reward for fighting their way so far but there were too many mouths to feed. Three males and one female from another species approached the oasis. It was clear the arrivals wanted the plants for themselves. The herd began moving away as they knew there was no point in trying to compete.
"Why are we leaving" Turtle asked Sparrow's Cry who was leading the kits away. Sparrow's Cry looked at Turtle and then at the beasts and then back to Turtle.
"The Pachyrhinosaurus are here and we don't take too kindly to them." Sparrow's Cry spoke as she lead the kits away. Hunger was forcing one Edmontosaurus to defend his corner. He roared as he wanted to drive the four animals away.
The Pachyrhinosaurus arrived as the huge Edmontosaurus reared on his hind legs to intimidate the animals. The Pachyrhinosaurus stopped looking at the behemoth as they wanted to get him out of the way. They tried to do this the easy way as one of them approached. The Edmontosaurus slapped its front feet against the head as the beast's head went down then bobbed back up. It soon gave a roar trying to drive them away. Seeing how things weren't going to end well. The Pachyrhinosaurus knew they should solve this the hard way. The Pachyrhinosaurus male soon charged into the Edmontosaurus as it knocked it over. The Edmonotosaurus roared as it wailed in pain as it fell over. A broken rib cage meant a slow death for the desperate animal but for the migrating herd, there was no looking back.
The herd continued southward as they continued walking along in the volcanic wasteland. Between them a massive collision was giving way as the Rocky Mountains were being formed… violently. The cats looked up as the clouds were becoming back. In the distance a volcano was pumping more ash into the sky, because of the frequent eruptions, this produced a deadly result: it killed all the plant life and any chance of a meal. Turtle looked down as he knew there was nothing to even eat. The volcanic dust was beginning to coat the cat's lungs. Water's Stream coughed as the dust was getting to them no matter what the size and it was masking the scent of nearby predators. And there were no shortage of them about 100 of them were waiting nearby as they were resting. A couple were up and about.
These black feathered predators were Albertosaurus, much like Nanuqsaurus but with a narrower snout and they were much deadlier since they hunted in packs. An average adult was about the length of ten foxes and weighed as much as 6,000 mice. They were predators of teeth and stealth. One of them soon got up as they smelt the scent of approaching prey. The pack kept their vigil for the arrival of migrating animals. It had been months since their last proper meal and the winter feast was soon to be served. The Albertosaurus roared as they began getting up one by one as they were preparing to ambush the herd.
Back up north. Patch's feathers have turned a fetching yellow which signaled him to the females that he was ready to breed. He looked at his nest and then at Scar's nest that was across from him. Scar looked at patch as he wanted to taunt him.
"Hey no hunter. You got nesting wrong. I got the perfect nest. Nicely sheltered from the freezing wind. Your nest is far too exposed." Scar taunted him as he knew Patch was not only bad at hunting but also choosing a desirable spot for building a nest. Soon Stella arrived on the scene.
"Over here Stella!" Patch crowed as he wanted her attention. Scar was beginning to display as he wanted her attention. Flexing his claws, he began crowing. Stella turned to Scar. Patch was losing out for her attention but he was willing to learn the moves.
"No Stella over here!" Scar crowed flexing out crowing and displaying to her his long yellow feathers. Patch was trying his hardest as Stella turned her head to him. Scar didn't want Stella to fall for a no hunter as Patch called out.
"Hey over here!" Patch called out as he continued displaying. Stella soon turned her head to him as she was ready to go to Patch as Scar knew he had to drive Stella's attention away from Patch as he knew he had to stop displaying.
"Wait, Stella, I have a prize for you if you decide to choose me." Scar chirped to her as he leaned down holding a plump mammal in his jaws. Scar tossed it to Stella. Stella sniffed it/
"It's fresh and with prey scarce. I think you have the trick." Stella chirped as she approached Scar. It was clear dinner closed the deal. Patch failed in getting her attention but there was always next time.
To the south, the migration had kept ahead of the zone of permanent darkness. The herd has walked some 600 miles. More than half way to journey's end in the southern forests but there was fresh new danger every new horizon. The glassy water of the volcanic rain was falling as the Albertosaurus sensed their prey was getting close.
The Edmontosaurus and the cats were heading for a narrow pass in the rocky terrain. As for a good many, this was as far as they were going to get; because they were walking straight into an ambush. The Albertosaurus began to spread out as they were getting into positions to pull off an ambush. Turtle and the others were soon walking along as they were beginning to tense up. They sensed something was wrong but the Edmontosaurus were still walking along as they were just walking. The Albertosaurus were holding their positions waiting for just the right moment to spring and take out their prey. Soon the Edmontosaurus came into the open. The lightning soon flashed and that's when it happened.
A black feathered Albertosaurus leaped from cover, crushing its jaws around the neck of the Edmontosaurus. The huge animal fell to the ground as it bellowed in agony. The herd was beginning to panic seeing how the herd is beginning to fall apart. Another Albertosaurus leaped from cover grabbing another Edmomotsaurus from cover as another appeared grabbing that one on the throat as well. Turtle was beginning to panic as he darted free from the herd as the others were doing much the same thing. The Edmontosaurus were either running for their lives or getting mauled by the Albertosaurus. Turtle soon raced along as an Albertosaurus appeared from the rocks chasing Turtle down. Turtle was running as fast as his legs could carry him. Turtle soon made a sharp turned as he ran into some cover. The Albertosaurus roared as it wasn't able to snatch up the fast moving kit. Turtle kept running sensing his troubles weren't over. Turtle kept running sensing the predator was still behind him. Turtle looked back as he saw the herd stampeding away as they were trying to escape the danger of a predator. Turtle knew he had to reunite with them but it wasn't going to be easy. Turtle looked back as he kept running as the Albertosaurus appeared as its huge bird like feet thundered after it. Turtle didn't know how to reunite with the herd but he had to survive first.
At the lip of the volcano, ice was no match for fire. The volcano erupted as it mixed with the snow. The ice had melted as it made a cascade of melted water, ash and rock, gathering unstoppable momentum as it fell. Turtle and the Albertosaurus were still running as Turtle wanted to escape from the predator. They were heading through a dead forest as some of the branches were on fire. Turtle knew he had to get to get out of there before he knew he was next. A burning branch soon collapsed and fell as Turtle passed under it. The branch soon landed on the Albertosaurus as the black feathers caught fire. It soon collapsed as it the fire was spreading throughout the animal. The Albertosaurus knew he had to keep the hunt up as it got back up as it roared. It soon bolted after Turtle. Turtle was still running as the Albertosaurus continued to pursuit as it chased Turtle down. Turtle knew his only hope was up a steep bank as he soon raced up and jumped on it. He soon slipped as the Albertosaurus was close. He soon leaped onto the bank again. He soon turned to see the Albertosaurus waiting for him as it was shaking as the fire was burning away at its feathers. Turtle knew something was wrong as he looked around soon he noticed he really needed to get out of there now so he turned and leaped onto the bank as Turtle began to climb up as fast possible. The Albertosaurus could only watch as Turtle scrambled to safety as the torrent swept the huge predator away. It roared as it was being taken away as the hot torrent carried it off. Turtle was looking at the black river as he knew nature was his biggest enemy but it came to his rescue and that he had battled through adversity once more but he had lost the most important thing in his life, the herd.
Turtle woke up the next day on his island. He knew he had one goal in mind, finding the herd. He walked along as he sniffed the black torrent as it was now as solid as concrete. Turtle sniffed it as he placed his paw on the mixture as it was rock solid. Turtle padded along this new world of complete Isolation as he was looking for any sign of the herd. A couple of Edmontosaurus carcasses and a cat carcass from another group were there. Turtle padded over as he rubbed his head on the carcass. If the herd had survived, it must have moved on.
"Hello?" Turtle called out. He continued walking along the black ground as he was looking for any members of the herd. No response. Turtle continued walking along. "Hello?" Turtle called out again. Once again silence. Turtle felt like he was all alone as he continued walking along the desolate black ground looking for some company. "Hello?" Turtle called out. Soon another voice was heard.
"Turtle?" The voice called out. Turtle heard his name as he was beginning to pick up his pace.
"Anyone out there? My name is Turtle!" Turtle responded as he began trotting. He was wondering who was there. Soon a huge Edmontosaurus appeared as Turtle continued to trot to him. "It's me! Turtle!" Turtle called out as The Edmontosaurus nuzzled Turtle as he recognized him. It was Veteran.
"Turtle! Thank the herd you're safe!" Veteran nuzzled Turtle as he knew that the kit would have been dead but it was just them.
"Veteran." Turtle nuzzled his old companion. However, they weren't completely safe as an old enemy refuses to lie down an die. The Albertosaurus' eyes opened as it slowly got up. It limped along shaking the ash out of its feather. Turtle and Veteran once they got their reunification done knew they both had to find the herd.
"Ready to continue the journey south Turtle?" Veteran asked as he was ready to keep moving.
"I sure am." Turtle responded as Turtle knew it was just him and Veteran. They soon began moving as they knew they had the objective of finding the herd. Unaware they had company. The Albertosaurus was limping after the pair.
[A/N]: This needs to be more popular if you want to read it, that's fine with me. I'm still waiting for this story to get some reviews as I see that I want to hear your opinions on the matter. Other than that, I'll see you later.