Chapter 12: A brush with danger


Josiah's POV-

The morning on my second week was uneventful. The Monday morning had brought a light rain to the town. But the dinosaurs in most of the areas surrounding the lowlands were not active. The air was chilly and the herds were huddling together were I couldn't film them. Even if I could, the atmosphere was too gray for this type of documenting. Inside my jeep I could feel myself beginning to fall asleep. The air was slowly beginning to warm and the rain had started to die-down.

Since no dinosaurs were active yet, it didn't help that I was wasting what little time I had here. I started-up the jeep and drove along a route that would take me a little closer inland to the inner rim of the island. The road was narrow with dense clusters of trees on both sides. It was almost claustrophobic, driving on a road like this.

I felt myself going downhill and for some reason the path I was taking seemed almost familiar.

It was then that when I past a half eaten carcass of an animal, did that sinking feeling of remembrance finally hit me. This was a game trail. And larger dinosaurs were predators hunted on game trails. And I knew what game trail this was.

I quickly stepped on the break pedal, gripping the steering wheel with both hands and forcing the jeep to turn.

That was a big mistake.

The break pedal in this old jeep model was a bit touchy about being stepped on too roughly. Too much pressure and the whole break would stick, refusing to shift.

And right now it was not shifting. It was stuck tight!

The only thing I could do right at that moment was steer the jeep and hopefully get it stuck so that I could fix the break. Easier said then done since the trail was narrow. Smashing into a tree would only further damage the already dino damaged engine. And getting stuck in the brush here on the carnivores game trail would draw predators to me. And my rifle was no match against larger carnivores.

I wasn't going genuinely fast, so redirecting the jeep to turn around should be easy, once I found a wider path. It wasn't. The jeep could turnover and smash onto its side.

The jeep bounced along for another half mile before finally stalling. The engine sputtered and turned off. The car slowed and then stopped, the hum of the engine dying.

I got out, feeling the eerie silence around me. It made sense. Herbivores avoided game trails like this. I had to work fast because I didn't know how far I'd gotten into the trail. Judging by the sign of that carcass a few yards back, I would have to say 2/1 miles at least.

I went to work quickly, using the tools I had brought with me. The break mechanism needed to be fixed, and fast. Though I was not in the open, Tholestes had taught me that even smaller predators can lurk in the underbrush and take you by surprise.

That surprise couldn't have come any sooner. And it was not the kind of surprise I wanted.

I was just about to give the break pedal a good yank and use my screwdriver, when I felt the ground under my feet shudder lightly.

I paused and froze. I felt the hair on my neck and scalp prickle as I turned in different directions. The path up head was a little wide so that I could see further. But the shuddering felt like it was coming from behind, not in front. I turned to the rear of the jeep and squinted. There was something coming down the trail.

Instinctively I dove under the jeep with my rifle, scrambling to get out of sight. Judging from the shuddering footfalls approaching, it was a large animal. A big dinosaur.

The dinosaur's foot finally came into view. And I felt my heart beat a little faster. It was the foot of a Tyrannosaurus. But judging by it's foot size, I was guessing that it was young animal, only 20 feet long and not 46 feet like an adult.

I couldn't see the upper body from where I was, only the feet. The dinosaur had light brown, earthy color tones to it's scales. The claws on its feet also had dark brown blotches. The dinosaur growled as it approached closer. I froze.

The Tyrannosaur's feet stopped by the side of the jeep. The dinosaur growled again and banged the jeep. I didn't know if it used it's head to bang the jeep or it's body. Then, growling again, the head came down. The lower jaw touched the ground. I couldn't see the eye, just the lower jaw of the dinosaur. The tyrannosaur sniffed a few times, saliva flowing from its jaw.

My first thought was that the Tyrannosaur could smell me right where I was hiding. I wasn't wearing any deodorant on me...

BANG!

The jeep was slammed so hard that it rocked on it's wheels. The Tyrannosaur banged the car again, rocking it once more. I froze and kept still as best I could on my stomach. I had three options, none of which were probably a good idea.

1: I could crawl to the side and make my way through the underbrush while the rex was busy with the jeep. 2: I could just wait it out and hope the dinosaur got bored enough to leave. 3: I could use my rifle to shoot it in the foot and hopefully get away while it was distracted with it's pain.

I decided to go with option 1.

Carefully, keeping myself from flat, I started to crawl to the side where the underbrush was. The jeep rocked again and I felt a sharp pain in my head as something from under the car hit me. I stopped, clutching at the spot where I was hit with my other hand. I groaned when I saw that there was blood on the palm of my hand and fingers. Ignoring the pain and the blood, I quickly shimmied out from under the jeep. The young Tyrannosaur was still on the other side. And if I stood in a crouched position to escape, it would see me for sure. I had to keep on my belly. It was slow-going but it was better then being eaten.

When I finally got within the brush, I quickened my crawl. I looked over my shoulder once or twice to see if the dinosaur was still busy with the jeep. So far it was still banging it, the roof dented inward and the hood torn off. There was noting I could do to stop the Tyrannosaur, but I had this chance to keep myself alive. That jeep was my only mode of transportation on this island. Now it would join the other countless ruined vehicles forever.

I had gotten a few yards away and the brush around me looked like it was dense enough to keep me hidden if I got to my feet while crouching.

I was far enough away from Tyrannosaur and figured it wouldn't see me if I ran for it.

I quickly got to my feet and ran, my heart pumping. I knew that I had left my camera equipment in the jeep's trunk in the back, but I was confident that the Tyrannosaur wouldn't damage the car that much. I would go back for it later once the dinosaur was through with it.

I circled around and headed back up the trail, but didn't go back onto the trail itself. Best to keep to the woods.

(*)

When I had gotten back to the church and patched myself up, Fern and Tholestes were already there waiting for me. I informed them on what had happen and Tholestes hissed at me for being so careless.

"What were you thinking, you foolish human?" He barked as I adjusted the bandage around my head. "You never go onto a game trail of another hunter. You are just fortunate that you escaped from that young juvenile rex."

I shook my head, irritated by his berating squawks and barks.

"Tholestes, I'm fine," I shot at him, tying the bandage. "I'm still here and alive, aren't I?"

Fern gave me a soft nuzzle on the side of my cheek. I smiled reassuringly at her and rubbed at a spot on her neck.

Tholestes continued, "That aside, I have made arrangements for us both to meet the summit clan tomorrow."

I stopped rubbing Fern's neck and turned to my raptor friend.

"Tomorrow?" I said, getting up and placing my hat back on my head.

Tholestes nodded. "Razorhide is getting a little impatient. He already had sent a scout from his pack to tell me."

"I see," I said. "When do we leave tomorrow?

"In the afternoon, when the clan has eaten." Said Tholestes. "As I told you before, they are less likely to hurt you when their bellies are full."

That was true.

"Also," Tholestes advised. "You are to address Razorhide the same way you would address me as an alpha. The other clan members won't harm you unless show disrespect to their alpha."

That was also true. That was something to remember. I just hope that the clan wasn't going to kill me on sight. Tholestes and his pack were 'semi' okay with me, I guess with the acceptation of Fern, Terias, and Tholestes. But my past kidnapping by the black stripes had me worried that other raptor clans would kill me on sight just for being a human.

Well, tomorrow was another day. I would just have to wait and find out.


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