I own nothing.
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It's been a month since their death. The pack has made precautionary steps to adulthood. They are physically well and healthy, if not abnormally better. But they are undetermined. They have driven away other raptors and animals away, and are feared by most of the herbivores. Their depression inside causes rage and they take it out when making a kill. Even the most Sauropods fear them. They are strong, and they know it. But nothing helps their pain.
Red being the leader and the most social and caring, tries to cheer her sad siblings. She herself is sad, but is strong willed. Fang and Sickle though, are more aggressive than the other two and usually fight each other to settle their depression. At first she tries to stop them. But learned to deal with it. As long as they don't actually injure one another. Their instincts tell them to head south.
Along the way, they meet up with a friend. The Whit Dactyl. He alerts them for any danger and in return, gets a share of the kills. It's a typical law of nature of interacting with other carnivores. In two weeks, they reach what is now North America. They spread out to scout the area within the next few miles. Then they regroup with no reports of danger. They head farther out west and come to a rest.
They will stay here for the next few weeks. It is a small enclosure surrounded by 20-foot hills, like a giant bowl. Red prepares a nesting site, gathering leaves and dried grass for bedding. Fang and Sickle stay at the top of the hills, looking out for danger and nearby herds. Speed finds a pond close by and drinks. They have not come across a lot of water sources not crowded from other dinosaurs. And being the fastest and one who runs the most, he needs more water.
He glugs down the water to freshen his system, unaware of a pair of eyes from just above the surface. It is a crocodile. Not just any crocodile. A Deinosuchus. This is an early species, so smaller, but still bigger than a Utahraptor. It dives deeper and slowly approaches. He is still drinking, almost reaching his fill.
Splash! The giant croc shoots out the water and opens it's jaws. He sees this, and sidesteps, barely dodging 10 inch teeth. It swings it's tail to the side which slams into him, making him trip. The Deinosuchus then grabs his left leg and shakes. He cries out in pain and the other three run up to see what's going on. They are shocked to see a giant alligator biting into their sibling's leg.
SKRAK! Fang and Sickle work as a duo and jump on it.
Sickle slices up the croc with his giant killing claws and Fang bites down hard on the croc's skull. It feels the pain of it's side and head and tries to retreat. But then Red rams into it, pushing it over and the three attack it's vulnerable underside. It's body stops moving, but it's mind is still going, looking at it's killers, before it dies.
They ignore the body and go over to their brother. He is alive. But a long gnash along his leg bleeds openly. He can still walk, but limps. Running is something he can't do now. Red carries him to the nest and the other two bring back half the carcass.
Red licks his wound gently, and Sickle tries to keep him upright. Fang brings over the croc's liver, and drops it lightly in front of him. He bends to sniff it, and picks up the still warm flesh to swallow.
He needs the liver for the nutrition if he wants to get better. Much less stay alive.
The next day, Red wakes up early again. She goes over to the Deinosuchus body and takes a few bites. Then she looks over the pack. Fang and Sickle are on both sides of Speed, who looks hurt even when sleeping. She goes up the hillsides and views the horizon. The sun is barely up, far away.
She hears a rustle beyond the other side. In the direction of yesterday's kill. She walks around the top and tries to look. A large pack of Deinonychus are making a lot of noise eating from the other half of the croc left yesterday.
She knows they will be done in a few days, and might attack. She hopes her brother's leg is better soon. Then they could either continue to move on, or defend against the smaller raptors.
She goes back down to the nest and sleeps again lightly. a few hours later, the rest of the pack are awake and rowdy. Fang and Sickle are wrestling again, and Speed tries out his leg. Still hurt, still bleeding. Red sighs and sees the pain in his eyes as he looks at the wound.
Walking is okay, but is hard to put weight on it. She goes over to nudge her snout on his back, suggesting to sit down. He refuses and continues walking up the slope. She goes up after him and so do the other three. They have decided to keep a close eye on him. Only one is a bit risky, so the whole group watches over him. They follow him down the hill and he does his 'business'.
Red and Fang did it earlier, but Sickle doesn't eat a lot so doesn't go often. They keep a watchful eye around the area, just incase the Deinoch's get too curious. After he's done, he wants to go on a walk. Red goes to the front, Sickle helps him walk, and Fang stays behind. They guard him like soliders, coordinated and lethal. After a few hours, he wants to go back, and they turn.
But on their return they see the Deinochs have raided their nest and took it over. There are already at least twenty little Deinochs sitting in their nest. Three Utahraptors against twenty Deinonychus is easy. But not when they're protecting another.
They surrender the nest and Red takes Speed to turn back. Fang and Sickle however, aren't giving up so easily. They hated the smaller raptors ever since day one. Besides the Acros, they're mortal enemies.
They charge head on roaring and flailing their arms. This catches them off guard and the Deinoch's freeze.
Fang takes two in her mouth and flings them into a group of five before they can react. Then they both attack the 7 Deinochs killing them in a matter of seconds.
Three jump onto them, and scratch viscously. But they get shaken off and kicked into some others.
Sickle takes one of his abnormally huge claws and slices through six of them in a single sweep.
Then Fang jumps on two, driving killing claws through the chests, and picks up three more, both hands and mouth. She crushes their tiny bodies and throws them at the remaining Deinochs who flee as Sickle chases them off to the edge forest.
After all the carnage is over, they let out a fierce roar and pant heavily. Other than multiple slashes and bites, they are fine. They lie down next to the now sleeping Speed, and Red knows what to do to prevent future Deinoch attacks.
She takes each dead Deinoch body and slices off the heads. She places the heads around the bases of the hillsides and scatters the bodies. This will discourage them from attacking for a while. And hopefully, all other Deinochs until they decay. She hopes it all works out so her family may be safe. But it's just too hard to think that looking at them.
A brother with a giant wound on one leg. And two siblings damaged by a number of Deinochs. She hates the tiny raptors. Next time, she'll kill them too.
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There is no real early Deinosuchus species.