Jurassic Park Broken Lives
Chapter 32: A Night Alone
Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park
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Author note: Sorry for the wait but a computer virus forced me to wipe my computer a few times to get rid of it. Fortunately the virus is now gone and my story files were on a flash drive that was not affected though I could not open them because I did not have Microsoft Word over the Christmas holidays.
I would like to say thank you to St. Alicon who is now my beta reader.
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A torrential downpour drenched the jungle in massive waves that bent branches and lashed the ground. Silver Claw shuddered as the rain pounded his scaly hide. His breathing was heavy and his heart raced. He called out in vain for Amanda, but his voice was lost in the roaring wind and crackling thunder.
"We have to find shelter Silver Claw," Sophia shouted over the storm. "This is too much. We have to find somewhere safe to rest until the storm is over."
"We have to find Amanda first," Silver Claw shot back. "I will not leave her alone in this weather. She can't survive out here in the rain."
"What about us Silver Claw, I'm starting to feel the affects of this cold air already and I know you are too. Anyway… we should have found her!" Sophia said. "She could never have out run us, even here, in this jungle!"
"She's right Silver Claw," Zenith said warily, ready incase Silver Claw snapped at him. "I lost her scent not long after we started chasing her."
Silver Claw roared and lashed out at a tree with his claws leaving several large gashes in the soft bark. "Why did I have to yell at her?"
Sophia looked at him mournfully. "It's not your fault Silver Claw. She shouldn't have run like that."
A massive gale suddenly ripped through the jungle and toppled several trees in the distance. The icy wind cut though Silver Claw like talons though his hide. He let out a low sob and turned to head back down the path they had come from, determined to find Amanda no matter the cost.
"Where are you going?" Sophia asked.
"To find Amanda," Silver Claw said as he passed her. "I don't care how cold or wet I get I will not stop looking for her until she is found."
Sophia sighed and followed behind him. She shook the water from the water, only to have it released moments after. She glanced at Zenith. He showed no signs of fatigue or of the cold affecting him.
How could that be, Sophia thought to herself. Was it that he was just trying not to show it or was it that he was more adapt to the type of weather they were in.
Zenith quickly moved to catch up. He positioned himself beside Sophia with his head tilted enough to keep her with in his range of sight. Though, his gaze soon focused on her amber eyes.
"Silver Claw," Sophia said reluctantly. There was little chance that Amanda would be found anytime soon and she was tired. "She could be anywhere by now. We don't even know which way she ran."
"There has to be a trail," Silver Claw said. "She has to be around here somewhere!"
"The rain has probably washed it away Silver Claw," Sophia argued.
Silver Claw stopped and slowly turned to face her. "Why don't you want me to find her?"
"I do want you to find her, it's just that I don't think we will in this storm," Sophia replied. "She's smart enough to know not to stay in this weather. Amanda probably found a place to stay by now."
"And if she didn't," Silver Claw said sharply. "She can't tolerate this weather like we can. She doesn't have the clothing she would need to stay out here. She can't protect herself out here. Now please stop arguing with me and help me find her."
Silver Claw turned around and took a step forward. He slipped. The ground was a mess of mud and wet leaves. His body hit the ground and started to slide down a steep embankment hidden from view by a sagging branch.
Silver Claw started to roll down the slope and suddenly, he felt pain explode in his chest. His breathing turned heavy and he roared loudly in agony. He hit the bottom of the embankment. He heard faint voices and his eyes rolled up. Darkness enveloped him.
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Amanda stood under a large tree that provided only a minimal amount of protection from the elements. Her body trembled and stung from the cold wind and rain. With squinted eyes, she looked out through the sheets of rain for any sign of danger. As of yet, she had found none though it was hard for her too see beyond the trees and the rain did not help. She hoped there was nothing watching her.
Why had she run away from Silver Claw? She loved him and he loved her. A small feeling nagged at her though. Did he truly love her in the first place? He did not seem to have any attraction to other raptors… though he did want children.
"No," Amanda whined as she tried to push the thought from her mind. He did love her. He asked her to be his mate, no one else, only her or at least that is what she thought. What if he had asked someone else to be his mate but was rejected?
A low rumble sounded through the rain. It was the tyrannosaurus. Amanda forced all but one thought out of her mind, she had to live. Her attention was now fully on the environment around her.
Amanda looked desperately for any sign of the rex but she could not see it and she did not want to run out blindly incase it was waiting for her just beyond her line of sight. A small branch snapped to her far right and a thunderous roar bellowed from the jungle. It seemed that the tyrannosaurus had not found her but was in fact wandering the jungle, maybe in search of shelter, or its next meal, though it was only a matter of time before it stumbled upon her if she did not move and soon.
A chill raced down Amanda's spine as her body attempted to warm itself. A branch snapped. The tyrannosaurus was getting closer. Amanda finally forced herself into the rain. She could not afford to have the tyrannosaurus find her. She had to survive.
Amanda pushed past a large fern as she reentered the thicker section of the jungle. The low rumble of the tyrannosaurus faded away but a sudden clap of thunder made her jump and start running forward. She swerved through the thick clusters of trees. She needed somewhere safe to stay until the storm ended, preferably warm and out of sight, if only she knew where the building was.
A massive gust of wind tore through the jungle and Amanda shrieked as a tree fell only a few meters in front of her. Her shriek was responded to by a roar. Amanda's eyes widened as the earth beneath her feet began to shake. She desperately looked around for a spot to hide. She found it; a cluster of rocks and shrubs off to her left. It wasn't much but it would have to do.
Amanda dove into it without a second thought and nearly held her breath in anxiety of the approaching tyrant. Within a few long moments, the lumbering tyrannosaurus moved into view. She could see it though a tiny hole in the brush, her only hope was that I could not see her.
The large form had water pouring off its sides in massive waterfalls. A foul odor filled the air around it. It smelt of rotting flesh and urine. Amanda nearly gagged as the smell entered her nose but held it back for fear of being discovered. After a while, the smell was so nauseating that Amanda started to feel lightheaded.
A heavy exhalation from the tyrannosaurus flared its long tear like nostrils and sent thick cloud of visible breath into the rain. The tyrannosaurus raised its head and roared, perhaps in an attempt to draw out what it was searching for. It was a dreadfully loud noise that forced Amanda to cover her ears and nearly make her scream in fright.
The tyrannosaurus slowly turned its head from side to side as it tried to decide which way Amanda had gone. If it were not for the rain, the tyrannosaurus would have found her. Slowly, the tyrannosaurs lumbered off into the storm and out of sight.
Amanda sighed quietly and relaxed. She felt the rain roll down her shoulders from where the bush opened slightly to the sky. Amanda reached down to her leg to scratch an itch and felt and odd lump. She looked down to see that a fat leach had attached itself to her leg just above the ankle.
She held back the urge to scream. If there was one thing she hated above most others, it was leaches. They were slimy, dissolute creatures that grew fat off of your blood. Amanda grabbed the creature with trembling fingers and ripped it off her. It had not yet had a chance to draw blood. She gagged as the slimy creature squirmed in between her fingers as it attempted to free itself from her grip. Amanda tossed it aside and realized where there was one, there were more.
She reached frantically around her body to find that there were two more on her legs, one on her arm and countless numbers crawling up her shorts looking for a warm spot to feed.
Amanda jumped to her feet and moved out into the rain. She quickly pulled all that she found off her body and tossed them to the ground stomping on three of them in the process. She felt around her body and sighed in relief that there were no more on her that she knew of at least. A low rumble sounded behind her caused her eyes to widen fearfully as she knew what she had done. It was a trap and she had fallen into it.
Amanda turned around to see the rain waterfall off a large form towering over her. She noticed the large black claw on one foot as the creature stepped towards her. Amanda's attention quickly shot up to the massive head of the tyrannosaurus. The large stained teeth protruded on either side of the maw. Some were over a foot in length. The head turned so that one large, yellow eye could see her. The solid black iris fixated on her with a deadly intent.
A low growl escaped the throat of the tyrant lizard. Amanda gulped. She did not know what to do. It was less than twenty meters from her and she had no way of escape. The ground shook as the tyrannosaurus shifted its massive weight.
What was it waiting for? Did it enjoy watching its prey become panic stricken as they looked upon their killer or was it just deciding the best way to eat her?
A clap of thunder nearby made the tyrannosaurus shake first its body and then its head. The tyrannosaurus bellowed loudly into the air and then took a heavy step forward. The force of the step and movement towards her caused Amanda to trip over herself and land in the mud.
Now there was no chance of escape. The tyrannosaurus opened its massive maw and seemed to pull back slightly as to spring forward and engulf her in its gaping jaws. The thick black tongue ran gently over the teeth of the tyrant as it let out a low hiss. Amanda's nerves were at their extreme. Her body shook in fear of what she knew was about to happen, her death and there was nothing she could do to prevent it.
The world seemed to slow around her. Thoughts pulsated through her mind. She would never see Silver Claw again. He would never know what happened to her. Ellie would never know what happened. She never said goodbye to her father. She never said she loved him one more time. She never would be able to tell him why she had forsaken him for Silver Claw. She would never see anyone she loved ever again. It all would end now in her death. She only hoped it would be quick.
Suddenly, the thunder clapped overhead and another form clashed against the rex. It was the spinosaurus. They had both survived the fight and the spinosaurus was ready for more.
Amanda wanted to run as the two tyrants clashed in a brute show of teeth and claws but she could not. Her body was paralyzed. She could not move a muscle in her body. It was as if she were trapped, locked in chains and forced to watch the horror before her. Any attempt to move did nothing but a slight twitch of a limb or muscle.
The spinosaurus fell to the ground in front of her, so close in fact that she could have reached out and touched the sail of the beast. Her body seemed to unfreeze as the creature got to its feet and bellowed at the tyrannosaurus before charging, the massive tail only just cleared the distance over her head.
Amanda scrambled to her feet with energy anew and ran in the direction opposite of the confrontation of titans. She passed back into the denser parts of the jungle. Large ferns and cycads blocked her view of the surrounding area but at least they helped in blocking out the rain.
Amanda's breath suddenly became erratic and heavy. She felt as if she were choking on the very air she needed to survive. She was forced to her knees and into a slick pool of mud and debris.
Amanda's breathing slowly returned to normal after a moment. Amanda's body trembled out of cold and fright. Suddenly, she felt a warm liquid roll down her leg. Her eyes widened and she looked back wearily. There was nothing behind her.
Amanda groaned and slowly reached to her shorts. She found them warm with urine. She had pissed herself. Amanda collapsed to the ground in tears. Thoughts spiraled in her mind. Her heart ached with feat and despair. She was alone in a foreign jungle in a storm. An image flashed into her mind, her attacker, the man who tried to rape her.
"What did I do to deserve this," Amanda cried out over the crackling thunder overhead.
The rain picked up and Amanda found herself drenched even more than she thought possible. Slowly, she pushed herself up from the mud hole that she was in. The jungle echoed with the sounds of the falling rain.
Amanda staggered to her feet and moved forward. Tears rolled down her mud coated face. Amanda collapsed to her knees again. She did not have the strength to carry on. The cold had zapped all that was possible from her.
Amanda looked around and noticed a hole in the ground. She slowly dragged her body to it and peered in. It was large enough that she would not get stuck and it appeared empty, at least for now. Its positioning made it so that the rain rolled off of the leaves overhead and was dry inside.
Amanda looked around and slowly crawled in. The ground was hard inside, solid rock. She felt around in the darkness around her and to her relief only found the solid dirt walls that were veined by roots.
Amanda sighed and dragged her hand down her face to clear the mud. She took off the ragged remains of her torn shirt and twisted out the moisture. She refused to take off her shorts. She would wash them when she had the strength.
Outside, the low rumbled of thunder sounded and Amanda backed herself into a corner. She began to cry.
"Where are you Silver Claw?"
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Silver Claw's eyes opened sluggishly. His chest burned and his breathing was heavy. A sharp pain pulsated through his right foot and caused him to roll onto his side in agony. He stretched his leg to see that his killing claw was no longer on his toe but replaced by a gaping hole. He cried out in pain.
"Silver Claw? Silver Claw!" a voice said. It drew his attention to Sophia as she moved to be next to him.
Silver Claw panted heavily as the pain started to abate, though not by much. A massive spasm in his toe cause Silver Claw arched and twisted in pure agony.
"Silver Claw," Sophia said franticly, seeing that he was in pain. "You took a fall and your claw hooked on a tree."
Silver Claw sobbed. He felt Sophia's snout rest on his neck.
Silver Claw twisted his head to look around. He was in a cave. It was not biggest, but it appeared to be roughly large enough to allow a velociraptor to stand and not hit their head. The entrance was about ten meters away from him. The area outside the cave was a blur behind the wall murky water that looked more like mud than rain water.
"Where are we," Silver Claw said softly.
"A cave, Zenith showed it to me."
"How'd I get here?" Silver Claw questioned.
"Zenith carried you on his back." Sophia replied softly. "He's over there if you wish to speak to him." Sophia gestured to a large boulder where Zenith lay with his head tucked under his forearm. "He's upset about you being injured."
"Why?"
"I don't know but he's been quiet for a while now," Sophia said. "I've kept an eye on him."
Silver Claw looked over to Zenith. "Zenith," Silver Claw said.
Slowly, Zenith pulled his head out from under his arm. He looked up. "Yes Silver Claw."
"Did you carry me here?" Silver Claw asked.
Zenith nodded uneasily.
Silver Claw righted his himself and looked down for a moment. He looked at Zenith, "Thank you… I guess."
"Are you ok?" Zenith asked.
"I'll be fine in a little bit."
"Yay," Zenith jumped to his feet and rushed over to Silver Claw and Sophia. "Here you go Silver Claw." Zenith place the missing claw of Silver Claw's on the cave floor in front of him. "I thought you may want to keep it."
Silver Claw looked at his claw and whimpered.
"Are you in pain," Sophia asked.
"A little but that's not it was about," Silver Claw cringed as a twitch in his toe caused him some pain. "I miss Amanda."
"I searched for her while you were out but she was no where around," Sophia said.
Silver Claw looked down and pulled the claw up to his side. He rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. He moaned quietly.
"Goodnight Silver Claw," Sophia said and moved away. She set down nearby and looked at the cave entrance.
Zenith slowly moved to the rock where he was and laid next to it. He rested his head on the rock and soon, his eyes grew heavy and closed.
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Click…
Zenith's eyelid twitched.
Click…
Zenith's eye slowly opened to find that he was in his nest. It was a crude design made up of long flexible shrub branches and dried leaves. The cold thick walls of the surrounding of the room were riddled with cracks and entangled with vines. A dull light entered the room through an opening in the wall where during the previous day a piece had crumbled and fell.
Zenith looked around curiously as he heard the clicking again. "Mother," Zenith asked worriedly. "Mother, are you here?"
Zenith slowly staggered to his feet. He was only about a foot and a half long with dark green hide. His eyes glistened with a blue glint even in the dull light lighting. He turned his head cautiously to either side or the room.
His mother should have been in the nest with him but she was not even in the room. Zenith quickly hopped out of the nest and headed to the entrance. He passed several small bones that were the remains of the last kill his mother had made, a small gallimimus that had wander too close to their home.
"Mother," Zenith called out but he received no response. He heard the clicking once again and moved even faster to see if it was his mother. Maybe she could not hear him.
Zenith rounded a corner to see his mother. She was tall, about six feet tall and nearly fifteen feet long. Her body was a dark crimson peppered by hues of dull yellow, green and black. Her eyes were bright blue and glinted as her head turned to look at Zenith.
"What are you doing out of the nest Zenith," She said softly. Her voice clearly showed that she was upset.
"I didn't know where you were mother," Zenith said as he hobbled up to her.
"Go back to your nest son, I'm going hunting." His mother replied.
"But mom, you just made a kill the other day," Zenith argued. "You said you would play with me today."
"I have to go hunting Zenith," his mother replied more sternly.
"What's wrong? You sound upset mother."
"Nothing's wrong son," Zenith's mother said and crouched by him. "Mommy has to go hunting. I'll be back later, ok? We can play when I get back."
"Ok," Zenith sighed and lowered his head.
His mother licked him lovingly. "What do you do if something comes and I'm not home?"
Zenith looked up slowly. "Hide in my safe spot until you are home or I know that the threat is gone."
"Good boy," his mother said and slowly stood up. She looked down at him and slowly turned away. She disappeared down the corridor leading to the exit.
Zenith whimpered and slowly turned around. As he entered the room containing his nest, he slowly looked up to a large box shaped object. On it, a strange set of symbols "Weapons Locker" was set in a bright red though he could not understand it.
Zenith slowly slinked into his nest and rested his head on the edge, watching the door in anticipation of his mother's return. Several hours passed by as he stared blankly at the door. The light grew brighter in the room as it became mid afternoon and still no sign of his mother. Suddenly, a small click sounded from just beyond the entrance to the room.
Zenith's excitement grew, his mother was home. "Mom, mom, I'm in here."
A low snarl sounded. It was not from his mother. An adult ornitholestes jumped into the doorway. Foam covered its mouth with strings of saliva falling to the floor. It lunged forward.
Zenith squealed in fright and scurried out of his nest and into the only place he was safe, as his mother called it, a vent. A loud thud sounded behind him. He looked back to the ornitholestes head only a few inches from the tip of his tail, snapping its jaws madly.
Zenith whimpered and moved further into the vents. He followed the slippery slopes upward until they would go no further. He slowly moved into the light breeze that swept through the vents until he found himself looking out of the building. He curled up whimpering. He missed his mother.
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Sophia shifted uneasily. A slight nudging to her side caused her to wake. Her eyes opened to see that Zenith was standing over her with his head low.
"What do you want," Sophia said almost in a snarl.
"I had a bad dream," Zenith replied. "Could I sleep with you?"
"You're an adult, get over it." Sophia said slightly louder than she did before.
"Please," Zenith said. "Normally I would go to my friends nest but I'm nowhere near her."
"What was you dream about?" Sophia asked hoping that if he talked about it, he would go away.
"It was about the day my mother went hunting and didn't come back." Zenith said and set himself down next to Sophia.
Sophia sighed, annoyed that I was she who had to listen to him. "What happened?"
Zenith explained everything that happened and when he was done, his head lowered. "I miss my mom."
Sophia craned her head and looked at Silver Claw, he was still asleep. "I know you do," Sophia sighed.
"So, could I sleep with you Sophia," Zenith said. "I didn't want to wake up Silver Claw."
"No," Sophia said. "Just never mind the dreams and sleep."
Zenith whimpered and slowly stood up. He slowly returned to the rock where he had lain down earlier. He rested his head but did not close his eyes. He whimpered softly.
Sophia stared at him. How could it be that she was actually feeling some sympathy for him? He was alone for so long and they had both lost their mother. Sophia knew that she would regret it later, "Zenith come here."
Zenith slowly looked up and moved to Sophia's side. He stopped a few feet from her. "Yes Sophia?"
"You… you can sleep with me tonight but don't bring it up ever again," Sophia said. "Once we find Amanda, we'll go to your home and then you can stay with your friend."
"Ok," Zenith squeaked with joy and hopped over Sophia and laid himself behind her. He pressed his body against hers.
Sophia turned her head and looked at him. She shook her head and then set it on the ground. She felt Zenith's neck curl over hers and his head came to a rest next to hers. Sophia noticed that his body was warm and it seemed to bring comfort to her.
It's strange, Sophia thought. He is a green, enemy to her pack but… he was different from those she knew about. He was kind instead of vicious. Sophia inhaled deeply and caught a strong scent, Zenith's scent. She felt a shiver run though her body and she closed her eyes.
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Loki looked at the group of bushes before him. On the other side was his pack, his family, his home. On the glass ceiling above, the rain beat in a constant rhythm.
"Well," Sunayana said softly. "We're here."
Loki sniffed the air and looked to Anna who only gesture for him to move forward. Slowly, Loki stepped through the brush and into the nests. The scent of his friends, his family, his pack, rushed to greet him. He was home.
As he cleared the bushes, he saw the astonished faces of his pack. He quickly noticed his father. Jack was curled up by the edge of the stream where his nest had been built. His body was thinner that it should have been. Slowly, Loki walked over to the side of his father.
"Alpha," Loki said and bowed his head.
Jack's head slowly lifted up and turned to Loki. "Loki… I thought you were…" Jack shook his head. "What happened to you, where did you go?"
Loki sighed and looked around at the pack gathering around him. "It's a long story." Loki laid himself in front of his father. "Where should I begin?"
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Some stories I recommend reading if you like mine are: Jurassic Park: The Genesis Factor by Tyrammafar, Animal Magnetism by Blue Autumn Sky, Jurassic Park New Life by silver11k, and Researching a raptor, or raising a child? by Forte the Dragon.