(Hey everyone. Get ready for a new adventure of prehistoric proportions where we'll see the world through the eyes of another.)
Chapter 1: The Primal Book
A voice narrates as the pov shows the coils of a massive serpent with its scales showing images merged with the background.
"Years ago, when our world was young. Two great dragons fought for dominion of our land. Gundrin, giver of life…and Nessim, the bringer of death. Both fought fiercely, neither side gaining ground. Then, Gundrin bestowed great power among five saurian warriors; fire…earth…wind…thunder…and water. Together, they sought to vanquish the darkness from these lands forever. It was done…but came with a price. With his last breaths, Gundrin pulls his magic power into the creation of a stone… hoping that it can bring life, preservation, and balance to our world… the primordial stone. I…am this lands eyes. I can see the past… and the future. It is I, Hista, who witnessed the coming of man… and the land trying to survive. I saw that chaos and darkness had come to our world once again."
In a forest by the banks of a river, a small group of people were screaming and running in fear. A women tumble onto the ground, dropping a covered basket that falls afloat onto the river. The woman tries to grab the basket, but then hears a great roar as a man wearing armor and wielding a sword grabs her and puts her behind him. They face a giant predator with large crests on its skull, a row of spines running down the neck and a humped back at the hip to the tail, and dark brown-gray skin with black markings and striping. The man pointed his sword at the beast, then the predator attacked.
"I saw the Giganotosaur, Drakhan, taint the land and water with blood, by killing the forbidden prey; man." Hista narrates.
The basket continued to flow floating down the river, crossing a small rapid chain and a waterfall on its way.
"And then, one fateful night, I saw our land place its hopes into the hands… of a small creature, the like of which…it had never seen before." Hista narrates as the basket comes to a shallow bend in the river, reaching the shore.
On its sandy bank, a pair of velociraptors and their two hatchlings were enjoying their time together as family. A male that had quills on its head with grayish blue coloring, a light-blue horizontal stripe, red eyes and red crests. The other a female was beige colored with black patterning and has yellow eyes, the two hatchlings had the same coloring as their parents.
The two played while their parents watched them, suddenly the cries of a creature could be heard by them. Their attention draws to the basket that floats on the edge of the bank, they noticed how shrill the cries. They cautiously approach it, but the two hatchlings were overtaken by curiosity and they quickly examined and sniffed this new strange object to them. The male called them back to their side and two hatchlings came beside them as they still hear the cries coming from the basket.
"What is it?" The female asked. "I'm not sure." The male said. "It sounds like it could be hurt." The female said noticing the shrill cries. "Hmm, maybe?" The male said still a bit unsure, the cries suddenly died down; for the female, she started to feel concerned with this.
"Stay here with the hatchlings, I'm going to go see." The female said as she walked forward, "Iris, be careful." The male said. Iris approached the basket and peered over into it, she noticed a strange extra piece of skin that was covering the inside. As she leaned in, the cries sounded again which startled her for a bit as well as the family behind.
But she lowered her head once again into the basket, smelling the skin and then uncovering the inside with her jaws. To her awe, it revealed a light-colored creature with red fur on its head, brown hazel eyes, and fleshy skin with no scales; yet the moment she saw the creature she knew what it was. She raised her head and turned around with her family wondering.
"It's alright Faris, come see." Iris said reassuring them, Faris approached along with the hatchlings. They looked over the object to see the creature, to Faris surprise he instantly knew what it was as well.
"Wha…? It's a man cub. What's it doing here?" Faris asked.
"He must have been caried down on the river. The poor thing." Iris said as the man cub looked up to them filled with curiosity, she lowered her head with the man cub reaching out touching the tip of her snout as it cooed. She felt cold but soft to its touch and she couldn't help but purr affectionally to the man cub, Faris could tell from her behavior that she was happy from this.
One of the hatchlings also lowered its head sniffing the man cub, which the man cub reached out and started to play a bit by patting it. The hatchling instantly retracted its head, both of the parents laughed a bit "Look he wants to play, just like our own two hatchlings." "He certainly is a playful little one Iris." "Isn't he though." They say pleasantly.
Suddenly they hear a rustle and chirping sound coming from the brush, they turn to face it with the hatchlings going behind them.
A green Coelophysis with an orange-brown horizontal stripe emerges as it chirps, "Oh. Evening, Iris. Faris. It's a lovely night, isn't it?" The Coelophysis says as the raptors snarl at him.
"What are you doing in our hunting grounds, Jackal?" Faris asks him, "Just looking for pickings along here." He says looking along the bank.
"If that's what your after, go elsewhere. There's nothing here for you pot licker." Iris says firmly at him as Jackal eyes the hatchlings. "I meant no harm, Iris." Jackal says to her submissively laughing, that's when he spots the man cub in the basket behind them as his eyes widen with excitement.
"Is that…?" "Don't get any ideas. The man cub belongs to us. Now go. Before my patience wears thin." Faris says to Jackal firmly as he snarls claws out, "I see. Alright then." Jackal says as he turns running back into the forest laughing and chirping.
"Do you really mean...?" Iris asks brightfully "You've already decided haven't you." Faris says to her reassuring his statement from before.
Then they hear a great loud roar that made the birds fly off, they looked at each other knowing then what that meant. "Come little ones. Let's go home." Iris said to the hatchlings, she picked up the basket at the handle with her jaws carrying the cub. With Faris in the lead, the family went back into the jungle.
A few leaves that were disturbed was carried by the wind, taking them towards the base of a great tree and inside a cave opening in its trunk. A giant primate hand grabs the leaves which are then sniffed on leaving the sniffer curious with strange scent on it. Out of the corner of his right eye, he turns to see shimmering and senses a change in a light blue stone in between twisted vine pillars behind him leaving him even more perplexed.
Meanwhile at a rocky area with a high rock ledge in the middle of a jungle clearing, a pack of velociraptors has gathered under the bright moonlight sky. On the rock ledge a lone female stands with a scar on her right leg, the alpha. Iris and Faris were at the front presenting the cub, "Well, this is a surprise. So, you want to adopt this man cub into our pack?" The alpha asks curiously eyes widened.
"Man is no raptor." "He's bound to cause problems for us." A few raptors said sneering at the idea along with some others.
"We heard Drakhan's roar and jackal was looking for him. So, his parents must be dead. You very well know what would've happened to him if left alone." Faris says trying to convince them.
"Yes, but there will be no doubt Drakhan will cause trouble." The alpha says a bit concerned. "That's right." "Let's throw him off a cliff." Too raptors said only to be sneered by Faris making them submit.
"You all know the packs law. In order for this cub to become one of us, he needs 3 recommendations from members of the pack not counting his adoptive mother and father. So, who will speak for him? answer now." The alpha speaks out, but not one member says a word. This begins to worry Iris and Faris.
"Excuse me, but… I would be more than willing to give him my recommendation." A voice speaks out, not from a raptor. But from a larger dinosaur with a single horn on its nose with a red head, and white body with black striping; a ceratosaur. Many of the raptors were apprehensive to his words, "Enough." The alpha says quieting them down.
"Guru is a good friend. He teaches our hatchlings the laws of the pack, we should listen to what he has to say." The alpha says as Guru approaches to the front.
"Thank you very much, Umara." Guru says to her as he turns to face the pack.
"Please listen everyone, I understand how you all feel about this. But as far as I can see this man cub poses no threat to us, he has no claws or sharp fangs. And all he wants to do is play just like our own young ones, as you can clearly see. So, there's no reason for us to fear him." Guru says pointing out as the man club plays with the two hatchlings.
"Thank you, Guru." Faris says to him.
"Your welcome. But you still need two more recommendations for him." Guru says only to bring back their worries.
"May I speak as well." Another voice sounds out, this from a feline-like creature with burnished black skin, four long legs, an armored thin tail, and ten red and yellow quills on armor plated sections on the heads rear; a thanator.
"Shadow fang?" Umara asked him as he approached.
"Yes, I understand, I have no right to speak at your meeting. But according to the law, one's life such as the man cubs can be bought for a price am I correct?" Shadow fang inquires.
"That is true, Shadow fang." Umara says. "What sort off price are you willing to pay for him?" Iris asked. "Fresh game, a Parasaurolophus that I caught down by the marsh" Shadow fang said leaving the pack lit up.
"Quiet." Umara says calming them, "But why Shadow Fang?" She asks.
"I saw what happened. His parents have perished from the jaws of Dra-khan, and I'm afraid it was my fault." Shadow fang says leaving everyone stunned.
"What do you mean?" Guru asks him. "I tried to warn them of Dra-khan's presence but in the end, it was no use." Shadow fang said looking down. "You didn't want to bring trouble to us hear in the Sirona lands, didn't you?" Faris says "I merely did what I felt like" Shadow fang retorts.
"Now Shadow fang, you don't have to be so modest. What Faris said is quite right." Guru states.
"What's your answer? Do you accept the exchange or not?" Shadow asks tartly. For a moment Umara doesn't say, "Umara?" Faris asks waiting. "I… huh?" Umara responds but is cut short.
The sound of tremors coming from the jungle can be heard as well as brush breaking, from out of the jungle a pair of tyrannosauruses emerge, one a male with a facial scar, green skin, and light black striping. The other a female with brown skin and light black striping as well, trailing with them was a juvenile that was the same color as the male but brighter.
"King Theo. Queen Nymeria." Umara says as she, Guru, Shadow fang, and the pack bow their heads as they approach.
"Umara, it has been a while." Theo says to her. "Yes, it has." Umara responded, "I see that you all have gathered here for a council. Is there a problem?" Theo asks.
"No, not necessarily your majesty. You see…" Shadow fang explains when the man cubs' cries and cooing is heard playing with the raptor hatchlings catching the queen and kings' attention.
"A man cub? Well, this is most unusual indeed." Theo says "Faris, Iris my friends. You wish to raise this little one as if he were your own?" Theo asks them.
"Yes, we do." Iris says to him as she and Faris looked at each other and to the man cub, "You see Theo, we were discussing about how the man cub wouldn't be a harm to the pack as well as giving recommendations for his acceptance. I gave mine, and Shadow fang gave his." Guru explained to him.
"What about the man cubs' parents? They would be worried sick about him." Nymeria stated.
"I'm afraid that nots possible anymore Nymeria. His parents are gone, killed by the outlaw Dra-khan." Shadow fang explained leaving her a bit stunned at the mention of the name.
"And you witness this happen?" Theo asks which Shadow fang nodded, "I see."
"Forgive me your majesty, but… We weren't expecting a visit from you quite so soon from your patrols around the Sirona lands. Is there perhaps a reason why you came to us at this time?" Umara asked with respect.
"Well, yes. The reason for our unexpected visit is because we were asked to come along here." Theo stated, "Asked? By whom?" Umara asked. "By him." Theo said turning his head to point out the figure walking on all fours behind them.
A giant ape with orange fur and brown markings carrying a staff with two gourds attached to it; a Gigantopithecus. "Buge." Umara says as he approached to the front.
"Hmm. It appears to me that you've brought an interesting curiosity with you to our lands. A man cub, that you wish to raise to be like your own." Buge states.
The juvenile t-rex peers over the basket and lowers his head, taking a sniff and letting out a small gust of air. The man cub coos as he reaches out and grabs the juvenile by the nostrils, lifting his head as the man cub holds on then climbs onto his neck with the parents chuckling at this. "He doesn't appear to be frightened at all." "He possesses a great deal of courage for something so small and young." Nymeria and Theo say.
Buge than gently grabs the cub from the juveniles' neck and holds him up inspecting the young one. "Yes, great courage. And so much more." Buge says.
"What do you mean?" Shadow fang asks.
"The primordial stone." Buge mentions with everyone's eyes being widened by this. "It has spoken to me; it has sensed potential. Potential and hope for our survival in the future." Buge says leaving them perplexed.
"Hope?" "Potential?" "From a man cub?!" A few raptors say despondent to the idea as well as the others.
"Alright enough, Silence!" Umara speaks out calming them.
"Buge has never been wrong before, especially considering the primordial stone; the heart of our land." Umara says but some still not sure.
"Umara, If I may." Theo says lending his voice.
"As your king it is my duty to protect the Sirona lands, and also to respect the customs that come from the laws of the jungle. But we all mustn't forget, that each and every being has a place and role to play in the great circle of life. The primordial stone has blessed our lands, bringing life and balance to us. And now, even this little man cub seems to have a role of his own to play… and as such a place for him." Theo says leaving the others widened by his statement at the end.
"Does this mean?" Iris asked which Theo nodded.
"Along with Guru and Shadow fangs voices, I shall offer my voice for the man cubs' recommendation to be accepted into the pack." Theo said with the pack widening their eyes with surprise, Faris and Iris felt joyful to those words.
"Now then, everyone who has spoken are good friends to the pack and have always acted for the good of the Sirona lands. So, the man cubs' life will be spared for the voices of Guru and our great king Theo. Along with Shadow fangs payment of fresh game, anyone who objects can come up here." Umara says but no one in the packs moves or speaks up after everything that's been said.
"With that its decided, the man cub can now be accepted as full member of our raptor pack." Umara states leaving some a bit in disbelief but Faris and Iris were happy to hear that as they look at the man cub, playing their two hatchlings and the juvenile rex.
"But what should we call him?" Umara asks. "How about Toba?" "No Guru that won't work." Shadow fang said. "Perhaps Baqui may do." "What? That's just as bad" Guru says to him as they went on.
"Sora." "Huh?" Shadow fang and Guru said unison.
"Sora, that's what we will call him." Iris says, "That's a fine name my dear." Faris says to her as they rub heads affectionally a bit. "Go on Sora, thank everyone here." Iris says as the cub plays with the youngsters, then climbing on the juvenile rex's head and back then riding him. The adults again laugh as the youngsters continue to frolic and play around them.
Meanwhile on a nearby hilltop that overlooks the clearing, standing at jungles edge was jackal the Coelophysis. And towering right next to him was a Giganotosaur, both of them overlooking the gathering. "Looks like the man cub actually got accepted into the pack lord Dra-khan." Jackal says.
"Those damn fools… how dare they?!" Dra-khan says tartly lifting a foot and scratching the ground with his foot claws, leaving Jackal fidgety at that. "The man cub is mine; I've tasted his parents' flesh. A right that has now been stolen from under my claws." Dra-khan says.
"What will you do now, lord Dra-khan?" Jackal asks but he doesn't say, "Lord Dra-khan…?"
"You'll see… I'll never give him up. They will pay for this Faris and Theo… Soon enough, the man cubs' blood will run down my throat." Dra-khan says making a curdling sound at the end narrowing his eyes.
(What does the future hold for the man cub? We'll find out soon, I hope you all enjoy it and wait for more to come. P.S picture this as an anime fantasy story, not live action.)