(Hello everyone, here's chapter 12. Hope you all enjoy.)
Chapter 12: Jungle law
It was a beautiful day in the Sirona lands, sunny and clear with barely a cloud in the blue sky. In the forest, the birds sing their songs and the other creatures go about their day. In a small pond, lystrosaurus and microceratus drink from the edge as a pair of kingfisher's dive for fish. Then the long grass nearby begins to rustle to their alarm, suddenly a long stick with a sharpened stone comes flying out hitting a vine flower and a tree trunk sticking to it.
The kingfishers, microceratus, and lystrosaurus flee into the brush as Sora jumps out from the long grass and runs to his long-fang. He pulls the long-fang out, eyeing another vine flower on a different tree he leaps forth throwing his long-fang. He directly hits the flower and the tree trunk again to his excitement, "Waaah!" but not looking where he jumped, he inadvertently falls into the nearby pond. He surfaces standing back up a bit bewildered, but he listens to the birds around him squawking as if they were mocking him to his frustration.
"So you really think it's funny don't you! Oh." Sora was saying when a small branch hits his head, dazed he sinks below the water as the birds continue to squawk. He emerges on the other side and pulls out his long fang from the tree trunk.
"It's my turn to laugh." Sora rushes towards the group of birds and they start to scatter around, feathers flying. Sora aims and launches his long-fang, it flies into the tree foliage. Sora then hears a thud from where it went, falling from the tree's leaves were two birds and the long-fang. Sora excited runs up to claim them.
"Great, two birds with one shot. Drac…" Sora was saying when he spots a black and white bird on a nearby tree branch above, that from the looks to him was still mocking.
"So, you're still laughing at me huh? I'll show you it wasn't luck" Sora chuckles a bit then throws his long-fang, but the bird evades it as it hits another branch above to his discouragement.
"I've missed…Ooh, my head." Sora evades the long-fang falling on him but ends up hit by another small falling branch, leaving him dazed. Later, Sora is leaping and swinging through the trees with the long fang tied to his back, happy and content with what he done. As one tree limb breaks as he swings, he hangs back on upside down with his feet crossed to another adjacent branch. He manages to swing himself up on the tree limb standing a bit wobbly but regaining his balance to his relief.
Then he hears a disturbance ahead of him, birds sound alarmed as the brush rustled and crackled indicating something big was coming. Sora brough out his long-fang, aimed, and threw at the direction of the rustling. A large saurian emerges with a single horn and a bright red head on a white body with black striping; Guru the ceratosaur is bewildered as the long-fang nearly gets to him but pierces the bark of a nearby tree instead.
"Whoops, I'm sorry Guru." Sora said as he swings back on the ground, running over to him. "I didn't realize that it was you. Hey look at this, I caught these two birds in one shot." Sora showed him the birds he caught after pulling his long-fang from the tree.
"Sora, don't you remember the lesson I taught you before. If you didn't you should have come to me before going hunting." Guru explains but Sora only gets perplexed.
"Hmm, what? But I got two of them in one shot." Sora says confused by what Guru meant; not taking special interest in the birds.
"Yes, but you must learn to the different sounds of the wind, it has many secrets to tell. Especially since you're a primordian with a dangerous invention." Guru tells him seriously.
"I didn't mean to hurt you." "It's alright…" Guru reassures regretful Sora, "Never forget, when the sound of leaves being walked on is light. It means it's a microceratus or perhaps a springhare, then the sound of twigs breaking through the underbrush means it's a baby antelope…" Guru explains to him.
"Wait, you know Guru, I don't really need these lessons as I did before. Now that I'm a primordian and I have this with me." Sora states to him showing off his long-fang.
"But its very important to be able to recognize who's friend, enemy, or your next meal." Guru tries to explain to him earnestly.
"Well, I'm not afraid of anything as long I have my powers and this, even Dra-Khan would think twice before he dared to come…" "Mmmm, Sora…" Guru grunted getting frustrated by Sora's brashness.
"That's telling him Sora." A voice calls out which was shadow-fang walking over to them.
"Shadow-fang. Take a look at these, I got the two of them in a single shot." Sora shows his birds to him.
"Hmm, that's very good Sora." Shadow-fang praises him.
"Shadow-fang, please don't interfere. I'm trying to remind Sora about listening to the sounds in the wind okay." Guru pleads to him.
"Has he told you to always approach from downwind? That way you can even fool the old timers." Shadow-fang says to Sora.
"And who are you calling an old timer?!" Guru snarls at Shadow-fang by his offensive remark.
"I'm not calling anyone an old timer. It's just that, everyone in the Sirona lands knows that its not the sound but always the smell that comes first." Shadow-fang states as he sniffs to make a point, looking away from aggravated Guru.
"What?! The smell doesn't come first you have to learn about the different sounds." Guru argues back.
"You teach about smell cause when you get older you get hard of hearing." "What are you insinuating that I'm getting hard of hearing…" The Shadow-fang and Guru argue back and forth with each other.
"I know where this is going." Sora sighs exasperatedly watching them. So he sneaks away with the unaware still bickering.
"Now you listen Shadow-fang I want you to get this straight once and for all, I'm Sora's teacher and not you. Do you hear?!" Guru states to him.
"All I'm saying Guru is that your method of teaching Sora is old fashioned, he should be taught using modern teachings." "You and your newfangled ideas." With the two preoccupied arguing, Sora sneaks off into the forest.
"I wonder want mother would think, I bet she would be amazed by this." Sora thought as he ran through the forest a bit excited to see what the reaction would be. But then as he comes to a point, he hears the wails and cries of what sounds like a struggle echo through the forest.
"What's going on?" As he listens closely, he finds it sounding like it was coming from nearby. Curious about the commotion, Sora walks through the bushes and ferns to where it was happening. Going through the brush, he stumbles onto an open field. Where he's surprised to see the juvenile t-rex sisters, lighter brown colored Tania and darker in color Maria, fighting against a large pachycephalosaurus bull.
"I didn't think those two would go after prey like a pachy. Aren't they still a bit young for that?" Sora thought perplexed as he watches them since their prey of choice is almost the same size as them.
The two rex sisters circle the pachy as it looks back and forth between them screeching, pawning the ground, and shaking its domed head at them. Both Tania and Maria dive in, snapping their jaws but the pachy was quick to turn to face them presenting its head. Then the pachy charged, head-butting right into Maria; Sora was shocked as he saw her fly a few feet then fall to the ground rolling over as she howls from the hit. The pachy pawed the ground with its foot and seem to screech in victory, while Maria struggled a bit to regain her footing from the blow. Then the pachy turned to look back at Tania who lowered herself apprehensively now that she had to face the aggressive herbivore on her own as it turned to face her.
"Looks like they're going to need help." Sora thought not being able to stand simply watching them get beaten around by the herbivore. He brought out his long-fang and rushed toward the fight on the field from out of the forest line. Suddenly from above, a giant tail comes crashing down right in front of him, he jumps back bewildered by this abrupt hindrance.
"Don't interfere." A voice tells him, Sora looks up to see that it was Nymeria who blocked him with her tail which she raises back up.
"But Nymeria, they're getting pushed backed and Maria got hit. Isn't the pachy a bit much for them?" Sora protested to her respectfully.
"Their big enough now where they can handle it themselves. I can't do anything; this is something they must do on their own." Nymeria sternly explained to him while watching her daughters.
"What? But as their mother you are here, so why won't you…?!" Sora steadily object but Nymeria glared growling at him, he realized that he was about to go over the line with her.
"I'll only say this once more, keep out of this. And watch." Nymeria once again sternly said so Sora stood and watched beside her still unsure though.
Tania backed away and stood her ground roaring at the pachy. It screeched back and then did a few dives swinging its domed head at Tania, each time she moves and swings around avoiding getting hit and snapping back with her jaws. The pachy pawned the ground hooting at her, ready to do a full charge again. Then suddenly, Maria comes in and clamps her jaws on the pachy's hind quarters at the thigh; the pachy squeals in pain and struggles. Tania then rushes in shoving the pachy down to the ground pinning with their feet, for a moment the pachy struggles, wailing, and kicking back at them. But eventually, Maria pins biting down at the tails base and Tania grabs the throat delivering the final blow ending the struggle. The two of them then with blood dripping from their teeth, roar in triumph over their kill.
"They both were able to take it down." Sora thought amazed and in awe that the two sisters were able to bring down the herbivore; Nymeria though only felt pride in their achievement, she walks up to them while they were inspecting their prey.
"Well done, both of you." Nymeria lowered her head and nuzzled them congratulating their success. Then Sora walks next to her.
"You knew they be able to do it all along, but I still don't understand, why didn't you help them when they needed it?" Sora asked perplexed.
"It's part of their training, they need to experience for themselves to develop their hunting skills, even if it must be done harshly." Nymeria explains to him.
"Doesn't that sound a bit brutal for them?" Sora asked her a bit taken aback by it.
"Not at all; Zeon too had to go through with this before he could hunt well on his own… I won't always be around to protect them, so I must prepare them for the world. And one day soon, they may have to leave and make their own way." Nymeria said which Sora got taken aback, confused by her last statement.
"Leave? But Nymeria why would anyone want to leave the Sirona lands, and besides their family aren't they?" Sora asked a bit distressed.
"That maybe so, but once they've grown up things will change. Zeon will be king one day; but whether they choose to leave or perhaps stay, their paths may take them to live out lives of their own in the circle of life." Nymeria explains to him about the sister's future.
"But why would they have to leave? Even if their grown up they could still stay with you." Sora said steadily but a bit objectionable, still not understanding the reason.
"Because it's the law of the jungle… For now, I'll enjoy my time with them, but when the time comes, they will have to find their own way." Nymeria explains one last time before picking up the dead pachy as the sisters watch, they then follow closely to her as she carries off the pachy away.
"Law of the jungle?" Sora watching was only left confused and puzzled by what she said about the law. Later on, Sora was back in the jungle running through the bushes and ferns, checking his surroundings periodically. But there was one thing that stuck to his mind.
"Even if it's the law of the jungle, there has to be a reason, there must…" Sora thought trying to understand but doubting the law itself. Then as he was running, an entelodont piglet comes out from the brush and stops in his path.
"Out of the way." Sora shouts out as he comes up running, but then the mother entelodont rushes out grunting and snorting, blocking Sora's way.
"I wasn't going to harm your baby, I'm in a hurry so please let me go by." Sora asks but the mother entelodont just pawns the ground grunting, then charges at him. Sora spins around evading her, but the mother just turns and charges in again; Sora yelps as he jumps over narrowly avoiding her. The mother entelodont than checks on her piglet, then the two walk away as Sora watches hanging from a vine.
"Hmm, she's a loving mother. She helped her baby when it needed it, just like parents are supposed to." Sora pondered still having the law in his mind, but gladly smiling a bit by her actions. Then he hears barks coming from his raptor pack, "That's the signal for the assembly." Sora drops down and runs off.
As the sun starts setting, all the raptors have gathered at council rock to begin the assembly. Sora arrives to the raptors all waiting for the start of the meeting, including his brother and sister.
"Adar. Katuri…" Sora greets them coming over beside them. "Sora…" Katuri greets him.
"Has the assembly started yet?" Sora asks looking around.
"No, you made it on time. Umara hasn't stepped up on the high rock to begin the meeting yet." Adar explains to him.
"Oh, good." Sora says a bit relieved and stands right beside his siblings, however; the meaning behind the law about what Nymeria said, "For that is the law." was still puzzling to him in his thoughts.
"Hey Katuri, was it overwhelming when mother had to make you leave the nest?" Sora asked her as she turns her head to him.
"Huh, that's a bit out of the burrow; how come your asking?" Katuri was a bit taken aback and perplexed while Adar also listened as well.
"I saw Nymeria training Tania and Maria by hunting a pachy, she told me that what she was doing was the law for when they had to go out on their own. But I don't really understand since they are family, don't you think it would be rather distressing for them?" Sora tells her trying to understand it still.
"Well, I wouldn't say that it won't be at first for them. But I think when they've matured, they'll understand. When it first happened for us, I didn't quite understand why too. You remember Adar?" Katuri said turning to Adar.
"How could I forget; in fact, you were there too Sora. Mother got angry for no reason after we told her that we caught an antelope by ourselves, forcing us to find our own nests. We didn't understand for a while, but then we realized it was because we've grown up to full-fledged raptors. She was telling us that it was time for us to live our own way, and we became grateful for what she did." Adar explained to them, which Sora remembered and was starting to understand little by little for what Nymeria was doing.
"Hunting on your own…Well if that's the case, then I must be grown up too." Sora said after giving thought softly.
"Hmm, you grown up?" Adar said taken aback by his statement.
"Well, I am the same age as you guys. Also, I did manage to get two birds with one throw of my long fang on my own, so I don't see why not." Sora stated making his case.
"That's great Sora, but I don't think doing such a thing means that your grown up just yet like we are." "But, why?" Katuri says a bit skeptical with Sora a bit frustrated, perplexed with her.
"You see…" "Shhh, the assembly is going to begin." Katuri tries to explain to Sora when Adar quiets them down, Umara walks onto the high rock with Ingrid standing below her.
"Welcome everyone, I have good news for us. Our scouts have reported a group of 25 pachycephalosaurus moving into our hunting grounds." Umara tells them which some of the pack start to get excited by this as they gossip softy.
"Could it be the same group that one belonged too?" Sora thought curiously listening.
"The sun's still up, but we're not going to wait till nightfall. It's been a long time since we had a large hunt, I would like those who are brave and experienced enough to come forward." All the raptors that fit the criteria stepped and rushed in front to participate including Katuri and Adar, though for a moment Sora hesitantly stood back as everyone settled. Seeing his siblings around the same age and even Ingrid take participation though became a bit much for him as Umara approved the participants.
"I'm brave enough, for I'm a grown up too." Sora said to himself as he took a deep breath and bravely walked to step forward.
"Alright, for this hunt we'll…" Umara was saying when she noticed Sora stepping forward alongside his siblings.
"Sora?" Adar said taken aback for his participation alongside Katuri.
"Sora, what are you doing here? This isn't a hunt for small game." Umara said also taken aback.
"I've decided that I'm going to participate in the hunt." Sora said respectively to her showing his bravery.
"And why is that? This isn't like hunting microceratus or spring hares you know." Ingrid retorted to him.
"If you can hunt pachys then so can I, cause I have my long-fang and I'm a grown up." Sora said but many of the raptors laughed at the notion that he's grown up; Iris was watching as well.
"Sora, go sit in the back…" Adar told him.
"Ohh, is the little one being naughty today." Ingrid mocked by Adar covering Sora, which Sora growled slightly at her taunting.
"Alright, that's enough of that, both of you." Umara sternly corrected them.
"Yes grandmother…but I'm sure even with that long fang you wouldn't bring much effort for even a hare." Ingrid said and softly taunted again.
"Please Umara, let me go with the chasers I know I can do this." Sora pleaded to her respectively.
"Sora…" Iris called out to him.
"I'm grown up, I'm ready now." Sora continued to plead his case to her.
"No Sora, you aren't ready yet." Katuri objected to him.
"I am too…Please, Umara." Umara could see that Sora even though was still young, was very determined to go along and make his pleading count.
"Very well, you can come on the hunt." With a sighing relent, Umara allows him; Sora gratefully smiled. But Adar, Katuri, and Ingrid were taken aback that she allowed him.
"But grandmother…" "My decision is final Ingrid; we'll see how this play's out." Umara told her sternly even with her steady objection, but Sora knew by her last words that he was about to be tested.
"Fine, I'll respect your decision. But I'll prove that I'm the better hunter then he is." Ingrid stated taking an opportunity for her case against Sora, much to his agitation. Katuri and Adar looked at each other, worried by this.
"Then the matter is settled, Sora and Ingrid will set the trap." Umara explained to the pack, while Iris had her head a bit low, worried by what might happen with Sora along.
Later, on a meadow surrounded by a hill face and forest edge, the pachycephalosaur's feed and rest on the meadow while a few drink by a pond. Unaware that from the shadows, Umara was leading her group alongside Katuri and Adar, stalking the herd from edge of the forest. The group then spread out, some went into the tall grass and bushes on the meadow low and steadily, while others remained with Umara in the forest. On the hill face, Umara could see the other group climbing down the pathways into the meadow, Ingrid and Sora were among them. They rushed steadily through the grass to cover behind some large boulders on the meadow, one pachy raised his head alerted by rustling noise, but didn't notice anything and kept on feeding; luckily for Sora and Ingrid as they peaked through the cover.
"Adar, Katuri, this is what we'll do. There're two youngsters in the middle and on the right there's an injured bull sitting in the grass. Those are the ones we go for." Umara explains as they watch the injured bull and the two juveniles playing in the middle of the herd.
"Understood." Katuri and Adar say understanding the plan.
"Alright, on my mark." For a moment, Umara and the others wait in the forest edge for the right time. "Go!" Umara along with Katuri and Adar rush out. Birds scatter and the herd becomes anxious knowing danger is here.
"Unbelievable, it's your fault that I have to set the trap with you…" "Be quiet, the herd is starting to move." Sora softy shushed her while Ingrid expressed her annoyance.
"You don't have to tell me; I can plainly see for myself you know." Ingrid retorted as the herd stampedes, Umara and the raptors rush running alongside the herd and circle around making the herd turn in the right direction. Doing so, a juvenile and the injured bull fall behind in the sights of the pack.
"We have the two we want, open the path for herd!" "Open the path for the herd!" "Open the path for herd!" Umara and two other raptors call out the instructions between the groups as they drive the pachycephalosaurus herd towards the trap.
"Wait, why are they only attacking the week ones?" Sora thought perplexed and conflicted that the pack was intending to bring down the weak ones of the herd, which he began to feel sorry for and felt that they weren't meant for his proof.
"Sora, didn't you hear, they said to open a path." Ingrid told him snapping out of his deep thinking, she moves away along with the others in her group. But Sora stayed where he was still conflicted about the choice targets, as the herd charges for them.
"I'm not going to attack the weak ones. I'll get a big strong one to prove that I'm full grown like they are." Sora stated confidently as he starts to move in front of the herd.
(Is Sora really gonna able to pull it off? Or will this end badly for him and the pack? Stick around and find out next time, see ya.)