CHAPTER 68

"Kyra, we need to get out of here now." Seth said.

"You're tellin' me."

They heard growls in the dark. More glinting eyes began to appear among the shadows. These eyes were bigger, angrier, and standing taller.

"Oh my, God. They're right there." Seth scanned the chamber. More and more eyes with sinister shadowy faces were coming forward every moment. They were surrounded.

A snarling female came forward into the ray of light. She hissed and clapped her jaw at them. Seth and Kyra backed up, but there was nowhere to go. More adult velociraptors were circling in. Seth stumbled on something and fell on top of it. It was soft, and crunchy, and smelled like rotting leaves. As Seth picked up a handful of it he realized that's exactly what it was. It was a pile of rotting vegetation and more importantly a nest.

Seth thought fast. He thrust his hand deep into the mound, where the decomposing leaves were generating and retaining warmth. Sure enough he discovered a clutch of eggs within. He pulled one out and held it high for every raptor in the chamber to see. In his hand it was about the size of a large oblong grapefruit. All the adults took turns roaring at him, but they did not approach.

Seth said to Kyra, "grab as many as you can."

"What? Are you crazy? Can't you see they're getting pissed?"

"Just do it."

As Kyra dove into the nest with both arms the velociraptors inched closer. Seth raised his egg higher and they paused. He could tell this wasn't going to work for long if they felt it was a bluff.

"Hurry, Kyra."

"Here!" She pulled two eggs up from the composting pile of leaves.

Seth immediately threw his egg to the ground and it crushed with a splat. The adults were infuriated. They bore their teeth and shrieked at the gooey pale fetus that lay among the shell fragments.

Seth snatched the next two eggs from Kyra and said, "get more."

The raptors were more reluctant to approach now, and Seth continued to threaten to smash another egg. Kyra pulled out four more eggs. One she handed to Seth. The other three she kept for herself.

Seth said, "I think they get the picture." His heart was beating fast. He was fully realizing how insane a move he had made, but there didn't seem to be any other option. He swallowed nervously.

Kyra said, "great. Now what?"

All the raptors had their eyes on Seth, and they were only getting angrier. The eggs rattled together in his trembling hands. "This is stupid. This is really stupid." His feet were locking up.

Kyra nudged him. "Come on man. Get it together."

Seth looked at the murderous faces of the velociraptors. Every single one of them clearly wanted to kill him in a horrible way. Seth stuttered, "I-I-"

Kyra nudged him again. "This was your idea. Let's go!" She gave him a shove.

Seth fumbled to a start. He almost lost hold of his eggs. Kyra stuck right at his back. She felt unsafe about leaving any space between them. All the raptors stayed where they were as she and Seth worked their way amongst them.

Seth could hear the predators' growling as they passed each one. Some of the raptors were standing so close together that he and Kyra couldn't help but brush up against their prickly down. In these instances the hunters didn't attack, but their growls turned more aggressive, and their claws twitched as though they were about to kill.

Every dinosaur shifted its eyes as Seth and Kyra passed. Eventually they turned their heads and soon after their entire bodies as the human intruders reached the far end of the chamber where the lava tube continued on. The hunters began to follow at a distance, crouching low and slinking in the shadows as the baby velociraptors lingered in pacing circles around their feet. Some of the adults began to pull their younglings back while the others continued to pursue.

Seth and Kyra began to walk backwards as to keep an eye on the raptors.

Seth said, "how long do you think this is going to work?"

"Beats me."

"How much longer do you think this tunnel is?"

"I can't know that, Seth! Quit asking impossible questions."

A definitive change was occurring among the hunters, and it was happening fast. The raptors were inching closer. Their pace was quickening. Kyra noticed the change. She couldn't tell what prompted it, but it was certainly happening. She thought perhaps it was that they were nearing an exit, which was good and bad. If that was the case they might be able to escape, but that could also be the reason the raptors were becoming more bold.

"Go faster, Seth." Kyra was stepping on his toes as the dinosaurs closed in. The raptors advanced even more. One of them snapped its teeth at Kyra. "Seth, move faster!"

"I can't walk backwards any faster. I'm gonna trip."

Another raptor took a snap at Kyra. This time it was way too close for comfort.

"Screw it!" Kyra lobbed one of her eggs over the raptors' heads. As they all craned their necks in an effort to catch it Kyra chucked another egg into the pack and shouted, "run!"

This caused chaos among the dinosaurs. While some of them were reaching for the eggs others were still pursuing Seth and Kyra. The raptors crashed and tangled into one another. It was like a messy game of tackle football. Kyra and Seth ran further down the lava tube and rounded a bend. Ahead of them brilliant sunlight flooded the cave.

"There's an opening, Seth. Hurry!"

Behind them the velociraptors were falling over each other to get back to their feet. It was only going to buy a matter of seconds, but that was better than nothing. Seth and Kyra ran for the light. There was no more plan, just running.