(Hello everyone, here's chapter 2. Hope you all enjoy the beginning of an exciting, adventurous tale.)
13 years have gone by; the sun begins to rise on a new day. Casting its orangish-red hue over a lush landscape of savannah and jungle; the Sirona lands. In the jungle, the birds and other creatures sing in the jungle's rhythm.
Then the rhythm was broken as a tanned boy with long back-length red burgundy hair, a brown loin cloth, and brown hazel eyes races along disturbing a group of birds.
The boy was running frantically; being chased by two figures running through the brush after him. The boy ran jumping over a stream, a large fallen tree trunk, jumping on tree branches, and running on a rock to which he jumped on its edge down a small slope.
All the while the two figures with long tails and sickle shaped claws pursuing him through every obstacle. Finally, the boy reaches a small clearing, stopping in the middle, and looking around only to not see anything. Sighing in relief, but its only for a brief moment as a fern bush ahead of him moves.
The boy was about to make a move, but suddenly from behind an adult female velociraptor with a heart shaped pattern on her forehead pounces on him, pinning him to the ground snarling for a moment.
"Uh, oh man… Looks like you guys win again Katuri." The boy says to her as she lets him get back up. "Sora, how many times do I have to tell you. You must never let your guard down. If I were an enemy, you would be dinner by now." Katuri states.
"But Katuri I thought I lost you and big brother back there at the root vine." Sora says pointing at where they came.
"We were always with you little brother." Another voice says coming out of the brush, a male velociraptor with quills on the top of his head, a bluish-gray horizontal stripe, and red crests. "Adar…oh I get it; it was you who moved that fern bush as a distraction." Sora states.
"That's right, which gave sister here the opportunity to come from behind. Plus, we were able to catch up to you at the speed that you were going." Adar explains as they walk towards a pile of rocks with a small cave opening.
"Yeah, well… you still can't beat me when it comes to tree climbing." Sora says climbing onto a nearby tree branch.
"That's only going to get you so far you know. And if you can't run fast enough, you won't be a real hunter." "And if you can't learn to be a real hunter, then you'll never be a real raptor." Katuri and Adar explain.
Then another female raptor, their mother Iris appears from the cave entrance. "Sora…" "Mother." "What are you doing up there? You promised to meet Shadow fang." Iris says.
"Oh yeah, that's right… I forgot" Sora says climbing down and running off. "As usual." Iris says while the two siblings chuckle a bit.
"So, tell me. Is Sora getting any better with his speed?" Iris asks them. "Hmm, he's not as fast as we are." Adar says, "He just needs some more practice, but he's gonna be a great raptor." "That's right, all he needs is a little work." Katuri and Adar say leaving Iris feel reminiscent about him.
"Hmm. To think he was such a tiny man cub." Iris says remember about when she first found him in the basket.
Meanwhile at a small pond, Sora was climbing a low overhanging branch stalking a small bird perched at its end; Shadow fang the thanator was watching. Sora kept on drawing closer and closer to the bird, then he tried to grab it but ended falling into the water to Shadow fangs exasperation.
"Sora I've told you before. You must hang on tight when you're up on a tree." Shadow fang states. "But Shadow fang it isn't easy, I don't have strong claws like you do." Sora complains.
"That's enough my time is precious and I'm not going to waste it on your complaints." Shadow fang says. "All right then forget it; I'll just go practice on own." Sora says then running off to climb a tree.
"Hey Sora. Hey wait!" Shadow fang says as he climbs up. Then he hears chuckling to see Guru the ceratosaur come up. "Guru." "Looks like you're having a tough time trying to train." Guru says to him. "Tough isn't the word for it, if you only knew." Shadow fang says a bit exasperated.
"Why you doing it?" Guru asks, "Because Sora insists on learning to hunt like us." Shadow fang says when they both hear a branch fall. They look up to see Sora stalking another bird on a tree branch high in the trees as it creaks with his weight.
"Watch out, you're going to fall!" Shadow fang shouts out worried with Guru. The branch soon breaks under his weight, leaving Guru and Shadow fang frightened; but Sora catches a vine and then another swinging through the canopy.
"That's very good." Guru says as he and Shadow fang watch amazed by his ability. But the vine Sora's on snaps, Guru and Shadow fang look away.
Then Sora lands mid-fall on the back of a large dinosaur with gray and red feathers, a long neck with three large claws on the hands, and blue above its eyes on a small boxy head with a beak; a therizinosaur.
It turns its head to look at Sora, "Oh, Blade." Sora says looking back. "I get that your anxious to learn, but don't you think your overdoing it." Blade says as he lowers his head and neck while letting Sora slide down back on the ground. "I'm glad you were their Blade." Sora says gratefully.
"Next time, you're going to get hurt." Shadow fang states frustratedly, "Sora why are you trying so hard like that?" Guru asks.
"Because I've made a promise to my father." "You mean Faris?" Blade asks Sora which he nods. "Yes, that I'd become a worthy raptor." Sora says.
"And that's fine, but you have to learn to listen!" Shadow fang shouts out. "Sorry." Sora says head down.
"Now Shadow fang, there's no point in shouting. Sora, you must understand that Shadow fang was just worried about you. That's why he shouts." Guru explains.
"Me worried, why should I worry." Shadow fang says a bit in denial. "I know, I won't do it again. Bye." Sora says as he runs off.
"Hey! Sora, where you going?!" "To keep my promise to father!" Sora says to Shadow fang running off. "Well, looks like he intends to keep that promise to Faris." Guru says.
Sora runs along on the jungle floor, jumping obstacles, and disturbing a small group of Compsognathus. He then climbs on a tree again, and starts swinging on the vines again from tree to tree. On a branch up ahead, a sifaka lemur is eating a piece of fruit.
"Oh yes, now that's juicy. Huh?" The lemur says looking to see Sora swinging right at him. Surprised, the moment Sora gets close he jumps instinctively on his back hanging on.
"Hi, Jinbei." Sora says, "Sora…What do you know, your actually taking…Al!" Jinbei says as another large dinosaur with two crests, spines running down the back, a white stripe running down a patch around the eyes down the neck, and dark greyish bluish with a yellow underbelly; an Allosaur.
Sora was about to hit him, but the allosaur move its head back just as they kept swinging by. "Sorry, Al." Sora shouts out. "Watch where you going! Ugh… humans." Al said with an exasperated sigh walking off.
Soon Sora with Jinbei hanging on leaped from vine to vine across the jungle, eventually coming across a small river. On its bank another dinosaur was fishing in the water shallows, having a long broad snout, a crocodilian-like armored back and underbelly, and the 2nd and third claws being longer; a Baryonyx.
Sora and Jinbei land on a large rock right beside it nearly startling it, then hop on a rock path to the other side. Then climb back on the trees and swinging on the vines again, along the way encountering some of the other residents like gallimimus, deer-like snythetoceras, glyptodons, and pig-like entelodonts.
They soon land on a single tree that overlooks a savannah meadow on the edge of the jungle, there they see larger creatures such as paracetheriums, sinoceratops, sturmbeasts, and parasaurolophus, and iguanodons feeding and going about their daily lives.
Sora watched from the tree, happy to see his world come alive. Sora took a big inhale and exhale smelling the air, "Ahh, what a beautiful day. Don't you love the smell of the Sirona lands in the morning?" Sora asks Jinbei who takes a sniff. "I smell something…but its more than just the smell of the lands buddy." Jinbei says as Sora laughs a bit.
Then Sora notices the herd of Parasaurolophus start becoming on edge, one starts hooting an alarm and all the other creatures take notice as well. Emerging abruptly full charge from a jungle line on the meadow, a young adult male t-rex with green skin, black and yellow striped patterning.
The Parasaurolophus and all the other creatures start running from the t-rex, it starts to target the Parasaurolophus and drives them towards the other side of the meadow where a large brush line was.
The Parasaurolophus get closer to the thick brush, then with an abrupt ambush from behind the brush line; a slightly larger adult female t-rex with brown skin and black striped patterning emerges. Grabs a Parasaurolophus by the neck and swings it down shaking violently, killing it instantly; Sora was in awe by the hunt he just witnessed.
Coming together, the female and the male roar triumphantly over the successful hunt. Then from the bush, two young juvenile female t-rexes emerge as the two larger individuals begin to eat the killed parasaur.
"Well, they definitely know how to put the alpha in predator. Hey, what are you doing?" Jinbei asks when Sora climbs down from the tree they were watching. Sora then walks sneakily up to the male t-rex feeding, "Yes." Sora says as he inches closer, then positioning himself right behind the male; he takes a deep breath and lets out a roar of his own as loud as he can.
The male turns facing Sora and then lets out a roar directly at him, Sora could feel the pressure from it. "Now that's how you do a roar, Sora." The male says after a bellow. "Ooh… I thought it would work this time, Zeon. I've been practicing…" Sora says disappointed. "You got a long way to go before you can actually startle me." Zeon says with a bit of a chuckle.
Jinbei leaps by crouching next to Sora, "Not so bad. I give it a ten on technique, but a six when it comes to the delivery." Jinbei says only to get an annoyed look from Sora. "Sora. I see your doing well." The female t-rex said walking a bit around the carcass.
"Yes, queen Nymeria. I've been training a lot..." Sora says when the two juveniles t-rexes come and start nuzzling and licking him playfully. "Hey. Tania, Maria that tickles…stop that…cut it out, hahaha" Sora says to them knocked down laughing from their play.
"Alright you two, that's enough. You don't want to smother him to death." Zeon says to his little sisters nudging them off Sora, letting him get back up. "It be better than some other ways I can think of…Wha! Hey!" Jinbei says as he leaps onto Sora's back when Matilda tries to take a snap at him.
"That being one of them right there." Jinbei states pointing leaving Sora chuckling a bit at that. "Well, I'm sure all that training will pay off soon." Nymeria says.
"Yes, I hope so. If I ever want to become a great raptor hunter like my father just like I promised to him." Sora says to her.
"Though at the rate your going, you might wanna stick to hunting rabbits." "Oh yeah, then how about I go for something a little bigger right now." Sora says as he tries to grab Jinbei but he leaps off and away on the grass.
"You're going to have to do better than that if you wanna catch this lemur." Jinbei says leaping away.
"Game on, Jinbei. Bye Zeon, bye Nymeria." Sora says to them as he runs after Jinbei. "Good hunting and be careful Sora." Zeon says to him as Nymeria chuckles a bit.
"He's got a long path ahead, but he trains hard every day to honor his father's memory. Much like how you made the promise to your father to become a great king one day." Nymeria says to Zeon as he remembers well about that promise to Theo. "Yeah." Zeon says reminiscent with a chuckle.
Meanwhile, Sora continues to chase Jinbei across the meadow and back into the jungle through grass and bush, over rocks and logs, and even back into the trees. All the while passing by few others animals such as small Lystrosaurus and Blue-fanned antelope. Then when Jinbei lands back on the ground and begins to leap again, Sora follows suit back on the ground as well but lands close that he leaps forward and grabs Jinbei.
"Gotcha!" Sora says but then he and Jinbei tumble down a hill and lands on a rough, bumpy surface. Sora sits back up holding Jinbei, groaning a bit from the landing but recovers. "Ha, I told you I would get something bigger than a rabbit." Sora says to Jinbei.
"Hey, I wasn't at peak leaping speed you know. I still had some fruit in my belly otherwise, I would've gotten away." Jinbei says. "Sure." Sora says laughing a bit at that remark. Then Sora feels the surface that he was sitting start to move around a bit to his surprise. "What was that?" Sora asks, then feels a snorting breath on his left side.
When Sora and Jinbei turn their heads, they're face to face with another dinosaur with two horns on its head, reddish-brown black patterned skin, and a mouth full of sharp teeth snarling; a carnotaur. "You never learn to stay out of my way do you man-cub." The carno says snarling at them. "Toro!" Sora and Jinbei shout in unison realizing they landed on the back of the bully of the jungle.
Toro snaps his jaws, but Sora evades with Jinbei hanging on to him as he jumps off Toro's back and starts running. Toro angrily roars and gives chase. Sora runs as fast he could with Jinbei hanging on, who looks back to see Toro running after them roaring at their heels.
"Must go faster! Must go faster!" Jinbei says to Sora as he frantically runs as fast as he can. As he runs, Sora remembers what his raptor siblings have taught him "Turns…" he says. Sora makes a sharp turn to the right, Toro snaps at him but slides as he tries to turn but couldn't so abruptly. Toro gets back on them, "Incoming log!" Jinbei says pointing it out.
Sora slides under the log through an arch opening, Toro just breaks through the log as he chases them. Once again Sora makes another zig-zag turn to the left leaving Toro stumbling crashing into a small tree knocking it over. He manages to get back on his feet and after Sora and Jinbei roaring at them frustratingly "Sora…!" Tora says.
Jinbei once again looks back to see Toro still after them. "You gotta think of something else other than zig-zag…and fast!" Jinbei says to Sora when he sees Toro closing the distance between them.
Just as Toro jaws was closing in for another snap, Sora suddenly felt a burst of speed within him. He began to run faster than he ever did before even Toro who snaped his jaws at him, watched him going at his speed surprised. Not paying attention, he trips on a rock making him stumble again and fall over on his front watching Sora escape from his pov.
Sora just keeps running at his new speed, Jinbei looks back to see Toro not chasing them. "Sora, you can slow down now." Jinbei says but as Sora hears them, they end up crashing into the base of a tree knocking Sora on his back along with Jinbei. "Ooooh, crap my poor head." Sora says groaning as he sits back up.
"Ow. At least were not down a certain horned faces throat. We nearly cut it close, if it wasn't for that burst of speed you had. I didn't know you had it in you to go that fast, have you been eating extra fruit lately or what?" Jinbei says and asks getting back up and leaping onto a rock.
"I…I honestly don't know, wish I did. It was like…I heard you say fast, then I just felt like running like faster. Almost like how I would try to run as fast as my brother and sister, and father." Sora says a bit perplexed and confused as to what had happened trying to understand.
"Well, however you did it. I am thankful that you managed to get that fast to save our butts from some sharp teeth and wickedly bad breath. I mean really…" Jinbei says with Sora laughing at the remark.
Then in the distance they hear Toro's roar much to their alarm. "I think its time we make ourselves scare Sora." "Yeah." Sora and Jinbei agree as they get into the trees and start swinging away from the area. While unaware that nearby in the brush they were being watched by a gigantopithecus carrying a staff with gourds at its end; Buge.
Later that night, the velociraptors call out to each other through the jungle. A meeting was being held and all the members of the pack have gathered under the moon at the heart of their territory, a high rock ledge called council rock.
In the back of the gathering Iris stood out waiting, Katuri and Adar come running up to her. "Mother, we can't find him anywhere." Katuri says to her, "Oh no, not again." Iris says worryingly.
"I told him at least three or four times that there was a meeting of the pack tonight, he's just gonna get into more trouble." Adar stated. "Should I go looking for him again mother?" Katuri asked.
"Yes, if you could find him before Umara starts speaking…" Iris says but Umara starts off. "Listen everyone." "Its too late now." Adar says as Umara the alpha female begins the meeting on a rock ledge overlooking the pack.
"I've called you all here because our scouts have recently spotted Drakhan on the border of the Sirona lands. He may begin to cause trouble; the scouts also reported in that a pack of Atrociraptors have gathered around him. I'm warning every member of the danger that may come from the other side of the Kohinoor River in the wastelands. So, be on alert." Umara says warning them; Sora tries to sneak into the meeting from the back.
But Umara takes notice, "Oh, Sora you again." She says. "Sora." "We were looking all over for you." Iris and Katuri say taking notice looking back at him. "I'm sorry." Sora says apologizing.
"Late again." Another female raptor says walking up beside Umara. "How many times have I told you not to be late for meetings of the pack." Umara says to him.
"You see Umara. I was taking a nap down by the marsh and by the time I woke up, it…" "Off course, you have to give an excuse just because your different don't you." The female raptor says much to Sora's agitation.
"And coming late to meetings is just another example that he doesn't know what it means to be a raptor." "Alright I think we've heard enough of this Ingrid." Katuri says angrily, "Katuri, calm down." Adar says to her.
"I'm only speaking the truth; how can you call yourself a raptor when you can't even hunt. No raptor pack should take in a human." Ingrid says only adding to Sora's agitation.
"I've heard enough Ingrid. We must never forget the promise made to Faris." Umara says with a quick sneer at Ingrid. "While I do respect the honorable heroic death that Faris made, the raptor pack mustn't let our heads be buried in the past." Ingrid states.
"Say what!" Katuri and Adar say in unison angrily snarling.
"Stop it! Katuri, Adar; Ingrid's right, Sora did come to the meeting late. Sora, you must apologize to everyone." Iris says blocking Katuri and Adar and explaining to Sora. "I apologize." Sora says to everyone.
"Do you accept his apology?" Umara asks Ingrid who lets off a snarl of reluctance.
"Fine I'll accept grandmother, but. I will never accept him into this velociraptor pack." Ingrid states steadily but objectionably with a snort of hot air at the end, Umara lets out of sigh at that with Sora looking frustrated at that as well.
The following day, Sora was in a tree on a small island in a marsh looking up in thought and a bit depressed. Laying and siting right underneath him was Shadow fang and Jinbei.
Eventually Jinbei climbed up the tree and onto the branch Sora was sitting on. "What's the matter Sora? You look like your lost in another place and not here with us." Jinbei asks him.
"Hmm, well. You know I've been training all my life so I can be an honorable raptor like father. But even though I do my very best it seems like I'm not getting anywhere to the promise I made to him." Sora states looking down.
"And what precisely makes you say that?" Shadow fang asks looking up.
"I can't exactly hunt some of the game that is on our hunting grounds like the other raptors could, or even defend myself. Not to mention they think I don't take their ways seriously, especially Ingrid." Sora says to him.
"Come now Sora. You and I both know that is nonsense, you train harder than many of the other raptors in the pack. All so you could keep your promise to Faris." Shadow fang says trying to lift his spirits.
"The cats gotta a point. What does she know about how much you've been doing anyway? I've seen it, shadow fang has seen it, and you know for yourself as well." Jinbei states to him also lifting his spirits.
"I am not a cat… But Jinbei is right. You shouldn't be too worried about what Ingrid or the others think, because you are Faris son." Shadow fang says as Jinbei goes behind Sora from Shadow fangs not cat remark, Sora lets off a small smile.
"I guess you two are right." "Off course were right. If it wasn't for your training, then Toro would've…" Jinbei was saying but Sora cuts him off covering his mouth quick.
"Wait, what about Toro?" "Oh, um. Its nothing." Sora says a bit nervously laughing to Shadow fang about the encounter.
"Shadow fang would be angry that I wondered into his territory. I also don't think he'll believe me about what else happened at the time too." Sora thought as he remembers about when he mysteriously gained speed during the chase with Toro.
Then Sora hears a cry from above, he sees a large bird of a prey with brown-blackish grey colored feathers. It was a Haast's eagle and it flew down toward where they were and landed on the ground beside them.
"Hello Chill, good morning." Sora says to him, "Sora, there you are. I was looking for you." Chill said. "Huh? Looking for me?" Sora asks, "What's the matter Chill is there something wrong?" Shadow fang asks.
"I have a message from Queen Nymeria, she wants you to come over to Duma Cliffs." Chill states. "Duma cliffs, but why?" Sora asks perplexed.
"That I don't know. She said that it was important that you come, Zeon would also be joining." Chill says to them.
"Well in that case, if its important as you say. Then let's not make the queen wait, shall we." Shadow says getting up and Sora nodding in agreement, Sora jumps from the tree and lands on Shadow fangs back.
"Alright, lets go." Sora says, "Hey, wait for me." Jinbei says leaping on to Sora's back. Shadow fang with Sora and Jinbei hanging on, runs into the jungle heading for Duma cliffs with great speed as he can get passing by like a shadow amongst the jungle foliage.
(What does Nymeria want with Sora? What matter could be so important that he has to go to Duma Cliffs? Stick around and find out in the next chapter, see ya soon;)