Jurassic Park: The Broken Lives Saga by Dinohunter55
Chapter 22: Hands Stained Crimson
"You're going to be ok Silver Claw," Amanda whispered as she held his head out of the river. He sprawled over Loki's back with Sunayana and Sara helping keep him from falling off. His eyes remained closed but he still breathed steadily. He was alive, that was the important thing.
Sara shook with fury. Amanda saw the intensity clear in her eyes. She dearly wished that that fury directed entirely towards the hunters alone but in her heart, Amanda felt and knew she deserved much of it herself. She should have let the velociraptors kill the humans and not intervene. She did not and they shot Silver Claw as a result. If not for the focus on getting Silver Claw to safety, the sense of guilt might have overwhelmed her if Sara's fury did not get her first.
The opposite bank was tricky to climb but soon they were in the jungle and traveling at a good pace along the river heading northeast. Amanda relented and allowed Silver Claw's head to hang freely over Loki's shoulder to avoid getting in the way of Sunayana as they picked up the pace. It was still slow as any faster might sent Silver Claw tumbling to the ground or risk Loki tripping. Amanda followed behind. Talon trotted beside her. Grey and Zathana went ahead to make sure the path was clear.
"Where are we taking him?" Amanda asked.
Sara said nothing, only looking at the path ahead.
"To the nest," Sunayana said, "It's the safest place for him right now."
"B-but he's not allowed in the nest," Talon protested. A sharp look from Sara made him cower.
Amanda swallowed nervously. She was not allowed at the nest either. She would not leave Silver Claw's side however. The raptors might kill her for it. She would risk that to stay by his side. He was going to make it through this. She dared not entertain the idea of him dying.
"He's going to be ok," Amanda whispered, "He's got to be." She said it more to reassure her own unease more than to anyone else in particular.
Talon moved closer to her and cocked his head slightly. "You actually care about him?"
"I do," Amanda said at once.
Talon looked ahead for a while. "I hope he survives."
"He will," Amanda said. "Silver Claw is strong."
The group rounded the northern edge of the mountains and passed into the next valley. They turned south immediately.
"Where is your nest from here?" Amanda asked.
Talon hesitated and looked at Sara.
"I don't want you to get in trouble," Amanda said. She dared to touch Talon's shoulder. He flinched back and flashed his teeth. She pulled her hand away. "I'm sorry."
Talon eyed her for a long while and then fell further behind the group.
Amanda's limbs burned as they passed between the mountain ridge and large hill. The fog was thin but thicker curling strands lingered on the ground. The trees grew wide canopies in this area and vines hung from the branches in long serpentine ropes. Long grasses and leafy plants filled the open spaces. She heard the distant calls of brachiosaurus and parasaurolophus. She had no idea where she was anymore, only a rough guess that it was somewhere between the lake and one of the mountains.
The sounds of velociraptors barking drew Amanda's attention forward. Sara responded with her own barking cry. The jungle fell silent.
A closing cluster of dense thick trees caught Amanda's eye. "Your nest is in those trees, isn't it?" Amanda looked back at Talon. He ignored her.
A growing sense of dread settled in Amanda's mind. She felt eyes on her though she saw none of the other raptors yet. A cluster of grasses slowed Amanda but she raced to catch up to the velociraptors once through it. A stream gurgled nearby.
Jack stepped out in front of her, blocking her path.
Amanda stumbled but caught herself before running into him.
He stood in silent judgment over her as two other velociraptors crept out of the jungle to either side of her. They had their claws ready and teeth bared.
"I suggest you bare your throat and hope he doesn't rip it out," Talon whispered behind her. "You weren't invited here."
Amanda did so and then slowly lowered herself to the ground in front of Jack, eyes downcast.
"You come to our nest uninvited, both of you," Jack said. The velociraptors to either side of Amanda snarled. They were ones she did not recognize, one male with a red stripe instead of the usual pale blue and one female with only a few spots among cream-colored scales.
"Sara brought Silver Claw here and I followed," Amanda said. "Silver Claw's been shot."
The velociraptors snarled.
"You protected the humans when they could have been killed easily and prevented this," Jack said. Amanda said nothing. His tone warned against speaking further.
Jack started circling her. He stopped and sniffed at her hand, forcing her to turn it over.
"Silver Claw's blood is on your hands," Jack said. He continued to circle.
Amanda trembled.
Jack circled in silent judgment.
"It's my fault he got shot," Amanda said. She could no longer bare his scrutiny. The guilt caught up with her and she sobbed. "I tried to convince the humans to leave but they wouldn't listen to me. I should have let the others kill them when they had the chance but I did not. I tried to stop Lance from shooting Silver Claw and I could not. Silver Claw, please…"
"You should have gone home when you had the chance," Jack snarled. He kicked Amanda to the ground, sank his killing claw through her shirt, and pierced the surface skin between her shoulder blades, drawing blood. His foot tensed and readied to rip her apart.
Anger filled Amanda but she did not struggle. "I am home," she spat.
"Stop!"
Amanda looked up and saw Sara striding towards her. The claw sank a little deeper and Amanda gasped.
"Jack," Sara said, "Stop this. Now is not the time."
"She caused this!" Jack snarled, "And now she is at the nest uninvited."
"I brought her here Jack," Sara said. "I am more to blame than she is in this. I let it happen." Sara trembled.
The claw relented but Amanda remained down.
"What do you mean you let it happen?" Jack snarled and approached her, rising to his full height.
"I wanted to learn more about why the humans were here and if more were coming." Sara said. She did not meet his gaze. "I blame Amanda and I blame Silver Claw for their actions. But, I put most of the blame on myself for letting it happen."
Jack snarled.
"Silver Claw is dying." Sara said. "Such a small wound should not kill him but it is. Please, let Amanda go to be by his side."
Jack sprang forward and grabbed Sara by the neck, driving her into the ground. The other velociraptors backed off and looked frightened. Sara did not fight back.
"Leave us," Jack said and looked to each of the velociraptors. They rushed away to the nest. When they were gone, he looked down at Sara and showed his teeth in rage.
"Don't hurt her Jack," Amanda scrambled to her feet. His snarl stopped her in her tracks before she made it to them. Whatever she might have had in mind disappeared in the face of a true threat. Amanda's legs felt weak and her back throbbed. Tears poured fresh over red cheeks.
Jack turned towards Amanda.
"Kill me if you want," Amanda said. "But please let me see Silver Claw and be by his side first. I won't try to run away, please."
"Did I hurt you?" Jack said and looked down at Sara.
"Nothing serious," Sara said. She stood up and shook off the clinging soil.
Amanda's brow furled and her tears slowed.
"You forced this action by bringing her here," Jack said. "I would have killed her."
"I know," Sara said. "I didn't think you would be so quick about it however."
"She took the blame for Silver Claw's injury in front of the others and she is an outsider," Jack looked at Amanda and snarled. "I should still kill her for forcing this."
"What's going on?" Amanda asked. Both sets of predatory eyes fell on her and she looked down.
"Sara challenged my authority by bringing both of you here," Jack said. He nuzzled Sara's neck and then licked away the bloody beads where his teeth pierced flesh. "I had to act."
"I know," Sara said and nuzzled him back.
"I have led this pack for a long time and Sara was never far from my side. We are usually of one mind on most things but this…" Jack looked at Amanda. "This has divided us." He drew a deep breath. "I don't like being forced into actions like this." His tone was one of warning to both Amanda and Sara.
"I know," Sara soothed. "And, the others will know by now that you punished me and your authority will not be questioned if you allow Amanda entry as a mercy to them given the circumstances."
"I still don't like it," Jack said. His body relaxed for a moment. "Go to Silver Claw, Amanda, but don't touch the eggs while you are in our nest."
Amanda nodded and then passed by the pair. She hurried towards the nest. Her mind raced. She nearly died but that felt oddly less terrifying than the thought of losing Silver Claw right now. Warring feelings turned her mind into a chaotic storm that she forced to the back of her mind. She had one thing to do now and that was to get to Silver Claw. Nothing else mattered to her.
The thick trunks of large trees and a broad canopy surrounded the nest. Tall leafy plants grew between the clear, frequently used trails where the ground wore smooth and muddy. The two velociraptors that surrounded her with Jack eyed her as she entered the central, oval-shaped, open space but said nothing. The rest of the pack was near the central stream where it flowed out of the nest.
Amanda saw Silver Claw through the legs of those gathered around him. They stood a small distance away from him. He sprawled in an uncomfortable position but his chest still moved. Amanda hurried over to him, making sure to keep her distant from the many nests.
A series of snarls rose from the crowd as the pack took notice of her. She ignored them and gently slipped through the circle between Sunayana and Zathana. They let her pass without comment or reluctance.
Silver Claw looked rough but his eye twitched open for a moment at her touch. It did not stay open for long and he could not focus on her. Fresh tears marked Silver Claw's body as Amanda set about shifting his position into something more comfortable. She propped him against a large rock so he was halfway on his side. His breaths came easier.
Amanda found the wound and in his shoulder as she tucked in his arms. It was small and had no exit point. Thick blood coated the surrounding scales. A sickening feeling grew of what she might find inside of it and gently prodded the area. Silver Claw twitched.
She thought back to the medical dramas she sometimes watched on the television. Amanda patted his neck and then whispered, "I'm sorry. This will hurt a little but maybe if I get the dart out it might help."
His scaled skin was surprisingly tough yet flexible but the inflamed tissue beneath forced it tight. She saw Sara and Jack approaching the group out of the corner of her eye. Amanda licked her lips before gently sliding her pinky into the hole. Silver Claw twitched more frequently. She had no idea what she was doing but if she could find it then maybe, she could get it out if it was close to the surface. The act put her in mind of removing a splinter but much more dangerous. It may become infected but he was already dying. She had to try.
"I'm sorry," Amanda said again. She froze. The tip of her finger found something. It was metal. She paled, feeling the small fins. It was a dart but it was not deep and it barely moved at her touch. It must have hit bone. She quickly pulled her finger out and gently but firmly pushed down the swelling.
Silver Claw hissed but otherwise remained where he lay.
"What are you doing?" Sara said, pushing through the others.
The end of the dart emerged and Amanda caught it between her thumbs. She slowly pulled it out of Silver Claw, earning more hissing and kick that left a pale mark across her leg where his claws connected. She winced and nearly lost the dart but finally pulled it free. This blood oozed from the wound.
Amanda gave a long shuddering breath. "I got it out."
Sara's head dropped into view beside Amanda, teeth showing. It was a warning. "What did you do?"
"I got the dart out of him." Amanda said. She turned it in her fingers. "Don't touch it though."
The flechette was only around six centimeters long with small stabilizing fins at the back and a third of the way from the sharp tip. Through the blood coating the shiny steel, Amanda saw the grove where an ochre, sap-like substance oozed out. Most of it appeared to be in the grove still. A small hope grew within Amanda.
"How could something so small do this?" Sara said.
"Lance used poison in these," Amanda said. "I threw the rest of them into the canyon before we left the aviary so hopefully he is out now." She would bury the dart deep somewhere away from the nest but until then, she ripped a piece of tattered cloth from her shirt, wrapped the dart, and placed it securely in her pocket.
Sara hissed.
The memory hit Amanda and she stood up, nearly hitting Sara and drawing a flash of fangs and claws from the crowd. "Lance said they have an antidote." Amanda turned to Sara. "I have to get back to the human camp before they leave!"