Jurassic Park: The Broken Lives Saga by Dinohunter55
Chapter 27: Life on Site B
Lance screamed and kicked at the spinosaurus with his free leg. The beast bit down a little harder and he choked out his cry. It had not killed him right away but instead carried him away for the hatchlings at the nest. He was sure of it.
The road led deep into a valley. He saw plenty of abandoned cages and enclosures. The nest was further beyond it seemed.
He felt like his one leg would rip off or at very least dislocate at any moment. Blood stained his cloths. He wept freely. The pain, the fear, the dread, it all played a melancholic theater in his mind. He was going to die and there was nothing he could do about it. He could only hope it would be quick.
He would soon see his wife and daughter again.
The spinosaurus passed through the gate of a reinforced fence. Wooden livestock pens in various states of decay filled the space. Few trees grew in the grassy valley but populated the steep slopes. He saw the gnawed bones of various animals scattered about. Not all were dinosaur. A large stagnant pond sat at the opposite side of the valley. The place reeked of death.
Lance heard the squawking and twisted to see the nest at the valley center. Four hatchlings snapped and squabbled at the edge of the nest for their mother. Each was not much larger than a big dog. Small ridges marked where their sails would develop eventually.
He vowed to take as many with him as he could. His last act would be of defiance.
The spinosaurus dropped him several feet into the center of the nest. He landed hard on his bad arm and in a pile of fetid meat and bone. It knocked the wind out of him for a moment. He gagged on the overwhelming stench. He braced himself with his good hand and found a tattered grey hoodie among the remains. It was only slightly torn and stained with old blood around the hood but rot over the rest. It was an odd find but useful.
He closed his hand around the sleeve.
The mother spinosaurus watched him with a keen eye as she circled the nest.
Lance tried to shift to a better position but his one leg was next to useless after enduring the jaws of the spinosaurus for so long. He rolled on to his back and waited patiently.
The four spinosaurus infants approached cautiously, encouraged by the low growls of the mother.
Lance braced himself against the coming pain. He flopped about his useless limbs, drawing the attention away from his good limbs.
One of the infants took the bait and moved towards him. It sniffed at his leg and then moved up to his arm. A second infant darted forward and grabbed his foot. Lance grimaced but fought through the urge to kick just yet. The third moved in and he acted.
His good arm looped the sleeve of the grey hoodie around the snout of the closest infant. He pulled it into a rough hug against his chest to act as a shield against the mother. It squealed and squirmed against him but he did not relent even as some claws caught flesh. It was strong for its size.
He kicked the third infant as it passed his good leg. He felt the crunch of bone and the thing wailed and fell nearby. It kept screaming.
The mother spinosaurus roared at this point but could not reach him through the infants. The fourth charged in and he kicked it in head. The infant dropped like a sack of rocks beside him. Its breaths came in choking gasps. He was not sure if he killed it but it would not get up again soon.
The second spinosaurus infant stopped gnawing on his foot and turned to the screaming infant. It pounced and ripped into the helpless creature.
The mother lunged and grabbed Lance by his leg. Bones crunched. He screamed. It ripped him into the air. He still grasped the hoodie tight in his hand and though he lost hold of the infant itself, it dragged behind him into the air and swung like a hanged man. The body twitched at the end of a makeshift noose.
The pain became too much and Lance let the body fall to ground as he accepted his fate. Three out of four of the little monsters were not a bad trade he reckoned.
The spinosaurus flipped its head and he landed inside its mouth. The jaws snapped shut, break his good arm. He screamed and then choked on the rancid breath. The muscular tongue slammed him against the roof of the mouth and then forced him deeper. His feet slipped into the beast's throat. It was swallowing him alive!
The jeep lurched to a stop. Santiago looked back along the road. He did not see the raptors following him. The beasts, a pair of them, were on the main road headed for the harbor. He drove north at the crossroad to avoid them and then ran out of road in front of a long two-story building at the edge of a calm lake.
He cut the engine and let his head rest against the wheel for a moment. This was supposed to be an easy gig; a well paid trip to an island for some rich hunter. The most dangerous thing he thought they might encounter was a crocodile or wild boar.
Shakily, Santiago got out of the jeep. Night was nearly upon the island and he wanted to hole up in somewhere secure for the time being. He would figure out where to go tomorrow when he had daylight.
A big sign on the front of the building said "Marine Research Complex" for whatever that meant on this island. He tried not to dwell on it and hurried into the front door.
The sparsely decorated main lobby held the cold neutral essence of corporate offices. He spotted a map on the wall and went to it. It might give him an idea of where to go in the morning.
Lines divided the lake into four sections, each with its own name. He did not recognize any of the words. The seaway gate caught his eye however. A manmade channel linked the lake to the ocean though a river flowed into it. Where the channel met the sea, he spotted what he wanted, a dock and boathouse. It was his best shot.
The scampering of feet on concrete turned him around to find its source. He could not find it in the fading light.
Santiago ran.
His heart hammered as he rushed blindly through a hallway leading off the main lobby. He passed one office with an open door. It looked lived in but he decided against investigating. He carried on until the hall exited into an amphitheatre looking space that opened to the lake. He made his way down the stairs and stopped to catch his breath near the water's edge.
At the top of the stair, dozens of small green lizards poured from the exit with a hopping gait. He took a step back and found his heel at the edge of the pool.
They were small at least.
The creatures bobbed and squawked but seemed warry of coming near him for the moment.
"Get back," Santiago cried at the little animals and waved his arms frantically.
They scattered.
He smiled until something grabbed his legs. He slammed hard into the concrete and slipped under the water in a splash of flippers before he could scream.
Jabari pushed the engine as hard as he dared. It was old gas and he did not want to end up stranded in the middle of the inlet.
Diego lay not far away. His eyes closed and he panted silently. He held the wound in his flank where the raptor got him. He lost a lot of blood before they stopped the bleeding. It was a miracle that the man was still conscious, though barely.
The gloom of night fell over the island as the sun disappeared over the horizon. Pale moonlight caught the waves. The boat rocked as it bounce over the swells.
Jabari thought he heard a woman's voice on the wind. He ignored it, thinking it his imagination. He was tired and it had been a long and eventful day. The voice came again. He slowed the engine a little.
"Over here!" The voice called to him, siren like over the water.
Jabari looked to the shoreline and spotted a figure furiously waving its arms against the gloom. It was a woman but not the same one he met. It was not Amanda.
Jabari moved to push the throttle up again but his conscious held him back. It was God's will that he do one good deed after witnessing so much death it seemed. He would rescue this woman. He turned the boat towards the shore. He would not get too close however. She would need to swim to the boat.
Diego would rebel against the action but he was hardly in a position to say something right now.
Jabari quietly recited a prayer for his lost brother and the men he had traveled with on this island of death.
The light died as night fell but journey was quicker than expected, as Jack did not hold back. He paused only briefly to tell Loki and Zathana to assist with getting Grey back to the nest before continuing down the road without them.
Amanda held tight though nearly lost her grip several times. She quietly hoped that the knots she tied in the vest would hold. The vest had a zippered pocket and she stashed the antidotes inside of it otherwise she risked losing it from her open pockets during the ride. After a while, they reached the crossroad just south of the cliffs.
She realized that the trip to the harbor was slower due to the caution of the velociraptors and Grey's injury. If they really wanted, the velociraptors could easily travel the whole island in very little time. That put them at risk of other predators however. Amanda licked her lips. She did not want to run into any right now. She realized too, just how much slower they traveled for her sake.
Jack breathed hard and paused a moment. His breaths were the rumbling purr of predator.
"Thank you Jack," Amanda said. "I know you didn't want to carry me."
Jack looked back at her. "I saved my strength for this." Jack said. "I wanted to ensure we could make it back quickly when you got the antidote."
"What would have happened if I wasn't able to get it?" Amanda asked, dreading the expected answer.
Jack licked his fangs as he mulled over the question. "You did get it, like you said you would." Jack said. He turned south and started running again.
Amanda tried not to dwell on it. It was a stupid question to ask him anyway. She knew the answer already and felt it in her back.
After about a kilometer, they passed along the grassy hill and the lone tree. Memories flashed in Amanda's mind. How much had changed due to that day. It made her both happy and sad. She was not sure which emotion was the stronger of the two.
Jack turned into the jungle and Amanda buried her face in the back of Jack's neck to protect from the lashing branches and slapping leaves. The ground rose briefly and leveled out. A well-worn trail followed the top of a cliff face mirroring the general shape of the lake. It was one the raptors likely used often by how well Jack navigated it, avoiding roots and stones as he went in the dark jungle.
Amanda kept track of time using the heavy breaths of Jack. He was tiring though. Her heart leapt as they finally reached the stream but it was only the section that flowed directly into the lake. Jack followed it along a trail that ran about a dozen meters from the actual water. She wondered why they did not follow it directly but that was a question for later.
Amanda dared to look about as the foliage thinned a little. She spotted the dense shadow of the trees ahead and knew they were at the nest.
Jack barked as he neared the edge of the nest. A bark replied.
He only slowed once inside the nest. Amanda slipped off his back and Jack carried on to the edge of the stream where he sank to the ground, breathing hard. The faint moonlight caught his eyes and they looked ghostly against the silhouette of his head. He drank deep of the stream.
Silver Claw was where Amanda left him. Sara sheltered his head with hers.
"How is he?" Amanda asked as she ran to them.
Sara was slow to respond.
Amanda stumbled to a stop.
"I can't feel his heart anymore," Sara whispered. She looked up at Amanda. Despite the low light, Amanda saw the grief written clear on her face and in her eyes.
"No," Amanda gasped and then knelt beside Silver Claw.
He was cool to the touch.
"No, no, no, no," Amanda said and pressed her hands along his neck, feeling for some sort of pulse.
"Amanda," Sara whispered.
"He's not dead," Amanda snarled. "He is not dead."
Amanda found the antidote in her pocket. She ripped the cap off the first and jabbed the needle in Silver Claw's shoulder near where the wound had clotted. She saw no reaction. She decided to use the second. Turning his wrist over, she found the vein and injected it just as Lance had done with Emiliano, still no reaction.
"Silver Claw," Amanda cried and pulled his head away from Sara's chest. He was limp not stiff. "He's not dead," Amanda said and kept repeating it.
Sara slowly rose and nuzzled Amanda's head. She walked away to speak quietly to Jack.
Amanda laid alongside Silver Claw to share her warmth with him and held his head against her chest. She kissed his snout. "Silver Claw, don't be dead. I need you," Amanda whispered, "Please, I…"
Amanda cried long into the night.
The cool dawn light illuminated the way as Tyrannous limped out of the ravine. A dozen lacerations marked his flesh and half as many bites. He could not shake the venomous tremor gripping his body. He stumbled often and many times had to stand back up. His breathing grew harder.
He was alone for the moment.
He did not care whether the other velociraptors fled, limped away to lick their wounds or bleed out in a bush. He survived the fight and drove them off, barely. The next few hours would prove if he was really alive or a corpse still walking.
Stone structures lay ahead. He knew them well. Dozens of the structures surround the ravine entrance and the nearby pond who's stream ran south through the fern valley and redwoods until it eventually reached the sea near where he found that human group on the beach.
Tyrannous limped into the most secure structure, as much roots from the tree growing out of it as the thick stone bricks. It had a small tight entrance and a damp leafy floor. He collapsed once inside. Every breath shuddered as his body shivered. His eyes grew heavy and closed against his will. He slipped into darkness even as the sun brought light to the island once more.
A gentle breeze stirred Amanda's eyelashes and brought her out of a restless stupor. She opened her eyes and saw Silver Claw's snout. She squeezed him a little tighter but ran dry on tears during the night. The grief and lack of food left her nauseous.
It was early in the morning. A light mist clung to the ground as the warmth of the sun crept into the jungle. Brachiosaurus sang in the distance. She hated them for sounding so sweet.
About the nest, the velociraptors remained relatively near to where they settled during the night. The group from the harbor made it back safely after midnight. Later still, the group that went to the airstrip made it back alive and intact. Amanda paid them little notice after that. A few velociraptors went on brief patrols of the area but returned not long after; they could not have gone far. A couple times during the night, Sara settle beside Amanda nuzzled her before gently resting her head across both of them. She said nothing during this but Amanda appreciated the gesture to her core. If she were not already holding Silver Claw, she would have hugged Sara in those moments.
Amanda gently pet Silver Claw. He still felt cool to the touch. She let out a shuddered sigh as her emotions climbed towards sobbing. Amanda kissed his snout and felt a gentle breeze caress her cheek.
"I'm sorry Amanda," Sunayana said as she approached slowly, head low.
Amanda turned her head to meet Sunayana's gaze.
Sunayana settle beside Silver Claw. "He hasn't moved all night."
"I…" Amanda felt a gentle breeze caress her skin. There was no wind in the nest.
Amanda shifted her hands to feel along Silver Claw's neck. Another breeze, Amanda saw the subtle movement of Silver Claw's nostril as she found his pulse.
"He's alive," Amanda whispered.
"Amanda, you need to…" Sunayana said.
"He's breathing," Amanda said louder.
"I don't see…" Sunayana said.
"I feel his heart," Amanda practically shouted.
The velociraptors stirred from their nests at the noise.
Amanda shifted and gently touched his eyelid. It twitched. Slowly, Amanda pushed them open, breaking a hard crust that formed. His pupil changed size but did not find her.
"Silver Claw," Amanda whimpered, "Silver Claw."
Sara trotted over and pressed her jaw to Silver Claw's neck. She held it for a while, closing her eyes. "He's alive," Sara said. "I feel a pulse."
Amanda shifted again and slid her one arm under his jaw to keep his head off the ground. She stroked his quills and kissed his cheek. "You're going to be okay Silver Claw." Amanda whispered to him.
Over the next few hours, his breathing grew stronger and heart settled into a strong rhythm. He stirred little by little. Sara and Sunayana never left his side and neither did Amanda. The others became background noise to Amanda.
Silver Claw started to shift, a little at first and only twitches. Eventually his head tilted forward, an arm moved, and fingers curled.
"I'm here Silver Claw," Amanda whispered. "You're safe."
Silver Claw whimpered a little.
Sara looked distraught.
Silver Claw's eyelid twitched.
"I think he's waking up," Sunayana said. She leaned in for a better look.
Amanda watched as Silver Claw's eye peeled open. His gazed wandered sightlessly as he blinked. Then it found her and stopped. It lingered on her.
Warmth flooded Amanda. She smiled. "Hi," she whispered.
"Am-Aman-Amanda," Silver Claw rasped. He coughed up thick mucus.
Amanda cleared the mucus from his mouth with her free hand and then kissed him under the eye. "I'm here Silver Claw."
He tilted his head and managed a slight nuzzle.
"Just rest," Amanda said. She stroked his quills again. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."
His eyes shut and soon he was asleep.
Amanda looked at Sara and Sunayana. "Thank you for everything."
The velociraptors were silent but she saw the relief in their eyes.
Amanda gently hugged his head to her body again and dozed off for a while.
It was around midday that Silver Claw stirred again and forced Amanda to get up so she could bring handfuls of water to his mouth for him to drink. He choked on it a bit but managed to swallow enough to ease him back into slumber.
Amanda sat with his head on her lap as the afternoon drifted to evening. She spoke a little with the velociraptors but for the most part, they were silent. She was happy for that because her emotions rose with every word and she did not want to sob in front of them anymore than she had.
Sara and Sunayana finally left Silver Claw's side and the nest entirely. As night approached, they returned with food. The smell roused Silver Claw and Amanda tore small chunks off from the whole with her teeth so that he could swallow without chewing. She made sure he had enough before she tore into the meat for her own growling belly. He still did not speak much but looked like he had a lot on his mind when his eyes shut.
Night fell and she cuddled Silver Claw to keep warm. Sunayana settled in against Amanda and helped keep her warm through a particularly chilly night. In the morning, Amanda profusely thanked her.
By noon, Silver Claw had enough strength to attempt standing. Amanda held him tightly and walked with him. He drank from the stream and moved to a dryer place near the treeline. He still said very little but his voice grew stronger each time he spoke.
The afternoon sun broke through the canopy and brought welcome warmth to Amanda where she rested with Silver Claw's head laying on her lap. She leaned back against the trunk of the tree. She felt his strength returning but knew it would be at least several days before it returned fully.
Amanda realized he was awake again but just keeping his eyes shut. She smiled.
Jack walked up to her and looked down at them. "How is he?"
Amanda met the gaze for a moment and then looked down at Silver Claw. "He's getting better but I think it'll be a few days before he's moving around more, longer until he recovers fully. It was a nasty poison."
"It is good you got the cure," Jack said.
Amanda looked up at him. "Thank you for trusting me Jack. I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you and the rest of your pack."
Jack shifted and licked his lips. He looked back to where Sara was speaking with a couple of the pack members. "It's your pack now too," Jack said as his gaze found Amanda again.
"What?" Amanda said softly.
"We know what you did to save Silver Claw," Jack said. "We saw how much you fought to save his life. I know you could have left with the other humans in the boat."
"I don't know what to say but," Amanda said. He lip trembled. "Thank you Jack."
"Don't thank me yet," Jack said and turned. "Once you're both recovered, you still have to earn your place in the pack." He started to walk way. "Thank you for keeping our little one alive."
Amanda smiled and watched as Jack joined Sara. She caught Sara's knowing glance. Amanda chuckled a little.
"We found a home," Silver Claw whispered.
"We did," Amanda agreed. She traced the red ridge of his crest with her finger.
"Amanda…" Silver Claw said.
"Are you hungry again?" Amanda asked, trying to guess his intent. She was hungry.
"No, it's not that." Silver Claw said. He shifted forward and lifted his head from her lap so he could look her in the eyes.
"You're getting stronger," Amanda said and smiled.
"Not strong enough," Silver Claw said. He rested his head on her shoulder for a moment.
Amanda rested her head against his. "You're getting your strength back."
"That's not what I'm talking about," Silver Claw whispered.
"What's wrong?"
Silver Claw remained silent for a moment. "This isn't the right way to ask you."
Amanda turned her head so she could look him in the eye. "Is something bothering you?"
"I…" Silver Claw closed his eyes. "No, I'm sorry. It should wait."
That puzzled Amanda and now she needed to know. "You want to ask me something? What is it?"
"I do, it's just…" Silver Claw said and let out a deep sigh.
"How long have you wanted to ask me this question?"
"A while," Silver Claw said. He looked away.
Amanda gently reached up and lifted his head from her shoulders. He did not resist as she moved his head to face her, nearly snout to nose. "Silver Claw, you can ask me anything." His eyes closed for a moment and Amanda thought he might have fallen asleep on her. When they opened again, she saw equal parts fear and determination. Amanda smiled. "What's been bothering you?"
"Amanda," Silver Claw said. He licked his lips and closed his eyes for a moment. "I-I-I love you."
Amanda's eyes widened a little with surprise. She quickly tried to hide it by leaning in and kissing him on the snout. "I love you too Silver Claw." She wondered how deep his love ran and the conversation with Sara entered her mind. Her words were genuine though. She did love Silver Claw. She realized that it was not the question however.
"I know it's not the right way to ask," Silver Claw whispered. "But I put it off and nearly lost the chance to ask you…" Silver Claw swallowed nervously.
Amanda started to tremble and felt warmth spread in her cheeks. She realized what he wanted to ask her. It was an idea she toyed with briefly one night but did not dwell on it for the impossibility of such a thing. How would she answer? She was set on the path to remain with the pack, to be with Silver Claw until one of them died.
"Ask," Amanda whispered, lips trembling.
Silver Claw steadied himself and took a deep breath. "Amanda," Silver Claw said. "I love you. Would you be my mate?"
Even though she knew it was coming, Amanda could not hide the surprise in her eyes. The moment's pause made Silver Claw lose some of this confidence. He looked about to speak.
"Yes," Amanda said. She trembled. "I'll be your mate Silver Claw." She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. Tears wet Amanda's cheeks. She found a home and now her love.
As the day wore on and night approached, the pack noticed a change in them. It was Sunayana that approached to ask what had happened; she did not seem surprised but simply nodded. Amanda heard some of the distant comments as news spread. Most were neutral but a few strongly disagreed with it. She did not care. Silver Claw and she were together. She could not bear his children but she wondered at the other roles she might play within the pack as his mate. She would talk to Sara or Sunayana in the morning while Silver Claw rested. Until then, Amanda felt her eyes grow heavy and she settled into a peaceful sleep as night fell on Isla Sorna.