Act Three: Adolescence

Early morning fog hung over the still waters of the swamp like curtains in a theater. The play had not yet begun thus they had yet to be lifted. The scene was nearly set though. All that was left was for the lead actor to take his spot on stage and then it would begin.

A small ripple raced across the surface of the water in front of Nile as only the top of his head emerged from beneath the water. He cautiously scanned the nearby bank, sending out another ripple from the movement, and then slowly turned to face the rest of the water. The swamp seemed peaceful this early in the morning. Usually, he would be grateful for as much and would be happy to bask in the sun as it crept up the sky.

Today was different though. Today, he had to make his mark. He had to make his home.

Nile steeled himself for what was to come and then slowly opened his jaws. He hesitated for only a second before releasing a low, guttural roar into the foggy morning air. He let it echo out over the water’s surface for a few seconds before following it up with two more roars in quick succession. After that, he let the silence settle in as he waited for any challengers to appear.

When the minutes began to slip by, Nile thought that his stake had gone unnoticed. That was almost as bad as it going unchallenged altogether since both pretty much meant he wasn’t a threat to anyone. He also knew that it didn’t guarantee him any sort of safety in the future. Everyone may be content with their corners of the swamp right now but it wouldn’t be long until breeding season came and then everything would change.

So, when he saw the emergence of another head at the end of the cove he had chosen, he wasn’t sure whether to feel relief or anxiety. Nile settled on a mixture of both as he slowly propelled forward to meet the challenger. The other Suchomimus didn’t move any closer, and they kept themselves submerged while he approached. He could see the shape of their head, though, and guessed by its shape that the other was a male too. A faint whiff of their scent confirmed it a few seconds later.

After a brief stare down with the stranger, Nile decided to go on the offensive. He narrowed his eyes and then slowly raised his tail out of the water before quickly bringing it back down. It slapped the surface of the water and sent an explosion of water droplets and sound out toward the other Suchomimus. Like before, Nile didn’t wait to see their reaction though. He raised his tail and slapped the water again and again before finally finishing up his display with a loud snort.

Silence hung between the two actors for a few tense seconds before one finally bowed out and left the other alone on the stage.

Nile watched with genuine shock as the other Suchomimus dipped down under the water and turned to swim away. They stayed lower in the water until they were well away from his cove, which meant he had earned at least one victory today. Still stunned, he shook his head a bit in disbelief and then slowly turned to swim back toward the middle of the cove.

Once he was back in the center of the cove, Nile felt a sudden surge of adrenaline as the realization of his win finally set in. Without hesitation, he opened his jaws and bellowed out another round of roars. They echoed over the cove and out into the swamp beyond, stirring the fog as they went. Somewhere in the distance, another Suchomimus roared in return, but not in challenge. They bellowed out their own claim from their own cove. They were stating their readiness to face any challengers of their own.

The calls of the other Suchomimus reminded Nile of what he was establishing. They chased away his brief flash of wild energy and replaced it with cold purpose. Focusing in on the task, he coasted back toward the mouth of the cove quickly. This time, though, he aimed for a large tree that jutted out of the water just inside the cove. When he reached it, he slowed just enough to not ram it as he swam by. As he passed, he rubbed his cheek along one side of the trunk then he turned in the water and passed the other side so he could rub the other cheek on it. He repeated the motion with another large tree on the other side of the cove’s mouth.

Satisfied with his markers, Nile lingered at the mouth of the cove to stare out at the bay beyond. A set of ripples in the corner of his eye made him snap his head around, which caused a loud splash, only to discover a dragonfly as it raced away. Exhaling in a huff, he relaxed again and let his gaze drift back toward the open swamp. Distant calls drifted to him as more and more Suchomimus woke up for the day. Some were claiming territory, like him, and some were already in search of a mate. Yet none seemed interested in challenging him any further.

After waiting for a short while for any other challengers, Nile finally turned away from the mouth of the cove and headed back to the distant bank. Just as he reached it, his stomach grumbled to remind him just how long it had been since he had last eaten. He sighed in response and then pushed up out of the water and trotted on to the shore. The soggy, swampy soil sunk beneath his weight, but he deftly padded over the most solid areas in order not to sink into the bog.

As he traveled in land, the ground became drier and the boggy wetlands gave way to ferns and shrubs. Nile slowed as he spotted the trees in the distance and then lowered his head to begin scenting for the rabbits that liked to hang out in this area.

The fog parts as Nile leaps through toward a hare, jaws extended, and the curtain drops as his teeth snap shut with a crunch.