Bones

Heavy steps thumped over the padded earth causing nearby shrubs to tremble, humidity collected on scarred scales and golden eyes scanned the surrounding lush plants. F-23 made her way, rather uneasily, through the jungle. Eyes scanning and searching for something that could be of use, something unique. Many had already brought plentiful fruits and vegetables to the iguanodons, most of which had seemingly been impressed by the various fruits… It confused her, what was so impressive about fruit they could easily pick themselves? Was it the novelty of having someone else retrieve the plants?
Their mind swam with every possibility, only succeeding in further distracting themself from any possible prize. After all, what could you give those that had everything?

The iguanodons had power, influence and a whole biodome to themselves with just two other species of dinosaur. No large apex predators large enough to be of threat-
She paused.
Some of the iguanodons were armored, a few even armed with boney armor… Bones. Surely bones could be something she could offer, she shook her large body. Confident. F-23 was a large apex predator, surely she could bring down something sizable enough to satisfy the needs of the haughty iguanodons.

The sharp crack of a branch snapped her out of her wandering thoughts. F-23’s large head swung around to the source of the sound, teeth preemptively bared and eyes narrowed- she paused. Before her was a rather unusual pair, a short and chubby cryolophosaurus flanked by the tiny form of a blue-green oviraptor. A hatchling. A baby in the middle of the jungle without a parent-
Every instinct screamed at F-23, fear and urgency rushing through her as she crouched low to the ground. Her belly pressed against the dirt as she stared at the small hatchling before her, who surprisingly didn’t cower or back away in fear. Instead the little one stared back at F-23 with eyes alight in wonder and awe. Golden eyes shifted to the small cryolophosaurus, blue eyes wide in curiosity.
“Hello small ones, what are your names?” She rumbled, the sound vibrating deep within her wide chest. Surely their names would be much less demeaning than just calling them “Little Ones” or “Hatchlings”, especially since the cryolophosaurus was definitely older than a hatchling despite still being rather young.

“Eira!” Chirped the smallest, a smile upon her beak and eyes practically glowing in delight.

“Ptarmigan!” Responded the larger, calico cat-esque, cryolophosaurus.

A soft hum resonated in F-23’s chest, committing their names to memory. “And what are you sweethearts doing out here on your own?”

Eira and Ptarmigan seemed to consider their next words carefully, looking at each other then the ground and finally… Back to F-23. “...We want to impress the court!” Ptarmigan finally spoke for the two of them, the smaller nodding enthusiastically. They paused and stared at the two youngsters.
Theoretically he could take them back to the surface… But then they would merely return without her presence to protect them from the dangers that lurked within the underbush. Her gaze flicked around the jungle, easily spotting various carnivorous plants which lurked beneath the lush green leaves. Plants which could easily swallow such small dinosaurs whole without much struggle. F-23 stared at them for several quiet heartbeats before huffing a breath through her nostrils and shaking her massive body as she rose from the dirt and shrubbery.
“Why don’t you two come with me. I plan on hunting large game for them, you can help me clean it up for them, we’re going to give them the bones to use in their armor. However, you may help yourself to the meat from the kill.” Her head dipped down and brushed over the soft feathers of each of the chicks. She was met with utter excitement from the pair, chirps and chattering as they eagerly danced between F-23’s large legs as she began the walk.

She shushed them after several moments. “If we are going to hunt, you must be quiet to not frighten away the prey.” She crooned sweetly, and almost immediately the little ones temporarily settled. At least they were quiet, and that was enough for F-23 to focus golden eyes on the jungle around them. Searching and scanning for whatever tracks or glints of movement, for any prey that would provide sizable bones. Something large and relatively dense would be ideal.

Crunching leaves caused F-23 to flick out her tail, bringing the young pair behind her to a stop. There, between the lush green leaves was a flash of grey tinted brown. It was rather small… But its body was round and dense with rounded ears and a long snout, a tapir. Those bones would be perfect…

She crouched low, belly brushing the ground as she stalked through the brush. Footsteps cushioned by the leaves and dirt, almost perfectly silent in the way she prowled clower… Closer-
F-23 lunged, a blur of tan and brown movement against the vibrant greens of the jungle. The grazing animal hardly had time to dodge out of the way!- Powerful jaws latched around the creature, trapping it and killing it in an easy yet powerful shake.
The whole affair had taken only a few minutes in all reality, the creature had not adapted to predators such as the formidable arcocanthosaurus. It had only adapted to the common jungle predators, and that proved to be its demise.

F-23 dropped the body and rose to her full height once more, flicking her tail and allowing the small pair to approach. Ptarmigan approached the quickest, darting to the tapir and sniffing its coat excitedly. Shortly after, more warily, followed the hatchling oviraptor. Eira picked her way closer, sniffing and nervously tapping the hide of the fallen tapir.

“Its gone,” F-23 rumbled as she settled her large body in the soft brush. “Eat your fill, but leave the bones undamaged. We will gather them and give them to the iguanodons.” She instructed, watching them have their fill.

F-23, Eira and Ptarmigan worked together to gather and clean the bones after the well deserved meal. Surely the iguanodons would be impressed by such a feat.