Annoying Hatchling

It’s especially hot today. I know my scrubland doesn’t usually have that great of a temperature on the best of days, but it’s extra hot today. The sand is extra hot, singing my feet if I leave them on the sand for too long.

But I have to patrol my territory. Due to this heat wave, there’s a higher chance other predators will enter it. There’s a stream of clean and clear water running through my turf, and that would be much appreciated by others.

I can’t allow that though. It would be nice of me to share the water with others besides Lilac, and she would probably want to. But I can’t. 

If I let one other dinosaur in, then they would tell everyone about the nice Crylophosaurus giving access to their territory. Then I’d have to deal with hordes of thirsty dinosaurs. And then while they’re here, they would eat all the prey in my turf.

I’m not going to allow that. I’ve been getting kinder to strangers ever since I’ve met Lilac. I’ve given her food, shelter, and someone to talk to.

One is enough, though. I’m not helping other strangers.

I sniff again, before surveying my surroundings.

The usual sand and rocks, lined with shades of brown and red. The shrubbery is drier than usual, brown and easily broken by the slightest touch. All grass is similarly dead, making the sand dunes unanchored and more dangerous to climb. I make a note to not climb on the dunes for a while. Too dangerous.

I turn my gaze to the stream which is a short walk from I and Lilac’s burrow. The stream is a little smaller, probably due to the drought. Despite this, it’s the largest source of water for miles. That makes it the densest place in plant and animal life as well.

While gazing at my part of the stream, pride swelling within my heart, the sound of a twig snapping reverberates to me. That’s a call for me to investigate. Careless snapping usually means either easy prey, or careless would-be-usurpers of my turf.

I slink across the sand, hoping that I’m not seen. There’s only sparse cover, so being quiet is the most important factor in sneaking up. 

I get by the stream, managing to hide myself barely behind a relatively large patch of grass for a scrubland experiencing a drought. Still, it is only enough to barely hide me. If whatever is here looks even a little bit too much in my direction, it’ll see me. At least I’m downwind, so it won’t smell me.

A rustle from among the patch of tall grass from across the stream catches my attention. As I turn my head, a small Utahraptor pops out.

A hatchling. That explains why it’s so careless.

I continue gazing at the small creature, taking in its details.

It’s a feathered male, with white, grey, and black feathers covering most of its body. It does also have some streaks of orange on its tail and neck to break up the pattern.

The hatchling looks in both directions, then lowers his head to drink some water. He is either very careless or visually impaired to not have seen me. Or both.

I ponder on the circumstances that brought this young Utahraptor here. Where are his parents, his siblings? I know I didn’t have any, but my situation was very unusual, according to Lilac. Maybe this Utahraptor was accidentally left behind, like Lilac? Or maybe like me, born in a world with no one to guide him?

Or his parents could be nearby, and he wandered off?

While thinking about the possibilities, the hatchling turns his head towards me. Instead of running away, which I did many times when I was his age facing an adult predator of a different species, he hisses at me.

I rise up from the grass. Now he should run away. Maybe he thought I was smaller when I was hidden in the grass. I rise to my full height, despite not being fully grown, I’m larger than an adult Utahraptor.

The hatchling then proceeds to run to me, jumps onto my back, and tries to slash my skin with the large claw every Utahraptor has on each foot. Luckily, he’s small.

Frozen in surprise, I feel a small pain. My surprise gave him the opportunity to draw a small trickle of blood.

That’s enough.

I swing my neck, grab his tail with my jaws, and throw him onto the ground. I get a satisfying shriek in response to my defensive measures.

I push his tail into the ground with my foot. Not enough to harm him, but enough to keep him from running away for now.

“You're not very smart. You know that, right?”

He starts trying to escape, running in place since his tail is pinned.

I sigh.

“Don’t worry, you’re too small to be worth eating. Besides, I’m nice enough to be against killing a child. So, what’s your name, little one?”

He grumbles a bit, and sighs reluctantly before speaking.

“Coalfrost. My name is Coalfrost.”

“And my name is Duststorm. Now, aren’t you aware that you’re in my territory?”

He grumbles some more. He’s being pretty rude for a hatchling captured by a larger predator. I genuinely could just finish him and eat his little bits of flesh. Wouldn’t be much, but still.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Now, what made you think you could beat an almost fully grown Crylophosaurus in a fight?”

He looks down.

“I always win…”

I unpin him.

“Well, you lost this time.”

Coalfrost doesn’t immediately run away. He’s pretty brave, I’ll give him that.

“Now, leave my territory. Don’t mess with anything bigger than you alone, and you should be fine. Look at your surroundings better, and always be cautious.”

He looks annoyed. Coalfrost appears to not like being lectured. Well, too bad.

“Here’s a deal. Survive until you’re fully grown. Then, come back to this stream to fight me. Maybe you’ll win next time.”

I poke him with my snout, prodding him to leave.

“Until then, go away. I’m going home.”

I turn around, but before I can leave Coalfrost speaks.

“Deal! When I grow up, I’ll beat you in a fight! Then, I’ll be the strongest!”

I snort a little. He really is cocky.

“Sure. Now, run off. Your parents are probably worried about you.”

I hear scurrying behind me, and then rustling. After half a minute, I hear nothing.

I close my eyes.

I’m going to have a fun story to tell Lilac tonight.