[Trade] A Duo and a Lone Wolf

Eden lowered her head, scrutinising the green, slightly parched grass. She took a deep breath, drawing the crisp air into her nostrils. Once again, she detected that distinctive, intriguing scent, this time clinging to the blades of grass growing before her. It was the scent of another utahraptor.

Storm felt the same. For several days now, the scent had been haunting them from time to time, growing fresher all the while, which clearly indicated that they were getting closer to the stranger rather than moving away from them. They must have been crossing paths and practically following each other’s tracks, for they were constantly somewhere in each other’s vicinity. They themselves no longer knew whether they were doing this intentionally or not – both were somewhat apprehensive about this encounter, as they had no idea who they would come across. Despite this, something about this enigmatic stranger intrigued them. Utahraptors were pack animals, yet their group consisted of only two individuals. In fact, they could do with another member.

It was already getting dark, and the sparse, leafy forest was filled with long, blue shadows. Storm and Eden drew closer together. Raptors had no great difficulty seeing in the dark (quite the contrary, they were impressively good at it), but neither of them knew this terrain. Although it would be difficult to ambush them (the vigilant pair were constantly scanning their surroundings), the two had no idea what dangers lay in wait for them here.

Both had spent most of their lives in a completely different place, but some time ago they had been forced to move. The archipelago had undergone many significant changes in recent months. Areas that were once marshy had now dried up; the grey, ash-covered surroundings of previously extinct volcanoes were once again flooded with lava; the islands’ coastlines were constantly shifting, in some places devouring further swathes of land with their relentless force, whilst in others they were retreating, widening the beaches beyond recognition. All these changes had led to certain shifts in the territories occupied by various dinosaurs. Large predators, which had once lived mainly near the laboratories from which they originated, had expanded extensively across a significant part of the archipelago. As a result, the islands had become far more dangerous than in Eden’s youth.

The overall situation meant that Eden feared not only for her own safety, but, even more so, for the health and life of her offspring. Storm, still a youngster, though already on the cusp of adulthood, also understood the need to find a new place to live. So they set off in the direction that seemed most promising to them.

Although the dense, tropical forests, rich in diverse vegetation, gave the illusion of safety (after all, places like that were teeming with thousands of hiding places), this option was immediately rejected. The jungles sounded like a paradise for large herbivores, and this, of course, inevitably meant that huge predators would be following in the wake of those herds. Eden and Storm also dismissed the idea of settling in some large, abandoned city – highly urbanised areas were also full of potential shelters, but the pair had heard on more than one occasion that it was not difficult to stumble upon packs of carnivores there. They had to choose a terrain that was far less likely to attract jaws full of sharp teeth and a thirst for blood.

They decided to head towards mountains that were not too steep, but rather quite low. Their slopes were covered in a dark, ancient deciduous forest. Here and there across the terrain, in places where the forest had been cleared, there were small, time-worn settlements, resembling typical towns in its form, though much, much smaller. These places could not have appeared to be an interesting target for large predators – so they were ideal for Storm and Eden. And for that third, enigmatic utahraptor.

They knew they were already close. A few hours earlier, they had managed to climb a small, rocky peak of one of the hills. Luck was on their side, for despite the slight difference in elevation, they could get a good look at the path they would have to take. If their calculations were correct, they were roughly a mile away from one of the settlements. Not far for determined raptors. Initially, they had planned to wait out the night in the forest until morning, setting off for this unknown place only once the sun rose above the horizon – they had no idea what to expect there, so they preferred to explore this uncertain terrain during the day. Now, however, knowing that the unknown utahraptor was getting closer, their plans had changed somewhat. The forest, though more akin to the place where they’d spent most of their lives, offered them no real cover. The mysterious stranger could try to sneak up on them unnoticed at any moment. If, however, they reached the small town and hid in one of the buildings… it would be harder to catch them off guard.

~*~

Silvercloud had been watching them for some time. She had been aware of the pair’s presence for several days – she was the first to sense them. No wonder. The female had been in the area for over a week, so she’d had more time to familiarise herself with it. It must be said that she had already explored a considerable stretch of the forest, getting to know its nooks and crannies and secrets. This gave her a significant advantage over Eden and Storm, who were completely unaware of their surroundings. Silver, however, had not once ventured into the nearby town. Sometimes she observed it from behind the safe cover of the trees. There was no hiding the fact that these human structures scattered across the small plateau intrigued her. However, she did not trust the settlement as much as the other two utahraptors did – she was afraid to go in there alone, completely exposed and defenceless. Now, though, when the opportunity arose to let someone go first…

When she saw that Eden and Storm were setting off under cover of night, she felt a shiver of excitement ruffle the dark brown feathers on her back. She had no intention of following in their footsteps, though – it was too risky. Soon the forest would become much sparser, and finding a hiding place would be far more difficult than before. She had to choose a different route and meet them at their destination.

She’d had the chance to observe them before, so she knew they moved at a similar speed. Consequently, she had to hurry to get to the right spot slightly ahead of the other two utahraptors – she preferred to keep an eye on them as they made their way between the buildings.

~*~

Eden and Storm wasted no time. As the darkness thickened, their anxiety grew – they wanted to find shelter under a building enclosed on all sides as soon as possible. Their pace was more akin to a broken jog than a steady march.

It wasn’t long before the pair spotted the first buildings. Up close, the settlement seemed even smaller than they’d thought – there were literally just a few, no more than ten buildings, surrounding a fairly large courtyard. In the middle of the square, roughly divided between grass and stones set into the ground, stood a strange, man-made structure. This building rose ambitiously upwards, towering several metres above the surrounding buildings. Neither Storm nor Eden had any idea what it might be used for.

Time passed, and they continued to stand at the edge of the plateau, unsure of what to do next. Seeing his mother’s nervousness and anxiety, Storm decided to take the first step – he cautiously stepped onto the stone path leading straight to the strange structure. Before the path reached the centre of the square, however, it split into several winding branches leading to the buildings on either side.

Summoning his courage, Storm walked a few metres across the rough, dark stones. He lifted his head and, almost closing his eyes in concentration, drew the cool night air into his nostrils, analysing every component of it. Damp earth, grass, the scent of the forest spreading all around, moss – nothing out of the ordinary. He also sensed a slightly suffocating musty smell, clearly perceptible even though they were still outside. However, he was unable to pick up on any detail that might indicate a threat lurking somewhere here. The male relaxed a little, shaking off his negative emotions like a wet dog. He glanced behind him at his mother and, with a gentle nod of his head, let her know that they were safe here. Eden, caught up in this sudden calm, chirped happily at the male – so they have found their refuge here after all.

Silvercloud, watching the scene from the right, standing slightly to one side of the two related raptors, had a different opinion. The courtyard did indeed raise no major concerns. It was depressingly empty, apart from piles of stones lying here and there. The surrounding buildings, however… The female was still circling the outskirts, so she wasn’t sure what lay within those old walls, but she had a bad feeling about it.

Eden followed Storm towards the nearest human structure, whilst Silver kept a close watch on them. They walked slowly and cautiously. They were fully focused on what lay ahead – to such an extent that for a single moment they didn’t consider that something (or rather, someone) might also be lurking behind them. This gave the tabby female a little courage. She could close the gap between them without the risk of being spotted immediately.

The door to the first of the houses was ajar, meaning that, if one positioned themselves correctly, they could observe the interior through the gap. Silver was in just such a position – she could see the hallway with its light-coloured walls, now covered in mysterious, damp stains, and the rather long corridor stretching beyond it. For the other two to see this, they had to move a little closer. Close enough to push the brown door set into the stone façade.

From that moment on, there was barely a second between them, so Silver emerged fully from her hiding place, stepping out into the open. She didn’t want to let the pair slip out of her sight. To prevent that from happening, she had to hurry.

Behind the raptors, the sound of a twig snapping could be heard. Both of them jumped in surprise, completely unaware of anyone else’s presence. Storm hissed instinctively when he saw the uncertain, golden eyes staring at him.

Silvercloud had been spotted.

1785 words