"Aok!" Boss, where should we go?
Echo chirped a question. The three Velociraptors sat in a circle around the carcass of the Ornithomimus, forming a makeshift roundtable discussion.
Sound of a low growl.
Blue wore a solemn expression. In truth, she didn't have a clear answer regarding their next destination. After all, to some extent, they had only ended up here because they had been tricked onto that "pirate ship."
Sound of tearing flesh.
Delta glanced left, then right. Seizing a moment when the other two weren't paying attention, she ripped a chunk of meat from the Ornithomimus and swallowed it bit by bit.
Hmm…
Blue felt troubled. Unlike Carlo, who had a clear goal of searching for his family, Blue faced a different dilemma. Though she was emotionally complex, she couldn't put Delta and Echo in danger for the sake of searching for Beta. If she were a lone raptor, there would be no reason for hesitation, but now, she was a pack leader. The survival of her kin was paramount.
Sound of tearing flesh.
Follow the big guy? No, that was impossible. The creature could inadvertently kill them in a heartbeat. Just a moment ago, they had heard an indescribable shriek. Even from such a distance, it had felt as if it were exploding right beside their ears, causing the raptors immense discomfort.
As for the owner of that voice? There was no need to guess, it was certainly Carlo. If it could have such an effect from so far away, then being any closer… the thought was truly unimaginable.
Sound of tearing flesh.
Blue's face remained melancholic. Echo waited patiently… but why did Delta, on the side, seem to be enjoying her meal more and more? Was it because she realized the other two weren't paying her any mind?
"Aok-roar!" Eat, eat, eat! All you know how to do is eat!
Blue let out a sharp growl, interrupting the increasingly brazen Delta. How could a dinosaur be so heartless?
Delta pulled her head back, looking fearful and deeply aggrieved as she swallowed the last scrap of meat she had been holding in her jaws.
"Aok!" Let's go.
"Aok?" Where to?
The horizon began to glow with a reddish hue. Blue stood up. She didn't answer; she simply led the other two raptors as they vanished into the forest. Of course, she didn't know where she was going, she didn't possess Carlo's basic geographical knowledge, she was simply following her instincts, looking for a safe place to serve as a temporary den before the night fell.
Rustle…
Velociraptors are fast. The various obstacles in the forest were like flat ground to them. But… human creations also ran through the forest.
Some old, rusted train tracks cut across the woods, creating an empty corridor through the trees like a dividing line. Beneath the tracks lay piles of gravel, presumably to extend the lifespan of the railway.
A series of large, square boxes mounted on wheels sat on the rails. As the three Velociraptors gazed at the sight, they felt a strange sense of familiarity. Perhaps… it was because of the half-destroyed school bus they had lived in before?
Blue stepped forward first to inspect it. Although the scent of humans was somewhat strong, there was no sign of them nearby.
"Aok!"
Blue tilted her head and chirped. Echo and Delta followed closely. The three raptors hopped onto the roof of the last train car one by one. Delta nearly failed to make the jump, but the other two helped pull her up.
Blue stood on the roof, glancing around. Aside from the row of train cars and the endless forest, there was nothing worth noting.
The three raptors cooperated skillfully to open the skylight on the roof. It was similar to the one on the old school bus, though they had only opened that one once before closing it immediately, because the cold wind had rushed in. The hatch was small, but it was spacious enough for a Velociraptor to pass through.
Blue poked her head inside first to confirm there was no danger, then they filed in one by one.
Thud…
As the three Velociraptors entered, the originally spacious car suddenly felt a bit crowded. Along with the cramped space came a sense of warmth that stood against the wind and rain.
In the dark, lightless car sat one luggage trunk after another. Blue chose a luggage rack, cleared away the suitcases stored there, and hopped up with agility. Echo and Delta shoved the neatly arranged trunks toward the sides of the car, inadvertently blocking the iron door leading into the carriage while creating a clear space for themselves.
"Aok!" Let's get some good rest.
The three raptors hadn't slept well during their long voyage across the ocean; the constant swaying had made it impossible for them to find deep rest. Thus, the solid, unmoving feel of the land beneath them was incredibly comforting.
"Ssssss…"
The wheels began to turn. In the middle of the night, with no dinosaur the wiser, the train slowly rumbled forward.
…
"He's going to roar! Scatter!"
Sound of inhaling.
On the open prairie, Carlo faced off against another BioSyn containment team. This squad… perhaps they were with the helicopter?
The squad was mostly composed of Jeeps, and nearby sat a truck, one that could never fit Carlo's entire body. Several drones hovered in the sky, firing electric shocks at Carlo.
These people had only heard a piercing roar and the sound of the helicopter crashing. They had no idea of the power behind Carlo's new ability. Their goal was to kill Carlo and return to BioSyn with blood samples, but… their lethal weaponry wasn't even as effective as the sniper rifle on the helicopter.
Did they really think they could stun Carlo?
[Torpor: 380.7/143800.5]
The jellyfish I've seen are tougher than you.jpg
Carlo lifted his body, staring down at the cars scattering around him. These humans were trying to form a perimeter with their vehicles to block his advance. While that strategy was quite effective against other animals, it was usually because of the lack of size difference… but had they not looked at how massive Carlo was?
The only commendable thing about these people was that they knew to run when they saw Carlo powering up his ultimate move.
"ROOOAARR—!!"
Carlo lowered his body and slammed his lungs shut, compressing the air within. The scream, accompanied by a shockwave, rippled outward with terrifying speed, instantly reducing the surrounding drones to scrap metal!
"Damn it!"
The crew, wearing noise-canceling headsets, heard the ear-splitting distortion through their earpieces. They couldn't possibly have broken the gear with just a sound, right?
Bang!
Car windows shattered. The people inside had been prepared and ducked to avoid the flying glass. The driver felt a damp sensation in his headset. He subconsciously assumed it was sweat and wiped at it, but he felt something strange.
A thick, viscous sensation clung to his palm. He looked down and froze.
Bleeding?
Under the protection of the noise-canceling headset… he was bleeding?
The crew member in the co-pilot seat tapped him on the shoulder. When the driver turned, he saw his companion's mouth moving, shouting something, but no sound reached him.
Bang!
A moment later, the car slammed into an oak tree and was instantly totaled!
…
The shriek echoed across the mountains, appearing particularly chilling against the backdrop of the moonlight.
Katyusha tilted her head slightly, peering into the distance with a look of confusion.
Why does this feel so familiar?
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