Sickles and Scythes

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Sickles and Scythes

Chapter 5: Bloodstained White Cliffs

Our pack is always on the move. We never stay in one spot unless there are eggs there. No one had lay any eggs though. Me and Elijah were at the front. Elijah was Alan and Melody’s teenage son, oh and by the way Melody had a fallout with simp gang so now they stay more towards the other families. Elijah was maybe a foot shorter than me and was learning to be independent. He was going after mainly Moschops and Parasaurs, but they provided excellent solo sport and proved delicious. Seeing as he was learning to be more independent he had made his way to the front with me to learn to look for threats and to tell the difference between a bloodthirsty killing machine and an exquisite snack. We pointed out Paracers, Rexes, Allos, and many more before we decided to settle down nearer to sunset. I decided to climb up some steep rocks for some privacy, so that’s what I did.

Blood… sweet, sanguine, metallic… and it was faintly in my dreams, barely noticeable but I tilted my head towards the scent, sniffing and breathing in the air. It was almost calling me, lifting my head up and gently opening my eyes… and then I saw that my dreams were reality- a trail of blood had been scraped across the floor and it continued for miles from the direction we came from to a nearby lake. I hopped down from the rocks and made my way to the little oasis, following the scent of drying blood and the crimson trail that drew me in. It looked as though a creature, about my size, had been severely injured and dragged itself for miles to find water to drink and clean its wounds… but how would a creature my size manage all of that? It isn’t possible. They would die on the way. My suspicions grew when I saw that some of the rose red trail I was following was covered up by strategically placed leaves and bushes. The pack began to wake during morning, and I should’ve gone back to them but I stayed to explore. I followed from where bloodstains turned to soaking patches where maybe a really soggy carcass had been dragged through behind some leaves towards the edge of a cliff. I looked down and saw that it wasn’t just a 70ft drop but a metre below was the entrance to a cave. I rappelled down the cliff with my claws to the cave, where I stood as my eyes adjusted to the dark. When I was acclimatised I went inside. I saw the bones of a kill, maybe 4-5 days old, sitting gathering dust and rotting. I ventured deeper into the caverns and it took a split. I followed my gut and went right. The more I went the deeper it got, until glowing crystals began to appear along the path, illuminating the dark. I continued along until the cave went more upwards, and the further I followed it the more I realised I was walking into daylight. It’s what I saw next that shocked me the most.

There, lying in broad daylight under the shelter of some trees was the deinonychus that I left for dead, cleaned and on the mend. I went up to him and my jaw fell open. He noticed me and said:

“After you left me to die someone saved my life, brought me here. He’s been trying to track you. To hunt you down. And you won’t stand a chance,” he scoffed and laughed. “Not at all…”

“Who?” I asked but he just laughed and shook his head, but using his claw he drew a long line across the side of his face in the air.

“The guy with the scar on his face, who soloed a Rex and killed those ones,” he said, gesturing towards some skeletons and half decayed corpses of humans “And he’s been after you for a while. Like you said, the weak ALWAYS die. Guess we’re about to find out how weak you really are!” He shouted, laughing and rolling about. “That gonna upset you, a yittle-whittle bitty-boo? It’s ok to cry sweetie.” He said, erupting into uncontrollable hysterics.

“We’ll see.” I responded, gritting my teeth

“Oh yes we will!” He smirked as I disappeared back into the caverns that brought me here.

-Do I have you hooked? I hope so!

-Nightfall

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