Chronicles of Spinosaur Swamp

Chapter 2 - High ground

Flamesail awoke to strange fluttering sounds. He opened one of his eyes slowly, and saw a strange, small creature tilt its head at him. Then it jabbed its long, sharp beak toward Flamesail’s eye, just barely missing. Another stab met his tail, and then one plunged into his leg wound. Flamesail growled and heaved his body upwards, thrashing his massive tail and scattering a horde of small pterosaurs. As he swung around, the group quickly took wing and fled. Flamesail checked his wound. It had stopped bleeding, but it was still open. He would need to tend to it, but another rumble of thunder told him he needed to head to higher ground. A young adult Spinosaurus could swim well, but was no match for rapids and flood currents. As he began to head uphill, Flamesail thought he heard a faint growl behind him, but seeing nothing, he pressed on. As the sun inched across the sky, Flamesail made it to his usual monsoon season den. A large, rocky overhang surrounded by large plant fronds and containing a large mud pit, which was just what he needed to treat his wound. But something was wrong. Flamesail caught a strange scent, one he hadn’t smelled in a very long time. Another Spinosaurus? He thought. But that smell was interrupted by another more pungent odor. The smell was accompanied by a rustle in undergrowth, and soon an odd creature emerged, a small crocodile dangling from its mouth. A Rugops! Rugops were no strangers to territorial disputes with Spinosaurs, and this one especially had no right to be in Flamesail’s den. Had it not smelled the markings? Flamesail rose up, flushing blood into his sail, and stared directly at the Rugops. Noticing him, it shrieked, dropped its meal, and ran off. Why would it come here, of all places? Flamesail wondered. The only thing that would drive a Rugops into his territory would be a disturbance in its own, usually a larger predator. There was only one animal Flamesail could think of that could drive off a quite persistent Rugops. It can’t be the Charcarodontosaurus, it died Monsoons ago. Spinosaurus occupied the waters of the swamp and didn’t bother Rugops, most of the time. Flamesail would have to worry about it later, but he had more important things to do. He walked over to the mud, and pressed his wound into the pit, filling the gash with mud. He didn’t know why, but the mud always helped in healing injuries. As another burst of thunder rang out, Flamesail moved beneath the large rock, which had a cove carved into the sandstone beneath it. He would have to add plants to it to make it more comfortable, but for now he would wait. As Flamesail looked on, the rains began to fall again.

As always, up for more, hope you enjoyed!

- Sovereign Spino