Ceratosaurus One returned to his territory hauling his prey. Ceratosaurus Two and their offspring followed closely behind, eyes darting warily to track any movement in the shadows.
Though the influx of dinosaurs into the Primeval Ecological Zone had made returning to their nesting grounds risky, they had no choice. To defy the established rules of the Great Lake would lead to a far more terrifying fate.
Reaching the water's edge, Ceratosaurus One dropped the carcass for his family to share. It wasn't a massive haul, but for a Ceratosaurus, a species perfectly capable of scavenging, it was enough. If push came to shove, they could always slink off to see if Carlo had left any leftovers from his Diplodocus kills.
Rustle...
A pleasant night breeze swept through, causing the leaves to quiver gently. Ceratosaurus One glanced toward the southern edge of their territory, the former nesting grounds of the Dilophosaurus pack. Over the past few years, the woods had seemed crowded with Dilophosaur nests, but now, the area stood eerily vacant.
In the darkness, dozens of yellow pupils ignited. Nearly thirty of the "little poison dogs" emerged from their dens, swarming once more into the Primeval Ecological Zone.
Leading the pack was the very same Dilophosaurus who had once spearheaded "Project Impact." Against all odds, he had succeeded.
Impact Dilophosaurus: I, too, have a dream of being King.
"Aunnng—"
By the Great Lake, the last of the Ceratopsians drifted into a peaceful slumber. This was the most harmonious sanctuary on Isla Nublar; here, it wasn't even strange to see carnivores and herbivores lying side-by-side.
There was no perceived need for a night watch.
While a testament to the peace Carlo had established, this complacency provided the Dilophosaurs with the perfect opening. The cunning little spitters immediately locked onto the most powerful beings in the area: the Giganotosaurus. If they could neutralize, or at least blind, these titans while they slept, the Great Lake would become their personal slaughterhouse.
The Dilophosaurs fanned out, moving in pairs toward the flanks of the reclining Giganotosaurus.
Carlo, exhausted after nearly a week without sleep while rescuing stranded dinosaurs, was in a deep trance. For once, he didn't sense the approaching threat.
Hiss...
A sub-adult Dilophosaurus unhinged its jaw, coiled and ready to strike at the "Father of Dinosaurs."
"Herh... Aok?!"
The Dilophosaurus let out an unintelligible gurgle as it was suddenly hoisted into the air. Kafka, the "Night Owl," clamped her jaws shut, chewing and swallowing the intruder in one go.
Tsk... throat's a bit sore. No wonder the Boss was rolling on the ground in pain that one time.
The scent of blood jolted everyone awake: the Giga parents, the two young ones, the herbivores by the lake, and... Carlo.
"ROAR—"
Realizing the element of surprise was lost, the Dilophosaur pack dropped all pretense. The "little poison dogs" let out provocative shrieks, their mass of yellow eyes creating a chilling, crawling carpet of light in the dark.
However, they received no fearful response. Despite their numbers, only one thought crossed the minds of the other inhabitants of the Great Lake:
How do they dare? Has the active volcano driven them completely insane?
Carlo stood up. He raised his left foot slightly and brought it down, a casual, low-effort motion.
Ground Stomp.
The earth shuddered. Some of the more sensitive dinosaurs instinctively looked toward the volcano, fearing an eruption. The Dilophosaurs closest to the impact point were tossed off their feet; even Kafka nearby struggled to keep her balance.
"Harr-ugh…"
Carlo gave a low snort to Kafka, signaling her to deal with these nuisances. Without a second glance at the spitters, he flopped back down, determined to cherish what little rest he could get.
Taking her cue, Kafka lunged. She snatched up a "lucky winner" before it could scramble up, tossing her head back to crunch and shred the creature before moving to the second, then the third...
Realizing the situation was spiraling, the Dilophosaurs switched to Plan B. They scattered, veering away from Kafka and sprinting toward the herbivore herds. They intended to hide among the giants, hoping to use the herbivores as shields against Kafka's wrath.
But having been away from the Great Lake for so long, they were ignorant of the new world order. More than half of these herbivores had been personally rescued by Carlo; they weren't about to turn on his family.
The herbivores and Kafka formed an instant, devastating united front.
Schlick...
A Stegosaurus swung his thagomizer in a wide arc, skewering one Dilophosaurus like a kebab. The creature didn't die instantly, wailing in agony as its companions hissed threats at the Stegosaur to try and back him off.
To call you "stupid children" would be an insult to stupid children.
The Stegosaur didn't even bother shaking the carcass off his tail; he simply swung again, pinning a second Dilophosaurus right next to the first.
The highly disciplined Ceratopsians immediately tightened their ranks into a defensive phalanx, trampling any Dilophosaurus that tried to breach their line. They didn't overextend; they simply acted as the walls of the arena, ensuring Kafka had a clear, wide field to do her work.
Panic finally set in. The cowards among the pack broke for the tree line, thinking the forest offered salvation.
"Aunnng-roar!"
Charlie the Raptor, who had been lying in wait, leapt from the shadows. She slammed down into the brush, using her momentum to pin a hapless victim to the forest floor.
Rip...
Her scimitar-like toe claws sank deep into the Dilophosaurus's flank. A pained shriek rang out, followed quickly by the silence of death.
Chirp!
A Dilophosaurus attempting to ambush Charlie from behind was intercepted by the coordinated strike of Delta and Echo. The two raptors snatched the creature mid-air, snapping its life away before its feet could touch the ground again.
Rustle...
Blue emerged slowly from the tall grass. She looked almost harmless, but the heavy scent of blood clinging to her scales proved she was no saint.
"Aok!"
With a sharp command, she led the other three raptors on a high-speed sweep through the woods, mopping up the stragglers. This was a golden opportunity to get back into Carlo's good graces, and they weren't going to waste it. In a way, they had the Dilophosaurs to thank.
…
On a nearby ridge, the Impact Dilophosaurus watched his ambitions crumble. Bitter and defeated, he let out a final, resonant howl.
"ROAR—"
He signaled the retreat, then bolted toward the southeastern Crossroads River. Reaching the bank, he stopped to pant heavily. He looked back, seeing that none of his pack had managed to follow him yet. He prepared to sit and recover his strength.
Suddenly, the bushes ahead rustled. The sound of the rushing water nearly masked it, but the Impact Dilophosaurus caught the movement just in time.
"Hrrr—"
He let out a low snarl, unfurling his neck frill in a threatening display to show whatever was in the brush that he was still a predator to be feared.
Hiss... hock-ptooey!
A familiar sound made the Impact Dilophosaurus freeze.
He saw nothing in front of him, but a split second later, a glob of thick, black venom arched through the air. It splashed directly into his right eye. Screaming in agony, he collapsed, thrashing blindly on the ground.
A "loner" Dilophosaurus, one who never held a grudge, despite having lost his own right eye years ago, stepped slowly out of the foliage. He sauntered toward his former leader.
I seem to recall that when you kicked me out four years ago, you stole my kill. How about you pay me back in meat?
"ROAR!"
A pathetic, gurgling wail echoed through the trees, eventually fading into the silence of the woods.
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