Across the desolate, vacant desert, endless yellow sands stretched out like a golden carpet laid by nature. Occasionally, a gust of wind would howl, swirling layers of sand waves that whispered tales spanning tens of millions of years.
As a minor sandstorm subsided and the sun-blocking grit settled, a long, thin black line emerged, creating a stark contrast against the golden floor. Dreadnoughtus droppings contain a unique pheromone that guides newborn hatchlings to the herds where their mothers reside. Compared to earlier, the number of hatchlings had dwindled significantly due to the migration, but this was the ordeal they were destined to endure.
Little White, a Dreadnoughtus hatchling, trailed at the very end of the line. He was in poor condition; beyond the scarcity of food, he was suffering from excessive sun exposure. While the midday sandstorm had made travel nearly impossible, it had provided a brief respite by shielding him from the direct glare of the sun. Now that the sun had reclaimed the sky, his time was running out; he had to find shade before collapsing from heatstroke.
"Aunnng!"
An excited cry erupted from the herd ahead, prompting Little White to lift his drooping head. In an instant, astonishment washed over him, momentarily clearing the dizziness caused by the heat. Green shrubs had taken root and sprouted in the barren earth, arranged in neat, grid-like patterns that covered the land, signaling that the wind and sand stopped here. This was a feat of human engineering.
The hatchlings ahead had already broken into a run, and Little White, ignoring his exhaustion, scrambled to follow. The shrubs were low, but for a newborn Dreadnoughtus, they were perfect shelters. There were enough plants that the hatchlings didn't need to huddle together; there was plenty for each to have their own.
However, this wasn't enough for Little White. The stinging sensation on his skin told him he needed a place completely devoid of light, ideally somewhere damp. He plucked a few tender leaves from a "lucky shrub" and crawled into a crevice within a pile of rocks. While not damp, it was dark, a perfect sanctuary.
The wonder of nature lies in its ability to show tenderness just as it displays cruelty; but this also means that cruelty often hides within that very tenderness. Where the lambs go, the hungry wolves follow.
*Sand sprays*
Theropod feet pressed into the sand. An Afrovenator stood atop a dune, gazing down at the moving black dots within the shrubbery. It was time for a buffet. Its skin color blended perfectly with the desert as it charged down the slope, its nine-meter-long body making almost no sound. It was a "mimicry baby"!
"Eeng!"
The silence was shattered by the scream of a hatchling. Little White poked his head out from his crevice, witnessing a scene he would never forget. A peer was tossed into the air; the Afrovenator tilted its head back with an open maw, waiting for the prey to fall in. It snapped its jaws twice, crushing meat and bone together, before tilting its head further to swallow the hatchling whole. A desperate, muffled cry of agony echoed from its throat; the hatchling was swallowed alive.
Little White didn't know what it felt like to be swallowed alive, but he knew he never wanted to find out. He pulled himself back into the hole as chaos erupted, the terrified cries of his kin and the joyful roars of the predator made him tremble.
…
Massive feet pressed into the earth as nearby Dreadnoughtus slowly backed away to create a path. Carlo walked calmly among them, appearing unhurried. He wasn't here to hunt, nor was he visiting neighbors.
"Aunnng—"
The White King let out a cry and stepped forward. Carlo tilted his head, unsure if the other was trying to drive him away or offering a greeting.
"Roar—"
Responding with a low growl, Carlo bypassed the Dreadnoughtus and entered the towering forest. The Dreadnoughtus herd watched his retreating figure until peace returned.
"Aunnng!"
Big brother! Oh no! It's a super-sized predator!
"Aunnng!"
Be careful! Play dead, quick!
The two Dreadnoughtus who loved loitering by the lake spotted Carlo and immediately froze like statues. Normally, Carlo would have teased them, but he had more pressing matters.
*Sniffing*
Lowering his body, Carlo caught an unusual scent. Based on his experience... it was human. Why were there humans in the Sanctuary? Perhaps he had misunderstood from the start; unlike the Primeval Ecological Zone in Jurassic World, the Sanctuary allowed for tourists. But was it really safe for them to be this close to dinosaurs?
Tourists and officials certainly wouldn't risk getting close to creatures that could crush them with a single misstep. Instinctively sensing something was wrong, Carlo tracked the scent for a short distance. Leaving the forest, he found two abrupt tire tracks imprinted on the yellow earth.
*Sniffing*
They hadn't left yet. Carlo used his biological radar to pinpoint the humans' location and set off in pursuit.
…
Whiz—
The sound of a tranquilizer dart sliced through the air, grazing the Afrovenator's flank. The predator sensed the threat, but it wasn't willing to abandon its "snacks" just yet. It turned to face the nearby Jeep.
"How did you miss that shot?!" Inside the Jeep, a temperamental man dressed in finery roared at the team member aiming through the sunroof. "These creatures are incredibly valuable assets! They are all—"
"Shut up." The shooter interrupted the man, immediately cycling the bolt to reload. The driver watched the Afrovenator charging them, calmly shifting gears to reverse.
"You dare speak to your buyer that way? I'll report you to Dudley!"
Whiz—
Another dart was fired. The Afrovenator suddenly stopped, turned, and fled as if it had seen a ghost, causing the second dart to miss as well. What happened? Ignoring the furious man inside the car, the shooter lowered his gun and watched the predator's retreating back in confusion, about to tell the driver to give chase.
Huff...
A massive shadow engulfed the vehicle. A blast of hot air hit the shooter's back, making his blood run cold. Carlo watched as the shooter turned around stiffly, trembling as he reached for a handgun.
Wow, it really is you.
Thud.
Carlo lifted his body and stepped over the Jeep. Before the occupants could breathe a sigh of relief, he slammed his tail into the left side of the vehicle. In an instant, the Jeep flipped, rolling several times to the right before coming to a smoking halt. Carlo glanced at the wrecked car, then ignored it, turning his attention to the hiding Dreadnoughtus hatchlings.
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