Drip... drip...
Blood slicked down the flank of the powerful Nasutoceratops, splattering onto the pitch-black earth where the firelight couldn't reach.
He remained standing, letting out a low rumble that signaled for his mate and calf to begin their retreat. The Allosaurus that had just ambushed him was incredibly fast; before he could even turn to retaliate, it had vanished into the gloom.
If it were to strike again from the shadows...
"Grrnngg…"
The guttural vibration of an Allosaurus echoed, but it didn't come from the individual currently confronting the ceratopsian.
Rustle... rustle...
Branches swayed as a dark silhouette emerged from behind the first Allosaurus. Stepping into the campfire's glow, it took its place beside its companion.
This newcomer was larger, and the way the two communicated made it clear who the true leader was. The first Allosaurus had merely been a decoy to draw out a suitable target.
Yes, a suitable target.
Like wolves following a flock of sheep, these Allosauruses had been stalking the Nasutoceratops migration. However, since the ceratopsian numbers were limited, the lead Allosaurus had decided to spare the calves and pregnant females, opting for a more sustainable, long-term hunting strategy.
Had he considered the possibility that an individual might be too strong to take down? Of course. Confidence and caution have never been mutually exclusive.
"ROAR—"
The lead Allosaurus backed away slowly. His subordinate followed suit, retreating until they had established a safe distance from the Nasutoceratops.
Drip... drip...
Crackle...
The two predators faded into the darkness, leaving only the faint, shimmering glow of their yellow irises to betray their presence. Under the flickering firelight, the Nasutoceratops looked dazed, a sight witnessed by both the humans in the trailer and the predators in the brush.
The hunting style of an Allosaurus is, to an extent, similar to that of a Giganotosaurus; both are experts at causing a victim to bleed out, inflicting a specialized bleeding wound that subjects the prey to both physical and mental torment.
"Huff… huff…"
The Nasutoceratops was already growing dizzy from blood loss. Its vision blurred, and it looked as though it might collapse at any moment.
"Found them!"
In that instant, chaos erupted.
Human shouts rang out from the forest. Powerful searchlights mounted on the beds of trucks suddenly flared to life, piercing through the black woods with blinding intensity. Both the Nasutoceratops and the Allosauruses were caught in the glare, squinting and blinking against the sudden intrusion.
The lead Allosaurus was the first to react. Sensing something was wrong, he immediately nudged his companion, urging a retreat.
Thwip—
Thud!
A crossbow bolt whistled past the leader's body, missing him by a hair and embedding itself into a towering tree behind him.
"Grrrng..."
The yellow pupils of the lead predator fixed on the slender bolt. A look of unease crossed his face. He let out a sharp chuff, signaling his subordinate to follow him.
The sudden sensory overload jolted the Nasutoceratops back to full consciousness. Seeing the humans in white masks surrounding him with crossbows, he raised his forelimbs and slammed them into the ground in a fit of rage.
These white-masked humans came in all shapes and sizes—fat, thin, tall, and short. They didn't look like a trained unit. Faced with the agitated beast, many of them froze, gripped by a sudden surge of fear.
Twang!
Crossbow bolts streaked through the air at maximum velocity, striking the Nasutoceratops. The attackers were disorganized, firing without any clear strategy; some fools even tried to shoot at the dinosaur's thick bony frill.
"Aunnng!"
BANG!
The barrage incited the Nasutoceratops to charge, oblivious to the pain, but its momentum was cut short by the roar of a gunshot.
Thud.
The massive creature swayed for a moment before keeling over, dead before it hit the ground. The masked figures surrounding the carcass turned as one toward a dark silhouette obscured by the searchlights.
The figure held a large-caliber handgun of unknown make. A thin wisp of smoke drifted from the barrel, marking him as the one who had finished the beast.
"Don't let the others get away."
The voice was young but raspy, muffled by an identical white mask.
The lead Allosaurus spotted the vehicles ahead. Realizing they were being boxed in, he gave a warning chuff to his partner and initiated a blind charge to break through.
Click—Flash!
The searchlights tracked them, illuminating both predators. The leader, having anticipated the move, managed to burst through the perimeter. His companion was not so lucky.
"Aunnng-roar!"
"Bring it down!"
The second Allosaurus let out a pained cry. Disoriented by the lights, it left itself wide open. Two pickup trucks tore out from behind the searchlight vehicle; the masked men on these trucks were clearly more experienced than the first group.
A heavy cable was strung between the two parallel vehicles. They drove in synchronized circles around the Allosaurus, weaving inward and outward to cross the lines until they had successfully snared the predator's legs.
Then, the two trucks suddenly veered in opposite directions.
The cable snapped taut. The sheer mechanical force jerked the Allosaurus off its feet, sending it crashing to the dirt.
They weren't finished. Another squad rushed from the trees. Team members near the dinosaur's legs tossed ropes over its body, where teammates on the opposite side caught them.
Three men to a group: a stake, a hammer, and a rope. In moments, a web of restraints covered the Allosaurus, pinning it to the earth.
"Did we get it?"
Realizing they had successfully neutralized the giant, the masked slayers began to cheer. Some members grew bold, stepping forward eagerly.
"This is for my wife..."
One man carrying a torch stepped up and thrust the scorching brand directly into the Allosaurus's right eye.
"Aunnng-roar!"
With its legs bound, the creature couldn't find the leverage to rise. It could only thrash and scream in agony as its vision went dark. It snapped its jaws blindly, but the tormentor simply stepped back a few paces, easily avoiding the reach of the tethered beast.
"Woo-hoo!"
"Do it again!"
The crowd erupted. They seemed to be savoring the moment, but their joy was short-lived.
"And this is for—"
The perpetrator's voice cut off mid-sentence. The lead Allosaurus had circled back in total silence. It lunged, snatching the man in its jaws and hurling him against a massive tree.
Crunch.
The man's spine shattered on impact. He was dead before he hit the roots.
The lead Allosaurus dipped its head, using its serrated teeth to saw through a thick section of the ropes. The slayers, snapping out of their shock, reached for their weapons, but a sweeping tail-swipe sent them flying.
"ROAR!"
The one-eyed Allosaurus scrambled to its feet, now free. The leader roared at him, commanding an immediate retreat.
One Allosaurus vanished into the dark instantly, while the leader stayed behind for a fleeting second to vent his fury. He crushed the fallen men underfoot one by one; one particularly unlucky soul was snatched up and tossed high into the air.
At this rate, the humans were facing a total massacre.
Vrooom!
A truck equipped with searchlights slammed into the side of the lead Allosaurus. The driver had intended to ram the beast and keep going, but the impact triggered the airbag, forcing the vehicle to a screeching halt.
The lead Allosaurus was knocked back several yards. Reason seemed to return to the predator in that moment. It scrambled to its feet and vanished into the depths of the jungle.
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