Stoni's Journey Ch.1

Hey everyone! Sorry I didn't get this posted earlier, but I've been busy. So without further adieu, in honor of Day of the Dinosaur.... Stoni's Journey Chapter 1 "Hatchery" The sun rose in brilliant colors over the prehistoric wilderness. From the forest could be heard the chittering and rustling of small animals on the hunt, as well as the clicking and scraping of insects on trees. Overhead, Pterosaurs screeched and beat their wings, gliding gracefully above the treetops. The forest floor was covered in early morning dew, and the air was warm and moist. As the morning sunlight crept up through the trees, a male and female Edmontonia watched as the three eggs which they had laid months ago began to crack open. Pontuk, a male, was the first Edmontonia hatchling to be born. He cracked the thick shell with a forceful head-butt and rolled out onto the soft ground of the nest. The next egg cracked open slowly, and out stumbled Kadia, a female. The final Edmontonia hatchling to emerge was Stoni, a second female, who squeaked triumphantly upon escaping her eggshell prison. Pontuk, Kadia, and Stoni immediately began to nibble on ground-up ferns and undergrowth, which their parents had brought to the nest in preparation for this moment. While the hatchlings ate, their mother and father cautiously watched for any signs of danger. With luck, the siblings would remain under the protection of their caring parents for about a year and a half. When the time came, the siblings would each have to venture off and fend for themselves, and eventually find mates of their own. But for now, the hungry Edmontonia hatchlings would depend on their parents for food and protection. ___________ Several miles away from the Edmontonias' nest was the home of a very different species. Bright-red, poisonous ferns marked the territory of a pack of Dromaeosaurs. Rogue and Regina, the jet-black alphas of the pack, laid in wait among the bushes of the forest. The ground shook in the distance as a bull hadrosaur, surrounded on all sides by the pack, ran towards the concealed alphas. At the precise moment, the alphas sprung from their hiding place in front of the frenzied bull. While Rogue ducked under the bull and sliced at his belly, Regina leaped up onto the bull's face and clawed his eyes, blinding him. In a second the entire pack covered the hadrosaur, digging in their sharp, sickle claws and biting with jagged teeth. The bull collapsed, and the raptors jumped back from their kill. Pack protocol ensured that the alphas would eat their fill before the other hunters, and so Rogue and Regina began to feast. Among the fearsome pack stood a young Dromaeosaur, Phoenix, whose feathery coat was fiery-red. Phoenix trodded at the ground impatiently. Why should he have to wait? He had helped bring down the kill, and now he would reap his harvest. To the amazement of his fellow pack members, Phoenix broke rank and lunged himself at the kill, feasting hungrily. Enraged, Rogue, the alpha male, jumped up on the dead bull directly in front of Phoenix and roared, daring him to take another bite. With a screech of defiance, Phoenix leapt at Rogue's neck. Before Rogue even had a chance to defend himself, Phoenix bit down hard on his windpipe and clawed at his chest. Rogue fell to the dust dead, his black pelt matted and bloodied. Disbelieving, the pack rushed forward to apprehend Phoenix, barreling into him and knocking him, breathless, to the ground. Regina, standing over her fallen mate, cried out sharply in mourning, then advanced on Phoenix, still lying on the ground. The pack stepped away as the alpha female, placing the point of her deadly foot claw on Phoenix's flank, ripped slowly and torturously down his side as Phoenix screamed in pain. He had been branded an outcast, and for committing this unspeakable crime, Phoenix would now face unbearable punishment: exile from the pack. Phoenix jumped to his feet and hastily retreated into the forest. No longer welcome in this territory, he ran past the red ferns that marked his lost home, with Regina's vengeful roars fading in the distance. ____________ As I said in a previous post, I will try to come out with these about twice a week, but I can't make any promises. Look for "Chapter 2: Nightfall" within the coming week!