Be the Dinosaur-You Asked For It

Hello everyone.  My fourth volume for my series is here and ready!  You'll like this one, and it's still fresh in everyone's memories.  Enjoy, and I hope your Remembrance/Veteran's Day was meaningful.

YOU ASKED FOR IT

I’m a lady of advanced age, so I’m glad my lifestyle isn’t as strenuous as it used to be.  Time has been catching up to me.  Those younglings who always came to see me feed were enough for me to remind myself of who I am.  They stared at me in awe when I ate, which I initially found rude, but I made them feel small.  A ruler should be able to do that with her subjects.  They knew I ruled this land, even though I haven’t seen the rest of it for a very long time.  My days of chasing other creatures were long gone.  The routine of eating the Horned-Bleaters and roaming my habitat for so long has certainly put an ease on my body.

But I was bored.  My strength hasn’t gone away completely, but I was stuck in this same routine over and over again.  I wanted to get moving like I did before.  I missed that rush of adrenaline I got when I was on a true hunt, or fighting opponents into submission.  I wanted to feel young again.

Strangely enough, my routine was changed today.  There was a lot of commotion outside from the Two-Leggeds, and I heard the Flyers’ screeches mixed in with their screams.  No one came to see me at my regularly scheduled meals for the rest of the day, which got me stimulated.  What was out there?  I wished to see and roam again.  I felt cranky and impatient.  There was something happening on my island again, and I wasn’t able to go outside and investigate.

Later, when night came, I heard more commotion.  This time, it wasn’t from any Flyers.  The calls of three Pack-Hunters reached my ears.  They got me riled up.  I never liked Pack-Hunters.  One of them attacked me after I killed her sister a long time ago, because they were in my territory.  She jumped on me, and slashed me across my back and neck, intent on bringing down the biggest meat eater in the land.  She paid the price for attacking me though; after I killed her in one bite, I threw her body into the bones so hard, they fell to the ground.  My victory roar resonated loudly in the stone hut. 

But another sound came soon after the Pack-Hunter calls.  It was loud and irritating.  The accompanying scent was that of an animal who was crazy, and dangerous.  This creature sounded VERY BIG.  Her footsteps shook the ground like mine did.  Everything told me that this crazy animal was a threat, bigger than that of the Pack-Hunters.  I would not stand for such a massive threat on MY LAND.  If only I could make my way out to eliminate this threat, but there was no way out myself.  I checked for years, and there were none.  It bothered me to no end that I couldn’t confront the beast and subdue it into submission.

The roars now came louder than ever.  The Pack-Hunters sounded like they were putting up a resounding fight against Crazy One, and I heard loud bangs among the screeches.  But I think Crazy One managed to kill all three of them, and now it sounded like she was attacking some Two-Leggeds? 

Who would she attack after she killed them off?  Me?  I have to get out of here, to meet her head on and stop her.  There must be a way outside.  There just has to be.

A grinding sound came from the other side of my habitat.  I looked over, and saw darkness.  A faint hint of fresh air that I haven’t smelled in a long time came to me.  Finally, a way out!

I walked over to the opening, and then saw a female Two-Legged holding that bright red light that I always saw right before I came to eat the Horn-Bleaters.  I haven’t seen a Two-Legged hold that light on the ground in my presence since that pair of males showed up when I broke out of my old habitat so long ago.

She looked scared, as she should be.  I’m much bigger and more powerful than her.  Yet, she looked like she needed my help as well.  Was it to face Crazy One?

Then she started running.  I marched after her, glad to be out and about on a quest.  She ran very fast, and to enjoy the chase more, I bellowed after her.

“GET BACK HERE!”

She led me onward, closer to Crazy One.  She was growling angrily, like she couldn’t reach her prey that was hiding from her.  Her prey were terrified, the younglings screamed loudly.

The Two-Legged ran under another set of bones, and threw the light.  I finally got a good look at Crazy One in the red light.  She was massive, certainly a bit bigger than me, and looked vicious.  She was white, had jagged teeth, large scales on her back, and huge arms.  Her claws were long and sharp, good for slashing things.  This will be a great challenge, but I felt young and fit again, ready to rid my land of this monstrosity.

The bones flew everywhere as I head-butted my way through them, and roared impressively at Crazy One.  No words were needed, every meat eater understood my message.

But she didn’t back down.  She just turned away from her prey and roared right back at me.

The standoff was brief.  I stood ready to fight and moved my tail back and forth so she could get a sense of who she was messing with.  Crazy One roared viciously back.

I stepped forward, making the ground shake under my feet.  She’d better know whose land she’s messing with.

“YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME?!”

She roared back, louder than I expected.

“BRING…IT…ON!!!”

That was her last warning.  Now she’ll face death head on.

“YOU ASKED FOR IT!!!”