The infant jumped backwards as the second human lifted a metal stick and pointed it at the infant. It suddenly dawned that this object was the cause of the thunder, making whatever it was pointed toward explode. The infant leapt away just as another boom sounded and ran as fast as he could in the direction of the trees. A final sound of thunder echoed, the tree adjacent to the infant exploding in a shower of splinters. The sound echoed in his ears, forever etched in his mind.
The infant ran slightly farther and then stopped. He was unable to grasp the situation fully and so rounded the area while sticking to the tree line. He could see the two humans clearly, their faces and the strange objects they wore on their bodies. One had three crimson streaks across the side of its face, shoving the other away and shouting.
After their squabble, the humans took the bodies of the infant raptor's family and placed them into a strange object that opened like a cave. The two then entered the front and the cave began moving away on its own, leaving the infant alone.
The infant emerged slowly, approaching the spot where his family was resting peacefully only moments before. He sniffed the ground, taking in the scent of his parents and two siblings with the knowledge he would never see them again.
Several questions filled the infant's head. Why did the humans kill his family? They did not appear to want them for food and there was no threat being displayed. What kind of animal killed for no reason? What was he to do now? He was skilled, but could he survive on his own?
Sorrow turned to anger as the infant approached the spot where the two humans had stood. He sniffed the ground and the few drops of blood that had been spilt. He took in the scents, etching them in his mind. He would remember them. He could do nothing now, but would learn the secrets of the thunder sticks. However, he could do nothing about that now. All he could do was try to survive as a lone infant in a hostile world.
Chapter 3
The first few days alone passed with little incident. The infant was able to survive off various insects, lizards, and small mammals he could overtake. However, it was not without danger. The infant had always had the companionship of his family and soon began to yearn for social interaction.
Without his parents’ experienced guidance, the infant wandered without knowing if it were in any other creature's territory. It could recognize the scents of others, but knew not of any significance. Life and death played out constantly. Too many creatures presented danger, and in this particular area, the humans were more abundant. It had been made obvious the humans were dangerous, but even without their weapons they could inflict serious harm to the youngster.
After a full week passed, the infant began to hunger for more substantial prey. Small snacks would no longer suffice. Although he had never done so before, the infant would have to hunt. It could not be anything too large, but something larger than mere rodents.
Being late in the season, the leaves on the trees had begun to change color from green to yellow and red. Winter was approaching and the chances of survival for one so young without a pack were slim. To make matters more difficult, much of the prey had moved farther south. Larger animals had become more visibly scarce.
A small flock of Compsognathus caught the attention of the infant. There were at least ten in the group, their yellow hides with black spots making them more difficult to see in this changing season. Slightly larger in size than the infant, they appeared to be an even match. What was more, they appeared to have no knowledge of the infant's presence.
Readying his stance, the infant crouched low. And then fate intervened. A change in the wind caused his scent to blow toward his prey. Immediately alerted, the Compsognathus scattered. Not to be denied his prey, the infant gave chase despite the disadvantage. He was fast and agile, but the Compsognathus had experience.
Being small, the yellow dinosaurs were often preyed upon. But experience had taught them tricks to evade capture. Sometimes a group would head for a fallen log, some leaping over while others ducked under. In the confusion, the predator would become distracted. Other times, the small dinosaurs would take to the trees and mock the predator until it gave up in frustration.
All of these tactics were used against the infant, and they all succeeded. The infant was left on the forest floor, snarling at the wily creatures. Pacing back and forth, he tried to formulate a plan but was too disturbed by the constant chattering of the creatures. Finally, he decided to look elsewhere for prey.
****
Night was cold. Far colder when one was alone. It was much different without the strength and comfort of his family, but the infant strove onward. None were there to protect him should he need it. None would comfort him when scared. And none would gather food when he was hungry. It was at this time when the infant’s fear and anger were strongest. It was these emotions that drove him onward.
Dawn finally came, and with it the pains of hunger. The infant was becoming weaker, and without his strength he could not hunt larger prey. Lizards and insects still made up the majority of his diet, but even they could escape or fight back against a weakened youngster. Striving onward, the infant refused to give up. He would continue until he had no strength, and then push himself further.
While amid his thoughts, a new smell filled the infant's olfactory system. It was meat, but unlike anything he had smelled before. Some type of herbs, and also fire. The smell of smoke frightened the youngster on an instinctive level, but his higher brain functions overrode it. It was not raw smoke. It was small and controlled.
Curious of this new development, the infant approached. Poking his head through the underbrush, he could see a clearing with strange red structures. Humans were walking about, and there was the fire. Surrounded by rocks, it was small and stayed within the confines of its prison. And above the fire, the infant could see strips of meat.
The thought of meat caused the infant to salivate, the anticipation making his stomach rumble. However, he would have to be quick. There was no telling if these humans possessed the sticks that took his family from him.
The thought of his family caused the rage in the infant to stir. His eyes narrowed as he glared at the humans, still oblivious to his presence. How the infant wished he could let his anger be let loose on these creatures, but he was too weak to do so. He had to regain his strength. Now was not the time for rash action. Once he was stronger, he could attack. But not now.
Eyeing the meat once again, the infant waited for the humans to turn their backs and then charged. He moved swiftly, making it nearly to the fire in the pit before being noticed. The humans began shouting, the one nearest grabbing a stick from the ground. But the infant would not give up.
Latching onto the first strip of meat, the infant cringed at the searing heat but kept moving. And that was when the blow from the human's stick came. Luckily it was not one of the thunder sticks, but the blow came hard and struck the infant's outer toe. A shot of pain ran through his body as he suppressed a scream, not willing to let go of his prize.
Before the human could land another strike, the infant was running. Doing all that he could not to limp he ran full speed to the trees. After a few moments of running, the infant chanced a look backward and saw he was not being pursued.
Heart still pounding, the infant continued though much slower now. The pain shot through his toe every time his foot landed. Looking down, he saw the toe had been broken. Twisted inward, there was nothing he could do except live with the injury. The pain would be something he had to become accustomed. The pain would make him stronger.
Upon finding a secluded area, the infant began to eat. The meat was strange to the infant, but not unpleasant. He had never before tasted of spices or seasoning. But he knew this would be a rare thing for him. Raiding a human camping site was risky, especially at his size, and being injured would make it more difficult. He had to formulate a plan in order to survive.
As
the meat reached his belly, the infant could feel it would be more easily digested. That would give him more energy, but it also meant that he would have to eat again sooner. Alone and injured he would not last long. He needed companionship, and that meant finding a new pack of Deinonychus.
****
Another week passed. The nights grew steadily colder but were still tolerable. Walking on the broken toe still hurt, but the infant had come to accept the pain. He barely limped, though his physical condition was rapidly deteriorating due to malnutrition. Still the infant walked onward, hoping to find a pack that he could join.
At long last, a breeze wafted through the air, the familiar scent of other Deinonychus coming to the infant amidst the smell of a fresh kill. The scent faint, but consisted of several individuals. Using the wind, the infant determined the general location of the pack. He moved rapidly, his hope renewed. Soon he would be among his own kind once again.
The following day he came upon the pack. It was large, consisting of twelve adults and twice as many youngsters. A pack with this many individuals had to be strong, and with that was strong leadership. Not many groups were able to survive with so many youngsters. Perhaps they would not mind one more.
The infant scanned the group, searching for the one they all yielded. After a few moments, he found who he believed to be this pack's Alpha. From the left side, Alpha looked normal. But once he turned the right side of his body, it was complete opposite. From the face all the way past his arm was horribly scarred and barren of the typical raptor plumage, the result of being horribly burned in a past incident.
With Alpha blind in the right eye, the infant would approach from the left so he could be seen. The pack had just eaten, a large hadrosaur carcass being nearby. The infant stared at the meat, but knew not to approach. Taking meat would result in hostile responses, and the infant needed to be accepted by Alpha first.
He approached slowly, keeping himself low in a humble position. Alpha heard him coming and turned to face the infant. Glaring at him with his good eye, Alpha uttered a warning growl. The infant stopped immediately, but necessity drove him to try approaching again.
Alpha stood and approached slowly, taking in the infant's form. Small with an injured foot along with a body that was weak and frail, it seemed to be no threat to the pack leader. Alpha snorted a warning and began to walk away. Not to be denied the chance to prove himself, the infant approached once again.
Without warning Alpha spun around quickly and lashed out with his jaws, only missing because the infant reacted in time by rearing back. The infant shrieked, and then all eyes of the pack were on him. No longer seen as a potential member, the infant was now an invader in their territory.
Surrounded, the infant ran toward what seemed to be the easiest path away from the enraged pack. His path was quickly blocked and soon the snarling infants of the horde were upon him. Unable to win this fight directly, the infant leapt over the incoming hunters and landed hard on his injured foot.
The infant shrieked again and found Alpha standing before him. The infant was stunned and froze shortly, only to see Alpha raise his claws. The blow came too fast for the infant to react. Burning pain filled the left side of his face as claws raked against his skin.
Shrieking in agony the infant ran blindly. He could hear Alpha pursuing close behind, but the primal instinct of survival drove him faster. His foot now numb from pain, the infant ran without restraint. Too quickly, however, his path came to an end.
The infant skid to a stop as the ground ended, a cliff below him. The sound of rushing water filled the infant's ears but he did not see the source. His attention was behind him, where Alpha was approaching and preparing the final strike. The infant was afraid, trembling between the decision of an enraged adult before him and a far drop behind him. He backed up slowly, only to have the weak soil beneath his feet give way.
He fell, shrieking loudly as the top of the cliff grew smaller. It seemed an eternity until he struck the cold surface of the water. The force of the blow, combined with the coolness of the temperature, stunned the infant. He could barely move. He could barely keep his head above water.
The current carried the infant farther and another roar of water began to fill his ears. Looking ahead, the infant could see where the water ended in another fall. He was powerless. All he could do now was wait. And when he fell this time, he did not scream.
****
The light came, blinding at first but then faded. A coldness surrounded the infant as his mind cleared, bringing his surroundings into focus. He was on the riverbank, still alive. There were no sounds save for the water and the ragged breaths of the weakened infant.
Slowly, the infant stood. The memories returned hard and fast. Tumbling from the cliff and over the waterfall, the rejection from the Alpha raptor, and the death of his parents. It was as if the entire world was against him, and yet he survived. He would be forever changed.
Feelings of pure rage flowed over the infant, drowning out everything else in his mind. There was no room for compassion. He hated the humans for what they had done to him. He hated his own kind for rejecting him. He hated everything!
Through shear will, the infant focused his thoughts. The world was cruel and without mercy. In order to survive, he would have to become the same.
A short distance down the river, the infant spied a lone hadrosaur that had come to drink. It knew the infant was there, but experience had taught it that small predators on their own were no threat. That was the last mistake it would ever make.
As another memory surfaced, the infant Deinonychus' mind snapped. Erupting in a shriek of rage, the infant leapt on the newfound object to endure his wrath. Clawing and biting, the infant worked to take down his prey. The creature howled and shook as pain surged through vital points on its neck. Struggling to hold on to the violent shaking, the infant dug deeper.
A twist from the hadrosaur sent the infant flying from the beast but he quickly righted himself, digging claws into the earth before leaping once again onto the giant. In blind fury, the infant attacked. It would not fail, and it would take down the beast. It would destroy all who opposed his might. It would kill without mercy, no matter the size of the opponent.
The hadrosaur howled in pain trying to dislodge the attacker, shaking violently before a key nerve was struck. The hadrosaur reared up, howling once more before falling into the river. Water exploded in a brilliant splash as the creature died, the infant still lodged in the flesh.
Riding his fallen victim to the ground, the infant shrieked his victory. Again, he shrieked before blinding pain filled his head. The emotions he felt were far too intense for one so young, the brain producing a surplus of chemicals to deal with it. The chemicals caused a change in the infant, forcing his body into a type of early maturity. His body would still grow, but he would be forever altered.
The pain faded, a sharpness in vision and other senses never before experienced greeted the reborn Deinonychus. Spreading his arms wide, he roared. No longer bound by the restrictions of infancy, the deep roar echoed for miles through the trees. All manner of creatures fled in fear and the Deinonychus felt a newfound power within him.
No longer was he an infant, weak and frail. He was much more, and he would continue to grow in skill. Nothing would be safe from him. Seeing his reflection in the water, he could see the marks given to him by the Alpha. Three parallel stripes over the left side of his face. These would heal, leaving scars as a testament of his new life. This was who he was now. He was Scarface.
****
For a full day, Scarface was able to defend his kill from scavengers. The smaller ones were easily frightened and some of the slightly larger ones had to be attacked. It soon became clear that the sheer numbers would soon make defending the kill futile. It was not because he wanted the meat, but to test his own strength.
Deciding it would be better than adm
itting defeat, Scarface abandoned the site. Even as he was walking away, he could hear the scavengers that had lain in wait for an opportunity. These were of no consequence to Scarface. He had clear enemies, and he would do all that was possible to eliminate them.
Anger had replaced any fear that had remained in the heart of Scarface. With determination, he pressed forward, eating as he went. It did not matter what he ate. He had slain a hadrosaur more than a hundred times his mass, and he could do it again. The world was his prey. The humans would suffer for what they had done to him.
As if by chance, the scent of human came wafting into Scarface's olfactory lobes. He followed the scent and found one lone human kneeling next to a stream. The memory of his family's deaths renewed, Scarface roared and leapt at the human.
The human turned and jumped out of the way as Scarface landed. It removed something from its side and pointed it at Scarface. Thunder stick! Smaller but unmistakable, the weapon would make things more difficult.
Leaping to the side as the first shots were discharged, Scarface leapt forward and slashed. The satisfying resistance of flesh against his claws would have drawn a smile if he were capable. Blood dripped from his talons as the human fell to its knees, grabbing the bloodstained cloth on its lower back.