"If you have been injured by a dinosaur or a pterosaur, you may be entitled to compensation... bzzzt..."
On a stump stripped of its bark, a radio was broadcasting the latest news. A young girl's hand, now slightly calloused, adjusted the dial, cutting the broadcast with bursts of static.
"According to the latest reports, dinosaur sightings have been confirmed in multiple locations across America..."
Dinosaur news seemed to have occupied every channel lately. Maisie finally gave up. With a resigned sigh, she pulled on a pair of non-slip gloves and picked up the hand axe leaning against the stump.
"From the onsite investigation, it appears a massive auction was held at the Lockwood Estate, where countless dinosaurs were smuggled and dispersed across the globe."
Maisie picked up a log of medium size, suitable for firewood, and placed it in the dead center of another stump, aligning it with the growth rings.
"The mastermind behind this disaster remains unknown. Suspect Ben Lockwood has been confirmed dead; his assistant, Eli Mills, died in a car accident; and Ben Lockwood's primary heir, Maisie Lockwood, is currently missing, suspected of being a clone."
Maisie gripped the axe handle with both hands. Hearing the radio's content, she rolled her eyes. She swung the axe behind her, drawing an arc through the air, and brought it straight down onto the top of the wood.
Crack…
"As of now, the number of dinosaurs recorded in the wild has far exceeded expectations. The U.S. government suspects that private companies are covertly resurrecting prehistoric life, and a new bill was proposed this morning to strengthen oversight regulations."
An accident, it didn't break.
Even though the axe was sharp, the girl's strength wasn't enough to split the cylindrical log vertically in two. The blade had merely bitten into the wood, getting stuck halfway through.
Thump.
Maisie struggled to lift the axe, finding the log firmly wedged onto the blade. After a moment's thought, she realigned the wood with the growth rings on the stump and hammered it down several times. Using the weight of the log itself against the blade, she successfully split it in two.
"Dudley Cabrera announced today the establishment of the D.P.W., the Department of Prehistoric Wildlife, dedicated to containing roaming dinosaurs."
Maisie looked at the two halves of firewood, set the axe down, and put her hands on her hips, a satisfied "I'm amazing" expression on her face. She then bent over to gather the fallen wood, cradling them in her arms as she headed toward the nearby campfire.
Rustle…
Delta poked her head out from the woods behind Maisie. She looked toward Owen's cabin, watched for a moment, and then limped out from the trees.
"Emergency report: two Allosaurus have been spotted in [Location]. Residents are advised to stay indoors. Police units are en route to handle the situation."
Thud.
The sudden voice of a strange human from the radio startled the raptor. Her tail flicked, and with a soft thud, the radio fell onto the dark soil, emitting a low hum of static.
Delta leaned down curiously to inspect the human "magic gadget," though for Owen, this would likely mean another expense to add to the tab.
"Echo?"
Maisie, having just prepared the kindling and about to head into the nearly finished cabin to grab a lighter, was distracted by the noise behind her. However, she seemed to have misidentified the Velociraptor.
Delta ignored her, seemingly intent on using her sense of smell to determine if the radio was on her menu.
Having been educated by Owen on the threat of Velociraptors, Maisie didn't dare approach. She lightened her steps and slowly backed away, pushing the cabin door half-open and slipping inside.
"Delta?"
This time, Maisie got the name right. Delta looked up at her and tilted her head.
Seeing Delta react, Maisie couldn't help but let her lips curl into a slight smile. She called out loudly, not caring if the dinosaur understood her or not.
"Owen is out tracking a Yutyrannus right now. He's not home."
With that, she shut the wooden door, leaving a bewildered Delta standing outside.
Well... having seen a Velociraptor kill someone, she couldn't fully embrace them just yet.
Inside the empty cabin, Maisie jogged over to one of the few pieces of furniture, a landline phone. She picked up the receiver to notify Claire, who was out shopping for household supplies, that they had a visitor. Then, she notified Owen.
…
[Received. Lock the doors and windows. Stay inside. Thanks for the heads-up.]
Unlike a movie scene where a ringing phone might expose someone hiding from a terrifying monster, Owen had his phone on silent. He listened to Maisie's message through a headset and replied via text.
Crouched behind a fallen log for cover, he dimmed his phone screen and resumed observing the Yutyrannus hunting on the plains below.
"Aunnng—"
Lokiceratops, discovered in Montana near the Rocky Mountains. They were currently in the middle of a migration, only to unfortunately cross paths with the Yutyrannus dwelling here.
Though this ceratopsian wasn't particularly tall, standing not much higher than a human, their forward-leaning dual horns were like massive spears. For a three-meter-tall Yutyrannus, they were still dangerous.
True to ceratopsian instinct, they formed a defensive circle, keeping the strange predators at bay.
Three Yutyrannus circled them, forming a perimeter, but they were in no hurry.
"Gurrrgh…"
At the command of the Yutyrannus alpha, the three sat down where they were to conserve energy. Covered in proto-feathers, they didn't actually possess very high physical defense; they preferred to wear down their opponents, waiting for the prey to bolt out of pure panic.
This process usually lasted three to five days, a contest of both physical endurance and mental fortitude. But this time, they wouldn't need that long.
A fourth Yutyrannus slowly entered the hunting grounds. This one looked taller, its body a level sturdier than the others. A giant specimen, perhaps?
Upon his arrival, all the Yutyrannus stood up. The large individual glanced at his kin, then turned his gaze toward the increasingly agitated ceratopsians.
He planted his feet firmly, eyes locking onto the herd, as a fierce and violent aura surged around him.
"ROOOAR—"
It wasn't a sky-shattering cry like Carlo's. This Yutyrannus's roar was like a clap of thunder, exploding in the ears of every dinosaur present.
In an instant, the Lokiceratops herd fell into a total panic, scattering in every direction. Even the other Yutyrannus failed to react immediately, stunned into place by the sheer volume.
The Yutyrannus alpha quickly snapped out of it and nudged the large individual with his body, cutting off the roar.
The latter shook his body uncomfortably and responded with a light huff, following his companions as they began the hunt.
From the hillside, Owen watched the scene without lowering his binoculars. He gripped a pen and quickly scribbled in a small notebook he carried.
The activity zones of the Yutyrannus pack do not conflict with the high-frequency zones of the Velociraptors. [Illegible] encounter.
The largest individual is not the leader... a brother of the same feather color? An elder? The pack's [Scribbled handwriting].
A vibration came from his inner pocket, likely another message from Maisie. He lowered his binoculars, pulled out his phone to reply, and began heading back toward the cabin with his backpack.
———————
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over here ——— pa-tre-on.c-om/AlexandrusTL [remove the hyphen for normal access]