(Glancing sideways, smiling, sighing silently—how brilliant!)
One week after the Indominus (forcedly) integrated into the Primeval Zone.
Carlo lay by the edge of the great lake, eyes closed as he rested his mind. Lately, because of a certain dinosaur who wished to remain anonymous, he had been utterly exhausted.
Thump... thump... snap...
His tail swayed up and down, rhythmically striking the ground, when it was suddenly clamped tight by something and halted mid-air.
"Aunnng—"
The Parasaurolophus hatchlings cried out in discontent, while Carlo immediately guessed who had bitten his tail.
He pushed his forebody off the ground and turned his head to look. Sure enough, our dear Miss Indominus was biting his tail with a mischievous look on her face, gazing at him with eyes full of anticipation.
"Roar..."
Carlo applied a bit of leverage, pulling his tail free from her jaws. He laid it flat on the ground, laid back down, and closed his eyes, entirely unwilling to indulge her.
Hmm... this sensory cue... means resignation?
Perhaps it was because she had spent the past week glued to Carlo's side, but the already-clever Indominus had developed a significantly richer emotional spectrum.
Regardless, she felt that staying with Carlo was infinitely more comfortable than being trapped in that paddock all day. More importantly, Carlo wasn't like her late sister, whom she had eaten, whose head was entirely filled with status, territory, and fighting.
He was truly interesting. Even the way he ignored her was highly amusing.
Clumsily shuffling closer, Miss Indominus squatted down on Carlo's left side. Her body hadn't fully recovered yet; she had nearly been broken for good when Carlo gave her that shoulder throw.
"Aunnng…"
"Roar…"
The Parasaurolophus mother was also resting on Carlo's left side. She let out a soft bellow, and seeing this, the Indominus followed suit with a low grunt of her own.
Regrettably, these two dinosaurs could not communicate with each other.
Carlo continued pretending to sleep, acting as if he hadn't heard a thing. He desperately tried to let his consciousness sink into a dark abyss. Surely, if he actually fell asleep, these two would restrain themselves?
But Miss Indominus was no fool. She could tell at a single glance whether Carlo was actually asleep. After all, she had spent the entire week observing him, understanding him better than he understood himself in certain regards.
She extended her long, slender arm and gently nudged Carlo's short arms, which were tucked beneath his massive chest... No reaction? She nudged them again.
"Roar…"
Ultimately unable to endure it any longer, Carlo let out a low huff. He turned his head completely away from the Indominus, burying his two stubby forelimbs deep under his body, refusing to acknowledge her.
How fun~
Miss Indominus tilted her head. Seeing that Carlo seemed a bit annoyed, she gently pressed the side of her body against his, slowly lowering herself onto the grass to join him in his afternoon nap.
You certainly know what you're doing.
Drowsiness soon washed over the little Parasaurolophus hatchlings. Giving the Indominus's side a wide berth, they huddled tightly against Carlo's body on the side where their mother sat, drifting off to sleep together.
Seeing this, the Parasaurolophus mother had no choice but to slowly shuffle closer as well, pressing against her young to share the afternoon nap with Carlo.
Carlo: Why is it so hot? Why can't I sleep? I never used to feel this hot before.
One and a half weeks after the Indominus integrated into the Primeval Zone.
"Roar—... cough cough"
Giga Mom's health had deteriorated slightly following that devastating fire, leaving her unable to coordinate hunts with Giga Dad the way they used to.
Giga Dad was under quite a bit of pressure. After all, he not only had to tend to his weakened mate but also had to provide for three growing youngsters all by himself.
However... Carlo had caught the faint scent of stale blood wafting from Dad and Mom's territory, deducing that it had likely been quite some time since they last had a successful hunt.
Thump... thump...
Carlo held the carcass of a Triceratops firmly in his jaws, effortlessly dragging it along as he entered Dad and Mom's territory.
That was mine! Mine!!!
Miss Indominus repeatedly nudged and rubbed against Carlo. The Triceratops had originally been a prey item Carlo was tracking, but she figured that if she could hunt it down before he did, it would give her massive bragging rights. She had gleefully anticipated the look on his face...
In the end, she failed to out-muscle him for the kill.
Thus, she chose to salvaging her pride by pestering him. However, Carlo seemed to be growing accustomed to it. Whenever she rubbed against him, she made a conscious effort to avoid scraping him with her sharp quills. So... whatever~
"Roar—"
Carlo dropped the Triceratops, raising his head to vocalize a call. It was the first time Miss Indominus had ever felt Carlo broadcast this specific type of emotional signal, making her highly curious.
Rustling sounds echoed from the undergrowth. Miss Indominus shifted her skin coloration, completely vanishing into the foliage. The approaching entities seemed numerous, and none of them were small.
Katyusha, Karl, and Kafka, still in their juvenile stages, came rushing over the moment they heard their idol's roar. Upon seeing the food and Carlo's inviting gesture, they dug into the meal without the slightest hesitation.
Dad and Mom arrived a step behind them, looking somewhat hesitant. Yet, under Carlo's repeated, reassuring grunts, they finally accepted their child's offering.
Carlo watched the scene with deep satisfaction... but very soon, an unexpected twist occurred.
Miss Indominus revealed her form, giving the three youngsters and the two adults a slight fright. Does this count as meeting the parents?
Perhaps because she had been clinging to Carlo for so long, her entire body was saturated with his scent. Consequently, Giga Dad and Giga Mom didn't show any hostile defensive reactions.
Carlo shifted his massive frame, taking a step to the left to distance himself from Miss Indominus, who was practically glued to his flank.
Hmm?
The Indominus keenly perceived a novel emotion surfacing within Carlo... embarrassment? It was because they were in front of these other dinosaurs.
Miss Indominus experimentally sidled closer, only for Carlo to dodge away again. She instantly knew her hypothesis was correct.
Identify the pattern, verify the pattern... and the next step was...
Don't you dare run!
Miss Indominus playfully engaged Carlo in a game of tactical maneuvering! By the end of it, she dropped all pretense of subtlety and initiated a full-blown chase!
So much fun~
Carlo's embarrassment levels were practically off the charts. He snapped to a halt, turning around in exasperated fury to ram the chasing Indominus squarely to the ground, pinning her beneath his immense weight.
Originally, he had intended to use his foot, but after a split second of hesitation, he opted to use his entire body instead.
The deeply intimate display left the Giganotosaurus family utterly stupefied. They stopped eating entirely, their eyes locked onto the two massive carnivores. Belatedly realizing his family was still present, Carlo caught sight of their intense, unblinking stares and instantly fled the scene in utter humiliation!
Today's Battle: Carlo's Defeat.
Miss Indominus pushed herself back up, her injured leg having mostly healed by now. She turned and gave a polite, low rumble toward Giga Dad and Giga Mom's family as a token of appreciation, before bounding off to pursue Carlo's retreating figure.
One month after the Indominus integrated into the Primeval Zone.
Carlo and Miss Indominus were hunkered down in the tall brush, their massive bodies pressed flush against each other as they observed two Carnotaurus not far away.
Carnotaurus Two was resting on the ground, gently and affectionately nuzzling several eggs nestled within her nest.
Ultimately, she had accepted Carnotaurus One's courtship.
As for Carnotaurus One, he was exceptionally hyperactive. He kept pacing back and forth, constantly feeling like the eggs weren't warm enough. Just look at him now, he had brought over yet another bundle of leaves.
Carnotaurus Two cast a slightly exasperated look at Carnotaurus One, promptly kicking away the leaves he had just piled on.
"Roar…"
Any more and they'll roast to death. I'm right here, do you really think I'd let the eggs catch a chill?
Confronted by Two's reprimand, Carnotaurus One merely rumbled back in compliance, still looking overwhelmingly delighted.
"Roar…"
Miss Indominus rumbled softly as she nudged Carlo. The latter looked at her with a highly bewildered expression, prompting her to tilt her head toward the two Carnotaurus ahead.
Sensing that something was deeply amiss, Carlo's expression turned incredibly abstract. After all, he was still just a kid. How did the Indominus even dare to suggest such a thing?
Stealthily turning around, he silently slipped away without disturbing the two Carnotaurus, making a swift bee-line back toward the great lake.
Miss Indominus followed closely behind him, keeping her movements light, occasionally intertwining her tail with his as they walked.
She was completely oblivious to the fact that, if Carlo actually accepted her advances, once Carlo reached full maturity...
Hehe.
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