The story of the Ankylosaur herd resisting the Ceratosaurus took place during the early days of the Primeval Ecological Zone's establishment. The newly appointed editor rushed to cut that segment and release it as a supplementary update to the documentary.
As for the previous editor? Who knows...
…
Carnotaurus One was advancing steadily through the undergrowth.
His steps were light, his movements slow. He did his best to look like a seamless part of the forest.
Snap.
The sound of a breaking branch rang out, plucking at the Carnotaurus's nerves like a guitar string. His body went rigid; he didn't dare move an inch. Holding his breath, he rolled his eyes toward the source of the noise.
A squirrel.
"Phew..."
Carnotaurus One exhaled in relief, casting a resentful glance at the rodent. You little brat. If I weren't so afraid of that death-god catching me, I'd turn you into...
Thud. Thud.
Heavy footsteps cut his thoughts short. The squirrel seemed to spot something dangerous and vanished into the brush in a blur.
The footsteps stopped.
Still, Carnotaurus One didn't dare continue his advance, nor did he dare lift his head. The next moment, a faint, horse-like snort sounded right above his head.
Did he find me?! No... no, no, no. He shouldn't have... not yet.
The sound of breathing lingered continuously above him—long inhales, short exhales.
He's searching for my trail!
Carnotaurus One wished he were an inanimate object without a scent. The enemy was right on top of him, and all he could do was pray.
…
30 minutes ago.
Carlo had followed Carnotaurus One directly into the predator's own territory, a move that completely baffled the bull.
Brother, why are you still chasing me?!
Carnotaurus One was nearing total exhaustion. At this rate, he felt like he might as well just hand over his home to the intruder. Gritting his teeth, he decided to "lead the trouble East."
Dammit! Number Two, save me!!
Carnotaurus One crossed the "demarcation line" he had previously agreed upon with Number Two, gambling on whether she was currently in her territory.
Fortunately, God smiled upon the bull this time. Carnotaurus Two had already noticed the commotion in the forest, which sounded like a swarm of locusts passing through. Flocks of birds were constantly taking flight, triggering her sense of crisis.
Carlo lunged through the thicket, bypassing low shrubs. The enemy's camouflage ability was incredibly annoying. Back in the open field, it was fine, as he could track the scent directly. But here, in the bull's own territory, the air was saturated with his scent. One lapse in concentration and the target would slip away.
Carnotaurus One stayed low, weaving through the grass. Up ahead was a clearing where his body would be completely exposed. Luckily, he spotted the figure he had been dreaming of.
As he burst from the treeline, Carnotaurus Two was already standing her ground, alert.
"Roar!"
She let out a furious roar, demanding to know what Carnotaurus One was doing. Seeing her reaction, Carnotaurus One's eyes lit up.
Good buddy! I knew sharing my kills with you would pay off!
Without slowing down, he zipped right past her. Carnotaurus Two turned her head to look at Carnotaurus One as he vanished back into the woods, wondering what kind of fit he was throwing this time; she'd have to teach him a lesson later.
Suddenly, she felt a chill at the back of her neck. Turning back toward the front, she saw the "lunatic" she had encountered earlier.
Coming for revenge?!
No... wait. He was looking for Number One!
Curse you, Number One! I'll kill you!
Carlo's attention was indeed drawn to Carnotaurus Two. He was considering whether he should just beat this one up too. Taking advantage of Carlo's hesitation, Carnotaurus Two spun around and bolted in the direction Carnotaurus One had fled.
What?! You're running too? Well, now I have to chase.
Since she trusted him enough to show him her back, wouldn't it be rude not to follow?
Carnotaurus Two fled to the lakeside and, without a moment's hesitation, dove into the water, diving as deep as she could.
Carlo burst from the woods and saw the ripples on the lake. However, he didn't check the bottom. His eyes caught the splash marks and wet footprints on the opposite bank.
She rolled in the lake to kill her scent before running! Clever move!
Carlo offered a silent compliment and followed the damp trail. Now, it wasn't just about fighting; playing hide-and-seek with them had become quite entertaining.
…
Back to the present.
Carlo looked at the forest before him, feeling a bit discouraged.
Can't find them.
He had lost the trail after all. Forget it. I'll go back and finish dismembering Miss Diplodocus. I'll just play with them next time I see them.
Accompanied by heavy thuds, Carlo's presence gradually faded into the distance.
Carnotaurus One cautiously poked his head out of the grass. Only when he was sure the giant had left did he completely relax. He had nearly thought he was caught; luckily, he had resisted the urge to bolt at the last second.
So, Number Two was defeated that quickly? I'll have to commemorate her later.
Carnotaurus One resumed his stealth, moving toward the Great Lake while scanning for any suitable prey along the way. Perhaps because the commotion caused by Carlo was too great, coupled with the presence of a Diplodocus carcass, most of the herbivores in this area had fled.
Fortunately, luck was on the bull's side once again.
A group of Dryosaurus were still in the area. The low thickets provided them cover, and since almost no predator bothered with them, they lived here quite peacefully. Unfortunately, a starving Carnotaurus One didn't care about how "tasty" they were.
Snap!
A bite to the neck, followed by a sharp twist to the right.
An innocent, adorable Dryosaurus thus departed from this world. They were like the "derpy deer" of the dinosaur world, watching the Carnotaurus approach to end their lives without even stopping the rhythmic chewing of leaves in their mouths.
It wasn't until their companion was gone that they realized... Shit, some unlucky predator actually settled for us.
Ignoring the scattering Dryosaurus, the bull dragged his prize to a clearing and began to feast. It wasn't easy! It really wasn't easy! Finally, a bite of food.
Rustle.
The leaves swayed, causing the bull to tense up again. Looking back, he saw two Ceratosauruses walking out, one after the other.
???
Just escaped a psycho, and now here comes a madman?!
The Carnotaurus's expression nearly crumbled.
Ceratosaurus One, however, didn't have such complex thoughts. He saw the prey the bull was eating and wanted to stay as far away as possible.
Haven't seen you in a few days, Brother Carno. Why are you eating trash?
Disgusting.
Ceratosaurus One led Number Two toward the Diplodocus carcass, leaving the bull with a look of pure disdain.
???
Carnotaurus One was baffled. They actually looked down on me?! They dared to look down on me?! I could send you flying with one hit! If I weren't starving, I'd definitely...
Gurgle…
His stomach, awakened by the first few bites of food, sent a sharp signal of hunger.
Fine. I'll let you off this once.
Carnotaurus One lowered his head and continued to devour the Dryosaurus carcass.
———————
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over here ——— pa-tre-on.c-om/AlexandrusTL [remove the hyphen for normal access]