It had taken a considerable amount of time, but Ceratosaurus One finally managed to drag the Triceratops carcass back to the territory.
He lifted his head to search for Ceratosaurus Two, only to find her already crouched by the lake. She looked as though she had been waiting for him for quite some time.
Ceratosaurus Two noticed the commotion and turned her head. She visibly froze for a moment. Clearly, she hadn't expected One to successfully bring down such massive prey.
In truth, Ceratosaurus One's hunt was a mere formality; even if he had returned empty-handed, Ceratosaurus Two would have accepted his courtship. During their month in the Primeval Ecological Zone, their success rate in cooperative hunting might not have been high, but they had never once abandoned each other. A silent understanding had been forged in the hunt, creating an inseparable bond.
She stood up and began walking toward Ceratosaurus One.
A novice at courtship, Ceratosaurus One felt a surge of panic, frantically trying to recall the proper steps in his mind. Next... I'm supposed to show off, right?
But before he could act, he felt Ceratosaurus Two gently nuzzle his cheek with her snout. Her warm breath brushed against him, leaving him feeling a strange, pleasant tingle both inside and out.
Let's just get started.
That was the signal transmitted from Ceratosaurus Two.
Ceratosaurus One stood there awkwardly for a moment, watching Ceratosaurus Two as she lay down and waited for him. He swallowed hard.
…
Unlike the Ceratosaurus couple, the Dryosaurus herd seemed to have no intention of breeding. Of course, it wasn't that they didn't want to; rather, their leader wouldn't allow it.
The alpha constantly patrolled the territory, driving away any companions attempting to mate. Food was scarce here, and bringing offspring into the world could lead to an immediate shortage.
However, this behavior was a direct defiance of the laws of nature, and it quickly drew the ire of the younger individuals in the herd.
But now was not the time for internal squabbles.
"Aunnng…"
A newly arrived, temperamental Pachycephalosaurus let out a low bellow at these strange dinosaurs, who were significantly taller than itself. Its voice was deep and resonant, sounding somewhat like the lowing of a cow.
Even if the Dryosaurus didn't recognize this species, they knew trouble had arrived. When these strangers first appeared a few days ago, they had immediately seized a large portion of the Dryosaurus habitat. This was the true reason the alpha had forbidden breeding; their living space had been squeezed to the brink of non-existence.
Even a cornered rat will bite, and the usually timid Dryosaurus were no exception.
The alpha charged forward, rearing up on its hind legs and waving its forelimbs frantically in the air to intimidate the intruder. But the irritable Pachycephalosaurus wasn't having it; it lowered its head and delivered a direct ram to the other's stomach.
"Aunnng…"
The Dryosaurus leader was knocked back several steps. Seeing that this interloper was refusing the easy way out, he decided to go all-in! He battered the Pachycephalosaurus's head with his forepaws and even tried to bite with teeth meant for grinding leaves. While he couldn't easily draw blood, he could certainly inflict an intolerable amount of pain.
However, this area was prime real estate for the Pachys, and they weren't about to back down either. Realizing the situation was escalating, other Pachycephalosaurus rushed in, beginning to ram the Dryosaurus's hind legs.
The rest of the Dryosaurus herd moved to help, but their leader suddenly retreated.
"Aunnng…"
Can't win this! Fall back!
Ultimately, the Dryosaurus clan was driven out of the forest. The group led by the aggressive Pachycephalosaurus watched them leave, letting out triumphant roars. The Dryosaurus alpha looked back with a lingering sense of loss, but finally steeled his heart to lead his people away.
But he soon realized the herd no longer intended to follow him.
"Aunnng…" He called out, somewhat annoyed.
"Aunnng—!"
A defiant roar erupted from the herd—a younger male. He was challenging the alpha.
Rebellion! It's a total rebellion!
Incensed, the leader charged forward with raised forelimbs to pummel the challenger. But the younger male seemed indifferent to the blows and simply shoved the bipedal leader to the ground.
It was only then that the leader, or rather, the former leader, realized how frail his body had become. When he looked up again, the new alpha was already leading the herd away. They were all as thin and listless as he was.
He picked himself up and followed at the back of the line, limping. Perhaps under human care, he could have used his large frame to bully his way to the top, but in the Primeval Ecological Zone, his cowardly nature was laid bare.
…
Carlo burst from the treeline and finally spotted his father. The elder Giganotosaurus was carrying a whole Parasaurolophus in his jaws, seemingly heading back toward the territory.
A Parasaurolophus? Aren't they all staying by the Great Lake now? How did Dad catch one?
Carlo approached, letting out a low chuff to ask why his father had gone hunting alone when they still had stockpiled meat.
His father noticed Carlo's arrival and clearly faltered. He stood frozen for a long time, hesitating, but eventually chose to ignore Carlo and continued his trek back.
Carlo felt something was wrong and hurried to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with him. It was only then he realized he was now as tall as his father. Though his head wasn't quite as large, his body appeared heavier and more robust.
Had he really grown this much already?
But why was his father ignoring him? Was it just because his mouth was full?
Suddenly, his father stopped and dropped the Parasaurolophus. He lowered his massive head and gently nudged Carlo outward.
It was light, and incredibly tender.
He simply stood there, staring at Carlo, his jaws slightly parted as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent. He lowered his head, picked up the prey, and continued toward the nesting grounds.
This time, Carlo did not follow.
Something was wrong, very wrong.
Combining his father's behavior with how his mother had acted this morning, a suspicion suddenly surfaced in Carlo's mind. It was a suspicion that aligned perfectly with the laws of nature, but one he didn't want to believe.
Much like golden eagle parents who drive their chicks from the nest once they reach maturity, Carlo's parents were likely preparing to evict him. Eagles did this because their offspring might otherwise drive them away or even kill them once they were fully grown.
But Carlo would never hurt his parents. Besides, he wasn't even six months old yet.
Carlo stood in place, thinking for a long time. It wasn't until the horizon began to glow with a deep red that he finally moved.
Fine then. Let's put it to the test.
He began to walk, but not toward the nesting grounds. He headed for the Great Lake.
He would spend the night there.
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