Linger: Book 2

Chapter 13

"The ocean!" she heard Eric suddenly exclaim. Amy's head rose just in time to see the group beginning to run. With a heavy sigh, Amy pressed her side harder and she jogged after them. Soon enough, a clearing came into view. Paul bounced over a fallen tree and into the grass on the other side while Amanda and Eric followed suit. Alan waited by the trunk for Amy, though she made sure Alan crossed over before she would continue herself and she urged him to not lose sight of the Kirbys. Gently, Amy lifted her foot and she slid herself over, gritting her teeth tightly as the pain in her side sent a cry bubbling up her throat. Her feet touched the other side and she gasped, her chest pounding as she caught her breath. Not wanting to be left behind, Amy took in a few more gasps before pushing herself back to her feet and stumbling forward. Just as she reached the others, an echoing screech met her ears.

Seemingly from nowhere, Velociraptors surrounded them. There were raptors on all sides, cawing and snarling ferociously, driving the group of humans into a tightly knit circle. Instinctively, Alan threw his arms out, doing his best to protect them from the monstrous beast. Amy took a step forward and stuck out her own arm protectively, though she could do no more as her head swam dangerously. Amy's vision was doubled and it teetered. She felt near to losing consciousness, yet she stood as strong as she could, doing her absolute best to protect the Kirbys alongside Alan. The raptors cooed and dug their claws into the ground, kicking up flurries of sand in their aggression.

"They want the eggs," Alan whispered, his eyes watching as the raptors drew nearer. "Otherwise we'd be dead already." The raptors squawked loudly, almost talking to the other as they strode ever closer to the huddled humans. From her right, a new raptor appeared. She was different from the others. Her body was heftier and her stance inches taller. This one's head was also bare of any head crest, unlike the others that surrounded them. In other words, she was powerful and plain; a clear sign of the alpha female. "Everybody get down," Alan ordered, having come to the same realization as Amy. "She's challenging us."

Amy took to the ground rather harshly as her legs gave out beneath her. The woman felt close to either throwing up or passing out, though she focused on her breathing and pressed her side even harder. The rest of the group lowered as well. Amy could feel the soft scuffles behind her and Alan and she knew that the Kirbys were hiding Eric, forcing him to the center of their circle and away from the immediate danger. As soon as Amy felt the boy touch her, she clutched his shirt within her free fist and held him close, readying herself to run with the child if need be. There was movement on her right and Amy knew that Alan was working on retrieving the eggs, though painfully slowly so as not to cause too much unwanted attention.

The alpha female strode pridefully forward, no caution taken as she walked right on up to Amy and Amanda. The blonde woman was to Amy's left. Amanda kept her eyes down and her breathing was heavy, though she made no noise as the alpha raptor lowered her head and sniffed her hair. The raptor huffed, then moved to Amy. After another deep inhale, the raptor hissed and shook its head, bumping its nose roughly against Amy's forehead. Amy flinched and cowered, trying to appear small and vulnerable, though the raptor did not back away.

"She thinks you two stole the eggs," Alan murmured.

"Get behind me," Paul tried to crawl forward and in front of the women, though the alpha raptor was quick to pounce before him, hissing menacingly with her teeth bared and tongue thrashing. Paul backed away with his head down. With Paul subdued, the raptor returned her attention to Amanda. It bumped and nudged the woman, shoving and sniffing her for any signs of the eggs, then she did the same to Amy. The raptor followed Amy's every movement to escape its jaws, tracing her with its sharp teeth and powerful nose. Then, it cawed right in Amy's face, causing her to jump.

"She... She smells Billy on me," Amy growled softly, her eyes narrowing at the raptor which hissed at her challenge. Slowly, Amy nudged her hand against Alan's side, beckoning him. "Give me the eggs," she breathed out the demand, her open hand flexing in wait. Finally, Alan opened Billy's bag to reveal the eggs. Instantly, the raptors cawed out, their sounds echoed by the other and sending Amy to near panic, though she forced herself to remain still. Alan took the eggs from their pouch and handed them to Amy while the creatures were distracted. Amy's striking brown gaze did not break from that of the yellowed orbs of the female raptor standing so proudly before her. The eggs slipped easily into her hands. Ever so gently, Amy brought the eggs forward, sliding them through the sand as she pushed them as far away from herself and the group as she could reach. At the corner edge of her vision, she could see a smear of red against the egg within her left hand. She could only hope this would go unnoticed by both the raptor pack and Alan.