Hot 'N' Dangerous

Chapter 54: The Beast Era (Part 2)

We watched every shadow flit across the leafy ferns on the ground. Some people started up idle chatter but most of us retained our silent vigil.

"Aw! This is so boring!" Naruto whined loudly.

"Quiet down!" I hissed as the movement in the trees suddenly ceased.

"It's daybreak," Liz said and lit the flare with an uttered jutsu.

"Let's see what it really is," I looked ahead as Liz chucked the lit flare at the trees.

In the few seconds that the flare was able to light up the greenery, I was able to see at least five Velociraptors scatter and run deeper into the forest. The flare eventually died out, leaving everyone to stand in the brisk morning air.

"Everyone saw that, right?" Liz asked, biting her lower lip.

Almost everyone nodded, others were a little too stunned to do anything. The dancing shadows came back, but less.

"Can I throw the flash bomb now?" Liz asked, twirling the kunai in her fingers.

I nodded, "Please do. Let's see how many run away this time."

Liz took aim for a thick tree trunk and threw the kunai hard. The kunai embedded itself into the tree with an audible thunk. Two seconds later, a blinding boom occurred. Some people covered their eyes but Liz and I squinted through the light to see only two or three Velociraptors escape into the gloom.

"That was only half the group," I analyzed.

"There has to be more than that, they're group hunters, they don't usually just ditch," Liz took another step forward to try and get a closer look.

While everyone was focused on the treeline in front of them, we forgot to guard the rest of the camp.

Sakura screamed, "It's one of them!"

I spun around and whipped out my blade, pointing it at the intruder. A Velociraptor bounced up and down on its heels, cocking its tiny little head at us. Seeing the dinosaur up close was a different experience. Its size and shape made it almost comical-looking if not for its sharp teeth and claws. Its eyes bulged on either side of its elongated skull. A few soft feathers sprouted from the underside of its skeletal arms.

"Squawk!" it opened its toothy jaws wide and bristled the few feathers it had.

Now everyone was focused on this curious Velociraptor and its two buddies that weren't far behind him, watching our camp warily. Sakura screamed again and fell face-forward to the ground, then I realized she was being dragged backwards, towards the forest.

Four Velociraptors were dragging Sakura by the feet back towards their leafy sanctuary, "Help!" Sakura sobbed.

I bounded after them, my blade gleaming in the light of early morning, "Let go!" I shrieked at the dinosaurs.

They didn't look too scared of my swinging blade and continued to drag Sakura away.

I have no choice, I slashed a ribbon of red across the long throat of one of the Velociraptors.

It released a gurgled squawk and keeled over, still bleeding and twitching. I slashed the air in front of me, splattering the other three Velociraptors with their comrade's blood. They dropped Sakura and scampered away into the forest. I helped Sakura stand up and put her arm around my neck. Her legs were covered with scratches and bruises where she had been dragged over some rocks.

"Is it bad?" I asked her as I got her onto my back.

"It's okay," she sniffed, I could tell she was a bit shaken.