It's morning and we find a mother velociraptor getting ready for a new day.   Yawn.  The sun wasn't even up and it was already muggy.  Rubbing the impurities out of her eyes, Vaireed check the morning air for any signs of possible prey.  Nothing, nothing at all. I hope there's still some carrion left since yesterday, she thought.

   Vaireed was a young velociraptor, a young mother velociraptor.  She had no pack; all she had was her son Sotoko.  She eyed the little creature snuggled up to her still sleeping away.  Not knowing how much his mother had endured to keep him well fed.

Vaireed nudge her son passionately. "Sotoko," she called gently.
"Sotoko, it's time to get up son."
"Now, mom," Sotoko said still asleep.
"Yes, now."

Sotoko got up and stretch his joints as far as the ligaments would let them go.
  "Why do we have to get up so early?," Sotoko whined.
"To eat, if there is anything left."

Vaireed allowed Sotoko to climb onto her back.  Once Sotoko secured himself, Vaireed ran off to their feeding site.
When they arrived, there was enough meat to feed both of them.  Vaireed breathed a sigh of relief.  She kneeled down to let Sotoko of her back. Sotoko rushed over to the saurapod carcass and started devour the intestines. The sun dried out the liquids making it hard to chew for the raptor.
  Vaireed joined her son in the feast.  If the meat still had any flavor left, they wouldn't need to savor it knowing the decaying carcass would attract other carnivores. 

It wasn't long before she looked up and saw other raptors approaching the saurapod carcass, three fully grown males.  Aware of the imminent danger, Vaireed rushed over to her son who was still trying to chew through the saurapod intestines.  She picked him up with her lips and prepared to run off to safety, when she was confronted by one of the male raptors.  The male slowly advanced towards her, making Vaireed back up.

"What do we have here?,"  the male in front said.
"Looks like we have a trespasser on our territory," another male said.
"I see a mother feeding her son carrion, at least when I was young I fought my way for fresh food," the third male said.
"Can it, Vorvay", the male in front of Vaireed who she expected to be the alpha said.

Vaireed put Sotoko down keeping an eye on the male in font of her.
"I'm sorry if we're trespassing on your 'territory' but there were no markings," elaborated Vaireed.
"There are markings, were the markings, we outnumber you and I strongly suggest you leave. Now!"

  Vaireed took the suggestion seriously.  She quickly picked Sotoko up in her lips and ran off.  She ran as far as the male continued to say "farther, farther!" When she was out of his array of sight, he lashed out at the other males who already started eating.  He immediately snagged all the good meat to himself. 

Copyright © 2003 by Andrew Benetic