by Hopeflower » Wed Nov 23, 2011 3:02 am
Steeltalon crouched on her branch, watching the confrontation play out. it didn't look like fatalis needed her help, but her leg muscles were tensed to spring and her killing claws were at the ready. Her eyes narrowed to glittering crimson slits. Her foreclaws made only the softest rasp on the bark as she leaned forward to get a better view of things. She didn't recognize the raptors as being from Riptide's pack, but her deeply engraved instincts to avoid any and all raptor packs made the big scar on her flank twinge with phantom pain. Her distrust was probably what had kept her alive this long....
"That was OUR kill!" a sub-adult male snarled when the pack waw out of earshot of the spinosaurs, running forward to cut Xanthe off. The alpha male grunted, but didn't put down his mouthful of flesh to respond. "How could you just let them take it like that, Xanthe?!" One or two other sub adults shifted uneasily, as if they agreed with what was being said, but didn't dare add their voices to the outcry. "You're our alpha!" the younger male persisted. "You're not supposed to run away, like a coward!" At that, one of the adults muttered, "Now he's done it...." Xanthe turned to face the younger male, uttering a low growl as he took a step forward. The meat fell from his jaws as Xanthe bared bloodied teeth. In that moment, the young male realized he'd crossed a line and backed off a few paces, eyes wide. "Coward...?" Xanthe snarled. "You call me a coward. Are you so confident as to challenge my leadership, young one?" Golden eyes narrowed as the sub-adult stammered, trying to form a reply. Without waiting for the youngster to finish, he went on, "Only a foolish leader leads his pack into a battle they stand no chance of winning. Would you have me lead you all to your deaths? We have hatchlings to think about, or had you forgotten?" Turning away, he picked up the sauropod meat again and resumed walking. The other sub-adults filed past the half-terrorized young male, not looking at him, ashamed though it hadn't been them being rebuked.
"Gotta have a little sadness once in a while so you know when the good times come."
"Talent is a pursued interest. In other words, anything that you're willing to practice, you can do." ~ Bob Ross
"The future is always uncertain and painful but it must be lived." ~ Unknown