Someplace Safe

Transportation

Red sniffed the four corners of his crate. He couldn't pick up on anything from the outside yet. Huffing, he turned his gaze to the small slot on the door.

"Alright, boys. Let's get these things loaded!" the delivery man said. Red watched as his siblings' crates were put on the truck first, then growled as the men placed him beside them.

Hey! Can you hear me, Red? Tiger called from the crate beside his.

The Atrociraptor snorted. Loud and clear, bro... he hissed in annoyance.

Ghost chirped, I hate it when she puts us in here. It makes me sick when the truck starts moving...

Panthera snarled, Me, too.

It'll be over soon, Red reassured his sisters. And then we'll get treats. She always gives us treats afterwards.

The other raptors seemed content with this. The lady in white always took care of them, even if they didn't like living in these crates most of the time.

It wasn't always like this. A few years ago, when they were rather young Atrociraptors, they had their own enclosure. It wasn't very roomy, but it was certainly way more spacious than the transportation boxes.

The lady was their Alpha. Red and Ghost both knew damn well she was a human, but she was there for them when they first emerged from their eggs. Early on, she began training them with a laser pointer. Whatever the red dot landed on, they were supposed to attack. And ultimately, they were rewarded with the best choice cuts of meat. Red licked his jaws.

Nowadays, the lady in white didn't visit them as much as she used to. She always seemed busy with other things. In a way, Red felt abandoned. He always thought Alphas were supposed to nurture and defend their pack. Ghost, the pack's beta, offered the kind of reassurance and comfort that the lady lacked. Despite putting on a tough front all the time, Ghost had proven herself to be a very loving sister.

Red was the third in command, followed by Panthera and then Tiger. He didn't like his position very much, but hey. At least he had some worth to him.

The truck sped along. Panthera groaned from her cage.

Sighing, Red lay down and curled his tail around his body. He knew that the lady in white gave them treats and trained them and stuff. But...sometimes he just couldn't help but wonder.

Wonder what it would've be like to just...run. Run free through a field of grass. Throughout his adolescent years, Red would look outside his enclosure, his eyes scanning the wide open city of Malta. And he'd dream. He never told any of his siblings this, because he always thought they'd laugh at him.

As far as they were concerned, they had everything they needed if the lady in white kept them well fed and safe.

Are we there yet? Tiger whined, his sickle claw tapping against the bottom of his cage. I'm getting hungry.

Ghost replied, I'm getting hungry too, Tiger. But we must be patient. Shouldn't be too long now.

Red got up and did a little circle before laying down again. Closing his eyes, he fell into a deep sleep...and he dreamed.

He dreamed about being in an endless grassland, every direction around him open before him. Laughing, the Atrociraptor ran. He ran as hard and fast as he could. Even though it was a dream, he felt so alive. The wind on his face, the fresh air, the warm sun beating pleasantly against his body.

His siblings ran up beside him, leaping gracefully into the air and laughing too. Flowers grew all around them. A river ran alongside them. A forest came into view. They ran among the trees, still laughing and jumping over logs. Red smiled, his heart so full of joy.

Suddenly, a jarring, high-pitched sound startled Red out of his sleep. The truck driver had slammed on his brakes, and the transport boxes started to slide.

Help! Panthera screamed as she struck the side of her cage. I'm falling!

Ghost cried out as she bumped her head into her door. Ow!

Tiger barked, What's going on? Stop it!

Terrified, Red tried to take a peek through the slot. With a jolt, the world spun and twirled as the Atrociraptors went falling out of the truck. Their cages slammed into the concrete below.