The Island

(Chapter 20) The Hunt (Revised)

Buddy sits perched on a huge boulder, listening to the faint whispers of the wind. His frills sway back and forth, his eyes dart across the plain. A few seconds pass, his eyes land on a target — a young dino playing out in the field, away from the protection of the herd. Buddy's feet fly forward, and he sprints across the meadow, as he nears the child the sounds of the adults crying hit my ear. The cries of the parents as they watch in horror at the sight of their baby dying.

Father walks over to me, "We hunt to survive, very soon, you'll need to learn how."

I shiver as Buddy tears out the child's leg from its body.

Janette then runs out to the body and tears off another leg. I can smell the blood from here. The cries of the parents still ring in my ear.

The one they call Kid, the orange raptor runs out and helps Buddy drag the body back over to the group.

The baby still moans in pain, "Can someone please put it out of its misery." I whimper and shiver.

Buddy bites down on its neck and twists far to his left. I then hear a simple snap and cringe at the unpleasant sound.

Father walks over to the body and bites down, ripping flesh from bone. Blood splatters across the floor and down my leg. I shiver, "I need to cook the meat to eat it. Otherwise, I'll get sick."

Buddy rips a massive chunk of meat off the corpse and throws it at my feet, "Then do what you have to do."

I bend down and lift the dripping meat off the floor. With it, I head toward the river bank. The rushing water makes quick work of cleaning the blood and dirt off. I then set it on top of some rocks and begin to create a fire pit.

After the fire dies and my food cooked, everyone heads over to clean themselves. Blood still drips from their snouts.

All eyes are on me as I take my first bite.

Tastes like a bland mixture of chicken and steak. Like someone sucked all the juice out and cooked it as is. Despite this disappointing lack of flavor, I don't complain. It's the best meal I've had for a long time now.

Father walks over to the fire and sits next to me, "So, how is it?"

I wipe away the grease from my lips, "Better than starving."

Father nods, "Yes, much better than starving."

Buddy walks over bows and tells Father that he would like to go for a run.

After some thought, Father agrees and says, "Take the human with you."

Buddy snarls, "Alright, David, you better keep up."

I groan, "Can I keep up? That's the question."

Buddy groans, "Want me to bite you again?"

Father snarls and walks between us, "If one of you hurts the other, you will have me to answer to. Did both of you understand me?"

I sarcastically scoff and say, "Fine."

Father turns to Buddy, "He may not be a member of the pack, but he is a valuable ally, treat him as such."

Buddy lowers his head, "Yes, sir."

Janette walks over and growls, "Kid got his head stuck in the tree again."

Father inhales and calmly exhales, "I remember telling him to leave that skimpy little animal that lives in the tree alone."

Janette shakes her head, "Well, you better hurry, Kid says that it's biting him."

Buddy chuckles, "If we're lucky it will kill him. I'm really getting tired of Kid." All eyes fall on Buddy, "Don't act like you haven't thought of a world without that little annoyance."

I laugh, "Buddy, isn't he apart of the family? Don't you think you're a little too, you know, much?"

Buddy shakes his head, "I do what is necessary for the safety and protection of this pack. Kid, well, acts like a child."

I nod, "Despite that, don't you think you're a bit too harsh on him?"

Buddy shakes his head and turns to Janette, "I blame Kate, she's been too soft with him, even when he was a child, that is why he turned out like that."

I turn to my left to find Father desperately trying to get Kid's head out of the tree, "Well, its none of my business how you conduct your affears, you'll be Alpha one day. It will be your choice whether or not to keep Kid around."

Buddy snarls, "Who told you that I was going to be Alpha?"

I smile, "Lucky guess?"

Janette shakes her head, "I told him."

Buddy scratches the side of his neck, "Why?"

Janette rubs her body against Buddy's, "He wanted to know, so I told him. He might as well, and I don't want him asking later."

Buddy's eyes close in frustration, "You know how I feel about him, now your sharing information?"

Janette bites at his neck and quickly pulls away, "Look, I can say what I want. Just because you've decided to hate the human, doesn't mean I have to."

I interject, "I thought you were going to give me a chance?"

A voice comes from behind me, "Don't feel betrayed little one, Buddy has a way of expressing, love that seems like a huge fuck you." Kid walks into view, "He's told me he'd give me a chance. Apparently, when he agreed to give me that second chance, I failed." He then walks forward and stares up at Buddy, "Then I realized, he's not my dad, no reason to impress him. Buddy is just old and bitter."

Buddy roars, "We are the same age!"

Kid snarls back, "I don't care!"

I step in between both of them and extend my hands out, "Please, stop!" I sigh and continue, "Look. Apparently, we've established that Buddy doesn't like anyone let's move on."

Janette chuckles, "Yes, the only person he likes is his mother, and his wife is tolerable."

I laugh, "You have a wife, who would be dumb enough to love..."

Janette sighs, "Don't worry, I still love you, Buddy."

Buddy shakes his head, "That's not true, my mother is tolerable, and I like you."

Kid bows, "Oh, forgive us, we got our stories mixed."

Buddy wacks Kid with his tail, "I was joking idiot, you should know what a joke is." He then turns to Janette, "In all seriousness, I love you."

Janette chuckles, "I know, we wouldn't be married otherwise, unless we were forced to do so."

I shake my head, "Wait, Janette, you're Buddy's wife?"

Janette nods, "Yes."

I shrug my shoulders, "Oh, okay."

Buddy looks up at the sky and snarls, "Come on, let's get a move on human. I want to be back before it gets late."

I step forward, "My name is David." I raise my hand toward Buddy and say, "Nice to meet you."

Buddy stares down at my hand, "What are you doing?"

I quickly put my hand in my pocket, "Sorry, it's just, that I have a name too, David."

Buddy rubs his face against Janette's and runs off, "Come on, you better keep up... David."

I smile and say to Janette as I pass her, "I think he likes me."