The Island

(Chapter 21) The Raptors (Revised)

Janette has me sit down before she begins, "Alright, Buddy, my husband is rough sometimes, but he cares about the pack. Father, the leader, he is very kind and is very wise, don't take his advice lightly. Kid, a bit childish, but has a great personality once you get to know him. He doesn't take things seriously, though. Pear, he is Kid's brother, he is the total opposite, he is very... reserved, takes things too seriously, paranoid all the time, thinks raptors are out to get him. Cue is the youngest out of all of us, very loyal raptor, and speaks very little, shy at times. Kate, she is wife to Vatam, they are the parents of Kid and Pear. They are very nice but are very protective of their relationship, so be careful. Fletcher is our newest member. He came to us when Rex kicked him out because he was an idiot. Rex wasn't wrong when he said he was an idiot, but we treat Fletcher with kindness. Zaptfy is a good friend of Buddy, and like Buddy has a short temper, don't do anything to annoy them. Yara is my good friend. She can get violent sometimes but is an excellent listener, so if you're having trouble with something, she would be the best raptor to talk to. Evez is my brother, he likes to go on runs, he'll be away from the pack until it gets dark, he knows the island better than anyone. Quir is the guy you go to when you're sick or injured, he has been studying the fruit and is very knowledgeable when it comes to healing. Buesiqe is a little crazy, he says he hears voices that aren't there, stay away from him, and refrain from the word crazy, he gets offended. Shazer is Buddy's brother, he's charming and has a crush on Parker. Parker is one of the smallest raptors here, but she is very dangerous, one of the few raptors who has fought Rex and lived to tell. Fish is the only one of us who has learned to swim, his name was Gax, but renamed to Fish, his wife is hugely protective of him, so try to keep your conversations with him, brief, or Halie will kill you. Halie is super crazy when it comes to Fish. She bit Quir when he was trying to help Fish with a cut he got on one of our hunts. She also hates the water, she barely drinks at all and hates high places, she won't go near a cliff. Finally, you have Matt, my father. He loves hanging out with Evez so, expect him to be gone most of the time as well."

I nod and bite down on a piece of meat when I clear my mouth, I ask, "So, in your opinion, who would be a good friend for me?"

Janette bites down on the meat I have in my hand and rips off an enormous chunk. She holds it in her mouth, then spits it back out, "That is horrible, and it tastes like wood." She rinses her mouth off in the river than says, "I think your best option when looking for someone to call a friend is Kid. He's the furthest from a raptor than you possibly can get. You and he would make good friends."

I smile, "You know if you wanted to try my dinner, you could have just asked."

Janette then covers the piece of meat with mud and says, "I wasn't sure if you were going to let me."

I bite around the edges avoiding where Janette bit, "You caught it, so why would I say no?"

Janette walks over to the fire kicks dirt over it, "Is this how you do it?"

I nod, "Yes, until you stop seeing the color red or orange."

Janette then walks over to me, "Hurry, we need to get back. I promised Buddy I'd go on a run with him."

I smile and burry the rest of the meat, "What is it like being faster than he is?"

She chuckles, "Well, we don't race. Mostly, the run is for us to talk, to communicate with each other, talk about our day."

My hands shiver, and I ask the question that I've wanted to ask, "Why does he hate me so much?"

Janette scratches the side of her head, "Look at it from Buddy's perspective. All his life, he has heard one thing about humans, "Dangerous." Buddy finds himself as the protector of the pack alongside Father. Not only did humans kill his parents, but they've also been a plague for as long as Father has been alive."

My mind clears a little, and I ask my final question, "What do you suggest? How do I let Buddy see the real me?"

Janette rounds her head and shakes her tail, "Buddy is a very kind raptor, give him time and watch his back, even if he doesn't watch yours... prove to him that you are worthy of his trust."

***

Night falls pretty fast and leaves a dark blueish glow in the sky. It's just before the stars are visible, and the creatures of the night go out for a hunt. A light breeze brushes against the leaves of branches and sends a chill up my spin. Janette seems to be used to the cold air and slight wind chill.

Memories of my mother flood my mind, she tucks me in and kisses my hand, "Have a goodnight, tomorrow your father and I will wake you up, better get up the first time or -." She grabs my stomach and shakes violently, "-we'll have to tickle you awake!" I giggle and spat around, kicking the sheets off. Her hands reach for them and cover my body again, "Goodnight, mijo, my little chicken."

The door closes, and I hear Janette from my left, "David! A storm will be here soon, and we need to get back fast!"

I nod and follow close behind.

The wind has picked up in speed, and leaves brush across my face with violent streaks. I can hear thunder in the distance, and every booming wave gets louder and louder. Janette keeps a slow pace so that I can keep up, "How far are we from the cave?"

Janette stops dead in her tracks and lifts her tail to my chest. A loud and thunderous crack comes from a tree right in front of us. A beam of light blinds me and nocks me to my knees. As I rub my eyes and attempt to clear my ears, I feel Janette's teeth bite down on my arm, launching me to my feet. I grab ahold of her neck as she pulls me in her direction. She helps me climb on her back, and for a split second, I can feel the speed she gains. I hold tightly to her as she darts jumps and dodges falling branches. 

I see Buddy in the distance, crying out, "Janette, hurry!"

My hands grip her neck even tighter, but I'm thrown off before she enters the cave. 

Buddy runs out to get me but slides to a stop as everything brightens up for a split second.

(For those who want to know how to pronounce the names of the raptors.)

Cue             (The letter Q)
Vatam       (Vat-um)
Zaptfy       (Zapt-fee)
Evez           (Ee-v-ez)
Quir           (kyoor)
Buesiqe   (Bue-seek)
Shazer      (Sh-as-er)