Chapter 23: Carnotaurus: Something… Something’s Not Right

Carnotaurus One returned to his territory with his kill. To be precise, he was at the edge of his domain, right where the territories of the two Carnotaurus overlapped. Although he was nearly full, that didn’t stop him from wanting to show off in front of his own kind.

Predictably, Carnotaurus Two was drawn in, though she was lured by the scent of blood. She hadn’t managed to secure a proper kill herself, or at least, nothing that could actually fill her belly. A Parasaurolophus hatchling that had wandered away from its parents was hardly enough to satisfy her appetite.

While Carnotaurus One kept his head buried in the parasaurs’s carcass, he remained hyper-aware of his surroundings. The moment he confirmed Carnotaurus Two was watching, he snapped his head up and let out a haughty, high-pitched roar. He was broadcasting his triumph and status, proving not only that his hunt was successful but that he had repelled other predators. His goal was simple: flaunt his strength and command respect from his peer.

However, Carnotaurus Two, currently stuck in that irritable state of being neither starving nor full, wasn’t buying it. Since he clearly wasn't interested in sharing, she saw no point in listening to his posturing. She needed to head out again to find more food. After all, if Carnotaurus One had claimed a higher niche in the local ecosystem, then as his neighbor, she could surely benefit from the leftovers.

Specifically, she intended to scavenge, or steal.

Seeing Carnotaurus Two leave, Carnotaurus One’s grand display of dominance came to an abrupt halt.

Wait, where are you going? You’re not even interested in this kill?!

He had actually intended to invite her to share the meal once he was done asserting his status. After all, she was not only a neighbor of the same species but a female; gaining her favor was a long-term investment. Little did he know that his behavior was exactly like an awkward bachelor, unable to look away from a female, failing to read the room, and being hopelessly "try-hard" despite his lack of social skills.

Carnotaurus Two left her territory and followed the riverbank. She didn't bother hiding her presence; she was on a blatant mission to claim a meal.

About half an hour later, she spotted a two-meter-tall figure hunched over, eating something. Its head was obscured, so she couldn't quite identify it.

"ROAAR—"

She didn't opt for an ambush. Instead, she let out a direct challenge, attempting to intimidate the creature and drive it away.

At the sound of the roar, Carlo looked up. A Compsognathus dangled from his jaws. He hadn't actually intended to hunt such small fry, but he'd spotted it and figured it would make a decent snack. Though he had detected Compsognathus Two's scent long ago, he hadn't expected a tiny snack to attract the neighboring Carnotaurus.

Wait, he’d seen the bull hunt successfully earlier this morning. This scent is different... a second one? Carlo calculated his odds silently as he sized her up.

Carnotaurus Two was equally surprised. Once Carlo stood at his full height, he reached over three meters. While she was still slightly larger, his sheer bulk was enough to make her cautious. But then, she saw the "Compy" hanging from his mouth, and her aggression turned to bewilderment.

Are you serious, dude? You’re eating THAT?

Carnotaurus Two instantly lost interest in the fight.

"ROAR!"

But Carlo wasn't letting her off that easily. He swallowed the Compy whole and bellowed back. He was issuing a formal challenge for a duel.

"ROAR!"

Carnotaurus Two squared her shoulders and roared in return. She was confused; hadn't this creature been defeated by Carnotaurus One earlier? Why was he so energetic? There were no visible wounds, and his roar was even more powerful than her own.

But very quickly, she froze.

She felt the ground begin to tremble. The source was coming from directly behind the three-meter-tall youngster. Two dinosaurs, significantly larger than herself, emerged from the dense foliage. Their rows of serrated teeth left no doubt about their lethality.

"ROAAAAR—"

"ROAAAAR—"

Two roars shook the air simultaneously. Mom and Dad had rushed over the moment they heard Carnotaurus Two’s initial challenge. The two Giganotosaurus took positions to the left and right of Carlo, shielding him between them.

This… this isn’t right.

Carnotaurus Two watched this scene unfold, her legs instinctively backing her up.

Damn you, Number One! You never said there were things like THIS out here!

Carlo felt a twinge of regret. Mom and Dad had arrived too fast. He had really wanted to test his mettle against a carnivore of similar size. But seeing the Carnotaurus’s skin rapidly shifting colors in a display of pure terror, he figured she was about to bolt.

Sure enough, after cycling through several patterns to find the best camouflage, Carno-2 spun around and vanished into the treeline.

Mom and Dad watched the shifting colors of the creature’s skin with slight curiosity. They remained on high alert until they were certain she was gone.

"Rrr-gh..."

Mom let out a low rumble at Carlo, a clear warning: Stop wandering out of the nesting grounds alone. It’s dangerous.

Carlo let out a submissive chuff in response. He knew his place; he was still a juvenile, and talking back to Mom was never a winning move.

…

Carnotaurus Two returned to her territory in a state of disarray. Carnotaurus One was still there, waiting for her.

This time, Carnotaurus One had wised up. He let out a loud, inviting call to share the prey before continuing his "tough guy" display. Exasperated but hungry, Carnotaurus Two had no choice but to walk over and accept the meal.

Standing over the Parasaurolophus carcass, she hesitated for a moment, then looked up and gave a short, acknowledging huff of praise before expressing her confusion.

You defeated another predator?

Satisfied with the praise, Carnotaurus One responded haughtily.

Yes. The wretch tried to steal my kill, but he failed.

Carnotaurus Two found this hard to believe. Suspecting that the "predator" he fought wasn't the giants she had just encountered, she posed a soul-searching question:

Something... bigger than us?

At that, Carnotaurus One’s bravado completely deflated. He scanned his surroundings nervously and hissed a low question.

There are predators bigger than us here?

He had been advertising his status quite loudly. If he had attracted the attention of something truly massive, he was in for a thrashing.

Carnotaurus Two saw his terrified expression and knew he hadn't even seen them. She didn't bother replying, lowering her head to tear into the meat. It wasn't exactly fresh anymore, but she knew better than to be picky. No dinosaur turns down a free meal.

…

Carlo lay by the lake, watching fish leap from the water only to splash back down and jump again. Since Mom wouldn't let him out, he was stuck people-watching, or rather, fish-watching.

As the sun dipped into the lake and the forest settled into a deep silence, Carlo’s tail thumped rhythmically against the ground, enjoying the tranquility.

Behind him, tucked within a subtle mound of earth, a camera lens opened like an eye, recording the entire scene.