Welcome to Isla Sorna: Be the Raptor Quest

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Three: Part Four
OddFather's Hunt

SoundTrack: Remember from the Lion King
​

OddFather…You want to know more about OddFather and Mother Mammal. You know so little about them. At least with Mother Mammal you have a fairly good head picture of. Mother was not so good at describing what OddFather looked like. All you know was that he was an Odd, which is something you still cannot quite picture. Odds are supposed to look something like a tree-dweller mammal but with the texture and furlessness of a small Mammal's tail. You know that their skins come in four colours, the darker browns of mud, the blacks of talons and claws, the lighter brown of sand, and apparently the whites of clouds. You could believe most of that, but white as a cloud? Nothing is that white, it would stand out way too much. At least with the greys and silvers of your kind they could easily blend into the times of dusk and dawn.

Mother described Odd-Father as a male, which in Odds apparently means a flat, muscular body and snout fur. Females have bubbles of flesh on their chest and longer head fur, or so Mother claims. Oh, and all Odds have a secondary skin that can be any colour of the rainbow and they change the second skin as they wished. You are not convinced at all, because it sounds like something from a not-flesh (mushroom) dream. Still, if Mother, Father, and the rest of the pack believe that something like this raised them then something must have being going on. Precise-Claws (raptors) do not just come from nowhere after all.

Shaking yourself from thinking about the oddities of the Odd, you quietly chirp to Slack Jaw that you want to hear about OddFather. She huffs through her nostrils for a moment, before asking what you want to hear about him. You ponder for a moment about what you want to hear. Slack Jaw's sudden near-silent huffing startles you as she begins your her storytelling. You feel a moment of loss at having the choice of topic taken from you, but let it go. You had no idea what you were going to ask for anyway, so it is not much of a loss.

Slack Jaw chitters to you softly, "OddFather was a great parent, caring and stern as needed. He tore and shared the meat of his kills when we sisters were still hatchlings, even though we were not of his young or of his kind. He taught us how to play and how to withhold ourselves so that we would not hurt one another in play. He would watch my sisters and I chase Mother Mammal in fun and play our games. He was stern and wise, chastising us when blood was unnecessarily spilled. Even in the times when we grew large enough to do him serious harm should we have wished it, he never stood down or feared us. Though our talons, fangs, and claws might have nicked him, he made sure to engage in play. He was the best fighter out of the pack, able to wrestle us to the ground and pin us in submission even when the pack worked together. Looking back on those shining times, he was a much better parent to us, then any of our pack, our family, has been able to be." Slack Jaw pauses in thought, ignoring your polite nibble of reassurance that she is a good parent.

"OddFather's most dominating trait was his self-assurance. He strode everywhere like the Two-Claws (Rexes) and Long-Jaws (Baryonx) do, fearless and proud of his might and power. He was an Alpha like no other I have seen since. Strong Jaw of the BigRock pack is the closest I have seen to having the same stride that OddFather had," she stops for a moment and collects herself, "and even that does not compare. Strong Jaw, he is strong and fierce but his stride, like every other smart Precise-Claw, holds that knowledge that there are things in our lands that have the capability to finish our lives like we finish the lives of a small Mammal. OddFather was his own Alpha and he was not scared of anything like that. Mother Mammal had a similar gait, but only when she was nearby OddFather. His walking stride seeming to be an infectious thing for her. Sometimes I wonder if we had that same stride when we were if him…" Slack Jaw stops in her chittering and reflects for a moment.

You take the moment of silence to ask Slack Jaw something that you have wanted to ask Mother for a while now. "What is your favoured story of OddFather?" Her eyes light up for a moment, like they have caught a stray beam of light from the Moon, as Slack Jaw goes on to tell you of this precious time. "My favoured story," she begins, "is of the time that he taught us to hunt. He and Mother Mammal showed us the strategy they used and we have used since. OddFather had several other Sniffing Mammals (dogs) come with him for the hunt, though Mother Mammal was the alpha of their pack. We did not see her pack often, but sometimes OddFather would bring them to play when we were younger. The first thing we watched them hunt was a Tusk-Mammal (boar). Tusk-Mammals are moderately sized, about the same size of a Frill-Beak (protoceratops) and just as nastily tempered. Their tusks can pierce our scales like few other mammals can and…"

She stops for a moment and looks toward our slumbering family. Keeping one eye on them and another on sentry duty, she hisses as silently as she can, "I have seen them eat the eggs and young of a Two-Claw nest. I stumbled across the Tusk-Mammal alone while wandering the territory and followed it out of curiosity. It went straight through a marked Two-Crest sleeping den and I stalked along after it because I was too foolish to realize where it was going. I was too focused on the potential prey and did not keep an awareness of where I was. I only realized the dangers too late, having followed the prey right into a Two-Claw's nest site that was several slopes away from the Two-Crest's (real life dilos) sleeping den. I stuck to the outside boundary of the clearing they nested in at the time. I kept an eye on the Tusked-Mammal though because I was too curious for my own good. I watched it amble right up to the dirt mound the Two-Claws hid their eggs inside and start to root into it. When the stupid mammal started to crunch into the eggs inside, I ran for the clearing the pack nested in at the time. The pack heard the roar of fury the mother made just as I arrived back," her chuffs bring a light feeling in your chest. None of the Grown seem to chuff all that often and you think it is a shame. It is such a nice sound to hear, one of happiness and good times.

"Oh, right, where was I?" Slack Jaw asks you, finally remembers that she was already telling a story before going off into a smaller second one. "You were describing the Tusk-Mammal," you softly caw to her. "Right, of course. As I was chittering before, Tusk-Mammals are awful mammals and quite dangerous for other mammals to take on alone. OddFather had Mother Mammal and her pack sniffed out the prey, and they tracked it far from the den we were nesting in at the time. He had my sisters and I follow from a distance, not seeking to have one of us hurt the first time we watched him hunt. We were about your size, if I remember right. Not yet aged enough to properly partake in the hunt, but almost aged enough to begin to watch and learn how to hunt. When they found the Tusk-Mammal they were stalking, a sharp toothed thing with matted brown fur that had shoulders that would have reached my knees," she stops and takes a moment to lick her fangs. You have to admit, the mammal does sound particularly tasty right now. "OddFather had Mother Mammal and a few of her best fighters tackle the beast. They did so, aptly dodging the swiping tusks and striking of hard-feet that came soon after. The squeals, baying, and other battle cries we heard as we watched from the branches overhead sounded more like the challenging calls of a rival pack than any other sounds I have heard from mammals," she pauses, letting the ambiance of the surrounding forest take affect.

"Just as it looked like Mother Mammal was going to getting wounded by the tusks of the prey, she had been attempting for a neck hold I think, OddFather lunged onto the prey's back to pin it with his weight. This set the thing into a fury, before OddFather silenced it with his Not-Claw. It was astounding, but then I like to think every hunt that is a youngling's first is astounding," Slack Jaw trills before you both startle at the sound of a branch breaking. Slack Jaw puts her snout to the wind and checks for a scent, attempting to identify the potential threat before it arrives. Her eyes enlarge as she realizes just what the branch-breaker is. She loudly caws out a ready-alarm, awaking everyone and setting Scar-Snout and Blue Gray Sister into a quick running/fighting posture. "Incoming Thorn-Hand (Iguanadon)!" Slack Jaw bugles, before being cut off by the thundering cry of the Thorn-Hand.

What do you do? Pick ONE Action
[X] Run for the safety of the tree roots!
[X] Head for the safety of the tree branches!
[X] Ask Slack Jaw what to do.
[X] Head for Scar-Snout and Blue Gray Sister.
[X] Panic!
[X] Write-In (Less then forty words)

QM: Sorry I took so long with this. I got pestered by several projects in school and a small case of writer's block. I worked on this while I could, but stopped cause MidTerms arrived sooner this year then they did last year. I finally beat the writer's block though and editted several parts of this part to fit in the idea. Apparently midterms can come up anytime in October now, not just the end of the month... What is up with that?!

Anyways, hope that you guys enjoy. I will put up a InGen File tomorrow in apology for not getting the timing behind the finishing date for this part right. Oh, and if you don't recognize any of the terms used here just look them up in the terminology spoiler in the Index of Indexes. If I have missed any, just let me know and I will fix it up some more.

Deadline for Votes: October 23rd, 2015 at 8:00pm (EST).

 

[AnimalKrazed]

InGen File: Argentavis
​

Codenamed AF.04: Specimens of AF.04 is one of several proof concepts for the process of de-extinction of egg-laying species laid bare for the investors and the world to observe. It is the most recognizable of the proof concepts, being the most attractive of them, and the one to see the most benefit for the company, profit-wise. Given the codename, Project CrownSky, by the group of scientists involved in it's recreation it is also more commonly by nicknames such as Thunderbird, Roc, and Argentavis, it also has a more joking name among InGen employees as the 'Biosyn Bird.' This is due to AF.04's scavenger inclinations. They are one of the few specimens on [REDACTED] to not have the lysine dependency gene. Their existence was a much debated subject and was only passed due outside pressures on the company.

AF.04 was recreated from genetic material found amongst Late Miocene/Early Oligocene artifacts found in the remote areas of Argentina. Scientists involved in the resurrection of Specimen AF.04 include [REDACTED INFO]. While most of the genetic material of Argentavis was surprising intact, there were gaps in the code that needed to be filled in. Chief Geneticist Norman Atherton, retired at the time of this report's creation, was among those that worked on this specimen's genetic code and provided vital suggestions how to best manipulate the resulting creature's genetic code in such a way as to naturally cause the resulting species to prefer a lack of contact with humans.

This specimen is a primary scavenger of [REDACTED] and provides the island with a much needed indicator of carrion locations, for the carnivorous inhabitants. This is due to [REDACTED] lack of native carnivous species. While an oddity in nature, spaces such as this do exist on isolated islands. AF.04 specimens will hunt on when they desire to, usually going after the mammalian inhabitants of the island or DF.05 specimens when they do. Some handlers speculate they could go after larger prey items, but there is no evidence of this at this time. Their normal diet is primarily made up of carrion which they locate with a sense of smell comparable to that of the turkey vulture. At any one carrion site, there can be ten to thirty of the AF.04 specimens circling and awaiting a turn on the carcass.

When hunting, AF.04 specimens have been noted to hunt small to mid-sized land animals that venture out onto the open plains of [REDACTED]. Captured prey of AF.04 are normally killed upon striking impact, then swallowed whole when possible. If the prey is too large to swallow whole, AF.04 specimens then use their hooked beaks and talons to shred the prey to pieces for easier consumption.

Due to the 'need' for a self-sustained population on [REDACTED] both male and female specimens have been produced and introduced. Nesting sites have been sited amongst the mountainous terrains of [REDACTED] in places unable to be reached by humans without climbing gear or helicopters. At last count, there are seventy-some surviving AF.04 specimens living wild on [REDACTED] and nine specially created ones for InGen falconers.

Nine AF.04 specimens have been trained by falconers hired by InGen to circle at height to attract carnivorous specimens to lysine feed sites and for medical upkeep. While seven remain on [REDACTED] at all times, two specimens and their falconers are hired out at times at promotional events for InGen. Beyond the specimens on [REDACTED], some specimens have been created, raised, and given to handlers in the South American continent.

AF.04 specimens are the largest flying avian animals able to take flight in the modern day. Standing at two meters tall, with a seven foot wing span, they possess an intimidating physique that is only matched by the larger specimens on [REDACTED]. This is doubly true when they perch on their handlers, with one talons foot on each shoulder. All AF.04 specimens possess a pitch black coloration on that ranges from the nape of their head, down the back and flanks, to their tail feathers. The primaries of the wings are white with secondaries and tertiaries matching colouration on the backs of the animal. The legs of the animal expose the stone grey skin from the talons to the knee, with the feathers from the knee up matching the black plumage of the bird's flank.

What seperated AF.04 Specimens from other, more common vultures is the brilliance of their crown and facial regions. All specimens are noted to possess a crest of purple-black feathers that they can raise and lower depending on mood, though males have slightly longer crest feathers than females. It has also been noted that, as is the case in most raptorian species, the females are larger than the males. The bright red of the AF.04 Specimen's throat, chin, and foreface is noted to help keep the body easier to clean and contrasts against the lighter greys of the chest and breast. The eyes of the specimens range from A mellow white to a dark grey in colouration. The bill or beak of the bird is an ivory white.

Part of the deal that let InGen purchase the Five Deaths island chain involved creating twenty of the AF.04 specimens for handlers in South America as well over a hundred Andean Condors to be created and raised before being released to balance the population in the western parts of South America. The former part of the deal is believed to be part of a tourism project formulated by the government. It is speculated the latter component of the deal was to try and sooth the worries of environmentalists who worried about the effect of environmental loss on the species. Currently, several zoos from around the world are in the process of purchasing specimens of AF.04 for display purposes and deals are being made in exchange for large sums of money and advertisement of Project [REDACTED].

QM Note: Here is the promised InGen file. What do you guys think, is this too much. I know that Argentavis isn't mentioned in Jurassic Park at all, but I kind of figured that some testing had to be done on how to recreate extinct species and I figured why not the most impressive egg laying animal they could think of. Afterall, this is the same company that remade T Rex, so why not this guy too. If you think this pushes things too much, I can edit it out and replace it something else. I don't mind too much. Should I stick with only what is shown in Jurassic Park canon or do you guys want me to add some other creatures not seen in the Jurassic Park canon in here? I ask because it is a lot easier for me to add stuff then to try and work with only what is known.

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Three: Part Five
Dynamic Iguanadon Entry!

Soundtrack: Disney's Dinosaur 'Across the Desert'
​

The ground seems to shake under foot as the mid-sized giant erupts from the undergrowth on your side of the clearing. Shaking a crest-less head, air hissing from nostrils perched just before the beginning of the beast's short beak, the large prey takes in the situation it has just wandered into. Taking advantage of the apparent confusion and stupidity of the larger animal, you rush for the closest trees, ignoring the bugling and baying of the Grown as they attempt to buy time for your siblings to get to whatever safety they can by distracting and attacking the intruder.

You huff a breath of relief as you scramble up into the safety of high ground, the coarse feeling of the tree never having felt as good to you as it does now. Getting above the height that you assume the animal can reach, you take in the appearance of the intruder more carefully. It looks a lot like a Bulge-Crest (parasaurolophus) kind-wise, just without the crest on its head. It has a much darker hide than any Bulge-Crest you have ever seen too, almost being the colour of rich mud, with pale stripes of sand colour laying across its back, you have never heard of a Bulge-Crest with those either.

You watch as the beast raises itself onto two hindlegs and swipes a claw, a Bugle-Crests most definitely do not have those, at the closest Grown, Father, who hops back from his position in time to dodge. Most of the beast is still hidden by undergrowth and tall grass, only its front half having left the forest. It leaves you wondering just what the droppings the thing is, you can't remember hearing of anything like this thing before in the stories.

Father, Second Male, and Mother tag-team the beast from the front as best as they can, distracting it from Scar Snout, Second Female, and Scars-Scales who are attempting to flank it. Slack Jaw is occupied trying to watch over your siblings. The prey had come out of the forest closest to the slumbering pack members, and sent Blue-Gray Brother flying some distance with a kick during its entry. He had been startled into sleepily running into it snout-first. The thought of that just makes you wince. Slack Jaw's standing protectively over him, screeching...okay you just learned some new curse words.

Shaking your head to clear out the filth you just heard from the most tenderly of the pack, you take in just how badly hurt your sibling is. It doesn't look too bad from the distance you are at, just some muddied cuts from the rough treatment. He is sure to be cleaned up quick by one of the Grown as soon as this is over you are sure.

Scars-Scales is the first to mount a flank attack on the animal, using Precise-Claws to pierce the thicker hide of the intruder and scores her talons across the hide before her sisters, your aunts, join her. The beast bellows out in pain and charges fully into the clearing, startling everyone enough that it manages to body-check Mother. Father, immediately furious, screams a war-cry and launches himself over the head of the prey, narrowly missing a protective swipe of the spiked forelimbs. He lands, stabilizing himself with a quick jab of the Precise-Claws, and twists himself around to lash out with a forelimb at the prey's neck region.

Scar Snout leaps off, adeptly landing feet first in a ready posture, as the animal attempts to free itself from the pack by slamming itself into the trees around the clearing. The beast is clearly already on its last legs, large chunks of flesh peeled off by claws and jaws and blood seeping from long wounds, subtly surprising you since the stories always told of hunts as long things then what is going on below. You reason out the tracking and chasing of the hunt probably makes them much longer than the dropping of prey into your nest like what is happening now.

Slack Jaw running over to Mother, Blue-Gray Brother in jaw, reminds you of her injuries, so you scamper across the canopy to watch over her as do many of your siblings. You all watch, taking in the absence of blood pooling around her, her blood scent in the air, and any other obvious sign of injury to her body. You caw down to Slack Jaw, though your voice is drowned by the accompanying questions your siblings ask, "Is Mother alright?" Slack Jaw, seemingly understanding the gist of everyone's questions, calls back, "No cuts, no blood wounds. She will be pretty sore come morning, but she will be fine." You and your siblings all sigh breaths of relief as the death-calls of the beast echo through the clearing.

You turn yourself around to watch as Father muffles the crying beast with a Precise-Claw to the neck, the prey having been toppled over on its side at some point in the struggle. Blood spurts out for a few heartbeats but fades to a dribble after that, signifying the death of the intruder. Everyone quickly gathers to the carcass, Father already chomping and clawing away at the hide of the belly to get to the best parts within. Mother slowly makes her way to be beside him and help get at their preferred part of the kill, the inner bit you remember as the first inner bit you ever ate.

What do you Eat? Choose One.
[X] Tongue
[X[ Brain
[X] Muscle and Fats
[X] Stomach
[X] Eyes
OR You could Choose to Write-In an action
[X] Write-In Action

QM Note: I thought the rolls for this round worked out pretty well. Sure, they looked bad without reference to what they were for, but hey it all worked out in the end... No too bad injuries, though both injuried came close to much worse. You guys lucked out there, your crit fails were mostly harmless, sorry I refuse to try and lie, this round.

Due Date: October 29th, 2015 at 6:00pm.

Rolls:
RandomLurker rolled a 15 for Random Event: Hadrei Herds
Smugraptor rolled a 1 for Grown Injured
RandomLurker rolled a 6 for how badly injured.
RandomLurker rolled a 9 for which Sibling is injured and a 6 for how badly.

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Three: Part Six
Iguandnom!

Soundtrack: N/A
​

As you race your siblings down to the forest floor, the Grown of the pack take their positions around the kill. Mother and Father rest together on top of the marred haunch of the corpse, sharing the most choice portions of the kill. Second-Female pops the eyes out of their sockets with a practiced motion of her tongue before swallowing them whole and moving onto her preferred innard meat of the kill. Second-Male went straight for the pink innards nipping and tearing portions off and consuming them, before going back in to grab more.
Thump
The three Grown Sisters each take to tearing away at the muscle and fat at different areas on the kill. Slack Jaw finds a good spot to tear away at on the beast's shoulder, stripping and consuming hide already damaged during the hunt before pulling out muscle hidden underneath. Scar-Snout rips into the jugular of the carcass, making a hole that she keeps making larger with every portion she consumes. Scar-Scales rips into the kill from the area where the beast's tail meets the body, pulling and tearing into the meat and innards that exist there.

It almost startles you, despite constant retellings by the pack Grown, just how quickly the pack consumes the prey. Still, you trot forward amongst your siblings and look for spots to dive into the prey. The majority of your siblings join Second-Male and Second-Female in their consumption of the innards of the chest and midsection, though taking care to avoid getting in their way. One or two are not cautious enough and get warned by a soft growl. Not you though, you want to get at the head innard meat this time. You had heard from the Grown that there is an innard meat inside the head that is really good, but is also really hard to get at. They save that part for when there is time to get to it, if there is time. Not you though, you have a plan to get at that head meat.
Thump
You sidle past Scar-Snout, and start nipping and clawing at the back of the kill's head. You consume what you tear away, and dig deeper and deeper into the carcass. Soon, you reach bone and the gaps of space that allow food and breathe into the body. You attempt to wriggle into the these gaps, but cannot seem to fit your whole body in. You back out, after several failed attempts at entry this way, and think up another quick plan.

You cleanse yourself as best as you can of the coat of gore that built up on your upper body from the failed attempt, and look at the empty eye sockets of the carcass. It's obvious now that it is not big enough for your body to fit through, but you think it might be possible to fit your head inside. You think this might work, and you still want to feed on the head meat. Sure you have filled up a bit on the neck/head hide and meats but you want that head innard meat and it cannot be that far inside from the eyes...right?
Thump
You claw and dig your head into the eye socket, consuming more and more of the bits that you pry free of the kill. You finally manage to dig a big enough space to fit your head in, so you attempt to shove your head into the gory space. You only manage to fit your snout though. You curse inwardly at another failure before evaluating just how full you feel, and judge a third attempt to be not worth the effort. You lick what you can of yourself clean, before climbing onto the carcass to get bathed by Mother or Father after they finish their part of the meal.

It does not take you long to notice that you are among the first of your siblings to finish eating, surprisingly. Some of your siblings, such as Silver Sister and Bright, Dark Gray Sister, squabbling over different parts of the kill soon after getting into the kill, which distracts them. Others, Gray Brother most notably, are just slower eaters than you. Of course among the three already done eating is your rival, Stone Sister, who is currently just lounging in a low hanging branch overhead. The other two who are also done eating are Gray Sister and Light Gray Brother.
Thump
A loud roar echoes across the clearing from the same spot where the Thorn-Hand (Iguanodon) came from making the Grown automatically stop their eating and turn in that direction, before splitting the pack's attention in every direction. Everyone is tense, each of the Grown ready to scoop up the closest of your siblings and get out of the clearing. Stone Sister drops from her lounging spot onto Second-Male, readying herself for whatever happens next.

Motion on the opposite end of the clearing from where the Thorn-Hand entered grabs your eye, before Father plucks you off the kill with his jaws and grabs onto Gray Sister. He is sprinting out of the clearing, and as you look behind him you can see the rest of the pack following him. You can not see Mother, so you assume she is leading with Light Gray Brother and another of your siblings in her grasp. You force yourself to turn your gaze to where the motion you noticed was, and are stunned by the sight of jungle scaled Giants.

Choose an Interlude POV
[X] Mother
[X] Father
[X] Second Male
[X] Slack Jaw
[X] Scar-Snout

QM Note:
Alright so that is the end of the triple crit fail. See, not so bad. We just lost the nesting clearing so we have to relocate the entire pack, but that was probably going to happen anyways with the kill having literally fallen into your laps. I figure that right about now is a good time for an interlude that covers the relocation of the pack. If someone finds a soundtrack that fits this chapter, could you let post here inside a spoiler. I'm kinda having trouble finding one I feel fits. Anyways, hope you enjoy! Happy Belated Halloween!

Deadline is November 6th, 2015 at 7:00pm (EST).

Rolls:
RandomLurker rolled a one for Carnivore Encounter (Mated Pair of Two-Claws with Young)
AnimalKrazed rolled a one for Two-Claw Hatchlings Present

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Three: Interlude Interlude
Second Male POV

Soundtrack: Ominous Wind Instrumental

​

'By the Moon above, why did we not see this coming,' you rave to yourself. 'It was obvious, in foresight* that the Thorn-Hand (Iguanodon) had not just stumbled upon the nesting grounds by accident. The Two Claws (Rexes) had driven it there and used you to finish it off. It was the easy thing to do, it was the smart thing to do. May the Lights above judge me,' you continue to mentally punish yourself, 'find me wanting, and send my bones to The Place of Whispers (Carnotaur Hunting Grounds); the wounds on the prey's hide when it showed itself in the clearing should have given away the plot.'

"Where are we going?" Little Stone Sister chitters quietly, breaking the near silent air. 'Something about the silence does not feel right,' you note before actually comprehending its significance. The soft conversation of the hatchlings, insect song, and the soft rattling of bones and branches above is the only sound around you in the lowering presence of the Moon.

You snap your head back and forth, head aching in pain from both the speed of the motion and from the coming storm you can sense, taking in the Silent Talk going on between your packmates. You take special notice of how they are unaware of the deadly silence. Withdrawing your internal urge to snarl, you hiss, "Stay quiet. We are in danger."

Your adorable little little sister communicates her acknowledgements through the Silent Talk on your back, as does your little sibling, Little Silver Sister, as she is carried in your talons. You charge towards Father and Mother at the front of the pack to inform them of what you now know. 'Father has been too focused on Mother and her injuries if he has not noticed this,' you decide, 'Mother can be forgiven for not noticing given she hurt her head pretty badly in the fight with the prey.'

"First Male," you intone in the Silent Talk, "we are in danger." Father immediately catches onto the seriousness of the situation by your use of his title rather than his relation to you, focusing on you. At any other moment you would have chuffed at how put out Little Pebble Brother looked hanging in Father's mouth**. "We have entered into a Place of Whispers," you signal to him, "we are not safe. The hatchlings are not safe. We need to leave here. Now." Father's pupils shrink in on themselves when he realizes the situation.

Mother, having listened in on your conversation almost shrieks around Little Stone Brother in her maw. Only the danger that the noise would bring and the presence of her hatchling kept her from shrieking at all.

Father turns to address the pack of the situation as you and Mother try to keep watch. "We leave for the clearing on our side of the BigRock Pack boundary," he informs them, "Do not separate, we are in bad grounds. We shall arrive there by noon. Do not run. Do not make a sound. No communication save the Silent Language. If you see movement beyond what the wind makes, avoid it at all costs. Most important of all, remember to stay together. Straying from the pack means death."

You watch your packmates as Father addresses them. It is only at the mention of bad grounds that most of them take a moment to notice the signs. Scar-Snout is the only one who seems to have noticed the signs before Father pointed it out. Second-Female, who you actually expected to have already noticed, honestly seems surprised at them. 'Then again, maybe it isn't so surprising,' you muse to yourself, 'she was not with the hunting party at the time the pack discovered a Place of Whispers and she never believed that such a spiteful, evil place could be.'

As Father finishes, the pack blinks as one to confirm our reception of his instructions. It's unfortunate that your younger siblings do not have enough of a grasp on the Silent Talk to understand everything. Hopefully they have enough of a grasp on it to understand the severity of the situation.

The pack clusters together, acknowledging the danger of this place, even as some of your younger siblings chirp questioningly at the Grown carrying them. Just as everyone you care for is pressing into one another, Little Stone Sister's voice hisses through the bones in the high branches, "I'm here." It startles you, because you can feel Little Stone Sister's weight on your back and the voice is most definitely coming from her. You shake yourself of the chill that runs down your tail. You really, really hate this place. "Help me," your voice, you swiftly rebuke that thought since it is not your voice, bellows in the winds as it chills you to the bone.

Pebble Brother (Main Character) POV
Pick an Option

[X] Ask Father about the bones in the branches.
[X] Ask Father about the voices in the wind.
[X] Stay quiet and ask questions later.
[X] Write-In

QM Note: Meet raptor hell...or at least one version of it. There are a few littered around the island. Don't have a clue what's going on? Good, that's for me to know, and you guys to figure out. Can't hand everything over to you.

I have been researching so much for this quest that I'm pretty proud some of it is coming into use now. Then again, I have posted some of my research around on the site as I learned new information on different topics and such if it fit the thread topic. I guess that means there are clues hidden in various threads, but not much. Just going to say now that the bones in the branches come from an idea sparked by the Butcher Bird. Hope this gets us out of the Slice of Life feeling from the last few chapters.

Last thing before I leave the deadline date, keep in mind that whatever option you pick takes place while your still in the Place of Whispers. Deadline: June 7th 7:00pm (EDT).

Anyways, thanks for the patience in regards to this update. I very much appreciate your opinions, so keep the conversation alive in thread. Speculation is welcomed, and if you have theories or ideas on certain things then post them. I look forward to whatever you guys bring. I've been thinking of getting a beta reader lately, so let me know if you want to help me with that.

* I am having raptors view the past as in front of them and the future as behind them in regards to this quest. The logic behind this is that they can remember the past and so it must be in front of them and the future is unknowable and so must be behind them. With this in mind, know that the terms hindsight and foresight will have swapped meanings. Hindsight will refer to future events and foresight will refer to past events.

** I haven't been keeping you guys exactly apprised of the growth rate of the raptor hatchlings. I plan to keep the growth rate something akin to ostriches which grow to similar sizes as JP raptors. As of this point in time, about a month and half from the moment you have hatched, you are about a foot and some inches tall and two feet in length. So just big enough to still be carried around in a Grown's mouth but only just.

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Three: Part Seven
Imimoya? Imimoya.


Recommended Soundtrack: Queen of Vilebloods (Source: Bloodborne)
​

Purposefully, you decide to stay silent. You remember how dangerous the move was from Mother's story. You know just how quickly a pack can be sent into the maw of death when moving nest sites. You send a quick glance to Blue Gray Sister, currently riding one of the Boulder Sisters, hoping to use the knowledge you gained earlier of her grasp on the Silent Talk to good use. The panicked look in her eyes is enough to tell you that whatever was communicated between the Grown was not good. Not good at all.

The wind dies down some, lessening the rattling of branches and bones above you as well as the rustling of the thick foliage in this part of the territory. The normally exciting feeling of adventure you would have from being outside of the nesting ground is absent in the terror the voices evoke. There seem to be no source for them, continually echoing out from every which direction. Barks demanding attention from pack members you know aren't out and alone in the jungle because they are within sight were only the beginning. It quickly got worse as the pack slowly, ever so slowly ventured further through the overgrown Precise-Claw trail.

"Mother!" cries out a hatchling's voice. The fact that it's a hatchling that you have never heard before quickly draws your attention. Sending a questioning look to Mother the next time the voice shows itself, just moments later, the cringe she makes and the angry look in her eyes tells you...something. You are not quite sure what, but it's something to hold onto for later puzzling.

The time of dawn breaks as the Sun dawns over the horizon, just barely making itself known through the leaves above. The bones are less present here, though some are still present. The most chilling bones are those you can identify as Precise Claw bones. A dangling arm from what you judge to be a Grown of Second-Male's age, with cartilage still holding the separate portions together is the most intact and obvious of these.

The voices are getting more and more desperate as your pack makes their way towards the edge of the dense jungle, crying out nonstop. More of the voices had shown up at some point that you don't want to remember. The moment was too chilling. They cry out in the tones of hatchlings, the injured, and the dying, using voices known to all members of the pack, to only the Grown, and to none of us continuously. The eerie silence of their jungle, cause it's almost certainly not your pack's jungle with, with, with Imimoya like these in them. That was the right word for these voices you think, imimoya.

In Mother's tales, the ones that didn't always seem real, she would occasionally mention imimoya. Imimoya were, are, not real, real beings. They were beings that may or may not be seen, things that could not be easily explained. She explained the word itself was not one of her own making, but one she borrowed from a close friend in one of the Southern packs. She had also explained something that you hadn't really understood, that the Southern pack she borrowed the word from was one that had raised themselves, out in the wilds. There were only two such packs, she told you, that only one other pack had been risen by Odd like your pack was, was the BigRock pack.

It is as your pack makes it towards the exit that the worst thing possible happens, at least from what you can imagine. One of the voices cries out, "Come to me, sisters," from ahead of the pack. The other voices call out from behind, "Watch out, hatchlings!" Father stops the pack, trying to figure out what to do, what is safer. You almost whimper in terror, the light is right there. You and your family are so close to its warmth but these imimoya keep you from reaching makes you want to shriek them out with the worst words you know.

Clumsy steps and the breaking of branches underfoot stops the spirits' voices and catches your attention. A group of six forest patterned, brown tufted Odd clutching brown, bitter scented...things...stumble into the small clearing the voices have your pack cornered in. "..........," they, merrily?, grumble to one another as one of their number leans against a tree.

The action reveals a black stick that makes Father focus on him as the rest of the pack keep watching the trees. "Stay away," Father bugles at the Odd. The Odd group scrambles, tossing themselves into the jungle around where the voice preventing your pack's escape sounded off, as the ends of the black sticks begin to point in your pack's direction.

Suddenly, a horned head lunges out at the Odd who had been leaning on a tree, at least you think it is that Odd, just appearing out of the air in true imimoya fashion. The head encompasses the Odd's entire top, cutting him in two before disappearing back into the dense foliage. Father uses the distraction to burst through the remaining brush between the pack and the domain of the Bright Light, the pack close enough behind him that they could nip his tail.

Just as Blue Gray Sister's carrier makes it past the fern barrier between the jungle and the forest, that hollering not unlike the sounds that the tree mammals make erupts from the clearing you just left behind alongside punishing booming. As your pack slows to a stop to observe the jungle and spot any pursuers before they get too close, the hollering and booming continues on for several moments before the jungle falls back into near silence. Only the rustling of branches, and leaves as something manipulates them against the wind.

Father shakes his head to mentally assert himself, before continuing to lead your pack silently and swiftly away from what you decide to call Imimoya's Jungle. The wind continues and soon brings rain with it. Not too long after the...strange encounter and escape from Imimoya's Jungle that Father slows down to a walking pace, setting you and the rest of the pack at ease.

Pick an Option:

[X] Wriggle free (Involuntary Action)
-[x] Start a conversation with one of the Grown
--[x] Who?
-[x] Start a conversation with one of your siblings
--[x] Who?
-[x] Start a game.
--[x] What game?

QM Note: Happy One Year Anniversary for this thread! In celebration I have started planning out a special gift for my readers. I will let you know more about this gift when I have more prepared for it, but I'm just using this occasion to let you know about it. Anyways, as a way of giving you something to appreciate until then I have a creature file ready to give to you. If someone could roll a 1d2 to help select what file type you get I will present it to you ASAP afterwards.

Vote Deadline: June 13, 2016 (7:00pm EDT)

Thanks to all my readers for continuing to follow this even during the times when I was totally writers blocking. If not for your support, I would not have made it this far. <3

 

[AnimalKrazed]

InGen File: Spinosaurus
​

Codenamed DF.19: Specimens of DF.19 are not housed on the facility floor that [REDACTED] has become in the years since Project [REDACTED] has begun. This is due to InGen's founder, John Hammond, and his recent noting of the rising popularity of the [REDACTED] industry. Seeking to ensure the success of Project [REDACTED] and garner more attention from investors, John sought out to buy the remaining islands collectively known as the Five Deaths Island chain.

Each of the islands is currently in the process of being landscaped and renovated to become an active, inter-island, [REDACTED]. Safety is key to this project alongside experience of tourists so measures are being taken to provide both. Specimens of DF.19 are housed on [REDACTED] for both safety of the projects, employees, and for ease of care for the specimens.

Specimens of the DF.19 type are a carnivore species known as Spinosaurus. Recovered from an incredibly rare amber sample obtained from a Cairo blackmarket, the incredibly damaged DNA sample inside held little value. Doctor [REDACTED] managed to piece together what strands were left and utilized the known structures of the dinosaur's family to fill in the rest. This makes InGen's Spinosaurus a hybrid of the Specimen DF.07, ancient Spinosaurus DNA and various modern animal life. Future discoveries by palaeontologists will hopefully enlighten more information about this little known species.

InGen's Specimens DF.19 prefer fish over the herbivores provided to them on their island. However, InGen scientists believe that as the specimens continue to grow and reach their adult sizes in the coming decade that the scarcity of fish large enough to sate them for long periods of time will make it so that the four DF.19 specimens on [REDACTED] will have to hunt the herbivore dinosaurs on their island. This coming change is predicted to increase their aggression due to dwindling food supplies and dramatic change in diet and hunting behaviour as demonstrated by the DF.07 specimens during times of drought. It is planned that the DF.19 specimens will be separated from one another before reaching this point and housed on separate islands from one another to prevent conflict and hopefully lower animal anxiety.

When hunting land prey, DF.19 specimens hunt prey that is well inside their size range. They prefer prey that is incredibly safe for them to take down, and are surprisingly cautious for a member of such a large species, though it is unknown if this is a result of age, a sign of their genetic manipulation, or natural inclination. The prey they take at their current size tends towards rodents, young feral hogs, and fawns. The prefered killing method of the DF.19 specimens is to pin the prey with a foot and the use of claws or jaws to decapitate the food item and so prevent further struggle. It has only once been seen that the DF.19 specimens took a prey item of larger size, a buck deer, and it was taken down in loose pack coordination style by two of the specimens in a frightful display.

The four DF.19 specimens are currently five years old, are six meters in length, and weigh approximately 900 kilograms. They are all at least 2 meters tall at the crown of their heads. The DF.19 specimens prefer one another's company to solitude and are often seen in fishing parties at the mouth of the river in the section where it meets the ocean. The DF.19 specimens are planned to reach a head height of 18 meters and a length of 40 meters, making them the largest of InGen's planned specimens. They will be part of the African and Swamp exhibits on their selected islands.

DF.19 Specimens are surprisingly friendly with their caretakers, in that they tolerate their presence to a degree. The species is nicknamed by the workers on their island, Jaws, Finback, Kane, and Usuper, according to the workers' opinions on the creatures.

QM Note: May the panicking begin...

 

[AnimalKrazed]

InGen File: Death's Pac Man Frog​

Codenamed AF.02: Specimens of AF.02 were one of a few concept proofs that looked into the possibility of resurrection extinct species by use of genetic samples and genetic engineering. The Death's Pac Man Frog, in particular, is an example of the necessity of the single gender procedure in use in InGen's dinosaurs today. The AF.02 specimens were created to replicate the fossil of a recent unnamed discovery believed to be a giant frog. Due to the uncertainty of how large the unnamed discovery is, the creator of AF.02, [REDACTED], aimed for a larger size estimate of 2 feet in length and weighing 6 kilograms at which point he had instructed the genome to introduce a growth inhibitor to prevent further growth.

Originally released onto [REDACTED] after being shown to investors as part of the de-extinction showcase as a cluster of five specimens, one male and four females, the population of the AF.02 specimens is rapidly becoming the highest density it can on the island, replacing the smoky jungle frog as the dominant predatory amphibian on [REDACTED] and [REDACTED]. While it is not currently known how the specimen species managed to reach [REDACTED], it is suspected that it managed to do so by human accidental means. As a result, it is now InGen policy to inspect every incoming and outgoing ship and plane for any potential specimens to prevent a potential new invasive species from either coming or going.

The Death's Pac Man Frog was originally created using the Pac Man Frog as a base genome and adding the growth gene commonly found in male lions to increase size. As of yet, no genetic samples of the aforementioned unnamed fossil frog have been discovered so the Death's Pac Man Frog is the result of pure genetic tampering and was used as a proof of theory for that. Thankfully, from what has been observed of the wild specimens thus far, AF.02 have continued to follow the genetic template of reaching 2 feet, 6 kilograms quite consistently though some of the scientists in InGen believe that there may be outliers living deep in the wilds.

AF.02 specimens will readily consume any prey item that comes into its territory, and are quite thankfully quiet ambush predators that prefer not to move that much like their Pac Man ancestors. Unfortunately, like their Pac Man ancestors, the Death's Pac Man Frog also has tooth like projections in its jaws that act a little like teeth and can inflict quite a bite on an adult human being. These projections in the frogs jaw make it near impossible for any prey item to escape once swallowed. It is quite fortunate that AF.02 specimens are a canniballistic species and also quite prone to attempting to eat prey items larger than they are, which help keep their populations lower than they otherwise would be.

AF.02 specimens are often a bright green that helps them to blend in with pond scum or the jungle foliage and are covered in dark black/brown spots that help to break up their image and aid in camoflague. AF.02 specimens also come in other shades of green, with the occasionally yellow frog being spotted. The lifespan of AF.02 specimens is estimated from 1-4 years in the wild with plenty more added when raised and kept in captivity. Vocalizations are one of two differing traits held by this species. Males being more vocal and, unusually for a frog species, larger then their female counterparts. The size difference is believed to originate from the lion genetic implant, in which the females of the species hold the limiting gene for the growth gene.

Specimen AF.02 is often nicknamed by staff as the Green Blob, Death's Most Unwanted (DMU), and the Hopping Terror. They are not poisonous and not venomous, however bites can lead to serious infection. It's advised that humans avoid interacting with this invasive species beyond reporting sightings to superiors. Some of the InGen advisors are suggesting introducing this specimen into the pet trade. There is currently debate about the ethical issues of releasing an artificial species into the pet trade industry and the possible repercussions of unresponsible ownership could have upon the reputation of the company.

QM Note: I apologize it's taking so long for the next chapter to come out, but IRL has been crazy and I haven't had any time to actually do much. I hope to have the next chapter out tomorrow but have a file to read in the meantime.

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Three: Part Eight
Questions

Soundtack: N/A​

Slowly, the normal chittering of your pack begin to dominate your immediate surroundings as they reassure one another after the terror you have faced together. Mother and her sister each take their time to speak to the siblings they carry before letting them down to make the rest of the journey on their own. Before Father can let you down, you wriggle just right to loosen his grip and free yourself without injury.

Absorbing the impact of hitting the ground in the manner you've been taught, you transition into a swift spin to look at Father. It's a bit unfortunate that you underestimate the amount of force the drop gave you, resulting in you accidentally tossing yourself to the first floor. Father chuffs to himself as you huff to yourself in embarrassment before shaking yourself of any clingy loose soil. As you look yourself over, you can hear one of your siblings chuffing alongside Father. You don't care too much about that, entertaining moments like this tend to happen to everyone at some point or another. You are sure that soon enough the circumstances will shift in your favour.

A wet, strong, familiar object presses itself against your head, and you whine, "Father, do we really have the time for grooming now?" You don't really understand why, but for some reason being groomed by anyone's tongue other than your own in front of everyone else feels a bit more embarrassing than it should. You are sure you will get over it sooner or later.

Getting over the 'embarrassment' of being groomed as Father continues his self-appointed task after picking you up in his claws so you cannot escape, you hear your siblings asking the closest Grown to them a bunch of questions. Some ask questions about what the Hunters were, while others chitter about why the Odd were there. You move to ask a question but get a tongue to the face before you can do anything but inhale. You feel an incredibly tiny trail of saliva make its way down your face as you examine the face of Father, noting the look of entertainment there.

You wipe the saliva trail off, and chirp to Father, "What were those Hunters back there, I do not remember anything like them in the stories we have been told," gesturing with your head to your siblings when you say we. Father curiously looks you in the eye before replying, "Those were Unseen Hunters (carnotaurs). Did you not recognize the horns as we described them to you in the tales? Did you disbelieve us about their ability to vanish from sight," you continue to look at his face and watched as it shifted from the look of entertainment from before into a questioning gaze, "as we told you? Or did the disagreements between Second Female and her sisters about the existence and appearance of these Hunters confuse you?"

You are unsure of how to respond, this being a topic you do not like to think about. The existence of Unseen Hunters was always something that the Boulder Sisters and Second Female argued about. Second Female, from what you have picked up about her journeys before and after the Change occurred, had apparently wandered through a few jungles and never scented or saw anything that hinted to the presence of an Unseen Hunter there. The Boulder Sisters had traveled with Second Male at one point, for a reason you cannot recall at the moment, had gone to the plains and had seen an Unseen Hunter tempt a Strider into it's dark domain before devouring it. The disagreement was so strong between them that sometimes they were brought to the brink of fighting over it.

Father can see the indecision in you, feel it in the tensing of your muscles, and does something you do not expect. He drops you. You hit the floor and squawk in surprise. You look up at Father and see him toss you a questioning look. Apparently you had been quiet too long. "Their disagreements did make it a little hard to figure out what was truth," you answer, deciding to go with the truth.

Father seems to mentally note something as you walk with the pack, before you ask your next question, "Are the Unseen Hunters Imimoya?" Father seems taken aback by this question before catching himself. "I do not know. Mother got that word and some others from her journey while I underwent the Miracle. I only know what you do about Imimoya. However, I am sure that the Unseen Hunters are just as much flesh as we are." Decidedly content with the answer, you continue on, "Why were there Odd in the jungle? I thought you said they didn't come out from behind the Grey Vines that they patrol?" Father readily answers, apparently having an answer ready, "That is another thing I have no answer for. I suppose those Odd were intruders from elsewhere, coming to challenge the ones behind the Grey Vines. They did not smell the same as the ones I know from the pack's time amongst the Odd."

That answer is something that you feel a little confused about. Did that mean there were Odd elsewhere in the land upon which you lived? Where would they hide, that they hadn't been found yet? Before you can ask Father these things, Mother clicks for silence. She is ahead of the rest of the pack, taking point and leading us toward the clearing that will be your pack's new nesting site. She points at a bush with her snout and Father goes to the forefront of the pack to join her. Father joins her by her side, scenting the air and noticing what Mother has found. The rest of the Grown scent the air with him, all noticing the same thing. You would try to do the same but you and your siblings do not have the scent collection really needed to judge things as accurately as the Grown do. You swear you will in time though.

You are torn from your self assurances by a sound you have never heard before that sets the pack on edge.

QM Note: Sorry that it has taken so long to get this bit out guys. I was struggling with an idea for a while, but finally figured out how to go about it. Anyways, you might have noticed there is no vote options available. That is because this is only part one of this encounter. I am just finishing that part up, so you will probably see it sometime tomorrow. Anyways, I tied in a sound effect for the sound the pack hears because I can't really think of the best way to give you guys the ability to hear what I imagine is going on without it, without also giving away what it is your hearing. I like to keep you guys guessing, it means more talk in thread. (Here's a hint, its not an elk and something like it can be found in the JP fandom).

Enjoy and as always, please point out any mistakes that you can find. Discussion is greatly encouraged and tends to speed up my writing process.

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Three: Part Nine
Soundtrack: N/A
​

Second Male and Second Female are the first of the pack to investigate the strange call. As they approach the location of the bugle, the low lying vegetation around it rustles. Second Female barks, "What are you," at the bush, because the call sounded similar enough to a Precise Claw (raptor) call to warrant the question. Maybe it was a young Precise Claw that had fallen from the trees wrong, or something.

Surprisingly, two slender, rounded snouts poke out from the underbrush at your height, and click and hiss at the two. Large eyes accompany the snouts, seemingly struggling to survey their surroundings. After a few moments of observation, the Hunters seem to judge the potential threat of your pack as too great and duck back into the underbrush.

Curiosity gets the better of Second Male, who moves attempts to move the branches around so that he can better look at the hidden interior of the undercover. Despite the seemingly soft leaves, the branches themselves are stiff enough that the moment he tries to shuffle the brambles of the undergrowth around he gets smacked by them.

Second Female goes about her curiosity in a more productive manner. She leans down to the spot the snouts rubbed against the leaves of the vegetation and memorized the scent. She also examines the ground where she estimates the hind legs of the unknown Hunters would have been. Moving herself around so that light hits the spot she thinks prints would have been left in the soil underfoot, she examines them too.

She motions for Mother and Father to look at her find. Afterward, she engages in a rabble of Silent Talk conversation that goes at such a pace that not one of your siblings can get a clue of what is being shared. Mother and Father seem to come to a conclusion and signal for the pack to carry on.

Nothing else interesting occurs on the way to the clearing that will become your pack's new nesting site.

Choose an Interlude:
[X] Threat T T rolls
[X] Threat B BS rolls

QM Note: I apologize for the small size of the chapter. I originally thought it would be longer but nothing came out, which is part of why it took so long to get out. Anyways, hope you don't mind.

Vote Duedate: July 9 2016, 7:00pm (EST).