Bull

The harvest of abandoned human crop lands had been spread all across the islands, which was how word of it reached Iodine from her beach side home. Gossip of a place full of ripe, juicy plants, and plenty of creatures that arrived there to feast- be it a deer, or a shunosaurus. Iodine’s mouth watered a bit at the thought. While she was not much of a hunter ( her glowing spots giving away her position more than she would like to admit), this sounded like a chance for good, easy prey. And of course, she took Nebula and Orion with her.

The three of them padded towards the distant farmland. It was located far from the rest of the abandoned human buildings, and surrounded by miles and miles of crops. While some plants had been unable to thrive without the care of humans, many had flourished. Even from the dirt path, Iodine could make out the shapes of several herbivorous dinosaurs- she spotted the long neck of a shunosaurus in the distance, and the more compact bodies of styracosaurus. Iodine even noticed the hulking form of an acrocanthosaurus sniffing around, and made sure to steer her small pack in the opposite direction.

“This place is crazy…” Orion was the first to make his way into the croplands, stopping to scent the air as a wide grin stretched across his face. “I can smell so many creatures!” As if fate wanted to confirm his statement a large rodent scurried out of the corn nearby, before noticing the hungry gaze on it and taking off with a squeal. Orion gave chase, leaving Nebula and Iodine alone with equally exasperated expressions on their faces. 

Nebula nuzzled along the side of Iodine's crest, and the bioluminescent cryolophosaurus turned back into it. “We should find something for ourselves, before he comes back.” The purple cryolophosaurus suggested, flicking her tail in the direction that Orion had gone. “We don’t need to risk anything with a big hunt today- we can easily find something smaller.” 

Iodine smiled. “Thanks, Nebula.” She peeled back her head, scenting the air before taking off into the corn maze. The thick scent of ripe vegetation made it hard to pick out any specific scent, so she had to focus on other senses. 

Nebula was the one to find the tracks first, letting out a low hiss to alert Iodine to the tracks. Fairly small cloven tracks. “Goat?” Iodine guessed, and Nebula shrugged. Regardless, they continued down the path. Loud bleats sounded ahead, and the two carefully poked their head out of the corn to see a large goat grazing on a pumpkin. The two of them tensed, ready to pounce-

And then Orion shot out of the bushes, latched his teeth around the goat in a quick movement and tossed it to the ground. Iodine stared in disbelief as Nebula let out a loud growl, standing up with a loud roar. “HEY! Mud brain! That was ours!” The piebald cryolophosaurus stomped over, grabbing the goat in her claws and yanking it out of her brothers mouth. “You already had the rodent earlier, greedy lizard!”

Orion hissed, pulling the goat back before snarling at his sister. “No, it got away! This isn’t big enough for more than one of us, anyways!” 

Iodine sighed as the two siblings hissed and spat at each other. The sound of their fighting was sure to drive anything within earshot away. There went her plans of a good meal. 

The sound of crackling plants made her perk up, causing her to tilt her head as a shadow emerged from the corn field. A long, pointed horn emerged first, followed by a wide frill splattered with orange bands and spots. Menacing wild bands covered the styracosaurus’s body, and Iodine felt herself freeze as cold purple eyes met her own. She knew this styracosaurus. Hyperion, one of the most feared herbivores on the island. Far larger than a normal styracosaurus, and deadly. Iodine had heard countless tales of other carnivores attempting to make the large bull into a meal and barely escaping with their lives. Iodine has also heard tales of him simply attacking other dinosaurs on sight, with an especially large grudge against cryolophosaurus. And by the way he was rapidly approaching, Iodine had a feeling they were true.

“RUN” Iodine shrieked, whipping around and running back the way they had come. Nebula and Orion soon followed with horrified shrieks, Orion barely dodging a horn aimed at his tail. The corn whipped at their faces and stung but the trio pushed through, unable to stop as loud bellowing and footsteps echoed behind them. 

Nebula was the first to breach the corn, quickly making it over the long broken down fence with a single leap. Orion and Iodine followed soon after, and the three scrambled down the same dirt road they had come from not half an hour ago. A frustrated bellow was heard behind them, and Iodine risked turning her head to watch Hyperion stare off after them. The look in his eyes made Iodine shiver for a moment. She couldnt help but hope they never came across him again.