Let's be Carnivorous with Mama

Sun shining high above them, two cryolophosauruses made their way through the highlands. Kyrien was hungry, as he kept reminding Vanim, and the elder dinosaur was doing his best to find food for his… well, in truth, he wasn’t sure what Kyrien was to him. A brother? A son? He settled on “packmate.”

In any case, as the oldest, Vanim had to find food for them both. And a scent spur from higher on the mountain was drawing him in. It was the scent of blood and gore that drew in his stomach, but a warm, familiar scent drew in his heart.

He emerged slowly onto the cliffside, head bowed low. And as he’d suspected, it was his mother Sandstorm feasting on a young parasaur.

Sandstorm looked much the same as Vanim remembered her. Small for her kind, but with lean muscle that more than made up for it. If her prey was anything to go by, old age certainly hadn’t slowed her, though her skin seemed looser than it had been before.

“What is it?” Kyrien asked, pushing long fronds out of his face. While he was larger than when Vanim found him, and would be ready to make an attempt at hunting soon, he wasn’t much for stealth yet. Just as Vanim was about to usher him back into cover, Sandstorm’s head snapped up. Her eyes went to Kyrien first, then up to her son.

“Well?” she said. “What are you waiting for?”

Not needing more of an invitation than that, Kyrien trotted up to the carcass and tore at the skin with his growing teeth. Vanim followed behind, more apprehensive.

The trio ate in silence, only broken by the sounds of bones snapping and flesh being torn away. Ravens circled overhead, eager to have a piece of the parasaur, but not wanting to draw the ire of the dinosaurs.

Between bites, Vanim noticed Sandstorm sneaking glances at Kyrien when the juvenile wasn’t looking. In particular, at his yellow crest. She noticed him staring at her and asked, “One of yours?”

“I found his nest abandoned.”

She snorted. “He’s obviously not from Dante’s blood. Still, if you’re raising him, I’m sure he’ll grow into a fine young dinosaur.”

A raven boldly landed near Kyrien, trying to take a nibble from the rib that he was chewing on. A feinting snap of Sandstorm’s teeth was enough to send it circling again.

When Vanim was young, he knew Sandstorm to be fiercely protective of her brood. He was glad that at least some of that protectiveness extended to Kyrien, whatever their relationship was.