COURTSHIP
Note: This story was written with courtship in mind, NOT romance
He was having that dream again. Curled into a ball in his sad little den, Comet shook himself so hard in his sleep that his head hit the wall. Jolted awake, the cryolophosaurus shot up, panting and scanning the den. An old clump of gray feathers caught his attention and he leaned forward in the cramped burrow, nuzzling against it. They were Silver’s, and he was gone now. And it was all Comet’s fault. He quickly turned away and squirmed out of the den- he couldn't stay here any longer.
As he raced across the evergreen forest, Comet couldn't help but reflect on his life choices. Silver, his friend, brother even, was now gone. Most members of their species lived in large family packs, with outsiders rarely being permitted in. A lone cryolophosaurus was no match for most of the other inhabitants of the island, with even some mammals being bigger than them and having the possibility to overwhelm him. Not to mention the fact that hunting alone was much harder than hunting in a group. Comet had spent the past few days hiding in his and Silvers burrow, but the remnants of the life they had built together were causing him just as much if not more pain than the hunger tearing his belly.
Comet scented the area, unable to smell much over the strong smell of pine. Scowling, he shook his head angrily. Maybe if he left the forest? It was where he and Silver were used to hunting… maybe that was a good reason to try something new, and leave behind the old.
It was not long before he noticed the forest start to… change. The trees became further and further apart and became darker and darker, eventually reaching a point where they were dark and leafless and hollow. The ground was dark and gray, with bits of shrubs peaking up here and there. Curious, Comet scented the air. It was thick and heavy, and he quickly sneezed. He couldn't help but notice how well his already dark hide blended in with the surrounding area. Maybe this could be a new opportunity? A new method of hunting.
Scenting the air again, now prepared for the sensation, he actually smelled fresh blood. Potential food, but also a potential predator. Relying on this newly found camouflage, he slowly followed the scent to a clearing bordering the edge of the healthy and burnt forest. Crouched over the half eaten carcass of what might have been a mammal at some point, was a female cryolophosaurus. Comet blinked in amazement, before he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Where was her pack? Scenting the area again, he noticed the lack of any others of their kind, and examining the clearing again he noticed only one set of footprints. She had made this kill alone, then? Looking back up into the clearing, he almost jumped back in surprise; the other cryo was looking right at him, and she seemed none too pleased.
“I-I’m not here for a fight!” Comet quickly ducked his head, looking away in a sign of non- aggression. At this the female seemed to become a bit less aggressive and more curious, although she still seemed wary.
“Why are you here? This is my territory.” Her voice seemed hoarse and weak, as if she was not used to talking with others. Maybe she wasn’t, if she had no pack. Hope began to bloom in Comet. If she had no pack, maybe she would be more likely to accept him?
“Comet. From the forest.” Comet focused in on the food, licking his lips. He really was hungry, and it was so tempting to run in and grab it, but he did not want to destroy his one chance at possibly forming another pack. “You have a pack?”
This seemed to offend the female, who hissed angrily at him. “No! I don’t need a pack! I'm fine!” She quickly ran out back into the ash forest, leaving a dumbfounded Comet and the remains of her meal. After a second, Comet cautiously approached the remains of her meal. After a second of hesitation, he quickly began to eat, gulping down as much as he could and even chewing on the bones hungrily. After he finishing, the dark cryolophosaurus stared after the female, head tilted. Well. That wasn’t what he expected. Maybe just approaching wasn't the right way to go about this. Looking back down at the bones, a bright idea sparked in Comets brain. He had cost her a meal… maybe he could win her trust by providing her with more? Nodding to himself, Comet turned and scented the air before stalking off into the horizon.
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Desirée woke up to the scent of distant blood, instantly jolting awake from within the rocky cave where she made her den. Scenting the air, she quickly pulled her teeth into a snarl. Someone was nearby- they had discovered her den. Bursting out of her den with a loud, aggressive growl, Desirée quickly paused as she took in the scene before her.
The dark-hided male cryolophosaurus who she had met a few hours earlier was across the clearing from her, holding a plump rabbit in his mouth. His head was lowered in submission, his eyes looking at her before quickly darting away. The rabbit in his mouth seemed uneaten, and the scent made Desirée aware of just how hungry she already was again.
Carefully, the male shuffled forward a few feet, before placing the rabbit down and backpedaling, sitting down a good distance away from the offering. After a moment, Desirée slowly approached the rabbit, eyeing it suspiciously and poking at it with her nose a few times. While she wanted to be stubborn and refuse, the scent of blood so close wore her down and she quickly made up her mind, tearing the rabbit apart in a few bites. After licking snout clean, she turned to the male, who had been patiently waiting on the side. Curious, she waited for him to act. He had brought her food, and didn’t seem to be aggressive, despite their earlier conflict.
Slowly, the male got to his feet, walking towards her carefully with his head to the side, exposing his neck in a sign of peaceful intent. “You… left your food earlier when I interrupted you. I wanted to bring you some.” Carefully, he raised his head to meet her eyes, shaking his head a little to show off his bright red crest. “You're the first of my kind I have found in a while… I was very excited at the prospect of a pack. I want to court you, and form one.”
Desirée was wary. She had never had a pack before, but life in the ash forest was hard. Prey was rare, and many larger carnivores passed through and would try to take her territory. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to let him hang around for a while, and if he was good enough… “Fine. You can stay around. We’ll go hunting tomorrow, and if you succeed, we can form a pack. Just stay out of my den.” Desirée quickly turned around before she could see the reaction of the male- Comet, she remembered, climbing back into her den and watching from the shadows as he happily settled himself into a narrow tree trunk outside of her den. She was too nervous to fall asleep, so Desirée swore to herself to not take her eyes off the strange male for a second.
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By morning, Desirée was quickly regretting her decision. Tired from her all nighter, she was barely able to keep alert as she led Comet through the forest, often stumbling over foliage and logs. Desirée could practically smells Comets' concern, but ignored it, scenting the air to find something big enough for them to take down. Eventually, they came across a herd of wild cattle, something Desirée had never dared tackle on her own. But she thought it would be a worthy test for Comet to prove himself. She nodded towards her target, a young bull with a half healed wound from what must have been a fight with a bigger male. Comet nodded back, slinking around the clearing to get to the other side of the bull. Desirée couldn’t help but feel impressed; his dark form was almost invisible in the shadows of the already gray trees.
After a few minutes, Comet burst out of the trees shrieking loudly, drawing the attention of the herd and causing a stampede as they attempted to escape. Desirée quickly ran from the bushes silently, sinking her teeth into her target's hind leg as they tried to escape. The bull quickly turned, bellowing, kicking out its hind legs to shake her off. Comet quickly joined in, running his claws down its side and ducking as the large horns swung towards him, at which point Desirée ran in for another bite. The hunt continued on as such for a few minutes, with them taking turns to slowly leave wounds on the tiring bull. However, Desirée sleep exhaustion finally caught up with her- she ran in to bite too early, and was quickly hip checked by the enraged bull. Falling to the ground, Desirée looked up in fear as the bull attempted to trample her, knowing there was no way she could escape in time.
Suddenly, the bull let out a cry of pain and veered off course, completely missing her. Comet had pounced onto its back, sinking his teeth into the back of its neck and his claws into its half-healed wound. Desirée saw her opportunity, forcing herself onto her feet and aiming for the throat. It wasn’t long before the bull fell, the two cryolophosaurus pulling back and panting. Comet turned to her, making she she was ok, before pulling a hefty chunk from it and presenting it to her, before raising his head to the sky. He began to make a deep sound from his throat, bobbing his head to show off his crest. Instincts guides Desirée in her steps as she first inspected the meat, before slowly beginning to mimic his movements and raising her head towards his. They met in the middle, clinking their crests together and rubbing their snouts against one another. The courtship had been completed, and they quickly began to eat, before a bigger predator came and crashed their party.
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A month later, Desirée lay at the entrance of Comets den in the forest, with Comet deeper in the den curled around the eggs. Something felt. Wrong. Comet was ecstatic about the clutch, but she couldn’t care less. For some reason, she missed being alone, she missed the peace and quiet. Desirée was not looking forward to the constant chirping chaos of young, and while she was fond of Comet, they weren’t in love; they had paired for convenience.
Turning her head back to Comet sleeping around the eggs, Desirée considered her options. She could stay and be miserable, or leave and be happy. The cryolophosaurus missed the ash forest, missed her home. Slowly, she got to her feet. Part of her couldn’t believe she was doing this, but she knew Comet would be ok raising the young on his own; he was already proving to be a dedicated father. As Desirée exited the den, she took one glance back before facing towards her home. Maybe she would meet her offspring one day, but for now, she preferred to be alone. Without another thought, she ran into the horizon, ready to return to her old life, and leaving Comet with his new one.
