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                                                                      Chapter 1
                                                                      Utahraptor

               Today was hunting day.
               Two times a week, the raptor pack would send two or three skilled hunters deep into the Rainy Basin to search for food while the rest of the pack would watch over the nests.
               Back before the Tyrannosaurs had moved to this region, the pack used to only leave two guards watching over the nests. But four summers ago, the hunting pack had returned with some extra meat for the two guards, only to find them dead and every single one of the nests smashed into the mud. It had been a devastating time and no comfort could be found until this year when new nests had been lain.
               Green-Eye snarled. One of these days, they would get revenge on those stupid Tyrannosaurs for what they had done. She wasn’t sure how, but it would be done…before she died. After all, the raptor pack was hers and they all expected to see some revenge and they expected to see Green-Eye as the one to give the revenge.
               Green-Eye turned her attention back to her hunting. It would not do well for her, as leader of the clan, to be the only one to return without something to eat. Within the next few weeks the eggs would hatch and that meant that everyone would be bringing back extra meat.
               Then Green-Eye saw, standing in the shadows, an Anchisaurus. It was eight feet long and reaching its small head into a large berry bush, enjoying the berries. It was completely unaware of the Velociraptor behind it. Green-Eye laid herself flat against the cool brown soil that covered the Rainy Basin floor, along with the green vegetation.
               Green-Eye licked her muzzle, slowly creeping closer. She was about to leap when the ground suddenly shook and thunderous bellows and trumpeting erupted. The shaking had been going on for a little while, but it’d been distant and Green-Eye hadn’t really noticed until now, until it was really close. The Anchisaurus looked up, coughed and took off.
               Green-Eye hissed, whirling towards the sounds, angry that something had disturbed her hunting. She could have brought back the largest prey! Things that other carnivores could eat in the Rainy Basin weren’t generally that big. And she had been doing poorly the last few times she had gone out hunting. That wasn’t good for a leader. She’d heard the whispers of the other Velociraptors talking about needing a new leader.
               Well, she wouldn’t let go of her leadership that easily.
               Green-Eye ran towards the bellowing and the shaking. The forest cleared onto a path and not far down the path she could see a caravan with what must have been made up of a hundred dinosaurs and around that many—or more—humans.
               Green-Eye hissed. There were five Ultrasaurs, each roughly around one hundred feet in length and about fifty feet in height, coming down the path side-by-side. They were so big that bushes that were twice as big as Green-Eye were being crushed by the two Ultrasaurs that were walking on the sides, creating a wider path. The Ultrasaurs carried themselves with dignity and purpose. They needed no protection because of their size. No intelligent carnivore, not even the Tyrannosaurs, Giganotosaurus, Gorgosaurs, or the daring Spinosaurs would dare attack these large herbivores. Five humans sat atop the Ultrasaurs and even they seemed to hold themselves with dignity. Humans! Green-Eye thought with disgust. They probably don’t even taste any good. Green-Eye ducked back into the forest and then climbed the highest tree where she could watch this interesting caravan go by.
               Behind the Ultrasaurs were Seismosaurs. Green-Eye’s eyes widened in surprise. She had been wrong before about there only being around one hundred dinosaurs. She could see the heads of several long-necked sauropods far into the distance. Diplodocus followed the Ultrasaurs and Seismosaurs. As a Seismosaurus passed by Green-Eye, it looked at her and rumbled a greeting ‘Breathe Deep, Seek Peace’.
               Green-Eye leaned out as far as she could and hissed then swatted at the Seismosaurus, who withdrew its head with a rude grunt. A curious Ultrasaurus looked over its shoulder and exchanged a few words with the Seismosaurus then looked at Green-Eye. But the Velociraptor had already turned her attention to the others in the caravan. Triceratops, Styracosaurus, Dryosaurus, Hypsilophodon, Dimetrodon, Ankylosaurus, and Vulcanodons (a twenty-one-foot long sauropod/prosauropod) made up the smaller of the dinosaurs traveling with the caravan. Human adults and children could be seen walking behind the dinosaurs (a few of the children rode the dinosaurs or in carts). Then behind them were some carnivores.
               Green-Eye grunted. Those stupid carnivores had been brainwashed by the herbivores and humans. Deinonychus, Velociraptor, Deinocheirus, Albertosaurus (surprisingly enough to Green-Eye) and Segnosaurus were among the carnivores traveling with the caravan. She wondered what in Dinotopia such a large caravan was doing traveling through the Rainy Basin. She was sure that no carnivore would dare attack this caravan, but Green-Eye could still see lots of baskets containing smoked eels and fish.
               Green-Eye licked her muzzle again. This caravan owed her and her pack.
               Hesitating for only a moment, Green-Eye quickly climbed down out of the tree and walked right up to a Velociraptor who looked at her warily, but the entire caravan came to a halt. Sauropods in the back of the caravan bellowed to the ones in the front to figure out what was stopping the caravan. Green-Eye could not see them, but she could hear them.
               “Breathe Deep, Seek Peace, sister.” The Velociraptor said, still looking at her warily.
               Green-Eye rolled her eyes and snorted in disgust. “I am not your sister and I will not Seek Peace. Your caravan scared off my prey. I am the leader of my clan and I must provide for my clan. Our eggs are close to hatching and my pack is talking of finding a new leader amongst themselves. I want some of your smoked eels and fish.” Green-Eye paused as a human came up beside the Velociraptor.
               “What’s going on here?” The human asked. Green-Eye could understand the human language, but could not speak it. The other Velociraptor quickly told the human what was wrong and then Green-Eye continued when the Velociraptor stopped talking.
               “Your caravan owes me.” Green-Eye stated flatly. The other Velociraptor translated. The human looked at Green-Eye suspiciously. Green-Eye hissed, but the human didn’t even blink an eye. Probably because he knew she wouldn’t attack him, especially as there were so many other dinosaurs around. Green-Eye clicked her claws. “Well?” She asked impatiently.
               The human turned around and talked to someone else, who talked to another person, who, in turn, talked to someone Green-Eye couldn’t see. Finally the human returned.
               “We can give you some of the smoked eels.” The human said. “How much did you have in mind?”
               “Three basketfuls.” Green-Eye replied. The human looked disgruntled when the other Velociraptor finally translated.
               “Who would help you carry them? We all left Bonabba this morning, we have to be in Treetown in seven days. And we can’t give up three baskets, we might run into other carnivores. Please, understand.”
               “Well, that’s too bad. Choose three Velociraptors to bring the baskets. I will not have one strapped to my back. I am not a pack animal and I am not a slave.” Green-Eye stated haughtily. “But these,” Green-Eye indicated the other carnivores, “who have lowered themselves to your level would probably carry the packs proudly. My clan will have a good laugh.”
               The Albertosaurus that was traveling with the group, lowered it’s head to Green-Eye and growled at her. “If you don’t stop being rude, I may just decide to have you for my noon snack.” He growled again warningly, but Green-Eye rolled her eyes. This Albertosaurus obviously lived by the code, which meant he wouldn’t kill Green-Eye if he didn’t need the food. Besides, that was the other reason so many smoked-eels had been brought along. Green-Eye turned her snout into the air and closed her eyes, ignoring the Albertosaurus until he removed his head.
               “Three basketfuls of smoked eels and fish or I’ll tell every carnivore in the Basin where you are headed.”
               “What was the dinosaur you were stalking? We’ll give you equal to that amount.” The human said.
               “I don’t barter. I said three baskets. Take it, or meet every carnivore there is in the Basin by noon tomorrow. And believe me, we bipeds can travel much faster than your fat sauropods.” There was a moment of shock at what Green-Eye said and then anger. The sauropods stamped and bellowed angrily. A small Vulcanodon hissed at Green-Eye, but the Velociraptor stood her ground.
               The human sighed. “Fine.” He said. “Three baskets. But you have to promise that you will warn other carnivores to stay away.”
               “It’s a deal.” Green-Eye promised.
               “Bring down three baskets of smoked eels and some ropes.” The human shouted. Quickly, humans took down three baskets of smoked eels and fish as well as the requested ropes. Two Velociraptors and one Deinonychus stepped forward to accept the baskets.
               “Not that degraded Deinonychus.” Green-Eye grumped. “Another Velociraptor. I will not show that lowly Deinonychus to my clan.” The Deinonychus growled and grumbled, but with a look and rub on the snout from his partner—a little girl—he quieted.
               Green-Eye led the Velociraptors to her clan. It only took fifteen minutes for the fast bipedal dinosaurs to reach the clan.
               On their way there, Green-Eye spotted something but decided to check on it later because she didn’t want these ‘civilized’ Velociraptors to get too curious about what it was. Otherwise they might take it.
               “Green-Eye, we’ve been waiting.” Said one of her Velociraptors when she and the other three arrived at her pack. The Velociraptor that had spoken looked over Green-Eye to the three Velociraptors behind her. How dare she! Green-Eye thought. Raptors in her own clan were questioning her motives!
               “Civilized?” The Velociraptor spat. “We never thought it possible of you, Green-Eye.” Green-Eye hissed at the Velociraptor and then leapt, knocking over the younger Velociraptor and sticking her claws next to the young one’s throat.
               “They are carrying smoked eels which I took from the humans in a caravan for scaring away my prey!” Green-Eye growled furiously. Slowly, she let the younger one up off her back, who promptly backed away bobbing her head in submission to Green-Eye. “Do I need to reestablish my status as leader?” Green-Eye shouted. None of the other Velociraptors said a word. “Then I don’t want to hear anyone question my motives ever again!”
               Green-Eye whirled around and used her claws to cut the ropes strapping the baskets to the backs of the civilized Velociraptors. “You can go. And I better not find out you told anyone else where my clan is, or I’ll hunt you down.” Green-Eye threatened.
               The Velociraptors seemed just as happy to get away as she was for them to go. Next, Green-Eye cut the ropes holding the baskets shut and then knocked them over. Slowly, her pack came up to the food.
               “Were the others successful or did they come back yet?” Green-Eye asked. She didn’t see or smell them in the pack, so she assumed they hadn’t yet returned from their hunting.
               “They haven’t returned yet, leader.” Green-Eye nodded her head.
               “Fine. I will return in a moment. I spotted something that I believe will help us get our revenge against the Tyrannosaurs at last.” Green-Eye said. Her pack murmured amongst themselves until one Velociraptor was bold enough to speak up.
               “What is it?” He asked. Green-Eye looked over at him.
               “I am not sure yet, but I think it is an abandoned egg.”
               “Will it still be alive?” Another asked.
               “Well, it appeared to be buried. But I only caught a quick glimpse of it. I am going to check it out now.”
               “But how will the egg help us to get revenge on the Tyrannosaurs?”
               “Enough questions!” Green-Eye hissed. “You will see when I return. And I expect to be treated as leader from this point on.” No one spoke up against her so Green-Eye left as her pack began to eat. She would eat when she returned.
               Green-Eye, much to her delight, saw that the egg was indeed large. It had to be four and a half inches long. It was bigger than any Velociraptor could lay. She lightly touched the egg to see how hard it was and surmised that it had been laid roughly around the same time as she had laid her egg.
               This reminded Green-Eye that if she did not lay again sometime in the next few years, a younger Velociraptor would take over her pack and she would submit to that leader’s will. Not if I can help it! Green-Eye thought. It was the smartest and the strongest that took over the packs. Not the youngest. She would fight for her position again just like the younger Velociraptors would.
               Green-Eye was about to pick the egg up when there was a sudden hiss and something heavy landed on top of Green-Eye. She fought to gain the advantage, but the thing that was on her…Green-Eye opened her eyes and noticed that she was being held down by a single foot. Her first thought was that a Tyrannosaur was about to make her his meal. And then she saw the sickle-like claw that adorned the second toe on the inside feet of all raptors or raptor-like dinosaurs.
               She slowly looked up at her attacker and realized immediately that it wasn’t a female dinosaur protecting the egg. It was a male.
               “I-I-I’m sorry, I thought the egg was abandoned and I wanted to give it a chance at life.” Well, that was partly true, anyway. Green-Eye thought. The Utahraptor studied her and then lifted his large foot from her small body. Green-Eye leapt to her feet and backed away a bit.
               Only then did she notice that the Utahraptor was seriously injured. The leg he‘d been using to hold her down was badly crippled. His back was grazed with tooth marks.
               The tooth marks of a Tyranosaurus Rex.
               Green-Eye shuddered and looked at his tail. Or, what was left of his tail. More than half of it was missing and Green-Eye was beginning to wonder how he still balanced so well.
               The wounds were fresh, she could tell. They were still bleeding. Except for one. The large Utahraptor had one of his large sickle-like claws missing. Green-Eye averted her eyes from his battle wounds. “Let my clan help you.” Green-Eye insisted. Somehow she felt a loyalty to this poor Utahraptor. Perhaps it was because he’d suffered against the power of a mighty Tyrannosaur.
               But the Utahraptor shook his head. “It is too late for me.” He said. Green-Eye felt a pang in her heart. Pity swelled inside her. This Utahraptor knew he was going to die, yet he seemed so calm about it. “And you wouldn’t want the egg. My mate and I were kicked out of our clans because…” The Utahraptor suddenly screamed in pain and twitched.
               The scream scared Green-Eye and she leapt backwards behind a bush and cowered. When she realized everything was okay again, she came out. The poor Utahraptor, he must be in such pain. And to be banished from his clan! Green-Eye felt pity for him again.
               “They kicked you out because why?” Green-Eye asked.
               “Because…she was a Deinonychus and I a Utahraptor. They thought it was a hybrid. But it isn’t. It’s…full Deinonychus.” Green-Eye backed off and gasped.
               “The Deinonychus and Utahraptor clan leaders thought we should be mates as I was the son of our leader and she the daughter of her leader. The majority of both clans did not like this, though. Our fathers saw it as a way of bringing our clans together, the young one being of both species, we could live in peace as neither clan would want the hatchling harmed. The Clans saw it as treason, a reason to find new leaders. What was supposed to unite two different clans living in the same area actually destroyed them.” The Utahraptor gasped as pain once again shot throughout his body.
               “What happened?” Green-Eye asked.
               “They waited until the egg was laid. I do not know why…” The Utahraptor hung his head. “Then they talked to Tyrannosaurs and asked them to get rid of my parents and…her parents. Of course, that made us the next leaders of our Clans and they saw their mistake. They had to wait a while before they tried anything on my mate and me though, because the small number of the two clans that were for this pairing would get suspicious.
               “Now the egg is near hatching, maybe a few days. Maybe today. My child has been squeaking. It should be any day now.” The Utahraptor sank to the ground and gently nuzzled the egg. Again, Green-Eye felt a pang of sorrow for this poor Utahraptor. He would never see his child hatch.
               “You said that the hatchling is full Deinonychus. How do you know?”
               “Because my mate had a mate before me. Her father never knew about it, but when he forced her to be my mate, it was already too late. She was already pregnant with this, though no one but her, the father and I knew about this. We wanted to make sure our clans would unite.”
               “What happened to…to your mate?” Green-Eye asked.
               “We were out on a walk together, for we had come to care for each other. The forest was quiet, but we figured it was because we were walking through it. We never guessed. We never knew! I should have though! Had I known I could have protected her!” The Utahraptor moaned.
               “You could not have known.” Green-Eye said softly. “My clan was out hunting once. We never had to guard the nests closely before. Why then? But when we returned with food for the two guards we had left, we found our nests smashed and our guards dead by the teeth and feet of Tyrannosaurs. We could not have known. But for the longest time I blamed myself! I should have known, I said. I should have been able to protect my clan. My instincts had told me to leave more guards. But I had not!”
               “It would not have mattered. You are too small to fight a Tyrannosaurus Rex. If you had left more guards, you would have had only a small clan now.” The Utahraptor said.
               “Exactly. After a while, I stopped blaming myself. There was nothing I could have done. We lost our children, but every single one of us could have been lost if we’d left too late or returned too soon. Your child is still alive.”
               “But she’s not.” The Utahraptor moaned again. “I did the best I could. But there were two of them. We both fought. She was the bravest of us. She was so small compared to them. Small compared even to me. And she did more damage to her Tyrannosaur than I did to mine.
               “We knew our child would be in danger, so we ran back to our clans. Perhaps the Tyrannosaurs would attack our clans instead of us. The Tyrannosaurs ran through our clan, not taking care of where they stepped. They smashed several of the nests and trampled Deinonychus and Utahraptors that were too startled or too shocked to get out of the way. We didn’t know we had members of the clans on our side till the father ran over with the egg and handed it to us, then told us to get out while they distracted the Tyrannosaurs.”
               The Utahraptor sucked in a big breath of air and was quiet for a moment. Green-Eye thought the Utahraptor was dead until he spoke again. “We don’t know why the Tyrannosaurs still followed us. They must have killed the ones that had attacked them. Perhaps they always finish a job they start, I don’t know. But they pursued us. My mate and I thought we were safe. Until we were once again caught unawares.” The Utahraptor lowered his head.
               “I should never have thought we were safe. We should have run all the way to the Treetown if it would have saved our child and my mate from this fate.”
               “Why not Bonabba? It is much, much, much closer.”
               “I do not think the humans would allow us to cross the bridge. And besides, I told you we thought we were safe. I was just naming a place.” Green-Eye nodded in understanding. He was explaining what he would have done for his mate and unhatched child. How far he would have gone. He must have cared for his Deinonychus mate very much. As well as his hatchling. Or, at least, his adopted hatchling.
               “But the Tyrannosaurs came?” Green-Eye asked and the Utahraptor nodded.
               “They came. I insisted Yellowblaze take the egg and run, but she stayed and fought. We were able to break free again and run with our egg. But the Tyrannosaurs caught up with Yellowblaze and smashed her into a tree before the Rex was attacked by more members of our clans that were loyal to us. She asked me, just before she…she…”
               “I know.” Green-Eye said and laid her hand upon his arm and patted it.
               “She asked me to take our egg and run. I didn’t want to at first, but she…she just…went. I wanted to attack them, but I thought of our child and how she would want me to hide our child before I took vengeance. So I brought our child here. I could go no farther. I do not know whether or not I am safe. But the Tyrannosaurs will have been scared off for a little while from that large Caravan that’s going through.”
               Indeed, the thunderous poundings of the caravan could still be felt. The Caravan had been several hundred feet long (mostly because of the sauropods). Green-Eye couldn’t imagine that many dinosaurs and humans living all in one city. But then again, she’d never been to Bonabba, so she didn’t know how many that place could hold. What was the large caravan for? And why were they all going to Treetown?
               Green-Eye had seen Treetown once when she had been just out of hatchling hood (which had been around ninety-four years ago) and it hadn’t looked like it could hold that many dinosaurs. So what was going on in Treetown that dinosaurs and humans would flock there? Had something happened to Bonabba? No, that couldn’t be it. The human would have said something about it, if that were the case.
               Green-Eye remembered the Utahraptor then. She looked down, expecting to find him dead. But he wasn’t, yet. This Utahraptor obviously had a strong will! But he was clearly on the verge of dying. She had to get him help somehow! But he had said it was too late for him….
               “The Caravan!” Green-Eye tried anyway. The Utahraptor lifted his head, but had to lay it back down for it took too much strength.
               “What do you mean?” The Utahraptor asked.
               “I mean, I can ask…well…I can ask if the humans will help you.” Green-Eye stated. Normally she wouldn’t have helped another carnivore (much less asked another human to help one), it wasn’t in her nature. But, somehow, she felt the need to help the Utahraptor.
               The Utahraptor snorted. “I…told you…it’s much too late for me.” Green-Eye began to feel desperate. How could this Utahraptor just accept that he was going to die? Why didn’t he try and get help? Or, at least, let her get help for him? The Utahraptor suddenly stirred. His eyes were wide and wild-looking and fierce.
               “I smell them!” He hissed and grabbed Green-Eye by her arm. Green-Eye tried to pull away, but his grip was strong. “Take my child.” He hissed softly, pulling Green-Eye closer. Green-Eye tried to back away again, but his grip didn’t break. “Take it!” He said and then shoved the egg toward her, releasing his grip. “Name her Vira.” Naming the hatchling before it hatched? That was unheard of! “You can choose for it the last name, one that you find suits it. Now go! They are here!” And the Utahraptor practically shoved her away from him. “Tell her…when she is old enough.”
               Green-Eye saw the Utahraptor stand up to finish the battle. She slowly backed away and then turned and ran. She felt desperate and didn’t know what to do. Then, she realized that she should turn around and remember the faces of the two Tyrannosaurs so she could tell the young hatchling when it was old enough, so it could take vengeance on the Tyrannosaurs.
               Later, Green-Eye wished she had never returned. It was a quick battle. The Utahraptor never stood a chance. Both Tyrannosaurs backed him into a tree. He fought hard and bravely, but the Tyrannosaurs were too strong. Apparently they didn’t know about the egg, or they didn’t care, thinking it’d die without its parents.
               Either way, the two Tyrannosaurs left the carcass, something Green-Eye found utterly barbaric. To just kill for no reason, other than to have been asked to…and what had made them listen to the two clans? The fact that most carnivores in the Rainy Basin considered Hybrids low-class! Lower than civilized dinosaurs. Lower than humans. As low as the ground they walked on
               From that day on, Green-Eye’s view of things changed greatly.

Description
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                                                                      Chapter 1
                                                                      Utahraptor

               Today was hunting day.
               Two times a week, the raptor pack would send two or three skilled hunters deep into the Rainy Basin to search for food while the rest of the pack would watch over the nests.
               Back before the Tyrannosaurs had moved to this region, the pack used to only leave two guards watching over the nests. But four summers ago, the hunting pack had returned with some extra meat for the two guards, only to find them dead and every single one of the nests smashed into the mud. It had been a devastating time and no comfort could be found until this year when new nests had been lain.
               Green-Eye snarled. One of these days, they would get revenge on those stupid Tyrannosaurs for what they had done. She wasn’t sure how, but it would be done…before she died. After all, the raptor pack was hers and they all expected to see some revenge and they expected to see Green-Eye as the one to give the revenge.
               Green-Eye turned her attention back to her hunting. It would not do well for her, as leader of the clan, to be the only one to return without something to eat. Within the next few weeks the eggs would hatch and that meant that everyone would be bringing back extra meat.
               Then Green-Eye saw, standing in the shadows, an Anchisaurus. It was eight feet long and reaching its small head into a large berry bush, enjoying the berries. It was completely unaware of the Velociraptor behind it. Green-Eye laid herself flat against the cool brown soil that covered the Rainy Basin floor, along with the green vegetation.
               Green-Eye licked her muzzle, slowly creeping closer. She was about to leap when the ground suddenly shook and thunderous bellows and trumpeting erupted. The shaking had been going on for a little while, but it’d been distant and Green-Eye hadn’t really noticed until now, until it was really close. The Anchisaurus looked up, coughed and took off.
               Green-Eye hissed, whirling towards the sounds, angry that something had disturbed her hunting. She could have brought back the largest prey! Things that other carnivores could eat in the Rainy Basin weren’t generally that big. And she had been doing poorly the last few times she had gone out hunting. That wasn’t good for a leader. She’d heard the whispers of the other Velociraptors talking about needing a new leader.
               Well, she wouldn’t let go of her leadership that easily.
               Green-Eye ran towards the bellowing and the shaking. The forest cleared onto a path and not far down the path she could see a caravan with what must have been made up of a hundred dinosaurs and around that many—or more—humans.
               Green-Eye hissed. There were five Ultrasaurs, each roughly around one hundred feet in length and about fifty feet in height, coming down the path side-by-side. They were so big that bushes that were twice as big as Green-Eye were being crushed by the two Ultrasaurs that were walking on the sides, creating a wider path. The Ultrasaurs carried themselves with dignity and purpose. They needed no protection because of their size. No intelligent carnivore, not even the Tyrannosaurs, Giganotosaurus, Gorgosaurs, or the daring Spinosaurs would dare attack these large herbivores. Five humans sat atop the Ultrasaurs and even they seemed to hold themselves with dignity. Humans! Green-Eye thought with disgust. They probably don’t even taste any good. Green-Eye ducked back into the forest and then climbed the highest tree where she could watch this interesting caravan go by.
               Behind the Ultrasaurs were Seismosaurs. Green-Eye’s eyes widened in surprise. She had been wrong before about there only being around one hundred dinosaurs. She could see the heads of several long-necked sauropods far into the distance. Diplodocus followed the Ultrasaurs and Seismosaurs. As a Seismosaurus passed by Green-Eye, it looked at her and rumbled a greeting ‘Breathe Deep, Seek Peace’.
               Green-Eye leaned out as far as she could and hissed then swatted at the Seismosaurus, who withdrew its head with a rude grunt. A curious Ultrasaurus looked over its shoulder and exchanged a few words with the Seismosaurus then looked at Green-Eye. But the Velociraptor had already turned her attention to the others in the caravan. Triceratops, Styracosaurus, Dryosaurus, Hypsilophodon, Dimetrodon, Ankylosaurus, and Vulcanodons (a twenty-one-foot long sauropod/prosauropod) made up the smaller of the dinosaurs traveling with the caravan. Human adults and children could be seen walking behind the dinosaurs (a few of the children rode the dinosaurs or in carts). Then behind them were some carnivores.
               Green-Eye grunted. Those stupid carnivores had been brainwashed by the herbivores and humans. Deinonychus, Velociraptor, Deinocheirus, Albertosaurus (surprisingly enough to Green-Eye) and Segnosaurus were among the carnivores traveling with the caravan. She wondered what in Dinotopia such a large caravan was doing traveling through the Rainy Basin. She was sure that no carnivore would dare attack this caravan, but Green-Eye could still see lots of baskets containing smoked eels and fish.
               Green-Eye licked her muzzle again. This caravan owed her and her pack.
               Hesitating for only a moment, Green-Eye quickly climbed down out of the tree and walked right up to a Velociraptor who looked at her warily, but the entire caravan came to a halt. Sauropods in the back of the caravan bellowed to the ones in the front to figure out what was stopping the caravan. Green-Eye could not see them, but she could hear them.
               “Breathe Deep, Seek Peace, sister.” The Velociraptor said, still looking at her warily.
               Green-Eye rolled her eyes and snorted in disgust. “I am not your sister and I will not Seek Peace. Your caravan scared off my prey. I am the leader of my clan and I must provide for my clan. Our eggs are close to hatching and my pack is talking of finding a new leader amongst themselves. I want some of your smoked eels and fish.” Green-Eye paused as a human came up beside the Velociraptor.
               “What’s going on here?” The human asked. Green-Eye could understand the human language, but could not speak it. The other Velociraptor quickly told the human what was wrong and then Green-Eye continued when the Velociraptor stopped talking.
               “Your caravan owes me.” Green-Eye stated flatly. The other Velociraptor translated. The human looked at Green-Eye suspiciously. Green-Eye hissed, but the human didn’t even blink an eye. Probably because he knew she wouldn’t attack him, especially as there were so many other dinosaurs around. Green-Eye clicked her claws. “Well?” She asked impatiently.
               The human turned around and talked to someone else, who talked to another person, who, in turn, talked to someone Green-Eye couldn’t see. Finally the human returned.
               “We can give you some of the smoked eels.” The human said. “How much did you have in mind?”
               “Three basketfuls.” Green-Eye replied. The human looked disgruntled when the other Velociraptor finally translated.
               “Who would help you carry them? We all left Bonabba this morning, we have to be in Treetown in seven days. And we can’t give up three baskets, we might run into other carnivores. Please, understand.”
               “Well, that’s too bad. Choose three Velociraptors to bring the baskets. I will not have one strapped to my back. I am not a pack animal and I am not a slave.” Green-Eye stated haughtily. “But these,” Green-Eye indicated the other carnivores, “who have lowered themselves to your level would probably carry the packs proudly. My clan will have a good laugh.”
               The Albertosaurus that was traveling with the group, lowered it’s head to Green-Eye and growled at her. “If you don’t stop being rude, I may just decide to have you for my noon snack.” He growled again warningly, but Green-Eye rolled her eyes. This Albertosaurus obviously lived by the code, which meant he wouldn’t kill Green-Eye if he didn’t need the food. Besides, that was the other reason so many smoked-eels had been brought along. Green-Eye turned her snout into the air and closed her eyes, ignoring the Albertosaurus until he removed his head.
               “Three basketfuls of smoked eels and fish or I’ll tell every carnivore in the Basin where you are headed.”
               “What was the dinosaur you were stalking? We’ll give you equal to that amount.” The human said.
               “I don’t barter. I said three baskets. Take it, or meet every carnivore there is in the Basin by noon tomorrow. And believe me, we bipeds can travel much faster than your fat sauropods.” There was a moment of shock at what Green-Eye said and then anger. The sauropods stamped and bellowed angrily. A small Vulcanodon hissed at Green-Eye, but the Velociraptor stood her ground.
               The human sighed. “Fine.” He said. “Three baskets. But you have to promise that you will warn other carnivores to stay away.”
               “It’s a deal.” Green-Eye promised.
               “Bring down three baskets of smoked eels and some ropes.” The human shouted. Quickly, humans took down three baskets of smoked eels and fish as well as the requested ropes. Two Velociraptors and one Deinonychus stepped forward to accept the baskets.
               “Not that degraded Deinonychus.” Green-Eye grumped. “Another Velociraptor. I will not show that lowly Deinonychus to my clan.” The Deinonychus growled and grumbled, but with a look and rub on the snout from his partner—a little girl—he quieted.
               Green-Eye led the Velociraptors to her clan. It only took fifteen minutes for the fast bipedal dinosaurs to reach the clan.
               On their way there, Green-Eye spotted something but decided to check on it later because she didn’t want these ‘civilized’ Velociraptors to get too curious about what it was. Otherwise they might take it.
               “Green-Eye, we’ve been waiting.” Said one of her Velociraptors when she and the other three arrived at her pack. The Velociraptor that had spoken looked over Green-Eye to the three Velociraptors behind her. How dare she! Green-Eye thought. Raptors in her own clan were questioning her motives!
               “Civilized?” The Velociraptor spat. “We never thought it possible of you, Green-Eye.” Green-Eye hissed at the Velociraptor and then leapt, knocking over the younger Velociraptor and sticking her claws next to the young one’s throat.
               “They are carrying smoked eels which I took from the humans in a caravan for scaring away my prey!” Green-Eye growled furiously. Slowly, she let the younger one up off her back, who promptly backed away bobbing her head in submission to Green-Eye. “Do I need to reestablish my status as leader?” Green-Eye shouted. None of the other Velociraptors said a word. “Then I don’t want to hear anyone question my motives ever again!”
               Green-Eye whirled around and used her claws to cut the ropes strapping the baskets to the backs of the civilized Velociraptors. “You can go. And I better not find out you told anyone else where my clan is, or I’ll hunt you down.” Green-Eye threatened.
               The Velociraptors seemed just as happy to get away as she was for them to go. Next, Green-Eye cut the ropes holding the baskets shut and then knocked them over. Slowly, her pack came up to the food.
               “Were the others successful or did they come back yet?” Green-Eye asked. She didn’t see or smell them in the pack, so she assumed they hadn’t yet returned from their hunting.
               “They haven’t returned yet, leader.” Green-Eye nodded her head.
               “Fine. I will return in a moment. I spotted something that I believe will help us get our revenge against the Tyrannosaurs at last.” Green-Eye said. Her pack murmured amongst themselves until one Velociraptor was bold enough to speak up.
               “What is it?” He asked. Green-Eye looked over at him.
               “I am not sure yet, but I think it is an abandoned egg.”
               “Will it still be alive?” Another asked.
               “Well, it appeared to be buried. But I only caught a quick glimpse of it. I am going to check it out now.”
               “But how will the egg help us to get revenge on the Tyrannosaurs?”
               “Enough questions!” Green-Eye hissed. “You will see when I return. And I expect to be treated as leader from this point on.” No one spoke up against her so Green-Eye left as her pack began to eat. She would eat when she returned.
               Green-Eye, much to her delight, saw that the egg was indeed large. It had to be four and a half inches long. It was bigger than any Velociraptor could lay. She lightly touched the egg to see how hard it was and surmised that it had been laid roughly around the same time as she had laid her egg.
               This reminded Green-Eye that if she did not lay again sometime in the next few years, a younger Velociraptor would take over her pack and she would submit to that leader’s will. Not if I can help it! Green-Eye thought. It was the smartest and the strongest that took over the packs. Not the youngest. She would fight for her position again just like the younger Velociraptors would.
               Green-Eye was about to pick the egg up when there was a sudden hiss and something heavy landed on top of Green-Eye. She fought to gain the advantage, but the thing that was on her…Green-Eye opened her eyes and noticed that she was being held down by a single foot. Her first thought was that a Tyrannosaur was about to make her his meal. And then she saw the sickle-like claw that adorned the second toe on the inside feet of all raptors or raptor-like dinosaurs.
               She slowly looked up at her attacker and realized immediately that it wasn’t a female dinosaur protecting the egg. It was a male.
               “I-I-I’m sorry, I thought the egg was abandoned and I wanted to give it a chance at life.” Well, that was partly true, anyway. Green-Eye thought. The Utahraptor studied her and then lifted his large foot from her small body. Green-Eye leapt to her feet and backed away a bit.
               Only then did she notice that the Utahraptor was seriously injured. The leg he‘d been using to hold her down was badly crippled. His back was grazed with tooth marks.
               The tooth marks of a Tyranosaurus Rex.
               Green-Eye shuddered and looked at his tail. Or, what was left of his tail. More than half of it was missing and Green-Eye was beginning to wonder how he still balanced so well.
               The wounds were fresh, she could tell. They were still bleeding. Except for one. The large Utahraptor had one of his large sickle-like claws missing. Green-Eye averted her eyes from his battle wounds. “Let my clan help you.” Green-Eye insisted. Somehow she felt a loyalty to this poor Utahraptor. Perhaps it was because he’d suffered against the power of a mighty Tyrannosaur.
               But the Utahraptor shook his head. “It is too late for me.” He said. Green-Eye felt a pang in her heart. Pity swelled inside her. This Utahraptor knew he was going to die, yet he seemed so calm about it. “And you wouldn’t want the egg. My mate and I were kicked out of our clans because…” The Utahraptor suddenly screamed in pain and twitched.
               The scream scared Green-Eye and she leapt backwards behind a bush and cowered. When she realized everything was okay again, she came out. The poor Utahraptor, he must be in such pain. And to be banished from his clan! Green-Eye felt pity for him again.
               “They kicked you out because why?” Green-Eye asked.
               “Because…she was a Deinonychus and I a Utahraptor. They thought it was a hybrid. But it isn’t. It’s…full Deinonychus.” Green-Eye backed off and gasped.
               “The Deinonychus and Utahraptor clan leaders thought we should be mates as I was the son of our leader and she the daughter of her leader. The majority of both clans did not like this, though. Our fathers saw it as a way of bringing our clans together, the young one being of both species, we could live in peace as neither clan would want the hatchling harmed. The Clans saw it as treason, a reason to find new leaders. What was supposed to unite two different clans living in the same area actually destroyed them.” The Utahraptor gasped as pain once again shot throughout his body.
               “What happened?” Green-Eye asked.
               “They waited until the egg was laid. I do not know why…” The Utahraptor hung his head. “Then they talked to Tyrannosaurs and asked them to get rid of my parents and…her parents. Of course, that made us the next leaders of our Clans and they saw their mistake. They had to wait a while before they tried anything on my mate and me though, because the small number of the two clans that were for this pairing would get suspicious.
               “Now the egg is near hatching, maybe a few days. Maybe today. My child has been squeaking. It should be any day now.” The Utahraptor sank to the ground and gently nuzzled the egg. Again, Green-Eye felt a pang of sorrow for this poor Utahraptor. He would never see his child hatch.
               “You said that the hatchling is full Deinonychus. How do you know?”
               “Because my mate had a mate before me. Her father never knew about it, but when he forced her to be my mate, it was already too late. She was already pregnant with this, though no one but her, the father and I knew about this. We wanted to make sure our clans would unite.”
               “What happened to…to your mate?” Green-Eye asked.
               “We were out on a walk together, for we had come to care for each other. The forest was quiet, but we figured it was because we were walking through it. We never guessed. We never knew! I should have though! Had I known I could have protected her!” The Utahraptor moaned.
               “You could not have known.” Green-Eye said softly. “My clan was out hunting once. We never had to guard the nests closely before. Why then? But when we returned with food for the two guards we had left, we found our nests smashed and our guards dead by the teeth and feet of Tyrannosaurs. We could not have known. But for the longest time I blamed myself! I should have known, I said. I should have been able to protect my clan. My instincts had told me to leave more guards. But I had not!”
               “It would not have mattered. You are too small to fight a Tyrannosaurus Rex. If you had left more guards, you would have had only a small clan now.” The Utahraptor said.
               “Exactly. After a while, I stopped blaming myself. There was nothing I could have done. We lost our children, but every single one of us could have been lost if we’d left too late or returned too soon. Your child is still alive.”
               “But she’s not.” The Utahraptor moaned again. “I did the best I could. But there were two of them. We both fought. She was the bravest of us. She was so small compared to them. Small compared even to me. And she did more damage to her Tyrannosaur than I did to mine.
               “We knew our child would be in danger, so we ran back to our clans. Perhaps the Tyrannosaurs would attack our clans instead of us. The Tyrannosaurs ran through our clan, not taking care of where they stepped. They smashed several of the nests and trampled Deinonychus and Utahraptors that were too startled or too shocked to get out of the way. We didn’t know we had members of the clans on our side till the father ran over with the egg and handed it to us, then told us to get out while they distracted the Tyrannosaurs.”
               The Utahraptor sucked in a big breath of air and was quiet for a moment. Green-Eye thought the Utahraptor was dead until he spoke again. “We don’t know why the Tyrannosaurs still followed us. They must have killed the ones that had attacked them. Perhaps they always finish a job they start, I don’t know. But they pursued us. My mate and I thought we were safe. Until we were once again caught unawares.” The Utahraptor lowered his head.
               “I should never have thought we were safe. We should have run all the way to the Treetown if it would have saved our child and my mate from this fate.”
               “Why not Bonabba? It is much, much, much closer.”
               “I do not think the humans would allow us to cross the bridge. And besides, I told you we thought we were safe. I was just naming a place.” Green-Eye nodded in understanding. He was explaining what he would have done for his mate and unhatched child. How far he would have gone. He must have cared for his Deinonychus mate very much. As well as his hatchling. Or, at least, his adopted hatchling.
               “But the Tyrannosaurs came?” Green-Eye asked and the Utahraptor nodded.
               “They came. I insisted Yellowblaze take the egg and run, but she stayed and fought. We were able to break free again and run with our egg. But the Tyrannosaurs caught up with Yellowblaze and smashed her into a tree before the Rex was attacked by more members of our clans that were loyal to us. She asked me, just before she…she…”
               “I know.” Green-Eye said and laid her hand upon his arm and patted it.
               “She asked me to take our egg and run. I didn’t want to at first, but she…she just…went. I wanted to attack them, but I thought of our child and how she would want me to hide our child before I took vengeance. So I brought our child here. I could go no farther. I do not know whether or not I am safe. But the Tyrannosaurs will have been scared off for a little while from that large Caravan that’s going through.”
               Indeed, the thunderous poundings of the caravan could still be felt. The Caravan had been several hundred feet long (mostly because of the sauropods). Green-Eye couldn’t imagine that many dinosaurs and humans living all in one city. But then again, she’d never been to Bonabba, so she didn’t know how many that place could hold. What was the large caravan for? And why were they all going to Treetown?
               Green-Eye had seen Treetown once when she had been just out of hatchling hood (which had been around ninety-four years ago) and it hadn’t looked like it could hold that many dinosaurs. So what was going on in Treetown that dinosaurs and humans would flock there? Had something happened to Bonabba? No, that couldn’t be it. The human would have said something about it, if that were the case.
               Green-Eye remembered the Utahraptor then. She looked down, expecting to find him dead. But he wasn’t, yet. This Utahraptor obviously had a strong will! But he was clearly on the verge of dying. She had to get him help somehow! But he had said it was too late for him….
               “The Caravan!” Green-Eye tried anyway. The Utahraptor lifted his head, but had to lay it back down for it took too much strength.
               “What do you mean?” The Utahraptor asked.
               “I mean, I can ask…well…I can ask if the humans will help you.” Green-Eye stated. Normally she wouldn’t have helped another carnivore (much less asked another human to help one), it wasn’t in her nature. But, somehow, she felt the need to help the Utahraptor.
               The Utahraptor snorted. “I…told you…it’s much too late for me.” Green-Eye began to feel desperate. How could this Utahraptor just accept that he was going to die? Why didn’t he try and get help? Or, at least, let her get help for him? The Utahraptor suddenly stirred. His eyes were wide and wild-looking and fierce.
               “I smell them!” He hissed and grabbed Green-Eye by her arm. Green-Eye tried to pull away, but his grip was strong. “Take my child.” He hissed softly, pulling Green-Eye closer. Green-Eye tried to back away again, but his grip didn’t break. “Take it!” He said and then shoved the egg toward her, releasing his grip. “Name her Vira.” Naming the hatchling before it hatched? That was unheard of! “You can choose for it the last name, one that you find suits it. Now go! They are here!” And the Utahraptor practically shoved her away from him. “Tell her…when she is old enough.”
               Green-Eye saw the Utahraptor stand up to finish the battle. She slowly backed away and then turned and ran. She felt desperate and didn’t know what to do. Then, she realized that she should turn around and remember the faces of the two Tyrannosaurs so she could tell the young hatchling when it was old enough, so it could take vengeance on the Tyrannosaurs.
               Later, Green-Eye wished she had never returned. It was a quick battle. The Utahraptor never stood a chance. Both Tyrannosaurs backed him into a tree. He fought hard and bravely, but the Tyrannosaurs were too strong. Apparently they didn’t know about the egg, or they didn’t care, thinking it’d die without its parents.
               Either way, the two Tyrannosaurs left the carcass, something Green-Eye found utterly barbaric. To just kill for no reason, other than to have been asked to…and what had made them listen to the two clans? The fact that most carnivores in the Rainy Basin considered Hybrids low-class! Lower than civilized dinosaurs. Lower than humans. As low as the ground they walked on
               From that day on, Green-Eye’s view of things changed greatly.