Primordial and Beyond #1: The Divided Ones

Chapter 6

Zara huffed and turned back to Bronto. "Ugh! Sorry for the distraction! Anyway...you were saying?"

"Huh? Oh!" Bronto snapped back into focus. He grabbed the nest off his back and set it between them. "Jana's nest! She said her hatchlings were missing after she came back from her stroll yesterday, and this was all she found in their nest."

Zara's eyes widened. She sniffed at the blood and around the nest. Then she shot her head up, frowning at the sight. "There's absolutely no Flesheater scent on that thing."

"Really?" Bronto blinked. "Oh crap, do you think egg-thieves kidnapped them? Or...Sky Predators?"

"Perhaps," Zara narrowed her eyes. Then she faced Bronto with a frown. "But I think Velina and her raptors may somehow still be involved, even though there's no Flesheater scent. I thought their breaths smelled funny....like they had bitten Leafeaters. I mean, Velina's already been telling Flesheaters hatchlings to bite grownup Leafeaters! She could've very well plotted to have other dinos fetch child Leafeaters for her to eat!"

Bronto gasped. "I'm gonna talk to Ebenezer. Maybe she's coaxed him to do some schemes for her."

"Oh, I was already gonna talk to Ebenezer today—don't bother wasting your breath around that self-inflated prick!"

Bronto gave Zara a mild teasing smile. "I'll talk to him anyway! Ebenezer will be more likely to spill something embarrassing around me. You're too intimidating for him."

Zara raised an eyebrow. Then she laughed. "Hah! Well, I guess–"

"Help! Help!"

Bronto and Zara turned to see an Ankylosaurus mother running over. She had a nest on her back. Bronto's heart skipped a beat. He saw that the nest had droplets of blood.

Zara gave a fierce glare, also having noticed the nest. "Agh! Don't tell me your hatchlings went missing too!"

The Ankylosaurus broke into tears. "Oh yes! Oh it's awful! My mate and I went out for a nightwalk, and our children were fast asleep. Then we returned and they were nowhere to be seen!"

Zara sniffed the nest. She stomped her foot. "Ugh! No Flesheater scent at all!"

"What?! Who could've taken my hatchlings?!"

Bronto gave a frazzled groan. "Ohhhhh, we better not have an issue with egg-thieves or Sky Predators again!"

The Ankylosaurus mother banged her tail at the ground. "Oh, I'm sure the Saurotopian Flesheaters are behind this!" She glared. "As a matter of fact, I think it's either Velina...." She turned to Bronto, "...or your crazy racecoaching partner."

"Gaaa-what?" Bronto flinched. "Trex?! He would never do that!"

The mother Ankylosaurus snorted. "Jana said Trex was eying her nest when she brought it to you yesterday. And he was drooling."

Zara winced. "Drooling?!"

"Yes. She told me." Seethed the Ankylosaurus.

Bronto gasped.

Zara turned to him. "That true?"

Bronto froze. Then he gave a slow nod.

Zara huffed. "Tell Trex to come see me."