Unpredictable

Chapter 6

                   

Alan and I were standing in front of the raptor cage, listening the screeches and whines coming from the animals within.

Only a short time after we had discovered what species the newly hatched dinosaur was, Alan and I had set out about finding the other adult raptors. We wanted to check the fences and find out whether some of our theories were indeed what we thought they were.

We stood at the base of the stairs, not getting too close because we still weren't too sure of the defences.

"Lyanna! Doctor Grant!" We heard a voice yell from down the hill. I turned around and saw John leading our ragtag group up towards us and I sighed.

"We laid a lunch down for us all before you two left," John huffed as he caught up with the two of us.

"We thought it best we feed you before you get into the park," John smiled, coming to a stop just behind us.

Ian walked over and stood beside me.

"You two, uh, you two charged off there quickly. Is, uh, everything alright?" He licked his lips, biting them a little.

"Yeah, no. We're fine. We just wanted to check out the raptors' enclosure," I responded, eyes on the cow being strapped in some kind of harness in front of us.

"Our gourmet chef, Alejandro-" John was cut off as Alan pointed his finger at the cow.

"What are they doing?"

John smiled.

"Feeding them."

I suddenly felt sick as the harness was lifted into the air and the cow was raised over the top of the cage.

"As I was saying, Alejandro has prepared a delightful menu for us. Chilean Sea Bass, I believe," it was clear that no one was listening to him though as the rest of us moved forward up the stairs and onto the lookout area.

The cow was then lowered into the cage and I whipped around, covering my face in Ian's chest who was conveniently behind me.

"Oh. Oh. It's alright," Ian said somewhat soothingly, obviously a little startled.

"Sorry," I mumbled against his chest, looking up at him slowly.

"It's-it's alright," He replied, rubbing my back.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't block out the cow's stressed moo's or the sound of flesh ripping apart as the raptors took apart their meal.

I could smell Ian's cologne on him as I clutched to his clothes. It was mixed with the scent of mud or something musky. I couldn't tell and although it was proving to be a great distraction from the raptors it wasn't distracting me from Ian, who was know running his fingers through my hair.

"They should all be destroyed," I heard a new voice say.

I looked up and saw a man clad in beige clothes. He was wearing shorts, boots, a hat and a vest with a white shirt.

"Ah, this is my game warden from Kenya, Robert Muldoon," John said, looking over at the man.

"Bit of an alarmist, but knows more about raptors than anybody," he added.

Alan wasted no time going over to talk to the new arrival.

"What's their growth rate?" He stood across from him, leaning against the railing with his arms crossed.

"They're lethal at eight months and I do mean lethal. I've hunted most things that hunt you but the way these things move..." Muldoon trailed off, a faraway look in his eyes.