The Flock

Chapter 13

Days last and Tango grew more and more angry as Spike pushed her around. She knew the time was drawing close where she would challenge him. She soon grew to like Petrie. She was really the only one that she would support and Chance just disappointed her so she always dodged him. She always felt guilty but she kept her focus on two things: Spike and the eggs.

It happened when the loud sound came and the velociraptors came running to the platform where they got feed treats. The humans often let a "pig" loose to reward them for responding to their names but Spike would never let her eat because she never responded.

Tango watched as the flock members tore the pig loose and her mouth watered with greed. She sighed then picked up a trot and ventured away.

The was a rustle behind her and she turned to see Alexander drop a chunk of pig at her feet with a rumble.

"What's this?" She hissed sniffing it.

"Pig. S-Spike wanted me to take this to you." He stuttered avoiding her eyes.

"Really?" She looked at him.

"No." He admitted and turned to go away then turned to her. "Why don't you just follow instructions?"

Tango rumbled angrily and lashed her tail.

"You're stubborn." He chirped.

She glared at him. "I guess so."

He smiled for a moment then ran off.

Tango snorted the turned away then looked down at the meat. She took a bite and ate it all. It was a great snack. Way better than what they usually gave them.

She purred in delight and satisfaction and rumbled to herself. There was a loud shriek and she recognized Petrie's scream and she rushed forward, and crawled in the den, and saw Petrie staring at the empty nest. She turned to Tango with furious anger. "They took them!"

Tango felt a growl rise in her throat and she growled deeply.

Petrie scraped the wall and Tango saw the anger rising in her. Her instincts were taking over and she desperately needed her eggs back.

"Tango, we have to check the others!" She snapped and slipped out, tearing through the jungle, and skidded at the site were the small mound was.

She dug frantically and gave a sigh of relief as she stepped back and saw the four dirty eggs.

Petrie finally looked at her with sadness. "I knew it was only two but these might not even survive." She whimpered.

Tango looked down, not sure what to do. They couldn't exactly go and find them.

Petrie rumbled and stepped forward and touched Tango's snout. "I support you."

"T-thanks?" She chirped confused.

"About the Alpha rank." Petite said.

"What?"

"We all know you want to challenge Spike."

Tango hesitated. "It's a thought..."

"Tango you should!" She urged. "You helped me—or at least tired to help me with my eggs. Spike wouldn't even let me speak to him! You'd make a great Alpha! You care for others."

"Petrie, I've only been here for a little more than a month now. It's too early." Tango hissed.

"Well whenever you do it, I'll be supporting you." Petrie chirped.

Tango looked doubtfully at her but nodded. "Thank you."

...

"Littlefoot."

Littlefoot chirped and the small raptor leaped up and caught the mouse.

"Petrie."

Petrie remained quiet.

"Petrie?" He repeated loudly.

Petrie rumbled angrily.

The velociraptors looked curiously at her.

"Petrie, chirp." Spike demanded.

Petrie looked worriedly at him but didn't make a sound.

"Ok, moving on." The human droned.

Spike hissed at Petrie and nipped at her.

Petrie hissed and Tango stepped forward and nudged Spike back roughly, sending him stumbling back a few steps.

"How dare you!" Spike hissed, lashing his tail, extending his claws, the velociraptors keeping their distance. Spike hissed, tacking a slow step back, not taking an eye off her.

Noises from humans exploded above them and several humans pointed guns at them, not wanting them to fight.

"Calm down raptors." Mark's voice sounded and he clicked something, soothing them immediately.

Tango looked up and waved her tail. Mark was here! She chirped at him in delight at him and Spike growled amusingly.

Mark looked at her and clicked the object. "That's it for today guys."

The raptors made several noises then walked off.

"Tango." Mark said and she turned to him, her eyes wide in curiosity. "I'm watching you."

Tango didn't know what he said but she knew he cared.

Tango ran off after the others. They all arrived at the dens and everyone was silent, staring as Spike paced angrily. He finally whipped to Tango. "Do you know my job?"

"I never knew you had one..." Tango rumbled.

"Well I do. And it's very important. My job is to keep you all in line and to follow their directions. All the alphas they had before me never got us to do what we do today." He hissed.

"We are not the humans' pets." Tango and Spike started to circle.

Spike roared and leaped at her, slashing her across the shoulder. "Silence, Tango! Know your place and stay quiet."

Tango looked at her bleeding wound and growled. She roared and leaped at Spike, barley attempting to knock him to the ground.

He scrambled up with a hiss and a wave of hopelessness settled over them all except Petrie. Her eyes were wide with hope and she watched carefully.

Spike roared and leaped forward, Tango dodging and leaped on his back, bringing them both down, biting on his neck.

Spike howled with shock and anger and used his unusually long arms and clawed her belly, letting her release him with a roar of agony. The two backed away from each other and Spike was the first to leap at her again, scraping his long claws down her flank.

'He's like the utahraptor.' Tango thought with a wince as she kicked him off. Spike rose quickly and leaped at her once again. Spike might've been big but he wasn't very smart.

Tango clawed his face and he fell with a scream of agony. He laid their for a moment, breathing heavily in shock and pain.

Tango looked down him and she allowed him to to rise and she stood emotionless as he glared at her with his one remaining eye.

Spike snapped at her, then gazed across the muzzle. Tango dodged his next blow then lunged up, seizing his long neck.

He gasped and chocked, scrabbling at her then she let go, Spike coughing and wheezing on the ground.

Tango looked into his eye and pressed a foot on his flank and leaned down. "Give up, Spike. Please don't make kill you."

Spike hissed then closed his eye.

Tango backed off him, staring.

Spike rose to his feet and looked down submissively. "I surrender."

Tango turned around at all the velociraptors staring at her. She let out a triumphal caw and several series of caws came from her fellow velociraptors.

She looked at Petrie and nodded. Petrie smiled warmly at her.

Now Tango was Alpha now. What was going to be her first move.