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disrupting its flow. A sound resembling rapids arose as the current broke
against the trunklike legs of the dinosaurs. Toward the farther shore of the
river, the channel was deeper, and only the dinosaurs broad backs and huge
heads were above the water. The crossing at that point became more chaotic as
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the animals struggled against the current. One of the smaller individuals was
swept downstream. The herd ignored its bellows and continued to cross.
The dinosaur was carried by the current about fifty yards to a stretch of
water closer to the near shore.
There it regained its footing. It stood motionless for a minute, catching its
breath before wading to shallower water close to Rick and Joe. Only when the
animal was almost at the riverbank did it head upstream to rejoin the herd. It
moved slowly, limping with its right front leg.
Rick and Joe did not notice that the Dromaeosauruses had entered the river
until they approached the stranded animal. Three cut off its path to the herd
while the other two approached from the rear. The
Torosaurus lowered its head so its horns pointed at the three predators
blocking its way. It made a short, feinting charge, and they backed off. The
Torosaurus was still shaking its head at its three foes when one of the other
two Dromaeosauruses rushed and dug its claws into the Torosaurus s flank. The
Torosaurus bellowed and whirled about. Its attacker released its grip and
retreated.
Another Dromaeosaurus charged. It dug its claws into its victim s flank,
straightened its arms, and jumped. As it rose, it slashed out with its large
toe claw. The claw raked through skin and muscle. The
Torosaurus, bellowing in pain, swung around, but its tormentor leapt beyond
its reach. The drawing of first blood seemed to encourage the predators, for
they moved in closer. Still, they attacked warily, quickly darting in and,
just as quickly, retreating. Although the beleaguered Torosaurus was still
able to fend off most attacks, the number of its wounds steadily increased.
With each long, bloody gash, its ability to defend itself diminished.
Eventually, it stood still, seeming unable or unwilling to move.
A Dromaeosaurus dug its claws into its prey s ribs and kicked repeatedly at
its belly, tearing it open.
Intestines tumbled out. The Torosaurus s hoarse, high-pitched wail seemed
almost mournful to Rick.
Spurred by pain, it suddenly twisted around and impaled its assailant with one
of its horns. The skewered
Dromaeosaurus thrashed about as the Torosaurus lifted and shook its head.
After a minute, its attacker hung limp. The great horned head drooped, and the
carnivore slid off into the river. It slowly tumbled in the current, its blood
mingling with its victim s. That was the Torosaurus s last act of defiance.
Its head remained drooped, yet it stood on unsteady legs. Rick could hear its
labored breathing. One of the
Dromaeosauruses bit the intestines trailing in the river and began to tug at
them.
How can you watch this? said Joe, raising his gun to fire.
Rick stopped him by putting his hand on the barrel. It s nature s way. You
eat meat, don t you?
Not like that!
It s all the same in the end.
The four remaining predators swarmed over their helpless prey in a final
frenzy of kicking and slashing.
The Torosaurus fell over on its side and lay still in the red-stained water.
The frenzy subsided. The
Dromaeosauruses began to feed. After the violence of the kill, the scene
seemed almost peaceful.
As Rick and Joe watched the carnivores feast, they saw the Torosaurus move one
last time. A huge crocodile had seized its tail. The Dromaeosauruses watched
helplessly as their meal was dragged off into deep water and disappeared.
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Why this is just a vacation paradise! said Joe. Let s go.
Rick was reluctant to leave, but acquiesced. He turned for one last look and
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saw the four remaining
Dromaeosauruses crossing the river to follow the herd.
10
THAT LITTLE DRAMA
put me off my feed, said Joe once they were airborne. I suggest we find more
suitable viewing for our guests.
Rick realized Joe was right; the raw struggle between life and death was not
tourist fare. They needed to find more picturesque locales.
They roamed through the sky and found many places worthy of a return visit. On
a plain between two foothills, they discovered a small lake that served as a
watering hole. Its shores were visited by all kinds of dinosaurs, some of
which were new to Rick. A larger lake had a low island that was a nesting site
for a colony of
Anatosauruses
, duckbilled dinosaurs over forty feet long. The entire colony was engaged in
constructing bowl-shaped nests from mud. They located a herd of sauropods
using their long necks to browse in the treetops. Although these animals were
not nearly as large as the giants of earlier periods, they still made an
impressive sight. Farther north, Rick and Joe discovered a herd of ceratopsids
that stretched over several miles. Rick counted at least seven different
species of horned dinosaurs among the teeming thousands. This herd, like the
one that crossed the river, seemed to be migrating. In its wake, the land
looked trampled and bare. Following the devastation were packs of
Dromaeosauruses. Later, they spotted a pair of Tyrannosaurs feasting on a
carcass. There was too little left to identify the species of their meal.
Above the feeding carnosaurs circled a pterosaur, waiting to scavenge their
leftovers. It was the size of a small airplane. Returning over the inland sea,
they located an island that was a rookery for tens of thousands of pterosaurs.
Later, they spied a sandbar where dozens of plesiosaurs basked in the
afternoon sun. Each time they located a memorable sight, Joe entered its
position on a holographic map.
By the time they returned to the island, Rick felt confident they had
locations for several excursions.
Rick was in a buoyant mood as he and Joe walked back to camp. The island
looked lovely in the low, clear light of late afternoon. A clean-smelling
breeze blew in from the sea. Rick was excited and uplifted by what he had seen
and felt fully recompensed for the morning that had begun so badly.
Peter Green was walking up the path as they neared camp. Rick flashed him a
broad grin. Green did not return the smile as he stopped on the path. The grin
quickly faded from Rick s face as he saw his employer s irate expression.
Joe, go check in with James, said Green. I need to talk to Rick.
As Joe left, Green riveted his eyes on Rick. Their coldness contrasted with
his flushed complexion.
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