MENTAL ESSENCE PAGE 44 |
"It knows were here, why doesn't take a bite out of us? asked
Semma. "Step outside, and run down the path. These guys are reasonably smart. She knows were in here. She's just not concerned about our intentions. Now if she felt like we might be a threat, or competition, we'd be a snack," said Ott. As soon as they had eaten all they could, they turned into the leafy green curtain, and disappeared. With in seconds, the remains were covered with dozens of kinds of scavengers. Some were apparently just pretending to be scavengers, and eating the ones who really were. Plowing through the jungle scared up all kinds of creatures. "Look at that!" stated MB pointing to several animals flying in a circle to the right. "Those are Bombers. They eat a fish, and small anything's, then they fly overhead, and relieve themselves. So, if you see them coming in your direction, head for cover," said Ott with a smile. To the right, a dozen or so huge, reddish, herbivores slowly grazed while just barely inside the jungle perimeter, two dark brown carnivores paced back and forth. "Don't look good for those guys!" proclaimed Emmerr. "Yap, their goners," said Hiret. "Not at all. They won't attack those big ones. Their waiting for much smaller plant eaters to come along. There are no predators who actually hunt the big guys. Mostly because of the likely hood of getting hurt. There are however, hundreds of scavengers prowling around," private Ott said. "You mean there's not even one of those big carnivores who can take one of the plant eaters? Seems like they would be easy pray with that long neck," said Semma. "Oh, if they find one on its death bed, or unprotected young, but all these guys, regardless of food preferences, know that even a minor injury is a death sentence. Therefore, patience pays. Stand in one place for a while, and something is going to come along and die. Kind a like home delivery," private Ott said. Here and there, a large dino was chasing a small dino, but the one's that really got your attention was the ones that swooped down out of the clear blue, and flew off with some hapless creature wiggling with obvious frantic energy. "Over there," Ott pointed. The growling and screaming coming from four medium sized carnivores fighting over a slow-moving Dino with a very thick, tough shell was blood curdling. "Hard to believe such loud noise could come from creatures of that size," said Cree. "Imagine what the really big one's sound like," MB said with over tones of enthusiasm. "You'll get a chance. If fact, you will not be able to avoid them," said Ott. There was what seemed like hours of ridding before stopping for a meal. "My insides are rearranged to the point I feel like another species," said Emmerr. "Are there any roads around here?" asked Cree. "Ya, I feel dizzy and num," complained Hiret. "Don't get no easier," said Ott. "I can feel things watching us. It's like there's something hiding behind every leaf and rock," said MB. "There is," Ott said with huff like laugh. Gradually the crew began to recognize forms standing, hanging, and laying all over the place. "Wow. It's like looking for gems, or fossils. At first you can't see even one, then once you do, there's billions of them," said Semma. "Keep in mind, these fossils bite," said Ott. Small blood sucking insects were held at bay by the repellent device guarding the crew. They were so thick they formed a layer around the crew like a dark bubble with intermediate flickering from flying gems. "How do the Dino's survive all those blood suckers?" asked Cree. The cloud of insects was starting to block out the light. "Oh, before long something will come by and eat them," said Ott. Sure enough, as they were packing up, a gang of flying rodents swooped in, and began scooping them up. Plus, around the base of the bubble, there were many small lizards that had gone unnoticed lapping them up several at a time. "We had better hurry. These feeding frenzies draw bigger and bigger dino's," said Ott. As they drove in to the jungle, larger Dino's were indeed arriving. "Are those volcano's as active as they look?" asked Cree. "Sure are. There one going off somewhere all the time. Haven't lost anyone to a volcano yet. Don't worry," Ott with a hilt of jest. Cree was compelled to ask the question when they entered a valley filling with lava from short, but wide, volcano. "I can feel the heat from here," Semma said. "Must be twenty miles wide," said Hiret. "That was different," said MB, referring to a vibrating concussion from a moderate explosive eruption. "Frightening to know that there is no way to control your environment," said Emmerr. "Frightening. Sure is. Exhilarating, yes in. I feel like I'm part of everything around me. Life, death, running, flying, and probably swimming as well," said MB. "I guess you're used to this stuff?" said Semma looking at Ott. "Nope. I never get tiered of this stuff. In fact, I've never met anyone who got tired of this place. There is always something interesting going on. All day, and all night," said Ott. "I'd have a stroke if I lived here," said Emmerr. "You'd get used to it enough to survive," said Ott, with a grin. Just then, on the left-hand side of the transport, they passed a medium sized carnivore with large wounds on its left side. |