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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 3, 2012 1:39:34 GMT -5
Needless to say, this shocked them greatly. A human as a servant? It wasn't exactly Dinotopian. But who were they to be the judge of the finer points of civilized society.
"We eat meat..." said the captain. At this, Califf, as a new dolphinback of only several years started salivating... He eagerly said that would be fine. (He was practically asking for a steak...) He tried his best to explain to these carnosaurs that where he originally came from was an omnivore society, and that he did miss the taste of meat. They told him that if he would be their servant, they would feed him. He was more than ecstatic. He was sure that if he ever got back to Waterfall City he would be put in prison for making such a deal and then on top of it all, breaking one of the codes of Dinotopia. Oh well. He would probably be eaten some time soon anyway; if his service was ever found to be unsatisfactory....
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 3, 2012 16:32:31 GMT -5
Califf then was ushered to follow the captain while the 4 others were watching him, very closely. They started heading toward the heart of the Rainy Basin. He was running just to keep up with their wide strides. He realized that he was moving farther and farther away from his goal, but, he understood that this was a very unavoidable detour.
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 4, 2012 1:32:40 GMT -5
They arrived at the torvosaurs camp. It smelt strongly of meat and blood and decay. It almost made him gag at first. But as he was now a servant he held his own and waited for further instructions. He was tired, but that would have to wait if he valued his life.
They circled around him, their size blocking every other thought from his mind, and then from their eyes to their teeth, and then down to their claws. Yes he would serve them, though he couldn't imagine what they would possibly want from him. "You...cook...meat;...We like...cooked meat!" The captain said.
That was easy enough! He could handle this job. He got some dry wood from the surrounding forest- they watched him closely. He then laid out the kindling, and started the fire from his fire-starter. They were interested in the fire some- but he knew that that would only last so long. So, taking his geological hammer, he sliced off a steak from one of the kills nearby and started roasting it over the fire. The look in their eyes was priceless! They looked as eager as a child on Christmas! The smell was making him salivate also, but he knew the rules of carnivore hierarchy. The leader eats first; he, most likely would be the last one to eat.
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 4, 2012 11:32:11 GMT -5
He handed the first steak to the captain; it was a thick juicy piece that he had to use both hands to hold it up. The fat was dripping down his arms as he lifted it to the open maw of their captain; he knew better than to like the fat off, lest they assume that he was challenging the captain for the leadership of the tribe. So after he gave him the piece, he stepped back and knelt. Life or death may be in the balance still.
The captain held the meat in his maw until Califf had knelt, and then swallowed it in one bite. Califf couldn't imagine that he had even tasted any of it... But, the captain said, "Very good, feed pack!" Gesturing to the other members waiting around the fire. Califf got to work. He cut off 4 more pieces of meat and served them up. The torvosaurs seemed satisfied for now. He then went to the captain and knelt and asked, "May I eat now?" The torvosaur looked him over and seeing that he was not threatening his pack or leadership, he said, "Eat now, then sleep!"
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 5, 2012 2:27:26 GMT -5
After eating a steak that tasted really good, he had always been good at grilling back home, he looked to the captain for instruction as to where he should sleep. The captain responded that he should sleep next to him, so that he could watch him, to make sure he wouldn't run-off during the night. Sleeping so near a carnivore that could eat him in a single bite was a slightly daunting experience. He knew that it wouldn't matter how he felt about it one way or another. They could eat him if they wanted, he had to stop being afraid of that possibility. He had to calm himself some how... The captain laid down and eyed Califf until Califf sat down next to his muscular clawed arm. He looked at the claws and then at the eye that was watching him intently. The torvosaur understood and curled his claws into a fist to make them less threatening. Califf knew that this was a good sign, he also knew that the torvosaur would not go to sleep until he was sure that Califf was. So Califf rested against the torvosaur's neck and let sleep take him from this interesting nightmare he had seemed to walk into...
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 5, 2012 13:09:32 GMT -5
Califf awoke the next morning to 4 torvosaurs and their captain eying him intently. "Cook...Meat!" the captain rumbled. Califf hurried to obey. He still had left over wood; and from what it seemed, the other torvosaurs had gathered some more. So, he arranged the wood and got the fire going. Noticing how efficient their claws were at cutting meat, he went up to the captain and asked (as politely as he could, "You,...cut...steak?" making a gesture to imitate his claw. The captain understood and set the others to cutting up the meat into manageable steaks.
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 5, 2012 23:02:37 GMT -5
For about a week or two, it was hard to tell, he continued cooking the kills that they had already made in the area. Soon all that was left were the bones. And, they were hungry. Califf knew that this was a delicate time. He approached the captain as respectfully as he could, also in a way that would help him identify with the pack better- "Food?" was all he said. The torvosaur looked on him and something happened; the torvosaur saw him as a hatchling. He responded as such, "Patience..." he said in his ponderous voice. He finally felt semi-accepted. Not wanting to ruin the moment he just remained silent until the captain spoke again. "We'll hunt tonight!" Califf was terrified. It was one thing to eat meat, it was another to be hunting it. The citizens of Dinotopia may never forgive him... He was also curious to how they would hunt, or if they would even include him. He figured he would find out tonight, so he went to sleep and slept away the afternoon.
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 6, 2012 0:33:10 GMT -5
Night came, Califf waited his commands. The captain was sure to tell him. The captain of the torvosaurs lumbered over to Califf. "We hunt,... You follow!" Califf fell in line. They were a swift group and it was all he could do to keep up. This was so un-Dinotopian, it made Califf shudder. Oh well, he had his life.
The torvosaurs slowed down, it seemed that they had spotted something. He was silent, to ruin the hunt left him as their alternative food source... He remembered the law of the jungle. Kill or be killed. It was a sad harsh reality compared to the almost Utopian lifestyle he had left behind. He still felt that after he had served faithfully that he should continue on to the Temple Ruins though; to discover the ancient history of Dinotopia and maybe shed some light on to the whole society that had started here on this island.
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 6, 2012 17:09:34 GMT -5
All at once they leapt into action and chased down their first kill of the night. This process was repeated three times at which point the captain came to Califf and said, "Help Carry!" Califf looked at the massive bulks of the kills before him and started thinking. There really was no way for him to "carry" them back to camp. So, he set about making A-frames on which the torvosaurs could carry their kill alot easier.
This must have been what the captain had meant when he demanded Califf to help carry. Back at the camp the embers of the fire had not yet died down all the way so one of the torvosaurs brought a log to lay on the fire. He started to lay the second one next to it; meanwhile another of the torvosaurs set about cutting up the kills, to get at the best parts. The captain watched over everything and Califf was slightly stunned. They had been paying attention to him, more than he realized. They were now self-dependent.
Califf turned to the captain and asked, "How may I serve thee?" The captain grinned, a truly terrifying sight; but, one that Califf had gotten used to, and started in on a story.
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 6, 2012 21:22:52 GMT -5
"There is a place," he began, "Where the ancient Carnosaurs used to meet." "I want to know why they met there." he continued. He then went on to describe a previously unknown location in Dinotopia that seemed to peak Califf's interest immensely. "We want you to go and learn about our ancestors, and teach us!" "You will leave tomorrow. He will show you the way." He gestured to one of the other torvosaurs.
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 7, 2012 12:46:12 GMT -5
Califf was very restless that next night. He could only imagine what he was about to learn. It was all he could hope for and more- to learn about the ancient carnosaurian way of life. He knew though that it would be a hard travel as he would have to keep up with the torvosaur. So he went to sleep.
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 7, 2012 12:49:36 GMT -5
The next morning he woke all too eager to set out on the journey. He had to wait for the designated torvosaur to wake. He was like a kid right before going to Disneyland! He ate some of the cooked steak that was left over and then brought some to the torvosaur and waited. It was strange eating meat that was almost entirely cooked by this group of torvosaurs; but, he couldn't complain. They really did a fine job at cooking.
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 8, 2012 2:17:38 GMT -5
The torvosaur woke slowly and then ate the meat that Califf had brought to him. Then they were both off to the place that the carnosaurs used to meet. He still had to run to keep up, but the joy of a new discovery on the horizon kept him going. He knew that this could be one of the greatest finds ever known.
It was almost lunchtime by the time that they arrived. He was hungry. Thankfully he had packed some steaks for the two of them. They both sat down to eat when a pack of Utahraptors showed up. The torvosaur ate the steak in one bite then turned and ran. Seeing that his escort had run, Califf was about to do the same, but, hesitated. He really had no chance of outrunning these carnosaurs. These were built for greater speeds than even the torvosaurs could move. So Califf did what had saved him before. He got down on one knee and held his own steak up. "Steak for life?" He said pointing to himself. "No!" was the swift reply from somewhere in the back. The Utahraptors surrounded him and then parted the circle to allow one of the most beautiful of them to step forward. He looked away, lest he would appear to challenge her. But, she came up to him and put a clawed hand on his shoulder, "What are you doing here?" She said in a very easy to understand dialect.
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 10, 2012 2:42:30 GMT -5
He could feel the power in her grip, but, he was not dead yet; so, he continued, "I seek the higher learning of the carnosaurs!" At hearing this she threw her gorgeous head back and did the most cruel thing ever. She laughed at him. He felt humiliated and ashamed; he almost wished that he could have been lunch before he had suffered this. he had wanted to impress her with his desires, but now, he looked all the more a fool. He felt he should try to show his sincerity; so, he stood up and looked her in the eye and said, "I HAVE come to learn the higher learning of the carnosaurs!" She instantly ceased laughing and stared at him as a raptor would stare at a caged mouse. he wanted so badly to escape her gaze, but, he knew that his life may very well depend on not flinching.
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Post by Moonlight Noclaw on Mar 12, 2012 2:09:25 GMT -5
"Not many people care to learn of our ways," she continued, "I find it unlikely that you aren't just trying not to become my meal..."
"I am an honest man, I have studied at the museum in Waterfall City and have come on this quest to learn more; notice that I can speak to you in your native carnosaurian language?"
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