The Jurassic Tales: No frames or frames?

~IMPRINT~
BY FLASHTALON

_Team_

Audri Dawson scratched Blaze along the ridge of his crest. The red-orange and black dilophosaur hooted softly, leaning his head to one side to better get scratched with. Audri smiled.

"Good Blaze." She said.

Blaze hooted softly, a mechanical voice coming out from his DCD, "Dawson good." Audri could only smile. She turned her head to watch from the window the other three members of B team. (B stands for better, don't you know that) Audri wrapped her arm around Blaze's neck, scratching the base of the limp frill gently.

"Shall we go outside and join them?" she asked, grinning.

Blaze hooted in reply. Side-by-side, the two headed out to join the others. Eric immediately rushed up to Audri, "We're going to go training on an island-in Costa Rica! To search for Variant Forms and attempt communication!" , he exclaimed, hugging her.

"A real mission?" Audri asked, almost confused, "But dad said..."

"Forget what your dad said about it being dangerous! It's just a jungle. Not like those horror stories from Sorna and Nublar. This isn't Jurassic Park. It's most likely a new type of iguana or parrot or monkey. Nothing to worry about. Like a vacation," Eric said convincingly.

"When do we leave?" Audri asked.

"Next week. With our partners," Eric explained.

CJ and Alex walked up to Audri and Eric, "Hey there's a meeting in the Library Meeting Room in 5 minutes. Better hurry!" they chimed, dashing off.

Audri looked at Eric, "Well, let's go!"

The two ran off towards the library, sprinting as fast as they could, racing to the door. There was a thud as Eric slammed into the door shouting, "I won!"

Audri giggled, then dashed past Eric, inside to the foyer. The two walked in together to the meeting room and sat down in the blue, comfy office chairs that surrounded the large oak table. The smiles of the two teens vanished completely as they saw the somber looks on their comrade's faces.

"What's happened?" Audri asked softly.

CJ closed his eyes, turning his head away from the group.

"Alpha died," he said, voice choked in sadness.

Audri looked at CJ in disbelief.

"No...not alpha...."She pleaded in vain.

"When did this happen?!" demanded Eric.

"Just a few minutes ago. Just collapsed and diet. Doc thinks it's from a heart problem and old age," explained Alex.

"Can Jordan Imprint again?" Eric asked softly.

"No. He's to old, you know that, If he imprinted again he'd die before the

Dino completed training...Then we'd loose TWO not just one. He's out of the team. For good." Alex said.

"So we alone, are left to continue on..."CJ said.

"We will continue on. Together," Audri said solemnly.

"Forever. Never to be separated," added Eric.

"Where we go one, we go all," Alex said.

"Next on the agenda...."Interrupted Joshua, "Is the training in the jungles of South America and Costa Rico. We leave next week. Your pair bond with your saurian partners will be tested during this time, as well as your ability to survive. You could very well die. Do you understand?"

The group muttered a 'yes', and Joshua continued, "You will go with only ONE DCD and as much food and supplies as you can carry. This is the test. You survive or die. You will be given a map at landing, and will start at Tecal, head northwest until you reach the 'highway' and will then head back on almost directly south to Landing. This isn't a vacation, or a joy trip. You are not to be seen by tourists or natives. Keep on the look out for Variant forms. If you see one, attempt communication with the DCD, and if that fails, kill it and bury and carefully burn the carcass. Further procedures will be listed in your Operations Manual. And remember to keep an eye on your partners and teammates at all times!"

Again, the group muttered and mumbled a 'yes. Yes sir.'

Then Joshua looked at Audri, "Little girl, be on your guard," he whispered.

Audri got up with surprising speed, and slapped Joshua on his face.

"You call me 'little girl' again, and YOU should be on guard!" she said calmly, walking out flanked by Eric and Alex. Outside the building the three exchanged hi-fives, and victory cheers.

"You are Fierce, just Fierce, Tiger!" complimented Alex.

"Showed him who's the boss 'round here!" Eric whooped.

"Yes, I did, didn't I," smugly said Audri.

"Don't get Too cocky 'round here... you might get mistaken for CJ," laughed Alex.

"What?" CJ asked as he walked in, "Wha'd I miss?!"

"Natta thing, CJ," Eric said casually.

_The Jungle (two weeks later)_

Blaze hooted softly, a cry like an owl or a swan. Audri replied so softly with her own 'hooting'...a contact call. In the steamy jungle, she followed her partner. Blaze had always been good at tracking down animals to eat. It was so hot, so hard to move now...but she couldn't stop. The others were depending on her.

"Blaze!" she suddenly cried, pointing, as a capybara scurried through the underbrush. Taking out her handgun (A colt 'combat commander'), she aimed and fired once. There was a bang, though not as loud as she expected, and a squeal from the capybara. The animal stumbled, and Blaze took over the hunt, finishing off the Capybara. Then the two lugged the overgrown hamster back to camp.

"Dinner is served," Audri said, bowing and dropping the animal at CJ's feet like some type of servant.

"Why thank you, Jiles!" replied CJ.

The group broke into laughter, sending the jungle into silence around them. The capybara was cooked, roasted and nearly burnt, but it made a good meal. After the meal, the group settled down0 in their tent and told scary stories before they fell asleep, lulled by the jungle's music of the night. Only Eric stay awake, his arm coiled possessively around Flashback's neck as the Utahraptor-ette slept. The soft ground hid the vibrations well as the hunter approached the camp, circling the tent. Eric saw the shadow flicker over the tent, eyes widening. He poked the others awake.

Groggily, Alex snarled, "Go back to bed!"

"Shhh!" hissed Eric, "Variant!"

The four young adults froze, slowly turning their heads, as they recognized the silhouette against the darkness of the tent...no, it couldn't be.... Not a...not a.... The teens' minds fought against what their senses told them as a rumbled growl tore the air, and a nose gently sniffed the tent.

"Allosaurus," whispered Eric.

"Shit!" whispered Alex.

CJ cowered in the back of the tent, like a frightened child. There was a silence, eerier than anything the group had known before; as the head slid farther in the tent. The dark, blue and green snout got closer and closer, soon revealing a full head, with two brow-ridges and glaring, uncaring wild, yellow eyes. It was the most terrifying thing CJ had ever seen. As CJ locked eyes with the beast, he saw something, something evil. Even as he realized his comrades and partner were coming to his aid, he knew it was useless...it wasn't hunting for hunger. It was hunting to kill them. Blaze let out a startled hoot, and Flashback let out a ROAR of fury, hissing and screeching at the intruder.

CJ looked at Eric, "what'd he say?!"

"I don't know! But I doubt it was nice!" Eric replied, running out the back of the tent, with Audri. Flashback, CJ, Blaze and Alex followed. There was a roar, and the Allosaur shook it's head free from the tent flap and charged towards the team.

"SHOOT THE BLOODY THING!" screamed Audri, as the angry allo. Headed straight at her, mouth wide in a gape, "SHOOT IT!" Audri gasped, preparing for the worst, as the jaws were about to descend on her. She ran, feeling the hot breath on her back, sprinting forward, into the darkness as Alex and Eric scrambled for the handguns, aiming and firing at the beast rapidly. There was a pop, pop, and pop as the guns fired.

At first the animal seemed to be driven back, retreating. Then the silence took over again, except for the heavy breathing and pounding hearts of the team. There was no warning sound as the allosaur's packmates attacked, simply CJ's long, terrified scream of pain as one grabbed him from behind. Alex watched in terror, as his friend was ripped apart by three allosaurs. Blood splattered thickly over the ground in thick, large, red drops like some sick rain. There was another roar, and the three ran as fast as they could through the darkness, weaving, ducking through the undergrowth. When to tired to run, they climbed a tree and rested, panting, watching uneasily from the limbs, exhausted.

"Well, here's your frickin' variant form, Josh!" Eric called out into the darkness.

"He's dead...CJ's dead..." Audri said over and over again, quietly, "this is Jurassic Park...again."

Eric looked to Audri, eyes flashing as he shook her, "SNAP OUTTA IT!" he cried, "get a grip of yourself, we can't loose another teammate, not now."

Audri became silent as tears streamed down her face.

"Shhh...it's okay..."Eric said, trying to comfort his friend, "I'll protect you. The dinosaurs won't hurt you. Viper'll make sure of that."

"We still have our daypacks and most of the supplies...and Blaze, Flashback and Sprint. And we still have each other." Alex said softly as it began to rain.

"But...CJ's dead..." Audri whimpered.

"We'll all die if we don't keep going or kill of the variants. No one'll believe us. We've got to get back to HQ...somehow...it'll be ok...it has to," Alex said softly. Audri looked towards Alex, wiping tears from her face. Then she turned to Eric, "Do you think it's safe to look for our partners?" she asked.

"We don't have the DCD," Eric said.

"We'll have to learn their languages then," Alex said.

"I can try to call Blaze from here" Audri said softly.

Eric and Alex looked at her, "DO IT, Tiger!" they exclaimed in unison. Audri took a deep breath, holding tightly onto the thick tree branch supporting her light weight, closed her eyes and let out a shrill, wailing whistled cry that sent shivers down Eric's back. There was a faint reply from somewhere in the jungle.

Eric and Alex exchanged glances. Within an hour, Blaze had located Eric, Alex and his imprint, Audri. The four stayed together for a while, waiting until midday to move from the trees. Cautiously, the journeyed back to the campsite, following Blaze's lead. A shape in the distance coming towards them sent the group scurrying for cover. Only in the nick of time, did Eric recognize it as Ghost CJ's beloved little ostrich-Dino.

"GHOST!" cried out Audri.

The animal turned, recognizing its name, looking among the faces for CJ. But CJ wasn't there. The animal sprinted off into the undergrowth.

"The link's been broke, Audri. Without their Partner there, an imprinted one goes wild...they die. That's what happened to the first ones...and will happen to Ghost, there's nothing we can do," explained Alex.

"But..."Audri protested.

"Ghost and CJ are gone. Hawk and Ghost are no more. They were killed by variants," Alex said commandingly, yet sadly. For a moment all was silence as the three, finally, were hit with the reality of CJ's death. Then they continued to the base camp to pick up the meager remains from the attack. No one was ever the same after that, and the group was forever haunted by that night. When the group returned to home base, Joshua found a tougher, fiercer, perhaps more hardened and vicious group than that he had left. He found team B, AKA Viper's Snipers, in the place of the disorganized mob, and he was handed some meager remains from variants that had met up with the group after the initial attack-a few bones, a scrap of hide.

The Imprint (1 year later, Team B headquarters)

The three stood, watching as the new one stepped into the hatching room. Tentatively, Luke, walked towards the incubator, and watched the rocking egg split. It was a Quetzalcoatlus, a flyer. Luke looked to Joshua, and the team, as if for guidance, and, at Joshua's nodding and silent encouragement, picked up the tiny winged, single-crested, bird-like creature. The 17 year-old looked into the tiny creature's eyes, and the flyer and human formed a link...the same link that makes a parent care for it's young, and causes young to follow the first thing they see. The Imprinting occurred. There is nothing that can describe it, except perhaps the experience of knowing that this animal depends on you and will love you forever, trusting you completely. Like a man and a dog, or a mother duck with a nestling, Luke and the Quetzalcoatlus were one. Luke broke into a smile.

"What's his name?" asked Audri.

"His name is Zeus," Luke said, petting the little creature, "and he's hungry."

Audri got a dish of a foul-looking brownish, oily substance and a hand-feeding syringe from the nearby counter-top. She then handed it to Luke.

"Zeus'll need to eat a lot, but not at once. Don't over or underfeed him," she advised. Luke carefully fed the begging, gaping birdlike mouth until the little one's crop bulged.

"That's enough for now." Joshua said, before Luke could feed the hungry thing some more, "Feed it more in a half-hour."

"Watch the baby, Luke. You're a mother now," Eric said, grinning.

"You are the Quetzal mother. The Serpent's mom and care taker," said Alex.

"Call sign?," Audri said, looking to Luke, then Joshua and the rest of Team B. Luke looked confused at those around him, "what?" he asked.

"Call sign. Radio/Quick talk. A code name, all of the above," defined Joshua.

Luke looked at Zeus then smiled, "I am Serpent."

"Serpent it is, then," Joshua said, writing down something on his clipboard notepad.

"Welcome to Team B, Serpent. This is Tiger, Viper, Maverick and you may address me as Captain," Joshua said, pointing to Audri, Eric, and Alex in turn.

"Yes Sir, Captain!" Luke replied with enthusiasm.

Eric grinned.

"You are to stay here with Zeus for a week while you learn the basics. It's in the room at the end of the White Hall. Dr. Carleson will be here to help if you need anything, and to show you around," Joshua said, then left quietly.

"There's a short-wave radio in the desk drawer if you need to speak to anyone or get bored. It'll help you learn basics," whispered Alex as he walked out with Audri and Eric. Luke was left alone in the room, the strange white room, with nothing but the little Zeus and Dr. Carleson for company (if you could call Doc. Car company!). For a week, Luke was kept busy enough with Zeus' baby needs-mostly feeding, cleaning and cuddling. There was little time to do anything else. But watching the little one grow and learn was enough for Luke. He could have spent eternity just with the little animal. And it was then that he realized this was not just an animal. It was like having a child, or an extremely cute, very, very intelligent pet.

He was almost sad when it was time to join the rest of the team and to begin training.

In Audri Dawson's office, Josh and Audri were having a ...conversation when Luke entered quietly.

"We don't need a Hatchling following us around, much less a new pair. B-team is back! And we aren't going on any damn 'peace' missions after mysterious variants again, Joshua!" Audri Dawson growled, eyes dark in her rage, "Last time we lost one of The BEST...there's no way, absolutely NO WAY I'm sending the B team after some new variants, monsters, what-have-you with a rookie! You're asking us to go on a suicide mission."

Josh sighed, "The other teams need help...please, think about it."

"The other teams?" Audri hissed darkly, "You mean the teams you supposedly sent after us when we didn't come back from the jungle on time, when you found the remains of our base camp destroyed? The same teams who you nearly also massacred on Both Sorna and Nublar, to name a few places? I won't send them out! Neither will Eric, you rat. Now get out from my office before I set half the Imprinted dinosaurs on your tail."

Joshua hurried out from the office, nearly running into Luke, who looked both startled and bewildered. Audri put on her 'expedition hat', slid a necklace made from the teeth of a variety of variants over her neck, and turned to Luke, "So, Luke, what brings you to my office?" she asked.

Luke shyly said, "I thought this was Mr. Joshua's headquarters, Audri..."

Audri looked at Luke a moment then spoke, "Old Josh couldn't tell his headquarters from his hindquarters. He gave me the office a month ago. You knew that. Now really, why were you sent here?"

"Uh...well...um. I was told you were going with the rest of Viper's to hunt some dinosaurs...can I come?" he asked softly.

Audri looked at Luke, tilting her head to one side, then looked back to her beloved Blaze, "You think he's ready for his Test, Fire-ball?" she called to the dinosaur.

Blaze hooted, and Audri turned back towards Luke.

"He says you're young but you can go...just don't get yourself killed and stay close to me an' blaze," Audri said coolly as she walked out. Luke was stunned that Audri knew what Blaze said without a DCD, for a moment he stood there, gaping like a chick until it hit him what she had said. He could go!

With a whoop of victory, Luke ran out from the office, to his room to prepare. Audri watched young Luke run off, sadly. He was so young...she hoped to god that he wouldn't be a casualty of the war against the variants... But one could never be sure of an outcome these days. In slight agitation, she petted Blaze's black and fiery head, slowly calming down from her encounter with the 'Boss Kind'.

She closed her eyes, leaning back on the chair, petting her dilophosaur's dry, pebbly skin as she rested, half dreaming, half day-dreaming. Eric's soft, calm voice woke her up instantly.

"Tiger, tiger..." he was saying softly.

"What's up, my dear Viper?" she asked lazily.

"Heard you kicked Joshua out of the office. Way to go! So are we going..?" he tentatively asked.

Glumly, Audri nodded, getting to her feet, "Let us prepare for battle, then, Eric."

"Got a supply list?" Eric asked.

Audri shook her head, "No, Alex has it. He left the 'meeting' before I lost my cool. Speaking of who was there, why weren't you, The TEAM LEADER, there?"

Eric smiled, "I was officially off the hook for the meeting-fixing Flashback's DCD. Lucky me!"

"So what was wrong?" Audri asked.

"The A-wire was fried," Eric explained.

Audri nodded, then the two walked out from the office, down the pale corridors to the fresh air outside... ...And to chaos.

The basketball court, formerly a parking lot, was drenched in paint. A paintball fight, in full swing, was the cause.

SPLAT!

Several paintballs slammed with brutal force into the wall, leaving semi-rounded, dripping blobs of oozing colors on the brick wall of the office building. One zoomed by Blaze's head. The Dilophosaur let out a hiss, spreading its frill wide and rattling it like a rattlesnake. For a while, the paint ball wars stopped...then one hit Blaze in the face. The Dilophosaur SQUEELED and Audri called got out the anonymous paint-ball-warriors, "You hit him in the face-a Dino, you yutz! Get out into the open and drop and do twenty push-ups!" in a no-nonsense voice. Meekly two young office workers came into view then quickly did about 5 pushups and ran off quickly. Audri sighed. Eric giggled a bit as he watched the workers run off with their paint guns. Then he looked to Audri with his calm, brown eyes, and asked softly, "Would you like to come with me and help me get the Jeep ready for the next trip?"

"Sure," Audri answered.

Blaze walked along behind Audri and Eric, shaking every now and then to get drops of paint off.

"And what about Luke?" Audri asked.

"He's one of the team now...he'll learn." Eric said enthusiastically.

"If he doesn't he or the team may die..." Audri said sadly.

_The Blooding (four weeks into the Rescue mission, Africa)_

Eric slipped on his black helmet, looking at the grasslands behind him, then back at the jungle ahead of him. Slipping his heat-sensing goggles on, he looked ahead, scanning the jungle's foliage. It was the perfect spot for an ambush by raptors. He clicked on the radio inside the helmet, "all clear...are you sure this is the spot where they last camped? The response was swift, if not statically: "Viper, this is Tiger-all clear to the Savannah side." Followed by, "Viper-GPS says here is the last site-Mav..."

"Shall we continue foreword, or scan the area for clues?" Viper asked as he petted his 'raptor on the head while his bike wasn't in motion.

Suddenly Audri's voice rang out-clearly followed by a hooting cry, "RAPTOR-at the large rock-look!"

They all turned their heads towards the rock to see a fleeing brown shadow, It was moving quickly through the tall grasses.

"Could be a hyena or a jackal..."someone said over the radio.

"Viper-where's Serpent?" Audri asked in the quiet after the excitement.

There was no reply... Viper simply raised his hand up and towards the jungle.

There was a soft roar in the distance...Audri shivered. Was it a lion or a Carnosaur? She kept alert, just in case.

"Guys, was that roar native or variant?" she asked over the radio, voice sounding frail and shaky in her ears.

"Lion." Came the Maverick's answer.

Audri calmed at that, still on edge, whistling to Blaze and keeping the spitter within sight.

Vainly the team searched for signs of the team that had come before them, but there was nothing-nature had done well in cleaning up. For hours they looked through the grasses hopefully for some clue, but all they found was a single bone-a human bone with bite marks on it.

After a while Serpent and Zeus returned, reporting that there wasn't a sound or sight in the jungle.

Audri radioed the rest of the team, "Be on full alert."

With varying degrees of confidence, the rest of the team responded with a general "ok"

For three days the B Team searched the area with no mishaps in the least. It was like the calm before a terrible storm. And the storm was about to hit. Alex looked up at the darkening skies. It was almost the rainy season...

He could smell the wetness and almost taste it, but he knew it wouldn't rain for days, weeks...perhaps even months. Turning, he headed back towards camp, lulled to calmness by the chirping of the native birds.

At camp the food had just been devoured, and Luke had left to bury the garbage away from camp in a deep pit.

It was half-dark when Luke and Alex returned.

Eric and Audri were by the fire, next to Blaze and Flash, and the rest of the team's sleeping saurian partners. The light flickered, casting shadows on the faces and forms of the team. Audri and Eric were sleeping when Luke and Alex crept up on them. Alex then proceeded to dump a cup of water on the sleeping couple, bursting into laughter as they let out a surprised yelp.

"You Ass! I'm going to get you back for this!" Eric said while trying to dry off his half-wet shirt.

Luke burst into laughter at Eric's shout to Alex.

Audri and Eric crept back to their tent, as Luke and Alex crept to theirs.

It was about midnight when Flashback let out a false alarm.

After about 15 minutes of being in a hyper alert state, and wondering why the dinosaur had let out the cry, the team realized it was a false alarm and went back to sleep.

There was no noise, no warning of any kind. The team woke up with the dawn, rested, relaxed. While washing up, Luke realized Alex was missing.

The team searched the camp, searched the entire area and found nothing, except a bit of blood here and there in a trail leading deep into the jungle.

Eric and Audri exchanged glances. They knew what they were dealing with-a man-eater. No matter the species, we're fucked, thought Eric as he looked around.

Eric slipped the heat-sensing goggles over his head and shouldered a tranq-rifle. "Let's go."

Audri sighed, today was NOT going to be fun. Everyone would be on edge. She brushed her bangs out from her face, whistling to Blaze, then chattering away with the dinosaur in it's native language for a while, she looked to Eric, "Let's wait at our camp. You're the lion-hunter here. Let's wait for the animal to return."

Eric shook his head, "No. I'm going to find what got Alex and I'm going to kill it. NOW," he said stubbornly.

Audri looked at Eric, "You aren't going anywhere alone," she said simply. Then her voice dipped to a dangerous low, "We aren't splitting the team up."

"Audri, we've got to find Alex. We can't leave him here-dead or alive." Eric said, trying to get Audri to let him look for his friend.

Audri nodded, and Eric took up his radio. "This is Viper. Let's find Maverick, and Sprint. Keep within sight of everyone at all times. That's an order. Meet at my tent in 10 [minutes]," he shouted into the radio commandingly.

Audri and Eric watched as Luke walked towards them, Zeus circling high above.

"Well, there's only 3 of us...er 6 if you count partners," Eric said, "But we've got to find Mav."

Luke nodded.

After 'loading up' with weapons, and some camping gear,{GPS, Radios, A pot, and some dried 'space' food as well as a 1st aid kit}, the group set off.

Blaze and Flashback flanked their humans as they headed towards the dark jungle.

It was loud, as was to be expected-birds singing, squawking and screaming, animals making all sorts of noises, there was nothing to make them think something was really wrong... Until the noise stopped, and there was dead silence. In the heat of noon in the jungle, the three team members stood there, not moving a muscle-hot, tired and tense. They waited for an attack on them, or something nearby, each member slowly slinking towards a tree or bush that they hoped would provide adequate cover. The dinosaurs did likewise.

The sound of something crashing through the bushes reached their ears, and secretly each member hoped that whatever was moving would not decide to crash through his or her hiding spot. The crunching, crashing noise got louder, and it reminded Audri of someone breaking celery into bits-only on a much louder scale.

Audri looked up, and saw what first appeared to be moving trees. Then she looked up more, and gasped, blinking.

"Eric....look up..I mean WAY up....is that what I think it is?" she asked.

Eric looked up, "Holy shit. It's a brachiosaur....a real live brachiosaur."

The three remaining members of B-team watched in amazement as not one, but five of the giant beasts moved past them. The animals were huge, bigger than anything anyone on the team had ever seen, and they had a skin somewhere between a rhino's an elephant's and a reptile's. Very odd.

Somewhere deep inside, Audri was bothered by the presence of variants in Africa, especially sense they weren't supposed to be there. She wondered briefly if BioSyn had a place out here somewhere that went the way of 'Jurassic lark'.

Seeing the giant dinosaurs plodding through made the team calm down, and they came out of hiding.

It was their worst mistake.

The attack came suddenly, from behind each of them. It was a three-way ambush. Eric had seen a velociraptor earlier. Audri dropped to the ground as one of the three velociraptors leapt at her, oofffing as she felt her shoulder blade and back gets cut by a hind-claw of the raptor.

She looked up to see Luke get sent to the ground by an attack by two raptors, and Eric was scrambling up a tree. She ran towards a tree and started climbing, only to feel something slam into her back and pull her back towards the earth. She let out a yell as she felt the animal dig it's claws deep into her back, tearing her clothing and flesh. Human skin was not made for this, she thought as she held back a scream. She wondered if she would die. She felt her shoulder grabbed by the animal's jaws, felt it's wet saliva drip down her sore shoulder, felt the sting the backwards-curving teeth caused as they sawed through her flesh. What a way to go-as a dinosaur's dinner. She brought her hands up around to protect her head and neck as much as she could, and felt the pressure go from her shoulder, and felt the burning pain and warmth of a new wound on her arm, and blood spilling down her arm.

Several loud bangs that seemed to echo through the forest made whatever it was that was on her back let out a growl and shift it's weight. Audri shuddered, knowing her attacker all-to well...Velociraptor. The bangs were all to quickly silence, and Audri thought she would die, until suddenly the raptor jumped away from her back, screaming in terror. Audri saw a firey-colored animal leap at the raptor and attack it. She smiled. Blaze.

Between Eric's gun, Blaze's fur and Flashback's utahraptor claws, the velociraptors were killed.

Audri got up, looking pretty shaky. Her back was soaked in blood, and it hurt very badly, so did her shoulder. But she thought she would survive.

When she looked at Luke, Audri's eyes widened and her jaw dropped open. Luke was a bloody pulp. His shirt was tattered, and he was obviously dead. Near him was a velociraptor. Audri turned her head away from the sight of Luke's spilt guts and chewed neck and chest. It was to terrible. She walked a few paces from the corpse, and threw up.

Eric walked over to her, trying to comfort his friend. "It'll be ok, we'll make it out of this one..."

Audri wasn't so sure this time if they would.

Blaze hooted softly, nuzzling Audri. You aren't alone, Audri was what he meant. Audri patted Blaze on the head, draping her arm around the base of the dinosaur's neck/shoulders. Leaning against the warm, reptile-like flesh for support, she looked to Eric, "Try one more time to radio Mav."

"Sure thing, Tiger," Eric said, picking up a dirt and dino-saliva covered radio from the ground.

"This is Viper. Do you come in, Maverick? Alex? Alex...Luke's gone. We've lost 2 today. If you're out there, please reply!" Eric shouted into the radio.

There was no response.

Glumly, Audri, Blaze, Flashback and Eric headed towards their 'base camp' to find it ravaged. Footprints around the area were from the local fauna-hyenas. There was not much food left, nor water. They were left with what they had packed earlier.

They burned the remains of the base camp that were unsalvageable-masses of hyena-slobber covered goo, paper, unreadable note, stuff of that kind. Then they found the laptop with the sat. hookup, and made one call to Joshua.

"This is Eric and Audri. Team B is no more. We're dead. All of us are dead. There are raptors all around, and brach's. Found traces of BioSyn evidence. Send a chopper or Jet ASAP. No trace of the other team found. Alex and Luke are dead. Audri is in critical condition. Eric-out"

Team B was never heard from again.

Joshua's chopper landed at base camp to find the remains of the camp in disarray, and a still warm fire. He thought he saw Luke's Quetzalcoatlus flying over the jungle, and soon found the maggot-infested corpse, as well as the remains of a daypack, and a radio.

Clicking it on, all he heard was static.

Before he left, Joshua looked through the base camp again, and found a single word hastily scrawled on paper that was splattered in blood;

Imprint.

Joshua boarded his chopper, greatly saddened by the loss of his youngest team. They had so much potential...

Briefly, he wondered what went wrong, but the buzz of static on the radio he had left on kept his mind from wandering to far. He reached his hand down to click it off, faintly hearing the words, "Tiger, Maverick....this is Viper."

He turned the radio up, and again, heard nothing but static. Perhaps it was his imagination, he thought as the chopper headed back towards the airport. It would be a long ride.