text: The early morning sun glowed orange in the distance, and tall pine trees casted shadows that stretched across the forest. The only sounds were those of chirping birds and rustling tree branches that swayed in the lazy wind above. Morning dew that condensed on the forest floor speckled like twinkling stars in the morning light. The ground was covered in pine needles, mosses, ferns, and shrubs, and in one of these shrubs, an animal stirred. A snouted face poked out through the underbrush, and after deeming her surroundings devoid of any danger, emerged from her hideaway. Her plumage was mottled with browns and greys, camouflaging her in the forested environment. Her long tail ended with a fan of splayed feathers, and her small claw-tipped wings drooped below her body. Nestled in her narrow skull were two large yellow eyes and hidden in her mouth were a profusion of curved teeth. Supporting her thin legs were a pair of feet tipped with menacing-looking claws. She stood at about three feet tall, and was almost completely covered in feathers, save for her scaly legs and muzzle. She was a *Saurornithoides*, a dinosaurian predator of the ancient Mongolian forests. Her kind are typically social animals, living in clans of related individuals. However, this particular female lived a solitary lifestyle. She was dwarfed by the contemporary giants that shared these forests with her, and she often found herself avoiding their attention. Her avian-like gracile body also made her fairly frail, and it was generally in her best interest to steer clear of any danger. However, the forest has been lacking in animal life in recent times, allowing the female to behave less cautiously than when in an environment more abundant with large predators, but it has also been lacking in much of her prey. She enjoyed her last meal three days prior, and her hunger was emerging as pain in her gut. Stretching her wings out after the night’s sleep, the female began preening her feathers, straightening crooked plumes and picking out parasites. Once the irritants were dealt with, she immediately began walking off. Despite the day still being young, the hungry female was quick to start her day of hunting. She trotted amongst the green and brown foliage of the forest, always attentive to the slightest sound and faintest smell of potential prey. Following her typical routine, she made her way downhill towards a slow moving creek, the place where she has made most of her kills. The small mammals, birds, and reptiles that made up her usual diet often congregate here, to drink, bathe, or hunt their own prey. She hoped that the creek would reward her as it has done in the past. The creek was shallow. Mossy rocks protruded just above the water’s surface, forming waves of ripples in the redirected current. Dead leaves of trees and ferns were carried along the moving water, sometimes lodging themselves on the stones. Arriving at the bank, the female sniffed the crisp air for any sign of an animal. There was none. Determined to find a meal, the female began walking southward along the creek’s edge, traveling upwind to hide her scent from any noses up ahead. High above in the canopy, chirping birds darted from tree to tree. Any one of them could easily have been killed and swiftly eaten, if only they were in reach. She could only hope that a careless individual would come down to drink or bathe in the creek’s water. Alas, they kept to their tree branches. As the sun rose higher, the female’s frustration did so too. Nevertheless, she continued walking. After hours passed, it was almost midday, and the female still found nothing. Her hunger pains were growing more intense, coming in waves. Though she grew more and more tiresome, she kept on moving. She was not willing to stop. Suddenly, her nostrils flared as they picked up a faint, but recognizable scent. It was what she has been searching for. Prey. The prospect of food greatly excited her, and her pace quickened. The source was perhaps a few miles away, but the wind in her face quickly intensified the scent. As the scent grew more distinct, her hunger pains grew in anticipation. Then, her eagle-like eyes spotted movement up ahead. She immediately froze, disappearing in the dense underbrush. The animal was about the size of a cat. Its grey pelt was spotted white, and rounded ears sat on its long whiskered face. It stood at the edge of the creek, lapping up water with its pink tongue. It was a *Dorgobaatar*, acceptable prey for a predator such as her. Obviously unaware of the female’s presence, the animal’s focus was directed towards its hydration. The hunt began. With every step, the female was careful not to make a sound. Her light feet avoided the twigs and leaves that littered the ground. Despite the thick matrix of bushes and vines, she never broke visual contact with the *Dorgobaatar*. She stalked her prey at an agonizingly slow pace, but she remained patient. One false step could cost her the meal. She could not attack from behind, as the animal could easily escape. Instead, she would have to attack from the side, hopefully throwing it off balance. But *Dorgobaatar* are quick on their feet, and she would have to close as much distance as possible before making her attack, remaining completely undetected while doing so. As the distance between the female and the animal shortened, her movements became even slower, even as the pain in her gut grew stronger. An eternity later, the female was as close to her prey as possible without revealing her presence. She stopped. She was completely motionless, a mere shadow in the forest. A pair of ghostly yellow eyes in the underbrush. The animal was still drinking the water, only a few feet away. Still upwind, the scent of mammalian flesh filled her nostrils, teasing her. Suddenly, her prey lifted its head. If she did not move now, she could lose her chance. Crouching, her legs were a wound mechanical spring. The animal turned from the creek bank and met eyes with the female, suddenly regretting its carelessness. The spring was released. The female exploded from her cover, dashing at impossible speeds in less than a second. In a blur of fur and feathers, she was upon the *Dorgobaatar*. The animal shrieked and writhed as talons dug into its flesh, blood quickly staining its pelt. Toothy jaws then closed around the throat, cutting off the trachea’s oxygen supply. In only a few seconds the animal ceased squirming, blood trickling out of its open mouth, eyes still open. The hunt was over. The female was quick to begin feasting on her kill. Using her talons and teeth, the belly was gutted. Blood and organs pooled out, and she began ripping out chunks of flesh. The taste of meat sent a rush of joy and relief in her starved body. But just as she began reaping her reward, an intruder presented itself. Like a phantom, the animal appeared out of seemingly nothing. It was another dinosaurian hunter, perhaps a foot taller than the female. Its plumage was black with white streaks stretching down its body. Its bald snout was brown, and its head and neck were solid white, except for a pair black stripes running over each bright red eye. It was an *Adasaurus*. Normally, these predators lived out on the open plains, but this individual must have had similar shortages with its hunting grounds, driving it to try its luck elsewhere. The *Adasaurus* approached the female and her kill, loudly cawing and shrieking in an attempt to intimidate her. The female, however, was having none of it. She stepped in front of the carcass, not allowing the *Adasaurus* near it. She ruffled her feathers in an attempt to appear larger, though she was still significantly smaller than her competitor. The *Adasaurus* began circling the female and the carcass, never breaking eye contact. Under normal circumstances, she would’ve fled the scene away from the larger predator, but she could not afford to lose this. It continued its piercing calls, but the female was not deterred. After several minutes of this taunting, the *Adasaurus* finally struck. Lurching forward, it attempted to grab the carcass in its jaws, but the female was quick to throw a clawed foot in the attacker’s face. It stepped back, a little dazed, but it did not give up. She let out a screech, asserting her resilience. The *Adasaurus* attacked again, this time pulling a chunk of flesh along with it. The steal was quickly swallowed, but the attacker was far from satisfied. It continued its circling, looking for an opening. Again, the *Adasaurus* dove and stole another chunk, this time ripping off part of a leg. The female was getting frustrated. She was already tired from the kill, and now she was losing it to a scavenger. She finally made her attack. Pouncing forward, she latched onto the *Adasaurus’* side and began digging her teeth and talons into its hide. It yelped in pain, but it was not defenseless. Swinging its head towards the female, the *Adasaurus* snapped its toothy jaws, pulling out feathers and sometimes slicing flesh, but she held on. Eventually the *Adasaurus* grabbed onto the female’s leg. Teeth ripping into her calf muscles, she was violently pulled away and was thrown several feet into the air. She landed on her side in the creek, splashing water. During her disoriented state, the *Adasaurus* sprinted towards the carcass. Scooping it up in its jaws, the *Adasaurus* sped off into the forest with the kill. After regaining her balance, the female did not hesitate into giving chase. Navigating through dense vegetation and tree trunks, she was determined to recapture her prize. But the *Adasaurus* was both stronger and faster, and the female was injured from the fight. Eventually, the thief disappeared amongst the trees, along with her kill. The female was forced to give up, and she slowed to a limping halt. Lowering her body to sit in the leaf litter, she sprawled her wounded leg out and began licking the bleeding gash. Looking up, the female saw the sun leaning towards the horizon. With only a few hours left in the day, she forced her aching legs to stand. She continued searching for prey along the creek, though her perseverance would prove to be unrewarding. As the sun fell out of sight and the sky began to darken, she turned back and made her way to her nest, limping and still hungry. It was her gurgling stomach that woke her, and she was quickly greeted with the pain. The gash on her leg had stopped bleeding, but the leaves and soil on which she slept were stained with dried blood. She again emerged from her hideaway and out into the orange light of the early morning. She limped out into the forest, preparing to make the same journey she did before. Her wound would hinder her search, but she must continue. After her habitual preening, she began her quest. Arriving at the creek, she dipped her jaw into the water and threw her head back, the water trickling down her throat. Once her thirst was quenched, she began trotting along the bank. Not soon after, she detected a faint smell that hung in the air. It was flesh. It wasn’t a *Dorgobaatar*, but it was just as enticing. Perhaps this day could bring a successful hunt. The scent was coming from the north, upriver, and so the female made her away in that direction. During her search, she came across a large beetle and was able to catch it. The insect was quickly devoured, but it did little to satisfy her intense hunger. It was late afternoon when the female’s nostrils were greeted with more scents. There was the odor of soot and smoke in the air, and it was accompanied by a strange, but distinctly mammalian smell. The female, however, was not perturbed by the unusual scents, and continued on. Not long after, she heard sounds completely foreign to her ears. There was the crackling of a fire, but also there were low pitched complex calls of an unseen animal. She had never heard such strange sounds, but still, her hunger drove her on. As she approached, she spotted a small fire. A skinned carcass of a bird-like animal was skewered by a sharp stick and was suspended above the fire. A dead tree trunk laid on the ground, and upon it sat the absolute most alien thing the female had ever seen. Her nose told her that it was a mammal, but no mammal has ever been as large as this creature, about as tall as she was long. Its torso was positioned vertically towards the sky and its tailless rear sat on the log with its long legs bent and feet flat on the ground. Its long arms had hands tipped with dexterous, clawless fingers, which manipulated chunks of the roasted meat. The meat was then brought to a small mouth that positioned itself on a flat, snoutless face, so flat it almost appeared as if it were crushed. Its body seemed to be hairless, but most of the skin was obstructed by leathery cloth that it wore on its body. If the female’s mind permitted such thoughts, perhaps she would have been fascinated by the strange creature, but her attention was focused on the roasting corpse that allured her just over a dozen feet in front of her. Slowly, she approached the scene, eyeing the thing. She heard a strange grunt, and she looked up and met eyes with the mammal. She froze. Judging by its size, this creature could overpower her with ease, but her aching gut would not let her leave. She stood her ground, but did not know what to do. She chose to let this mammal make the first move. It grunted some more, and the female did not know what this meant. After a few moments, she decided to continue approaching the meat, very slowly. The mammal cackled, and using its manipulative hands, tore off a chunk of the meat’s flesh and tossed it towards the female. She could not restrain herself and she dove to it. It was devoured, giving some relief to her starved body. The mammal almost seemed amused by this, and threw more meat. The female complied. As this continued, her comfort grew, and she approached closer and closer. The mammal again cackled, baring its blunt teeth. Eventually they both finished their meals, and the female was more than satisfied. The sky was turning dark, and instinct told her it was time to go. She turned her back to the mammal and its fire and began her journey back to her hideaway. Before disappearing into the forest, she looked back. The mammal raised one of its arms above its head and swung it side to side, again baring its teeth. What a peculiar creature this was.