Allo Attack Part 5

Quickstride was at a loss. Where did all these allos come from and what were they doing? And more importantly, where was C'xoila, had anything happened to him, and how would they find out? Just then a small bat-like form flitted above the allosaurs' heads.

"Big Wings and little dino over here!" screeched Jonathan, banking to his right to indicate the direction.

"What did he say?" asked Tamith, unused to the Eudimorphodon's odd screeching voice and slang terms for larger pterosaurs.

"He says he's found them!" said Francis, who had trained with Jonathan and understood him better than anyone else.

Unfortunately, the allos had heard the pterosaur, too. Several of them looked up and started snapping at him. Though he dodged and darted as swiftly as was possible for him, an allosaur head swung at him and struck him with the side of its snout, flinging him to the roof of a nearby building where he lay still.

Quickstride watched as if in a dream. This disaster was just too terrible to be true. None of this can be happening, she thought. The allos, the city, Boojinko, Jonathan, none of it can be real.

Then Francis shook her out of her trance. "We have to do something! Now!"

After much deliberation, Mathaira, Maia, and Thistlebud realized that there would be no immediate departure for the Rainy Basin as originally planned. Thistlebud hastily prepared a message scroll informing Greyback of the allosaur attack on Waterfall City and indicated to him that they would depart from Waterfall City en route to the Rainy Basin as soon as they could. She then hailed a Dimorphodon who was fleeing Waterfall City and who agreed to deliver the message scroll to Greyback in the Rainy Basin.

Mathaira, Maia and Thistlebud rejoined their new friends who had arrived by Sky Galley to Waterfall City's Great Library. The group needed to discuss what their next plan of action would be now.

As Mirajai swooped expertly above the allos heads, Alkazra watched for glimpses of her friends below. She knew that Atero planned to lead them to the Sky Galley and she hoped that with Shasta and Swift helping they were making enough of a distraction to aid their escape.

Seeing that their way was clear, she was able to concentrate more on checking for any others that may be trapped within the City.

Looking down a side-street she thought she could see a few familiar figures...

"Tamith? Quickstride?"

"Oh boy," Tamith said softly. How could they help Jonathan with the allos around?

A familiar shadow flew overhead, looking up she saw the welcoming form of a skybax. "That's it!" she exclaimed, "Everybody, start waving so the bax sees us, it can keep the allos busy while we get Jonathan!"

Signing and signaling with Jai, they were soon both aware of what they needed to do.

Shasta and Swift were easily enough of a distraction for the allos for the others, of whom there was no sign.

Which can only be a good thing, Alkazra thought to herself.

Circling towards the waving group on the street they recognized them and the danger they were in...

Once she was in the street, Az headed for the Library. Not only because she knew that C'xoila had a job there, but because it was the only place she could find.

Thinking that the front might be guarded by allos, she entered by a back entry. She silently slipped in and was careful not to make any noise. This would be the perfect place for allos to have head quarters of sorts. It was large enough to accommodate a fairly large clan and had enough rooms for privacy.

Trying to search as quickly as possible, she went from room to room. The raptor was delighted when she entered a room of maps. Perhaps, here she could find one that would map the entire city and she could find where C'xoila's house was.

She was so absorbed in looking through the scrolls that she didn't notice that she was not alone. Standing in the doorway, a large hulking menace, was an Allosaur warrior. With tremendous stealth, she crept behind the raptor.

Azonthus noticed the threat too late. When she turned around, the larger therapod pounced, entrapping the velociraptor. Azonthus struggled to get free but the allo weighed too much.

The allo looked at Azonthus and smiled. This was not a smile of friendship, but one of malice and scorn. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. You will meet Herak. He will show you the true meaning of pain."

Chills ran down Az's spine as the hunter carried her to the main room of the library where the largest Allosaur she had ever seen was waiting patiently for something.

"Is this the Deinonych?" he demanded.

"No sir, but this is one that would be a fellow raptor. Perhaps she could play bait..." Az's captor was obviously waiting for the chance to "play" with her prize.

"She is expendable. You may do with her as you wish, but" he warned with a dangerous gleam in his eyes, "if you do not find that deinonych you will meet the same fate as Neckbreaker."

The large carnosaur carried Azonthus into another room, presumably to meet the same fate as one of the allosaurs clan...

"Wait!" the Herak ordered.

The allo holding Azonthus captive turned around.

"I like your idea of bait. This deinonych we are looking for would care greatly if another's life was in danger because of him."

"Perhaps we could hurt her a little?" Saar, Az's captor, suggested. "Just to show him that we mean business."

"Just a little. Not enough to kill her," the king allo agreed. "I will see the deaths of the last surviving C'xsann members."

The C'xsann? Wasn't that C'xoilas clan? Az chose this opportunity to speak in her defense. "The C'xsann were weak fools."

The large allo looked surprised that a velociraptor would speak so vehemently about a clan that she would know little of. "And how do you know of the C'xsann?" he growled.

"I am of the Basin also. Their land was not too far from my packs. Any pack that would not give their land to an Allosaur clan when it was demanded had to be fools. The bloodshed on both sides was un-necessary."

"Then you are one of the fools that has deserted the life they were born for!" The allo was beginning to look very angry. It appeared that he was about to kill Az instead of using her as bait. Obviously, any carnosaur that left the Basin was worthless in his eyes.

"No! No…" Az stuttered. "My… uh… pack sent me here. We were planning to take over the majority of the island for Basin carnosaurs."

"And why should we believe you?" Saar asked.

Adopting an incredulous attitude, Az retorted, "Because, I am a Sharpclaw! And my clan hates what the humans and 'peaceful' inhabitants of this land did to our ancestors. They slaughtered carnosaurs. They forced us to live in the Basin and restricted us from leaving by building that ridiculous bridge in a town called Bonabba.

"It is time they paid for what they did."

Herak was obviously surprised to see that this carnosaur, who he had thought was a weak raptor unfit for life in the Basin, shared his same feelings about the obviously weaker inhabitants of the island. Smiling, He spoke directly to the raptor, "If you truly believe this, then I suggest you prove it to me." Chuckling, he gave her an order, "There is a deinonych named C'xoila. I want you to find him and kill him."

Azonthus was extremely surprised to find that the whole reason the Allos were here was to kill one of her best friends! She managed to keep her surprise from showing. "Then it shall be done. Together, our clans could rid Dinotopia of the humans and we would have all the meat we want."

"Then, by all means, go. Go find this raptor and kill him."

As Az left to complete her task, she couldn't believe what she had just done. Was she going to have to betray one of her friends?

Quickstride looked up and saw the dark form of a skybax. Having worked around skybaxes for many years, she could distinguish individuals in the air relatively well, and this one looked to be Mirajai. And if it was Mirajai, than his rider could only be...

"Kaz!" she yelled, forgetting the allos, who were now busy with another skybax she didn't recognize. At last something seemed to be going right. She was about to tell this to Francis when she realized he was no longer there.

"Francis? Francis!" she cried in horror, as she spotted him making a dash for the building whose roof Jonathan had fallen to.

Hearing her name called, Alkazra guided Mirajai to fly so that she could see the speaker.

Smiling down at Quickstride she suddenly noticed the look of horror that came to her face. Following her eye-line she saw Quickstrides friend rushing to a building for some reason.

Francis isn't it? What on earth is he doing?!

"Quickstride! What's going on?!"

Fer'dri heard all that was said, understanding his native carnosaur, but refused to translate for Adam. He told Adam to stay in the secret room, and then climbed down the ladder. Fer'dri stalked down the tunnel. Azonthus! In league with the allosaurs! If she was going to try to kill C'xoila, Fer'dri thought bitterly, then he would just have to get Azonthus first.

Though younger and less experienced at fighting then his quarry, he was still bigger then the velociraptor. The fight would probably be evenly matched. The Deinonychus found a storm drain that lead to an alley, and climbed out of the dank tunnel. He waited in the dark alley, and soon the treacherous Velociraptor came down the street.

He reached out of the alley and grabbed the raptor, taking Azonthus completely by surprise. He slammed the raptor against a wall, and held her there by her neck and feet. "Why are you going to kill my brother!?!?!?" Fer'dri raged.

In a strangled voice Azonthus replied, "You, you heard?"

Fer'dri didn't answer Azonthus' question, "I won't let C'xoila allow himself to be killed because he thinks you are his friend! If that's what you're going to do, then I'll kill you right now. I'll tell C'xoila that the allosaurs got you. He'll still think you were his friend. I'll spare him that, though I'll never consider that you were ever his friend again!" The raptor's voice cracked with emotion as he told Azonthus this.

Herak didn't trust that raptor. She could easily bring others to attack him.

"Saar! Follow that raptor. Make sure that she carries out her mission."

The female Allo left, all too happy to be out of Heraks presence. He always gave her the shivers when he talked about taking over Dinotopia.

Az was completely surprised to find herself held against a wall by C'xoila's little brother. She knew that he had the size advantage, but she had the skills and practice. Az may not have fought for some time, but she kept in shape. If the need arose, she could easily defend herself.

Not wanting to hurt Fer'dri, she tried to get him to let her go. "Fer'dri! Listen... I don't..." But her words were cut off as the angry Deinonychus yelled again.

"I won't give you the chance to hurt him."

Az was saddened by what she had to do. Quickly, she pretended to bite at his face. The deinonych leaned back to avoid the bite, but loosed his grip on her at the same time. With the restraint loosened, Az was able to kick at him and knock him away. Dropping to the ground, she kicked out again, leaving the inexperienced deinonych flat on his back with his wind knocked out while she ran off.

Fer'dri was able to breath again in a minute and follow her.

Saar couldn't believe that this raptor had allowed herself to be captured by another therapod. And such a young one too. Well, guess I have to rescue her. Herak won't be happy to know that this one can't even defend herself properly. But before she could get over to where the raptors were, the velociraptor had managed to escape and leave the deinonych gasping for air.

Better, The allo thought. Perhaps she will be able to find that other deinonych.

When Saar saw the raptor that had been holding Az captive was trying to follow, she leapt at him. Leaving him un-conscious on the ground the allo ran after the red and yellow raptor.

Now that the raptor had a companion she would have no choice but to carry out her mission.

Once Saar had caught up with Azonthus, Az realized that there was no escaping the harsh reality of what had to happen. She could fight it, she could try to run away, but no matter what she would always know that she had given her word and had broken it.

What was she becoming? Somehow, she had slipped back into the ways she had hoped to leave behind in the Basin. The treachery and lies that were an every day part of survival in the Basin had no place in civilized Dinotopian society. Azonthus had known from the start that Fer'dri had no chance against her, yet she has still hurt him on purpose. She had grown up fighting larger carnosaurs just to live. When she was in peak form, Azonthus could easily fight a Megaraptor and win, but that had been more than two years ago.

Somehow, she would find a way to get out of this horrible mess. She had to…

"Well, raptor," Saar said, shaking Azonthus out of her thoughts. "How are you going to find C'xoila?"

Az sighed, time to get back into character. "My name is Moves-like-the-wind," Az retorted, using her old Basin name, "and I was just intending on looking around the city until I found either him or someone that I could use as bait. If we had someone that we could use to lure him out, we would have him easily."

"There was that other deinonych that attacked you. Perhaps he would do."

NO! Every fiber of Azonthus' being screamed to leave Fer'dri alone, but on the outside she remained cold and calculating. "Yes…I suppose he would do. The only thing I haven't figured out yet is how to let him know that we have a hostage for him."

"Easily done. Herak has some Dimorphodon messengers. One of them could be used to deliver the message."

"Then why didn't he send them out to find C'xoila in the first place?"

"That's not for me to say. The only important thing is that the raptor gets the message." Saar turned in the direction that they had left Fer'dri.

Once they had Fer'dri, Azonthus and Saar headed back for the library…

Francis dashed for the building as fast as he could. The allos were busy with the other skybax and rider, but one of the allos spotted his movement and turned to face him.

Francis saw him charge, but it was too late to turn back. He flung open the human-sized door to the building and leaped in. Unable to stop in time, the allo crashed into the front of the building. Inside, Francis braced himself, certain the impact would bring down the roof, but Dinotopian buildings are strong, and though serious damage had been done outside it remained standing. The thick walls, intended to mute the sounds of the Waterfalls, prevented Francis from hearing clearly the sounds outside. All seemed silent. Once he had caught his breath, he opened his eyes and took stock of his surroundings.

Fer'dri sat tied to a chair. This was a chair meant of humans, so it was extremely uncomfortable for a Deinonychus. His hands were tied behind him in such a way that he couldn't use his claws to cut the ropes. His feet were tied to the chair legs. C'xoila's little brother was virtually helpless.

He had spent the first few minutes trying to escape, but the bonds had been expertly tied. Fer'dri had no idea that Azonthus had such knowledge of knots.

"You have done well, raptor," Herak commended Azonthus. Turning to Darkwing, a black Dimorphodon, he ordered, "Search out a blue and yellow Deinonychus. I wish you to deliver this message to him: I have another deinonych. If you do not come to the big globe, alone, by noon tomorrow, he will die."

"I won't let you hurt my brother!" Fer'dri yelled.

"Oh," Herak was very interested. "Your brother? Well, that is a different story."

Fer'dri looked at Azonthus. "He thought you were…"

"Shut up!" Azonthus yelled and struck him across the face.

Undaunted, Fer'dri tried again, "Azonthus! He trusts you. Why?" His words were drown out as Azonthus yelled and hit him again.

"You shut up, or it could mean your life." She then leaned closer and winked at him, desperately hoping he would get the message. Apparently, he did, for he stayed silent.

"And just what would this C'xoila think you were, Moves-like-the-wind? As far as I knew, you were merely trying to stay hidden so you could get information for your clan,." Herak demanded.

"I was a message runner. I had to deliver some messages to C'xoila a few times. He recognized me after a while."

"I don't see how that would change things. You have done well in capturing this one. Now the trap is set." Herak laughed manically...

Sitting on her haunches, MistReaver looked at the grand city before her. The waterfalls roared and the mist swirled up from the falls and surrounded the city in a vapor. Looking down at her side, she found her staff as she had left it. The ornately carved bow staff was the one thing she as a warrior wouldn't leave without. Her muscles rippled under her near black, ash gray skin. The lighter steel gray striped along her back faded into silver, and her green eyes flashed as she remembered why she had been sent. Back in the Basin, the skybax Nimbus had just delivered word to the Sanctuary of the Clans that Waterfall City had been taken over by allos. Allosaurs were enemy to the Utahraptor clans housed in the Sanctuary, and it was decided one of them was to be sent to help. MistReaver, a member of the Clan of Xilon, young and somewhat small for a Utahraptor, but powerful, strong, and willing to help anyone in need, was chosen to go. She would have to not only travel through the Basin but make it through the invaded city. An old friend, Azonthus, had been taken captive by the allos.

Ebony colored talons digging into her staff as she gazed across the great gap that was left between her and Waterfall City. She couldn't let them harm her friend, much less control the City. With a determined fire in her eyes and a set jaw, MistReaver set out toward the city.

"I'd like to know what is going on in the rest of the City," Mathaira wondered out loud, "and how much damage and injury that the Allosaurs have caused."

"Like to know how close dem big dinos is to us," Jantos replied.

Kara was worried about her friends, "I wonder if Atero and Talon are ok."

"I could ask Aieron to scout out and see what he can find out," offered Ka'ranan.

Aieron, who was just as anxious as the others for information, readily agreed to scout around the City and eagerly took wing to the voiced concerns of those remaining on the Great Library's roof, "Be careful!" "Don't get to close to the Allos!" "Hurry back!" **********

Mathaira waited anxiously with the others on the Great Library roof, "I hope that Aieron is safe. He's been gone a long time. And all those Allos are out there..." **********

After what seemed like an impossibly long time, but in reality was only minutes, Aieron returned and lit upon Ka'ranan's arm, "There are skybaxes circling the City. I couldn't get close enough to see who they were because there were Allos underneath them."

"Sound like trouble wit' a cap'tal T," said Jantos. "Betta get dis galley ready for flyin' just 'ncase we gotta leave quick like. Gotta be ready fo' pass'ngers too 'ncase dey's anyone need a ride outta here."

Under the watchful supervision of Jantos, Mathaira, Maia, and Thistlebud did their part to help ready the Sky Galley for a quick takeoff.

Azonthus was curled up in a tight ball. She had found a quiet, out of the way corner in a study room to hide in and think. She couldn't believe what she had done. Not only was she falling back into her old Basin habits, she was worse than when she had lived there!

The image of Fer'dri's hurt and accusing stare burned in Azonthus' memory and would not leave her inner eye.

She was confused and felt like crying. Not only had she purposely hurt Fer'dri, but she had done it twice, and when he was defenseless. But hadn't she done it for his own good? If Herak knew just how well she knew C'xoila, it would be the end of both of them.

The raptor lay there, feeling numb, for a long time. After what felt like hours, but was in reality more than twenty minutes, she knew what she had to do.

Walking back to the room where Fer'dri was tied up, she brought a sandwich and salve.

Saar was guarding the Deinonych. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

"If he isn't fed, he'll get sick and weak. Then he would be useless as bait and we might as well go ahead and kill him."

Saar studied this strange raptor for a few minutes before she spoke. "All right. Just enough to keep him healthy."

Az nodded. Striding over to Fer'dri, she offered the cat sandwich. He looked hungrily at it, but made no move to eat it. "Go on," Azonthus urged. "I didn't poison it or anything. Do you want it or not?"

Fer'dri turned his head away, still silent.

"Fine. Your loss. I'll just eat it myself." She took a small bite. Fer'dri stared at her. "Here," she offered again.

When Azonthus put it near his mouth he quickly snatched it from her claw, nipping her hand in the process. It had been days since he had last eaten breakfast with his siblings at their home, and he was starving. The sandwich helped to ease the sharp pang of hunger.

He noticed that Azonthus was staring at the small cut on his snout she had given him earlier. "Something wrong with my face?" he snapped.

Azonthus didn't answer, but instead opened a small, round tin full of a pungent salve. Reaching out, she tried to rub it on the cut, but Fer'dri kept jerking his head around.

"Hold still," she ordered. "This will help you." She continued to try to apply the medicine on the resistant Fer'dri's face.

Suddenly, two strong arms held his head still from behind. Azonthus took the opportunity to quickly rub in the medicine. Once she was done, the arms released their grip. Looking up, she saw that it was Herak.

"Have to keep him healthy, don't we," he growled. Turning to the Allo guard he ordered, "Saar, make sure he doesn't escape." Looking at Azonthus, he said, "Would you come with me?" It was an order, not a question.

He led her out of the library and to some gardens. He strolled about casually, seeming to enjoy the beautiful flowers. "Odd, isn't it?" he said, looking at a rose. "This flower looks so beautiful, yet it hides it's thorns till one tries to pick it. That is why humans tend to break off the thorns, so they won't get hurt." Looking Azonthus in the eye he warned, "If I find that you are a hidden thorn, I will break you along with that Deinonychus.

"Keep that in mind," he called as he strolled back to the library.

Clutching her staff in one clawed hand, MistReaver was now stalking in the shadows of the city. Her dark coloring had always given her an advantage over the other raptors of her clan, and she quietly made her way up the deserted streets. Suddenly hearing a thundering crash of footsteps, MistReaver threw herself through the window of the nearest store. Curling into a tight ball she barely breathed as a large bipedal carnosaur walked past.

When the sound had subsided, she peeked out the door and quickly ran down the street to a main plaza. Disoriented by the large building surrounding her, the Basin warrior leapt an incredible height strait up to the top of one of the smaller buildings. Slowly walking across the rooftops until she could see all around her, MistReaver began her quest to find where Azonthus might be in the large maze of streets that surrounded her.

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