Late Cretaceous Period

Unknown to those below, the end drew near on the tiny planet
Earth.  They were the dinosaurs.  There were many different kinds of
fantastic beasts roaming around, like walking bull’s-eyes.  This story
centers around only one; a baby leptoceratops is about to hatch.  We
shall call him Lipit.  Lipit is about to go on the adventure of a
lifetime.  A pack of nanotyrannus’ will make sure of that.

    The nanotyrannus are tiny carnivores that hunt in various sized
packs.  They are after any easy target they spot first; they’ve
spotted our leptoceratops’ nest.  Lipit is in grave danger, and his
mother is nowhere to be found.  The lead carnivore leaps for an egg
and is flung aside by a set of horns, a triceratops mother has come to
the rescue.  All of her eggs were stolen by this same pack the
previous day, and she is extremely angry.

    The pack of teeth and daggers hit her hide with the force of a
mighty tyrannosaurus rex.  The mother triceratops fights valiantly.
She uses every ounce of her cunning and knowledge to fend off the
rampaging tyrants, but they keep coming.  Wave after wave of the sharp
little beasts washes over her.  She slashes her horns, stamps her
feet, bellows mightily, and kills many.  Unexpectedly, the swarm
retreats.  She turns to look at her adopted nest and sees only a
single egg buried in the afternoon sun.  She is grateful for at least
this tiny singular blessing.  Then it squeaks.

                                        *  *  *

    One year after that unforgiving night a tiny voice squeaks in
the darkness.

    “Mama, I’m hungry.”

    It’s little Lipit.  His empty belly has woken him up.  For, you
see, it’s the dry season, and there isn’t much food to go around.

    “Go to sleep my little leaf star.” His mother coos.

    “But I’m hungry, and my tummy hurts.”  Lipit whines.

    “I know dear, I am too; we’ll just have to wait until we get to
the summerlands”

    “When will that be?”

    “It depends on the goings; if there are good goings, then we’ll
get there faster, but if there are bad goings, then we’ll get there
slower.”  His mother was vague on purpose, for she didn’t know when
they would get there either, and her stomach ached in knots around a
blackhole.  There was nothing to do but keep walking away from the
afternoon sun.

    ‘Just keep walking’ Collie thought to herself, ‘Just keep walking.’

    There was a weird feeling sweeping the land, an uneasy feeling;
a feeling that just kept coming.  Lipit quickened his pace to catch up
to his mother.  He was still tiny compared to her great bulk.  Without
warning, the world started to darken and glow.  Lipit screamed and ran
to hide behind his mother’s massive leg.  She looks up to the sky and
sees the once full, flaming sun begin to disappear beneath a purple
veil.

    “What is it Mama?” Lipit squeaks, “What’s happening to the light?”

    “I’m not sure, but I feel that it’ll come back soon.” His mother
reassures him.

    “When?  I don’t like the dark, the monsters will eat me!”

    “No.  I’m here, and I’ll protect you.”

    With that she started forward again, silently hoping that she
was right.  She was just as scared as little Lipit, but she couldn’t
show fear.

    ‘If the sun and light don’t return, will I be able to protect
him from the nanotyrannus pack that’s following us?’ she thought.

                            To Be Continued…