The Virals

Chapter 14

The sun had started to rise. To Black Talon's annoyance, a lot of the journey had involved passionate conversations between Sharp Claw and Fern Foot. He just wanted silence, just for a bit, but it never came.

Guess that's what happens when you haven't talked to someone in a long time, He thought, sneaking a glance at Fern Foot when he wasn't looking. That was how it was for most raptors, though Black Talon almost became used to a lack of communication- he was once a rogue, after all.

And I still am, He thought grimly. That doesn't matter though. Being a rogue is not hell- being isolated is. Frankly, I'm probably going to remain a rogue for the rest of my life, and I do not take issue with that. I just don't want to feel alone anymore, that's all. Is that so much to ask for?

Black Talon looked up at the sky. Despite everything, it was still as blue as ever, with wisps of fluffy clouds splattered here and there. It was as if there was nothing wrong in the world, no change or increase in suffering. No virus.

He could still hear the other two blabbering on, not too loudly of course, but loud enough for him to hear.

'... and I don't know how, but I managed to survive that,' Sharp Claw stated proudly, lifting his head up high.

'Wow, that's impressive!' Fern Foot said with a grin.

Black Talon heard rustles near him. He jumped, and looked around anxiously, only to see it was Leafie trudging up to him. Leafie cooed at Black Talon (though he could not tell what was going through the Pachycephalosaurus's mind) and carried on moving, confidently marching fearlessly.

'Well, I told you all the things I experienced! What about you?' Sharp Claw nudged Fern Foot.

'Me? Many things have happened to me, I don't really know where to start.'

Black Talon listened closely- if what Fern Foot was going to say was the truth, he could find out more about the newcomer.

'The beginning? Please? I'm really interested!'

'Oh, all right. It happened when our entire pack had gone hunting. You see, most packs send out small teams to take turns and hunt for food, but we were an exception. There was a herd of Triceratops, and we all wanted a taste of their flesh. We figured that if we all worked together, we could bring one down. See, the carcass could last us months, and it would have made things easier for us. I was with my mate, and we were stalking this big old bull Triceratops- our pack had chosen to hunt him. We were creeping up on him, hiding among the plants, when suddenly it seemed some members of the Triceratops herd had been spooked by something.'

'Was it a viral?'

'Yes. It was a pack of viral rodents. They had bitten one of the Triceratops. That one became a viral, then bit another, and another, and so on. Our alpha instantly called off the hunt, and ordered us to retreat. My mate- Brawl Scale- and I, we tried to escape. But, as we were running, one of those viral rodents managed to bite down onto her foot. I managed to slaughter the thing, but then she became one of them. She became one of those monsters. When I looked into her eyes, I could see the mindless hatred consume her mind. She attacked me... and I... I...'

'You don't have to tell me anymore,' Sharp Claw patted Fern Foot's shoulder. 'I understand how hard it must have been. But, either way, she loved you, didn't she?'

'... Yes. She did. She was pregnant at the time. With about six or seven eggs, or so she told me. She would have laid them in a week or so if it hadn't been for the attack. But that's all in the past, and I cannot change that fact. I will never ever forget her, but now, I have all of you to talk to!' Fern Foot smiled kindly. 'Your non-raptor friends all seem quite interesting! Even if we can't really talk, I rather like them, even your little rodent on your back.'