jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第72部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


hen　above　the　mountain…top　appeared　the　silhouette　of　a　second　giant　bird…thing。
　
　49。　　　PREHISTORIC　SHORE
　
　After　a　hundred　years　of　collecting　specimens；　we　have　but　a　small　record　of　the　vast　dinosauria。　How　many　thousands　of　other　forms　might　have　existed；　we　will　never　know。
　…K。　Carmen　Sontog；　Nature's　Lost　Species
　
　Warm　Springs　Indian　Reservation；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　TUESDAY；　4：25　P。M。　PST
　
　Petra　stood　on　the　limb　and　leaned　out；　one　hand　firmly　grasping　the　overhanging　branch。　She　could　see　through　the　leafy　overhang；　but　couldn't　see　why　the　dinosaurs　were　reacting。　In　the　herd；　the　pickets　were　moving。　The　large　males　on　the　forest　side　of　the　herd　were　pawing　the　earth；　while　those　along　the　lake　side　were　trotting　to　take　position　next　to　their　brothers。　Finally；　the　large　males　were　spaced　evenly　along　the　side　of　the　herd　facing　the　jungle。　The　females　formed　a　ring　within　that；　encircling　the　calves。　Petra　was　impressed　with　their　instinctive　wagon…train　behavior。　The　males　made　a　formidable　barrier　with　their　long　snouts　and　collar　horns；　and　their　huge　bony　collars。　The　females　made　an　equally　impressive　wall；　standing　shoulder　to　shoulder　to　protect　the　young。　Petra　couldn't　imagine　a　dinosaur　that　would　dare　attack　such　a　defense。
　A　crashing　sound　drew　her　attention　to　the　brush。　Something　was　moving　through　the　brush　recklessly；　heading　straight　toward　the　herd。　Petra　held　her　breath；　waiting　to　see　the　source　of　the　ruckus。　Suddenly　it　broke　into　the　clearing　at　a　dead　run。　It　was　Colter。
　Petra　laughed　out　loud。　She　shouted　his　name；　happy　and　relieved　at　the　same　time。　Colter　was　only　a　short　distance　across　the　clearing　when　he　saw　the　dinosaur　wall　ahead　of　him　and　he　turned；　angling　toward　the　clump　of　trees。　Petra　shouted　to　him　again　and　waved　her　free　arm。　Colter　seemed　oblivious　though；　and　kept　looking　back　over　his　shoulder。　Petra　followed　his　glance　back　to　the　brush。
　Then　she　nearly　lost　her　grip。　ing　through　the　brush　was　the　biggest　dinosaur　they　had　seen　yet。　It　towered　above　the　vegetation；　walking　on　two　huge　back　legs；　and　had　a　massive　head　with　immense　gaping　jaws。　Loud　enough　for　Dr。　Piltcher　to　hear；　she　said；　〃I　don't　think　we　climbed　high　enough。〃
　Petra　was　afraid　to　shout　now　and　instead　prayed　silently　that　Colter　would　make　it　to　the　trees。　She　watched　the　race　in　silent　horror；　images　of　Dr。　Coombs's　ravaged　body　drifting　through　her　mind。　The　monster　was　in　single…minded　pursuit　of　Colter　and　seemed　oblivious　to　the　monoclonius　in　their　defensive　position。　Colter　was　losing　the　race　and　Petra　knew　it　would　happen　soon。　The　dinosaur　would　lean　down　and　snap　Colter　up；　swallowing　him　down　in　two　bone…crushing　bites。　Petra　couldn't　watch；　and　she　started　to　look　away；　unprepared　to　lose　two　friends　in　one　day。　Then　Colter　bolted　left。
　Colter　ran　right　toward　the　circled　monoclonius。　The　pursuing　dinosaur　heeled　over　and　followed；　its　tail　swinging　through　the　clearing；　throwing　up　turf　and　dust。　Petra　screamed　at　him。
　〃No；　Colter；　no！　They'll　kill　you！〃
　Petra　could　see　no　hope　for　Colter　now；　but　she　was　riveted　to　the　scene。　The　monoclonius　pickets　were　closing　ranks；　the　males　ing　shoulder　to　shoulder；　their　heads　down；　ready　to　impale　the　threat。　Colter　raced　on；　the　pursuing　dinosaur　gaining。　He　was　trapped　between　a　wall　of　horns　and　a　set　of　jaws　well　practiced　in　bone　crushing。
　But　Colter　didn't　slow。　Instead　he　hit　the　wall　full　speed；　squeezing　between　two　of　the　large　males　and　out　behind　them。　Then　he　turned；　avoiding　the　wall　of　females；　and　raced　between　the　males　and　females；　curving　around　to　the　end　of　the　picket　line；　and　then　out　toward　the　clump　of　trees　holding　Petra　and　Dr。　Piltcher。
　The　pursuing　monster　pulled　up　just　before　the　horns　of　the　males；　who　stood　their　ground；　prepared　to　take　the　full　charge　of　a　carnivore　with　twice　their　mass。　The　monster　screamed　in　frustration；　blasting　its　breath　at　the　monoclonius；　who　stood　silently　but　defiantly。　Suddenly；　one　lowered　its　head　and　then　charged　forward；　thrusting　its　horns　up　at　the　monster's　side。　The　newer　turned　left　to　avoid　the　charge；　screaming　in　rage；　but　another　monoclonius　charged　forward；　jabbing　it　on　the　right。　The　monster　trumpeted　in　pain　this　time；　but　backed　up　and　then　began　walking　along　the　defense　line；　looking　for　an　opening。
　Petra　watched　Colter　run　into　her　clump　of　trees　but　lost　sight　of　him　when　the　leaves　obscured　her　view。　She　yelled　to　him　again；　but　the　roars　of　the　dinosaurs　drowned　out　her　voice。　Turning　back　to　the　standoff；　she　saw　the　monster　walking　along　the　defensive　line　toward　her　tree。　Suddenly　she　felt　naked。
　〃Dr。　Piltcher；　we've　got　to　climb　higher。　Now！〃
　Dr。　Piltcher　struggled　to　his　feet；　and　reached　for　another　limb。　Even　though　the　limbs　were　smaller　and　closer　together　at　this　height；　Dr。　Piltcher　had　only　half　of　his　normal　strength。　The　dense　foliage　made　it　hard　for　Petra　to　help　him。　The　best　she　could　do　was　lean　into　the　trunk　from　her　side　and　steady　him　with　one　hand　while　he　tried　to　pull　himself　up。
　The　monster　was　continuing　along　the　picket　line；　which　moved　in　front　of　it　to　keep　the　largest　males　in　front　of　the　enraged　carnivore。　It　paused　to　roar　at　the　monoclonius　occasionally　but　made　no　attacks。　It　was　close　to　their　tree　now；　and　Petra　signaled　Dr。　Piltcher　to　freeze　while　it　passed。　Its　head　moved　along　the　treeline　at　eye　level；　and　Petra　found　herself　mesmerized　by　one　huge　eye。　How　could　something　that　big　be　alive？　But　it　passed　and　Petra　watched　its　back　move　toward　the　lake　and　to　where　Colter　had　disappeared。　Whispering　a　prayer　for　him；　she　signaled　Dr。　Piltcher　to　try　again。
　When　the　giant　carnivore　reached　the　lake　its　frustration　boiled　over。　Obviously；　there　was　no　opening　in　the　line　of　monoclonius；　only　a　solid　line　of　horns　and　armor。　From　experience；　it　knew　the　three　horns　could　be　killed；　but　only　if　caught　alone。　In　a　pack　they　worked　together；　jabbing　over　and　over；　and　exposing　nothing　to　the　carnivore's　jaws　except　horn　and　bony　collar。　But　the　giant's　hunger　was　great　today；　almost　as　great　as　its　frustration；　so　it　screamed　again　and　then　charged。
　The　carnivore's　scream　nearly　shook　Petra　from　her　limb。　She　could　hear　its　rage。　Petra　turned　to　see　the　carnivore　thrust　down；　clamping　its　jaws　on　the　collar　of　one　of　the　monoclonius；　its　teeth　squalling　on　the　bone　like　fingernails　on　a　black　board；　and　Petra　flinched。　The　monoclonius　roared　back　defiantly；　trying　to　shake　the　carnivore　from　its　collar；　but　the　massive　jaws　kept　their　grip　and　the　carnivore　jerked　the　monoclonius　briefly　off　its　feet。　。
　The　monoclonius　roared　again；　but　in　anger；　not　in　pain。　Petra　realized　there　were　probably　no　nerves　in　that　protective　collar。　Suddenly　another　monoclonius　shot　forward；　burying　it：　snout　horn　into　the　thigh　of　the　carnivore；　and　then　quickly　pulled　out　and　backed　away。　As　the　carnivore's　jaws　released　and　its　head　snapped　up　and　turned　toward　its　tormentor；　another　male　jabbed　it　from　the　other　side。　It　trumpeted　in　pair　this　time；　snapping　its　head　toward　the　new　threat。　Again　it　was　attacked　from　its　left。　Petra　silently　cheered　the　monoclonius。
　The　carnivore；　bleeding　from　the　thigh　wounds；　began　backing　up；　bellowing　out　its　pain　and　outrage。　Now　the　monoclonius　advanced　slowly；　heads　down；　pawing　the　ground　threatening　the　carnivore　every　step　of　the　way…Petra　realized　it　was　backing　straight　toward　their　tree。
　She　turned　to　signal　Dr。　Piltcher　to　freeze　only　to　find　him　hanging　upside　down；　with　one　leg　over　the　overhanging　limb　trying　to　get　still　higher。　Petra　turned　to　see　the　back　of　the　carnivore's　head　ing　toward　her。　Yelling　for　Dr。　Piltcher　to　hang　on；　she　wrapped　her　arms　around　the　trunk　of　the　tree　and　buried　her　face　in　the　bark。
　At　the　last　second；　the　carnivore　turned　and　backed　into　the　tree　next　to　theirs。　With　nowhere　to　go；　the　monster　bent　and　snapped　its　jaws　at　the　advancing　monoclonius；　who　stopped　their　advance　and　backed　away。　When　the　monoclonius　had　given　it　enough　space　to　retreat；　it　released　its　anger　in　another　deafening　roar；　and　then　turned…spotting　Petra　and　Dr。　Piltcher。
　Petra's　strength　melted　away　when　the　giant's　eye　fixed　on　them。　Then　the　head　turned；　showing　both　its　eyes；　and　its　huge　flaring　nostrils。　The　head　leaned　into　the　tree；　snapping　off　limbs　in　its　way。　When　Petra　saw　the　jaws　opening　slowly　she　turned　away；　and　jumped　to　a　limb　below。　She　caught　it；　but　her　weight　pulled　her　free；　and　she　fell　again。　She　hit　another　limb　with　her　hip；　ricocheting　off　and　onto　another。　This　time　she　wrapped　her　arms　around　it　and　managed　to　hold　on。　Her　legs　were　still　dangling；　but　she　looked　up。
　Dr。　Piltcher　had　dropped　back　to　the　lower　limb　and　was　standing　facing　the　monster's　head；　flinching　back；　turning　to　jump；　when　the　jaws　reached　him。　They　crushed　both　the　professor's　feet　and　the　limb。　Dr。　Piltcher　screamed　and　fell　headlong；　his　ankles　still　trapped　in　the　jaws。　With　a　mighty　shake　of　its　head；　the　professor　was　thrown　to　the　ground。　Still　he　remained　conscious　and　lay　screaming；　his　ravaged　legs　spurting　blood。
　With　more　terror　than　she'd　ever　felt；　Petra　turned　away　when　the　dinosa