jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第69节

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that　had　impaled　and　carried　off　his　friend。　What　mattered　was　having　the　knowledge　to　keep　it　from　happening　again。　If　Colter　had　his　way　they　would　be　walking　through　the　brush　with　rifles　and　George　would　still　be　alive。　Instead　George　was　dead；　and　their　only　weapon　fashioned　by　the　one　he　had　called　ignorant。　As　if　to　confirm　it；　Petra　turned　and　spoke　to　Colter。
　〃Is　there　any　chance　Dr。　Coombs　is　still　alive？〃
　〃Slim。　If　we　want　to　know；　we　need　to　see　what's　going　on　up　ahead。　Why　don't　you　wait　here　while　I　scout　it　out。〃
　Petra　looked　at　Dr。　Piltcher　and　back　to　Colter；　and　then　shook　her　head。
　〃I　think　we　better　stick　together。　But　as　soon　as　we　know　for　sure　one　way　or　another；　let's　get　out　of　here。〃
　Colter　shrugged　and　led　off；　resuming　his　slow；　stealthy　approach。　The　sounds　grew　louder　and　more　terrible。　The　gurgling　and　growling　repelled　them；　and　they　had　to　force　themselves　forward　against　their　natural　inclination　to　run。　Suddenly；　Colter　bolted　several　feet　and　then　knelt　behind　a　dense　bush。　He　stared　straight　ahead　for　a　minute　and　then　signaled　to　the　others。　They　quietly　crept　up　behind　him；　but　the　sounds　of　the　feeding　were　so　loud　now　that　they　could　have　driven　a　car　up　and　not　been　heard。
　When　they　were　all　together　Colter　reached　out　and　gently　pushed　a　limb　aside；　revealing　the　clearing　where　they　found　the　egg。　On　the　far　side　of　the　mound　was　the　dinosaur　who　had　attacked　the　RV　and　carried　off　Dr。　Coombs。　She　had　returned　to　her　nest；　and　then　finished　bleeding　to　death。　Her　lifeless　form　was　lying　on　its　side　and　its　body　was　nothing　but　shredded；　bloody　meat。　Half　a　dozen　bipedal　dinosaurs　were　tearing　off　huge　hunks　of　flesh；　or　gnawing　on　ribs　torn　from　the　carcass。　The　biggest　ones　were　fifteen　or　twenty　feet　high。　Smaller　bipeds；　no　more　than　two　or　three　feet　high；　circled　around　the　outside；　darting　in　to　grab　dropped　pieces　of　flesh；　or　bits　of　bone。　The　larger　carnivores　snapped　and　snarled　at　the　little　ones；　but　were　too　slow　to　stop　them。　There　was　more　than　enough　meat　anyway。
　Something　moved　through　the　brush　near　them　and　they　froze　in　fear。　One　of　the　smaller　dinosaurs　darted　through；　then　ran　into　the　clearing　and　began　circling　the　dinner　party；　looking　for　a　chance　to　snag　a　helping。　They　sighed　with　relief　when　it　passed　and　then　backed　away　slowly　until　they　felt　safe　enough　to　talk　softly。　Petra　spoke　first。
　〃I　didn't　see　Dr。　Coombs's　body　there。　Maybe　he　got　off　somehow。〃
　〃If　he　did；〃　Colter　suggested；　〃he'd　be　back　along　that　blood　trail。　It　may　be　risky　to　search　there。　We　don't　know　if　any　more　of　these　things　are　following　it　to　supper。〃
　Dr。　Piltcher　and　Petra　understood　the　implications。　Every　second　they　spent　among　the　dinosaurs　was　a　risk；　but　walking　along　a　blood　trail　could　be　suicidal。　Still　no　one　wanted　to　be　the　first　to　give　up　on　Dr。　Coombs。　Colter　took　the　now　familiar　role　of　leader。
　They　backed　well　away　from　the　clearing　before　circling　around　to　the　trail；　which　was　heavily　trampled　by　the　gathering　scavengers。　Though　the　blood　was　drying；　it　was　still　crimson　on　the　green　grass。　Quickly；　before　they　met　another　predator；　they　backtracked　toward　where　they　left　the　trail　originally。　But　suddenly　something　cut　across　the　path；　and　they　gasped　in　fear。　The　three　were　about　to　start　off　again　when　Colter　turned；　looking　to　where　the　little　dinosaur　had　disappeared。　He　took　a　couple　of　steps　off　the　path　and　then　squatted。　Petra　knelt　next　to　him　as　Dr。　Piltcher　looked　over　his　shoulder；　and　they　saw　blood　on　the　grass。
　〃More　blood。　So　what；　Colter？〃　Petra　asked。
　〃How　did　it　get　here？　The　trail's　back　there。〃　Colter　stood　and　walked　a　few　more　steps。　〃Here's　more　of　it。〃
　Then；　without　another　word；　Colter　trotted　off　through　the　brush。　Petra　and　Dr。　Piltcher　looked　at　each　other；　suddenly　realizing　it　was　another　blood　trail。　A　hundred　yards　away　they　found　him　staring　at　a　pack　of　small　dinosaurs　in　the　grass　ahead。
　It　took　Petra　and　Dr。　Piltcher　a　minute　to　recognize　Dr。　Coombs's　remains。　The　small　dinosaurs　had　shredded　his　clothes　and　picked　his　bones　nearly　clean。　Even　his　skull　had　been　peeled　of　its　flesh；　although　his　eyes　were　still　intact　in　the　sockets。
　When　the　small　pack　of　dinosaurs　spotted　them　they　froze；　heads　up　and　tails　held　straight　out。　As　Colter　screamed　and　then　charged　the　pack；　thrusting　at　the　closest　dinosaur　with　his　spear；　the　pack　scattered；　some　with　meaty　bones　still　in　their　mouths。　Colter　stood　looking　down　on　Dr。　Coombs's　remains；　Petra's　mind　was　overflowing　with　horror；　and　Dr。　Piltcher　was　once　again　lost　in　his　grief。　This　time　he　had　no　doubt　about　his　friend's　death。
　Colter　returned　to　the　others；　his　face　impassive。
　〃Want　me　to　bury　him？　There's　still　quite　a　bit　left。　I　don't　know；　though。　They'll　probably　just　dig　him　up　again。　Maybe　we　could　cover　it　。　。　。　him；　with　rocks。〃
　Dr。　Piltcher　was　about　to　reply　when　the　branches　behind　him　began　to　snap。　The　three　turned　to　see　a　fifteen…foot…tall　carnivore　ing　through　the　brush；　towering　above　them。　Its　head　and　jaws　were　huge。　It　walked　on　two　well…muscled　back　legs；　but　its　forelegs　looked　smaller　and　useless。　A　long　thick　tail　dragged　behind。
　〃Run；〃　Colter　yelled；　and　the　others　obeyed。　Colter　took　the　lead；　breaking　trail　through　the　brush。　He　ran　a　straight　line；　dodging　only　the　thicker　stands　or　those　with　thorns。　They　pounded　through；　oblivious　to　the　blows　from　the　branches。　Dr。　Piltcher；　soon　exhausted；　began　to　trail　behind。　When　Petra　noticed　she　shouted　to　Colter；　who　shot　a　quick　look　over　his　shoulder；　and　then　trotted　off　to　the　side；　motioning　for　Petra　to　take　the　lead。　When　Dr。　Piltcher　plodded　past；　Colter　fell　in　behind；　watching　over　his　shoulder　for　the　dinosaur。
　Petra　set　a　slower　pace　than　Colter　so　Dr。　Piltcher　could　keep　up；　but　something　was　wrong。　Petra　had　seen　him　jog　for　miles　before。　He　was　stumbling　along　now；　head　down　and　breathing　raggedly。　The　brush　thinned；　and　then　they　broke　into　a　clearing　that　led　down　to　the　lake；　where　the　grass　was　short　and　looked　well　grazed。　They　were　moving　at　a　slow　jog　around　what　Petra　realized　were　huge　piles　of　animal　droppings。　Dr。　Piltcher　stumbled　over　one　pile　but　kept　his　feet。　Petra　dropped　back　to　jog　next　to　him；　setting　a　pace。　Dr。　Piltcher's　chest　was　heaving　and　his　breathing　was　irregular。
　When　Petra　looked　back　for　Colter；　her　feet　caught　in　something　and　she　fell　headlong　into　the　grass；　just　missing　a　pile　of　dried　dung。　Dr。　Piltcher　stopped　when　she　fell　and　dropped　to　his　knees；　desperately　trying　to　catch　his　breath。　Petra　found　herself　lying　in　the　grass　on　an　uneven　surface；　the　turf　beneath　her　looking　like　a　badly　laid　carpet　with　huge　wrinkles。　Petra　rolled　to　her　knees；　looking　for　Colter；　but　he　was　nowhere　in　sight。　Neither　was　the　dinosaur。　Dr。　Piltcher　was　still　on　his　knees；　his　breathing　labored；　one　hand　was　pressed　tight　against　his　chest；　and　his　face　red　and　sprinkled　with　sweat。　Looking　up　at　her；　he　shook　his　head；　and　began　puffing　rapidly　through　his　nose；　trying　to　control　his　breathing。　He　spoke　finally；　in　a　hoarse　whisper。
　〃Petra；　I'm　sorry；　but　I　。　。　。　my　chest。　。　。〃
　〃It's　okay；　Dr。　Piltcher。　Don't　speak。　I　think　we're　all　right　here；〃　Petra　answered　reassuringly；　but　not　believing　it。
　Petra　scanned　the　meadow　looking　for　Colter　or　signs　of　danger。　If　she　hadn't　been　so　scared　she　might　have　noted　the　details　in　the　landscape…the　still；　blue　lake　in　the　middle；　surrounded　by　clumps　of　towering　leafy　trees　along　its　shore。　The　bright　green　sea　of　swaying　meadow　grasses　hid　the　wrinkled　turf。
　Taller；　forest　green　bushes　dotted　the　clearing　as　far　as　Petra　could　see。　She　looked　from　left　to　right　for　a　hiding　place　or　a　way　back　to　the　RV。　The　lake　narrowed　on　the　south　end　and　a　finger　of　the　lake　ended　in　a　stream。　Whether　it　fed　the　lake　or　drained　it；　Petra　couldn't　tell。　But　along　that　stream　were　large　moving　shapes…quadrupeds　like　the　one　that　destroyed　the　RV　and　killed　Dr。　Coombs。　They　were　still　a　long　way　off；　but　it　was　clear　they　were　ing　closer。　Petra　felt　trapped。　She　feared　running　back　into　the　brush　because　the　dinosaur　that　had　chased　them　was　there　somewhere。　She　was　too　afraid　to　head　toward　the　approaching　herd；　but　if　they　cut　across　the　meadow　away　from　the　herd　she　could　be　inviting　attack。　Besides；　Dr。　Piltcher　wouldn't　be　running　much　farther　today。
　Petra　could　see　only　one　choice。　She　urged　Dr。　Piltcher　to　his　feet；　took　his　arm；　and　led　him　toward　the　trees　along　the　lake。　They　would　climb　a　。tree　if　they　could。　Otherwise　they　could　swim　for　it；　although　she　had　no　idea　whether　dinosaurs　could　swim　or　not。
　Dr。　Piltcher　padded　along　next　to　her；　Petra　supporting　him　when　he　stumbled。　As　they　ran；　Petra　kept　watch　on　the　approaching　herd。　They　showed　no　signs　of　attack；　or　even　of　notice。　At　the　first　tree；　Dr。　Piltcher　sat　with　his　back　against　the　trunk；　his　hand　on　his　chest　and　his　head　down。　He　was　breathing　easier　now；　although　still　ragged。
　Petra　walked　around；　trying　to　find　an　easy　tree　to　climb。　Similar　to　poplar　trees；　these　had　branches　covered　with　thousands　of　round　leaves。　When　she　found　it　she　returned　to　help　Dr。　Piltcher　to　his　feet。　He