FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Progress Diary of Subject "Three-claw" - Week 51

05-02-2030

Observed by Dr. Jane Addison

Progress with Three-claw has been coming along exceptionally. It has almost been a full year since we first brought him here, and his learning rate of a human language is already faster than a standard human child. He now has a basic vocabulary of at least 200 words, and has started to form remedial sentence structure which allows us a means of two-way conversation. I am currently teaching him the nature of questions and answers as well as to comprehend our writing system.

Three-claw definitely has intelligence comparable to humans, knowing when something is wrong and then managing to correct himself on his error. His problem solving skills, that we tested through a series of experiments over the past few months to see him try to obtain food from various containers, puts him at least on the level of an octopus. We do not know however if this is the standard intelligence amongst velociraptors, or if this is yet another abnormality of his very existence.

Once he has understood our writing system, I want to see if he can read something back to me, correlating a connection between sounds and symbols more fully when he can spell and pronounce the words he sees. Luckily we have some children's books available, but my only concern is whenever I try to have Three-claw write something, he becomes depressed and stops wanting to do anything. Hopefully letting him read someone else's writing will overcome this.

The one thing Oddclaw hated most about this place was the fact he had no sense of time. The sun and moon were not available to him, and despite the interactions with Jane helping to keep his mind from going mad from boredom, the lack of stimulation and natural cycle was setting him off-kilter. He slept more often than he meant to, and the little exercise he got from the test studies in the big room with blocks and ropes and tunnels was the only thing he looked forward to despite the constant forced sleep when moving from place to place. But he knew at the very least that Jane was not trying to harm him, the way she looked at him as a vulnerable creature with clear empathy as something of a pet project. Something to nurture and care for, to see the fruits of progress as he blossomed with incredible capacity for learning a human language over the course of many months. At least concerning a non-human creature that was just learning to vocalise a whole different set of sounds.

Every day when she had time, Jane would come in and try to teach him words again and again with utmost patience. They first established the names of things that he understood from the natural world, such as the sky, the sea, the sun and the moon. She noted the name of her species, humans, and the name that they had for his species known as simply raptors. She wasn't going to pull up scientific accuracy for the sake of not confusing him, and once he had developed a basic vocabulary, she began to teach him the written language. A three-pronged process that combined vocal, visual and empirical context as she would show the tree, the word and her mouth moving. She would draw the word clearly to teach him, helping him understand the writing before any understanding of an alphabet could be proven. This entire process took nine months before Oddclaw could write his first sentence, trusting him with a marker pen and some paper as he struggled to write clearly. Circles were frustrating, constantly turning them into bizarre shapes and broken ovals, but lines he understood perfectly in horizontal, vertical and diagonal. The writing however reminded him of his brother which in turn saddened him, as the first few attempts would fail miserably not out of his own inability, but from depression as he would slump and cry and curl up into a ball of homesickness.

Jane did not understand why the writing made him sad, which fascinated her on a professional level but she decided to pull back on trying to make him, not wanting to upset the raptor and turn him away from the whole engagement entirely. So she decided on another approach, bringing in a brightly-coloured orange rectangle she held under her arm.

"Hello Three-claw!"

"Hello. Jane."

"How are you today?"

"I...I am gud."

"This...is a book. Do you know what a book is?"

"Booookhh?"

"It has lot of words that you read. I want you to read this book."

"......whie?"

He understood this word as part of a "question", something Jane taught him to ask if he was ever confused or did not comprehend what was said.

"So you can learn more words. I know writing makes you sad, but reading does not. Do you like reading my words?"

"Yis. Ai liyk reedin."

"Well, I want you to read someone ELSE'S words to me. Can you read these words?"

The book was a blinding orange with white vibrant words blaring across the front of the book, alongside a very strange looking animal with huge wings on each side of its long-snouted head.

"...H-h-horrrrtun...hhhhheeeeeers a-hwoh."

"Hmhmhm...close. I give you this book, and I want you to read it to ME."

"Reed...tuu...yuu?"

"Yes. Read the book to me."

"...okay."

She pushed the book through the feeding slot as Oddclaw carefully opened it. He understood that paper was fragile and he always bent his claws away to prevent any tearing. The pictures inside were bizarre, nothing like the photographs he had been shown before as he wondered what creatures they were. Monsters of another land such as the long-nosed creature with ears like wings.

"On-thuh...o-on, thuh uh...u-u-uh-"

"What's wrong?"

He put the book up towards the glass pointing at the number "15th."

"OH, well, that's not a word is it? If you do not see a word, then do not read it, okay?"

"O-okay. On-thuh...of May, in-thuh jungul of...nooool, in-thuh heet...of-thuh day, in-thuh coooool...of-thuh poooool...hi waz splllash-ing...in-joy-ing-thuh, jungulszz grate joyszz. Wen Hhhorrrrtun...thuh...e-e-eleph...el-eh-phaant, hurd a smawl noize."

Oddclaw would read the book as Jane would listen and watch him with patience, the raptor sitting down on the floor of his room, turning the pages and skipping past any number that was not a word. It was a very short book, despite his laborious reading process and once he had finished it an hour later, he handed it back to Jane

"That was good Three-claw! Did you like reading it?"

"Yis. Ai did."

"Would you like to read tomorrow?"

"Yis. Ai duu."

"Good!"

He started to smile as she did the same. Some days she would simply sit down and talk with him, engaging with the most basic words to encourage Oddclaw to reach a conversational level of English with her. Other days she would bring in more books, all in the same style as the one he had first read which further solidified his recognition of the English alphabet, despite not ever knowing there was such a thing as an alphabet as of yet when asked by the Major-General:

"What do you mean he doesn't know the alphabet?!"

"It's much easier for him to start with the sounds before the words."

"That makes no sense!"

"It does, think about it! When you were a baby, you weren't making words, you were making sounds, you said things like papa and mama before you understood we had symbols to denote those sounds."

"Hmmmm..."

The major scratched his chin finding no ability to poke through her logic.

"I suppose there is one thing good, these children's books are finally getting their use."

"We're not even allowed to conceive in this place," she said with arms shrugged, "so what was the point of these things?"

"We have to be prepared for any plan be it military, medical or social. And since child development runs in that plan too then we had to stock up."

"And for that I thank you sir, these books are helping Three-claw immensely!"

"Well they're not helping anyone else so-"

"Kan...gahruu!"

"What?!"

"PFFFT!"

Jane struggled not to laugh as Oddclaw blurted out towards the Major-General.

"Sau-wer...kan-gah-ruu!"

"What the damn hell did he just call me?!"

"I-i-i think he just called you a sour kangaroo!"

"WHAT the hell does that even mean?!"

"It's from that Horton book!"

"Well maybe next lesson you should teach him about RESPECT!" he roared stomping his foot. "Let me remind you doctor that I only allowed this thing to be here as a study, and I can just as easily dispose of him!"

"Ohoho come on sir," she struggled with hand against her lip, "he's practically a child you can't fault him for that!"

"Even children learn respect one day."

"And if they don't you just cast them into the fire, hmm?!"

"Don't get political with me. I have work to do so I expect your report the usual time."

He walked out with a huff, and as the door closed Jane started cackling towards the raptor.

"Hhhohohoho...hhhhhhhmmmmm, Three-claw that was very rude."

But despite her attempt at admonishing him, Oddclaw simply smiled at her happiness and made a strange guttural noise that she understood as his way of laughing.

"Sau-wer, k-kangah-ruu."

"Y-y-yes, he is but he is my boss so please do not be mean to him."

"Hee...meen tuu yuu."

"He is just doing his job."

"Jawb is, meen?"

"No, it...hhhhhh never mind, hmhmhm...you're going to be a troubling boy aren't you?"

"Truh-bull-ling? Yis."

"Oho god."

Progress Diary of Subject "Three-claw" - Week 53

20-02-2030

Observed by Dr. Jane Addison

Today was our first walk around the base. Major-General allowed me so long as Three-claw had been leashed and muzzled for safety reasons. I don't want to treat him like this but I understand other people would be afraid, and animals can sense that sort of thing as well as take it the wrong way. Hopefully this will be good, helping others learn of his progress and start to humanise him.

Humans are strange like that, we always humanise that which is the most alien to us. We always find the infants of other species much more cute than our own unless it is our actual offspring (in most cases at least). I believe it is the same part of our brain that tries to find shapes and faces in clouds and landscapes, always trying to sculpt the world in our image to better comprehend it. Is that a bad thing? I don't think it is necessarily, but only if it is balanced with a respect for nature. I know that Three-claw will not enjoy this, but I am going to try to make it as easy as possible for him.

"We are going to walk around today," began Jane.

"Warll-kh?"

"Yes, walk. Major said it was okay for you to walk, BUT! You must promise."

"Proh-miss?"

"Yes, promise. Do you know what a promise is?"

"No."

"A promise is something you must always do for someone. No matter what."

"Mus-stal-ways duu. Okay."

"So I need you to promise...do not hurt ANYONE. Not with your teeth or your claws, okay?"

"Okay."

"Now, because Major told me to, I have to put this on you."

She revealed the muzzle, a black cage lengthened to fit his snout with a leash attached by a clip. He asked rather timid:

"Whie?"

"He thinks...Major thinks you will hurt us."

"Duu-yuuuu...th-thhhhuh-thiiiin-kh, thhhhat?"

"No. I know you are very smart, and you would not do that. Do you promise not to hurt us?"

"I...proh-miss, noh-tuu-hurt."

"Thank you."

She opened the door of his cell, which Oddclaw soon found were two doors that separated between them as he left the room for the first time of his own volition. She forgot how tall he was, stridant at 6'2'' compared to her at around 5'8''. A part of him wanted to flee there and then towards the exit door but he resisted, seeing the trusting look in Jane's eyes and knowing that he was at a disadvantage.

I do not even know where I am so if I do try to escape, I will only get lost in this place without any smell to guide me. This hairless trusts me, I should not make her an enemy...if she can show me other parts of her home then I will stand a better chance of escaping when I memorise it. Just like hunting, it is all about patience. I hope I have not been away from home for too long.

Oddclaw walked over to Jane, keeping his distance and slightly lifting his head whilst rubbing at it. She walked forwards carefully, showing the muzzle at all times as he looked at it with disdain from the unusual animal scent it had. It made him nervous, but he resisted any urges and stood perfectly still as she placed it on him to cover his snout, clicking it securely before holding the leash.

"There, that's it. Now kangaroo won't be sour."

"Kangah-ruu...all-ways sau-wer."

"HAHAHA, ohhhh...hhhoh you are such a naughty boy Three-claw-"

She stopped herself realising what this sounded like. The smell of shame radiated fiercely from her which confused him as she shook her head.

"N-never mind, sorry. Come on Three-claw, let's walk."

"Yis."

Carefully opening the door with a thin metal card, the human took him out into the hallway where a whole new wave of smells hit him. A long straight shining metal corridor where other humans stood, some of them in thick padded black armour from head to toe whilst holding large metallic objects. He could smell the traces of fire. Burning. Foodstuffs wafting from one way whilst acrid chemical odours filtered in the opposite direction. The humans in thick armour had already been notified despite keeping their metal tools half-aimed towards him. The first thing that the guard noticed was the hanging flaccid length between Oddclaw's legs, naked as the day he was born which was something Jane had long become used to. But other wavering eyes did not as the raptor could smell a very faint trace of disgust from the man.

"Whooo...izz-that?"

"That is a guard. A guard protects us from enemies."

"Proh-teckt?"

"Keeps us safe. From enemies. Enemies hurt us."

"Sayyyf-uh. Ehnnn-neh-mee."

"Go on, say hello."

"H-h-heh...hello."

Oddclaw waved politely. She nodded at the guard who rather reluctantly waved back replying:

"Hello."

"How...ahr yuu?"

"I am...fine, thank you."

"Okay. Guudbaiii."

"Goodbye."

"That was very good Three-claw!" praised Jane. "Well done!"

"Th-thann...kyuu!"

"Come on, let's walk."

Carefully tugging at his leash, Addison took him down towards the place where the stench of alkali came from. They walked around the place, not heading too far from his room but seeing enough of the place to give him an idea of its size as they looped round a large rectangle to see the chemical laboratory, a few offices, bathrooms and lastly the third energy research room. Jane tried her best to explain each place, but some concepts were lost on Oddclaw except that of food, reading, exercise and relieving oneself.

They went round the same halls over and over again allowing him and also the humans to familiarise with each others' presence. The first walk went well, with the raptor behaving himself and giving polite greetings towards every person he met with a wave and a smile awkwardly. People started to find him fascinating, a few even thought him charming but most regarded him with suspicion which he smelt easily from their bodies as distrust. He tried to ignore this as Jane took him to another section of the facility the next day.

A giant room he could only briefly peer inside of, seeing rows upon rows of shiny desks with flickering screens seemingly beeping to each other. At the very back of the room was an enormous circular steel frame connected to dozens of cables, gently vibrating with a scent that terrified him by the sheer ferocity of its latent power. He backed out soon as possible almost pulling Jane away.

"Wha, wh-what-Three-claw what's wrong?!"

"S-smell, bad smell!"

"Three-claw calm down! Stop!"

She raised a finger emphasising him to stay despite his nervous body, clenching his hands together with a trembling whimper until she slowly walked him away by her own volition.

"What is wrong, are you frightened?"

"F-fry...tenned...fry-tenned...bad smell."

"In there, from what?"

He could not respond, a muted growl of fear emphasising from him as she gently moved him away from the door.

"Sorry Three-claw. It's okay, we don't have to go in that room, let's walk."

"Yes. Thann-kyuu."

On his second day, they carefully looked into each room, allowing Oddclaw to get a feel of the place despite the laboratories making him sneer with disgust. She called to someone within one foul-smelling room, and Oddclaw could hear the telltale sounds of clacking stone feet in the form of Kevin, a man around the same height as Oddclaw with tanned skin and short black hair that cropped slightly upwards.

"Holaaa-oh-EYYYYY he's here!"

"Yep! Three-claw, this is Kevin. Kehhhhvin."

"K-kuh...Keh...ving. Hello, Keh-ving."

"Hahaha, hello Three-claw. Are you okay?"

"Yis. Thann-kyuu."

"He is coming a long way!" said Kevin.

"He has!" replied Jane. "This is his first proper walkabout and I want to make sure he can get used to us."

"Speaking of long wow..."

Jane and Oddclaw saw his eyes rove down towards the raptor's length.

"You couldn't find him some pants?"

"I didn't want to give him too much to deal with," she said, "it's important that he feels relaxed and free."

"I bet he feels relaxed with that salchichon between his legs, haha. You might have to put some pants on him though, the Major won't like it."

"Well he doesn't like anything but you are right, I will have to get him something, I don't suppose you know anyone with some old clothes?"

"I think I have a pair of swimming shorts-"

"Ligs."

"Huh?"

Oddclaw bent down curiously towards Kevin's trousers sniffing at them.

"Ligs. Sau-uhnd laik...stohn."

"Stone?" Jane asked.

"Yis."

"What is he talking about? Is he talking about-"

"Hahahaha," chuckled the male, "I think I know what he means, would you like to see my legs Three-claw?"

"N-no, Kevin you don't have to-"

"What, what's he gonna do, bite me? Not gonna matter down there see?"

The man stepped back and slowly lifted up his pantleg, revealing something that was most startling to the raptor. Not a strip of flesh could be seen anywhere on the limb, replaced entirely by a rather skeletal structure of solid glistening steel that started at half of a meaty thigh and ended upon a shoe. Oddclaw looked between Jane and Kevin, smelling the skin off her leg to confirm that hers were not the same.

"Lig...stohn lig!"

"Yes," replied Kevin, "I lost my legs. Both of them. Now I walk with 'stone' legs."

"......stohn...warllk? Whie?"

"Well, because I wanted to walk again."

"...warllk......agin. That is...guud, yis...guud!"

The humans smiled at the raptor's childlike wonder as he tapped and sniffed at the prosthetic limb, chirring with excitable curiosity to think that these creatures could simply replace parts of them with stone, shiny stone even! He also noted another scent that intrigued him, before he stepped back and grinned without showing teeth.

"Thann-kyuu. Keh-ving."

"Hahaha, de nada. So Jane, you think you will be back in your usual office before the end of the month?"

"Oh no certainly not," she replied, "I still have quite a way to go with Three-claw here."

"Awwww damn, that room must suck to be in."

"It does oh my god, there is nothing to do in that room besides work on the flipping reports. I mean at least I can still talk to people bu-THREE-CLAW!"

"What, what he do-O-OH, OHHHhhhhhhheeehahahahahaa! HAHAHAHA!"

Unbeknownst to them, the raptor had smelt something from Kevin's pants in the form of a slight musk. He had not known that scent in months, and the unconscious association to his brother's scent of masculine arousal had caused him to sport quite a rather blatant erection at a good 10 inches.

"Puta madre he's hung like a burro!"

"U-u-uhm, Th-three-claw please."

"Hmmm?" he cocked his head.

"Your...could you not...can you do something with your-"

"Hmmmmmm?"

"Deal with your dick," said Kevin bluntly. "Humans do not like to see a dinosaur walking around with a huge dick."

"Th-that's not-" blustered Jane, "th-that's not what-"

"Sohrree."

Oddclaw understood that he was doing something wrong from the shame and humiliation Jane was exhibiting. His cock ached with arousal unrestrained as the foreskin pulled back from his meaty glans which disturbed the humans, as Kevin murmured:

"It really is just like mine."

"KEVIN!" squawked Jane.

"What, it is! Uhhhh...did you teach him about masturbation yet?"

"WHA-N-NO!"

"Why not?!"

"Because I never had to deal with this before!"

"What you never see him hard before?"

"S-s-sometimes but it generally goes back down on its own!"

"Welllll you can either wait...or we help him out?"

"I'm not touching his-...his-"

"Alright I will do it. I am a medic or the closest to. Three-claw."

The raptor looked at him whilst Jane's face became a purest red.

"Do you want me to teach you something about your cock?"

"Kuh-awwwk?"

"That." He pointed to said cock. "That, I can teach you...something you can do with it."

"Yis?"

"Do you want to know?"

"Yis. Okay."

"Alright, um let's find a bathroom."

"No," said Jane, "let's take him back to his room, it's much more private."

Walking back to his padded cell room, Jane obstructed the view of the raptor's cock with her coat opened up as well as positioning her body to disguise it from the guards. The constant scent of shame from her made Oddclaw incredibly uncomfortable, and once they were safely within his room Kevin asked:

"Uhhh...do you want to stay and watch?"

"Wh-what?!"

"This is something between males and uh...I mean you're welcome to-"

"OH...um....I-i-i-well I am his...I am his handler, this is important, I need to um...st-study his...evaulation."

"Oooookay, now Three-claw I am going to teach you how to masturbate."

"Teech...mih?"

"Yes, to masturbate. Do you know what that is?"

"No."

"Ehhh...let me show you."

Despite his strangely relaxed aura, Kevin had a strange touch of guilt as he began to undo the fly of his pants whilst Jane made sure the door was closed before the chemist revealed his own flaccid 6-inch cock. The raptor had never seen a human penis before but was startled at how similar it was to his with the exception of testicles. Two thick hairy plums of tanned skin that exhuded a waft of musk which only further made Oddclaw horny, as evidenced by the drop of pre welting up from his glans.

"K-kawk?"

"Yes, my cock. Like yours, now...watch me."

Jane averted her eyes with a fuming red face, as Kevin grasped his member by wrapping his fingers round the limp shaft before sliding his hand back and forth. Oddclaw chirred with curiosity, cocking his head at the strange action which somehow increased the strength of the musk.

"There...n-now uh...you do it. Do what I do."

"Oh...kay."

He cautiously wrapped his claws around his own meat, stroking back and forth in a rather unusual movement he had never done in his life. Yet it somehow became the most natural thing in the world within the first five seconds of fondling himself, grunting with a twinge of pleasure that ran through him.

"A-a-aaah...hhhhaaaaah..."

"That feel good?"

"Y-y-yes...yes...l-like...like..."

"Have you never done this before? Really?!"

"N-n-no...no...hhhhh..."

Soon his growls became bestial, shuddering with a snarl of lust as his cock started to spurt more pre onto the floor as Kevin stepped away from him just in case. Jane struggled to resist the urge to peek, her back turned as the raptor jerked his solid length harder with more copious squirts. Soon she couldn't take it, glancing a small peek and instantly regretting it with a blustering awkwardness whilst Kevin stood beside her, tucking his member back into his pants.

"God dammit Kevin."

"What, what I do now?"

"You've ruined him. He was a sweet naked boy and now he's a bloody teenager like Groot by the end of Guardians two."

"Awwwww I remember that movie...haaaaah, they grow up so fast don't they mi pequeno, remember when movies just ended at the credits and you could leave without missing anything."

"Don't do this."

"Do what?"

"Act like we're some weird married couple reminiscing about things back in the good ol' days."

"You never do?" he asked shrugging wide.

"I wasn't born before Youtube was a thing," she said with arms crossed tight. "Neither were you."

"And we're not allowed to reminisce anymore?"

"I just don't like when people do that nostalgia thin-"

"H-HAAAAAAA, RRRRRRRGH!"

"OH JESUS!"

Violent shots of cum splattered on the wall as the raptor bucked his hips, pumping outwards to spray the floor and even the ceiling in one blissful climax through a long clear trail of hot sticky white. Thickening spots and giant droplets smeared a fine pattern in front of him to end at his feet, the humans shocked at such a volume he gave before he felt exhausted, chirring lowly with a sweet smile on his muzzled face. His brown-scaled penis became flaccid once more, dripping on the floor between his legs as he spoke with drunken grin.

"Th-thann...kyuu, Keh-ving. Tie-urrd nao."

"Hmhmhmhahah, awww he's sleepy."

"I'm not cleaning this bloody mess," said Jane.

"Relax I'll do it. Besides, I always wanted to get some fluids out of him besides his blood."

"Are you-s-seriously?"

"Why not!? Let me get some beakers, you put him back inside and uh OH uh um...uhhh Three-claw?"

"Yis?" he replied softly.

"If your cock gets...up, do not stroke it out there. People do not like it."

"Not laik? ......okay."

"You stroke your cock but only in THIS room, okay?"

"Yis."

"Okay I have to get back to work, Goodbye Three-claw."

"Guudbaiii!"

Oddclaw waved to him as Jane led him towards the next area of the base. next day when they skirted towards one of the large security doors in the lower right section of the labs, not too far from their initial starting point as Jane swiped a small white rectangle along a slit, opening the steel maw which frightened Oddclaw slightly. She assured him it was fine and carefully took him through a long straight passage with thick windows that gave the muzzled raptor his first look at the outside world since he arrived.

"A-AH, AAAH!"

"Wh-what is it?!"

"S-SUN, SKY!"

He frantically pointed towards the view like a child at the funfair.

"OH...ohhh of course you haven't seen anything in months you poor thing. Alright, let's look then."

She let him walk over towards the window as he recognised it to be the same clear substance in his room when he tapped at it. He saw a beach. A lone empty shore stretching far beyond to a large cluster of rocks like jagged broken teeth, pockmarked with holes from the burrowing creatures within. Beyond that he could see the jungle, a lush thin line of verdant colours creeping towards a giant mountain, a black schism that seemed to devour part of the clear cyan sky. His hands placed upon the glass-like substance made tiny scrapes as he whimpered feeling more isolated than before as Jane understood.

"You want to leave...don't you?"

He turned at her voice.

"You want...to leave...go out there, don't you Three-claw?"

"Y-...yis. I wahnt tuu goh."

"Go where?"

"...raptor. Goh...tuu raptor."

She nodded with a guilt-ridden look, trying to find the words to explain to him why he was not allowed to leave. He could tell she wanted to speak, but something held her back in her stuttering attempts as she led him towards the residential zone of the base where the non-essential staff lived and worked. There was a library which smelt slightly musty, the kitchen which made him salivate, and the bathrooms that made him curious with a bizarre concoction of aromas that were both familiar and alien to the raptor's snout.

"They, hunt?" he asked.

"Hmm?"

"They. They hunt?"

"OH! Well...sometimes we have to, meat is meat. They do not hunt, they cook the food."

"Whooo...hunts?"

"The guards do, when they can."

"This...maon-tun is...shy-nee."

"Mountain?"

"Yes. Mao-nnntun."

"I...yes I suppose it is a mountain, we made it ourselves."

"Mayd?"

"Yes, this...mountain is our own, we made it."

"......whie?"

"Huh?"

"Whie mayd? There no maontun, here?"

"It's easier for us to live here, rather than in a different mountain."

"Oh."

"Now remember, do NOT take any food unless I tell you."

"Okay."

Stepping into the kitchen made him salivate by instinct, curiously growling which admittedly startled some of the workers as they turned to see the muzzled naked beast. The room was a fascinating cornucopia of scents, everything he ever smelt within one room from the roasted meat to the sweetest sugars, as well as fire permeating the air with a smoky texture to everything. Liquids bubbled, stews thickened and flesh sizzled to create a symphony of tastes that made it more difficult for him to resist. Sleek silver rectangles dotted around the room where various humans in all white clothes constantly stirred, tossed and drizzled a bewildering concoction of ingredients into many shining pots.

"It's alright," said Dr. Addison, "I'm just showing him around, let him get used to you."

"You bring a dinosaur into the kitchen!?" cried the sous-chef. "What the hell, what if he starts jumpin' on shit?!"

"He better not slide into the freezer or something!" said the chef patisseur. "I got a creme torte in there and he is NOT getting one bit!"

"He just wanted to say hello!" she cried in defence. "Now, say hello Three-claw."

"H-...h-hello. How ahr yuu?"

The awkward wave made him strangely adorable, despite his unhygienic nudity that made the staff rather irritable as the head chef replied:

"Hello, we're fine, now could you please leave we got work to do."

"Alright sorry," replied Jane. "Come on Three-claw, let's go-"

"Fuud."

"Hmm?"

"F-fuud...plees?"

He pointed over towards a small jar someone had left on the counter, full of some juicy red mush that intrigued him as Jane responded:

"Three-claw no. NO, no food."

"Mmmrrhhhh."

"Sorry, um, do you need anything while we're here?"

"Not really," said one of the cooks, "we fixed that gas leak already that was our biggest worry."

"Oh good good! Actually um I did want to ask, that cheese yesterday?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"How did you make it taste so good?! That grated faux-parmesan, I must know how you did it, I swear it was like you found some real dairy food!"

"Hahaha, naaah just the usual tricks and occasional science shit. I mean half of us are just chemists by this point."

"Well, I thank you very much for your work, you really do keep us all aliiii-THREE-CLAW!"

Turning around she saw the raptor picking up a pot of jam curiously, until being shouted at caused him to drop the jar to shatter on the floor.

"OH COME ON GOD DAMMIT!"

"That was Kerkorian's special mix, now we gotta make it all over again!"

"S-s-suh, suh, s-sohrree!"

"Just get him outta here, jesus!"

"C-come on, let's walk!"

Dragging him off with a flinching anger, Jane tried to calm herself knowing the raptor could sense it by his dragging tail and muted whimper.

"S-s-suh, sohrree."

"It's...it's fine, why did you do that?! I told you, I TOLD you you could not have food until I told you!"

"F-fuud, th-thet waz?"

"You had food already, before we walked!"

"S-smell guud..."

The look of shame on him was apparent as she softened her voice. Despite being a good few inches taller than her Jane could not help but see him as a child still struggling to understand.

"Three-claw, you should not touch things that are not yours."

"Not...yorez?"

"...remember Horton? Remember the kangaroo? When she tried to take the Whos, that was not nice was it?"

"N-no. Sau-wer kangah-ruu."

"Well, you should not have taken that jam, that was not nice."

"...ai, kangah-ruu?"

"Yes, you were."

"...o-ohhhh."

Oddclaw started to well up with tears realising what he did, shivering with sobs as he clutched his face tightly. Jane started to feel terrible as he laid down onto the floor and curled up with a braying crying sound that sounded half-human.

"Th-three-claw, Three-claw please it...s-stop crying please!"

"Ai not...want, be kangah-ruu I SOHRREE!"

"N-no i-it's fine, it's fine it was just a mistake, you're not a kangaroo!"

"Ai NOT KANGAH-RUU!"

"I KNOW YOU'RE NOT! ...come on, I think it's time you went back."

"S-s-sohrree...sohrree."

"Shhhh sh-sh-shh...come here. Come here it's alright."

She offered him her hand to pull him up rather than use her leash. The smell of kindness radiated from her which helped soothe his pain.

"Come on. Let's go, it's fine."

"O-oh...kay."

He gently grasped her fingers to not hurt her, minding his claws as she put him back onto his feet before they walked back to his padded room.

Progress Diary of Subject "Three-claw" - Week 62

23-04-2030

Observed by Dr. Jane Addison

Our second month since Three-claw had his first walk, and things seem to be getting better for him. Despite his upset over the small kitchen incident, he's slowly becoming more used to the environment and has started to develop a rather charming rapport with the workers who admittedly treat him like a child. In all fairness I do too, it's only natural with the manner he speaks and his vocabulary reflects such but I think it actually helps to disarm their fears about him being a wild animal. Some are still apprehensive about him, but I am sure they will change eventually. At least Three-claw is taking to his new clothes well whenever he walks outside his room. He seems to understand it as a custom of ours and respects it.

The Major-General still remains rather antagonistic towards this whole project, yet despite his clear position of authority Three-claw is unintimidated by him. I am not certain why, but perhaps there is more at work in terms of domination/submission to his culture than just scent. Regardless, he has made significant progress to the point of now going to the library whenever we have our walks and asking to borrow a book himself, the librarian was very happy to find such an unusual eager reader, but today I have decided to take him to the second zone and see more of the base. Hopefully he will not be overwhelmed and it might show the army people how friendly he is, even when I still keep the muzzle on him.

Oddclaw had noticed the well-guarded steel doors along the western corridors that hinted at something great and terrible lying within. The other set of doors that lead southeast to the kitchen and residental area was not guarded, but this set which went towards the north sector of the base had two guards firmly scrutinising them before Jane proved her identity, and so they were passed through into another hall. The raptor now wore a blue pair of boardshorts, graciously donated by Kevin in a cool azure motif with occasional white lines that invoked the image of clouds scuttling across a sky. He felt slightly uncomfortable by the waistband latching around his belly but the loose breeze around his thighs and crotch were a very welcome sensation. His bulge was still evident within them, but at least it gave him the grace of modesty, and he was always allowed to take them off when he was back in his cell room. The constant grind of fabric against his scales kept him constantly aroused, and once again he was reminded of his brother somehow by the confined closeness of his new modesty. Walking down a corridor with windows that again showed a world beyond he could not reach, they soon met someone walking from the other end of the hall.

"Well then!"

They both turned with slight surprise before Jane smiled relieved. The man with the hairy nose which curled into greys upon his cheeks, wearing a faded yellow shirt with matching slacks and standing a few inches taller than Oddclaw at a height of 6'6''.

"Gettin' in a bit o' sightseein' are you? Better than Blackpool at least."

"Hahaha, yes it definitely is, lot more lively-looking than Blackpool."

"Even in your time pet?"

"Probably moreso. Three-claw, this is-"

"Jerrrr-reh-mee."

Both humans looked agasp with eyes blinking at his pre-emptive response with Jane clapping proudly.

"Tha...th-that's right! That's right you-hhhahaha you remembered!"

"Awww bless!" cried Jeremy smiling. "Like a baby bird on me now eh?! Neis cwrdd a ti Three-claw."

"Jerrrr-reh-mee. Hello, Jerr-reh-mee."

He waved smiling at the older man who smiled back in turn before he offered his hand to shake. The raptor looked at it expecting some sort of gift as Jane added awkwardly:

"Um, h-he, I never taught him how to shake."

"What?! Whut sorta lad doesn' know 'ow to shake, come on lemme teach him."

"N-n-no, Jer, please-"

"Just show 'im with me, come on."

He gave his hand towards Jane, who clasped it firmly and shook it before they both smiled.

"Nice to meet you pet."

"Nice to meet you too."

"Alrigh', now you try."

Jeremy gave his hand out towards the reptile as he carefully sniffed at it. A warm firm musk of male scents that strangely soothed him from his pleasant nature as he raised one hand up to place it straight into his palm, before Jeremy clasped and shook it softly.

"Nice to meet you dab."

"Nigh-eeees...tuu-mee...chuuuuu dahhb."

"Hahahaha," chuckled Jane, "bloody hell Jer."

"Whut he's a nice lad!" said Holt petting the raptor's head. "Despite bein' yanno a deinosor like one o' them jap films you shown me-"

"Jeremy, language."

"Aw...sorry pet, ah meant, eastern films whut like."

"Yes, right well I was just taking Three-claw along to see the second zone, would you like to come along?"

"Why not, wuz comin' round to get you lot anyway. You up for walkin' Three-claw?"

"Yis!" cried Oddclaw jubilant. "Warlllk in sun?!"

"Hahaha, ohhh we'll see but no promises! Righ', follow me."

Through the doors into the other side of the shining mountain, Oddclaw noted a sudden shift in the atmosphere. Whereas the labs had a sense of playfulness and curiosity, this had a much more dominant adrenaline-slated scent that kept him on edge. The guards were more prominent than before, wandering in their patrol routes with a confirming look towards the raptor and his two human companions. Oddclaw could at least tell their gender from the scent of testosterone or oestrogen that came from them, but nothing else.

Several doors with barred access also gave a rather aggressive impression to the non-human who could only struggle to comprehend what the writing above the doors meant. Fitness Room, Firearms Training, Armory, A Quarters, B Quarters, C Quarters and at least five more Quarters that he saw along the way. He also noted how every single guard carried their black tools the exact same way, with one hand grasping the odd curved part underneath the main body. Sometimes he even saw them in other rooms, pointing them at strange familiar shapes on the wall to make them shoot thundering fire across the hall.

The several times he went round the block made Oddclaw only ponder on this mountain's size, or what it even looked like from the outside.

"Kwah-tehr?"

"Hmm?"

"What...kwah-tehr?"

"Oh," replied Jeremy, "that's where we sleep."

"Sleep. Sleep...at-night?"

"Yes, we do! You're really learnin' up fast arentcha dab?"

"Yes. Than-kyuu."

"Now why don't we go see the Major hmm?"

"Oh yes Three-claw?"

He felt Dr. Addison gently pull him towards her.

"Please do not call the Major 'kangaroo'. I know it's funny, but he is a very IMPORTANT person, and we need his respect."

"Res-speck."

"Yes, we need that. So please, be polite, like I taught you."

"Not...kan-gah-ruu."

"Yes. Thank you, now let's go see him."

They made their way to a rather prestigious-looking door, one that had been especially marked with a few stars upon it as the guards let them in after the all-clear from inside.

"Go on in, but watch yourselves."

The room of the Major-General was austere in its decor, having a rather stately veneer in its wood panelling walls and wooden desk. Oddclaw however noted the same metallic scent was still in the walls, wondering if they were fake. The man with incredibly short ginger hair and square head still wore his dark green clothes whilst sitting behind his desk, a small collection of photographs facing towards him as Jane and Jeremy saluted.

"Major-General Brightman, sir!"

"At ease."

Oddclaw looked up towards Jane who nodded with permission.

"H-...hello, sir. How ahr yuu?"

"...huh. I'm very well thank you. How are you?"

"I am guud. Than-kyuu, sir."

"Welllll look at this, he finally learned respect, even if he dresses like a beach bum."

"Yes. I am soh-ree."

The careful apologetic nature of the reptile made the army man almost smile, impressed by his progress as he carefully flicked a pen between his fingers.

"What is your name?"

"Th-thrrrrreeeee...khlaw."

"And WHAT are you?"

"A...ara...rrrrahp-tehr."

"Good! Well doctor you've certainly done some work on him."

"Thank you sir," replied Jane, "he's a marvellous young boy and the people love him."

"Especially now he learns how to cover his shame. Three-claw."

"Hmm?"

The raptor looked up, clearly knowing his name.

"What do you want? Simple question, what do you want right now?"

"......warllllk."

"Walk?"

"Warlllk in...s-sun."

"Sun?"

"W-warlllk in...sun."

"What the hell is he talking about?"

"I think he means," translated Jane, "that he wants to walk in the sun, he wants to leave."

"Leave?!"

"Yes," said Oddclaw firmly. "Warlllk...in sun, warlllk tuu...rhap-tehr."

"Walk to raptor? ......ohhhhh...you want to go HOME, yes?"

"R-rhap-tehr. Goh tuu-"

"You want to go home? Is that it, that's all? Where is home then?!"

"Wherr...u-u-uhm-"

"Do you know WHERE your home is, Three-claw?"

"H-ho...warlllk in sun?"

"Tom?"

Jeremy clicked his boots as he raised a hand offering.

"Why don't we give the poor dab some fresh air, let him be out an' about?"

"Because he's not one of us and therefore does not have the same rights."

"Oh come on he's harmless, he hasn't even bit anyone, he's wearing bloody shorts now-"

"This anomaly is our responsibility and we cannot have him wandering around in the outside world doing god knows what."

"What can he DO?!" cried Jane. "We tested everything on him, he has no particle traces on him, no Third Energy readings, he is as natural-born as any other animal out there!"

"And yet we have this bizarre thing that looks like a dinosaur learning to be human. You have proven your point that he can learn our ways and is quite capable, but because he is such a unique specimen we cannot afford to lose him."

"What are you saying?"

"I am saying I cannot allow him to leave, ever."

He spun the once before slamming it on his desk beneath his finger.

"Once we have figured out how to return home we shall be taking him with us because we are most certainly not leaving him with the rest of the dinosaurs."

Jane and Jeremy looked at each other, knowing that their fears of this being his response had come true and they struggled to find ways to counteract his argument as Jane said:

"But...Major-General, this...Three-claw is not an anomaly in terms of coming into form, we have tested everything, he has all the same readings as that of a human being with some velociraptor additions, but he doesn't have any T.E particles."

"Regardless his existence cannot be ignored. We need to take him with us, if he is left behind the results could be catastrophic."

"You don't know that! What if he was a missing link, what if he was some evolutionary offshoot that NEEDS to remain with his kind?!"

"I am sorry but that is final. Thank you for our meeting Three-claw, now goodbye."

"Sir," added Jeremy. "Could we...at least let him walk outside, just within the perimeter, let him breathe the air or just-we cannot keep him trapped here in a cage all the time please. He might be more happy if you let him out, you don't leave a rabbit in his hutch all day."

"Hhhhmmmmm......I will let him walk outside but INSIDE the perimeter, and well-guarded. You even think about letting him free and I will throw you into the same room he has."

"Yes, sir, understood."

Oddclaw could tell from their defeated scent that he was not leaving anytime soon, seeing the look of apology from Jane and even though he only understood a good 1/8th of the conversation they had, he sighed with resignation as Major-General Brightman led them out of his office towards another area. A third zone it seemed that was a lot less military in nature with various rooms full of desks and papers and electronic devices before the clearer smell of the outside world hit him. A large set of doors stood in front of him, sliding open automatically as he saw the infinite blue sea.

The sound of the world came back to him like the voice of an old friend hailing him from afar. The sky was radiant, clearest as it had ever been, something that almost blinded him from after what felt like an eternity staring upon grey and white walls. He fell onto his knees and felt the sand crunch against his scales, warm and rejuvenating as he started crying. They had never heard a raptor cry but seeing his tears they understood as he stuttered with hiccuping sounds and a mournful tone, a trembling wail of both relief and sorrow at coming so close yet so far. This place was nowhere near his home, the scents were far too different, the sand was not the same, the waters had another rhythm that he was unfamiliar with. But what he saw first beyond anything else, was the giant girder-mesh steel fence that barred him from escape to beyond.

"Three-claw?"

He did not hear Jane speak to him, slowly staggering onto his feet and trying to walk over to the fence. He could see there was a part of it that could be opened, a large door imprinted into it, the miniate holes impossibly small for anyone to put fingers through as too fine a mesh built much more for strength of its structure than anything else. He smelt something dangerous about it, something that trembled with a gentle hum that made him feel uneased as he picked up a stone and tossed it. Sparks shot towards it repelling the stone as he turned back towards the human base to see it for the very first time from outside. The shining mountain as he envisioned it. Towering stone of cold steel that glinted barely in the sun, a fearful eye watching over him in the form of a giant satellite dish. He saw some windows, but not many, giving a much colder impression than he first received when on the inside of it. A blight unnatural to the world when he saw the sliver of shore rocks on the horizon to the west of him, along with the thin green line of jungles and a tall dark spire.

This is not a place I can leave. This...this-I do not know what to call it...a warm place that I cannot leave, they will not let me leave.

Oddclaw walked forwards, his muzzle turning uncomfortable in the blazing heat of prehistoric spring as he asked Jane firmly.

"Wh-...whie?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why...am ai h-hee-ah?"

"You...why are you here?"

"Yes. Whie?"

"......I do not know what you mean."

"Yuu...f-fry-tenned."

"What, frightened?"

"Wall. Wall is fry-tenned. Yuu, yuu all...stay, but not...leev."

"What's he babbling about now?!" said Brightman. "You had your chance to enjoy the air now it's time for you to get back in."

"WHIE, AM AI...HEER?! WHIE...TAYK MEE?! YUU, WALLS FRY-TENNED, YUU, DUU NOHT LEEV, WHIE TAYK MEE?!"

"You want to know why?! Because you washed up on the beach, you were battered and bruised like a punk kid in American History X, you should be THANKING us for not letting you die!"

"AI, NOHT, DED! WHIE AI NOHT, LEEV?!"

"Because you are our responsibility, now don't make this hard on yourself! Get back inside now."

"......no."

The raptor felt a conflicting rage and almost a sense of betrayal burn up inside of him. Even beneath his muzzle, Brightman could see the insolence glaring through.

"...what?"

"No. Ai. Leev."

"You will do as you are told whilst you are here beast. You have no right to address me in that manner and if you do not RESPECT me, then I will make you."

"Ai. Leave."

There came a sound all humans in this base understood with a spike of fear he suddenly smelt. The sound that came from his throat, a churning growl of aggression as he bent low with his hands spread ready to fight. The Major-General slowly reached for his gun as Jane panicked, the raptor's eyes following his hand.

"N-n-no, no Three-claw s-s-stop, stop d-don't MAJOR!"

"Get back Jane. Your friend thinks he can challenge me to a fight well he has another thing coming."

"Three-claw STOP! STOP IT! That's ENOUGH!"

"If you even TRY to attack me, then I am going to make you regret it."

"Yuu...are big-gest fool, in-thuh jungle of Nool."

"What's THAT supposed to mean?!"

"Not have tuu die, if I...make-yore-sell heard...kangaroo."

"Take one STEP-"

" KANGAROOOO!"

The sudden sweep of thick sand scuffled towards Brightman's eyes which blinded him briefly, before Oddclaw jumped on him to pin his arms hard and screech at his face. The human did not even flinch, forcing his body to roll one way before quickly going opposite with sudden momentum before squatting on top of the raptor. He grabbed his throat with an attempt to strangle him as Oddclaw scratched at his arm furiously, the man keeping his head out of reach until Oddclaw slammed his knee into his stomach. Gasping with a burst of air from his throat, he felt a clocking punch across his face that scratched his cheek as Oddclaw threw a furious haymaker, whilst Brightman went for his gun holster in mid-tumble. The raptor saw the strange black tool and immediately rushed towards it, grabbing at the Major's wrist before slamming his muzzle into Brightman's face like a steel headbutt, causing him to recoil with pain and drop his weapon. Before anyone had even realised what happened, Oddclaw had the gun pointed straight towards the human's face, standing a good ten feet away from him as the look of shock and fear only intensified the scent of submission from them as Jane stuttered.

"Th-th-three...Three-claw please, d-don't."

"He doesn't know how to use that," snarled Thomas, "don't pretend he does."

"Th-three-claw put down the gun. Put...it down, NOW please."

"No."

He kept it pointed firmly at Thomas.

"I leave. Now."

"What are you going to do? You don't even know what that is you filthy savage, you're just a fucking animal-"

"Thomas," warned Holt.

"You're not even pointing it at me, you know that? Go ahead use it, you even understand how it works?!"

"A bloody toddler can use one you twmfatt, I 'eard plenty o' stories."

"You can't bite me, you can't scare me with your claws so how, the HELL are you gonna even-"

BANG.

It took every ounce of courage within Oddclaw not to just scream and drop the gun when he heard it fire off into the air and ping against the wall above and behind Thomas. That brief pull of the small black nub just in front of the grip, his finger almost slid against it perfectly as he remembered how the guards held their weapons. Jane suddenly screamed almost yelping with fright as the sound of a crackling boom echoed across the shoreline making Oddclaw turn deaf for a brief instant. He smelt fire from the end of his weapon, a tender wisp of smoke as he realised what he held. Then he smelt something else incredible from all three unharmed humans now before him. Fear.

Despite the sound of soldiers rushing out from the doors behind Thomas, Jane and Jeremy to clack their rifles and aim straight towards him, he felt an advantage of power over them all from this small black thing in his hand alone. It felt strangely compatible, despite having never touched such a thing in his life as his fingers wrapped round the grip with such comfortable ease that he had to wonder what it truly was. It smelt certainly like fire, They were certainly afraid of it, and whoever he pointed at directly would have their fear suddenly intensified by their scent. They put their hands up showing him their palms which was an unusual gesture that he never saw any human do before. Jeremy however was first to speak, his voice ringing with kindness and honesty.

"Come on now dab, let's not do this. You're all upset, that's fine, we're all upset too, you think any of us want to be here? We're trapped here too."

"No. No yuu...yuu...come, here. Come, to not leave."

"We did come here yes, but you know what? We can't leave even if we wanted to."

"Wh-...wh-whie?"

"Because...we made a mistake."

He walked forwards carefully with his hands still up, but Oddclaw did not point at him.

"We did summat stupid, something daft. Summat we should never have got involved in. We don't belong here Three-claw. None of us, no humans do. You never 'eard of us before, you never seen us, you know we're not supposed to be here, dontcha?"

"I...I-i-i no."

"You want to know why we don't want you to leave? ...because you can help us."

"H-h-help, yuu?"

"There's summat strange about you Three-claw. Something that we don't understand, summat that we need to know so maybe we can leave. You're asking us to help you leave but maybe YOU can help US leave finally. Think about it. What if you..."

The older man stood four feet away from the raptor, slowly moving between the gun aimed at Brightman and the soldiers' rifles pointing at Oddclaw.

"...can help us get back home, like you want to? Come on. It's fine dab...we all get scared, now I promise I will do everything I can to help you leave but you have to help us. Please. Help us get back home...help us. Put down that thing and come help us...Three-claw."

Jeremy offered his hand open-palmed waiting for Oddclaw to offer him the gun. The raptor started to hesitate, his claws shaking as he carefully moved his finger off the trigger and offered the weapon over before Holt took it. He handed it back to Brightman in turn and put a hand on Oddclaw's shoulder happily, wrapping an arm around him as he walked him back amidst the confused look of soldiers, Addison and Thomas who was half-blustering with rage as he struggled to understand but his words failed him. From that point on, Oddclaw developed a much stranger relationship with the creatures around him after realising what Holt meant.

They are all trapped like me? Are we...a-are we all like those Whos in that book, trapped on a tiny speck of sand? ...is that, why they are so afraid of what is out there?