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Two pairs of eyes surveyed the valley lying beneath the small elevation, opening to the feeding grounds for varying herbivores with their families and herd members. No wonder, the plant life was lush to cater all their appetites, so ceratopsians fed alongside with hadrosaurs. A constant song of their calls echoed over two the owners of these watching eyes, who wisely had chosen to stay in the forest's shadow as they weren't welcomed among the ranks of the herbivorous herds.

The two Gorgosaurus brothers were on a lookout at this early morning with greyish skies, that wanted to welcome the sun to grace the inhabitants with a bright day. It was going to be one of their last hunts as brothers and hunting partners, since they became aware of the arrival of female Gorgosaurus, who apparently weren't mated to any males. Tender meat was meant to be soon handed out as nuptial gift, a sign of affection and interest, but it had to be earned first.

Lark, the slightly smaller of the two licked his fangs in anticipation of tasting Parasaurolophus flesh as the herd with youngsters ambled away from the Chasmosaurs to fed on the thickets. He would most likely start the attack they would wield against the group by attempting to separate one of the young, inexperienced calves, while Bane would then join them as he darts out of his cover. It was a good strategy to go, but no hunt was meant to end in success for the duo.

"One of them?", Lark asked briefly, looking towards to his brother, who was decked out in the brighter shades of the arriving mating season. The white tuft of feathers on his head and part of his neck gently swayed in the breeze, letting the black banding at the end of each filamentous feather dance. The pointy brow horns above the eyes glistened in changing shades of deep azure and turquoise as hormones had stimulated the keratinous covering to produce these flamboyant pigments.

Bane nodded silently. "I'm going to find some cover and you separate one of the younglings."

With the strategy set, they descended down the elevation, each one to his side. Lark began to change into a crouched stance as he crept closer to the snorting Parasaurolophus, who drew in the air of the morning. The Gorgosaurus pried between the trees he used to obfuscate his presence near the herds, and there one of the calves kept a distance between herself and her brethren. That could work out as long as he managed to keep the adults at bay and cause the youngling to flight from its herd.

Time to make his presence known. Lark rose from his cover, parting his jaws alongside with puffing out his mane to appear larger and more intimidating as he closed the distance between himself and the chosen prey. A snarl spilled from his jaws, enough to instill fear into the youngling's heart, while the male Parasaurolophus reared up with a booming honk. It was a warning to stay away or he would crush or at least impale the gracile tyrannosaur, that went after his blood. Not as large and heavy, the calf decided to flee. It was exactly, what Lark was wanting and he quickened his pace, heading towards his brother's hiding spot.

But then another kind commotion chased other, startled herbivores into path of the Gorgosaur, whose heart seemed to skip a beat. He heard the bellows of the ceratopsians as they tried to maneuver themselves out of danger. Lark faced the prospect of getting stuck between fleeing bodies if he didn't abandon this chase. In the chaos around him, he tried to weave between horn-bearing dinosaurs and smaller, fleet-footed ones, almost tripping over are hidden bump, but he could make it to the forest's fringe, where Bane's head poked out.

Barely escaped, the brothers heard a low and angered growl sweeping over the valley. Lark was too occupied with panting and sorting through the series of events to bring an expression onto his face, but not his brother.

Bane drew sharply the air into his lungs as he behold the form of the growl's owner. A Daspletosaurus in his neighborhood was the least thing he could use as he was looking forward to found a family with one of the Gorgosaurus females. But this wasn't his only dismay here, because bad memories of a past encounter stirred up within his mind. His neck ached in remembrance of that. Only as he saw the Daspletosaurus, whose feathers bore shades of brown retreated into the forest on the opposite side of the plain, he allowed himself to exhale.

"Seems like Pete's old territory found a new owner", he remarked the unwelcome intermezzo between the two tyrannosaur species.

Lark reeled his head in slight surprise as he heard Bane mentioning that name. He only knew about Pete from his brother's memories, but they were enough to teach him some respect and he was thankful of never having faced the male Daspletosaurus.

But Bane hadn't been that fortunate as he once ventured unwittingly into Pete's territory, guided by his nostrils and an empty stomach. He had been a juvenile, that had left the protection of his mother to find his own place in this ancient world. And the young Gorgosaurus had to build up some substance for the growth spurt that was soon coming over him.

The exposed flesh didn't smell too old, what made it even more appealing to the juvenile Bane, who found his paradise in shape of a mauled ceratopsian, whose body cavity had been ripped open to give access to the tender meat of the inner organs. Saliva dripped from his jaws as he began to gorge on the still plentiful remains. Slice after slice slid down his esophagus, causing his brain to send bliss into his body, while it also blinded him.

As he fed, Pete returned from a nap, wanting to take few more bites of his kill but found the lanky form of a young Gorgosaurus swallowing bits of bloody meat. The Daspletosaurus, who was in the phase of his growth spurt stormed towards the bold scavenger to drive him off. All the devoured meat had made Bane slow in his reactions and he tumbled more away than he actually walked.

Not fast enough for Pete's taste.

Within an instant, a piercing pain shot through Bane's neck letting him shriek in fear, but his body somehow managed to wriggle free from the row of teeth. Still in shock of the attack, his long and slender legs helped him to escape from the scene, while the young Daspletosaurus didn't see a reason in chasing after his smaller cousin.

"I wonder if he is still around somewhere", Lark finally gave back to his brother.

"Hope, he turned into a rotting carcass, wherever he went. Well, here we won't find any prey, the herbivores are too alert."

Lark could only agree. Not a Parasaurolophus was going to become a gift for the amorous Gorgosaurus, that ambled off in hope to convince their valentines.

***

Her gums felt a bit dry, while she approached the glistening surface of a river's branch. Trees retreated and gave way to a sandy shore, a ground enjoyable to Theris' theropod feet, which contrasted with their dark scales. An azure sky reflected in the waters, dotted with small clouds and the sun shone down on Theris to caress her body with pleasant warmth.

With a quick glance over her surroundings the Daspletosaurus bent down to fill her broad jaws with the cool liquid and let it flow down her gullet.

In the distance she could discern the moving bodies of dappled Centrosaurus, that came down from their feeding grounds to have a drink and maybe a slight cool off. Too far away for another hunting attempt, so the water had to serve as a substitute to fill the female's stomach for the moment.

Going after prey was the only method to cure her from her inner cravings, that disturbing feel of loneliness, keeping its grip on her like she had done on the fleeing Chasmosaurus male few weeks ago. When Theris hunted, the chase and the struggle allowed her to have some kind of outlet for that, what boiled in her. Staring at her own slightly distorted reflection did not fill that void, so she withdrew herself from the line of water and walked down the shore. Her tail with the blotchy black markings gently swayed with every step.

Finding a place to rest came into her mind, but being on the shore would expose her as it was a highly frequented area. The later hours of the day might offer her a new chance for a hunt, when dinosaurs would gather around the waters.

Eventually, a grove of coniferous trees became her resting spot as she gladly lowered her massive body to the ground and then adjusting herself a bit. Theris' tail curled inwards as far as the underlying tendons allowed her, before her eye lids covered the hazel tinted orbs, that sported a slight sienna glint, when the light got transmitted at the right angle.

***

Almost two weeks later...

A bird's screech echoed high above the canopy, greeting everyone nearby until the bird was just a spot in the deepless sky of the afternoon. The dinosaurs had their come and go at the silent lake, which surface laid there undisturbed by any breeze. Heavy footfalls made their way along the sandy fringe of the lake, silencing steps. Various scents were present, telling a tale of a familiar home, that had been claimed at early years, but then got abandoned for months. Changes small and big had left their traces in the landscape, the population and the scents of course.

He knew that.

But some things hadn't changed at all. A neighbor and competitor still shared the hunting grounds with him due to his own absence the Gorgosaurs must be reigning supreme over this place. He could smell them everywhere, no matter if it were the plains he had traversed or at this lake. Their voices even echoed from another spot over to him, letting him snort in slight disgust. But he was far from having to fear them, so he continued to sniff once more and left the noisy tyrannosaurs to their business. Surrounded by the obvious traces of the Gorgosaurs there was another scent, that had been exposed to the elemental influences, but nonetheless it was present.

It wasn't a Gorgosaurus.

The response of his olfactory let no space for any mistakes, after a second and third whiff had tickled his senses in a blissful manner, even if it was the evidence for another predator in this region. In contrast to all other scents found at this patch this one was certainly the most captivating one to him as it made him sigh. He just wished he had arrived earlier in his former home, but that injury or the process of healing to be exact had kept him from coming back. But as the time passed, the nasty pain in his ribs had subsided and he had regained his robust form again. It was the risk, every predator had to factor in whenever the time came to catch a new meal.

Pete had returned now.

The male Daspletosaurus lifted his head off the patch, where he had sampled the scent, his gaze sweeping across the landscape with the dark forms of distant conifers and plants, which names didn't matter to him. With his overall black feathers he was probably nothing more like such a shape in the distance. His dark appearance only got lightened by a hood of white feathers, that followed the top of his neck down to his back, but didn't entirely cover it. The broad muzzled face was adorned with similar white eye bosses, that were a bit brighter than those of a female, but his life hadn't been without conflicts, so the one or another scar lined his snout.

It was apparent that some of the changes gave Pete more arguments to get acquainted with his former home and to establish it as his territory again. And by now he was no longer the only Daspletosaurus around in this area as there was solid evidence of a female's presence. If she hadn't left his territory, he might come across her sooner or later. Such an encounter between two adult Daspletosaurus offered either to meet fierce hostility or the foundation of a future, that was intended to be much gentler as it was expected for tyrannosaurids.

Pete walked to the transparent surface of the lake to take a drink before he continued his silent prowl.

Once again he heard the Gorgosaurs, that sent their calls into the cooling air of the heralding sunset. More than one voice could be recognized. The male Daspletosaurus just had a grunt to offer for them, who had gathered further down the lake and was out of his sight.

Just stay away from my kills and I may let you be, Pete thought to himself as he wasn't going to waste his energy to crash into the group. He got other things to do and that was his cue to leave the scene.

Unaware of his arrival, Bane and Lark had managed to lure the newly arrived females to their kill, where the two brothers presented themselves in their most chivalrous yet attracting way they could pose. Bane strutted his way in front of a female, who had introduced herself as Sia and with every moment of his show she had allowed him to come closer and closer. She could guess from his flashy coloration and how well his legs were muscled that Bane was a capable hunter, a perfect addition to herself. Sia had always been the fastest among her nest siblings and that was still true after turning into that young Gorgosaurus lady she was now.

Bane came to the step in his courtship dance, where he stood in front of her and displayed his pointed and elegantly arched crests, while resting his green eyes with the amber specks on Sia. His eyes dilated as she took a step forward, slightly lowering her head to show her submission and that she had chosen him.

She gave him a gentle smile. "Aww Bane, one could think I was going to bite you... just look at your face."

Her words and nuzzle at least helped the astonished male to get back on track. He had no words to describe his inner feelings at the moment, but few of these ingredients were pride and happiness.

"I hope you don't have plans to do so, otherwise I won't be able to lavish you in gentle nibbles", with that being said he ruffled her neck feathers.

Meanwhile, Lark tried to play the role of a confident male, what wasn't that easy for him due to his inner uncertainty and Marlys' quiet presence. He couldn't read her if she was tired of him or if there was just a cusp of interest in her eyes. All that together and sensing, his brother had left that critical phase of the courtship, let him think he was performing his dance on slippery mud. Lark's last resort was to tear off a slab of meat from the hadrosaur and to offer it to Marlys, showing her he was willing to provide food for her and their hatchlings.

The amorous Gorgosaurus displayed the meat to his prospective mate and brought his lengthy snout close to hers. Moments seemed to stretch from now on, but Lark kept his composure.

D-don't turn away... please. Marlys... Darn, don't dare to flinch, Lark!

He fought an inner fight with himself as he waited for a clear sign for either Marlys' acceptance for his proposal or her rejecting him.

Marlys' eyes wandered over his form as she inspected him anew, since she was more of a thinker, who carefully looked at her options. But the male in front of her possessed something that let her forget the strategies. Lark had patiently endured her stare and continued with his efforts in convincing her. But his willingness to share meat from a fresh kill gave her the right signals. Very gingerly in her movements, Marlys clamped down on the lightly dripping piece of meat and Lark released. Boulders must have been taken from his shoulders as he saw the female adjusting his gift in her jaws, before it slid down her gullet. Soon, both curled up with each other as they had to get familiar with each other.

The night began gently to cover the land after the sun disappeared behind the mountain range, but for the Gorgosaurus pairs it should be the brightest night in their lives as they devoted their time to consummate the bond, that had been established.

***

Most of her days passed rather eventless than they were packed with distraction and that circumstance let Theris sleep til the afternoon. The rustling between large ferns woke her from slumber and she instinctively tried to detect the source of that sound. But the passing Troodons didn't pose any direct threat and chirped as they noticed her looking at them. Theris shook her head to get rid off any remaining bits of sleep.

"Afternoon? Well, then it's time for having a look at the territory", she muttered to herself as she shoved herself back onto her feet and stretched herself.

The Daspletosaurus female didn't expect that her presence in this territory had already been noticed, but instincts commanded her to follow these routines. In these patrols laid hope, not only in finding the next meal. The wind may carry Theris' scent towards a male of her kind, one who would put effort in her, because a bond needed to grow before it could flourish.

For long minutes she just walked between the large trees, occasionally taking a whiff of the ancient environment and enjoyed the air that was enriched with the tangy scent from the trees. Warm light entered the woods and all colors appeared much warmer and gentler to her, while light and shadow played their game.

Away from her, Pete dragged a dead hadrosaur to a clearing, where he hoped to be undisturbed and out of sight of the Gorgosaurus group, he had smelled earlier. A lone Gorgosaurus in search of an easy meal was no match for him, but in a group the smaller cousins were a force to be reckoned. He panted as he held the neck of the subadult in his jaws, while the motionless legs slid over the ground. The metallic taste of blood fueled his desire to feed and to tear into the body of his prey. The scent of his prey teased his nostrils and overpowered the smells from the environment.

After his arrival, he had found the kill from the Gorgosaurs mostly picked clean, only few scraps had been left, but that didn't satisfy him for long. The unknown female in his territory also kept a rare sight as he still hadn't found any fresh traces from her.

Devoid of any energy, the hadrosaur weighted heavy in his jaws and the carcass demanded the attention of his jaw and neck musculature to get moved.

You gave me quite the run, not wanting to fall to my jaws. But, I've got you, a meal that will last for a couple of days. That was his summary of the hunt and now he faced a place, where he would take a rest and feed on his prize he had earned.

Suddenly, Theris stopped as she caught a smell on the wind, intense and close as well. And that could mean trouble. She decided to change her route, while paying attention to her environment, but it was too late as Bane appeared between two massive trunks. Soon, the others of the pack came into view, but still stayed in safe distance to Theris, who was equally surprised and not so fond of the encounter.

Lark stood at the opposite flank to protect their precious mates. The excess of hormones in their blood and the alluring scents of their females overwrote their reservation against larger predators. With the advantage of higher numbers, they felt safe enough to pose a serious threat to the Daspletosaurus in front of them.

Bane snarled at her: "Get out of our way! We have claimed this area for us."

The male puffed out his chest and raised his torso to appear taller than he would usually be. His behavior was not just a pure show off to impress Sia, who cocked her head as she watched her mate holding his position against the stockier Daspletosaurus, but it gave insight into a very protective being.

Theris stared down at them, keeping an eye on Bane and his brother, who lingered at a corner and observed the scene silently. The two males were protecting their mates.

"You dare to challenge me? How desperate must you be to rush into your demise?"

"Not desperate, but see we are four and you... you are alone. I and my brother aren't going to tolerate you in the territory of our families. "

The dominant male let out a guttural snarl to emphasize his point. Lark scraped the ground with his foot claws and joined his brother's threat display. Theris' gaze wandered from Bane to Lark and both males began to circle her. Two opponents were never easy to control and Theris parted her massive jaws to bare her bone crunching teeth, while she stood her ground against the boisterous Gorgosaurs.

"Stop circling me, it will bring you nothing", Theris said with a firm voice and a fiery glare.

This was enough for Bane to let a roar fall from his jaws, the taste of disrespect clinging to the back of his maw. It echoed through the forest and startled some of the smaller forest inhabitants. The Daspletosaurus female put all her ferociousness into her own bone-shaking reply to Bane's insult.

Pete growled as he heard the Gorgosaurs, they were uncomfortably close to him and the prey he had barely touched. But this other voice let him lift his massive head, the tone and the specific vocalization could only come from another Daspletosaurus. The female.

He quickened his pace to bring his nearly 32 feet frame forward, guided by the sound of the commotion. Trees, bushes and all the other environmental details fled on his sides, while the noise got louder with every step.

Bane had lunged forward to snap at the annoying Daspletosaurus, who dodged his attack, but wasn't that quick in performing a strike at him, who maneuvered himself out of her attack range thanks to his lighter build. His brother had himself removed from his corner and jumped to his side, still having a tad more respect for their opponent. Theris saw him snarling at her again. He had to commit the mistake of coming too close to her and then a well aimed bite would teach him a lesson. The second Gorgosaurus attempted to get behind her, there he could go for her legs or other vulnerable spots.

Just in time, she discovered Lark's silent approach and rushed towards him. Pressure and a stinging pain wrapped around Lark's snout, while his feet kicked violently at the ground to wriggle himself free from her bite.

Now, that his brother was in serious trouble, Bane threw all tactics over board and reacted only to blind emotion and charged her exposed flank. Theris tried as quickly as possible to get her jaws removed from Lark, who tumbled to the side afterwards, while Bane's teeth raked over her left upper arm. Flesh got sliced and some feathers plucked off in the process. Theris gave a growl, deeply aggravated and affected by the pain in her forelimb.

Behind the two fighting theropods, the bushes began to shake and nearing foot falls were emitted from that direction until the massive form of a second Daspletosaurus rematerialized itself. Remains of blood caked Pete's jaws as he flashed his fangs with a low growl. Bane froze in shock as he recognized, who this Daspletosaurus was. Now, he and his brother stood between two large tyrannosaurs and both equally seemed to stare at them.

Theris allowed herself for a brief moment to look at the newcomer and found herself dumbfounded to see another of her kind had arrived. Her eyes wandered over his head, his white ornaments contrasted with the dark face as well as the blue patch around his eyes did, which faded in streaks with the dark shades. The feathery mane on his neck was backlit by the sun, accentuating the outline of his sturdy neck and form.

"Ah, that's the source of the commotion, I see." Pete's eyes wandered from Lark, who kept his crouched stance, then to Bane staring at him and finally laid his eyes on the female Daspletosaurus.

Bane growled lowly, disgruntled by the sudden appearance of Pete, while Lark still felt the throbbing pain on his snout. Sia and Marlys were nervous and witnessed in shock how their mates had gotten stuck between the Daspletosaurs. Both parties gave each other an unnerving staring contest.

Theris observed the scene silently, not showing any emotion at the moment, but on the inside she was thankful for the sudden, rather unexpected intervention of the male. Her own experience and instinct told her to be wary and that not only in case of the present Gorgosaurs. Opposed to her silence, Bane's jaw twitched and his teeth could be seen, a sign how stressful the situation was for the male Gorgosaurus, whose blood was boiling with rage. But the things looked differently when you got stuck between two larger relatives.

"Come, face me if you want, but be aware of the price you will pay", the dark Daspletosaurus spoke, looking right into Bane's eyes.

He looked briefly at his brother, who only gingerly dared to look back at him, but felt soon the gaze of the female Daspletosaurus burning down on him, so he dropped his head in submission. A deep and rustling snort escaped Bane, accepting his defeat.

"We will retreat - for now. But know, I will protect my mate and family."

"Wise decision. You and your pack may return to your territory as I am not overly in the mood for a bloodshed. Don't mistake that for weakness."

His brother gave Lark the signal to follow him back to their mates and to leave with them this part of the forest. Marlys sniffed at the beaten up form of him, obviously worried to see her mate with a bloodied muzzle. Some scars of the puncture wounds may be retained after all.

Meanwhile, Pete kept his eyes glued to the retreating Gorgosaurus group as form of showing his dominance until he broke the contact with them finally.

Tension and air flowed out of Theris' nostrils as she exhaled, but she was still somewhat dumbfounded to be in direct presence with another of her kind and it made her feel a bit shaky on the inside. He had helped her to get out of this perilous situation, which might have taken a bloody end if the male hadn't appeared. Respect was due now.

"I feel I have to thank you for your intervention and help. I don't want to imagine how this would have ended if you hadn't been there."

Theris bowed her head in respect as she thanked him, who was still unknown to her as she was to him. Both Daspletosaurus still kept a respectful distance to each other, none of them wanting to infringe the personal borders of the other, but they already started to draw in the air through their nostrils as scents were a huge aspect in their lives.

Pete savored every bit of her scent, that got absorbed into his nostrils. All the nuances were far more amazing and rich when the scent was fresh. He had hoped for a couple of days to find her and now that she was standing in front of him, Pete was willing to show a much gentler side of himself.

After taking few whiffs of the male's scent, Theris felt strangely put at ease, a circumstance that was not always given when two or more of her kind gathered. The heavy scent tickled certain areas of her olfactory, what got her into that calm state.

"Pesky Gorgosaurs, I agree. To be honest, it was actually your voice, that got me there. Once, this place was my territory for many seasons, until I followed the herds down to the marshland. I can roughly recall that Gorgosaur that bit your arm, Bane, if I remember correctly. But I seem to lack any memories of you. May I get to know your name? Mine is Pete."

"Theris. I had to leave my former territory when a volcanic eruption destroyed it. That, what was once a lush green, turned into dead ashes and the smell still haunts my dreams."

Her neck feathers spread out for a moment as the picture of her devastated territory popped up, but it was only a short distraction

"So, it is pure coincidence that we both meet here at this place. And it still baffles me."

"As it is the same for me, Theris. I think we should leave this place behind us. My need for a brawl with the Gorgosaurs is already sated and I have left my kill unguarded on this clearing."

Pete spoke in a deep, but soothing voice to Theris, who hadn't expected so much calmness. Socializing among their kind could be a challenge as there were enough reasons to get into a squabble.

With the words spoken, he faced the direction from where he had come from, but when Theris hesitated for a moment Pete looked back to her. "I wish you to join me in the feast."

A small dose of anticipation flooded her mind and let her step forward to follow Pete in the gentle light, that fell through the canopy of the coniferous trees. The various brown shades of her feathers became visible, whenever a patch of light ran over the surface of her coat. Walking side by side revealed, that they were more or less close in size although Pete was longer than her.

The male Daspletosaurus led her to a clearing, but in the understory he could hear the cackle of a dromeosaurid taking out quick bites of the dead herbivore. Pete grunted and took few larger strides to chase the bold carcass raider away, who gave him aggravated hisses. His head swayed from left to right and back, but the opportunistic dromeosaur had vanished into the vegetation.

Theris looked briefly around, but soon focused back on Pete, who dragged the hadrosaur out of its cover. Bite marks of the smaller predators were visible and he wished, they weren't that visible. But that couldn't be changed and he bent down to nudge the carcass with his sturdy muzzle.

"Take the first bite, Theris." Pete's brown eyes with the sienna streaks rested on Theris, whose eyes slid from his form to the prey and back to him again.

Deep inside her, age old knowledge told her the offering of the first bite was one way to initiate courtship. Realizing that, this caused a mixture of glee and excitement to bubble in her. A lot of time, filled with the one or another unfortunate event had passed until she found herself in this unique moment. Theris approached the kill, while Pete gave her the deserved space to eat in peace as he retreated to a side of the clearing.

A couple of sniffs were enough to cause a miniature waterfall of saliva in Theris maw. The prey must have been felled just an hour ago and the large bite marks indicated, that Pete had made the kill. Surely, an aspect, that contributed to the attractiveness of the male. Theris focused on a patch on the flank, where she could easily dig into the ribcage and the herbivore's flesh got punctured by another set of tyrannosaur teeth. The bunch of muscles, skin and other tissue left a hole in the Brachylophosaurus as Theris began to consume that, what was offered to her as a gift. She appreciated that to the fullest and with every bite taken from the duck bill, the meat tasted sweeter than before.

Pete's nostrils flared frantically as the air became thick with the metallic smell of blood, the tangy and peculiar smell of an open body cavity. He stood in the shadows of the nearby Sequoias, while the golden sunlight added an awkwardly tranquil atmosphere to the scene with the crimson-flecked ferns on the ground. But he held back his own urge to gorge himself on the carcass as this was one of the rare exceptions to let another Daspletosaurus eat from the kill. Instead of getting lost in thoughts to fill his stomach, he watched how the light fell on Theris' bulky frame, while she swallowed another portion of hadrosaur meat. All together it was an alluring sight for him and more than just that.

After minutes, the Daspletosaurus female slowed down her pace of consumption as she had enough for the moment and turned away from the Cretaceous buffet. Her eyes found Pete again, who had patiently waited in the background. For him it was the sign to leave that shady spot and he planted every step deliberately on the ground, making sure his presence looked powerful and his movement smooth.

Theris watched him coming closer, while her heart pounded a bit faster for a glimpse of time. The memory of such a moment was old and buried under a layer of less happier moments from her life, but the longing in her wanted to find fulfillment. She gently tilted her head to the left and saw Pete coming to halt and raising his head. Specks of sunlight fell onto his face, accentuating his protruding bosses around the eye and his thickened lacrimal horns. The light also let his markings look a tad more vibrant, the clear contrasts were so different to her own, rather dull coloration.

He let out a low frequency call, before he admitted the one confession to her: "Theris, I wish to court you and to prove myself worthy to be your mate."

Within her broad chest Theris sensed how her heart fluttered in reaction to his words, and given there was some kind of nervousness in her as she hadn't heard these words too often in her life. Inhaling through her nostrils helped her to keep her composure to give Pete her permission to proceed. "So do I wish, Pete."

Pete bowed respectfully to Theris, who showed interest in his courtship and Pete didn't waste his time by letting her wait. He posed in front of her by tilting his body upward and craning his head to appear larger as Pete was presenting himself from snout to tail. The white feathers on his neck splayed out a bit, giving off the message of how magnificent he was. But he emphasized that by letting a growl fall from his parted jaws. It carried a message to every male Daspletosaurus, who dared to get near Theris: he was going to protect her against any rival.

Low purrs initiated a round of slowly circling each other, a ritualized dance to bring both Daspletosaurs closer to each other. Theris was now giving her own low calls, interest and affection swinging back and forth between them. And soon they met again, snout to snout as the most precious and essential moment had arrived. Both pairs of eyes showed a spark of hope, but one step had to be done to complete the rite.

The instincts in Theris had decided and there was one way for her to show that. A very subtle motion of her brought Theris' head closer to Pete and she rasped her muzzle against his own. It was the very first touch between the two, a foundation to build up a bond, that was meant to be more than just the gathering of hunting partners. Warm emotions radiated into his body and Pete requited Theris' affection by tenderly rubbing his muzzle against her. Surprisingly tender for a theropod, whose strength was enough to fell the ceratopsians.

Soon, Pete rested his head on her neck, while Theris buried her snout in his feathers and both used the moment to get intoxicated by their scents. The whole set of delightful emotions in her seemed to overflow as it felt right to be so close with Pete. A deep sigh escaped her, her inner longing was no longer meant to be a burden she once tried to subdue by blindly rushing into hunts, because Theris had found her paradise.

Her sigh didn't go unnoticed and let Pete lean against the one, who had decided to be with him. The solitude of both Cretaceous predators was taken away.

"Is something wrong, Theris?", Pete asked with a gentle voice. Both Daspletosaurus still shared the warmth of their embrace, brown feathers hugged against black ones.

"No. I... I am just overwhelmed. This moment is very special to me", she whispered it more than she said it out loud. Theris felt how Pete nuzzled her back to calm her, while she could sense how trust between her and him was building up.

Pete himself delved in the bliss of their beginning bond, something he had missed for long, but with Theris at his side this flaw would be just an episode of his past as a loner. With a determined set of steps he brushed his full length against his mate's flank, causing their scents to mix with each other and to turn into one. He heard Theris' soft growl as he strode along her flank, while taking his time to sample her scent, before he performed a turn to face her again with his intense eyes.

In the gentle light of the heralding evening Pete and Theris met again, their hearts beating as one with the promise to protect their bond and share the now mutual love.