"ROAR!"
Not to be outdone, Carnotaurus One let out another defiant cry.
Carlo didn't waste his breath this time. He took the initiative to round the Diplodocus carcass, closing the distance toward Carnotaurus One.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Each footfall was a heavy thud that seemed to vibrate right through Carnotaurus One's chest.
Carnotaurus One shifted into a combat stance, watching his opponent warily. It was only as the other drew near that he realized just how robust this creature was, certainly larger and more powerful than a Ceratosaurus.
Could this be the "small one" of the apex predator trio?
He couldn't understand how a creature that wasn't even as tall as him could produce such bone-shaking footsteps. This was going to be a heavyweight bout.
About five meters from the Carnotaurus, Carlo came to a halt, then began to circle to the left. Carnotaurus One matched him, sidestepping to the right. They were now fully exposed to each other, their eyes scanning for weaknesses with predatory intent.
While Carnotaurus One might not have been as cunning or vicious as Number Two, his combat instincts were sharper. A quick scan told him that attacking the opponent's back or flanks would be futile. Those areas were shielded by osteoderms, scales like plates of armor. That left very few vulnerable spots.
First, the head. If he could snap his jaws around the opponent's skull from the side, it would be a perfect strike. Second, the lower legs, unreliable. Finally, the soft throat, unless he could flip the creature over, that was off the table too.
Carnotaurus One broke eye contact for a split second, scanning Carlo's body again. The tail? If I can catch the tail... No, too dangerous. Scratch that.
Suddenly, Carlo snapped his jaws at the air in a lunging motion, testing the Carnotaurus's reaction time just as Number Two had once done to him.
But Carnotaurus One didn't flinch. He simply returned his gaze to Carlo's eyes.
Is his reaction time too slow? No, definitely not.
Carlo was smart, but he lacked the raw, seasoned combat intuition of the Carnotaurus. The predator only had to look at the sway of Carlo's body to know whether a movement was a feint or a genuine strike.
The situation ground into a stalemate.
Carnotaurus One made his decision: he would go for the head. However, his current side-on posture wasn't ideal for a strike. He slowed his pace and began to turn, facing Carlo head-on. Noticing the change, Carlo also stopped, standing face-to-face with the predator.
"Roar!"
After a moment of staring, Carnotaurus One let out a provocative bark.
Carlo wanted to roar back, but his throat was still raspy from herding the Diplodocus, so he opted for a silent, menacing stare.
The Carnotaurus felt a bit awkward. He had intended to launch his attack the moment Carlo roared back, but the ploy had failed. He would have to find another opening.
Both Carlo and the Carnotaurus lowered their centers of gravity, their tails tilting slightly upward in a pre-strike crouch. Despite the weight of Carlo's footsteps, he was currently about a head shorter than the Carnotaurus.
This gave Carnotaurus One a fleeting illusion: Is this guy just posturing?
He decided to find out.
In a flash, Carnotaurus One struck first. He tucked his head low, aiming his bulk straight at Carlo's torso in a powerful ramming charge.
Carlo, already low to the ground, didn't dodge. The memory of Carnotaurus Two's "foot-stomping" trick was still fresh in his mind. He dropped his stance even lower, bracing for the impact.
THUD—
Carlo staggered slightly, but the Carnotaurus, unable to check his momentum, slammed into Carlo's flank. He scraped along the armored skin and rode up onto Carlo's back, his forebody momentarily draped over the Giganotosaurus.
This was no advantage; instead, it delivered a heavy blow to the Carnotaurus's confidence.
Shit. He's not posturing.
Carlo didn't give him the chance to disengage. He kept his feet planted and pushed back against the weight.
One step. Two steps.
The Carnotaurus's backward scramble couldn't keep pace with Carlo's forward drive. Sensing the shift, Carlo surged upward, attempting to flip the Carnotaurus onto his back.
Carnotaurus One's left foot was forced off the ground. He balanced precariously on his right leg. Just before he tipped over completely, he slammed his left foot down, crossing it over his right in a clumsy "X" shape. He stumbled sideways for several steps before finally regaining his balance and squaring up again.
The Carnotaurus was confused as to why the opponent hadn't pressed the advantage. He looked up, only to see Carlo already back in a ready stance, waiting for him. The look in those eyes seemed to say: Come at me!
Carnotaurus One couldn't quite grasp Carlo's motive, but his instincts screamed that something was wrong. It felt as if the other dinosaur was... playing with him. Or rather, he was being used as a plaything. Either way, it was bad news.
Keeping his eyes locked on Carlo, he began a slow, deliberate retreat.
He realized now that seizing the Diplodocus feeding rights would come at a cost he couldn't afford. It would be easier to go out and hunt his own Diplodocus.
Go for the head? Yeah, right. If I actually bit him, this guy would shake my brains into a slurry until I was forced to let go.
Unlike the departing Carnotaurus, Carlo wasn't happy about the retreat. Starving for combat experience, he was desperate to keep his "coach" around. He tore a small chunk of meat from the Diplodocus and tossed it toward Carnotaurus One.
Splat.
The bloody meat landed on the grass, spraying a small mist of red. The Carnotaurus smelled the intoxicating aroma, but before his hunger could override his survival instinct, he shook his head. He discarded every thought that threatened his safety and picked up the pace of his retreat.
Now Carlo was genuinely anxious. It wasn't every day you found a sparring partner this good. There's no way you're leaving like that!
Whether you want to fight me or not, we're fighting.
With a zero-frame start, Carlo bolted after the Carnotaurus. Terrified, Carnotaurus One's skin patterns began to shift wildly as he turned and fled. He sprinted toward his own territory, frantically cycling through camouflage patterns to try and melt into the environment.
Carlo tracked the scent without a hint of giving up.
Carnotaurus One finally snapped, letting out a frustrated roar over his shoulder.
"ROAR—!"
Are you a psycho?! I said I won't eat it! Just let it go!
His throat be damned, Carlo let out a roar of his own. He didn't know what the Carnotaurus was screaming, but his message was simple:
Whether you eat or not, you're catching these hands.
"ROAR—!!!"
This time, Carnotaurus One didn't roar at his pursuer. He tilted his head toward the sky and let out a long, mournful, and utterly pathetic wail that echoed through the forest.
HELP ME—!!!
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