Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico, 2022 A herd of Lambeosaurus was drinking at a pool-sized watering hole. Pteranodons swooped overhead and sat on the banks as bighorn sheep bounded in the opposite direction. The bushes and trees shivered with movement: small animals scuttling into their holes and huddling close together for warmth. Small birds called from above. It was hot but peaceful. Everything was cool, clean, and beautiful. Just like it should be. There was one sound that wasn't part of the natural harmony: something growing and scraping inside one of the long fallen logs of a dead tree. A pair of fleshy feet flexed inside the cracked and splintered wood then poked out to grab hold of the narrow sloping shelf. The feet withdrew and shifted once more before being shoved back inside the log. Meanwhile, the herd of Lambeosaurus was still enjoying the peace at the watering hole. There were no predators here; nothing would eat them. The bushes rustled. A snake slithered through, but the Lambeosaurus' large triangular tails swished against the sand so fast that they caught it before it could do any damage. They were hungry, though. And thirsty. And there was an abundance of food at this watering hole. They wouldn't go away empty-handed. Their slobbery tongues licked at the water until they'd got all they wanted. When some black-tailed jackrabbits crawled out from their holes to search for food. The group of dinosaurs swallowed down as much as they could while continuing to drink. When one young male jumped up onto a rock above the pool, balancing on his hind legs, he stretched his neck forward. He blinked in the bright sunlight and gazed at the Jackrabbits. Then he yawned. His teeth chattered as he grinned. His yellow tongue flickered and the flesh around his mouth shimmied. The hunters felt suddenly shy, even though they were not the prey. As if there was someone who was a carnivore there. In the Sonoran Desert, An antelope jackrabbit was sleeping peacefully when two Deinonychus came along and snatched him up off the ground. He struggled. He bucked. But he couldn't get free of their talons or sharp teeth. As it died, the two carnivores fought over the body. It did not take long for the body to be ripped apart for the two carnivores. It would be enough for them both to have a full stomach for a while. By now the sun had set and the stars were twinkling across the sky. An adult female Pteranodon roosted on top of a rocky outcrop near the waterhole where the juvenile Lambeosaurus was with its herd. It flapped its leathery wings to warm itself. Then it squawked softly. The dinosaur below whinnied and trudged closer to the water's edge. It knelt down and drank. Its tongue ran back and forth across the surface. The mother was anxious. Her hatchlings weren't anywhere nearby. She didn't want them to be picked up by another predator and she didn't know what else to do. She had been standing vigil over her young since early morning. She kept a very well-watchful eye on them. There was something she sensed… Her eyes widened. Something moved on the far side of the pool. Two human-like creatures, only smaller than her own children. Were those humans? No! They were humans. One was pale-skinned. Long blonde hair dangled down to his waist. The other was dark-haired. He wore an orange tank top and jeans and held a rifle pointed toward the waterhole. He cocked his head, listening to the noises of the herd. His gun arm began to twitch and shake. "Come on!" He said. "Hurry up." The Dark One climbed down the rock face slowly and stepped cautiously over to the edge of the pool. Her children started growling. They looked up to see the stranger, then backed away. They were just about to turn and run when they stopped themselves. Why? What did the strangers want? Did they want to hurt them? She raised her head higher and eyed them. The one who had the rifle pulled the rifle's trigger and then came a gunshot. It was missed completely. What was he doing?! She stood up straight, one hand grasping at the rocks, and screamed. She cried. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Blood dripped from the wound on her chest. The mother then collapsed. Because of the wound on her chest, she dies on the spot. But what of her hatchlings? Were they okay? That was what she needed to find out right now. She lay on the desert floor, lifeless. The only thing that remained of her was her blood stained across the stones.