Darkness. I can feel it all around me. It's consuming me. I can feel it consuming me. A flash of light. The one thing that can save me. The one thing that will calm the darkness...

There is a barren, rocky landscape around me, covered in mist. It's fuzzy, somewhat blurred, but when I look up, I see her. My mother. I see her better than the other members of my pack, dotted around the area.

Why are there so few of us? I ask her, staring at her with my huge eyes. Back then, my navy feathers were lighter, and my white bands were tinted grey. I was tiny as well, an inexperienced hatchling with no idea of the hell he was to experience.

Because we're the only ones left. We were once a proud species, roaming the land in packs smaller than this.

Smaller?

Yes, my child, smaller. But there were many more of us at that time. Everything hated us, always trying to kill us on sight, but we managed to be a successful species.

Then why are we the last ones?

She gazed at me with her kind, green eyes. She didn't wish to tell me why we were all dying out.

Well... Many years ago, when we were at the height of our reign, a terrible sickness spread. It was extremely contagious, and whoever had it would get bleeding eyes, abnormally long claws, and unexplained scars that never stopped leaking. It drove them to madness, and eventually killed them. My mother was around in this time, and she told me that our kind was fighting to move away from the sickness. She and many others moved north, but the contagion followed. Many died, but when it blew over, we tried to rebuild as a species. But then, the Utahraptor came.

Utahraptor?

They're raptors, like us, but twice as big, and extremely dangerous. A single Utahraptor can wipe out an entire pack of Deinonychus. Even one as big as ours wouldn't stand a chance. Whatever you do, you must not try to fight one, even when you're older.

Okay mother.

She leaned down and nuzzled me, cooing softly. I squeaked in response, happily licking her on the nose. That was a more simple time, when I didn't need to worry about everything wanting me dead. The night sky was above us, the moon full and glowing softly.

Suddenly, we heard a loud roar, and following it a quick screech of pain.

What was that mommy? I asked her. My body began to tremble slightly as fear began to take over. She looked around, suddenly very alert, pupils darting in every direction. The entire pack, in fact, was acting very afraid all of a sudden. My mothers sister, the alpha, standing twenty meters away, began snarling, lifting up her lips to reveal her ivory teeth. I didn't understand what was happening. Confused, I stood there, chirping to myself.

A purple Deinonychus with grey bands stumbled towards the alpha. He was very weak, covered in bloody slashes decorated with red liquid. There was a huge wound on his neck, that bled nonstop. I felt my heart crawl up my throat. Never had I seen such hideous wounds.

She... She's coming... The Merciless... She's already here! He sputtered out, before he fell to the ground, half dead, blood dribbling out of his mouth.

My sisters eyes widened. A Utahraptor? Impossible! We haven't seen one since-

Suddenly, two glowing red eyes appeared behind the alpha, it's silhouette resembling a giant raptor. A huge pair of jaws grabbed her by the body, and shook her, cutting off her growls of shock.

The other raptors screeched in a mixture of surprise and fear. They were too fear-stricken to fight, and as adrenaline pumped through their veins, they knew that all they could do was run. They scrambled into the canyon

Terrified, I quickly sprinted in the direction of the rest of them, trying to not look in the way of The Merciless.

Wait! You're going the wrong way! My mother screamed out to me. I was too scared to act rationally, so I had ran off in a completely random direction, which would lead to a dead end.

I could hear The Merciless's thudding footsteps catching up with me. In the panic, only one thought managed to make it to my shocked mind;

Overtake the others! It will kill them and not me if I am faster than them!

As I quickly moved my swift legs faster and faster, I began to accelerate. The Merciless kept on running, making only the most soft of sounds. The canyon walls next to me seemed to get more and more narrow the further down I went.

I'm nearly there! I might survive!

About twenty other Deinonychus were running for their lives in front of me. No matter how close I could hear The Merciless get, I did not dare look back.

With a loud screech, I lowered my head and took a more streamlined position. I hyperventilated, and with a snarl, I overtook the slowest of the adults. I heard a high pitched scream of surprise behind me, and the low growl of a content killer ripping into her victim.

Now the next one! I can't slow down, not now!

Suddenly, with no warning, I felt two clawed hands grab me by the head, wrapping around my jaws to silence any potential screams of terror I would emit. Before I could react, it pulled me into a small crevice in the canyon walls.

I struggled against the feathered arms, trying to growl for help, only for them to be completely muffled by the hands firmly holding me. Squirming, tears began to be forced out of my eyes.

The Merciless has caught me! But I must fight! I must fight no matter what!

Suddenly, a huge shadow that seemed to be the real Merciless ran past the crevice, after the other raptors. Confused, I stopped struggling. Where was the real Merciless?

Slowly, the face of my mother appeared in my view, looming above me. As I calmed down, going limp in her arms, I realised just how exhausted I was. I breathed deeply, taking in the precious air that was all around me. The crevice's opening at the very top was quite low, only just above my mothers head.

My poor baby, She sadly nudged me, removing her hands from my mouth. I found this small crevice some years ago. Now, we must be very quiet, okay? You can't make a sound.

She was very silent when she told me those words- I could only just hear her above the noises of the trapped raptors being slaughtered by The Merciless. As my mother and I stayed completely silent, the horrific sounds of The Merciless decapitating creatures I had seen alive and well just minutes ago filled my ears.

Screams. Blood. Snarls. That was all I heard.

Slowly, the roars of pain died down. Satisfied grunts came from the kill site- The Merciless was proud. Carefully, I peeked out of the crevice. I gasped in shock at the sight I saw. Blood leaking onto the floor from the grotesquely torn open throats of my pack-mates. Eyes wide open, staring up into a dark abyss of nothing, frozen in time.

No! My mother quickly pulled me back in. I only just managed to see The Merciless's head perk up. I then heard her carefully move our way, but to my relief, I saw her silhouette walk straight past our hiding place. My mother exhaled, and a puff of cold air was expelled from her nostrils.

She's gone, my child... The Merciless has left us... She nuzzled me, shutting her eyes in her tiredness.

Mother? Are you okay?

Yes... I'm just a little... A little tired... I'll be okay...

I dug my head into her chest, crying to myself.

They're dead... Every single one...

She put an arm around me, trying to make me feel better. It'll be okay...

Suddenly, we heard something pounce on top of the crevice. A mix of saliva and blood splattered onto the floor. Wide eyed, we looked at each other. We both knew who was here...

Slowly, my mother raised her head. She gasped, as what filled her vision were the soulless, crimson eyes of The Merciless. The monster was shrouded in darkness and mist, but the moon behind her illuminated her in a soft white glow. Loudly, she snarled at us, as her eyes flickered. Faster than a flash, she snapped at us, only just missing my head.

Run! My mother ordered, nudging me forwards. We ran deeper into the crevice, as fast as we could. Those red eyes never stopped following us, always staying above us. They never peeled away from their two fleeing, exhausted victims. Her claws were at the ready, flexing excitedly. She was perfectly capable of grabbing one of us in the crevice, if she was able to catch up with us.

We quickly ran out of the crevice, out of the canyon. With a huge roar, The Merciless pounced off the rocks, landing right behind us. Dust was thrown up into the air as her large feet hit the ground.

I know a part of the canyon which The Merciless won't be able to reach! My mother roared. She grabbed me in her hands, holding me tightly, and accelerated. She ran to one of the canyon walls, and there was a very narrow crack inside- one which, unlike the crevice, wouldn't be able to be breached by The Merciless.

She pushed me inside with all her might. I waddled in, squeezed by the walls around me.

Mother! Come in! I called to her. Quickly, she tried to get inside the walls. But, to my horror, she was too big to get in. She shook her head. I won't be able to fit. You are all that matters to me- you must survive!

No! No! She's coming! You need to get in! Please, mother!

A huge pair of scarlet eyes appeared behind my mother. They rose upwards.

Quick! There's still time! Get in before she kills you! Please! I felt a single tear roll down my feathered cheek. I stretched my hand out to her and grabbed her wrist, trying to force her inside. I whimpered fearfully in my desperation. Please...

You will survive... I know you will...

Those were her last words to me.

The jaws of The Merciless shot down, grabbing the top half of my mother. Shocked, I squeaked in fear and tried to go further down the crack, but all I could do was dig my back against the jagged wall. The Merciless shook her head, and a loud crack echoed through the canyon. She had broken my mothers vertebrate. But she was still alive. Blood trickled out of her mouth as she wheezed weakly. The Merciless threw my mother onto the ground.

Slowly, The Merciless rose her head and her piercing eyes locked on me.

And that's all I remember. 

Those heart-stopping eyes glaring into my innocent soul, flaring violently.