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Language:
English
Series:
Part 2 of Broken Minds, Bruised Scales, Warm Hearts, Part 2 of Broken Raptors Series
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Published:
2021-05-21
Updated:
2022-05-16
Words:
14,641
Chapters:
5/?
Kudos:
75
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8
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2,139

Beautifully Broken

Chapter Text

The shaking of the earth birthed from a rhythm of a great titan walking resounded within the Indoraptor's ears.

The only thing louder than the pounding of heavy weight into the earth, was the thrumming of the hybrid's panicked heart. He could feel it-hear the drumming of his quickened beats.

It was so loud, so forcefully pounding within his skull-it felt like his head would burst.

E's head swiveled around, blue eyes sharp and alert as the quaking vibrated the lumber foundation of their aged cabin. The grime and mold stained windows shook and trembled. The three chicks stared, wide eyes and curious as their heads twisted and turned to and fro, attempting to pinpoint the source of such a noise and sensation they did not experience before.

E's killing claws twitched, taloned fingers unconsciously pulling her young babies closer against her form.

It was an attempt to calm and soothe her chicks just as much as it was an attempt to calm herself.

The thrumming of weight upon the earth quaked-harder and harder-louder and louder-until it ceased.

Gone was the rumbling of the land under heavy feet.

In it's place-the deep and guttural breaths of a predator testing for the scent of prey.

The deep, greedy inhales of breath could be heard from outside their dwelling-just below the loft.

Just outside the confines of their aged, wooden lair.

A lair, long since their protective hearth and dwelling, that may not be able to withstand the rage of a hungry predator, and protect the family inside.

The Indoraptor did not move in his rising, if silent, terror.

He should have been defending his family.

He should have been acting.

But he could not.

His body did not want to move.

It felt as if his blood was ice.

It was not the Indoraptor that acted first.

It was E.

The mother abandoned her post, and leapt down from the loft with a heavy thud. In but three strides-glass shattered as the raptor punched through a window frame, sending shards of crystalline glass cast askew.

The noise attracted the attention of the scavenging predator, drawn to the sound of fleeing prey.

The Indoraptor's eyes went wide as he stared-haplessly frozen-looking upon the spot where E once was-then to the floor down below with ruined and scratched furniture-door ruined and window now smashed.

And worse-the curious chicks were up and about, necks craning and eyes wide, looking down through the railings at the floor below. Looking about to the world they were not allowed to enter-looking out into the mysterious world where their mother went.

Skunk was looking, wedged between the railing bars, rolls of excess fat molded by the wooden prison of the loft. Her pupils were large, and overwhelmed the cerulean shade of her own irises, black scales blending into the cool of the shadowed night. Her small, white stripes were the only thing that gave her away in the murk.

Legion was sitting upon his haunches, a clawed hand gripping the wooden railing, neck strained in curiosity-and concern. His crimson stripes were barely visible in the backdrop of the night, sapphire eyes housing sharp, blade like pupils that illuminated in the shadows of their den. A riveting series of soft, clicking purrs escaped Legion, who craned his neck to better look down into the mysterious lands below-and in an attempt to find his mother.

Seraphim was the chick that stood furthest from the ledge, standing upon all fours as he looked upon his siblings, neck craning in an attempt to see what they were attempting to spy. Then the white chick turned towards his father, amber eyes shining on confusion, and worry. Sharp chirps escaped from his throat, tail swaying anxiously.

He looked upon his father for guidance-for assurance-of the strange happenings around them.

What was the loud scary noises?

Why was their home shaking?

What was down below their nest?

Where is their mother go, and why so suddenly?

The Indoraptor's tense posture did not go unnoticed by his young-who began to fidget and become more anxious.

The hybrid twitched anxiously, nervous energy building.

He was the alpha, right?

That meant he was supposed to protect his pack, right?

No-more than his pack-his family.

His mate.

His partner.

His other half.

His babies.

But instead, his little E went off.

His little, nigh mute mate went off to face a predator.

What if she was fighting it?

What if she was being over powered?

Being bitten?

Being torn apart?

And she wouldn't even be able to scream for him.

But he couldn't leave his chicks, right?

Their babies.

They were never left alone before.

What if something happened while they were unguarded?

What if he went out looking for E, and the predator got to their nest-their home-before he did?

What if-

The Indoraptor moved-suddenly, urgently. A powerful clawed hand scooped up Legion none too gently in his emergent pace, swan like neck extending to grasp Skunk with his jaws-plucking the youth from the bars.

Legion was pushed and forced towards the nest of blankets and ruined pillows whilst his sister was half tossed, half dropped into the nest. Skunk landed with a grunt, and a plop, her fall cushioned with her own body fat-and the fact the nest was made out of soft material. Both chicks were quick to get up, and turn towards their father.

Before the Indoraptor could turn his attention towards Seraphim, the white scaled male was already scrambling towards his siblings-and promptly hid behind them.

The black and gold hybrid gave a fierce, if low hiss, jaws snapping and echoing in warning.

It was an aggression the chicks did not see before.

Even more so because it was directed at them.

The chicks never realized how scary their father was before.

They didn't understand what they even did wrong.

Were they bad?

What did they do?

Where did their mother go?

Why was their father being so scary?

For once, the chicks did not see a protector in their father.

They saw a monster.

The three siblings laid low within their nest, and cowered, hiding and burying their head into each other.

All the chicks knew was the warmth of their parents' bellies, the softness of their tongues, and giant mouths providing food to sate their bellies.

Nothing in the world was bad.

Everything was good, and safe, and warm.

But now, the babies did not feel safe in the only home they've known.

They did not feel safe-worst of all-due to their father.

Fortunately-or perhaps unfortunately-their father was swift to leave his post as he descended into the mysterious dark below their familiar loft.

It was not long before their father, like their mother, too, was gone.


E was limping, dragging her right leg, disturbing leaves and brush in her awkward gait.

Her circular pupils softly reflected the soft moonlight and illuminated gently in the night.

She moved through low brush and aged trees, senses on high.

Her eyes were wary of movement.

Her ears were keen to pick up the slightest of sounds.

Her nares flared to pick up the scent of a stalking predator.

The calloused soles of her feet focused on picking up any tremors of the earth.

The night was still, and warm, skies clear and moon full, flanked by glittering stars.

It was a beautiful night.

But E could not waste energy marveling at the beauty of the dark world.

She knew she was being stalked, and hunted.

But where the predator was-she was not sure.

She just knew it was only a matter of when the predator struck.

Her could feel her heart pounding in her chest, feels the blood pumping to her arms and legs.

Her chest rose and fell in deep breaths, quiet whistles escaping her throat.

She was afraid-but at the same time-calm.

It was such a strange combination of feelings.

Normally, E would seek shelter, and hide.

E would try her damnedest to flee.

E would be overwhelmed by the feeling of horror, and impending doom.

E would fear for her life.

Was E scared?

Yes.

But now, she was no seeking shelter, nor seeking to hide.

She was seeking the attention of her dogged stalker.

Because having a predator hunt her-was better than the beast going after her family.

Her mate.

Her children-

-No.

-Their babies.

Because so long as she was moving-leading the monster away from her family-they would be safe.

A silence, a stillness reigned over the starlit night that broke through the leaves of aged trees.

Silence.

And then the pounding of footfalls-sudden and swift.

Far closer than E anticipated-for in a mere three strides-the beast was upon her.

It's hatchet like jaws swung down in a cutting blow.

E's muscles exploded to life, and she broke out of her faux limp.

E felt the heat of the beast's breath upon her scaled flank, felt the raw power of its jaws snapping in a shockwave of force, heard the cracking of its jaws together resound like thunder.

Her powerful legs pounded against the earth, fleet of talon as she fled, course hiss escaping her scaled throat.

She would rebound back to her home.

She led the predator far enough away.

It was time for her to go home, and leave her stalking hunter alone in the peaceful dark.

Tonight, she was sure the beast would go hungry.


When E returned back to her nest, she was quite perplexed to find her mate outside.

He left his post, and it was something E was not pleased with.

A simple hiss and a snap of the jaws showed her displeasure, despite her male's more affectionate, relieved greeting.

When E returned to her babies, she couldn't help but notice something was wrong.

They were fearful of their father.

They sought succor in their mother, instead.

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