----


    He quickly found the huge nest covered with grass, skinned animal


    hides, and dry leaves.


    There was only one egg inside. Luckily, Dracotélions didn''t have


    many offspring.


    He unwrapped the leaves he was carrying-soaked in Brontocérax


    dung-and dropped them near the nest.


    While doing that, he heard the heavy, hurried footsteps of the


    female nearby-she hadn''t stayed long at the river!


    He tossed the leaves aside, grabbed the egg, and sprinted out of the


    cave, heading toward a herd of Brontocérax he''d found during the


    night.


    He raced through the jungle, dodging tangled roots and thick


    foliage, with giant trees surrounding him. But a beastly roar


    thundered behind him, shaking the skies.


    The creature was after him, following the scent of her baby,


    thinking Brontocérax had raided her nest.


    Drakkar could already hear trees falling behind him as the furious


    female crashed through the forest.


    It felt like the earth wanted to crack beneath his feet.


    He reached the edge of the Brontocérax herd, still asleep, and


    climbed a hill, tossing the cursed egg down. It started rolling,


    ----


    getting lost among the legs and resting bodies sprawled over the


    soft grass.


    "GRRRROOOARRR!"


    The Brontocérax herd jumped up, startled by the warning cry of


    the jungle''s top predator.


    ''They were omnivores who also ate meat, but nothingpared to


    a Dracotélion.


    Perched in a tree, Drakkar watched the mother burst in,


    desperately searching for her egg, only to find it crushed under the


    frantic hooves of the other animals, who were now also trying to


    protect their young.


    It looked like a battle of titans; the massive ck-scaled beast


    stormed into the group, which began to attack her too.


    Normally, they wouldn''t mess with a Dracotélion, but they weren''t


    about to let their young get ughtered.


    Drakkar had achieved his goal. Why get your hands dirty if


    someone else can do the job?


    Still, he knew the Brontocérax, despite outnumbering her, weren''t


    guaranteed to win.


    Once the initial rage passed, and they saw the Dracotélion


    ughtering several of them with her jaws, the herd began to


    retreat.


    ----


    ''That was his cue for the final blow.


    Drakkar leapt down from the


    tree, spear in hand, its tip coated with toxic Cassiép juice.


    In his other hand, the armor made from the remains of the


    Brontocérax he and Lyra had hunted.


    He had turned it into a heavy, powerful shield.


    Charging into the chaos, with more guts than certainty, Drakkar


    searched for the moment tond a fatal blow on the most


    dangerous predator in the jungle.