caught his right foot and sent him tumbling to the ground. He rolled over and moved to one side just as another herbivore ran right over the top of him; its enormous feet barely missing his head. Just when it seemed the last of the giant beasts had passed him by, their tormentors burst through the woods. They had long snouts filled with razor-sharp teeth. The predators were covered in feathers and ran on their two hind legs. Sheridan watched as one tried to pounce on one of the smaller herbivores, only to be struck by the tail of a larger beast, sending the attacker flying off into the dark.
In a matter of seconds, it was over. Sheridan could still hear the wild melee going on somewhere in front of him, but for now it was safe where he was. He sat up and reached for his rifle. He was about to get up when he realized that it was quiet. Not even the omnipresent swarms of mosquitos could be heard.
He was being hunted.
Sheridan reached down with his thumb and changed his rifle’s setting from safe to full auto. As quiet as he could, he got up to his feet and looked around. He couldn’t see whatever it was that was stalking him, but he knew it was out there waiting for a chance to strike. Sheridan activated the thermal sight on his weapon and moved around slowly trying to acquire his target. He wasn’t sure if the creatures were warm or cold blooded. He just hoped that they showed up in his sights.
The thought of being eaten alive turned Sheridan’s mouth dry with fear. Facing an enemy in battle was one thing, but being hunted by a creature that wanted to devour you alive was another thing altogether. Tension gnawed at Sheridan’s insides. A couple of seconds had passed before he saw a bright green shape moving slowly through the woods trying to get around behind him. He followed it through his sights until it came to a complete stop. He watched it lower itself as it prepared to charge him. Sheridan knew that he had mere seconds to bring it down before it was on him. He placed his weapon’s reticle pattern dead center of the predator and began to take up the slack on his trigger. The attack, when it came, still managed to surprise Sheridan.
With a loud hiss, the creature charged out from behind a giant fern and leaped up into the air with the razor sharp talons on its feet aimed straight at Sheridan. He pulled back on the trigger and fired off a long burst into the attacking predator. The rounds tore into the beast’s exposed stomach and came out its back. Sheridan turned and moved to one side as the monster landed on the ground precisely where he had been standing a second ago. The creature let out an angry hiss and turned to look over at Sheridan. He was stunned to see that it was still on its feet. Without aiming, he emptied what was left in his magazine into the predator. Blood and feathers flew as the bullets ripped the animal to pieces. Its eyes rolled up into its head as it tumbled to the forest floor. Sheridan, still expecting it to be alive, edged forward and kicked the carcass with his foot. When it didn’t move, he let out a breath and rushed to change the empty magazine on his rifle for a full one.
The buzzing from the mosquitos returned. Sheridan had never been so happy to hear them in his life. He took their return as a good sign. He turned his head and listened. In the distance, he could hear the noise of the larger animals running through the forest beginning to fade. He took a quick look around to make sure that he truly was alone before heading off after his teammates.
It took less than a minute before Sheridan ran into Cole. “What kept you?” asked his friend.
“I tripped over a root and then found myself being eyed as the main course for one of the raptors,” replied Sheridan, remembering the term for the creatures. “Where is the rest of the patrol?”
“Moore has them. We came out in a clearing, so Moore’s guiding in the shuttle as we speak. Come on, sir, let’s get the hell
In a matter of seconds, it was over. Sheridan could still hear the wild melee going on somewhere in front of him, but for now it was safe where he was. He sat up and reached for his rifle. He was about to get up when he realized that it was quiet. Not even the omnipresent swarms of mosquitos could be heard.
He was being hunted.
Sheridan reached down with his thumb and changed his rifle’s setting from safe to full auto. As quiet as he could, he got up to his feet and looked around. He couldn’t see whatever it was that was stalking him, but he knew it was out there waiting for a chance to strike. Sheridan activated the thermal sight on his weapon and moved around slowly trying to acquire his target. He wasn’t sure if the creatures were warm or cold blooded. He just hoped that they showed up in his sights.
The thought of being eaten alive turned Sheridan’s mouth dry with fear. Facing an enemy in battle was one thing, but being hunted by a creature that wanted to devour you alive was another thing altogether. Tension gnawed at Sheridan’s insides. A couple of seconds had passed before he saw a bright green shape moving slowly through the woods trying to get around behind him. He followed it through his sights until it came to a complete stop. He watched it lower itself as it prepared to charge him. Sheridan knew that he had mere seconds to bring it down before it was on him. He placed his weapon’s reticle pattern dead center of the predator and began to take up the slack on his trigger. The attack, when it came, still managed to surprise Sheridan.
With a loud hiss, the creature charged out from behind a giant fern and leaped up into the air with the razor sharp talons on its feet aimed straight at Sheridan. He pulled back on the trigger and fired off a long burst into the attacking predator. The rounds tore into the beast’s exposed stomach and came out its back. Sheridan turned and moved to one side as the monster landed on the ground precisely where he had been standing a second ago. The creature let out an angry hiss and turned to look over at Sheridan. He was stunned to see that it was still on its feet. Without aiming, he emptied what was left in his magazine into the predator. Blood and feathers flew as the bullets ripped the animal to pieces. Its eyes rolled up into its head as it tumbled to the forest floor. Sheridan, still expecting it to be alive, edged forward and kicked the carcass with his foot. When it didn’t move, he let out a breath and rushed to change the empty magazine on his rifle for a full one.
The buzzing from the mosquitos returned. Sheridan had never been so happy to hear them in his life. He took their return as a good sign. He turned his head and listened. In the distance, he could hear the noise of the larger animals running through the forest beginning to fade. He took a quick look around to make sure that he truly was alone before heading off after his teammates.
It took less than a minute before Sheridan ran into Cole. “What kept you?” asked his friend.
“I tripped over a root and then found myself being eyed as the main course for one of the raptors,” replied Sheridan, remembering the term for the creatures. “Where is the rest of the patrol?”
“Moore has them. We came out in a clearing, so Moore’s guiding in the shuttle as we speak. Come on, sir, let’s get the hell
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