Raptor Red watches and thinks.

When she is feeling well fed and content and well loved, her mental powers are allowed to indulge themselves.  She can experiment.

She walks parallel to the shoreline, watching the waves carefully, focusing her eyes below the surface.  She keeps her distance from the average line where the waves break.

There!  She sees another huge shape cruising parallel to the shore.  She watches-and a giant head breaks surface.

She stands on tiptoes, trying to look as tall as possible.

She waits...   waits...   waits...

Here it comes!  she shouts to herself.  She flexes her knees and ankles. An immense dark torpedo comes right at her, plowing through the breakers.

Just as the head and front flippers begin to slide up the beach, Raptor Red turns and jumps four strides diagonally, upslope and to her right.

Whhhmmmpp!  The big kronosaur stops exactly on the spot where Raptor Red was standing a few seconds earlier.

Fssshhhh!  Foam and steam exit in two jets from the kronosaur's nostrils, just in front of the eyes.  The great sea-reptile pauses, then retreats awkwardly back to the water.

The male raptor is amazed.

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Excerpted from Raptor Red by Robert T. Bakker
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.