The dinosaur rose from the nest, his powerful legs carrying him in slow, searching circles around the rocky outcropping. His nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply, tasting the air for any lingering traces of life. The wind shifted directions, carrying with it the faintest hint of something organic—something that didn't belong to the dead earth.

His claws scraped against stone as he scaled a low ridge, his yellow eyes scanning the terrain below. There, half-buried in the dust, he spotted another set of tracks—these fresher than the last. They led toward a narrow crevice in the cliff face, nearly hidden by fallen rubble. His heart pounded as he approached, the silence of the wasteland amplifying every crunch of pebbles beneath his feet.

As he neared the crevice, a soft sound reached his ears—a faint, chirping noise, almost like a bird. But it was wrong. Different. His muscles tensed as he peered into the darkness, his eyes adjusting to the shadows. Movement. Small, quick, and... feathered? Something darted deeper into the crevice, leaving behind a scatter of pebbles and a single, downy feather caught on the rocks.

The dinosaur exhaled sharply, his breath stirring the dust at his feet. Whatever was in there, it was alive. And it was afraid of him.