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o。〃 Rita grabbed his arm； barely slowing her stride。
〃Where's Chrissy？〃
〃I dunno。 She wanted to play dumb games。〃
〃You were supposed to watch her；〃 she scolded； feeling guilty she'd delegated her responsibility to an eight…year…old。 She jogged along the edge of the mountain with Matt in tow stopping periodically to look between rocks and up onto ledges； all the while shouting Chrissy's name。 Then she saw Chrissy； in the clearing ahead walking away from the rocks； her head tilted back looking into the sky。
Then the shadow of the bird passed over Rita again。 This time she felt the breeze from its wings。 To her horror she saw that the shadow was heading directly toward Chrissy。 Then the bird swooped down； flexed its huge wingspan slightly； and dropped onto her daughter； knocking her to the ground。
〃Chrissy！〃 she screamed。
Other people were screaming too and bolting across the clearing to reach the bird and the little girl。 Then the bird floated； pirouetting around to face the angry crowd and again landing on Chrissy's back and shoulders。 It was a bird like none Rita had ever seen before。 It seemed all wing and head； its body no bigger than Chrissy's。 The head was almost all beak； with huge black eyes。 It had no feathers； just taut skin。 A long rigid crest ran along its head and extended out far behind。 From the crest on its head； sinew stretched out to its spine。 The underside of its wings were a light gray； and the back so deep green it was nearly black； with tan splotches。 Then it opened its mouth； revealing a set of sharp teeth； and screeched； stopping would…be rescuers in their tracks。
〃Go hide in the rocks； and don't e out until I e to get you！〃 Rita screamed at her son。
Shoving Matt toward the rocks； she ran toward her prostrate daughter。 Chrissy moved beneath the bird； which danced to stay on top of her。 Then it dug its claws into the child's shirt and shoulder。 Chrissy screamed and wriggled beneath the bird。 It floated in the air again and then came down； seizing Chrissy's arm as well。
Then twenty feet of wing stretched taut； the huge surface area…as big as the sails on a small yacht…trapping every bit of the gentle breeze。 The bird flexed its wings； curving them slightly to direct the captured breeze and floated upward…but the bird couldn't lift Chrissy； who struggled to get free。
Then the wing tips bent and then flapped； and to Rita's horror； Chrissy was lifted into the sky。 In response to Chrissy's weight the bird's clawed feet dug deeper into her shoulder and arm； and Chrissy cried out again； breaking Rita's heart。 More of the wing tips bent in another flap； and the bird carried its prey higher into the air。
Rita put every bit of energy she had into a last sprint。 But as she approached everything happened in slow motion。 Chrissy was dangling beneath the giant bird； screaming and crying； floating higher and higher。 Rita approached； raising her arms to grasp her daughter's legs and rip her away from the bird。
Just then the bird's full twenty feet of wings pushed down in a slow； powerful motion； and Chrissy and the bird shot beyond Rita's reach。
Rita watched helplessly as the bird pumped its wings again and Rita felt the rush of air。 Above the sound of the breeze she heard her daughter's voice。
〃Help me； Mommy； help me！〃
The words brought Rita to tears； and she fell to her knees begging God to help her daughter。 Still the bird spiraled upward； floating on air currents close to the mountain where it caught the updrafts。 It glided out away from the hillside； dropping slightly； and then circled back where it would catch another updraft。 It gained altitude on each pass。
Rita had never felt so helpless。 Her baby was floating ever farther out of her reach to a horrible fate and there was nothing she could do。 In desperation she picked up the nearest stone and threw it into the sky only to watch it fall well short of its target。 Once again she dropped to her knees； sobs wracking her body。 Then she heard the shot。
Rita turned to see two men wearing jeans and flannel shirts standing with rifles at their shoulders。 She watched as one of them fired。 She turned to look at the bird； but it continued to climb； seeming oblivious of the rifle fire。 Another shot rang out； but the bird still climbed。 Rita suddenly felt panic。 What if they shot Chrissy by mistake？ Then she admitted to herself that it wouldn't matter； a bullet would be kinder than the bird。 Another shot and another miss。 The bird was getting too high。 Soon there would be no chance for Chrissy to survive the fall； even if Rita could catch her。 Rita turned to the men with the rifles and shouted； 〃Either save her or kill her！〃
The men looked at her in surprise； but then their faces turned grim。 They both raised their rifles again and took aim； but they didn't shoot。 What were they waiting for？ The bird was on the outward swing of its spiral and turned to float back toward the mountain。 Still they did not shoot。 〃Shoot！〃 she said out loud。 The bird drifted toward the rocky mountain； then turned to catch the updraft； its wing tip barely scraping the edge of the nearest rock。 Then two shots rang out。
There was the slightest pause when nothing happened…a tiny piece of time just big enough for hope to die； only to be reborn an instant later when one wing buckled and the bird collapsed against the mountain； sliding down the smooth rock face and disappearing behind an outcropping。
Pandemonium broke out。 The people in the clearing cheered and shouted their approval and Rita felt waves of relief sweep over her。 But where was her daughter now？ Rita looked to see if the bird or Chrissy appeared anywhere below； but nothing but a trickle of gravel came tumbling down the mountain。 Rita ran back and forth under the mountain looking for any sign of Chrissy； but found none。 Other bystanders helped her in her search； and others appeared with binoculars； but no sign of Chrissy or the giant bird was found。
Then； when the noise of the crowd died down； Rita heard something else。 She shouted for quiet； others taking up her cry； and soon she could hear her daughter's distinct crying。 It was the happiest sound Rita had ever heard； and she laughed out loud with the hope。 Others came to her； reassuring her； telling her that her daughter would be okay； and she believed them。 She needed to believe them。
She believed them right up until she heard the shriek。 All heads in the clearing snapped up。 There； just above where the bird and Chrissy had disappeared； was movement。 The people in the clearing all pointed and gasped at once when the head of the bird appeared briefly above the rocks and screamed at them。 The men with rifles raised them again； but the head bobbed back and forth behind the rock； preventing a clear shot。
The bird's screeching drowned out Chrissy's crying。 At least that's what Rita hoped； because they could hear nothing of Chrissy now。 The screeching continued and then suddenly sounded weaker。 The louder screech sounded again； quickly followed by a softer one。 The pattern repeated； the second screech growing louder and louder。 Then above the mountain…top appeared the silhouette of a second giant bird…thing。
49。 PREHISTORIC SHORE
After a hundred years of collecting specimens； we have but a small record of the vast dinosauria。 How many thousands of other forms might have existed； we will never know。
…K。 Carmen Sontog； Nature's Lost Species
Warm Springs Indian Reservation； Oregon
POSTQUILT： TUESDAY； 4：25 P。M。 PST
Petra stood on the limb and leaned out； one hand firmly grasping the overhanging branch。 She could see through the leafy overhang； but couldn't see why the dinosaurs were reacting。 In the herd； the pickets were moving。 The large males on the forest side of the herd were pawing the earth； while those along the lake side were trotting to take position next to their brothers。 Finally； the large males were spaced evenly along the side of the herd facing the jungle。 The females formed a ring within that； encircling the calves。 Petra was impressed with their instinctive wagon…train behavior。 The males made a formidable barrier with their long snouts and collar horns； and their huge bony collars。