I counted 33 days we spent in the big cave, and knew that it was getting close to winter time back in Detroit, where I live.

I bet I'm all over the knews, and my family is grieveing over my 'death'.

Sly has been a big help in my survival. The other day i almost got ran over by a juvenile Triceretops, and he came out of nowhere and tackled me to the ground. I got a big long cut across my thigh, and my only jeans were ripped just as bad. But atleast I didnt die.

I had to make a trip back to what was left of the plane to find a first aid kit.

Sly was at my hels the whole time, making sure I didnt cripple and fall. I had to wrap my bandana around my leg to slow the bleeding.

Sly crooned and clucked to me non-stop, probably trying to aoplogize. But I wasnt mad at him. he was only doing what he would have done for any of his family. I was thankful that he didnt just let me get squashed.

After I dumped peroxide on my cut, then wrapped it up tight with an Ace bandage to help it close up, I got up and hobbled my way back to the cave with Sly at my side.

He became sort of a pet more-so than a protector. He was like a guard dog. He knew his name, so everytime i called he came. He was so smart, he understood most of what i told him. Which was amazing.

It was almost like he was human, the way he looked at me. His intelligent amber eyes glittered with knowledge when I spoke to him.

One afternoon, we kept hearing a loud, droning noise come from far off. maybe on another island.

I figured its as much rescue that would come close for a while, I got up and traveled as fast as I could to the edge of the island. It was dangerous there, because all the big predators lived around the perimeter. Sly followed closely, looking at me curiously and cautiously. I think he knew I was desperate to leave. I wish he could understand that no matter how much I loved him; his home could never be my home. I was tired of living off exotic dinosaur meat and foreign lettuce. I hadnt brushed my teeth in about 2 months which I was sure I had some sort of cavity. My hair was dirty and stinky and greasy as ever. I bathed in the river once a week and rinsed my clothes out, but it wasnt quite enough to keep up human hygiene.

When I figured out that the rest of the way to the edge of the island was downhill, I had a hard time slowing down from my merciless run. Sly trotted effortlessly to keep at my side.

We came up fast out of the trees and onto the sandy shoreline of the island. We faced a small channel that opened up into the bright blue ocean.

And there on the shore, was a giant tank-submarine that read U.S NAVY on the side. I gasped, seeing men in army uniforms and guns jump out and run up the beach.

They pointed guns at me, and Sly hissed loudly, backing up about 8 feet behind me.

"maam, please come closer to us, we do not want that animal to hurt you!" one of them yelled, holding out their hand.

"no! you dont understand, he's not going to hurt me!" i yelled back over the roar of a helicopter soaring above us.

When and where did all the come up? I knew I heard the helicopter, but how did they know I was still alive?

"Please step away maam!" he yelled again, pointing his gun at Sly, ready to fire.

I looked back and saw that he stayed obediantly, ready to jump in front of me if the man actually shot. But I jumped towards him and waved my arms.

"Run Sly, go!! Run, get away and dont come bac!" I yelled, chasing him into the woods.

It took him a few seconds to move, and when he did, he didnt hesitate to bolt into the forest. 3 of the men ran to the edge and looked into the trees, making sure he was gone.

They stayed there when another soldier approached me with his waepon lowered towards the ground. I began to weep softly, my heart running with Sly as he escaped the guns and loud noises.

"maam, are you alright? dont cry maam we'll get you home safe as soon as we can!" he said, trying to gently tug me towards the landed helicopter.

When the giant flying vehicle stopped, and the noise cut off, they could all hear me sobbing.

A man hopped out of the helicopter, dressed in a pair of jeans and a blazer. He came towards me and signaled for the soldier to stop pulling me.

"Can I speak with you please?" he asked.

I nodded and sniffled, then followed him to the helicopter. We sat down on the edge.

"so you've been here for about 3 months am I correct?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Its been really hard being out here." I replied.

"So its amazing you're alive. Now what about that raptor? Is he your pet or something?"

"no. he keeps me alive. I live within his pack. We are really close though."

And after that, everything happened so fast. A soldier put me on the helicopter with the man, and we uplifted and zoomed around above the island. I had to watch the men go out and tranquilize Sly, and put him in a large steel crate. They put the crate on a boat, and as soon as that, we all left the island.

It felt like hours all of that happened, but at the same time, it felt like 2 seconds.

I cried the whole way, thinking how Sly could feel right now. he would never trust me again.

"how could you do this to him!" i yelled at the soldier sitting at the front of the chopper.

"calm down miss, he's going to be alright. We just have to run tests on him and then he'll be put in the San Diego Zoo for public observation." the man with the blazer said.

"no! You have to take him back home! His pack needs him, he has a family too you know!" I shouted at the man, threatening to throw my fist in his face.

"calm down. You'll have a special visitor's pass. And if he reacts to you positively, we might just make you his trainer, or even reptile manager."

"But I dont want him at a zoo! he needs to come back to this island ASAP!"

I woke up in a hotel room alone. When I got up, there was a counter full of hygiene neccessities in the bathroom. brushes, a toothbrush, a change of clothes, shampoo and what not inside the shower.

It felt so good to be clean again.

After I had freshened up to the fullest, I put on the sweatpants, the bra, the tank top, the socks, and the panties.

I walked out of the hotel room, and saw a soldier sitting in a chair 5 feet away.

He got up and approached me.

"You can come with me miss."

"I have a name you know. Its Dawn. Dawn McArthur."

he smiled and lead the way out of the building and into a black SUV.

We drove for a while, and finally ended up at a big building that read 'SAN DIEGO LAB OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY'.

I followed the soldier inside, and met up with the man in the blazer.

"i'm sorry i didnt formally introduce myself yesterday. My name is David Whitmore. I'm the owner of the San Diego Zoo."

I nodded, following him as he walked quickly down a long hallway.

"we really need your cooperation right now. You see, the animal got loose in the holding warehouse, and we've had to block off all the doors to keep from getting anyone hurt. It refuses to calm down, and keeps attacking the window. We dont know how much longer it will take for it to just crash right through them. If we can't calm it down, we'll have to tranquilize it again." he told me.

I began to walk faster, roling my eyes.

"you know you people are usch idiots I dont know how you keep your jobs." i said angrilly, and he stopped at a door that was blocked by a temporary steel door guarded by men with guns.

"I need to get in there." I said, looking through the two-way window beside the door.

Sly was going off the walls. It was just a big empty warehouse. In the corner was a bucket of water, and a large tray of raw steaks. It didnt look like Sly had touched either one.

Above on the right side, was a larger wide window. Scientists were inside, writing things on clipboards.

"let her in guys, but with caution." David told them.

"I have to go inside with her." one of the armed men said.

"no. I have to go in alone if you want to keep your life. If you go in with me, he'll attack you before you can raise your gun." I told him, shoving past as he slid the door open just enough for me to squeeze through.

I stepped into the warehouse, and saw Sly all the way on the other side. he was staring up into the window at the scientists. I stepped out farther, and saw that the men outside the window were watching Sly's every move. I also saw a gun peeked through a small hole next to the door.

"Sly...c'mere sweet boy..." I spoke softly to the raptor.

he turned quickly, going into deffense mode. His middle claws raised up, and his jaws opened to show his razor sharp teeth.

I clucked to him, trying to sound like his family.

"hey boy...c'mon Sly i wont hurt you." I told him, stepping closer.

His heard jerked up, and his claws descended back down to the floor. he recognized me, but still didnt come closer. If he wouldnt come to me, then I sould have to go to him.

I began to walk towards him, and he ducked his head, letting me know that he didnt want to hurt me. When I reached him, tears threatened overflow my eyes.

"hey boy." I said, reaching my hand out for him to sniff.

he didnt sniff me, he nudged my stomach for a pet. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him. he threw his head over my shoulder and nuzzled me back.

I looked up, and saw that the scientists were amazed that i was being ripped to shreds by Sly. I was being loved.

~*~

Meanwhile, a man arrived at the building, and now stood beside David Whitmore, completely amazed by what he was seeing.

Dr. Alan Grant stood watching the cunning predator nuzzle a vulneral girl. His head rested on her shoulder like they were old buddies.

He smiled a bit, remembering the time he almost became lunch for the same type of creature. They look at him like steak, and they look at the girl like family.

He couldnt understand how it had happened, but he did hear the amazing story on the news about how she spent 3 months on that island and didnt get eaten. She had lived with a pack of Utah Raptors, and was protected by their hierarchy on the food chain.

he watched closely, the behavior the raptor showed the human. She walked 10 feet away, and he followed. She stopped, and he came to stand beside her.

~*~

I stayed with Sly for about an hour, then when i had to leave, i told him to be a good boy. I picked up a raw steak, and told him to eat when he was hungry.

When i left the warehouse, he went and layed on a blue mat next to the steak tray, and leaned his head against the wall.

I came out, and David clapped along with the 3 soldiers that stood there.

"there's nothing to clap about." i said, my eyes getting a bit watery.

I looked up, and saw a man with a fedora on and casual clothes.

"my names Alan Grant." he said, shaking my hand.

"Dawn McArthur." i replied.

"I'm a palientologist. I was also stranded on that island a few years ago. I came up here to see your raptor." he told me.

I smiled, knowing that he was different from all the other careless people in this building.

"You gave him a name?" he asked me, gesturing a seat next to him on a bench down the hall.

"yeah. Sly. the rest of his family have names also."

"tell me something Dawn, are they social? do they interact with each other like people?"

"yeah. Sly was really close with his brother. They were like mirror images of each other. it was pretty funny how they would wrestle and chase each other around."

Dr. Grant smiled at me.