--Raptor Mentality and Culture-- The Mentality and Behavior of 'Raptors. This is only the core, skeletal structure, however, and WILL be updated. ....................................................................... CHICK:           As soon as chicks grow big enough, they begin to crack open their eggshell, much like a chicken does, stretching to get that first crack open. It's a long, frutrating process, and in the end, the chick is extremely tired, taking a while to rest up. When they do succeed in cracking open their shell, they suck in their first breath, usually taking in the scent of their parents first, and even then, it's the mother they identify first. From that day forward, the chick recognizes these scents as family. At this point, the hatchling is approximately a foot in length, and less than a foot tall.           Just as soon as the chick has enough energy, it begins to chirp and honk, begging its mother or father for food. The adult is ready for this, and hangs a very thin string of meat from his or her jaw for the chick to snatch and eat. The chick learns that the sustinance provided is meat, and records the scent, taste, and texture of it into its memory bank. In the first few weeks of life, if the raptor chick has siblings, he or she will view them all as rivals for food. Sharing and compassion hold no meaning for the chick, only selfishness and greed. The second a chick smells meat, its brain will go into action, and as fast as it possibly can, will snatch the meat up into its jaws, trying to beat its siblings to it.           If successful, the chick will grow and be strong, fast, and dominant to his or her siblings. Chicks who are weaker and slower than their brothers and sisters rarely live in the first three months of life.           After the chicks grow a little, they leave the nest once in a while. They find many things to explore and learn. No longer nest-bound, they are now juveniles. ....................................................................... JUVENILES:           Now, the chicks have grown a little braver, and are far more aware of their surroundings. The sibling rivalry may dissolve between two of the fledgling raptors, and two may gang up on and bully the others, or they might all tolerate one another. They are juveniles now, about three feet tall, still too small to be deadly, but too big to stay in the nest.           This is the age when the young raptors begin to make up games that will teach them how to survive once they reach full adulthood. They will wrestle, play-fight, chase eachother, and even begin to learn how a mock-attack works. None of these games are fatal, usually, however there are exceptions in a pack that approves violence between family members. The flegdlings will creep up on the adults and pounce a lazily swishing tail, much like a cat would at the same stage of development, learning how to stalk and strike with as little notice as possible. Once in a while, an adult will become aggitated and hiss at the young raptor, threatening to bite him or her if she tried it again. Unfortunately, some chicks don't get the message right away, having to be slapped in the face with the consequences before they understand.           When the juvenile Utahs grow more toward sub-adult level (equivalent to teenager), they start to accompany their parents on hunts, not necissarily to help make the kill, but to hide in the bushes and watch intently, recording yet more life lessons into their memory banks. They learn how prey acts and looks before it is killed, developing tactics on how to lure, attack, and kill prey for later in their lives. Now, the young raptors are weaned off of regurgitated meat from their parents, and eat the flesh and muscle straight from the carcass of a kill. ....................................................................... SUBADULT (TEENAGER):           Now is the time for the young raptors to participate in pack affairs. They are both large (and strong) enough to help out with hunts, and are able now to help their parents drive away strangers. They are now about five feet tall, still small for an adult, but large for a juvenile. So, we'll make them subadults.           The subadult is expected now to submit to the Alphas of their pack, allowing them to take their choice of meat from any kills made, and to appear non-threatening when he or she approaches. The Alphas have risen to their position through the trials of pack life, and all in their clan are expected to respect that fact. The subadult quickly learns this, and for the time being at least, until he or she is a full-fledged adult, will follow the hierarchy of the pack. Much of the time, during this stage of development, the siblings will fiercely stick together, becoming closer than even parent and child.           About 8 months into life, the raptor has learned and experienced a great deal of what the full adults have, and are now at least as deadly as they are. As they approach full adulthood at a year old, they begin to reach full size. ....................................................................... ADULT:           Finally, a year old, 6 feet tall, not yet full-sized, but close. Adulthood means the ability to be a full-time pack member, a vital role in bringing down prey, and in driving away strangers and threats. Now, they establish their position in the hierarchy. This means, the ability to challenge others for dominance.           Though the raptor has reeached adulthood, he or she has not yet reached sexual maturity. That happens maybe 3 more years down the road, after which the Utahraptor can now begin his or her search for a mate. Raptors refuse to take close family and raptors of different species for mates, because their chicks would be hatched deformed, if they hatch at all. This isn't to say that the raptors know that, they just know that mating with family or a different species means genetic death. For example, if a red-snouted Utahraptor took a Deinonychus for a mate, their chicks may hatch just fine, however, they would be sterile (unable to reproduce).           Because of this fact, males and females are no longer viewed as allies or enemies, but potential mates and rivals. If two males wanted the same female for their consort, each would perform the mating dance, and the female would favor one or the other; or, the two males would battle over who got to perform for the female, the loser running away to lick his wounds, the winner performing the mating dance. Even if the male fights and wins, this doesn't automatically mean he will be accepted as the females mate. Strength and speed are all well and good, but the female wants a graceful, well-groomed, well-muscled male with meat on his bones. Not a clumsy, bony, tick-infested raptor. Males expect much the same from females: a well-muscled, graceful, uninjured mate. These things all mean that, the mate they choose for life (and they DO mate for life), that they will have an equal partnership in making kills, and in producing and rearing chicks successfully, without terrible danger to the adults. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ **HIERARCHY**---------------------------------------------------------- ALPHA:           Leader(s) of the pack. Usually the biggest and/or strongest, possibly the most crafty of the entire clan. The clan looks to their Alphas for guidance, and to lead them in time of need, say, if a clan war were to happen. There can only be up to two Alphas in a single clan. BETA:           Next in line, if the Alphas cannot fulfill their responsibilities, due to injury or sickness. The Betas serve as advisors for the Alphas, and aid in decision-making. If the Alphas are unavailable, then the clan gives reports of situations or ideas to the Betas, and will forward those to the Alphas ASAP, or maybe take a leap and decide actions on their own. Usually, there are only two Betas, same as the Alphas. GAMMA:           Third down from the Alphas, they are much like the Betas, only instead of advising the Alphas themselves, they do so for the Betas. If, by some unlikely chance the Betas and Alphas both are unavailable, they will serve as temporary leaders for the pack, until the Betas or Alphas return. Just as there are only up to 2 Alphas and Betas, there are only up to 2 Gammas in a single clan. DELTA:           Last in line as council, the Deltas serve as the voice of the rest of the clan. Every pack member who has a problem or a suggestion will tell the Delta, and the Delta will forward it to one of the three other councils, eventually making it to the Alpha. There are usually, just 2 Deltas in a clan. OTHER:           The clan would be unsuccessful without others to be there. If the clan had only Council and no one /to/ council, then the clan would constantly be bickering with one another. Should a clan have fewer members than 5, the ranks of Gamma and Delta would be held meaningless, and the raptors who were in those positions will fall into the Others. If, however, the clan were very large, then other ranks (such as Eta and Theta) would be instilled.     **HUNTING**----------------------------------------------------------           The Hunt is one of the most crutial events that happens in a Utahraptor's life. It is common, like when a family goes to the store to pick up food for their families. That doesn't mean, though, that it's that easy. A hunt normally goes as follows (example):           (1.) Spot a herd of, let's say, Iguanodonts.           (2.) Get your pack into position. Usually, that would mean most of the pack hides in the surrounding shrubery, or trees, surrounding the herd, while one or two raptors leapt in and scared the herd into a stampede. (3.) While the herd is running madly around to get away from the decoy raptors, the hidden hunters analyze the movements of each animal. Some may be too big, too fast, too strong, etc. Look for the weak one, the sick one, the limping, injured one, because that will be the Iguanodon that the clan will target.           (4.) The hidden raptors leap from the bushes, charging the prey with fangs bared and claws brandished. Leaping up on the shoulder or side, the raptors kick at the side, between the ribs, driving their killing-claws into it. (Though for bigger prey, like Astrodons, a strategic blitz between two or more raptors, with their foreclaws digging shallowly. One cut alone wouldn't do the job, but the overall effect of many open wounds drain the prey's energy.)           (5.) Once the prey is dead, the carcass can be either eaten right there and then buried for later, or the clan can cut it into pieces, taking the edible pieces back to their den. Once in a while, if the prey is small and light enough, the whole corpse can be drug back to the caves.