[Event prompt: Erythros] Intimidation Factor

A shadow darted through the undergrowth, soon two more followed suit.

“C’mon ol’ buddy ol’ pal! We just wanna talk to youuuu~!” The voices cackled with ill intent, echoing all around the dark forest.

The oviraptor had been running for some time, trying to escape the two figures that were after her. Supernova craned her neck to look behind, her panic intensifying as she saw them still on her tail. Though short of breath, she’d press on and go faster.

“Leave me alone, please!” Supernova begged whilst continuing to sprint for her life. Not once did she try to look back again, for fear that the oviraptor would see her aggressors even closer.

“Hi buddy!” A sudden voice to her right playfully greeted her. Before she could even let out a gasp, the wind was blown right out of her. The oviraptor felt an immense, nauseating, drum of pain on the side of her stomach, and couldn't feel the ground anymore. Supernova had been knocked off of her feet full force. “No!” She screamed weakly. 

Her body plummeted and violently stumbled off of a cliff, crashing onto the dirt floor below with a loud thud. Malicious laughter could be heard, up from above the cliff she fell from. But now that she was unable to get up and keep running, she could only groan in pain.

One of the figures slid down the cliff first, leaving clouds of dust behind them. With the full moon in the sky, its light revealed their form. The domed head was unmistakable. A furred pachycephalosaurus. Dark, pale red in color, with splotches of white covering their skin and scruffy coat. And their neck adorned with an aging collar covered in sharp, needle-like spikes.

The second figure went after. Another pachycephalosaurus, though this one was inky in color, with splotches of jet-black painting their body. Underneath the dark patches were vibrant, soft streaks of cyan, littered with speckles that made them look like the night sky itself. They were also wearing a spiked collar, though it was less worn than the other’s.

Erythros, the dark red pachy, wasted no time and walked forward, placing a foot firmly onto the oviraptor, to make sure they weren’t going anywhere. “Clumsy, clumsy… Looks like someone slipped!” Intense red eyes gleamed down at poor Supernova.

“P-please…” The oviraptor whimpered, “I h-have done nothing to y-y-you!”

“HAH! That’s rich! Of course you have.” The pachcephalosaur masked his snarl with a big, toothy grin. “I’ve seen you and your kind popping up lately. Planting something around the island. And whatever the hell it is, it overgrew me and Shatterdome’s damn den! I tried tearing them away, but it GOT ME SICK! You hear me?? That shit made me VOMIT!”

The oviraptorid was silent, primarily out of fear.

“Here’s what’s gonna happen.” Eryth leaned down. “You’re gonna tell me what you’re doing. And, you’re gonna tell me where you came from. Right now.”

“I-I can’t tell you. I-I’m sorry-” Supernova’s words were cut short. She yelped in horror, noticing one of the sharp and thin spikes from the pachy’s collar inching closer to her eye. The oviraptor felt a tingle in her nose, causing her to sniffle. Tears were forming.

“Ooh boo hoo! Are you gonna cry? Look, Shatter, I think she’s gonna cry!” Erythros’ snarl-like grin became more wide, more wicked. Shatterdome, the dark-skied pachy, snickered. “Oh nooo! What a little crybaby…” She chimed in, walking forward to be alongside her companion.

“You sure you can’t? ‘Cuz otherwise, I’d be happy to know what an oviraptor tastes like. Hmmm, like poultry, maybe?” The red pachy was actually salivating at the thought of it. Slobber was oozing off of its lips. “I can have your eye as a nice little sample…”

“N-no, no no no!” Supernova sobbed. “I’ll tell you, I-I’ll tell you!” She flinched as soon as a drop of saliva landed onto her face.

The devious duo were quiet with intent to listen, their twisted smiles vanishing instantly. Pretty creepy to be honest, how they can just change their expressions like that in a flash. Though, their gaze remained wild and wide-eyed.

“U-underground… W-we came from u-underground! T-through the g-gates of man-made buildings… A-a facility. I-I don’t remember where they w-were but th-this is all I am able to tell you, I-I-I swear! 

“Yeesh… This lady stutters too much.” Shatterdome leaned over and muttered to Eryth, who hummed and rolled her eyes in agreement. “Yep, I’m already bored. But I kinda get the gist.” And with that, the pachy moved away from the oviraptor, though not without giving her a little shove. “See, that wasn’t so hard was it? Catch ya later, dinner.”

Supernova continued to lay there on the dirt, not only out of fear that they’d possibly jump her again if she got up, but she wasn’t even sure if she could get up. She hadn’t tried moving any muscle since she fell. For now, she just watched the pachy duo walk away back into the shadows, all while sniffling and tears trickling down her face.

As their shapes vanished into the dense forest, Shatterdome looked over to Erythros and spoke up. “Uh, Eryth, I think she didn’t tell you why they’re doing what they’re doing.” 

He answered with a simple shrug, “Eh, like I care really. We’ll just find this ‘underground facility’ and beat them all up, easy peasy!” 

The two laughed and howled into the night, playfully bumping each other’s sides and ramming their dome heads together.