[Story Prompt: Erythros] Scene of the Crime

It was nightfall, and the sky above Rainbow Lake had turned into a pitch black shroud, with speckles of flickering whites. The lake itself shimmered like a pool of spilled oil, hues of rainbow reflecting on its surface. There was a chilly, salty breeze wafting across the arid terrain. It reeked an overwhelming, putrid brine that would cling to the nostrils and coat the back of one's throat like rot.

Erythros, a red-furred pachycephalosaurus, was out and about on his lonesome, her scarlet eyes glowing faintly in the dark. She stepped carefully through the loose, pebbly soil along the lake’s edge, her curved claws leaving shallow footprints onto the damp ground. 

Eryth’s snout wrinkled, shriveling up as she inhaled, trying to pick up a familiar scent in the breeze. But all she could smell was the overbearing, foul odor of salt. Of course it did, it was Rainbow Lake, for pete’s sake. It was full of nothing but salt. The brine invaded every breath she took and made her nose scrunch in open disgust. 

“This place frickin’ reeks.” She muttered under her breath, trying to stop itself from making a loud dry heave.

The smell wasn’t the only thing souring his mood. Back at their hideout, things weren’t much better. He and Shatterdome, her long-time partner in crime, had been struggling to take back their home. The place had become overwhelmed with thorny vines and plantations. They had tried everything to destroy them; biting, kicking, and ripping them out. But the greenery just kept coming, like a hydra growing two more heads when one was severed.

Then, an illness had struck Eryth, hard. It likely came from the vines, they had a strange, acidic taste to them whilst he tried chewing them off before. A dull ache in the joints first, then fatigue. Its breathing got harder and her body felt heavier. Shatterdome panicked, seeing him collapse from something invisible, something Shatter herself couldn’t use dome-headed, brute force on, terrified his best friend in a way neither of them were ready to admit. 

Shatterdome had to argue with Erythros to get help, and eventually he had to begrudgingly agree, not like it had the energy to keep up with the verbal scuffle. Unlike him, she had some connections, and so she scrambled to get help. And somehow, miraculously, got Erythros back on its feet. He decided then that they should just set the plantation on fire, stay away for a while in case the weeds brought toxic fumes, and come back with their home hopefully still intact.

The sickness never quite left. Even now, she could feel the remnants lingering in its body. Her stamina wasn’t as good as it was. Running, jumping, anything remotely athletic drained him in minutes. That infuriated her more than anything. She was a predator of personality if not of teeth, and she hated feeling vulnerable, slow, and weak. It made him think of the herd that abandoned him long ago...

Worst of all, she had seen the same plant around the island too. But it didn’t look like they were spread out naturally… It was as if something, or someone had been planting them. And Erythros was going to get to the bottom of it.

Shatter had thought it was a good idea to start looking for a new place to live, just in case the whole hideout had been permanently damaged. Not only from the vines, but from the fire itself too. Eryth agreed; and so with both having their own mission to accomplish, they parted ways temporarily.

That’s when it began to notice them. New dinosaurs she didn’t recognize, and they were very elusive. One sound, one little twig snap, and they’d immediately scatter like rats. He could always vaguely see they had large crests and a beak. Almost like a therizinosaurus, albeit very small in size, with significantly smaller claws. Some were neatly feathered or scruffy, some were spiked, and some were just flat out bald, just like the rest of the dinosaurs on the island here with their unique traits in appearance.

Eryth had watched them from afar for several nights. One of them, in particular, had a habit of returning to the same mushy lakeside soil. There, it would dig small craters, drop something in, seeds maybe? Cover them up, and leave. They would pop up to the same specific location and check the places it dug, as if tending to them. Erythros silently crept around the area during those nights, doing his best to remain undetected.

And tonight, he was done watching. She waltzed toward the planted mounds without skipping a beat, crouching down next to one of the small saplings that had grown out from the dirt. Her crimson eyes squinted with suspicion. It was the same species of plant, no doubt about it.

“Gotcha.” she growled, low and furious. Since they were very small and at an early stage, Eryth was quick to destroy them; firmly placing his paws next to them and digging them out with a swift slide. And to make sure they wouldn’t somehow come back despite being torn off from their roots, he kicked them into the alkaline lake. Nothing can survive in that water, not even most species of bacteria.

They were the culprits. These little freaks were the ones spreading those weeds. But why? What was the point? Why here, and why now? And where the hell had these creatures even come from??

That’s when she heard it. A small gasp, startled and very close.

The pachy’s head whipped around with a snarl, rows of teeth bared in the dark. Her blood-colored eyes locked onto a shadow across the lake. Slim figure, large crest. One of them. And it had seen her, it was trying to back away, hoping he hadn’t noticed.

Erythros broke into a sprint with a wrathful shout, claws tearing up dirt and dust, making them fly into the air. “YOU LIL’ SHIT! GET BACK HERE!”

The figure bolted, kicking off with surprising and immaculate speed. She gave chase, driving herself forward despite the vague feeling of burning in his lungs. Rage pushed him faster. It was going to catch them, tackle them, interrogate them, crush them if she had to.

But her body betrayed him. The closer they got to the forested edge, the heavier his steps became. Her limbs began to falter and shake. His breath came ragged and heavy. It was that damn sickness again, still lingering within its body. The creature ahead of it widened the gap, darting through brush and over roots with ease. By the time Eryth stumbled to a halt, gasping for air, they were gone.

“Damn it…” she croaked weakly. Her mouth hung open, tongue lolling as he panted desperately for oxygen. Saliva dripped down from its jaws and off of his chin. Its vision was blurry at the corners of his eyes, and could hear his own heartbeat thumping against his ears. He was forced to sit down, feeling incredibly furious and humiliated.

Eryth glared into the dark forest, burning the shape of the fleeing figure into her memory. One way or another, he was going to get answers. Even if she had to wring them out of every single one of those weirdos.

But first, she needed her friend, his partner, Shatterdome. This wasn’t something she could do alone anymore. Not like this, not in this sorry, still recovering state. And if blood had to be spilled, so be it. He was used to that.