Show and Tell

Finally, Their search had turned up. Long weeks of scouting through the islands, attempting to hunt down the elusive oviraptors that dodged their every attempt. Finally, the source had been found. Rumors say it was a tapejara who had finally found the location, and rumors spread like wildfire. They varied in just what happened, but all agreed on one thing; the place where the oviraptors came from was underground… and underwater.

A small group had set out to investigate the area. Flurry lead, the albertosaurus’s footsteps echoing against the strange material below as they crept through the tunnels. She scented the air slowly. Ahead she could smell foliage, sweet and rotting and overpowering. They were going in the right direction. 

At her side crept Snowshoe, the oviraptor silent as she watched the ocean above them with wide eyes. Somehow it could not reach them. Part of her was terrified the walls would burst open and wash them away, but no such cracks came. Pulling her feathers closer to herself, the oviraptor pushed forward. 

A new addition clung to the side of Flurry, burying their beak into the soft feathers. Bassoon groaned lowly, pushing down the urge to take to the sky. The air was too stale down here- the sky was closed from his wings, and the pressure was almost painful. Gripping even tighter, Bassoon slowly peeked ahead. There- a light, at the end of the tunnel.

Flurry stepped onto the metal that acted as the gateway into this new world, pausing and letting out a soft gasp. Snowshoe echoed it, stepping forward slowly. Memories, ever so faint, were coming back. She did her best to grab onto them but they simply faded like mist in the morning. 

Bassoon detached himself from Flurry, wincing as he accidentally pulled some feathers off with him. Oops. Before he could his the ground he snapped open his wings, quickly flapping out into the dome. 

It was uncanny. The dome held a jungle, as life-like and as vibrant as the world above. Bugs crawled, birds sang, snakes hissed. But something felt off. The plants were not quite right. They almost seemed alive in a way that the plants above were not. As Bassoon flew higher up into the air, he flinched as a low buzz caught his attention. The sky above was fake- it wasn’t even blue, just some kind of projection that wore off the closer you got. This was no paradise. 

Swooping back down, Bassoon opened his beak to report his findings only to be caught off by a loud honk. “Halt!” The trio jumped in surprise, backing up as a… rock? Trotted up to them. 

“State your business.” The strange creature snorted. Flurry looked at it in amazement. It was a dinosaur, clearly, but like no other she had seen before. Small and round it walked close to the ground on four short, stubby feet. Sharp spikes covered its back, rising above the grey feathers. A large club was attached to the end of its tail- and judging by the way it was moving, it was not for show. Flurry wisely backed up. A blow like that could easily end up shattering bone and could even possibly kill Snowshoe and Bassoon in a single hit. But the strangest part was the helmet that sat overtop the creatures head- clearly human made, made of grey metal and… bone?

“Talos?” Snowshoe squinted and stepped forward, shaking her head side to side and she tried to grip onto those memories. “That's you, right?” She had distant memories of a Euoplocephalus charged with guarding the front entrance, who had greeted her as she had last left. 

“Snowshoe?” The herbivore squinted, swinging his tail unhappily from side to side. “You survived. Why did you bring outsiders with you? You know that's not allowed!” The armored warrior thunked his tail on the floor, sending bits of stone flying towards their feet. “I'm going have to ask you to leave.”

Flurry turned anxiously towards Snowshoe, Bassoon letting out a slight squawk. This mission was far too important to turn back from. They had to go- but did not want to fight. There had to be some way out of this, right?

Snowshoe seemed to know, as she stepped forward again. “Wait! I know you were always really curious about what lived outside the dome- what if I introduce you to my two companions and give you a show? You can pretend you never saw us- the plants will probably get us regardless!”

The large herbivore tilted his head slowly, before shrugging. “That is true…well! Go on then! Impress me!” The ankylosaurid lounged back on his belly, folding his forelegs in front as he watched with narrow eyes. 

Snowshoe gestured Flurry forward, the large carnivore stepping forward uncertainly. “I-Im Flurry.” The albertosaurus squeaked out, clearing her throat. “I mean. I'm Flurry! I'm an albertosaurus.” Fake cheer coated every inch of her voice as she forced herself to raise her head into the air. “We’re some of the largest carnivores out there on the islands.” Pausing again she turned, showing off her blue feathers and white scales. “We can track better than anything else on the island! Let me show you.” Stepping closer to the herbivore, Flurry took a big sniff. “Ah. I can smell! You had some kind of sweet fruit for breakfast, did you not?”

Talos’s eyes widened. “How did you know?” He attempted to smell his own breath, eyes furrowed in confusion.

Before he could recover Bassoon hopped his way forward, letting out a low chirp. “Im Bassoon- a tapejara. We may be small, but we can do this!” Quickly he took to the air, spreading his wings and launching himself. Expertly he dove, performing complex movements before coming down to rest on the back of the large herbivore. “Good enough for you?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Talos huffed, slowly dragging himself out of the way. “I can’t say I can fly. Go on. Not like you’ll make it far anyways.” He mumbled the last part to himself. Snowshoe gave the other two a comforting pat with her wings. With her there? They would be ok.