[Trade] [Dueling Knights] The search for the Astral begins

Dueling Knights ( Event Karma Prompt )
Writing by: RadicalRyuu
Da gallery: https://www.deviantart.com/RadicalRyuu/gallery
Word count: 1,700+ (1000 words)
Dino’s Included: DOOM (5957), Abandon (5574), Astral(5571), Black Bird (6334)

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The overgrown abundance of this new underground land had a powerful smell of pollen and scents. It caused a snort to leave one the trespassers. Normally the black of their scales hid them well, but this was unknown land, untamed and unruled. 

“Your glowing hide is becoming a hindrance” snarled the smaller of the two scared faces twisted into an even more gruesome sight. The larger of the two simply rumbled their displeasure, shaking slightly to disentangle the vine caught in spines. 

“I cannot help the way I was born, cease your whelping and continue the course.” The Acro rumbled stark black scales only being broken up by the fiery glow that shone off his hide. They continued to travel the cryo taking moments to clear their snout and find the scent of their query. 

They travel, and continue to travel and at times Doom feels although they move in circles. It wasn't until they were sure they passed a familiar tree that patience was finally fed up. 

“You have no clue where they are don't you!” Doom snarled, hitting the cryo in the side before pressing her foot down hard on the body below causing Abandon to squirm, “I told you!” He hissed eyes squinting in pain as the weight of the other pressed down further “I- I don't know! I saw them past! T-the blasted place is covering their scent-” the sentence falls off into a Wheeze, eyes wide and maw gasping as Doom pushed further down. However they let up when both hear a rustle, head rising and looking to the greenery as more and more leaves shake before-

“Oh!” The familiar black and blue snout pauses, the face of Astral blinking before his maw stretches into more a smile. Something black flutters on his back, and when Doom takes a closer look they can see one of those newer creatures hanging on, much like those stubborn birds do hanging off many the grass eaters above. Their beak heads turn this way and that as they seem to nervously take stock of their surroundings before looking back at Doom.

“DOOM! What are you doing down here” Astral voice cuts in, the Acro slowly making their way closer and with a snort the other lifts their foot from the struggling Cryo, a Wheeze sounding out as their attention turns to them. “I've been looking for you Astral. What the hell were you thinking coming down alone.” 

“Well…. I'm not alone, see?”

“THAT'S NOT-” A tired sigh, a shake of a head.

“You know that's not what I meant. Why did you leave.” The silence stretches, to the point the two tag along even go silent as an unsteady tension ripples along Astral body. The male slowly lowers his head, and Doom is reminded that even though Astral is giant and more heavy than themselves, he really was a gentle giant if anything. With a rumble the male couldn't look Doom in the eye and in a second it clicked.

“Astral, if this about the eggs-” the flinch that's ran threw the male did not go unnoticed but it was the rustling a the bush that cut Doom off. All 4 of them looked back the way they came, watching the bushes with anticipation. Abandon took cautious sniffs but it was futile. They all know the pollen and plants covered everything here…

“ASTRAL LOOK OUT!” Screeched Black Bird, and as Abandon and Doom look back behind them it was to the sight of Astral being struck hard upside the jaw, head thrown back and eyes rolling into their head as they staggered to the side once, tried to get his feet under him before his leg buckled underneath and Astral, reminiscent of a great tree struck down, tipped over and fell to the ground. 

Black bird scrambled off the downed Arco side, running between Astral and this newcomer that now stood there, and as Doom followed the club tail down to the bipedal body to some strange creature wearing strange…. Well strange items that seem to protect its body. 

“STOP! STOP! THEY'RE FRIENDLY!” Black Bird screeched and the newcomer snorted steam from their nostrils.

“Aye they might be but we can't take a chance with that birdy” called from behind them and as Abandon and Doom looked to where the original source the sound came from there stood another, something obscure its eyes but Doom didn't need to see their face to hear the smugness. 

“Not allowed here newcomers, get your friend and f off” the new dino snorted, emphasizing his point with a hardy THWACK to the ground.

Right next to Astral head.

“W-wait wait wait!” The oviraptor stuttered black feathers rising on his head and arms waving out.

“They're not here to fight! They were-” 

“Silence! Know your place Seed Spreader! You were supposed to survey and spread the green! NOT play tour guide” and with another THWACK to the ground, the tail only seemed to get closer to Astral head.

That was it.

Rage, rage filled Doom and with a roar she raced forward, Abandon and Black Bird giving a shout of both “Wait!” And “No!”  but she did not care, did not listen, There wasn't much that Doom cared for, preferred life alone, but Astral had always been sweet, kind and patient, and although the naive fool was too trusting or friendly for his own good…. That didnt mean she allowed another to break that gentle hearted fool's heart. 

A snap of jaws miss their mark as the Erup pull away, then it was their turn to take on the defense having to throw herself back before meeting the same fate, it gave her the chance to see the other two, Abandon a top the other odd new dino, clawing at the strange contraption that cover the new dino face before jumping away when he was bucked too hard. 

Doom backed up, leg brushing against the cryos as he too backed up. The newcomer stood before them, club tail up and swaying.

“You suck Doom.” Abandon hissed as they lowered themselves slowly. Doom rumbled in displeasure as they too lowered themselves. It was a tense moment then the sound of a twig snapping was the catalyst. The four charged, jaws and claws ripping at what seemed to be armored backs and gear as they did their best to steer clear of clubbed tails. Abandon jumped back as a swing was sent his way, Doom coming over and snapping at the missed appendage before having to retreat herself when the other with a feather crested head tried swinging into her side. They were playing the defensive and losing it seems.

Abandon slashed with claws and gets a slice in, feels and sees flesh tearing as blood soon oozes down the front of one of them. But he is punished when suddenly a beak snaps at his back leg, he can feel his bone threatening to snap before Doom is there, slamming the smaller creature away and stumbling themselves when clubbed tail meets her side, air is knocked and she wheeze as Abandon jumps forward to slow down the Euop from following up on his strike, the metal helm prevented the blinding strike but did detour the Herbivor from capitalizing on Doom down state. Didn't last for long Abandon was soon bucked off towards Doom and landed, sliding the rest the way back. With what seem to be honks of victory the two Eoup slammed their tails to the earth in a taunt body screaming of satisfaction of beating these two giants. Black Bird peaked their head out from their cover worry on their face before eyes widening.

“You're gonna learn today not to mess with the grove meat eaters.” Talos taunted, Halberd snorting in agreement, with a rumbled growl behind Doom teeth she watched with narrow eyes before stopping and eyes widening.

They never knew what hit them, with a shadow encompassing the two Euop both they were slow to the realization of just who they turned their back to. 

And Doom was reminded as to just why she was first attracted to Astral in the first place. For as much a gentle giant he was, he was incredibly strong when it came to pulling his weight. The rumbling growl was their only warning. 

With a sudden yank, pulled by his own tail, Talos found himself being dragged back, pain shooting up along his back up his spine as suddenly his stomach flipped, the ground leaving him as he was than PICKED up, swung around and thrown farther away from where he original stood, with a warrior cry Halbert charged, body turning to strike upon the now awaken Astral but was suddenly slowed by jaws clamping down his back leg, Abandon having taking the moment of surprise attack to make his own. He was kicked for his actions but then Astral was once more there, a scream tour out of the Euop before it too was lifted from the odd angle only to be thrown. Crashing into the recovering Talos they grounded, groaning before righting themselves and shaking off the dirt, but Astral didn't stand alone, for the recovered Doom and Abandon stood beside then hissing and growling in response.

It was tense, Carnivore vs Herbivore. As they sized eachother us it was a black little blur that skidded between the two, arms wide and color flashing. 

“STOP!” Black Bird cried, looking between the two groups, “Please stop! They mean no harm,” Black Bird hissed at the two Euop before swivel his head to look at the others 

“And I said I would give you a quick tour Astral! Not for you to fight my friends!” Which the Acro had the decency to look ashamed, head ducking low. 

A snort left the Euop before Talos huffed, “Your lucky for now strangers. As our lil Black Bird vouchers for you…. But to get comfortable to long..” and with another thrash to the ground the two slowly backed away. 

The gang was left there for a few tense silent moments before releasing a sigh of relief. Looking to one another for a moment. Although the fight may have been short…. Least they all made it out with just a few bruises.