Fetching Cups

The trip through the jungle was exhausting. Mud was everywhere, the ground constantly damp no matter where one put themselves. Sometimes the ground underneath them would suddently shift to soft sand, almost causing one of the larger parasaurs to loose their footing and fall. And above all, the plants were a huge obstacle. Seemingly innocent and normal, when you got too close jagged thorns in a mockery of a mouth would snap and clamp and tear off clunks of feathers. Oboe had already lost a chunk from her tail when she tried to land on what seemed like a normal branch, so now she stuck to Mintees back. The green parasaur didn't mind… much. In fact, Mintee was fairly laid back about the whole thing… compared to Mary.

The red parasaur was notably much less ok. Her forelegs and belly were splattered with mud and random green particles from where she had smashed through patches of foliage, and a tight expression was on her face.

Oboe was the one to break the tight silence. “Look! There it is.” She pointed with a wing to the abandoned human building ahead. A large metal gate blocked off the facility from them, but there were obvious signs of life- oviraptors scattered in and out, plants and random trinkets clutched in their claws. Two guards stood at the gate, quickly checking over what the oviraptors held. One, was brown with a white streak on her face, wearing army style leather armor. As they approached, Mary could make out the words ‘Danna’ etched into it. Suppose that was their name.

Danna looked up from the oviraptor she was talking to, only to freeze. The guard next to her, an orangy females covered in black stripes and glowing red armor, was whispering instructions to the oviraptor next to her. Danna nudged at her fellow guard, finally getting her to look up. The orange guard looked up, only to freeze as she caught site of the trio.

“H-Hault!” the orange euoplocephalus stumbled forward, causing Mintee to step back in confusion and Oboe to take to the air with a squawk. 

The tapejara circled, letting out a jeer. “Hey! Watch where you're swinging that thing.” She eyed the clubbed tails of the herbivores fearfully. 

“Apologizes.” The orange euoplocephalus seemed polite at least. “I am Raya. For what reason have you approached upon our lands?” She didn’t seem aggressive- more so curious. At her side, Danna looked much more nervous and maybe even seconds away from lashing out.

Mintee cleared her throat, stepping forward. The two guards stepped back a bit at her much larger size, but didn’t seem intimidated. Strange… “We are here to meet with your court. Will they see us?”

Danna looked at Raya, who shrugged. Some kind of silent conversation seemed to pass between them before Danna sagged, finally speaking up. “The court does not accept visitors.” Her voice was stern and clear. Mary huffed loudly, gritting her beak. Had they come all this way to be turned away at the gate? “However.” The trio payed close attention. “We are having a feast tonight, and the oviraptors are struggling to bring all the food required- and the court does not fetch its own feed. Should you bring back a large amount of food for the feast, you shall be granted passage.” 

Mintee and Mary traded looks while Oboe smirked, already knowing she would have little to do in this mission. “What kind of food?” Mary cut straight to business. “What do you eat around here?”

Danna and Raya quickly described the kind of plants they were looking for- fruits and roots, things that were not venomous or carnivorous- before pushing them away. Behind them a line of frightened oviraptors had formed, so it was for the best they got goint.

“I cant believe they’re sending us to gather plants.” Oboe grouched as she flew above their heads, keeping a lookout for any of the special plants they were informed about. “What are we, servants?”

“I think that's exactly what we are to them.” Mary snorted, kicking at a rock in her path. “Sending us like errand boys.” They had arrived at one of the plants they had been looking for- large and leafy, with what seemed to be natural leaf cups that pooled water inside them. Mary got to work, grabbing some of the fronds in her mouth and pulling.

“Well, I dont think that's all that's going on.” Mintee hummed as she stood still, allowing Mary and Oboe to drape the plants over her back. The two shot her puzzled looks, but couldn't speak with the leaves in their beaks. “First the oviraptors being so skittish… Pumpkinseeds words about the court, and now these guards?" Mintee let out a disgusted sound as one of the leaf cups splashed water on her feathers. “Something odd is going on with this court. And we need to find out.”

“Agreed.” Mary carefully started to drap the last of the fronds over her back, Oboe doing most of the heavy lifting as Mintee couldn't turn without dropping her leaves. “Hopefully this pleases them.”

“Done!” Oboe chirped proudly, giving the leaves one last tug. “Let's return to the gates! There's no way those little turtles can turn us away now, no one in that facility can bring anything nearly as large as this!” She puffed out her chest proudly.

Mintee and Mary chuckled, following after Oboes eager wingbeats slowly. The two took a moment to carefully brush up each other in reassurance, lending support without words.

When they arrived Oboe was proudly boasting in front of Raya and Danna, who raised their heads when the parasaurs arrived. Danna whispered to a nearby oviraptor, who vanished inside.

“Ah, here they are.” Oboe took into the air, circling around the two hardosaurus. “I bet none of you could carry as many plants as them!”

The two euoplocephalus sent a nervous glance behind them as the gates creaked open- Oboes beak fell open, and she almost crashed into a tree. Mintee felt some of her leaves slip off as she startled, Mary just barely managing to avoid it as she looked up… and up.. and up…

At a hardosaur that was even larger than a parasaur. She had a feeling things just got a lot more complicated…