Ferocious Flora & Annoying Guides

Boneice stumbled through the thick jungle. The vines here were very thick and some curled with thorns protruding. The icey, sunspotted Oviraptor was leading another fellow companion through the thick jungle, Cactus. “Come on, spikey head! Don't you wanna see this dome?” She taunted playfully. 

It had been a long walk to reach this dome, a long slog to get the oviraptor to tell him about it without running him in circles and an even longer few hours trying to hold his temper as she physically lead him in circles, and loops all over the place before they finally reached the sea tunnels. He hated the sea tunnels, dark and damp with all too smooth walls. But by the time they stepped out oddly into… jungle? His nerves had finally started to fray. The pachycephalosaur let out a snort, an irritated huff of breath when the strange little creature, its form all too gangly, and thin, called him a name again. He wasn’t sure if she was simply playing with him, or if she actually had forgotten his name as soon as she’d heard it. The feathered dinosaur stomping after her grumbling, jaw working tight as he gave his hide a shake as he brushed through a set of thick ferns among the foliage, he’d made Lotus, his mate stay behind just in case this new place was dangerous, and he was really starting to get annoyed. “Yeah, yeah. Are we even there yet or are you dragging me around in a circle again? I’m starting to get mad.”

“Oh no no, Mr. Cactus-head!” Boney called out with a chirp. “I assure you I know where we are going! This thick jungle is no match for my expert navigation.” The smaller Oviraptor seemed a little too enthusiastic about her abilities to lead this angry herbivore through the jungle and to the dome. “No need to get mad when we- hey look at this flower!” She hopped over and cocked her head to look at this “flower” closer. It looked like one of carnivorous flowers, but much much bigger. She leaned in to stick her head inside, but immediately jumped back when the plant slapped itself shut. “Yikes! I almost became dinner…”

Jumping forward when he saw the oviraptor go to stick its head in what was clearly a much less friendly piece of flora. Cactus didn’t get far before the Oviraptor jumped back, colliding with the pachycephalosaur that made the slightly larger, more muscular dinosaur stumble, tripping into a patch of mud. The strange flora’s petals closing with a loud snap even as the pachy let out an annoyed sound, almost like a horse’s nicker or a groan. The Pachy standing up to shake his pelt, droplets of mud flying from his feathers as he grouched. “Yeah dinner…”

The herbivore’s mossy green eyes narrowing a little bit, tail lashing as he took a few stomping steps over to rub some of the mud off his feathers against the bark of a tree as he watched the oviraptor. His thoughts growing more and more irritated as he thought. “Should have let you become dinner…” A snort coming from the ornithischian made his nostrils flare as he stomped forward, bumping the slight oviraptor with his muddy side, leaving a smear of clay on the creature's hide as he grumbled. “Lets just keep going, I want to get this over with so I can go-”

“Of course, Mr. Cactus!” The moldy looking Oviraptor chirped with a giggle. “You want to get there quickly.” She pranced along the forest floor, making sure to avoid any more “pretty flowers” along the way. This part of the jungle was sure thick with vines and the further they wandered in, the thicker it was becoming. Boneice would tilt her head this way and that, similar to a bird scoping things out. Whether or not she remembered where she was going was the real question. “I don't remember all these vines being here. I wonder who put them here. Littering isn't good for this environment.” She chirped playfully while navigating the thorny vines. 

While navigating the vines, she noticed a few small pray animals who had pricked themselves with the thorns. These animals had long been dead by now, but seeing as they must have died after touching a thorn made her even more cautious. “Don't… touch anything, Cactus-head. I fear these thorns are deadly.”

Sighing, resigning to drop the topic when the oviraptor interrupted him. Cactus continued to follow the oviraptor through the foliage. The brush growing thicker and thicker the further through the jungle they went: stubborn vines tangling legs and limbs, thorny brambles scraping at skin and hide. A odd plant that actually snapped at Catcus’ tail at one point, like a lunging viper making his tail flick, curling in a little closer to himself before his guide spoke up again. The creature’s words making him pause. The frill of feathers near the dome of his head spiking upward, flaring out as he peered slightly over the flank of the spikey oviraptor at the thorns she was telling him about.

A frown working it’s way onto the pachycephalousaur’s face as he peered at the foliage for a moment, the thickness of the scrub and overgrowth making what she was warning him of hard to spot before he noticed a patch of fur sticking out from underneath some thorny vines that held an odd, reddish-purple hue. A small prey animal, dead and cold, its hides ripped in places by the vines that wrapped around it like a python in a strangling hold. It was certainly ominous. The sight earning a nod from Cactus, his olive green eyes concerned, as he took a few steps around to stand by the oviraptor’s side. “Think we should go around, those are definitely not friendly.”

“I think you may be right.” She squeaked before jumping down from her spot and poking around for another route to go. “We're not terribly far from the dome now.” She announced while finding her way through a safer place to go. The thorny vines soon changed in hue and texture, looking less toxic than before, but the leaves and flowers changed to something more… bitey and snappy. 

Boneice jumped after one of the plants tried to bite at her bipedal feet. The bird-like female made an odd hissing noise, similar to something heard from geese, while she jumped away from the bitey leaves. “These plants are so very rude!” She chirped before darting through the thick foliage. 

She paused just short of a sudden chasm. Glancing below she could see the very top of the dome. The glass sparkled in the sunlight and the steel frame could barely be seen. “Look, Cactus-head! You can see it from here, just like I told you!” She chirped excitedly, hopping up and down like she had done a good thing.

The act was boisterous enough to earn a roll of the eyes from the irritable pachy. His mood sour, even if he did secretly feel some sort of relief that they’d at least finally reached their destination. His head dipping low as he peered out over the chasm the excitable oviraptor had nearly run into. His expression a frown, the crested feathers along his head flattening down before standing up again. Well, at least now he could be rid of the creature.