Intimidation

Since encountering the strange dinosaur, its seed, and its feathers, I've been staying here for a while. The Grand Arch, I've learned it's called. Even after staying here for a few days, it is still quite, well, grand. Not just because of its size, but also because of the ocean behind it. And when the sun sets behind that window, beauty itself is manifested.

It is still a hard place to live, though. There's no good drinking water near it, so I often have to travel a good while inland to get some decent water. Still somewhat brackish, but it's better than the water in the ocean.

But back to the main reason I'm here. The weird dinosaur that’s been planting seeds in the ground for some reason.

I must get answers to my questions, and I'm not going to ask that nicely. The strange dinosaur is too skittish to just walk up to in a diplomatic manner. One of the many downsides of hunting dinosaurs for food, I suppose. But I can use my reputation to my advantage.

Sure, it may be a bit immoral. But it’s needed for information! If the dinosaur isn’t going to stop running away and have a nice conversation with me, is it really my fault?

Lilac would probably say yes, but she’s not here. I can do what’s needed without her berating me.

I raise my snout to sniff the air. Yep, the strange dinosaur is nearby. Probably to plant more of its weird pointy plant seeds in the sand. Not a really normal thing to do, but who am I to judge? I have a collection of bugs in jars, and Lilac thinks that’s weird. Could just be his hobby.

I start moving to the source of the smell, the dinosaur.

As I walk along the sandy shore covered with the empty shells of deceased sea critters and scuttling crabs, the smell of salt and feathers grows stronger. But something else grows stronger. The number of plants.

The beach is usually devoid of plants, but there seems to be more plants growing. Not normal ones either, sharp spiny grass that grows out of the dunes instead of the normal variety. Even some weird blue flowers that I’ve never seen before, connected to vines growing from beneath the sand.

After some more walking, I see a track. Definitely connected to the weird dinosaur, judging from past sightings of this type of footprint.

The smell at this point is very noticeable. The dinosaur is close.

Movement in some bushes to my right.

I jump onto the bush, pinning the weird dinosaur to the ground.

It's a weird dinosaur, having a crest of the stuff in my claws on its head. Its arms look like a hybrid between arms and true wings, which is also odd. It's mostly black and grey, with bands of white. Some of the red markings it has rubs off when I pin it. Again, a very weird dinosaur. Despite it being an adult, it's not that much larger than me.  

Seeing a Crylophosaurus over it, the strange dinosaur screams.

“DON’T EAT ME!!!”

I look at it. I’m not going to eat it, it looks too feathery.

“I have some questions.”

It looks at me, like it thinks I’m joking.

“Questions?” It asks.

I nod.

“What’s your name? Why are you here? Will you run if I get off of you? Where did you come from? Why are you spreading seeds? What is your species called?”

The dinosaur quivers. I think I broke it.

I can make out “Human tunnel,” “My name’s Pokie,” “No,” “Because I was told to,” and “I’m an Oviraptor.”

After that, it faints. 

I sigh. I got some information, but not much. I start walking away to get some water to wake it up. Lilac once splashed me with water, and that woke me up real quick.

I go to the beach, sip some of the salty water in my mouth, and hold it in. I start going back to where the dinosaur was.

I dwell on what I’ve learned.

From what I could make out from what it said, it came from a human tunnel. Lilac has told me about humans. Weird animals that made us, and are now gone. The next thing he said was that his name was Pokie. Not really important, but it felt like it would be a little polite to ask. He answered “Why are you here?” with “Because I was told to.”

That’s an important detail. Someone told him to do this. This means that there could be others also spreading these seeds. He didn’t say why he was told to spread the seeds.

To spread the plants because they’re dangerous? Because they look cool? Just because it's annoying?

The last thing I’ve learned is that Pokie’s species is part of a species called Oviraptors. Definitely not as dangerous as a Utahraptor though. He didn’t even fight back, despite being slightly larger than me. Not a strong species, it seems.

I go back to where Pokie was and he’s gone.

Dang.

I call out to him.

“Hey, Pokie? Are you still here? I’m sorry for scaring you, I just wanted information…”

Despite my calls, he doesn’t appear. I can’t really be angry at him, but I’m still annoyed. I really need to work on my social skills.

Again, I need to talk with Lilac about that later.

Despite Pokie disappearing, I have enough information.

Due to him being in this area, the human tunnel is probably relatively nearby. From what Lilac has told me, that means the tunnel must be by the nearby “city.” A place filled with rectangular shiny stone mountains.

I start walking to my territory, a few days in travel time away. I need to tell Lilac what I learned, and what to do next. Even if I already know what I must do. Go to the human tunnel, and go to the home of the Oviraptors and learn their secrets.