Oops

Herring couldn’t have been happier to see the sunrise, or well, what looked to be the sun that is. The sun rose into the sky yet the sky was shattered in some places. A chunk was missing, showing darkness beyond, only for something to go by. What was that? Was the sky falling apart? This place just made no sense at all. Where was this place? Perhaps this place was underground, but why would there be something on the outside then? Maybe this place was… was it underwater? If so, how was that even possible? Herring didn’t know. This place truly didn’t seem right, nothing lined up. First the sky seemed off and then there were the ferocious plants!

Those plants were absolutely terrible. They were terrifying. The Cryolophosaurus was on edge, she just didn’t feel safe, feel comfortable. Which plants were safe and which ones weren’t? A part of her wanted to stay and explore this place, but a larger part of her wanted to go home. To a place she was familiar with, where she knew what to expect and what to do to deal with those situations. Yet with this place? Oh, it was all unknown. She had no idea what to do. Maybe she should just go home. 

In her frantic run to escape the dangerous plants, she had lost where she had been previously. Yet now, she didn’t really know where to go. Though she was still a bit panicked about this whole situation, so she wasn’t exactly thinking straight to begin with. She grumbled, walking through the brush, the foliage shaking from her movements. It felt like she was being watched, yet couldn’t prove it.

With her not paying much attention to her feet or what was on the ground ahead of her, but instead focusing on the plants and their menacing appearances, she didn’t notice the thin pile of leaves scattered over the ground ahead. The ground then gave out under her once she heard the crunch of leaves. Herring let out a screech as she fell down, down, down. Crashing into the floor with a loud thunk. Getting knocked unconscious in the process. The world went dark around her.

As Herring slowly woke up, her lashes fluttered about, lifting her head up towards the sky at the sound of some voices. She rolled onto her side, eyes narrowing slightly as she shifted. “Uh?” She mumbled softly, cringing slightly at a spike of pain fleeting up her leg. She hoped nothing was broken. She’d be fine if she was beaten and bruised.

“Well, would ya look at that!” A voice called from above, mirth swimming in the tone of this voice. “Come here ladies, our friend finally decided to wake up!” Herring looked up to see a large creature looking down at her from outside the crater-like hole she was in. She ground her teeth, baring them at the creature. It was an Iguanodon. He was dark in color, with bits of browns scattered across his body. He had a white blaze running down his muzzle with some spines. There were some other spines running down the Iguanodon’s head, shoulder, rump, and the tip of his tail. This was Kratti. “Did you have a nice nap there, sweetheart?”

Herring growled, eyes narrowing. She refused to answer the Iguanodon. Which made him laugh out at her actions. “Awww, did I hit a nerve there?” The Iguanodon laughed. 

Herring heard the rustling of plants and the thunk of feet from above. She shifted, getting up to her feet. Screw this guy and whoever was with him. Though the action was slow and she winced. It wasn’t long before she saw the two other creatures, the two other Iguanodons. The first one was mainly gray with some soft patches of white and dapping across her body. She had a blaze over her muzzle and each one of her feet had some socks and stockings on them. This Iguanodon was known as Arabella. The other Iguanodon was more colorful than the other two, having a wider variety. She was a grayish purple, it started on her head and over her back to the end of her tail. Alone with the feet. The rest of her body was a yellowish color, the parts on her neck, tail, and legs more of an orange like color. She had dark stripes that went along her neck, back, and tail. With some “stars” flitting across her body. Alone with some merle markings that were of the same grayish purple and an even lighter yellowish cream color. She had some long quills on her back, more so near the base of her tail. This was Soraya.

“Just look at you. Aren’t you cute!” Arabella cooed down at Herring. “Should we keep her?” 

“We can’t keep everyone, Arabella.” Soraya chided, swishing her tail. “Besides, we need to take her to the queen. She’ll know what to do with this Cryolophosaurus.” 

“Yes, let’s get her out and take her to the queen.” Kratti agreed with the quilled Iguanodon.

While the Cryolophosaurus wanted to escape, she decided the best course of action to take currently was to play along with the three Iguanodons and once she was up out of this hole in the ground, then she’d make her escape. She had no reason to meet with this so-called queen. Queen of what? The weird, monstrous plants? She could have them for all Herring cared. She just wanted to go home, and go home she will.

Herring did play along well. The male Iguanodon, Kratti, had leaped down into the hole with some vine, intent on wrapping it around her snout to keep her from biting. The thought alone made Herring want to laugh, how did they go about this when the prisoner wasn’t playing nice? When the prisoner was attacking them back? Soon enough the vine was wrapped around her snout. It’d be easy to get off with her talons. Then Kratti grabbed her by the back of the neck, causing her to squeak and the large Iguanodon leaped out of the hole with ease. 

Herring thought he’d put her down, but he didn’t. Holding on to her with his mouth as the other two Iguanodons, Arabella and Soraya, started to lay out sticks and large leaves to cover the hole back up with smaller ones being tossed on top as a covering. Surely to fool their next victim to fall into that trap. Just like it had to Herring. Though would she have noticed it beforehand if she had been paying attention? Well, it was now put away in the back of her mind in case she ran into any other ones on her journey home.

Herring stayed still for a few more moments before twisted, thrashing her arms, legs, and tail. Causing Kratti to drop her and the instant she landed, she made a run for it. Even though her leg hurt, there was no other choice. Well, she could allow herself to be taken to the queen, but no. That was not on her to do list. 

As she ran, she could hear the thundering of the Iguanodon racing after her. Determined to not let her get away. Well, Herring was determined to get away.