Descended

Chapter 2

“Oy! Live intruders! Ye scales’ll look nice as clothes!”

Famous last words.

Here’s how that went out.

Ember stepped up to the bombs shortly after my gesture and using her claws to stuff it in her implant inventory, when the chump guard came over to me from behind. Ember warned me with the words “Kage, behind you!”

But I knew he was there long before. I can smell Bane Empire stench all over this camp.

I swiveled around and whacked the little guard’s feet with my tail. He practically slipped as if he stepped on a puddle of ice. Then I pinned him to the ground, and he threw his spear towards my face. Largest mistake of his life. With my hand, I caught it and thrusted it into his face, finishing him off.

Only one guard? Swiftfoot’s really doing something.

Turning back around to the raptor Ember, who already destroyed most of the bombs except for one, which was beeping. “Always a showoff, eh Kage?” She remarked, glancing at the activated bomb. “Ah, no time for the pleasantries, this place is going to blow!” Without a word, we dashed out as the bomb went off. The camp collapsed easily.

And then Ember ran straight into a wooden cage.

Like, look in FRONT of you, lass.

“Gah!” She yelped as she attempted to get out, but a Trike slammed it shut. Nearby, Swiftfoot was cornered against a rock by the sapien guards with spears. At first glance, I couldn’t see how they caught up to him. Then I noticed the rope bola wrapped tightly around his legs.

Why can’t ANY of my comrades take in their surroundings.

The Trike who trapped Ember turned around to face me, and I can see the Bane brand painted on the Trike’s shoulder, and the crimson leather saddle plopped on his back.

I know him well. His name is Brussel Sprout (horrendous name, even for an herbivore..) and he betrayed us for the ability to bully “low-livers” such as Dilophosaurs like myself.

“You could do MUCH better than making raptors run into in flimsy thatch cages, Brussel.” I snarled.

The Trike let out a cackle. “It’s funny watching low-livers act like fools. Oy, and why are you wearing that skull on your head? It’ll look weird on your skeleton.”

I watched the guards at the side start prodding Swiftfoot, drawing blood from him. From inside the cage behind Brussel, Ember mouthed something I made out to be ‘distract him’.

Nodding back to her, though I could do much better.

“Is that a threat, brute?” I growled. “Trikes usually ram their provokers first.”

“Stop stalling!” Brussel was easy to rile up, and he started to prepare to RAM. Then he charged towards me. I dashed to the side, narrowly avoiding the Trike’s foot. I backed up to the cage Ember was in. “You out yet, Ember?”

No response.

Brussel charged again, and I dived to the side again as the cage practically shattered. As I dived past, I extended a claw and stuck it out, putting a gash on his shoulder.

Luckily, Ember wasn’t in the cage.

I then reached to my leather belt and took out this stone dagger I found on the beach, and I dashed forward. Stabbing it into his cheek.

Then, Ember popped up on Brussel’s back, her dark fiery scales glistening in the moonlight, and started BUTCHERING it. We started attacking and dodging, rinse and repeat. We both agreed that the best way to deal with a Trike was to never attack one from the front, hit its sides, and RUN to the side if he charged.

Swiftfoot followed and at an impeccable speed DROPKICKED the Trike in the face, knocking him in a tree. In response, Brussel bashed his head into Swiftfoot, and the Gallimimus flew headfirst into a rock. The human guards dashed towards me while Ember handled Brussel.

I reached behind and took out a sharpened katana-like rib - plucked from the long-deceased skeleton of a Carnotaur from nearby the Writhing Swamps. Grasping it, I spit venom at the face of one guard, and his face melted as he screamed. Another guard thrusted his spear at my torso, and I sidestepped, deflecting the spear with my Ribblade, before slashing at his neck. He dropped to the ground. The venomed guard came at me and penetrated my skin with his spear. Wincing in pain, before clamping my jaws on his head. He also dropped to the ground. Swiftfoot appeared out of practically NOWHERE and rammed into the guy, sending him mid-air. At this point I leaped and kicked him into the rock ahead, swivelled around as I got back to my feet, and left hooked at the guard.

My claws dug into his skull, and he slumped to the ground. I wiped the blood off my left talon when Ember appeared into the corner of my peripheral view.

“Help!” She screamed out as she was lifted up by the Trike, who now had a ton of bloody scratches all over his body. “You’re so over!” The Trike sputtered out.

Famous last words.