Isla Sorna Stories: Rebirth

[C S]

Concrete and metal. That was what the two dromaeosaurs laid eyes on when they set foot into the cylinder. Aircrest's claws were raised as he walked over the black metal walkway on the right side of the canal which ran parallel to another on the left. Every ten feet or so there was a platform in between the two walkways over the canal and on top of these platforms were strange contraptions like those found in the previous building. They had claw marks and blood stains on them, remnants of fights that took place a long time ago. Foggy screens and frayed terminals were decimated by the conflicts between mutants. Sparring? Displays of power? Simple rivalry? It was all violence in the end.

The orange glow in the passage was substantially subdued. Grime covered the remaining lights -remaining because the fights that wrecked the more advanced technology on the platforms did not spare them- making the illumination soft and dim. The metal on the walkways and platforms glimmered slightly. There were doorways to the raptors' far right. The same was true for the left side of the passage, rooms with sliding doors either shut or were partially shut. Aircrest figured the ones that were accessible would have been places for pack members to stay. It was a good thing then that several mutants were now out prowling the underground jungle; or the trip through their domain would have been a lot more difficult. That was not to say it wasn't going to become difficult however.

Everything seemed to be imbued with the scent of quilled raptors. At least twenty of them lived in this hive and not even the flowing waters could keep the stench from soaking into the walls. Their stench and the stink of death that followed in their tainted trail.

[Murloc Tyrannus]

The Postosuchus was now only twitching. Although it was by far dead, the twitching continued. Paradox continued to drag his slain foe to his den. Even though this Postosuchus had devoured the Xiaosaurus that the black and yellow dinosaur had hunted himself, it had been brought to justice in Paradox's terms. When he arrived to his den, he let go of it, before biting the back of the animal, tearing out a chunk of its back hide, and throwing it into the brush. He then found the spine of the Postosuchus and started to pull it out of the hole, until it was hanging out of the back. This was a message to other Postosuchus; and other creatures that decided to be thieves to Paradox; that this is what would happen if they came close to stealing his food. The corpse was not a pretty sight: arm missing, backbones hanging out. Not a nice way to go in most creatures' opinions...

[The Kingpin]

A lot of places they could hide thought the Deinonychus uncomfortably as he walked through the structure, his nerves hair-thin and his senses honed to a razor edge, watching for even the slightest hint that they were being watched, vigilantly watching for signs they were walking into a trap...


"I'm disappointed, Crusher" hissed a voice in the trees once Crusher left the plains behind. "I'm not trying t please you, Ripper. They ruined my life, and ended those of most of my family....They have to pay for it" rumbled the Rex as an orange eye gazed up into the trees towards the source of the voice, a pair of amber eyes looking back, following in the treeline as the Rex walked, weaving between branches with a natural ease that few others could match. No scent seemed to make it through to the Rex. The Raptor must've been coated in mud or, at the very least, plant residue. Not only could he not smell him. He couldn't even see him aside from the glowing eyes, glimmering as the afternoon light reflected off them. "That is no excuse to BECOME them. How are you any better than those who wronged you if you roam aimlessly, killing and mutilating every Spinosaur you see?" hissed the Raptor venomously. "I have a reason. They didn't" growled Crusher dismissively. "You think they all attacked simply because they were jealous? Some of them were starving, others were forced into supporting Thrasher and Scimitar. Your father's power had driven several of them to the brink of death. It. Was. Inevitable" snarled Ripper, getting cut off by an eerily loud, rattling snarl as the Rex's eyes seemed to hang on the middle ground between red and gold, the red rings around his pupils hanging halfway over the irises. "Don't. Side. With them. Don't insult my father that way" warned the Rex. "Your anger blinds you, whelp. I have been watching over you since your father died, whether you knew it or not. I warned your mother and sister whenever danger came close. I kept you from harm whenever it threatened to overwhelm you. And yet now you accuse me of betrayal? Is that how far you've fallen?" hissed the Elder harshly. Crusher remained silent, his eyes finally shifting back to their golden tone...

[Giratina93]

Thoughher judgement told her otherwise, Twincrest was quietly, and as stealthily as she could, folliwng the Rex from a safe distance. Her sharp hearing picked up most of what was being said, with small chunks o fit being hard to hear over the noise... but she still fill in the gaps mentally.So the Tyrannosaur does have friends, and even better, family... Thrasher will be thrilled to know of this. Twincrest thought to herself as she continued to eavesdrop on the conversation, slowly edging closer and closer to hear more, though staying far enough away for her to turn and flee if the situation got nasty...

[Godzilla Forever]

Ba'al was impressed. The tyrannosaur had easily slain the spinosaurus that he had been fighting with. Ba'al approached the remains of the spinosaur, examining the wounds, his scarred nose nudging the bloodied corpse. But... that smell that had been pervading his nostrils still lingered in the general area. Ba'al let out a low growl, and soon headed towards the scent. While he did not know the rex who had slain this spino, he knew a spy when he smelled one.... and a spy was an intruder.

[C S]

The low light reflected off of the water, rippling on the walls eerily, making the shadows themselves dance in strange ways that made Aircrest uneasy. In time, the tunnel gradually became larger until once again, Aircrest found himself in a gigantic complex. The canal disappeared underneath the chamber's concrete flooring. Metal scaffolding created elevated levels above him and the Deinonychus; catwalks sprawling overhead for several tens of yards. On the lowest level where they were, broken and defaced machinery braced against the walls with wires and circuitry hanging out from smashed screens and dented metal. At the center of the chamber was an enormous dull gray vat with suitably large pipes leading out from it, uncannily similar to a large tree out in the jungle...except these branches were cold and unnatural. On the other side of the chamber, the man-made river was visible.

Aircrest shot his impromptu ally a look, one brow raised but he didn't say anything otherwise, not wanting his voice to travel up to any waiting ears. He walked past the huge container, sparing a few passing glances at it but nothing more. This was not the place to go exploring in. He was certain that his destination laid where the water came from...

[Murloc Tyrannus]

Shade could smell death around the area. The shadow-like dinosaur looked towards the direction of the scent, starting to slowly inch her way towards it...

Paradox snorted and decided to continue his work. He started to eat away at the chest of the dead Postosuchus, intending on finding the heart of the deceased creature...

[The Kingpin]

"Power is something many strive for, and few have enough of. Resources are scarce, and some are desperate for it. Your father, great as he was, had a very large territory, which encompassed most of the richest spots on the island. Rook, the predator that held that position before your father usurped him, had a considerably smaller territory. Back then there was enough to go around. Your father changed that by taking such a large territory once he took Rook's place" hissed Ripper calmly. "So you're telling me I should let it go? That I should let my father's death go unavenged?" questioned the Rex, his tone, surprisingly, lacking any kind of hostility, as though it were a genuine question. "Revenge will not bring him back. It will change nothing. And each fight you enter is another risk at cutting your own life short. If not immediate, then gradual, through injury. Growing a family however, now that would be more than revenge. It would be an insult to all Thrasher's attempts to erase your father's line. A statement; You survived despite the odds, and your family returned strong despite his best efforts" growled the Raptor. "I suppose you have a point....I'll consider it. In the mean time, how are my mother and sister?" rumbled the Rex, deciding to lighten the mood. "They're doing well. They've found themselves a reasonably roomy cave near the northern shores, at the foot of a cliff. It's far from the territories of most predators, with the exception of a Rex pack that had helped your mother learn how to hunt as an adolescent" responded Ripper, his tone cheerier now that Crusher had listened to what he had to say. "Relatives?" questioned the Rex brightly. "No. At least, not to our knowledge. You remember your mother's story of how she had been split from her family early. Her early years alone were peppered with acquaintences. One such meeting was with the daughter of another pair of Rexes, and they swiftly became friends" explained the Elder. "I remember. The other Rex's parents found out and almost attacked her until Styx vouched for her and got her accepted into the pack for a few years" continued Crusher, remembering the story. "Exactly. Well, now that she's found Styx, now the head of her own pack, she's been keeping close to her for protection. Your sister's taking to them fairly well, I would think, if perhaps a bit at odds with Styx's daughter" hissed Ripper. "Oh? How so?" questioned Crusher, amused. "Well, turns out when you put two hot headed Rexes in close proximity to eachother, doesn't matter who they are, they'll end up knocking heads" explained Ripper with a chuckle...

Hellfire gave a shrug to his comrade as he was shot a glance, continuing onwards as carefully as he could. His killer claws were held vertical, braced to spring at a moment's notice. Chirping sounds could be heard at random intervals; the sounds of Compies scampering through the pipes and wires. From the scaffold overhead, rusted beams hung, occasionally creaking noisily as a draft generated by the large volume of running water at the entrance of the chamber pushed against them. Amidst the thick cables on the ground in one corner, the Deinonychus noted the sheen of reptilian scales; a snake, coiled in the corner, making itself inconspicuous as it ate a Compsognathus whole, the tail and legs of the creature sticking out of its overstretched mouth. Grimy clipboards and shattered mugs could be seen by some of the machinery, and flickering lights could be seen lining the edges of the pathways through the chamber, as well as the openings to the canal. An uncomfortable lump hung in the Deinonychus's throat as he moved through the facility. He couldn't shake the feeling, no matter how small, that they were being watched. somewhere deeper into the facility, a bark rang out...

[C S]

Aircrest instantly froze, the call running along the concrete walls and bounding off of the metal to penetrate his being in full. There he remained for a few seconds before he let out a low, rumbling snarl: "Well, ****"

His thoughts coursed through his mind faster than a fleeing compy. They couldn't have been discovered; they did everything right. They were silent, their scents were covered. They stuck to the canal where their only imprints would be washed out by the running waters. There was no way they were outed...but if they weren't the reason for the vocal, what was?

"I think it's about that time, stranger," Aircrest said, looking back to the scaffolding around the vat. There he spotted rusty stairs haphazardly circling up it, meeting up with the several upper levels suspended overhead. "time to get the hell out dodge!" he growled before crouch-running up to the stairs and climbing two steps at a time. Not many raptors could pull that off. Not many raptors dedicated their lives to running through treetops and navigating the ruins, though...

[Giratina93]

Slowly edging closer while staying low to the ground and as silent as possible, Twincrest was still listening in on the conversation, and was now hearing more of it, with fewer gaps. So the rex's family was to the north, at the foot of a cliff in some cave? All too good for Twincrest to know. If she could smile, the Dilophosaurus would have done to. She stopped slowly, now a mere 20 feet. She would not dare go further than that...This was as close as she dared... and only because the foliage around her helped camuflage her... Thrasher would be thrilled to hear of this, no doubt, and she could keep her own territory as well in the swamps...

[Murloc Tyrannus]

Paradox snarled and hissed as he dug through the chest of the Postosuchus, finally reaching the heart. He pulled it out with care, before smashing the organ in his jaws, the blood squirting all over his jaws as if he had bit a water balloon. The Postosuchus was now a tortured mess of a carcass...

Shade walked closer and closer towards the scent of the creature; it was obviously a Spinosaurus... and a Rex?

[The Kingpin]

Hellfire cursed his luck as he saw the Raptor run. "Someone's not enjoying my company. My breath really that bad?" hissed the Deinonychus with a shrug as he saw the Raptor bolt up the steps, on edge until he heard how quiet the sounds of the metallic steps were under Aircrest's feet, fairly loud but not so much so that it could be heard over the roar of the water. Narrowing his eyes, the Deinonychus bolted towards the other side of the room, leaping hard, the height of the jump meaning his landing was all but silent on the second floor a few feet ahead of the Raptor, proceeding to move towards where he saw the water going, hoping he could get out and away before the Mutants caught on...


"Take me to them, Ripper. I want to meet them. I'm easily strong enough now" growled Crusher, to which Ripper shook his head. "You've made a name for yourself. Thrasher will be looking for you. You don't want your eagerness to lead him to your family" hissed the Elder. Crusher lowered his head, disappointed that he was being denied yet again. But then...Ripper had practically told him where they were. "Watch your back, Crusher. You can be sure that your enemies will" he warned, before turning his back on the Raptor, before practically disappearing into the canopy, mud-covered hide blending perfectly into the environment...

[Godzilla Forever]

A low growl rattled from behind the dilophosaur, as heavy footfalls were made audible behind the coeliophysid. Ba'al could not see the spying creature, but he could certainly smell her. He was hoping to goad her into leaving the area....

The beady eyes of Gothmog had soon focused intently onto one of the weak edmontosaurs. As the foolish creature came into striking range, Gothmog suddenly lashed out, his massive claws and gaping jaws aiming to capture his prey. The other edmontosaurs scattered, and the one that had been attacked immediately tried to flee. Gothmog's massive claws and razor sharp teeth sank into its hdie, but the edmonto struggled violently, causing his claws and teeth to slice themsleves free from the hadrosaur. The edmontosaurs managed to flee into the jungle, but Gothmog had the scent of blood. Growling, Gothmog smashed through the udnerbrush, and charged in after his quarry....

[Murloc Tyrannus]

Paradox looked down at his work. It was enough to ward away any unwanted intruders. Now he had to hunt down another meal... just great. The Abelisaurus began to sniff out another lesser creature to eat. His nose inhaled the smell of an Oviraptor, which sent him off onto the hunt... again...

[C S]

Aircrest was quick to devise a detour, coming to associate the pipes that lined the ceilings of human structures as path markers. He followed the couplings of tubes anchored overhead as he slunk across the flooring. His route roughly mirrored the canal and it took him out of the open space of the vat chamber and into the confined one of a hallway; much smaller than the tunnel he and the Deinonychus came through. They were just able to walk side by side down the corridor of concrete, flickering orange lights plunging the way ahead into darkness every few seconds. This section of the facility did not seem to fare as well as other areas...possibly a direct result of the mutant inhabitants...

[The Kingpin]

Hellfire was moving almost alongside the smaller Raptor, making use of their movement together to make attacking them more difficult. The flickering lights did nothing to ease his concern however. The structures littering the facility, the overgrowth and the flickering lighting gave potential attackers plenty of places to hide, and at their pace, they wouldn't see the attack coming until it struck. They could only hope that they would find an exit before they themselves were found...

[Murloc Tyrannus]

Paradox gazed at the lone Oviraptor from the brush; it was surprising that an Oviraptor would be all by itself, especially around a carnivore's territory. The yellow and black predator seemed to lock his eyesight on the avian creature, his beady eyes not leaving his target. Suddenly, out of the trees came Paradox, charging for the Oviraptor. The feathered dinosaur attempted to run, only to lose its footing for a brief second, which was enough for it to be caught up with, and the final pain it would ever experience was the piercing agony in its back, before it was easily broken in the Abelisaurus's jaws. Paradox could feel the thrashing stop in his very mouth, the Oviraptor going limp. He began to walk towards his den...

[C S]

Deeper into the unknown, deeper into the territory of the mutant raptors. The distant barking and hooting rolled through the corridors and passageways, reverberating many times over. The whole complex conspired to make it seem as if the mutant scourge numbered in the hundreds if sound was anything to go by.

Sound...which instantly made Aircrest stop in his tracks. There was a soft electrical buzz and fizz whenever the lights dimmed to blackness, but that wasn't what made Aircrest pause. He cocked his head, going through everything that reached his ears mentally. The creak and groan of metal. The blowing draft. The sound of running water. Raggedy breathing-

Raggedy breathing?

The green raptor glanced around. Nothing in sight. He and the Deinonychus had yet to be found. Was there a wounded mutant just up ahead...?

A low crooning noise betrayed the presence of another mutant. A female.

It did not take long for Aircrest to connect the two. He was overcome with shock and revulsion as he realized what act was taking place in the room beyond the hallway. He looked to the orange and black dromaeosaur almost pleadingly, as if he were silently begging the larger raptor to not have then proceed when he knew full well going back would put them at even greater risk...

[The Kingpin]

Hellfire's lip curled as he heard the sounds and noted the scents. Typical. They couldn't get through this place without something going wrong. Glancing to his comrade, he briefly brought clawed hand to his neck, mimicking a slashing gesture, before nodding in the direction of the sounds. They would have to be fast, and fatal. They couldn't afford mistakes...


Meanwhile, Ba'al's snarl had not gone unheard. Crusher's head snapped in the direction of the sound, his lips curling as his eyes narrowed. The sound came from downwind of him, so he hadn't been sure just what it was he heard....but he would find out...

[C S]

"So it's come to this" Aircrest thought, finding himself nodding in acknowledgement before his mental voice completed the statement. He couldn't waste time thinking about what he was about to do, only do it in the hopes of living another day. He and his temporary ally were deep in the belly of the beast and it appeared they were going to have to claw their way out it.

"It always comes to this"

Aircrest responded by pointing ahead with a clawed hand with his body held low to the ground and arrow-straight. He rushed forward with practiced deliberation. It was only a matter of time until their scents -as subdued as they were- alerted the mutants ahead. Moving in a low run with splayed claws, Aircrest intended to use his small size to the fullest by scouting out the area ahead and then moving to dispatch the mutated marauders...