Devils Bargain

Feeling independent enough to venture away from the suffocating safety of her herd, Gwenn trudged through between narrow trees and lush shrubs. She hoped she'd find sweet berries or filling fruit on her ventures. Maybe even some good old roots or bark from a particularly herbal smelling tree. She was in good spirits, feeling lucky! Craving for some juicy snacks she’d love to find a pumpkin patch or a field of melons! As hefty of a creature she was, there was a clear bounce in her step.

In a blink of an eye she snapped out of her dreams of splendid snacks. Stopping in her tracks she stood still. Gwenn saw it in the corner of her eye. A slender figure, standing taller than her, sneaking around, weaving through the foliage and slithering between the lanky trees. Alerted, she stood still, with her claws dug into the ground. Steady.

She was sure she saw a predator. A hungry one certainly! One who'd love to take a bite out of her! Oh, the styracosaurus had none of that. She might be smaller than her fully grown peers, but her horns have grown to be impressive displays and dangerous weapons- although they haven't reached their full length quite yet.

With a brave look on her face Gwenn was determined to fend off any enemy of hers. Brushing the panic away that subconsciously surged through her. She was too far away from the herd to protect her.

She swayed her head from side to side, stomped and grunted in displeased fashion. A swipe with the long horn on her snout, bucking, jumping and aiming heavy stomps to the lush ground below her only disturbed dirt, dust and a few leaves from branches that hung too low. She reared up to make it clear she was vigorous and lifely. Too much of a risk to attack. A clear attempt to intimidate and scare the lanky shape in front of her.

The obscured figure halted in its way. Surely because of the young herbivores' peculiar behaviour. From the bushes he observed the mossy green styraco as she viciously fought the air. A little clumsy in his eyes maybe but a display of fast swipes and strength nonetheless.

Raze only meant to wander, maybe gnaw on some stray bones or carcasses he might sniff out on the way. The carnivore prefers to run solo, avoiding other dinos just to be safe. He wouldn't want to fight a herbivore of that size, not with the lack of experience he brought with him. 

Still, he couldn’t help but watch the display of endurance of the wanna-be brute. To manoeuvre such mass and still go for agile turns and swipes of their horn made him admire the wild herbivore. He certainly could wait till the styraco tired herself out, and attempt to take her down slowly- but he himself was simply too leggy and slim. The rest of his body clearly didn’t catch up to the growth of his limbs yet, although he sported a crest, and the teeth and strong jaw needed to hunt.

All the while Gwenn now stood with a broad stance, breathing heavily for the end of her act. Catching her breath she scanned the foliage once again to see if she scared any away who evenso considered to jump her. To her surprise- or maybe frustration- the dark shape in the bushes was still there. This time looking directly at her and slowly approaching, allowing the scarce slivers of light to draw the predators’ silhouette. A cryolophosaurus.

Their eyes met. Neither said a word nor made a move. They couldn't guess what the other intended to do. The air was tense with the herbivore preparing to charge or thrash around once again, but her opponent made no move to seem hostile. On the contrary- The cryo merely tilted his head at her. Approaching curiously, stepping out of the shadows properly now.

With curious eyes aimed at the styraco he chimed a nonchalant “Impressive!”

Raze was met with such a dumbfounded look, he almost assumed he spoke in foreign tongue to her until Gwenn straightened her posture, head thrown back.

The unbothered nature of something she thought to be fierce and dangerous baffled her. Sure, she wasn't a hatchling no more who needed to quiver before sharp claws and teeth. Still, she didn't expect to find a carnivore so… cheerful. His grayscale colour scheme with vibrant stripped accents and piercing red eyes serve a stark contrast to the awestruck look he gave her.

Relaxing from her stiff posture, the styra blinked at him amazed. "Wh- Huh? You think that… impressive? I mean- Didn’t you plan on eating me?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare a bite! You'd trample me in a heartbeat," he cackled again, leaning to point at the ground with his snout- reminding what happened to the poor plants beneath Gwenns’ feet mere seconds ago. “I'd like my bones intact, thank you.” His feathers puff up at the thought, making him appear fluffy even.

A low, thoughtful, rumbling note escaped the straco’s throat. She felt an odd pride in confirming her skill. It might’ve been merely an act, but it calms her mind knowing it discourages carnivores from doing something stupid. Of course they better stray away from her! But to have that told to her from the very thing she tried to scare away leaves a bad taste in her mouth.

“?” Raze chirped at her. He can clearly see on the expression on her face, the light uncertainty in her stance, telling that she’d never spoken to another carnivore so freely. Mustering her with the trained innocent look on his face still he tilted his head at her, clearly amused. A strong herbivore serves as an impeccable defencive bodyguard. If it gets dire they even serve as an emergency food ration. A perfect target to buddy up to. All he’d need to do is to nurture a good relationship and then prune it into shape properly to the purpose he intends.

Bringing his arm up to scratch his cheek he moved his gaze away from her, but not before commenting: “You are really nice, you know?”

“Oh, uh-”, she didn’t expect to hear a compliment right away. “But- I didn’t say or do much of anything? I-”

“You didn’t step on me either.” He chimed in before she could stammer another word.

“...I guess?” As awkward as it felt to talk to a carnivore, sharp teeth she feared when she was just a baby, Raze was just a stranger. A little odd, but maybe nice to talk to.

Raze played by that assumption nicely as he started to chit-chat. He’d even sit down on the ground, with absolutely no intention to show hostility. It was somewhat sweet of him of how he talked about his day before running into Gwenn, how herbivores tend to be mean and that he isn’t particularly eager to start a fight. Reassuring at the very least.

Of course Gwenn wasn’t so rude as to dismiss him or ignore what he said. She wasn’t too sure what to say half the time the cryo aimed a question at her or any moment he paused to let her speak if she wanted. He seemed almost too sweet in comparison to what she knew about meat eaters. 

While the carnivore babbled on, Gwenn was never inattentive to her surroundings for a second. While the chat was certainly awkward, it wasn’t unpleasant. Raze seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her and not overwhelmingly so. Still, Gwenn felt just a twinge of uneasiness. Maybe it was something in the foliage around them, something lurking. Waiting. Be it instinct or the urge to get back home, back to the herd. Maybe it’s time to cut the adventure of hers short.

“It was nice to meet you. Really, I mean it,” Gwenn was almost as amazed as the carnivore before her by what she just said. “Buut, I’ve been gone for a while. Uh- I better get back to the herd now. Alone. They’ll go crazy if they see me with you in tow.”

When she slowly turned to head back the way she came from, she glanced at Raze for a moment just to see him remain seated on the ground, smiling at her, waving his clawed hand as farewell. Returning a reluctant smile she trudged back to her family in one piece. She didn't rush nor ran, but her legs carried her a bit more swiftly away from the cryo.

Of course this was just the first step to Raze's plan. Maybe a flawed plan, but he’s satisfied that the styraco was naive enough to turn her back on him although they just met one another. He wouldn’t dare pounce her now, but she clearly trusts him just enough already. 

Getting up from the trampled field, he made his way in the opposite direction. This will be a long game, he's aware of that. The patient are rewarded, there's no need to rush. 

“Time to play friends for a while.”