End Of A Beginning [Pt. 3]

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T'was a heavy, deathly thud that silenced the life left out in the dark. Between the skies and the ground, through the fallen, feared, and fearful; it was felt, seen, and heard like the booming cry of a volcano in a distant land. A thud so eerie, it ruptured the natural world and everything else in between. And had someone stepped into this place to seek its origin, their fears would prosper far more than they've ever dreamed. Not because of what they'd expect to find... but because of what they didn't.

An indoraptor groaned back to life, his body slumped lifelessly over the dented vehicle he landed upon. His nostrils flared; thin rivets of blood polluted his senses and spilled freely across his body from the glass shards that tore into him. The pain didn't manifest just yet, but his body told him of a weakness like no other. And the autumn air sent a chilling feeling down his spine, something that only meant trouble... and misfortune. So he didn't move much when he came to. Only his eyes did, searching the world for a sign of familiarity.

That's when he found a shape lying on the ground. A body. But he couldn't tell whose.

"Awrrr..." He groggily forced out. The indoraptor started to move; spasms of anguish shot up his body, forcing himself to submit to the car. He flickered his tail and tried again, only to squeal in anguish as a sickening sound, like splitting meat, echoed the air. Something glass and pointed had punctured him. And it wasn't going to let him go easily. He collapsed again, whining aloud. Briefly his eyes looked over; the shape had formed in his eyes, now, detailing the creature's slumped over state. Ripper let out a few clicks and growls, hoping his animalistic sounds or putrid blood would gather some form of attention.

It still wasn't moving.

Ripper tightened his jaws, letting out another whimper. He could see the shard now, its teeth (once beneath his flesh) now marked by a sinister glow that reflected his trembling eyes. One more try, came a thought as the indoraptor aligned his claws to the car hood, and began to push. The spike returned, stronger this time, but Ripper lifted on. Squelches overwhelmed his ears and tears, even after he freed himself from the dagger. Ripper couldn't stop himself from stumbling off the vehicle to the ground with a pained moan. He rested on his chest for a second, then ordered his injured legs upward to walk. Ripper's talons curled, dragging back earth and soot before interlocking with the earth as a point of reference. His other claw pushed against the weight of his body, just enough to resurface onto three claws.

It wasn't balanced by any means. Or perfect. But it worked.

He started forward, swaying every now and then. He could feel the extent of his injuries now; outside from the glass rip, the scales on the side he landed on were patterned with glass beads and bruises. Surely there was a bone out of place, it just felt like it as he wandered on. Ripper tilted his head to the flaming building on his right; Rexy was still lying there, eerily still. He couldn't tell if she was alive or not. In truth, he was too scared to check. And that only made matters worse when the blurred body ahead of him finally fused together in his dilated eyes.

Blink.

Ripper approached his side, already consumed with dread. He could smell the heavy stench of blood oozing out the Scorpios Rex's body, and he didn't need to look twice to know that the Ultimasaurus broke something ivory in his body. From the odd bend of his ribcage, to the broken fangs littered around his muzzle, all Ripper could think about was losing yet another hybrid tonight. And, as he looked over the hybrid's broken body, he feared that nightmare may come true.

Ripper shakily raised a claw and pressed against Blink's hip bone, trying to rouse him. A squeeze. A press. Even a stab to the skin; it did nothing. So he nibbled at his leg, then at his claws, finding a pressure point to revive the hybrid. Whether it be a muscle or a quill, the indoraptor tried everything. Emotions began to grow the further he walked, eventually reaching around the neck to bite upon. Still nothing.

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