[Chr24] Season of Fangs and Spikes

Juno stared at the tree in front of her that donned violent slashes in its bark, spikes thoroughly wedged in the base of the tree. “I really don’t think that this is a good idea,” She mused. “Whatever is leaving these marks could almost certainly rip us apart with one quick swipe of its claws. Lucine nothing that you’re looking for could possibly be worth us all dying.” 

“You simply don’t know how high a value this stone possesses,” Lucine muttered cryptically.

“It’s not worth our lives!” Juno retorted again, she respected Lucine for the fact she always could keep a level head in situations that posed a threat, but she just couldn’t stand her vagueness surrounding her purpose for joining them on their quests. And she certainly couldn’t stand how little she seemed to value their lives in this current moment. Aster’s vulpip - or more like her vulpip knowing Aster would get bored of it eventually ran around sniffing the tracks in the snow, every so often she would let out a yip, and Lucine would give it a nod. That’s another thing that confused Juno, the older female always seemed to know what the vulpip was saying, though none of the others ever could put their paw on how. Juno turned her gaze to Aster, whom she worried endlessly for he was her childhood friend and someone she had taken an oath to protect even if it meant giving her life for his. This journey where something clearly violent lay in wait for them had her worried for Aster, just thinking about it had her moving nearer to him.

“Night will fall soon, we need to find some sort of shelter.” Isa piped up, though she had remained mostly quiet throughout this journey.

“Isa’s right Lucine, let’s try and find a cave for the night we can continue in the morning,” Juno said, and gave a nod to Isa.

“Aww come on Juno, I’m sure we could keep going for a little while,” Aster softly protested knowing the blue buck had not only a soft spot for him but also could not refuse if it came down to it due to their positions.

“Yeah Juno come on,” Lucine threw a taunting smirk back in her direction, continuing on the path. “If I see shelter along the way you have my word that we’ll stop for the night.”

Juno grunted in reply, clearly annoyed and the night was falling faster and faster, and sooner than they knew it darkness practically surrounded them.

“We should have found shelter,” Juno stated flatly, and Isa nodded in acknowledgment.

“Ummm…guys?” Aster spoke in hardly a whisper as his gaze met a pair of glowing eyes. “I think we found what Lucine was searching for.” The male began to back away from the monster in front of them.

“Aster run!” Juno shouted, shoving him behind her as the buck who was cursed with an hilos boosted form of Stone of the Prehistoric began to rush towards them. She wasn’t about to wait to find out if this was one of the few who had mastered their form and could shift back.

All four of the bucks began to take off, their paws carrying them as fast as they possibly could.

“We need to figure out some way to hurt it or distract it!” Isadora shouted out, “Any bright ideas Lucine?! Since you’re the reason we’re in this mess!”

“Mmm yes, keep running!” Lucine called back.

Juno’s eyes darted around, if she couldn’t find something soon they were destined to be dinosaur food. Her eyes landed on a decaying tree, “Isadora, Lucine, there’s a dead tree, if we push it and time it correctly we could stop the creature! Aster keep running ahead of us!” 

She beelined for the tree, putting her massive paws on it, and was joined by two of her other companions. “One…two...THREE! NOW!” She shouted as the three simultaneously put their body weight into knocking down this tree. Perfectly timed, the oak crashed down, straight into the buck's jaws giving them the opportunity they needed to make their getaway.