The Gang of Five

Role Play => Land Before Time RPG => Topic started by: Ducky123 on May 31, 2013, 08:31:18 AM

Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on May 31, 2013, 08:31:18 AM
Something's wrong in the Great Valley: All grown-ups suddenly feel weak and depressed. Though they try to hide it from their little ones the smart Gang finds out about it. Since their illness gets worse with every day there's only one choice left: Sending the kids, who aren't infested, to the Land of Mists where weather has changed meanwhile to get the Nightflowers, who cure almost all known illnesses, for the grown-ups.
There in the Land of Mists, where it's still dangerous, they meet Ali - the little Longneck girl they got to know years ago - again. But things have changed. Ali's not the Ali they knew.
Will they find the Nightflower for the grown-ups? Will they cure their illness? And what's Ali's secret?
main plot idea by MurMur :)

Character list:

Narrator: Ducky123
Littlefoot: LoyfeCycleProtector
Cera: Kor
Petrie: The Anonymous Person
Ducky: Ducky123
Spike: Dosu2Dinner
Chomper: Sleeping-force's-Inside
Ruby: StrutEggStealer
Ali: StrutEggStealer
Old One: Dosu2Dinner
Grandma: somerandomfangirl
Grandpa: somerandomfangirl
Topsy: Mr Wonk
Tria: Ducky123
Mama Swimmer: Kor
Mama Flyer: Kor
Redclaw: The Anonymous Person
Screech: The Anonymous Person
Thud: LoyfeCycleProtector

Long, long ago, before birds, cats or dogs populated planet earth, before the first human appeared, it was the time of the dinosaurs.  Although these creatures lived in a completely different world with strange plants and the constant threat to be hit by natural disasters or to be attacked by Sharpteeth, they aren't as different from us as one would think. They ate and trunk, they fought and argued, they slept and dreamed, they loved, they played and they were ill like us.
Like in our world there were good places to live as well as such places where nothing would florish at all. But those highly suitable places like the Great Valley, home of Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, Chomper and Ruby, known as the Gang of Seven, aren't completely saved from catastrophies and the like. The Great Valley residents knew that. They always kept an eye on their children.
For the kids who were just playing Sharptooth attack - Spike being the Sharptooth - the Great Valley was a wonderful place to grow up...

EDIT: character list was due to be updated :angel
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on May 31, 2013, 08:50:45 AM
Spike was generally assigned to be the sharptooth, because...well, he didn't mind. Well, no he didn't. Minding about an assigned role in a game was a waste of time - it distracted you from the fun of the game, your friends, and most importantly...Spike smiled to himself as he found a delightful looking groundstar plant. They wouldn't mind if he stopped for a bite to eat, he decided, taking a generous mouthful and chewing cheerfully. Even if sharpteeth weren't plant-eaters...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on May 31, 2013, 02:29:43 PM
Ducky ran away from her 'little' brother Spike. She was the slowest of them so she'd be the first one to be 'eaten' by Spike. She turned her head around to find out how close Spike was. She caught Spike just as he devoured a plant.
"Spike!!!" she called him, "you are a Sharptooth and Sharpteeth do not eat plants, nope, nope, nope!"
Ducky giggled.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on May 31, 2013, 02:51:43 PM
That was completely true, but Spike had made his decision, he was going to finish before resuming play. It would give Ducky a head start, which she needed, as she was always caught first.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on May 31, 2013, 03:13:19 PM
Chomper popped his head out of his hiding bush at the sound of Ducky's voice and frowned. She was right-- Spike seemed to have put the game on pause so he could chow down on a nearby plant. Normally this would be about the least eye catching thing he could imagine Spike doing. It was almost elemental: the bright circle set to the west, water droplets cohesed, and Spike would eat any green food you put near him. But he WAS supposed to be playing as a sharptooth, wasn't he? Wasn't that the point of the game?
"Spike," he called over, an idea coming to him. "If you REALLY want to eat during the game, you should try eating like a sharptooth would. I know this stinging buzzer nest nearby that has the tastiest buzzers in the whole valley!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on May 31, 2013, 03:32:51 PM
Cera was just glad she wasn't the one to be the sharptooth.  When it was time she ran off to find a good place to hide and try to keep watch to see if she could see where Spike was, if he was getting close or not.  She did wonder how long this game would go on for before they would start another one.  Since Spike was the sharptooth she assumed it would go on for longer then if certain others were the sharptooth.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on May 31, 2013, 05:44:46 PM
Littlefoot caught Cera’s eye, and twitched a cheek into a one-sided smile.
“Hehe, I don’t think he wants to be a sharptooth that much, Chomper,” Littlefoot said, keeping a safe distance between him and Spike in case he suddenly decided to start chasing them again. It was afternoon in the Great Valley, the time where the sloppy setups for their games usually ended and the real playing started to begin.  Today’s game did seem to be going a bit slower than usual, however.
“Come on now, Spike. Lunch isn’t for another hour or soówe should try to get in as much playing as we can before then.”
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on May 31, 2013, 06:26:16 PM
"Yep, yep, yep!" Ducky chattered, nodding. "We can eat when our parents call us to go to our nests!"
With a sad expression she added, "and that will be soon, it will!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on May 31, 2013, 06:33:01 PM
Littlefoot nodded "Yeah Grandpa nearly always calls me around this time" he said glancing up to the brightly shining bright  circle "We are gonna meet up again after lunch right?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on May 31, 2013, 07:16:54 PM
(Just waiting for the right time...)

"Mmm-hmm," said Petrie with a reassuring nod. "We always do, right?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on May 31, 2013, 07:24:41 PM
"We do, yep, yep, yep! Right Spikie?" Ducky asked Spike.
"Spike?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 01, 2013, 12:39:21 AM
"Why wouldn't we, we always do." Cera said from where she was.  She did look around to try to see if she could see where Spike was, as well as wondering how much longer they had till they would have to go and eat.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: MurMur on June 01, 2013, 01:26:34 AM
Ruby was not present at the game. She didn't play it, because both she and the Gang knew that she's too quick to be catched. So she decided to wander alone.

She climbed on the top of a high hill to admire the beauty of the Great Valley. Some of the grown-ups were nearby, and she noticed that they were behaving quite strangely. They looked tired and bored, and they walked slowly as if they were carrying heavy rocks on their backs. This was something unusual, so Ruby decided to investigate and find out what's going on.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: somerandomfangirl on June 01, 2013, 02:10:07 AM
"Littlefoot! It's time to eat!" Grandpa Longneck soon called from nearby. However, both him and Grandma Longneck felt almost too exhausted to actually go over to their grandson. Something was wrong with them both; they felt tired and weak, despite them both getting a good night's sleep last night.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on June 01, 2013, 02:56:17 AM
"Coming Grandpa" Littlefoot called.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on June 01, 2013, 04:45:11 AM
Spike sighed a little. He supposed he shouldn't have eaten that much during the game, and now the rest were all going off to lunch. Well, he'd make it up to them afterwards, he hoped...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 01, 2013, 05:28:21 AM
Since Littlefoot went home for lunch and since Ducky's tummy started to talk she decided to walk to her nest before being called by her mother. She crawled to Spike and climbed on his back.
"Let's go home, Spikie! I am hungry and you seem to be hungry, too, hehehehe!" Ducky giggled.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on June 01, 2013, 05:56:00 AM
Russling could be heard as Littlefoot walked through the bushes into the area where his Grandparents were.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: somerandomfangirl on June 01, 2013, 06:21:06 AM
"Hello, dear," Grandma greeted when she saw Littlefoot, smiling weakly. She just hoped Littlefoot wouldn't notice how tired both of the old longnecks looked.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 01, 2013, 08:49:30 AM
Chomper waved his friends off, sighing a little. He really COULD go for that hive of buzzers about now... Too bad he'd need Ruby's help to reach it.
"Uh, she said she'd be at the hills, I think," he said to no one in particular, tapping a thumb against his chin. Well, hopefully she wouldn't mind putting aside whatever it was she was doing to help him go get a snack.
Turning east, he marched off in the direction of the high hills. While walking, he spotted Mr. Thicknose eating at a nearby rise bush.
"Hey Mr. Thicknose!" Chomper shouted, waving his hand. "How are you?"
The old teacher slowly lifted his head, and Chomper's smile slipped right off his face. He looked gloomier than he had ever seen him before.
"Yes, hello," Mr. Thicknose said simply in a tired voice before turning back to eating. Chomper took a small step back. It wasn't something he said, was it? Mr. Thicknose was usually one of the nicest grown ups in the valley to him-- one of the few who didn't pick on him for being a sharptooth. He was old, sure, but he was usually pretty energetic.
"Is something wrong, sir?" Chomper asked.
Mr. Thicknose kept eating, a dull haze in his eyes.
"Leave me alone, Chomper. I'm not in the mood to talk."
Chomper bit his lip a little. "Uh... S-sure, sorry if I bothered you," he said, and tried to smile as he began to walk away. What was that about? He decided this would be something to talk to Ruby about. He began to run the rest of the way towards the hills.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on June 01, 2013, 12:01:26 PM
Spike wasn't sure if Ducky had noticed anything, but as they approached their mother, they noticed an extremely heavy look in her eye, and a limp in her walk. She certainly looked as if she was suffering heavily, but Spike decided against pushing for details. He would wait for further evidence before he made a judgement.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: somerandomfangirl on June 01, 2013, 12:36:08 PM
Grandma and Grandpa Longneck were both struggling just to get up, let alone get food for their grandson. They had noticed earlier that a lot of the other adults looked ill and tired, and both were scared that something terrible was spreading. Grandpa had been refusing to talk or do much else other than stare at the ground for a long while now, and this worried his mate to no end. She had noticed that she felt very down in the dumps, too, and was more confused than anything about the strange events that had been happening. What was even more confusing was that the children didn't seem to be affected at all. Littlefoot looked perfectly fine compared to herself and Grandpa, and she had seen another group of children earlier, all of them looking perfectly well.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on June 01, 2013, 01:38:35 PM
Petrie had flew up to the nest, having also noticed that his mother could barely get up as well. Since earlier in the day, he knew something was going on with not just her, but the rest of the grown-ups. Every time Petrie tried to talk to his mother, she or one of his siblings told him to let her be.

"Hmm...there be something happening...but what?" Petrie thought to himself in wonder.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: MurMur on June 01, 2013, 01:44:50 PM
As Ruby walked through the Great Valley, she saw more and more adults who were affected by this strange illness. "I've seen many things but this is the first time I see something like that" she thought. "It's as if our beloved Mister Threehorn has banned all joy and happiness in the Valley".
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 01, 2013, 01:45:14 PM
Ducky & Spike's mother had been about to call them.  She had taken longer to gather some food for her children since she noticed she didn't feel quite well today and was moving a little slower.  She had needed to take a bit extra time since she also liked to gather a mix of food, including some water plant leaves, instead of just one type of plant thinking that a mixture was better and each of her children could get at least some of their favorites.

------------------------------------------------

Petrie's mother was also moving a bit slower, going around to gather some varous leaves and berries.  She found she had to rest far more often then she usually had to, wondering what she had, but deciding to keep it from her childeren and any other children that may see her.  

She put the stuff into the usual area then rested for a bit before she took off, this time to start calling her children to come to the nest to eat.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 01, 2013, 01:55:22 PM
Chomper managed to catch Ruby as she was walking away from the hills. She looked pensive-- not unusual for Ruby at all, but Chomper could tell it was the concerned kind of pensive.
Frowning, he ran over to his guardian and tried to get her attention.
"Ruby!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: MurMur on June 01, 2013, 02:18:25 PM
Ruby was deep in thought so she did't hear Chomper's call at first. But then she noticed him approaching her.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 01, 2013, 02:19:59 PM
Ducky and Spike ate their lunch. Ducky noticed her mother didn't eat any greenfood herself but slept in the nest. Earlier she saw Mr. Threehorn as well as some other grown-ups walking around without any aim. They walked notably slower than usual. Ducky felt that something evil, something bad was around, and she hoped she would be wrong. Now even the tastiest tree-sweet didn't taste like usual. Therefore Ducky stopped to eat since her hunger suddenly disappeared.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 01, 2013, 02:29:14 PM
As Chomper said as he ran near he saw Ruby jump slightly. She really had been deep in thought.
"Okay, so I was coming over here to see if you'd help me reach this stinging buzzer nest," Chomper began the moment he was in front of her, gesturing with his fingers to show 'coming over here', "And on the way I ran into Mr. Thicknose. He looks really, really sad. Do you know if anything happened to him?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: MurMur on June 01, 2013, 02:37:52 PM
"Chomper," said Ruby. "It seems that Mr. Thicknose isn't the only one who is really sad today".
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on June 01, 2013, 04:42:29 PM
Littlefoot frowned concered.l about his grandparenits.,
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: somerandomfangirl on June 01, 2013, 05:13:08 PM
Grandma slowly got up and brought down a large pile of treestars from the top of a nearby tree for Littlefoot to eat as Grandpa looked up for the first time since he had called his grandson over. Grandma sighed and lay down again next to her mate, and the two exchanged glances. For now, both of them tried to hide their concern about their 'illness' from Littlefoot.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on June 01, 2013, 06:27:17 PM
Littlefoot eyed hs grandparents worried he had already lost his mother.he shrugged it off for now and began to eat.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: somerandomfangirl on June 01, 2013, 06:53:14 PM
Littlefoot's grandparents gave each other a glance of relief when Littlefoot started eating, looking like he didn't have any worries. They knew he did have a tendency to run off somewhere to help someone if he knew something was wrong, and that would just worry the old longnecks even more.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on June 01, 2013, 07:32:44 PM
Littlefoot was worried but he did not let it show. He ate contently.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 01, 2013, 07:50:52 PM
"Huh? He's not?"
Chomper tilted his head slightly, and considered the troubled look on Ruby's face. "What exactly did you see up on that hill?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 02, 2013, 05:59:42 AM
Ruby sighed. "I saw the grown-ups walking around in a strange way. They walked slower and somehow aimless, and they looked tired and depressed!"
More to herself she murmured, "Whatever causes that I wish it wouldn't cause it!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 02, 2013, 10:39:58 AM
Chomped lowered his gaze to the ground. "That's... Really weird," he admitted, itching his nose with his wrist. He didn't remember hearing any sad news about the valley-- no deaths or anything-- but what was this about them all moving slower? "ALL the adults are acting like Mr. Thicknose? Why? ... Hey, wait."
Chomper looked behind him, off in the direction of where all their friends nests were. "Do you think the others' parents are acting this way too?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 02, 2013, 02:48:29 PM
"Well Chomper, the only way to find it out is to find it out. If they are acting like the grown-ups we saw - and that's more likely than not -, they will tell us about it soon!"
Ruby sighed. "Let's get us something to eat!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 02, 2013, 06:52:44 PM
Chomped got a waggle in his tail. "Good idea. I forgot how hungry I was!" A bashful smile rose on his face. and he clasped his hands behind his back. "Umm... Would it be too much trouble to ask if you could help lift me up to reach a hive of stinging buzzers?..."
Even while asking, he couldn't help but think about what Ruby had said. Not some, but apparently ALL the adults were depressed and lethargic? What was going on?
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 03, 2013, 11:25:35 AM
"Sure Chomper!" Ruby replied. "Lead the way!"
Being deep in thoughts Ruby followed Chomper.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tria woke up. She heard Cera coming. She tried to come to her feet but failed, she made it on the second attempt though. Somehow she felt so strange... tired, dizzy, weak... She wished Cera wouldn't have to say much, which is luckily quite usual...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 03, 2013, 08:06:09 PM
Cera walked back to her family's nest area.  She was a bit hungry from the playing she had been doing earlier.  She had not noticed that Tria had trouble standing up, since she was thinking of other things as she walked along.  She looked to see who else was at the nest area as she grew closer.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Mr Wonk on June 04, 2013, 05:09:26 PM
Mr Threehorn felt weak and depressed. It was very unlike him to be weak and depressed. He grumbled and tired to stand on his four legs but failed, again and again. He didn't even notice his two daughters coming towards him.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 05, 2013, 07:54:44 AM
Ruby squinted ahead. "Chomper, is this buzzer nest close? Can we see it where we can see it?" She continued to walk, and though she tried to bring the topic of thought back around to their original purpose, she couldn't help feeling a little broody herself.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 05, 2013, 09:51:46 AM
Chomped nodded. "It's not too far. It's a skipping stone's throw away from Cera's nest."
He rubbed his hands together, licking his lips. "The buzzers there are big and fuzzy and de-licious! We just have to be quiet so we don't disturb Cera's folks: Mr. Threehorn gets grumpy whenever I eat in front of him, and Tria gets kinda grossed out."
He scratched the back of his head. "Funny how Cera's gotten used to seeing me eat and they haven't. I mean, flat teeth accidentally eat buzzers all the time while they eat leaves-- you'd think they'd be less grossed out seeing someone else do it on purpose."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 05, 2013, 12:00:18 PM
Ruby smiled, glad to change the subject. "Well, maybe they don't know they're eating them because they don't know they're eating them. And that must scare them to know these things."
She looked ahead. "Anyways, I think that is a good idea, Chomper. But, I wonder..." she paused.

(My tongue just exploded :blink:)
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 05, 2013, 10:05:16 PM
Cera walked over closer to her father, noticing his attempt to get up.  "Is something wrong daddy?" She asked with concern in her voice, wondering if anything was wrong with him or not.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Mr Wonk on June 06, 2013, 07:35:27 AM
"I'M FINE!" He shouted. "Just leave me alone." Mr Threehorn was clearly embarrassed that he felt weak but he didn't notice the way he spoke to Cera and if she might take offense. He tried to get up one more time before he collapse again.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 06, 2013, 09:11:12 AM
Chomper and Ruby were in sight of the hive of stinging buzzers when they heard Mr. Threehorn shout. A spike of panic ran though him, and he instinctually ran behind Ruby for protection.
"Th-that was Cera's dad!" Chomper whispered harshly. "He doesn't s-sound like he's in a good mood..."
There was a thud immediately following in the direction where Mr. Threehorn's voice came from, and Chomoer jumped. He couldn't really help it-- Mr. Threehorn kind of terrified him whenever he lost his temper.
"Ruby?..." Chomper asked, looking in the direction of Mr. Threehorn's voice.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 06, 2013, 09:42:45 AM
Ruby was a little frightened as well. Thuds and shouts coming from Threehorn's nest? Never a good sign. She bit the edge of her beak, spreading her arms back to shield Chomper. "It is okay, Chomper because he didn't see us and that is okay," she tried to keep her voice from quivering as much.

And then a thought struck her. If all the adults they so far encountered in the Valley were acting so strangely, what about Mr. Threehorn? The idea of checking on the big dinosaur to test her theory made her knees shake, but instead, she crept closer, encouraging Chomper after her. "What if he's like everyone else? And like everyone else, he's acting different?" She whispered as they approached the nest.

(Into the lion's den....)
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 07, 2013, 12:07:18 AM
"Ok, daddy." Cera said a bit afraid if she had said anything wrong.  She felt a bit mixed.  She was afraid of him, a bit mad also that he had shown anger at a simple question.  She wasn't sure what to do so decided it may be best to leave considering his present mood.  Cera left as quickly as she could, thinking she would find food elsewhere.  Easy to do with green food all over the place.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 07, 2013, 12:53:59 AM
Chomper shakily crept up to the bush hiding Cera’s nest from view, and wound his wrist around one of the stems of the leaves. He pulled it back gentley, trying ever so hard not to rustle the bushes, and opened a space just wide enough for him and Ruby to get a look into the nest. He saw Mr. Threehorn shakily getting to his feet and Cera walking away, looking troubled.
Mr. Threehorn was actually panting, as if the mere effort of getting up was causing him physical pain. It was true: whatever Mr. Thicknose had, Mr. Threehorn had it too. Even Tria, lying on her side near a drooping tree, seemed haggard and lethargic.
“Ruby… have you ever seen this before?” Chomper asked, looking up fearfully. In his mind, he wondered about the other's parents. Were Mama flier and Mama Swimmer affected by whatever it was that got to Mr. Threehorn and Mr. Thicknose? Were Grandma and Grandpa longneck alright? He had so many questions right now.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 07, 2013, 09:43:51 AM
Ruby bit the edge of her beak again. This was worse than she thought. She looked down at Chomper's worried features. The last thing she wanted to do was cause him alarm, but if this situation was more serious than they had originally thought, alarm would be the least of their worries.
She managed a brave smile and mouthed, Let's leave. She backed away from the nest. She caught Cera out of the corner of her eye and nodded towards the yellow threehorn.
"Cera!" She called softly, not wishing to disturb Threehorn. She motioned for Chomper to follow.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 07, 2013, 11:12:54 AM
Littlefoot, Petrie, Ducky and Spike met at the location where they played earlier that day while Cera, Ruby and Chomper met close by the Threehorns' nest. Both groups were talking about the experiences they just made. And all of them were worried about what they experienced...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 07, 2013, 03:51:50 PM
"What's up with them?  Not enough sleep or something?" Cera asked as she looked around at the others.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: brittanytangle13 on June 07, 2013, 04:59:01 PM
just then someting or someone poke her head out a little,and at she sight. but then was confused on whats going on. "this must be the great vally she wispers to herself"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 07, 2013, 05:27:08 PM
Ruby shrugged at Cera's question. "Don't ask us because we don't know," she paused. "Do you know how your dad and Tria began to act this way by noticing them?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: brittanytangle13 on June 07, 2013, 05:36:18 PM
she though to herself "i think i might help she wisperd to her self as she slowly walk trowds them with no harm"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 07, 2013, 05:41:17 PM
@brittanytangle13: No offence meant, but you can't just pop in into a Role Play Game... RPG's have rules and one basic rule is that every player plays a certain character or more than one, but (s)he has to ask the leader(that would be me in this RPG) first for permission... I guess you never played a RPG so it's not bad... at the moment all characters are already taken by members here so I must tell you you can't participate in it atm...
If a character becomes free due to someone leaving the RP you may participate then... but ASK me before posting in here.. I hope that's clear enough and again no offence meant  :exactly
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: brittanytangle13 on June 07, 2013, 05:49:08 PM
i ask you already ducky123. so sorry ii did that
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 07, 2013, 05:49:28 PM
Littlefoot dolefully knocked a pebble around with his forepaw, thinking long and hard about his grandparents. It was easy to tell himself not to worry, and he was vaugley aware that they didn't want him to worry about them, but he couldn't help it. He was scared for them; they weren't exactly young, were they? It was particularly alarming that this happened so suddenly-- they had been just fine the day before, and the day before that.

After finally letting the pebble rest underneath the sole of his forepaw, he looked up at Ducky, Petrie, and Spike. All of them were looked distracted, as if they themselves had their own bark to chew on. He hesitantly licked his lips, and then said: "I came home for lunch today and... something's really wrong with my grandparents. They're having trouble even getting up."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: brittanytangle13 on June 07, 2013, 05:51:16 PM
can i join?
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: somerandomfangirl on June 07, 2013, 06:01:11 PM
(Please take a look here (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=12233). All of the characters on the list are taken at the moment but we can try and sort something out for you. All discussion of this RP will be in that thread, so hopefully we don't have any more OOC conversations in this topic.)
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: brittanytangle13 on June 07, 2013, 06:06:06 PM
how about my oc brittany the human girl?
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 08, 2013, 04:46:14 AM
Ducky looked into Littlefoots eyes. She could guess how the first friend she ever met  felt and she was sure his feelings, thoughts and concerns are the same as hers. The little Swimmer was afraid that something bad will happen to her mommy and that - whatever caused her mommy to have no hunger at all and to sleep in broad daylight - will do harm to her and probably even cause her death...
Ducky forced herself not to think about what would happen then... instead she replied, "Oh no, no, no! I hope she is alright.."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on June 08, 2013, 01:47:22 PM
Spike could easily see what was going through Ducky's head - she was always one to jump to conclusions, no matter how outlandish and extreme they were. He felt the same though - he didn't want to lose his mother either, especially since she was his mother through choice, his birth mother already being gone...
So, he nestled his head close to his 'big' sister, grunting in what he hoped was a consoling way (he had never been an expert at verbal communication) and gave her a brotherly reassuring lick.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on June 08, 2013, 05:07:50 PM
(Sorrry guys. I can take Littlefoot now)

    Littlefoot blinked back tears at the thought of losing his Grandparents he already lost his mother.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 08, 2013, 05:56:01 PM
"Thank you Spikie!" Ducky replied on Spike's lick. Normally she would've giggled but she felt more like crying than like laughing. She noticed Littlefoot's tears, Petrie looked kind of sad as well.
Although Ducky thought exactly the opposite she spoke, "Do not worry, Littlefoot! I am sure they will be alright soon, yep, yep, yep!" She tried to sound convinced in which she failed though.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on June 08, 2013, 08:03:44 PM
"Petrie not sure," said Petrie, tears beginning to fill up his eyes as well. "Me hope mama alright, too. But...what if she no get better? Then maybe, she...she..."

He couldn't finish the sentence, for he breaks down sobbing at the thought of losing his mother. At least he probably wouldn't lose his siblings, but...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on June 08, 2013, 09:38:00 PM
"We gotta do something" Littlefoot spoke up now just letting his tears fall he knew the death of a loved one all too well.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 09, 2013, 07:50:16 AM
"Yep, yep, yep! We must do something, but what?"
Seeing that her friends had tears in their eyes she allowed herself to weep a bit, too.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on June 09, 2013, 08:45:51 AM
In an attempt to find a solution to the problem, Spike immediately scoffed down some nearby plants. Food always gave him a boost...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 09, 2013, 01:29:25 PM
Cera thought before she replied.  "I don't think it's been to long.  When did you start noticing things." Cera said.  Then she got another idea.  "Maybe we should talk to the others see if they noticed anything or have ideas." She said.  She did feel better usually including everyone of the gang instead of some of them, unless there was a reason not to include them all.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: brittanytangle13 on June 09, 2013, 02:52:36 PM
unable to fell the sadness, and pain anymore.the girl felt tears for the lost,and want to help them.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on June 09, 2013, 05:13:13 PM
Littlefoot paused for a m oment "We should ask Ruby.and Chomper if they noticed aynythig"
he finally agreed looking over his shoulder to where Ruby and Chompers cave was.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 09, 2013, 05:13:46 PM
Brittanytangle13: Why have you posted again? We already tried to explain that this RP does not allow OC's(=characters which are created by certain persons who have not appeared in any of 'the Land Before Time' movies or TV episodes). Besides we do not have a free character at the moment so I have to ask you not to post in this Role Play Game anymore.

I strongly recommend you to start your own Role Play Game instead of trying to ask whether you can participate in an already existing Role Play Game because most of them are either inactive or all characters are already played by someone.
I hope I could help you

~Ducky123~
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 09, 2013, 05:42:32 PM
Chomper had suggested that they use his and Ruby’s secret caverns to speak more privately. Lonely as they were sometimes, they were about as private a place as you could find in the great valley; people rarely went near the secret caverns anymore since he had moved in there. They were too ingrained not to go anywhere near a sharptooth’s den if they could help it. And, sure, that meant less neighborly visits, but it also meant more privacy.
When they entered through the rocky threshold of the cavern, Chomper slumped over his favorite flat rock with a puzzled expression. He had asked himself question after question in his own head to try to think of something useful he could suggest.
“You know, why is it that we aren’t like the grown ups? I mean, me and Ruby don't hang around the adults all that much, but you do, and your not sick, Cera.”
This question led him to another thought, and he looked up over to Ruby and Cera to see their thoughts write out on their faces. “By the way...Are you sure no one’s ever gotten like this in the valley before, Cera? Or even something like it?”
He asked Cera this because, to his young mind, Ruby seemed to be an expert on almost everything except one subject: the Great Valley itself. That was something a long time resident like Cera was more familiar with. He himself saw diseases out int he mysterious beyond that he'd never seen in the great valley, so maybe Cera had seen something like they were seeing now, even if it wasn't exact.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 09, 2013, 09:45:55 PM
Cera thought back.  "Yea, there was that one time Littlefoot's Grandpa got sick.  He and Ali snuck away to go to the Valley of Mists then she came back for the rest of us." Cera said, leaving out the part that she had not initially left with them since she didn't like Ali at the time, but had changed her mind a short time after the other 3 had left.  

"But he was the only one who got sick, no one else did and he didn't get sick till about the time Ali's herd showed up."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 10, 2013, 09:51:20 AM
"And Cera!" Ducky added. "But where they are?"
Ducky cogitated about where they could be. Suddenly she had an idea
"Petrie! Fly around and find Cera, Chomper and Ruby, yep, yep, yep!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 10, 2013, 02:32:44 PM
(Oy sorry for being so late :p Sundays I'm on hiatus)

Ruby flinched. "The Land of Mists?" She frowned. "I know I've heard of that place before because it was told to me." She started pacing, but waved her claw, gesturing at Cera to continue.
"Cera, does this sickness look like what Littlefoot's grandpa had because it looks like it?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on June 10, 2013, 03:11:57 PM
"Me on it!" Petrie responded to Ducky, and with that, he flew off.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 10, 2013, 08:02:47 PM
"As I recall he was laying down and pretty weak before we left to go to the Land of Mists.  He wasn't awake most of the time either."  Cera said.  "He got fine once he ate the Night Flowers we brought."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 10, 2013, 10:38:43 PM
"Nightflowers?" Chomper repeated, and then gave a relived sigh. “Oh, is THAT all? Alright then!” He hammered his right hand down into his left palm. “So we just have to wait until nightfall, and we can go gather up some flowers near the thundering fallsóyou know, those really pretty yellow and purple onesóand then we hand them out to all the adults and they’ll get better!”
He gave a wide , eager smile, which slowly faded a second after as he thought about what he just said. “Wait, why do they have to eat the flowers at night? Are flowers any different at night than they are during the day?”
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 11, 2013, 04:02:32 PM
Ruby smiled sympathetically at ehr charge. "I don't think the Nightflower is in the Valley, Chomper. I certainly have never seen it because I have not." She paused. "I do not think it matters when you eat them..." she looked at Cera, waiting for a cue. "Well, you know more about this flower because you do."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on June 11, 2013, 06:30:14 PM
Meanwhile Littlefoot arrived back to where his Grandparents were worry on his face.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 11, 2013, 08:31:37 PM
"Cera shrugged.  "I've only heard it grows in the Land of Mists.  It only blooms at night.  Can't miss it since it's bright." Cera said, not sure how to describe what a night flower looked like.  "We ran into Dill and Icky, a belly dragger and mean flyer.  Though Archie seemed ok.   Then there was some creature covered in some sort of fuzz that Ducky named tickles.  He seemed ok, and the tree of them also."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 12, 2013, 12:00:56 AM
“The Land of Mists?” Chomper muttered, cupping his claws together tightly. “My dad told me that sharpteeth and flateeth have both taken turns trying to live there over the years, but no settlement has ever lasted for long… Uh… m-maybe this illness really isn’t the same thing Grandpa Longneck had,” he said cautiously. There were more than just stories about failed settlements in the Land of Mists. He remembered hearing snatches of ghost stories near sharptooth story circles about strange unseen things that lived there in the water, and a quality in the soil that did things to folks when they set foot on it. Wether those were just stories or if they had any truth to him, Chomper didn’t want to find out.
“I mean, you said that only Grandpa got sick last time, right? So it’s got to be something different,” he continued, not lifting his eyes to look at Ruby or Cera.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 12, 2013, 07:59:15 AM
Ruby caught the panicked hint in her charge's voice. She laid a comforting claw on his shoulder. "Chomper, you can calm down. No one said we were going off right away as soon as we could." She smiled encouragingly and nodded. Then turned back to Cera.
"Well, it sounds possible that the grownups could have this same sickness, but also not. I'm not sure at this point. We do not have much to go on." She looked out at the Valley, almost wistfully. "We need to see the other grownups, I think."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 12, 2013, 10:29:35 AM
Ducky walked in circles looking into the sky. She was pretty impatient though she usually wasn't impatient but patient. She waited to see Petrie coming back. The little Flyer finally appeared in the corners of Ducky's eyes.
"Petrie's back!!!" she screamed jumping around in joy. Her mood enlightened.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on June 12, 2013, 10:56:36 AM
"Me always come back for you, Ducky! Anyways, me find Cera, Chomper and Ruby," said Petrie while Ducky listened. "They talking about night flowers from the Land of Mists. 'Member?"

Ducky nodded before Petrie continued.

"They say it the same illness Littlefoot's grandfather had some time ago. 'Member that too?"

Again, she nodded.

"Maybe we go to Land of Mists again? See Ali, too?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 12, 2013, 11:29:11 AM
"Yay! I would like to meet her again, yep, yep, yep!" Ducky shouted. "Where are they, actually?"
She climbed on Spike's head so that it looked as if she'd command him.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on June 13, 2013, 01:52:14 PM
Spike wasn't so keen. He wanted to help the grown-ups sure, but what good would all their kids getting killed do them?
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 13, 2013, 11:32:09 PM
Chomper craned his neck to look up at Ruby, and gave a reservedly hopeful nod. "That sounds like a good idea, Ruby. Maybe we could ask Mr. Threehorn and Grandpa Longneck if we could hold a meeting."
Just as he finished saying this, he saw Petrie flying in the direction of their cave. Chomper tugged Ruby's arm and pointed up it at him. "There's Petrie," he said. "Littlefoot and the other must be looking for us."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 14, 2013, 12:24:21 AM
"Knowing the grown ups they would rather argue like usual." Cera said, remembering how the adults tended to argue while she & the others went ahead & did what was needed doing.

She looked up to to where Chomper was pointing.  "Maybe the rest of  us should meet & talk."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 14, 2013, 01:37:02 PM
Ruby nodded. "I agree. Maybe Littlefoot and the others will have an idea or more than one idea about what we should do." She let Chomper tug her along.
"But should we ask the grownups for the truth? They are the ones who are sick after all, so they will be able to tell us what is true ot not." She bit the edge of her beak. Finding Mr. Threehorn and asking him if he was sick didn't appeal greatly to her at the moment.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 15, 2013, 05:16:07 PM
Chomper shrugged as he walked across the slightly dry grass. "Well, they can't just tell us nothing's wrong, right? I don't think they'd lie to us about something this obvious."
He, Ruby, and Cera walked off in the direction they had seen Petrie. It took only a few minutes for them to run into the others.
"Guys!" Chomper shouted, waving them over. "Have you guys been seeing what we've been seeing?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 15, 2013, 09:23:06 PM
"Yea, I don't see why they don't just tell us what's wrong so we can go and get what they need." Cera said, a bit annoyed at how grownups did things.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 16, 2013, 01:33:46 PM
Ducky was pleased to see Chomper, Cera and Ruby. But when Chomper asked Ducky immediately felt sad and uneasy again. "Yep, Yep, Yep!" she sighed, every 'yep' sounded sadder than the one before.
"My Mommy did not eat anything and she slept while Spikie and me were eating our greenfood!" Ducky explained. "I am very very worried that something bad will happen, I am, I am!"
She looked at the ground not willing to show her friends how depressed she actually was, her eyes became wet.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 17, 2013, 04:08:43 PM
Ruby bent down to the little Swimmer and patted her shoulder comfortingly. "Now, now Ducky. Make your eyes not wet, we will figure this out soon because it looks like we will solve this mystery." She smiled encouragingly and nodded.
"I am certain!" She looked up at the Gang, then. "Well, I guess we will have to go and split up to ask the grownups with is bothering them, then."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 17, 2013, 08:08:39 PM
"& see if they will tell is anything or if we'll have to figure what we need to do and go and do it." Cera said with determination in her voice.  She knew she and the others would help the grown ups, even if the grown ups didn't want them to .
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 18, 2013, 04:36:41 AM
Littlefoot tapped his foot nervously on the ground. "Hmm... If they didn't tell us anything when we were apart for lunch, I don't see how splitting up again is going to change anything. You know... What was that thing over by the rock circle?"
He paused for a moment, and frowned as he received a bunch of blank looks from his friends.
"You know, the signaling thing? That big hollow trunk you blow in to call for emergency meetings? What if we used it to gather everyone in the valley over at the rock circle? Then we'll have the whole valley to ask." He paused again, looking between his six companions with a hopeful expression.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 18, 2013, 02:24:07 PM
Ruby nodded, approving this idea. "That sounds like it will work because it will be hard not to." She looked around. "We just need a log that is big enough, I suppose."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 19, 2013, 10:05:26 PM
“I remember seeing a hollowed log in the stream less than twenty yards from the rock circle,” Littlefoot said. “If me, Cera, and Spike go wrestle it out of the water, we can get Chomper to use one of his roars to get a loud call going. Petrie can fly up overhead to tell us if it worked.”
He turned to Ducky, who was perched in her usual spot on top of Spike’s head.  “You should probably come with us in case one of us gets pulled into the current: the stream’s not that fast, but I’d feel safer knowing you were there.”
Littlefoot paused, and then turned to Ruby. “And Ruby?... While we’re doing that, could you go gather up some traveling supplies in a banana leaf? I’m… well… not certain that our folks are going to listen to anything we say, so maybe it’d be a good idea to have everything ready for us to leave the moment this meeting is over.”
He turned his gaze to the west. The bright circle was beginning to set in the west, slowly sinking behind the great mountains that encircled all of the Great Valley. “Unless the adults can think of a better idea, it might be up to us to go find some kind of medicine.”
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 20, 2013, 12:52:21 AM
"Yea, we better have an idea what to do if they don't tell us." Cera said with determination in her voice.  "Grown ups can be so .... annoying." She said shaking her head and one of her front feet.  

"I mean, they'd rather argue then do what needs doing.  Then doing what needs doing." She said.  She calmed down a bit.  "Though I suppose we should give them a chance to tell us if they need a certain type of green food or something else." She said looking at the others present.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 20, 2013, 09:30:09 AM
Ruby nodded, pleased with her mission. "I'll be right back. I won't be too long." She started off at a swift clip, to the Tall Trees. As she worked, the Fast Runner couldn't help but worry. All this talk of the unknown was beginning to bother her, and it made her frightened to know that the young ones might be dealing with something far more dangerous than previously expected. She sighed, suddenly leery of going on a rescue mission. Who knew what would happen to them? What if... they didn't come back?
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 20, 2013, 05:21:35 PM
Ducky was generally pleased that Littlefoot had a task for her. She still was in a depressive mood though. She said, "I am coming with you, yep, yep, yep!" but she chattered her 'yep 3x' without her usual joyfullness. It sounded kind of indifferent and uncaring.
"We should hurry I suppose?" she asked.
The little Swimmer though wondered why they actually need her. The current wasn't that strong and her friends could swim after all. She didn't dare to tell it her friends and didn't felt like telling them, anyway. She was just happy that she didn't have to sit around waiting and doing nothing. Ducky hated to be useless...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 21, 2013, 10:22:16 PM
The gang led themselves over to the creek and began to follow it upstream. On the way, they saw no adults at the popular drinking banks, or any of the usual places along the stream where people tended to congregate. The only people they ran into on the way were Hyp, Nod, and Mutt seated under a Willow near a bend. None of them looked sick, but they did look deep in worried thought. They barely raised their heads as the gang passed before going back to their fretful expressions.
The rock circle was totally empty-- another oddity given how popular a resting place it was. To their pleasure, there was indeed a very large hollow log only a few meters off the bank.
As Littlefoot, Cera, and Spike waded into the stream to get it, Chomper sat next to Ducky. He noticed a certain sullenness in her posture that seemed decidedly unDuckylike.
"Are you okay, Ducky?" he asked, scooting closer to her.

Littlefoot gritted his teeth as he felt freezing water wash over his feet, watching as Petrie hovered nearby. The log was almost perpendicular to the stream, cutting a ripple into the stream as it obstructed its flow. It was easty to tell that one end of their log was buried in the stream bed. Littlefoot turned to Cera, Spike, and the fluttering Petrie and asked: "Alright... how are we going to get this thing on shore?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 22, 2013, 10:21:28 AM
"Well, I'm worried about my mommy!" Ducky answered. "I mean... what if the illness which our parents have will do harm to them?" Being close to start crying she continued, "What if they do not make it???"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on June 22, 2013, 10:37:16 AM
"Uhhh...me not so sure!" said Petrie sadly.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 22, 2013, 11:40:03 AM
As Cera walked along with the others she noticed the lack of adults at the various places they usually could be found.  

"They can't deny something is up." Cera said looking at one of the sights that usually had grown ups at.  

She looked at Ducky, feeling the same sadness but now showing it.  "We'll do what we need to do to save all of them.  Haven't we always done that.  Like the time we saved Littlefoot's Grandfather." She said to try to cheer Ducky up.  

Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 22, 2013, 11:41:51 AM
Ruby wiped her brow. Tugging banana leaves was harder work than previously thought - especially since the banana trees growing in the Valley possessed inaccessible heights of twelve feet or more.
Ruby had plucked five of the big leaves. She rounded them up and hurried to meet the Gang.
She jerked to a stop when she noticed three familiar looking faces - Hyp, Mutt, and Nod. By their downcast expressions and the way they ignored her presence, Ruby felt it appropriate to assume these three 'hardened bullies' were just as worried about this unknown illness as she and the rest of the Gang were.
This didn't do much to comfort her. She hurried on.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on June 23, 2013, 11:39:03 AM
Spike tried to offer comfort to his friends, but as a mute, there was limited things that could be done - besides, he himself was worried...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 24, 2013, 09:33:37 PM
Littlefoot nibbled his lower lip as he stared at the log for some kind of inspiration. Even with Ducky there, the current troubled him. It wasn't that he was afraid of getting swept away: it was that the stream drop-off was no more than a few feet from the log, and a push from the stream at the wrong time could cause one of them to fall into deep water.
There were times when a clever or novel solution was best. This was definitely one of those situations, but for the life of him he couldn't think of a single answer. He had no choice: they were going to have to put their feet to the fire and tackle this directly.
He took a single deep breath, and then plunged his head under the waters surface. With what little visibility the murky water afforded, Littlefoot saw the log was indeed partially buried in the silt. 'Nothing too bad,' he thought to himself, and emerged.
"Okay. Spike? You've got the strongest forearms out of the three of us, so if you could dig from the front of the log, Cera and Petrie can use a vine to pull the log forward. I'll push from behind," Littlefoot said. "If we can just get it out of the stream bed, we can just float it over to the bank. If we break it, it'll be no use to us as a signaling horn."
Ah, the thrill of leading. He felt potent--alive-- whenever he led, and that was a sensation that dimmed fear and lessened doubt...  two things he had in spades right now. An image of his grandpa being unable to get to his feet dug at him, and he forced himself to give a confident, phony smile to the gang.
"Ducky, if it looks like one of us is gonna slip, don't be afraid to shout."


Chomper vaguely heard Littlefoot's instructions, but was primarily focused on Ducky. "Oh... Umm... Well, I-it could be worse, couldn't it?" Chomper said, regretting it the very instant it left his big fat mouth. Thinking fast, he followed up with: "I-I mean, at least she's not in pain or anything. She's just too tired to move. So it could still be worse, right?"
In a vividly Cera-esque moment, he could almost here a slow sarcastic clap in his head. 'Oh wow. That was real comforting. I think I can almost here the grass screaming for hands so they can slap themselves in the forehead,' a voice in his mind intoned.
He blushed hard, turning away from Ducky with a wince. He really hoped Ruby would be back soon...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 24, 2013, 11:06:05 PM
Like a bolt of sky-fire, Ruby appeared, dragging the leaves. "I am back and I have the leaves with me!" She announced, slightly out of breath. She tilted her head, the feathers on the back of her head rising with interest. "Is there anything I can do to be of help?" She asked, watching the Gang.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 25, 2013, 11:16:25 AM
Despite Ducky appreciated Chompers fairly bad attempts to comfort her they didn't make her happier. She started to think about whether her Mommy felt pain or not. On the one hand she mainly slept through the day. The little Swimmer never felt pain in her sleep yet, even not in her scary sleepstories where she get regularly attacked by Sharpteeth and other evil creatures whose only aim was to eat Ducky.
Littlefoot interrupted her thoughts. "I will shout, Littlefoot!" she replied, indifferently. Though her friends were very important her family was more important, family was the most important thing in Ducky's life. Loosing her Mommy was even worse to her than loosing her home, her brother Spike, her Swimmer siblings or her friends. Ducky would rather be eaten by a vicious Sharptooth or thrown into a fire pit than loosing her Mommy. Without her Mommy her life would be senceless!
She continued her thoughts ... She just sat there looking at the ground, daydreaming and not noticing much of the things happening around her...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 29, 2013, 09:43:08 AM
Ruby waited on-claw, in case the Gang needed her. she trotted the length of the stream as she watched, her heart rate beat a little faster out of anticipation. And it was then she noticed Ducky, sitting rather despondently on the other side. A familiar instinct kicked up in Ruby, and she momentarily forgot about the task at hand and hurried over to her friend.
"Ducky, what is it?" She asked, concerned.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 29, 2013, 01:24:41 PM
"We can do it.  We've moved logs larger then this in the past." Cera said, with her usual arrogance.  "Maybe we could use a vine if the log is in the mud to deep or the water is to deep at that end." Cera said.  

She went over to help Littlefoot move the log, looking it over to get an idea of the best possible angle to push or bash it from.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 29, 2013, 02:42:30 PM
Ducky was so deep in thoughts that she didn't notice Ruby at first. Not until Ruby poked her.
"Oh, hi Ruby!" she mumbled. "I am afraid that something bad happens to my Mommy! I mean... what if she will not wake up again? I do not want to loose her, nope, nope, nope!" A tear streamed down her cheek. At least her friends cared for her...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on June 29, 2013, 03:43:04 PM
Ruby's first reaction was a swift embrace. After that, she wasn't sure what to do next. True, she could see Ducky was terribly worried, but wouldn't it be lying to say everything would be alright?
Then again, Ducky was small, and young. Maybe she would benefit from a reassurance such as that. Ruby bit the edge of her beak and then slowly released the little Swimmer. "Ducky..." she started slowly, softly. "Your Momma will... get well soon. We will help her get better even sooner!" She smiled widely.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 29, 2013, 04:02:43 PM
"Oh, I hope, I hope!" Ducky sobbed. She stretched her arms hugging Ruby's leg. "But what if we will not be fast enough??? I am sooo scared, I am, I am!" The little Swimmer shed more tears.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on June 29, 2013, 08:21:09 PM
Cera looks over at Ducky smiling.  "We helped Littlefoot's Grandfather to get well and he was worst off then the grown ups are now.  We helped him and we'll help all the grownups this time too, even if they don't want us to." Cera said with her usual confidence & determination in her voice.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on June 30, 2013, 01:25:10 AM
Littlefoot smiled. "Cera's right, Ducky. We'll get our folks the help they need.."
He took a deep, steady breath and places his forepaw a onto the back of the log. Being a four footer, the pads of his front two feet weren't nearly as sensitive as Ducky or Ruby's hands, but he still felt enough of the slick, slimy bark to make him shiver. His feet were firmly planted into the silt-- his tail was dangling just off the edge of the drop off into the deeper part of the stream.
"Alright," Littlefoot said, feeling a twinge of unease that from more than just the cold water. "Let's get started." He began to push.



Chomper smiled in relief as Ruby arrived. He watched as Ruby comforted Ducky, and his brow curled slightly. He quietly looked to the grass with a thoughtful look and the smallest ghost of a frown on his face. Saying nothing, looked up as soon as Littlefoot began to push on the log.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on June 30, 2013, 01:28:19 PM
Ducky wasn't really convinced of her friends' statements but at least she felt better now. She wiped the tears from her face trying to concentrate on her task.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 01, 2013, 08:30:42 PM
Ruby bent down to pat the little Swimmer's back. "I think they need my help so you will have to let go." She smiled. "But I'll be back." She trotted towards her friends, taking her place beside Littlefoot.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on July 03, 2013, 01:37:43 AM
(Guess who back? I'm gonna try and jump back in sorry)

Littlefoot's gaze drifted to the distance "I'm worried about Grandma and Grandpa" he admitted he suddenly had a thought "Wait..how come all the grown ups are sick...but we aren't?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 03, 2013, 08:42:22 AM
Ruby shrugged. "Maybe it is a sickness that only gets grownups sick, and not little ones."  She wrinkled her snout. "I don't know if I want to grow up and get sick, if this is what growing up is all about."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on July 04, 2013, 05:52:03 PM
"Hmm"was all Littlefoot said,he was lost in thought "I wonder if grown ups in other places are sick" he said after a silence.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 04, 2013, 07:29:16 PM
Ruby frowned as she thought. "That I do not know, but what I do know is that that would be unlikely." She gestured to the high Walls of the Valley. "The Great Walls can keep sharpteeth and other bad things out, while keeping us in, so maybe the sickness is only being kept in because that's where the grownups are."

(...And my tongue exploded again O_o)
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on July 04, 2013, 08:06:27 PM
"Kinda weird and scary that they all got sick at the exact same time" Littlefoot commented "Grandma and Grandpa have to be ok..' he said letting tears fall "They just have to be ok..they just have to"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 04, 2013, 10:21:06 PM
"Maybe it's because the grown ups spend time together.   It may spread that way." Cera said.  "This one talks to that one.  That one talks to another, and so on."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Nahla on July 04, 2013, 11:42:49 PM
"But how did it start?" Littlefoot wondered out loud "The adults got sick all of a sudden..normally you get sick over a few days not suddenly...or what if they have been sick for a while but we didn't notice?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 05, 2013, 07:29:44 AM
Ducky was terrified due to her friends theories, one unlikelier than another.
"I do not like this, nope, nope, nope!" she stated.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on July 05, 2013, 10:00:42 AM
"Me no like it neither!" Petrie also stated. "But me think we need to get log out of water, and fast!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 05, 2013, 02:33:16 PM
"And safe..." Ducky added. She had the anxious feeling that something will go wrong but she neither knew why nor why she even thought about it. "I must think very negative these days..." she thought.
She sat on a rock spectating every step of her friends.
"Hopefully they will make it, yep, yep, yep!" she quietly mumbled to herself.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 05, 2013, 02:50:48 PM
Chomper didn't turn his head to Ducky, but he watched her out of the corner of his eye. What was going on? Even in the darkest of times, he rarely saw Ducky in this kind of mood...
Chomper's eyes widened slightly, and he turned his entire head to get a more detailed look at Ducky.
There some splashing in the direction of the stream, and he decided to turn his attention there.
'I'm... I'm just being paranoid...' He thought to himself.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 05, 2013, 08:27:36 PM
Ruby cleared her throat. "My friends!" She said aloud. "Talking about what will happen won't help us right now, with what IS happening! We must get this log out of the water!" She heaved against it. "Come on!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 05, 2013, 10:16:38 PM
"Yea, get this log out first and where we need it to be, then we can talk all we want." Cera said, before she went back to trying to help push the log out and move it with the others, using her frill and head like usual to move large objects.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 07, 2013, 04:17:39 PM
Littlefoot leaned forward, feeling his body weight shifting into the sodden log. All around him, he heard the concerted straining grunts of his friends as they all pulled, pushed, and dug at the log to try to pry it loose. He could feel some wiggle in the log, for sure, but no real budge.
'This silt's holding out pretty well,' he thought to himself, wiggling his toes over the gooey slime. 'Maybe if I just...'
He reared back a little onto his hind legs, and then brought his front legs crashing down onto the log. There was a satisfying forward lurch as Littlefoot felt his momentum uproot the log and carry on forward.
A victorious smile lit up his face as he reared his forelegs back up again.

Then the silted cliff he was standing on broke.

There was no warning, no delay, no instant where he realized what was happening and no sensation other than a stomach-churning drop. He just plunged in--soundlessly--like a heavy rock. The world of air and light turned into freezing water so laden with silt that it blocked out the light of the setting bright circle. As every muscle in his body clenched defensively, there was just enough time for him to consciously realize that he had fallen into the river before the sensation of water rushing down his throat caused it to lock up.
Animalistic semi-consciousness kicked in. He thrashed wildly and without thought. There was no light; no indication of which way the surface was. He couldn't think. He couldn't see or hear anything. All he felt was a black, screaming fear as he quickly started drowning.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 08, 2013, 12:01:28 PM
"Littlefoot!" Ruby cried, watching her friend plummet. "Oh no! we must help him!" She hurried down alongside the river, trying to follow her friend, but the water was dark, and deep. Her heart beat faster. She couldn't see him!
"Ducky! Littlefoot needs your help to be saved!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 08, 2013, 02:18:24 PM
"Yes, but I am too little and too weak to keep him over water surface!" Ducky panicky shouted. Despite she jumped right into the water ignoring its unpleasant coolness swimming towards the point where she thought Littlefoot submerged.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 08, 2013, 02:54:52 PM
"We've got to do something." Cera said, not sure what she could do.  She looked around to see if there was anything she could knock into the water to get to Littlefoot.  She want to a tree that looked small enough for her to knock down and tried to knock it down into the water for Littlefoot & Ducky to perhaps reach or hold onto.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 08, 2013, 08:37:28 PM
Chomper's feeling of happiness as he saw the log float to the surface was replaced with a feeling not unlike getting kicked in the stomach. He leapt so suddenly to his feet than he very nearly tripped over his own toe claws.
"LITTLEFOOT!" He immediately began to run towards the waters edge along side Ducky, but before he could even get half way, he skidded to a halt.
'Oh, what am I doing? I'm a horrible swimmer!'
Gritting his teeth and near tears with frustration, even in his fear he remembered with no small degree of guilt how Littlefoot hadn't hesitated to jump into deep water to save him from drowning.
Whipping his head around wildly for some way-- ANY way-- he could help his friend, he spotted Cera trying to wrestle a small tree over towards the river bank. Chomper pivoted on his heel and ran over to help her.
'This is the second time today I couldn't help someone...'
He pushed this thought away. Helping Littlefoot how ever he could was all that mattered right now.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 09, 2013, 10:29:13 AM
Ruby hurried over to aid Cera and Chomper, she noticed how quiet hee charge had suddenly become and was about to ask what the matter was, but decided to focus on the here and now. Chomper would still be here at the end of the day, but if they did not hurry, Littlefoot might not be.

She grabbed ahold of the small tree and yanked. "Cera! I will need help! Chomper, you too!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 11, 2013, 12:03:21 AM
While he didn't know it (and under the circumstances, probably wouldn't have cared even if he did), Littlefoot's body was undergoing a series of steps to lock itself away from the water, pressure, and lack of oxygen. At the base of where his neck met his head, there were seven small valves aligned with his carotid artery and his jugular vein that was normally used for a process called jugular venous pooling. It was a necessary adaptation for all Longnecks to prevent their large hearts and high blood pressure from damaging their brain tissue whenever their neck was twisted in a manner it wasn't meant to, and it did this by providing a pocket of still, oxygenated blood they could draw on while simultaneously shutting off direct blood flow inwards from the heart; Littlefoot often recognized it's effect by the sudden sensation of lightheadedness and an immense feeling of dread whenever his neck twisted the wrong way while playing a game.
A related process was happening now to Littlefoot to give the opposite effect: directing more blood to his brain at the expense of denying it to other parts of his body.
As he thrashed, he felt his toes begin to tingle numbly. Black spots lingered in front of his eyes. His skin felt strangely warm.
'Stay awake, stay awake, come on, STAY AWAKE!' his mind screamed. Not being able to breath was agonizing, but not nearly as agonizing as the horrible fear that spread through him as his thrashing a failed to improve his situation.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 11, 2013, 07:56:55 AM
Ducky paddled as fast as she could. She wondered why Littlefoot didn't break through the water surface with his own strenght. Suddenly there was a voice in her head saying, "Maybe he is hurt, injured, unconscious!" She realised it was her voice.
Since the little Swimmer girl couldn't see Littlefoot in the wild water she ducked to search for Littlefoot unter water. She saw him. With fast swimming strokes she quickly reached him. She grabbed his head trying to pull him over the surface but she was too weak. Ducky knew Littlefoot wasn't unconscious yet but he would be soon if she doesn't pull him over the surface quick. She tried again, failed.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 11, 2013, 11:01:51 AM
Cera continued to use her forehead & horn to try to push the small tree so it could, hopefully, get it to the water and perhaps help Littlefoot & Ducky.  

"We just have to ... work together & get it into the water."  Cera said as she continued to try to push or uproot it.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 11, 2013, 08:47:29 PM
Ruby, as frightened as she was, threw her full weight into the tree. "BREAK, tree! Because we NEED you to!" She ordered, words punctuated every time she shoved.
"Cera," she panted. "We need one more to help, otherwise, we will not break this," her voice quavered as she watched Littlefoot and Ducky.

(@Loyfe: that was a really neat post above, very informative. I wouldn't have guessed that about longneck's internal functions :))
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on July 12, 2013, 04:00:45 AM
Spike immediately came forward to help, throwing his weight against the tree. He didn't know whether it was luck or not that the leaves on this tree smelt wonderful - he was drooling even as he pushed. But he couldn't be distracted - he too could see that Littlefoot was struggling more than he normally would in deep water - what was immediately important now was that he was rescued.
Finally, after a mammoth effort from him, Chomper, Cera and Ruby, they finally heard the satisfying sound of the bark of the trunk giving way.

(Sorry I've dropped back in so late.  :( )
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 12, 2013, 10:58:24 AM
"Yes! We have done it!" Ruby cheered as the support broke. The tree was going to save their friend, she was sure of it!
"Ducky!" She cupped her claws around her beak as she called. "DUCKY! You are saved! We have helped and you will be saved!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on July 12, 2013, 11:38:05 AM
In an attempt to ensure this, Spike himself surged forward, desperate to rescue Ducky himself, but his friends held him back.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 12, 2013, 01:21:26 PM
"Ducky, use the tree." Cera called out to her, hoping she could see the tree and hear them.

"We have to wait here Spike, none of us are as good swimmers as Ducky is.  Though once they are near to shore we can help them then." Cera said, thinking they may need to do like they had before where each held onto other to keep them from going away in the water, if the water was to fast moving for them to go singly into it to.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 12, 2013, 01:49:44 PM
Adrenaline shot through Ducky's body as she saw the tree in the water. It needed her three swimming strokes to reach the tree, she grabbed it and paddled towards Littlefoot again. The little Swimmer wasn't confident whether Littlefoot would be able to grab the tree with his own strenght so she shouted, "Littlefoot!! Grab the tree!"
The others supported Ducky calling Littlefoot, too.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 12, 2013, 03:08:27 PM
Through the dark silt and the fading black film over his eyes, he heard muffled voices. There were several parts of the brain involved in creating the effect of 'consciousness', and some were already beginning to shut down.
'That's... My name,' he thought incoherently.
'The gang's... calling...'
Everything was moving so slowly to him. The pain was getting slower too. So was the heat in his lungs.
He wearily raised his forepaw in the water, and swung it in the direction of the voices.
He moved forward a little.
'Come on, again.'
He swung his other forepaw. And inched a little closer. It was only by the particles of silt whizzing away out of the periphery of his vision that he knew he was moving forward. His skin was so cold that he couldn't feel the movement of the water.
'It's no use. I'm not gonna make it to the surface in time,' he thought with strange calm.
Another part of him, sounding proud and stern and slightly sad said to him 'No. You won't. But at least get as close as you can. It might make going a bit more peaceful if you can hear their voices a little more clearly. Now, do it again.'
He stroked again and again, each time feeling his strokes get weaker.
Then, after one stroke, something sharp rammed into his nose. It took him a moment to grasp what it was.
As his conciousness began to fade, the voice spoke to him one last time; in his dimming mind, it was barely a whisper.
'Bite it.'
He obeyed, and the moment Littlefoot's teeth fastened around the end of the tree, he lost conciousness.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 12, 2013, 04:11:04 PM
"Yes! he has it!" Ruby cheered again. She rushed down to the edge of the stream. "Ducky! You will need help getting him out of the water, because you cannot do it yourself!" She observed.
Biting the edge of her beak and without a backwards glance, she leaped into the water. Her claw lodged into the woody bridge as she swung herself into the stream. The shock of the cold water almost took her breath away. Feathers plastered down to her scaly hide and teeth chattering, she grabbed hold of Littlefoot's forepaw, noting with some panic that he didn't respond.
"Oh no. LITTLEFOOT!" She wailed.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 12, 2013, 09:23:26 PM
"Come on." Cera said as she want after Ruby towards where Littlefoot was.

Cera went into the water, taking a deep sudden breath as she walked into the cold water and the coldness hit her.  She grasp Littlefoot in her mouth, the part of his body that was the closest, one of his legs she thought but not sure which one.  She held her breath, bringing her head to the surface to breath as soon as she could.  She did her best to dig her teeth into the stream bottom and started to try to move backwards and help Ruby, and any others, drag Littlefoot to the stream bank.  She had to remain in the shallower areas since she was shorter then Ruby.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 13, 2013, 10:33:24 PM
The instant Chomper saw Littlefoot's head breach the surface, he jumped into the stream to help bring him to shore. Every inch of his small body was shivering before he even hit the water, and once he waded close enoguh he grabbed onto Littlefoot’s paw and pulled with all his might.
Throughout everything that happened, Chomper never did truly entertain the thought that Littlefoot might actually be dead. If he had told his friends this, they would have called him naÔve for not recognizing how serious the situation was. And they would have been half right. It was because of naivety that Chomper wouldn’t have recognized the possibility of Littlefoot dying until it was impossible to deny, but it wasn’t because he believed Littlefoot was incapable of dying. He simply found the thought so unbearable, so world-endingly awful that he refused to consider it. If Ruby was like his big sister, Littlefoot was like his big brother. Big brothers didn’t dieóthey couldn’t die. They’d leave too much behind.
But even if he wasn’t truly admitting to himself that Littlefoot might be beyond their help, he was more than willing to admit that he was in serious trouble. The fear of seeing his oldest friend cold and unmoving was something no amount of naivety could prevent.
“What do we do?” Chomper hitched between erratic breaths, squeezing Littlefoot’s paw tightly and looking between his friends for some kind of answer. "Please! What do we do!?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on July 15, 2013, 06:00:08 AM
Spike clamped his mouth around Littlefoot's other paw in an attempt to join the struggle to pull him onto the bank. He had no idea whether or not Littlefoot was beyond their help, but he knew that if they could at least get him onto dry land. After a struggle of pulling from him and Chomper and pushing from the others, Littlefoot's form flopped onto the bank.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 15, 2013, 11:58:51 AM
Ducky swam back to the land shaking the cold water off her. She was freezing but what really dropped her mood was that Littlefoot - the first friend she ever met - lied on the ground not moving at all.
'He looks pretty dead, oh no no no' she thought fearing what she just had thought.
The Gang checked if he's breathing but he wasn't.
"Oh no! This can not be happening now!" Ducky cried her voice sounding that sad that it would make most fully grown dinosaurs cry as well. "Is he going to die? Is he?"
The little Swimmer tried to hold her tears back since her hope that there is a chance of saving her friend's life wasn't broken.. yet.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 15, 2013, 02:01:18 PM
Ruby slambered onto the bank, shivering. She shook herself in an effort to clear most of the moisture from her back and feathers, and the she stepped over, strabegly calm. Any other time, she would have been her usual fretting self over something like this, but it was the look of horror and despair she gained from the other dinosaurs that made her rethink her reaction.
"Stand back to give him room," she directed, softly. She knelt and gently pushed her index up under the longneck's chin, into a hollow area that her parents taught her would reveal the creature's heartbeat.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 15, 2013, 05:18:03 PM
"Maybe one us need to jump on him to get the water out of him.  He may have breathed in some water instead of air and needs to get it out." Cera said, not knowing about lungs and such.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on July 15, 2013, 10:01:39 PM
Throughout the course of the events, Petrie had attempted to help Littlefoot, but to no avail. This may Petrie very sad and worried. He didn't want to lose one of his best friends, but he especially didn't want to lose the friend that he looked up to the most. He had to do something successful, but what?

Suddenly, an idea struck to him. He gasped. "Maybe...maybe me can jump on Littlefoot! Petrie not as strong as everyone else, but maybe, just maybe...me can do it! ...But Petrie may need Ducky's help for this! Ducky, what you say?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 16, 2013, 10:05:16 AM
Petrie's idea shook Ducky's worries away. Seeing new hope she enthusiastically replied, " I say yes, yep, yep, yep!" She completely forgot the seriousness of the situation.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 16, 2013, 03:03:06 PM
Ruby nodded. "That may work because it will get rid of the water."
She paused. "You may need to stand on top of his ribs to do this; where he breathes."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on July 17, 2013, 06:04:20 AM
(Let's hope I can keep Chomper like he was introduced here :angel )

Chomper looked up at the suggestion. "You really think it'll help?" He pleaded with Ruby, looking from her to Littlefoot and back again.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 17, 2013, 10:17:24 AM
"We have to get the water out of him somehow.  Spike, Ruby and I are to large to jump on him, we'd likely do as much damage as the water we get out or more then we get out." Cera said.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 17, 2013, 12:53:32 PM
Ruby considered this as calmly as anyone who's friend's life was on the line. She looked from Cera to Spike and she winced. "I don't know if that is a good idea - because you two are bigger than most of us." She looked at Chomper then and her gaze became interested. "Chomper, could you do it? You are lighter than Cera and Spike, but you are heavier than Ducky or Petrie."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 17, 2013, 01:25:48 PM
"I think you should do this Chomper, yep, yep, yep! Petrie and I are too light I believe!" Ducky reasoned. She felt a bit uneasy about jumping on Littlefoot, anyway.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on July 17, 2013, 01:28:25 PM
"Yeah! Even with Ducky, we too small!" said Petrie. "But Chomper just the right size!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on July 17, 2013, 03:29:50 PM
"I... I can try..." He murmured, looking from them at Littlefoot. He took a deep breath and carefully climbed onto the Longneck, doing his very best to keep his claws from accidentaly poking him.

He started to bounce on his feet, the tips of his toes not losing contact with the brown form underneath him.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 17, 2013, 06:11:00 PM
...

...

... ... Ali?... Is that you?...

Ali smiled warmly at him-- a smile too distinct to be anyone but Ali's-- and said nothing.
He found that he was laying belly down on wet, mucky grass that smelled strongly of duckweed and limestone. Even without looking around, and without inferring, he knew exactly where he was.
He shakily got to his feet, eyes on Ali.
...Is this the great beyond?...
Ali didn't answer, and he frowned. There was something about the way Ali looked-- something in the glint of her eyes-- that made him feel uneasy. As he opened his mouth to ask her why and how he was here, she abruptly turned her back and began to walk away from him.
Littlefoot blinked.
H-hey! Ali?...
He ran up to follow her, wincing as he heard something caw loudly in the cyprus trees overhead. A sudden vivid image of Ichy passed before his eyes, and then faded. She walked over a thin isthmus of peppery grey sand flanked by two dank looking ponds.
Ali, I don't know what's going on, Littlefoot said, But I need your help. My family and all the adults in the great valley are sick. I-I know there's only so much that grows here, but please. We need more night-
Something lunged out of the pond to their right with the speed and force of a charging threehorn. It had launched itself so hard that it was briefly airborne, and in a fraction of a moment he registered something large and black with glistening skin and a colossal head. He had just enough time to see a beady pair of cold, alien eyes before the creature latched it's massive jaws around Ali and dragged her into the opposite pond with a splash.
ALI!!
Littlefoot charged at the pond, not knowing what the thing he just saw was or what he could possibly do to it, but before he reached the part of the isthmus where Ali disappeared, both ponds began to dry up before his very eyes.
He opened his mouth to shout, and suddenly felt cold water pouring out of his mouth. He gagged, clutching at his throat with his forepaw.
As the last droplets of water drained away in the ponds, day turned to night around him. He heard the caw from again, this time so loudly it made his ears ring. He looked up a bright swollen moon that seemed disturbingly large.
A-Ali! he choked, sputtering more water. Something very large was flying high above the air, casting a silhouette against the great glaring night circle. He looked around for somewhere to hide, and saw that the pond beds were full of night flowers
They wilted before his eyes.
... Littlefoot...
A sudden sharp pain filled his chest, and water rushed out of his mouth and nose in an awful gush.
The silhouette in front of the moon was getting bigger-- closer--
Littlefoot.
Littlefoot scrambled down into the pond bank, snatching at the dying night flowers. They felt like frigid hardwater. Another sharp pain filled his chest as heard the sound of giant wing ears behind him, and a loud, air-rending caw.

"LITTLEFOOT!"

Littlefoot's eyes shot open just in time to see water rushing out of his mouth and into the dry Great Valley grass, and gasped a deep clean gulp of air that burned his throat and lungs.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on July 18, 2013, 01:46:39 PM
Wenn Littlefoot coughed Chomper immediately jumped off, making way for his friend as he coughed some more.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 18, 2013, 02:18:09 PM
"WE DID IT! YOU DID IT, CHOMPER!!!" Ducky screamed enthusiastically jumping around clapping her hands.
She hugged the one of them closest to her who - to his misfortune - was Petrie getting choked by the little Swimmer girl.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 18, 2013, 03:48:53 PM
Ruby was pleased the idea had worked, so much that under any other circumstances she would have hugged Littlefoot, but while the longneck was recovering and sucking much-needed air into his body. she left off, allowing herself a gentle pat instead on Littlefoot's head. "Hello Littlefoot, Littlefoot hello. How do you feel?"

(Rather hard for her to stay traumatized :3)
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 18, 2013, 07:24:17 PM
Shivering, Littlefoot instinctively flinched away when he felt something touch his head. Then he realized someone was patting him. He looked up. Ruby, looking tired but relived, was smiling down at him.
He opened his mouth to speak, but ended up spitting out another blast of water. He hacked and sputtered and shivered, but he welcomed all the unpleasantness and all the grossness of having to expel water. He was alive. He was actually alive.
"Wet," he coughed to Ruby.
He tilted his head to left and saw as Ducky clutched a surprised looking Petrie in her arms, and then over to a smiling Spike and Cera. They, in turn, nodded their heads in Chomper's direction.
Smiling, Littlefoot lifted his head and did something he didn't often do for his friends: he gave Chomper a light nuzzle.
"You saved my life, buddy," he said, trying not to cough water all over him. "Thank you. Thank you all. I know everyone must have helped me out... I'm really lucky to have friends who can save me whenever I go and do something so stupid."
He leaned back and gave another cough, but this time, no water came out. His lungs felt raw, and red, but finally empty of water.
The sun was setting precisely between the col of the faraway smoky mountains with spectacular red and orange. 'Glad I'm still here to see it,' he thought to himself, and looked at his friends in the smile as they were colored by the fading orange light.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 18, 2013, 09:54:53 PM
Ruby nodded as she stood up. "Yes, you are wet, Littlefoot. Very wet." She glanced around at her friends. "My friends, I think we should take a break. Littlefoot is not dry yet, and he will need to be dry before he is wet again."

She looked at the bedraggled longneck and she face softened. "Do you agree, Littlefoot?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 18, 2013, 10:12:42 PM
"Yea, you need to lay down and rest for a while." Cera said.  "You don't wanna be running around to soon."  She said, glad Littlefood was awake and had made and not wanting him to strain himself to much.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 20, 2013, 01:59:51 PM
Chomper blushed slightly as his friend nuzzled him, embarrassed. "I'm just glad you're alright," he said. "I didn't think getting everyone to come to the rock circle would be so difficult..."
His brow furrowed slightly and he looked around.
"Uh... Where's the log?..."
Littlefoot's smile ratched down. He looked from Cera, to Ruby, to Spike, to Ducky and Petrie, and back to Cera again, his smile slipping each time.
"... Did one of you grab it while I fell in?..."
His ratched down smile slipped down into a horrified frown. He whirled his head around to try to spot where the log was, but to no avail. The current had taken it away.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 20, 2013, 03:55:23 PM
Ruby saw her friend's distress and stepped over, comforting him. "Its is okay, Littlefoot, we will look for and find another log. Of this I am sure," she nodded, assuring herself and hoping she did the same for Littlefoot.
Inwardly though, she wondered. How and where were they to get another log like that?
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on July 21, 2013, 02:43:58 AM
Spike seemed to guess what she was thinking and began to gesture towards other surrounding trees. Some of them seemed too fragile and flimsy to the job correctly though...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 21, 2013, 01:16:19 PM
(Narrator :p)

While the Gang tried to find another suitable log, the grown-ups who heard the Gang screaming quickly - in terms of their general slowness though - walked towards them, towards the Rock Circle...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on July 21, 2013, 02:01:18 PM
"I don't think we need to look for trees anymore." Chomper pointed into the distance where some of the Grown-ups were appearing already. "I guess they heard us scream." He blinked a few times when noticing just how slow they seemed to be.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 21, 2013, 04:08:40 PM
"Yeah, we can rest here and talk to them.  I'm sure at least some of them will head here." Cera said.  "Likely grumpy."

------

Mama Swimmer & flyer having heard their kids started to head in the direction where they heard the sounds of their kids coming from.  Mama flyer flew, using the thermals to glide as much as she could, and tire herself as little as possible.  Mama swimmer walked at a fairly even, slow, pace, wanting to get there but knowing tiring herself out before she could get there would not do any good.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 22, 2013, 03:15:25 PM
Ruby swallowed upon catching sight of the grown-ups. They moved so slowly, and they looked so weak! She was fired with a sudden zeal to get to the bottom of this illness as soon as possible! She moved beside Chomper and waited.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 22, 2013, 05:22:45 PM
As Ducky saw her mommy walking almost zombie-like she remembered the thoughts she had earlier that day. She felt sadness again and worries floaded her head.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 22, 2013, 05:34:00 PM
Panting, Littlefoot carefully drew himself to his feet. He did so with all the slow deliberation of a man walking on thin ice, his eyes squinted in fear that something was going to break. But to his relief, aside from the same raw, slightly burning feeling in his lungs, he didn't feel any differently than normal. He saw his grandparents fairly easily out of the crowd, and in that moment, Littlefoot saw they looked exactly like he had a moment ago. They moved slowly, deliberately, and with the same expression that was if they were afraid something in them would break if strained too hard.
Littlefoot tightens his lips, but quickly reaffirmed his stance with a glance at his friends'd worried looks.
"If they were able to make it this far on their own, I don't think they're in any serious danger yet," he said a loud, in some part to his friends, mostly to himself.
"Uh... Let's not mention what just happened to the adults. I don't think they'll be too keen to let us go find medicine if they knew."
The bright circle was now in the final phase of setting, and their parents were throwing shadows against the ground that were longer than they were as they got closer and closer.
A sliver of the night circle was rising behind him. Littlefoot didn't look. He was too afraid he'd see some giant winged thing flying underneath it.
"You have the supplies?" Littlefoot whispered to Ruby, and realized with some stab of self accusation that he still didn't trust the adults to make the right choice when they got here.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on July 23, 2013, 08:31:09 AM
Chomper scooted just a bit closer to Ruby, suddenly wondering if this sickness had also appeared in the Mysterious Beyond. What if his parents or Ruby's had gotten it too? They'd never find out on time!
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 23, 2013, 04:43:36 PM
Ruby heard Littlefoot's request and she slowly nodded. "Well, more or less. Less probably is more right." She replied, grimly. "I do not know how long this will take, but if we are to help the grownups, we must leave for this Night Flower soon."
She glanced down at Chomper, noticing the worry in his face,a nd she smiled, comfortingly, moving to clutch his little claw in her own. "It will be all right, Chomper. You will see it is so."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on July 24, 2013, 03:33:50 AM
Spike was getting impatient - the way he saw it, the grown-ups were ill, and so it was vital they get moving as soon as possible. On the other hand, Littlefoot had just almost died...if it were that dangerous, what should be done? In an attempt to calm himself down, he began to eat a nearby clump of grass.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 24, 2013, 10:32:31 PM
"Looks like we can tell'em we're going to help them whether they want us to or not." Cera said, with a determined look on her face.  "We just have to wait till they are all here, then we can tell'em and set out." Cera said.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 25, 2013, 10:00:45 AM
Ruby was worried. "Do you think they will let us? Because, all those times before, they did not want us going by ourselves."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on July 25, 2013, 10:14:47 AM
Chomper looked from the grown-ups to his friends. "Did we ever bother with what they wanted?" He wondered, remembering all those previous times where they had gone out after all.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 25, 2013, 11:41:04 AM
"Yep, yep, yep!" Ducky agreed. "We have to go out to the Mysterious Beyond to bring them the beautiful Night Flower because I do not want to watch my mommy getting weaker and weaker, oh no!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on July 25, 2013, 11:47:47 AM
Spike grunted and nodded in agreement, and licked Ducky in reassurance, forgetting his tongue was still covered in grass.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 25, 2013, 05:16:59 PM
"SPIKE!!!" Ducky screamed. "You are unmannerly, you are!"
Slighly pissed off she walked away from her little brother plopping to the ground beside Petrie.
"He always teases me and I do not like this, no, no, no!" she said to Petrie.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on July 25, 2013, 05:36:53 PM
"Yeah!" said Petrie. "Me no like it neither, especially when he not swallow food yet!" He was going to add, "He too much of a glutton!", but he kept his beak shut about it.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 25, 2013, 06:08:02 PM
"Guy's, cool it" rolled towards the tip of Littlefoot's tongue so fast that he only barely stopped himself from saying it. Instead he sat, watching as the adults grew closer and closer and closer. It was miserable watching them move so slowly and so weakly.
'Alright,' he thought to himself, eyeing the others. 'We've done this a dozen times. Downplay the danger, tell them it will only be a few days, there's no other way, we've been there before, we'll be extra careful-- the usual stuff.'
And Ali. Ali will be there... right? Or will she be
(eaten)
off with her herd somewhere else?
He hesitantly opened his mouth to ask if anybody had any strange dreams, but couldn't. Not now-- not so near the adults. Maybe he could ask that when he was alone with his friends... but that would mean telling him his dream, too. He clasped his mouth shut, turned to his friends, and gave the advice to his friends he had given a dozen times before:
"Remember-- we're a team. Team's look stronger when we're united. Let's try to look together when we tell the adults. Okay?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 25, 2013, 10:55:11 PM
"Yea," Cera said, determination on her face, "Remember, we tell them we're going to help them whether they like it or not."  Cera said nodding her head as she got into a determination stance as well.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on July 26, 2013, 03:47:51 AM
"And they won't let us, most likely..." Chomper murmured. Finally he couldn't stop himself any longer. "You guys think this sickness is with all the grown-ups? Even those outside the Valley?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 26, 2013, 04:02:13 PM
Ruby shook her head. "I think this sickness is being kept in, while keeping other sicknesses out. But I could be mistaken, that we are not the only ones who are sick."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 26, 2013, 05:38:23 PM
Mama swimmer walked to where she could see the kids, but not walking all the way over to where they were since they looked mainly ok and she did feel very tired.  "Are you kids ok?" She asked, tired but attempting to not show it as much as she could.  "We heard some screaming and thought the worst." She said.  

Mama flyer walked up a bit to stand beside where she was.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 28, 2013, 03:09:31 PM
Ruby nodded first. "Yes, we are fine. We were..." she paused. "Well, looking for something, and..." oh dear, this didn't sound so good out in words. Should she tell that Littlefoot very nearly drowned? They would never be able to leave the Valley then!
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on July 28, 2013, 03:33:01 PM
"And I sneaked up on Cera, surprising her." Chomper quickly said, though he gave himself a mental pat for not saying 'scaring her'. They'd never get anything done if he upset the Threehorn!
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 28, 2013, 04:00:58 PM
"Cera, I'm so glad you're alright!" Tria stated in a monotonous voice.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 28, 2013, 10:18:32 PM
Littefoot smiled up at his grandparents, trying his hardest to look like someone who hadn't almost drowned minutes before. His grandparents smiled back at him, perhaps trying their hardest to look like people who weren't very very sick. And Littlefoot thought to himself: 'If I'm even doing twice as good a job as they are right now, I must not look very convincing at all.'
"We're sorry if we scared you all," Littlefoot said. "But, we are glad you all came here. You see... uh..."
He glanced to his friends for just the right words to use, and then looked back at his grandparents.
"Well... we've noticed that you all seem a bit... well, more than a bit sick. We've been really worried."
As he finished his sentence, the last of the bright circle disappeared over the horizon. With it, night fell over the great valley.
"... And we want to help."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 28, 2013, 10:52:09 PM
Cera wanted to say something, but decided to let Littlefoot speak, for now.  Though she would not wait to long.  She looked from her friends to the various adults, noticing they all looked sick, tired or both.  She was concerned & confident they would help the grown ups to get better, even if they didn't want them to.

-----

"We are ... glad you are ok... when we heard the... screams we were.... worried." Mama swimmer said, pausing in her speaking now and then as she used the opportunity to rest & not appear to tired or sick to the kids.  

Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on July 31, 2013, 04:59:08 PM
Littlefoot gave Ducky's mom an apologetic smile. "I guess it's easier to hear something loud when there's nothing else making noise. Sorry if we scared you."
He felt a nervous, flowing energy that was pushing him onward to speak despite fear of saying the wrong thing. It was like fast water, and it took more energy out of him to fight it than to flow along with it. However, he tamed it. As much as he would like to feel apathy for what he was saying as long as he could get it over with, he knew he couldn't. This was important, and he needed to think carefully about everything he said, his own anxiety be damned.
"The seven of us have been talking. We've noticed since this morning that every grown up in the Great Valley seems sick, but we haven't heard any one actually talking about it. In fact... and I don't mean to assume, but it seems a lot like the same illness my grandpa had a few years ago."
He eyed each of the grownups, waiting to see what their reaction would be.
"We're worried, and we'd like it if you told us what was going on."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on July 31, 2013, 05:24:41 PM
Ruby stiffened as Littlefoot began to speak. It was no lie that she didn't choose to speak to grownups unless spoken to - she even felt nervous around gentle Grandpa Longneck and Mr. Thicknose.

But hearing littlefoot push through with these words gave her some courage and she stepped beside the longneck to show she supported him and his words.

"Yes, we only want to help you because you all need help."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on July 31, 2013, 07:04:45 PM
"And we do not want that something bad happens to you, nope, nope, nope!" Ducky confirmed what her friends said.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on August 02, 2013, 02:33:59 PM
Chomper staid to the back a bit, but now nodded along with Ducky. Was it just his imagination, or did the grown-up's look even worse now than earlier on the day? Sheesh, what was this sickness?
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on August 02, 2013, 10:47:57 PM
"Yea, so we can get started on helping you." Cera said looking at the various adults.  "And don't even think of denying it." She said.

------------------

Mama swimmer & Mamma flyer looked around at the other adults, to see what their reactions would be before they themselves said anything.  They were both thinking that maybe the grown ups should go and talk among themselves before telling the kids, or some of the kids at any rate.

"They may be able to help.  They are very young and small, but I don't think any of us are strong enough to go out of the Great Valley and get what we may need, whatever green food that may be that we need.   Maybe the thing that helped Grandpa Longneck when he got sick that one time." Mama Swimmer said.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on August 07, 2013, 02:27:53 PM
"Yeah..." Tria stated thinking hard.
She knew the kids are smarter than any she's met in her life. The Great Valley seemingly increased their mental abilities whereas especially Littlefoot was tinier and weaker as an average Longneck child of his age. But even if they were averagely strong and experienced in fighting a fully grown Fastbiter would be able to hunt them down, not to speak of a fully grown Sharptooth... They may escape the beasts, just in case they'd encounter one(s), by using their logic, their faster reactions and their sticking together which had safed the kids more than once as her mate, Mr. Threehorn, told her.
So their chances would be still fairly high, but what if they get lost? They may know the way to the Land of Mists but they had found the Night Flowers by pure luck... and the Land of Mists was a place where one would get easily lost, not to mention the still pretty bad weather and a lot of strange, probably dangerous, creatures creeping around there...

Tria wasn't really worried about Cera that much because Cera was brave, (head-)strong and quite able to recognize threats in time. But that's just her opinion, she could imagine her mate being protective and quarrelsome very well. Likely he'd bark at her the next second as he often did. Perhabs Tria wasn't that worried about Cera too much because she's not her daughter, technically, though she never had lower feelings towards her than towards her actual daughter Tricia.

"I have a nasty feeling sending them off to our rescue!" she announced taking a short break of speaking. Saying this rather short sentence was already exhausting her to a point where her breath would go heavy, perhabs it was the hard thinking, also..
"But what chances are left?" she continued her voice quieter than usual. "We should trust them as they'd trust us if we're handing them some horrible tasting leaves to cure them from their illnesses!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on August 10, 2013, 09:55:26 AM
This is good, Ruby's mind remarked, despite her initial shock. The grownups see because they understand. They will let us help! The fast runner could literally feel her anxiety melt away, and her body felt much lighter.
She reached down, to squeeze Chomper's claw in excitement, but then a dark cloud was realized. One grownup spoke out. But what about the rest of them?

(dun dun DUUN)
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on August 14, 2013, 05:02:56 PM
"We may not have much choice, none of us can go.  We are all to tired." mama Flyer said, scared at the thought of having to rely on kids to save them.  

--------------

"So," Cera said more quietly to her friends and bending over to be close them so the adults could not hear, "how long till we sneak away and do what we'll be doing anyway?" She asked, expecting them to do much the same as they have before.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on August 14, 2013, 05:30:40 PM
"Oh, I do not know, nope, nope, nope! But we should better stay until they are done with thei arguing, yep, yep, yep!" Ducky said. Going off without permission seemed just not right to her... same with leaving without waving goodbye and a good old hug.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on August 14, 2013, 06:19:40 PM
(I know, I lied about leaving for a week. I must have more time on my hands than I thought!)

"Me think so, too!" Petrie agreed. Although he did not like to see his mama or any of the other grown-ups argue about such situations, like everyone else, he was used to it by now. Besides, they went on many adventures without their parents' permission, yet returned home safely every time, rarely, if ever, getting punishments from their families. Everyone was used to it, right?
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on August 14, 2013, 07:54:38 PM
Everything will be okay, Ruby tried to assert through her thoughts, as if the sheer intensity of her wishes would somehow reach the grownups and make them see!

We must do this, even if they don't let us do it, she nodded to herself. She had to tell the others, but not here, not now. Later.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on August 14, 2013, 09:46:05 PM
"I just hope the arguing doesn't go on to long." Cera said, a bit annoyed at the grown ups not just agreeing with them and letting them go off immediately.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on August 15, 2013, 07:37:11 AM
(filling in for Grandpa)

Grandpa was deep in thoughts while everyone was debatting. Although he didn't feel as bad as back when their cousins from the Land of Mists visited the Great Valley, he still knew he wouldn't even be able to leave the Great Valley, not to talk about going on a dangerous journey...
He ought to admit that their only chance to get the needed medicine was to send their children off to the Land of Mists - still a dangerous place to wander through -. In addition, he, who had collected a great wisdom in his life, hadn't heard of a illness like the one all of the Great Valley residents were suffering of. Even the wisest dinosaur in the Valley - Mr. Thicknose - hadn't seen or heard of this illness...
So would the Night Flowers said to exist in the Land of Mists even cure their desease?
Sighing he forced himself to think positive saving his thoughts for a later moment.
Instead he brought up another thought he had already figured out in the morning.
"There's no doubt that we  need help!" he started his speech. "Although, under normal circumstances, I wouldn't even dare suggesting to send our children off to our own rescue, I have to now! They are our last hope!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on August 18, 2013, 11:25:33 PM
"Indeed, we have little choice." Mama flyer said.  "I would rather one of us grown ups go but we can't, none of the ones I now of anyway."

"I do agree with Grandpa Longneck.  We do indeed have no choice, as much as it terrifies me to say." Mama swimmer said.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on August 20, 2013, 06:28:45 PM
Mr. Threehorn had been standing off at the fringe of the group, looking unusually quiet and introspective. Against the starlight, the wrinkles and age spots on his body seemed to disappear into the night. He almost looked younger, strangely enough. Had it not been for the heavy panting and the glaze in his eyes, someone might have been mistaken in thinking he wasn't sick.
His eyes rested on his daughter. He tried to give a weak smile.
"Sometimes... I imagine what it would have been like if you had ended up being like all the other threehorn girls, and just stuck to playing 'nest' all day. I imagine I'd have aged a lot better... I'd also have a lot less to look forward to," he said, forcing himself to not to cough as he felt severe inflammation at the back of his throat. He couldn't be any less than a super man in front of his daughter.
He creaked his head to the right to look at the other adults, and this action alone caused all the joints in his neck to pop like boiling water.
"They've been there before," he said simply. "And they know what to look for. We have no other options, no other plans, and no patience to sit around and wait for things to get even worse... What more is there to say? Given the circumstances, these seven are probably the toughest dinosaurs in the Great Valley."
He saw the shimmer in Cera's eye-- the blazing, battle-ready look that reminded him of her mother. He grinned, and in the dark of the night, it was once again the cocky, young grin of a threehorn who had grown up never dreaming of having kids or growing old. "If they want to go, I really don't see how we can stop them."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on August 21, 2013, 09:54:08 AM
They were letting them go... Ruby held back a gawk of surprise when she heard Mr. Threehorn - Mr. Threehorn! - agree with them!
Hearing those words gave the fast runner a surge of energy. If he believed in them, what other doubt was there? They were going to do this! They were going to succeed!

She glanced sideways at Littlefoot and mouthed. We can do it, right? Despite how ready she felt, there was that tiny seed of doubt in the back of her mind, not yet taking sprouting, but definitely buried there.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on August 21, 2013, 11:50:06 AM
"So we all agree!" Grandpa spoke up. "Our children will go on their journey to get us the cure we all need!"
Turning to the children, he said: "Children, do your plagued folks a favor and stay together. Alone you're weak, but together you're strong! Do not forget that!"
=V=V=V=V=V=V=V=V=V=V=V=V=V=V=V=
"Make sure you all stay safe, my tough Threehorn!" Tria reminded Cera.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on August 21, 2013, 03:56:40 PM
"Yes, remember to never separate and go right there and back."  Mama Swimmer said holding her hands together with clear worry.  

"And be as careful as you can." Mama Flyer said with concern and worry on her face as well.

--------------

"Don't worry Tria, I'll protect the others." Cera said confidently.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on August 21, 2013, 06:12:21 PM
"You no have to worry Mama!" Petrie stated reassuringly. "We be careful! Right, friends?" The others nodded in agreement.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on August 22, 2013, 12:00:32 PM
Whatever disagreements they had with the way the adults ran the valley, whatever long and hard times that arose because the rock circle either over or underreacted to conflict, the people who had gathered here were Littlefoot's kin. Littlefoot wasn't born in the Great Valley, but in his heart he was a Valley dinosaur, and he imagined he always would be. That was because whatever flaws  that were imbedded in the infrastructure of this community (and he knew there were more than the 'perfect' valley cared to advertise),he loved this place so dearly because he cared so much about these people.
That was why a smile a small and bright as a diamond grew on his face as soon as the arguments started to sway in their favor. True, it was a symbolic victory, but he truly felt their mission would be easier on them if they went with the valley's blessing, instead of just stealing away into the night unannounced.
"We'll make it back safely, and we'll have enough nightflowers for everyone," Littlefoot told his grandma and grandpa, nuzzling their legs. "I promise."
As he looked over to the others, he caught Ruby mouthing to him. He mouthed back: If we watch out for each other, then yes. They could do this. Now only one question remained: should they head out now, or risk waiting until the morning?
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on August 22, 2013, 03:44:18 PM
It seemed that Littlefoot was having those thoughts as well. Ruby bit the edge of her beak again. It would probably mean more waiting, but it would also lift a huge weight off the children's shoulders if the adults gave their permission.

She cleared her throat. "May-may we...? I mean to say, do you... ahem," this wasn't going so well. "What I mean to say is what I wanted to ask; this is the right thing to do?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on August 26, 2013, 09:54:29 PM
Mr. Threehorn looked at Ruby with an eyebrow raised. He couldn’t tell if the girl wasn’t satisfied with the rock circles reaction, or if she was having second thoughts.
“Ruby, let me give you a piece of advice I’ve been trying to get through Mr. Longneck's skull for almost five years now: worrying about what’s right just brings things to a crashing halt. What's important is realizing what you can and can’t do, and lets look at the facts: You kids can go get the medicine we need, and we can’t. You kids have shown that you're capable of navigating the land of mistsó and we can’t. Unless you want to try to flag down a far walker herd and beg them to get the nightflowers instead, you’re our only chance.” The Threehorn blined in absurd alarm as he saw a look of thoughtfulness  suddenly cross Ruby’s face, and gave a scowl that was the spitting image of his daughter's. “And I’d rather keel over right now than let a bunch of farwalkers come to my rescue!" he growled, turning away and grumbling to himself.
Littlefoot looked to his grandparents. “… I guess… we’d better get some sleep, shouldn't we? We’ll need to leave early in the morning.” He wanted this, but he didn’t like this. His grandparents were sick: part of him wanted to stay in the valley and take care of them. It seemed so much more immediate and involved... but he knew it wasn’t what they needed. They needed medicine. He didn’t agree with Mr. Threehorn that doing what was right didn't matter, but he did agree with him on one thing: sometimes it did come down to what you can and can’t do, and the only way he and his friends could help the valley as getting that night flower.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on August 27, 2013, 09:06:27 AM
"I guess we should go home now and eat something and drink something and go to our nest early in the evening, yep, yep, yep!" Ducky chirped. She was just happy that they were allowed to come to the rescue of their Mummy's and Daddy's, oh and Grandparents, as well as for all the other Great Valleians like Kosh or Mr. Thicknose.
"I actually can not believe it, Spiky, can you, little brother?
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on August 27, 2013, 11:13:10 AM
"Let's hope we find those flowers quickly." Chomper finally made himself know again. He had staid WAY in the background when the grown-ups had been talking and had just listened to the conversation.... and worried, but he wasn't gonna tell his friends that.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on August 27, 2013, 12:51:16 PM
"We have to agree on a place to meet." Cera said looking around at her friends.  "That would be faster then wandering from nest to nest to find out so and so already left looking for you and we spend half the morning looking for each other."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on August 27, 2013, 01:38:03 PM
Ruby nodded. "Maybe we should meet where we can all remember," she suggested. She looked at Littlefoot. "Where did you meet last to go and get these nightflowers?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on August 27, 2013, 03:11:39 PM
Littlefoot cast his eyes down sheepishly. "Well... we didn't exactly all go together, at first," Littlefoot said, shrugging his shoulders a little. The action caused his anterior torso to bob downward a little. "I ran off with Ali-- you remember meeting her-- to go get some nightflowers after the adults said it was too dangerous to go themselves." His eyes flickered to the gang-- particularly Cera-- before flickering back to Ruby and opened his mouth to sidestep the particulars.
"I met up with everyone else farther along the trip at a cave that linked the mysterious beyond to the land of mists. I don't know of any other routes, so we'll have to take it again."
Having used this explanation to successfully circumvent that awkward little bit of history, Littlefoot returned to Ruby's original question.
"The cave is around the same area that white-bark forest is in the south west, so we should meet around the western entrance."
He felt a yawn come about him, and unsuccessfully tried to fight it off. After all the fretting, running about, and his own near drowning experience, he had to will himself to keep his mind in the game.
"It'll take a bit of travel to get there, but once we reach the cave, it leads directly to the land of mists. Now, I'm gonna suggest we take a bit of a longer path than the one we had taken last time to avoid running into Red Claw. What do you guys think of that?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on August 28, 2013, 08:22:41 AM
Ruby nodded. "Oh yes! I remember Ali." She didn't seem to notice Littlefoot's hesitance to explain, or his dodgy answers. His answers satisfied her, so there was nothing to do but move on, right?
In the back of her mind, though, Ruby noticed. But it most likely wouldn't come to light till most necessary. For right now, she was oblivious.

"The cave sounds like a good place to meet because we will know where it is. And if we don't, you can lead us there." She tilted her head, just noticing how tired Littlefoot seemed. "We should get to sleep because we will need our strength for this journey," she said gently, laying a claw on Littlefoot's shoulder.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on August 28, 2013, 11:38:42 AM
"But Ali did come back for the rest of us." Cera said, leaving out that she at first didn't want to go with Ali and decided to go with the others after they had left, to help Littlefoot, eventually catching up with them.  She saw no need to mention any of that stuff, it would be a waste of time and would not add anything.  Besides she did go after all.

"That sounds like a good place.  I think we all know where it is, or most of us do.  Those who don't can go with someone who does." Cera said.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on August 31, 2013, 11:09:36 PM
Littlefoot yawned. "Then it's set," he said during the yawn. "In the morning, we'll gather a few more supplies, say goodbye to our folks, and we'll be on our way."
He smiled, and tired as it was, he made sure he put his heart in it.
"This kind of thing happens so often, but I don't want to ever take it for granted: I wouldn't go on this trip with anyone but you six. You guys are my brothers and sisters, and that makes your families my families too. We're gonna get those nightflowers and we're going to cure everyone in the Great Valley."

He put his forepaw out to the center of their huddle, and glanced at everyone to invite them to join in. "For the gang, and for the great valley."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on September 02, 2013, 02:01:01 PM
Ruby smiled, eagerly placing her front claw out as well. Littlefoot's words filled her with a new courage, stronger than any she ever felt while going out into the Mysterious Beyond.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on September 02, 2013, 03:58:03 PM
"That was a nice speech, Littlefoot, yep, yep, yep!" Ducky chirped and placed her hand in the huddle as well. "We all have a family, we all ARE a family and all Great Valleians are a big family, too! So we will not only help our family but also our family, yep, yep, yep!"
Ducky looked at her little brother Spike and grinned. She knew this guy since he was born and she loved him since that day. She put a sweet smile on her face directing it to Spike.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on September 02, 2013, 04:01:08 PM
Spike grunted his approval. What Ducky was saying was true - this Valley was a paradise and he had a family here, despite losing his true one before he was even born.
He placed a big, heavy paw in the huddle.

(Ooh, look, I'm back...)
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on September 02, 2013, 04:41:58 PM
"Yea, we're family.  Just look at what we've been through together." Cera said smiling to the others.  She put her hand in beside Littlefoot's.   "There's nothing we can't do together." She said looking at the others.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on September 06, 2013, 09:30:42 PM
Littlefott yawned widely. "Alright. Get a good night's sleep everyone. We're all going to need it."
Feeling that was a good note to go out on, Littlefoot gave a final smile to his friends, and then turned to lumber off with his grandparents.

Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on September 07, 2013, 04:16:31 AM
Ducky yawned noisily her mouth wide opened. "Let us go to our nest, Spikie!" she chirped looking quite drowsy.
"See you tomorrow!" the little Swimmer said waving goodbye to everyone.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on September 07, 2013, 06:09:54 PM
Ruby suddenly realized how tired she was. Obviously, saving a friend from drowning and then that surprising epiphany of having the grownups agree with them took a lot out of her. She sighed and looked down at Chomper.
"We should get back to the cave, Chomper, to sleep."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on September 07, 2013, 07:29:53 PM
(Umm...me back?)

Petrie, feeling as sleepy as everyone else, yawned. "Me better go too. 'Night everybody."

And with that, he turned, began flapping his wings, and flew off to sleep with his family.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on September 07, 2013, 07:41:40 PM
Cera gritted her teeth together to avoid yawning.  "Yea, I'll see all of you in the morning." She said when she felt the urge to yawn had passed.  She turned to where she was looking in the direction of where her family's nest was and started to head off.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on September 07, 2013, 07:45:42 PM
"Okay..." Chomper yawned himself, following Ruby drowsily. "Night guys..."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on September 09, 2013, 02:48:31 PM
Spike distinctly heard Ducky calling him - oh yeah, it was time to sleep. Quickly finishing his mouthful of the unidentified vegetation, he sauntered after her.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on September 12, 2013, 03:36:37 PM
Littlefoot was young. He looked young-- other longnecks described his appearance with terms like 'boyish' and a 'springly'. It was always a stark contrast from the comments he heard from how people say he sounded: 'mature', 'aged', 'wordly', 'adult'. He didn't take those to be compliments.
Littlefoot couldn't really say how old he himself felt. Sometimes he did feel very, very young. At times-- especially play time, when there wasn't a care in the world-- he felt almost Chomper's age, and he did feel that innocence and idealism that to him were what being alive was all about.
Then there were other times that he felt older. Whenever the gang looked at him to see how he reacted to bad news, or to danger, or wanted some idea of what to do, he would feel a drive of responsibility to think and act like an adult would.
Most times, Littlefoot didn't see himself any older than his age would suggest. But tonight, Littlefoot didn't just feel old: he felt ancient.
As he dragged his tired body back to the den, and saw his tired grandparents lumbering along with so much discomfort it hurt watch, all he could think about were his responsibilities. He had to lead the gang to the land of mists. He had to get enough nightflowers for everyone in the valley. He had to do it quickly. He had to make sure everyone got back safely.
As soon as he made into his nest, he watched as his grandma and grandpa achingly lay down in their preferred sleeping spots, and turned their long necks to him.
He felt a strange, sad sense of longing as he saw them look at him.
"Can you say something to me," Littlefoot said reluctantly, "That could make me ease up a little?..."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on September 12, 2013, 04:08:52 PM
This day was one of the hardest Grandpa Longneck ever experienced. Every bone, every muscle, every single spot of his aged body hurted and tweaked. He was so glad that the meeting was finally over and that he could still make it to his nest since he felt so weak this day that he didn't even expected to make it. However, he did. He was just nuzzling his mate one last time before finally drifting off to the world of dreams where everything would be fine: No pain, no problems, and wonderful things to discover. However, his grandson kept him awake. Grandpa was actually too tired and exhausted to reply to Littlefoot's request yet he did. It costed him a lot of will to hieve his head towards Littlefoot to be able to speak to him directly. His voice only being a silent whisper, he spoke to his grandson: "Good evening, Littlefoot! What kind of things do you want to know?" A good-night story, or advice?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on September 12, 2013, 07:19:42 PM
Ruby had a hard time sleeping that night as well - she had a feeling she wasn't alone.
She tossed and turned on the hard stony floor of her and Chomper's cave, staring into the darkness, as if searching for an answer. Was there even an answer?
She felt scared, but strangely relieved. She'd never been to the Land of Mists, and doubted she could be of any help direction-wise, unlike in the Beyond where she knew the chasms like the back of her claw.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on September 12, 2013, 10:42:55 PM
Cera walked back to her nest.  She walked back slower then normal.  Once back at her family's nest she lay down and closed her eyes trying to relax and go to sleep.  The thought of going out and leaving the Great Valley was a bit scary.  They had done it often in the past and she was glad she was going with her friends and they did need to go.  Though she was a bit scary she would never admit it to anyone.  They had made it before and she told her self they would again as they had before.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on September 13, 2013, 06:24:20 PM
Littlefoot paused to sit himself down on his bed of dry grass. His joints murmered thankfully, and he wondered if it was because he nearly drowned, or just because he was exhausted. Looking up, he licked his lips and tried to think of any advice his grandparents could give him.
"I've run off a lot to go on adventures, haven't I?" he asked, looking between the two longnecks. "Usually without your permission. I know I must always worry you by sneaking off to the mysterious beyond... How do you deal with it? How do you deal with the fact that someone you care about might be put in danger, and there's nothing you could do about it?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on September 15, 2013, 11:13:17 AM
Grandpa sighed and spoke up: “Littlefoot… it’s the things we care about we seem to have the least control over. I think it’s important to remember that when you see someone you love take a necessary risk, that worry you feel is partly because you’re already blaming yourself for anything bad that happens. It’s not because you would be the most responsible if the worst did happen: it’s because you can’t forgive yourself for anything that happens. When we see you go, Littlefoot… we try to forgive ourselves for anything that may happen to you. I know that sounds awful, but it’s only because we’re so imperfect. We try the best that we can, and we love you so much. That’s why we try to tell ourselves, whenever we’re waiting in the long hours of the night to see you returning through the Great Valley entrance, that if the worst should happen, if there HAD been a way for us to prevent it we surely would have done it. After all... we'd go through the worst tortures, the deepest fears, and the loss of our own lives if it could keep you safe. Focus on what you can do... and remind yourself that you're own love is bigger than your physicial limits, so that when the worst things do happen you can still have that love to help you through it, instead of bitter self-hatred.”

(This text has been written by LoyfeCycleProtector because I couldn't think of a good answer on Littlefoot's questio but he did. Thanks!)
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on September 19, 2013, 12:25:29 PM
Swallowing, Littlefoot looked to his grandmother to see how she would react.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on September 28, 2013, 11:37:04 AM
(filling in)

"My dear Littlefoot..." Grandma sighed as she spoke up. "It is true, you have run away very often yet you have always returned safe and sound. On a few occasions, you even saved the lifes of others." Grandma smiled at her mate before continuing. "We have always been worried sick when you were off in the Mysterious Beyond on your own or just in accompany of your friends but we have learned to have trust in you, Littlefoot. Do me, do us a favour and trust yourself now. If you do, you will fullfill your task and rescue us once more. Whatever will happen, we will always love you, my big little one."
With that, Grandma nuzzled her grand-son.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on September 28, 2013, 02:52:08 PM
Mamma Flyer & Mamma swimmer both went back to their nests to get ready for the night as well to make sure their kids all were there or soon arrived and went to sleep and would have a good nights sleep.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on September 28, 2013, 03:16:04 PM
Ducky had laid down at her usual resting spot and so did her brother Spike. While he had fallen asleep in an instant, Ducky's brain was flooded by thoughts and worries.
Eventually, she gently shook Spike to wake him up.
"Oh Spiky... I cannot sleep, nope, nope, nope! I cannot calm down because I am thinking about tomorrow, and I am worried, I am, I am. But I am so tired..." The little Swimmer hoped that his brother would know how to settle down for the night since he was a good sleeper.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on September 28, 2013, 03:22:02 PM
Spike listened to her worries with a patient mind-frame before smiling, tenderly licking and gently nuzzling her.
He made a few grunting noises, which Ducky understood to mean:
'Tomorrow will still come. But settling down with me will make it easier to face when it does. We are all a great team and have never failed - let us get some sleep and the morning will come with ease.'
Smiling slightly as Ducky saw the look of consolement and brotherly affection in Spike's eyes, she carefully nustled up under his chin, with the warmth and comfort of any embrace.
Spike made another grunting noise.
"Goodnight Spike," Ducky whispered. "Love you too."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on September 29, 2013, 03:37:17 PM
Littlefoot lowered his head thoughtfully, his eyes hidden by a blindfold of shadows. There were cricket chirping in the night, as they always did on cool nights like this. He imagined, if he were to walk back to the riverside where he had nearly drowned, the buzz of the crickets would be joined by the thrum of the hoppers. He had a sudden, vivid recollection of a small mud puddle far to the east, where the air was dry as a bone and the land as harsh and jagged as teeth. The puddle where he had met the worst monster to ever make it's way into his life... And also the puddle where he played with his first friend. Terrible things happened that day, and terrible things might happen tommorow too. But he believed his grandparents were right: if even the memory of the worst day of your life can be sweetened by a few fond moments with a friend, what did he have to worry going out with six friends who would be by his side every step of the way?
He would do it: he would trust his friends on every step of the journey ahead... And forgive himself if the worst did happen.
He smiled, and raised his eyes above the bar of shadows to look at his grandparents with moist eyes.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. "Thank you both..."
He couldn't remember if he had said anything else that night when he awoke the next morning. The sweet memory of what his grandparents had said and the dark memory of what he experienced in his sleep overpowered whatever else had gone on. What he did know was that very shortly after looking up at his grandma and grandpa to thank him, he slept harder than he had in recent memory, ending what had been a long, eventful, bizarre day.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on October 03, 2013, 09:43:39 AM
Ruby awoke to find herself covered in morning dew. So that's why she was shivering half the night. No matter, she had earned most of a good night's sleep and felt rested up for today. It was really a wonder she had slept at all; the anxiety and excitement weighed heavily on her mind. Nevertheless, she stood up and shook herself, forcing the droplets to evacuate her hide and feathers.
She lookd back down at Chomper and grinned. She bent and made to lightly touch his shoulder. "Chomper?" She whispered. "It is time to go, because it is now."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on October 03, 2013, 11:38:08 AM
Cera awoke stretching and yawning as she did so.  Once that was over she did some extra stretching to make sure she was fully awake.  Then she started to go to a nearby bush to eat a few leaves since she was starting to feel a bit hungry and thought a few quick bites then she's start for where she and her friends had agree to meet.  

"Goodmorning Daddy & Tria and Tricia.  I'll be back as soon as I can." She said, speaking quieter then usual to not awake anyone still sleeping.  Then she started going in the direction of where they had agreed to meet, pausing now and then to eat a few leaves from this or that bush along the way.  No sense in arriving hungry, she thought.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on October 03, 2013, 05:27:53 PM
Had Red Claw seen this flyer before? Well, of course he has, along with those other six...friends of his! He was bound to end one life tonight, and it just had to be him!

Petrie had been chased by Red Claw for a minute, and already he was petrified. Why was he chasing after him? More importantly, where were his friends and/or family at this desperate time? Quickly, Petrie found a cave nearby and hid in it. It was small, but at least it was better than getting eaten by Red Claw. Though he had to admit, its darkness, along with the sound water leaking, was a bit spooky.

Unfortunately, the safety didn't last for long. About a minute later, he found the flyer in the same cave he was hiding in. Petrie hadn't even looked up when he saw him and screamed. Luckily at that moment, he looked right and found another opening to where he turned. He headed that direction, but sadly, Red Claw beat him.

It was no use. Petrie was cornered for sure. As he closed his eyes and prepared for impact, Red Claw opened his mouth, ready to devour the flier to pieces. His mouth slammed shut as quickly as it had opened, which sentenced Petrie to life in darkness.


--------------------------

Suddenly, Petrie woke up with a start. He only let out a mild yelp, which was quiet enough to not wake the siblings or his sick mother. After a quick yawn and stretch, he looked around and saw it was already morning; the bright circle was beginning to rise from the orange-colored sky.

"It...it only a bad sleep-story..." Petrie said quietly to himself. He was right; what he had experienced was a simple nightmare. He knew that as long as he was kept safe in the Great Valley, Red Claw and his fastbiters, Screech and Thud, would never be able to cause him harm. Despite this, the thought of Red Claw eating him alive was horrifying.

He turned and looked at his sleeping mother and siblings. The fear of losing his mother was still tingling inside him, but at least it didn't take over a good night's sleep, despite the nightmare.  He knew and hoped to the sky that everything would be alright, at least by the time he and his friends got back.

He felt ready to go only after a brief stop to eat some leaves off of a nearby bush; a quick relief to his hunger. Quickly, he turned back to take one last look at his mother and siblings. Hope still filled up inside him as he did.

"We be back, Mama. You be okay. Me know you will," he whispered quietly. With that, he lifted his wings and began to fly towards the direction where his friends would be meeting.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on October 04, 2013, 02:25:08 PM
Ducky looked over the Valley that had been her home for almost her whole life now. It's been a few days since she stepped her feet on its ground since she was on a dangerous journey with her six friends in order to save their folks from a strange illness never seen before. Even the Old One who they've met on their way to the Land of Mists had never ever heard of it.
Now they stood in one of the entrances sending glares to each other.
"We made it," Chomper remarked.
"We did?" Petrie asked confused. "We no gave them flowers yet..."
Cera grunted, "Yeah, we made it, but maybe they didn't!?"
"We must not loose hope, nope, nope, nope," Ducky reminded them, Littlefoot and Ruby kept telling them that whenever they were worried, and she was worried almost all the time.
"Right, hence we should hurry to give them their medicine," Littlefoot exclaimed.
So they walked into the Valley, further and further. Although the Great Circle was at her highest point, nobody was seen at all. Just, when Ducky began to feel awkward, something heavy squeezed her hard on the ground she lied on...

"SPIKE!!! You are hurting me!" Ducky yelled at her little brother who just rolled on the little Swimmer seemingly having a sleepstory.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on October 04, 2013, 03:28:20 PM
Spike, completely oblivious to Ducky's trepidation, gave a happy snore, and continued to dream about a huge forest that he was slowly eating all his way through.
"Spike!" Ducky whined, trying in vain to push him off.
Spike rolled over again, onto his stomach and thankfully off of her. Ducky still felt completely flattened though...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on October 04, 2013, 04:23:50 PM
Ruby frowned. Usually, Chomper wasn't so sound a sleeper, especially not when he knew there was an adventure the next day. She shook harder. "Chomper! You must get up, now!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on October 04, 2013, 04:44:10 PM
Ducky jumped to her feet touching her beak that had been particularly squeezed. "You bent my beak, Spike... again!" she moarned but then she considered that Spike might have just had a sleepstory himself so she decided to forgive him like she always did. The little Swimmer didn't like grumpyness at all hence she always tried to be cheerful, funny and happy. Though it was hard to be like that those days...
"Today is the big day, Spiky," she whispered as if nothing ever happened. "We will leave Mommy and our brothers and sisters but we will return, we will, we will..." One single tear rolled down her cheek. "I love you Mommy..."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on October 04, 2013, 06:07:57 PM
"Whaa...?" Chomper groaned a bit. "Woah, that was some night... Sorry I took so long to wake up, I just couldn't fall asleep." He rose to his feet. "Guess I tried to make up for that by sleeping long..." :neutral
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on October 05, 2013, 10:56:31 AM
Ruby grinned, gently. "It's okay, but we have to leave now to get ready." he nodded towards the entrance of the cave.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on October 05, 2013, 03:48:43 PM
The very moment Littlefoot felt the arid land under his feet, the scorching waves of heat from the bright circle, and heard the dead silence of all but a few mud hoppers jumping in there pools, he knew were he was. Heart rending terror seized him so quickly it was if it had been waiting for him. Not here again--ANYWHERE but here again!
His neck lashed too and fro, hoping to find somewhere to hide. To his relief, he saw one of the colossal thorn bushes that grew as the only visible plants in this dead, desiccated landscape, and he ran into it at full speed.
Whenever he came to this this place, HE was always there. It didn't matter if it was at the mud pools, or the rock arches, or the mountains that burned: HE was as much a part of this place as thirst and heat and hunger were. As soon as he made it into the thorn bush, bathed in the feeling of safety, he turned to the threshold he had run into and waited for it to come.
He didn't have to wait long.
A shadow fell on the threshold of the thorn bush, and with it came the deep, heavy, harsh breathing of a titanic creature.
'... Little one... It's been awhile, hasn't it?'
Littlefoot shuffled against a rock, shivering in terror. It didn't matter his many times they had worked in the past: he was always afraid the thorns would suddenly stop working.
A massive head poked down to look into the threshold. That face-- HIS face-- touched some primal fear in Littlefoot that seemed deeper than the mountains and older than the sky.
The monster blinked it's one good eye and grinned it's awful grin. Littlefoot's breath hitched fearfully.
But then something happened. Littlefoot had had this dream so many times in his life that even in the middle of dreaming he had an idea of how things should progress. But the beast opened it's mouth and said something that went completely off script of what he usually said around this time.
'I know about your plunge into the river, little longneck,' the it told him, tilting it's head a little to try to get a better view of the longneck in the shadows.
'It always sounds like such a peaceful way to go, doesn't it? No wounds, no blood, no marks on the body-- the corpses almost look asleep when you drag them out of the water... But you know better now, don't you little one?'
The smile of razors tightened as it's teeth were trying to burst out between it's lips. Anger flared in it's one good eye. Suddenly, he leaned his head into the bush threshold, trying ram through it. Little stumbled backwards with a startled cry as the entire thornbush shook. The thorns dug into the creature's scalp.
'Yes,' it seethed. 'You know now. I certainly know. Drowning is an awful, agonizing way to die. It's a pisser, isn't it? Not being able to breath, your body burning for air, your last thoughts filled with miserable panic!...' Then it paused, leaning it's head away from the unbreakable spiky barrier with some resignation. 'Still... It's not as agonizing as how your grandparents will end.'
Littlefoot stood wavering inside the thorn bush, back up as far inside as he could without taking himself on the thorns. A curious flicker appeared by behind the fear on face.
'W... W-what do you know about that?' he asked, still shivering as still very clearly cowering in terror at the thing waiting for him outside.
The beast's furious smile slowly relaxed. Sadistic amusement appeared in it's place.
'... Come out from that bush, little one.'
Littlefoot's lips twitched. 'No. You're lying to me,' he said, a little bit surer of himself now. He wished he had the gang here: then he could talk like a leader instead of just talking like himself.
The monster gave a truly ugly smile and said: 'If you come out of there, I'll tell you everything I can. Maybe what I know can help you save your grandparents. Go ahead; this is a dream, right? It's not like you have anything to lose.'
That was true. This was just a dream. In the past, whenever the creature managed to catch him, Littlefoot had always just woken up. Worst come to worst, stepping outside of the thorn bush would simply end the dream a bit early.
But something was off. Very, very off.
Littlefoot slowly shook his head.
'Never.'
He expected the creature to become angry as he said this. It didn't. If anything, it's look of amusement grew.
'... So sorry about your friend. She used to be such a sweet girl.'
Littlefoot felt a jolt run up his spine.
'What do you mean?'
Suddenly, and earthshake began to rip the ground appart. Littlefoot stumbled around his little safe spot, trying to avoid swaying into one of the spike. As fissures erupted from the ground, the creature began to laugh. Just like Chomper, there was the slightest breathy hint of a roar in his voice in his laugh. But Chomper's laugh never sounded so cruel and heartless.
'Next time, little one, I'll catch you before you can make it to the thorns... If those two don't catch you first.'
'Wait a minute!' Littlefoot shouted, and was an inch away from running at the threshold. Dust was being kicked up into the air as thick as a sandstorm. 'What do you know about Ali? Hey! Get back here!'
But the sand was already starting to block his vision. He heard a screech in the distance, and the sound of rushing wings. He coughed hard as the sand swirled around him like a torrent, blocking the badlands, the thorns, the beast, the flier-- everything except the thrumming anger of the earth as a rock

----------------------------------
hit him square on the snout as he thrashed about besides his bed. His eyes snapped open and immediately began to water from the pain.
"Oww!" he said sorely, rubbing his nose with his forepaw, then checked quickly to make sure he didn't accidentally bloody his own nose. His paw was clean, and he sighed, gently holding it to his chest to feel the beat of his heart.
It was early morning, and he was in the Great Valley. The bright circle looked like a swollen fruit hanging low in the sky, coloring the clouds a stunning pink purple and orange as it rose. The mornings here weren't the most beautiful Littlefoot had ever seen; the ones from Chomper's old island  took home that prize. Still, for a place that already seemed to have everything, the Great Valley did had some pretty spectacular sunrises.
He looked to his bed, and saw memories of thorns laced in the matting of the dry leaves.
'So sorry about your friend... She used to be such a sweet girl.
Littlefoot's brow suddenly furrowed, and he angrily kicked his bedding, sending slivers fluttering down like leafy snowflakes.
"What would you know, anyway?" Littlefoot whispered. "Ali's fine. I know she is. And my grandparents are going to be fine too."
He looked over his shoulder at the valley. Still as beautiful as ever. It was funny: it always seemed to look more beautiful just before he went out on adventures.
"We're going to be fine..." he whispered to himself.
When he looked back to his grandparents the worries of the dreams lessened. He slowly walked up to their sleeping forms, looking at their peaceful expressions. He loved his mother with all his heart, but he never knew her for very long. He loved his dad too, but he also didn't really feel like he knew him. To Littlefoot, the words 'mom' and 'dad' usually made him think of his grandma and his grandpa. There had never been a time in his life when they weren't there for him.
He walked up to his grandma, and kissed her gently on the snout. He did the same for his grandpa.
"I love you," he whispered to them. "I love you both so much. We're going to make it back with the medicine. I promise."
Neither stirred, save for the deep sound of their breathing. He couldn't tell if they were any better or worse than yesterday, but they still definitely looked sick.
"... I promise..."
With one final glance, Littlefoot walked out of his nest and headed for the western entrance, snagging a few leaves along the way to fill his belly.
In spite of everything, he smiled a little at the sky. The air was warm, the wind was beginning to rise, and overall, it was a truly beautiful day for an adventure.




Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on October 06, 2013, 05:03:24 PM
Spike gave a great yawn as he looked at his sister. As tired as he was, no mistakes could be made today. And most importantly, they couldn't be done on an empty stomach. He quickly bolted down a large number of leaves, wondering faintly what had happened to Ducky's beak.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on October 06, 2013, 05:25:42 PM
Ducky had to smile seeing her little brother doing the things he always did: Eating and yawning since he was always sort of tired. Spike often reminded the little Swimmer of her hunger that she hardly noticed these last few days, so he did at this very moment thus Ducky took a few bites herself.
When their tummies were filled (though Spike's had had always some room for more food), Ducky spoke up: "Let us meet with our friends, yep, yep, yep!" With that she hopped on Spike's back.

Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on October 06, 2013, 05:28:58 PM
Spike grunted his approval and began to stride off, as ever, gently so that his little big sister wouldn't fall off his back.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on October 13, 2013, 09:47:13 AM
Chomper rubbed his eyes. "I'll see if I can get some buzzers while we're moving. If I have to catch them now, we're never going to be able to leave on time."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on October 16, 2013, 07:36:42 PM
Ruby nodded gently. "You can take your time. I don't think anyone is ready to leave yet because I haven't heard anything."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on October 27, 2013, 02:22:57 PM
The seven children headed to the Thundering Fall, their meeting point, munching on the vegetation here and there and getting drinks at every watering hole they passed.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on October 27, 2013, 02:46:33 PM
Chomper had it a bit harder in getting there: bugs are not that easy to find and catch after all. But at least he found some nice ones under a bush.

"Sure hope that Mist Valley place has more bugs than this area." He muttered as he crunched up a rather pathetic beetle by any standard.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on October 27, 2013, 03:16:08 PM
Cera paused a moment to be sure she was heading in the right direction, continuing in the direction she was going in when she saw the thundering falls ahead of her.  

"Finally.  Once we all get there we can go ahead on this." She said.  She wanted it to be over already so things could go back to the way they had been.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on October 29, 2013, 04:57:05 PM
When Ducky saw the Thundering Falls before her, she jumped off Spike annoucing: "Who gets there last is a looser, he is!" and sprinting towards the water..
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on November 09, 2013, 05:54:28 PM
Spike didn't mind being a loser - he just walked at a jaunty pace in his sister's wake. It was perhaps though, a reflection of the seriousness of the situation that he did not eat a single plant in his path as he walked.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on November 13, 2013, 09:41:15 PM
Ruby tilted her head. "Loser? Not me!" She started off, her longer legs carrying her farther. Ducky had a head start, but Ruby was quickly gaining.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on November 13, 2013, 09:55:31 PM
"I'm no looser." Cera said.  She took off running towards the destination, determined to be first, or at the very least not last.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on November 14, 2013, 06:45:11 AM
"Me not loser neither!" Petrie shouted, flying as fast as he could go; not enough to be rude, because he wasn't that way, but enough to hopefully not be the last one to get to the Thundering Falls.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on November 14, 2013, 02:51:11 PM
(filling in for Loyfe on request)

Littlefoot eventually caught the Thundering Falls with his eyes, not to mention he had heard them for quite a while already. When he saw everybody sprinting towards the water, he realized somebody must have announced a challange. Uttering curses, he ran for it so he might get Spike at least who wasn't hurrying to get to his destination at all.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on November 17, 2013, 04:46:05 AM
Chomper ran along behind Ruby, but his steps faltered when he for the first time saw Thundering Falls. "Woah..." It was HUGE! And he was falling behind! "Eep!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on November 21, 2013, 02:35:28 PM
Ducky was the first to arrive at the water pool that was supplied with cool, fresh water by the Thundering Falls. Jumping around in joy, she called, "I am first, I am, I am!"
Just then she had to dodge since Cera approached her with an admireable speed...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on November 21, 2013, 04:12:15 PM
Cera was running at full speed.  She was determined that she would be first, or if not first at least not last.  She was happy once she saw how close she was and there were not a lot of the gang already there.  Though noticing how fast she was going and did her best to slow down and swerve to one side to avoid hitting Ducky.  This caused her to slide and loose a bit of control and she slid into the water.  

"Well, that's one way to cool off." She said in a mildly annoyed voice as she stood up and walked over to the shore, shaking herself dry.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on November 28, 2013, 04:51:02 PM
Petrie continued to fly towards the direction of the Thundering Falls. When he did arrive there, he saw that Ducky and Cera were already at the area. Although bummed that he wasn't first to stand, he was thankful that he wasn't last either. Now all he and everyone else could do was wait for the rest of the gang to show up.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on November 29, 2013, 06:21:54 PM
Ruby sprinted it for a third. She panted as she slowed to a stop. She nodded at the winners. "You won, yes you did." She wasn't mad that she hadn't beaten her friends. There would be other races after all. She looked back to see the rest of the Gang collecting together.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on December 01, 2013, 02:26:57 PM
He had been one of the last after all. Damnit... "Okay, where to now?" He asked. Having not been in the Valley the first time they went to the Land of Mist, he had no clue where to go.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on December 01, 2013, 04:24:15 PM
Cera looked at the others.  "Looks like we're all here, except for Spike, who should be here soon." She said.  She paused to get a drink of water.  Not really being thirsty but they were going to leave The Great Valley and she knew it was best to drink water you knew was ok to drink even if you were not thirsty while you were outside The Great Valley since in some places water was not as plentiful as it was here.

"On to the Valley of Mists. The only way I know is the way Ali went.  Unless one of you knows of a better way." Cera said.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on December 01, 2013, 05:48:07 PM
Littlefoot finally arrived at the Thundering Falls, panting.
"Yeah, we're going the way Ali showed us of course," he spoke.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ducky looked back to her brother Spike who wasn't in a hurry at all.
"Spike! Come on!" she called in a commanding way to get Spikes attention instead of the leaves he was munching on. "We need to go now, yep, yep, yep."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on December 06, 2013, 06:22:24 PM
"Are we all ready or do some need to rest, eat or drink before we leave?" Cera asked.  She wanted to start right away, and was annoyed at maybe they'd have to wait, but she did know some may have been less prepared then threehorns were and would need to eat or drink before they set out.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on December 07, 2013, 03:40:22 AM
"I'm pretty much ready." Chomper said. "I can eat some more buzzers while we are there, I think?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on December 07, 2013, 06:16:01 AM
"I am ready, I am, I am, but Spike is not..." Ducky said. "SPIKE!"

*

"I'm ready," Littlefoot replied. "It might be a long walk so we better leave the Valley asap."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Dosu2Dinner on December 07, 2013, 03:02:36 PM
Spike looked ahead to where Ducky was yelling from in puzzlement. Why was she calling him? Then he remembered...oh yeah...
Slowly, he began to shuffle off.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on December 07, 2013, 03:31:45 PM
"Me ready," Petrie said, "but then, me always ready!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on December 07, 2013, 08:52:14 PM
"I guess we wait till Spike gets here, then we can set out." Cera said.  Annoyed a bit but she was use to Spike's way of doing things and she'd not leave anyone behind.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on December 16, 2013, 03:19:50 PM
After Spike had caught up with the Gang, the seven dinosaurs left their home, the Great Valley, wondering when, and more importantly, IF they would see it again...

After having covered a fair distance, the silence that lasted between them broke eventually...

------------------------

Ducky was thinking about the Nightflowers. Along with her worries concerning them, she was reminded of the events that she had witnessed with Littlefoot, Petrie, Cera and Spike. And Ali as well... Ducky couldn't hold her concern any longer, she had to pipe up for it was way to quiet anyway, suspiciously quiet...
"Uhm... do you think that we will find the Night Flowers when we have arrived at the Land of Mists? Heh?" the Swimmer wondered.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on December 20, 2013, 06:21:00 PM
"Cera looked at Ducky, "Maybe like we did last time.  Go to sleep and wake up, or get woken up, at night after they have bloomed or have started to bloom.  But this time we know when they bloom and what to look for." She said, confident they would have less trouble finding the night flowers this time then they had the first time.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on December 20, 2013, 06:26:26 PM
"Let's hope we don't run into that Bellydragger and weird Flyer you talked about." Chomper murmured uneasily.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on December 20, 2013, 06:29:12 PM
"Don't remind me of them..." Littlefoot replied, rolling his eyes. "I'm sure we gonna find the Flowers, sooner or later..."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on December 21, 2013, 10:07:22 PM
"Yea, we will." Cera said.  She rolled her eyes at the mention of the belly dragger and her flyer friend.  "Boy were they annoying. " She said, not willing to admit they were scary, being a three horn.  She felt she could admit to their being annoying.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on January 02, 2014, 06:59:28 PM
Ruby tilted her head in confusion. "Bellydragger? Huh? What bellydragger?" She was afraid that whenever the Gang went off on any adventure, she was always one step behind, no matter where they were going.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on January 02, 2014, 07:55:39 PM
Littlefoot's eyes swiveled back and fourth over the plains of the mysterious beyond. The sharpteeth that lived here in the west were far less dangerous than the monsters he had to deal with as a hatchling back out east, but they could be clever at times. They seemed to 'get' flateeth a bit better; he couldn't really put it any better than that. While he doubted Red Claw or Screech or Thud or any sharptooth out here had more than a passing knowledge of what the plant eaters were really like, he sensed they at least tried, even if it was just so they could hunt them more efficiently.
"Well, it's a long story," Littlefoot said, looking over his shoulder to do a quick head count. "When we went to the Land of Mist's last time, there was this blind belly dragger named Dil and her nasty flier partner named Ichy. They tried to chase us almost every step of the way to the night flowers."
He stopped and nudged his head a bit towards some nearby bushes hugging the rocky outcrops: they were getting too far out in the open.
"I can't see them still hanging around there, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were other kinds of sharpteeth that have moved in since we were there last."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on January 03, 2014, 03:49:26 PM
Ruby considered. "I see..." she said, slowly. "...Was this a good idea, because of what we did not know?" She took a hesitant step forward. Ruby was never one to back down from an adventure -- never -- but, would they be stalked during their quest? Redclaw never stalked, he just attacked, so there was always that, but...
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on January 03, 2014, 05:00:56 PM
"Well, I think we don't have much choice." Chomper shrugged. "It's going there or... well... yeah...."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on January 03, 2014, 06:05:42 PM
Not far off from where the gang was...

As Red Claw was stalking the land, he noticed a set of dinosaur children from a far distance. Of course, he had seen them before, and had always tried to eat the heads off of at least one of them, always ending in a miserable failure.

It's those kids again! he thought. Well, well, well...I wonder if I can't get a hold of them this time...

Turning to face the directbehind him, he called out, "Guys! Come over here!"

Screech and Thud, the two fastbisters that almost always accompanied Red Claw, quickly arrived and approached him.

"What is it, Red Claw?" Screech asked, "Those kids here, I take it?"

"Certainly," Red Claw replied, "They might even be aware of us right now as we wait to strike. Whether or not they are aware, it doesn't matter. I'm eating well tonight, no matter what! And this time...this time, boys, we will succeed!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on January 03, 2014, 07:43:33 PM
Thud gave a big smile that didn't touch his eyes."How? Do you have a plan this time? They've got a flier who can see us from a mile away and a little biter that can smell us coming."
He yawned a little. He hated these early morning hunting expeditions. Even when they succeeded, it never felt worth the extra hours of sleep he ended up missing. When he got an annoyed look from his brother, he sighed. "Yeah, yeah, alright. Do you see which way they're headed from up there?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on January 03, 2014, 10:17:48 PM
"We just have to be extra alert.  Not all sleep at the same time.  Some remaining awake at night.  Try to always be on the look out for ways to escape, hide.  The usual.  We've done well so far." Cera said.    She looked around a bit, "Though that is no reason to get soft." She said.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on January 04, 2014, 11:06:40 AM
Ruby exhaled, hoping that would calm her misgivings. It didn't, but she attempted to brighten anyway. "Very well, then we must go on ahead." She nodded, as if to convince herself.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on January 07, 2014, 01:13:57 AM
Littlefoot smiled over his shoulder to Ruby and nodded.
It was approximately 9:00 AM, and feathered fliers were beginning to wiggle through the bishes, clutching tiny snatches of dried grass, palm fibers, and dead leaves to start building their nests. The extra noise probably wasn't very conductive for detecting approaching sharpteeth, Littlefoot thought, but you really could never be 100% safe out here in the mysterious beyond. Besides, they were a lively and comforting sight after the listless of the valley's residents.
The grass was drier, but it also a bit warmer than inside the valley. Following them up with his gaze, Littlefoot saw a bend in one of the red rock walls.
"Ah, there's our first turn," Littlefoot said. "There's a river not to far from here. We need to follow it for a ways to get to Hopper-Lilly lake. Once we find that, we can follow one of the tributaries to reach the cave we're looking for." He grinned. "Not to bad, righ-"
Before Littlefoot could finish, Littlefoot felts onetime hook around his foot, sending him sprawling on the ground with a thud.
There was a dull jangle. Littlefoot turned around to see he had stepped into the open rivcage of an animal that died near the bushes.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on January 07, 2014, 04:33:25 AM
Ducky jerked out of her sitting position on top of Spike since she assumed a Sharptooth being responsible for the noice. Luckily, her fear didn't come true; Littlefoot only stumbled across a sketeton of some sort which wasn't an unusual sight in the Mysterious Beyond - especially with Redclaw, Screetch and Thud being around...
"Oww Littlefoot, you scared-ed me, you did," Ducky exclaimed, being a little angry but anger never lasted long in Ducky's mind. "I thought a Sharptooth made-d the noice, I did, I did."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on January 07, 2014, 09:49:03 PM
Cera walked over to where Littlefoot was.  "How's your ankle?  We have to be careful where we step out here." She said, looking around a bit.   The sight of skeletons were not unusual in the areas outside the Great Valley.  They had all seen those in their time.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on January 07, 2014, 10:40:10 PM
Littlefoot gave a nervous nod and a forced smile.
'Okay, don't panic, don't panic, don't panic, don't panic-'
Littlefoot pulled hard on his on his leg, but his foot was so stuck that it mery caused the entire skeleton to flop out of the bush. The skull landed right on his chest. Blaring fright suddenly gripped him.
"Get it off me! Get it off!" Littlefoot shouted, panic blotting all ideas of stealth from his mind. There were still small vestiges of flesh and sinew, now being tended to by an alarming cost of red ants. A horrifying rotting odor real eased into the air the more it jangled around, along with the otherworldly buzzing of deathly eyed blue-bottle flies.  The noise echoed through the usually quite atmosphere of the Mysterious beyond.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on January 11, 2014, 11:59:52 PM
"Phew, that smell is awful." Cera said.  Then she looked at Littlefoot, "Let's get it off of him before he hurts himself, or one of us." She said to the others.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on January 12, 2014, 11:00:18 AM
"Yuck, yuck, yuck! It smells worser than Mr. Clubtail on a hot day," Ducky complained in disgust. Dragging Spike along, she pulled to free her longnecked friend nevertheless.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on January 12, 2014, 01:36:27 PM
OOC: Sheesh, gimme a moment to catch up will you guys xD

"Pheh, be glad your sniffer is bad." Chomper recoiled briefly at the absolutely horrid stench. Ugh, that meat was so bad he'd not eat that even if he were starving. He lodged his jaws around the neck of the animal and pulled.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on January 12, 2014, 06:12:46 PM
Ruby stepped up to help. She positioned herself beside Chomper. She tried not to look at the dead thing. At this point, it was so far-rotted she wasn't even sure what it used to be. Her eyes started to tear up at the awful smell, so she turned her head. It was nigh unbearable, but she was used to seeing dead things, terrible as it may have sounded. She latched her claws fast around the hard vertebra of the neck and gave a violent tug.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on January 14, 2014, 12:57:21 AM
Littlefoot tried, to mediocre effect, keeping some vestige of self control as he pulled to free his leg with all it's might. Part of it was not to look like a scardey egg in front of his friends, but a less concious part of him knew he that the racket he was making right now was certainly not a good thing... Nor was kicking up a very strong, very distinct odor up into the air for anything in the immediate vicinity to smell.
"Come on, come on, please," Littlefoot begged, feeling a twitch of revulsion as the scurrying ants began to crawl up his leg. The others were trying their hardest to pull with him.
"Come on!"
SNAP
There was almost no bend to give him any warning-- he simply went sprawling backwards, knocking into all his friends and sent them all into a tumbling ball that crashed several meters away.
Littlefoot's eye twitched as he felt several of his heavier friends right on top of his chest.
"... Well, I didn't mean like that," he wheezed, giving a sheepish grin at his pile of groggy friends.
----------------------------------

Thud whipped his head around. Some moron was making a very loud racket down at the Cicatrix river. Sounded a bit like screaming... Maybe it was a local sharptooth who made a lucky catch? Or...
'That wouldn't be them, would it?' Thud asked his brother and Red Claw. Usually the valley brats were pretty careful about sneaking around. Now, maybe, maybe, Thud reasoned largely out of hope rather than anything else, if it WAS those kids, they could just set up an ambush on the bend around the river? Thud tapped his claws together, savoring a fantasy of getting even with all seven of those cocky little brats. The idea of getting a meal almost didn't matter to him-- it was the revenge he truely craved. Maybe his brother was right.... Maybe this was their lucky day. Thud grinned up at the towering Red Claw and asked: 'So... What's your call, boss?'
---------------------------------

Roughly fifteen miles south-southeast of where the gang had a run in with an ex-resident of the mysterious beyond, and sixteen miles away from the relatively slow and lumbering Cicatrix that marked the point between the Valley burough and the greater beyond, a creature road the thermal currents about a fifth of a mile up into the air. At the moment, it wasn't truly flying-- it simply hovered, content on the up flowing draft of rising hot air, like a colossal snake-necked bat.
It's watery yellow eyes calmly gazed at smooth, whispy clouds wandering over the air, waiting. What it was waiting for precisely, it didn't completely understand. It had awoke this morning-- it's seventh consecutive day without a meal-- and had the sudden whim to fly as far south as it's wings could carry it.
A scent caught it's incredibly powerful sniffer, and it turned it's head. It did not know any real language, but the two words that manifested in it's mind were clear enough that they might as well have been words.
One was 'carrion'.
The other was 'prey.'
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on January 17, 2014, 05:48:56 PM
Cera got up from where she had been sent when Littlefoot was freed.  She shook her head, "how is everyone?" She asked looking around at the others.  Then she looked around to see if any sharpteeth or fastbiters were within sight.  

"All that racket would be sure to attract anything nearby.  I think we should get out of here as soon as we can.  A quick clean up may be ok, since the odor would help others to find us, besides the fact it feels awful."
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on January 18, 2014, 07:59:16 PM
Ruby quickly righted herself, murmuring an apology for nearly squishing her longneck friend. "I am sorry; that was a little unexpected because it was surprising..." she smoothed out her feathers and rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, you are out now, so that is good. I suppose what we should do now is go on and continue," she glanced quickly around. For some reason, she and her friends had a nasty habit of attracting trouble - and a lot at that - whenever they made a venture into the Beyond.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on January 24, 2014, 10:20:21 PM
"Yea, let's get out of here before something finds us." Cera said, thinking that that would happen all to soon.  It did seem to with regularity.  As did adventures happening to them.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on January 25, 2014, 05:07:11 AM
"Can you guys gimme a moment to rinse my mouth? That was awful..." Chomper quickly walked to the water to do as he said.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: The Anonymous Person on January 29, 2014, 02:36:56 PM
(Time to finally quit the laziness once and for all...)

"We attack...NOW, BOYS, NOW!" Red Claw shouted. With that, he and the other two fastbisters proceeded to expose themselves to the gang, all of whom screamed as soon as they saw them.

"REDCLAW!" the flyer leading the gang shouted, his look of terror as clear as the others.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on January 29, 2014, 03:10:55 PM
Ducky shrieked in horror upon hearing Petrie's warning. Turning around to see the Sharpteeth approaching them with quick steps and a thundering noise with her own eyes, she panicked.
"Oh no, it is Redclaw, oh no, no, no, no, noooooo!" the Swimmer cried, frightened.
She once again turned around ran for it, screaming in fear.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on January 29, 2014, 05:52:49 PM
"Redclaw?!" Cera said in surprise and some fear at seeing Redlcaw and his fastbiters.  "Run." Cera said, looking for the best place for them to run and running with Ducky hoping the rest of the gang would keep up with them.  She did try to pick up Ducky quickly and put her on her back since she could run faster then Ducky could, in her view at least.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on February 18, 2014, 09:33:20 PM
"Hey, HEY! STICK TOGETHER!" Littlefoot shouted just as a shadow descended over him.
Red Claw looked a tad thinner than usual. Littlefoot guessed he probably hadn't eaten for a few days. Chomper had told him once that sharpteeth weren't used to having multiple meals a day and often went days without food. "But when they do eat," Chomper had told him, "It keeps them going for a lot longer than green food does for you."

Not that it mattered. Red Claw had plenty of reasons to kill them even if were full.
Littlefoot ran out of the giant's shadow before he could lunge at him. "Don't split up! We're dead if we do!"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on February 18, 2014, 10:51:08 PM
"Go." Cera said looking at the others, she was looking for places they could go that Red Claw would find to small to go in, though if his 2 fast biters were with him they would likely not be as impeded as he would be.  

"Where he is his 2 buddies are sure to be also." She said, looking to see where Thud & Screech were so they'd not run into them trying to get away from Red Claw.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: StrutEggStealer on February 26, 2014, 10:54:46 PM
Ruby had screamed - and loudly - but her following reactions were swift and sure. She knew how to handle this sharptooth, and despite the fact that she was terrified, hers was a controlled fear. Or at least as controlled as it could be. "Littlefoot!" She cried. "Where do we go to run?"
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on March 05, 2014, 09:21:13 PM
"RedClaw!?!" Petrie screamed in a near panic, "Everyone run." He said, flying in the direction most folks had started to run in.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Ducky123 on March 06, 2014, 04:25:55 PM
Ducky was quickly tiring, being far smaller than her friends. Redclaw gained on her. "HEEEEEEEEELP!!!" she screamed.

Spike noticed that his sister was lacking behind, becoming an easy meal for Redclaw in any moment... Of course, Spike couldn't let THAT happen as he deeply cared for the swimmer that found him all this time ago. Despite his extreme fear of becoming Redclaws appatiser instead he slowed his sprint considerably, grabbed the swimmer just in time and dogded the mighty swing of Redclaws claws. He quickly gained some distance between himself and the beast pursuing him.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Sleeping-force's-inside on March 07, 2014, 04:11:18 AM
"Well, crap." Chomper looked around as he ran. He didn't see any hiding-places, but for now, he also didn't see those two Fast Biters, so that was a plus.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: Kor on July 04, 2014, 03:29:08 PM
Petrie looked back, seeing his friends were not close behind him made him pause.  He shrugged and flew back, flying to try to distract Red Claw so he would hopefully pause so the others could get farther away.
Title: The Great Plague
Post by: LoyfeCycleProtector on February 04, 2016, 10:08:30 PM
Out of the corner of his eye, Littlefoot saw a crack in one of the pile of rocks that littered that open grassland. From this distance he couldn't tell if it was big enough to fit them all.
The ear-splitting roar behind him convinced him that it was worth a try, at least. He saw Petrie moving around like he was attempting to draw Red Claw's attention.
"Everybody to the rocks!" he shouted, and made a hard turn while waving his tail towards the direction of the crack.