Yep, no cliffhanger... at the end. dino_tongue.gif It seems we're going going to see multiple storylines in this story which is always a good thing. Whatever has happened, it seems like it's going to be something unpleasant. This kind of a beginning is a great way to tease the readers but in a good way. dino_laugh.gif
Well, to say it will be as diverse as in SDP would be a lie... but there'll surely be a couple of plotlines assisting the main one, and if just to fill space like... uhh right now, technically
You are saying that I am teasing you, you are? Did you not know that I am feared all over the Mysterious Beyond? Did you not know that I am the most evil swimmer, huh? So do not be surprised but read the next chapter to see how evil I truly am, yep, yep, yep! (read that in Ducky's voice
)
*****
Chapter 3:Guido, as it turned out, was indeed at home, taking a sunbath in the warmth of the afternoon sun. Petrie had landed on a nearby tree after his dive from the heights of the sky. Aware of the fact that Guido was at least as easily scared as he was, Petrie gently glided down, landing gently on the grass nearby.
“Hi Guido, it me, Petrie.”
*
Littlefoot couldn’t have predicted his grandparents’ reaction any more accurately when he arrived at his nest.
“Littlefoot, what is taking you here at this time of the day?” Grandpa Longneck, previously engaged in a discussion with his mate, joked though the surprise couldn’t be hidden.
“Ducky had to go early and Cera is pissed off because she lost at a game of Hide and Seek so now I’m bored because there’s no one to play with!” Littlefoot explained, indignated.
“Well…” Grandpa chuckled heartily about his grandson’s antics, Grandma joining in. “Then how about the three of us going to the watering hole to take a bath and have a chat?”
“Yes, we rarely see you these days, you are always off playing,” Grandma criticised playfully, bending down her neck to bump her grandson, much to his annoyance… and her amusement.
“Yes, we can… oh Grandma don’t do that!”
“Well, then come along,” Grandpa spoke invitingly, beginning to walk. “It will be good to get our minds off that meeting today anyway.”
“Oh, what happened?” Littlefoot wondered curiously, playfully walking slalom between his grandparents’ legs.
The two elderly Longnecks sighed audibly, giving each other a short glance before exclaiming.
“Mister Threehorn!”
*
“Alright, so what are we doing here, little sis’?” Cera wondered as she joined Tricia in what appeared to be a game of sorts.
“Cewa, rocky play play!” Tricia giggled as she was moving around a good bunch of tennisball- up to basketball-sized, more or less round rocks with her head which Tria must have gathered for her to play with.
“Playing with the rocks, are we?” Cera raised an eye-brow.
Tricia nodded. In childish excitement, she rammed into one of the smaller ones with her head, pushing it beyond Cera’s position, then looking up at her sister proudly.
“Hey, that was quite good, let me try too!” Cera praised, joining her sister by picking the biggest and plumpest boulder available. That one would be the hardest to move and, therefore, the biggest challenge for her… well, not counting that the rock wasn’t a challenge for a Threehorn of her size. Though, she had to be careful not to crush the rock altogether.
“Aaaaaaaaand BOOM!” Cera exhaled as she pushed the rock with all her might, knocking it against a nearby tree a few meters away.
Tricia squealed in joy.
“One day, you’ll be just as strong, Tricia, just keep practicing, little goofie-wufus!” Cera encouraged, accepting a quick cuddle assault of her little half-sister before continuing to watch her try to move bigger and bigger boulders, occasionally giving advice until Tria arrived back at the nest.
*
“Petrie, what are you doing here?” Guido wondered, interrupting his sunbath, pulling himself up to greet his best friend.
“Oh, nothing special…” Petrie chuckled lightly. “Me juuuust have nothing to do since friends no play anymore today soooo me think me say hello to other friend Guido.” Petrie gave a quick smile.
“Oh, that is very kind of you, Petrie… hey, how about you join me taking a bath in the light of the Bright Circle and we relax a little and talk? How does it sound?”
“Sound good to Petrie, we no talk in a while after all,” Petrie grinned, accepting the invitation of his friend. “You also not sleep with family in a long while, Guido.”
“Oh yeah, I know. It felt silly to ask if I may… a-and I think your siblings still don’t like me…” Guido admitted while he took his relaxed pose again.
“Wanna do that tonight?” Petrie offered. “Me sure family happy to see you again!” He plopped down to the ground too, looking at his Glider friend.
“Uhh, sure,” Guido agreed, a smile forming on his beak.
“Great, me look forward to it!” Petrie exclaimed, now also taking a comfortable pose as he began to relax in the sun too.
“I just hope I don’t end up sleep-flying again… it only happens when I’m sleeping in the open...”
“Hence you sleep in log, right?” Petrie guessed, the Bright Circle slowly beginning to warm his body in a pleasant manner.
“Yep,” Guido affirmed. “Well, at least I now know how to get back to the Valley if it happens… uhh, anyway… how ëbout I join your games tomorrow? Should really do that more often, shouldn’t I?”
“Totally!” Petrie grinned.
*
“Oh, there you are!” the adult swimmer hugged her two children intensely upon their arrival, looking quite exhausted and tired.
Ducky and Spike were quite surprised to see her mother in such relief when they arrived at their nest. For whatever reason, she seemed to be quite worried about their wellbeing - her reaction reminded them of some of the unpleasant times of reunion after returning from their adventures. However, this time they were at home quite on time… which was an understatement by far.
“I’m sorry for calling you home so early… but… the meeting today was really tiring, I need some rest and I cannot rest knowing you are still out there…” the adult Swimmer explained, looking really tired, hardly able to keep her eyes open.
“I do understand, mommy, I do,” Ducky replied. The confusion and also disappointment about being called home so early were mostly gone but some concerns remained. Their mother was acting in a very unusual and odd way today. “It is still too early to sleep for Spike and me though, yes it is. I cannot sleep while the Bright Circle is high on the sky, oh no no no…”
“You and your siblings needn’t rest with me yet, just… stay nearby, okay? I beg you…” Some desperation was evident in the adult swimmer’s words.
“O-okay, we shall, yes we do…” Ducky affirmed hesitantly, Spike nodding though he also didn’t quite understand what was going on with their mother. As far as he knew, their mother had never been that tired after a meeting. In general, she hadn’t been. But Spike hated thinking and worrying about things endlessly so, instead, he gestured towards Ducky to join their other siblings who were standing some distance away, apparently engaged in a conversation.
“Yes, I think we should join them too,” Ducky agreed, pointing at them to indicate that Spike should walk over to them. “I really do not understand Mommy though…” As she looked back, she already seemed to have entered a deep slumber.
Spike shrugged his shoulders. Probably, everything would be fine. He didn’t know though how wrong he was…
******
*BADUMTSS*
