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LBT Fanfiction / Impossible Reach
« on: August 05, 2011, 12:00:21 AM »
(Well, here it is the start of the second part of the story, and...I'm afraid we start off a bit intense from Chapter 1 even, but seemed the best way to start her off. It should be lighter in some parts as we go, though I don't have all of it mapped out yet)
I: Comings
The memory of her abduction which had lead to her meeting the young, but slightly older than herself, spiketail, Ridge, and to his herd becoming permanent members of the Great Valley was something Harper had put out of her mind a while back. At least the slight worry such a crack in her safe world had caused slowly faded over the Cold Times and her life returned back to normal with the slight exception that she understood her brother, Petrie's, draw to confide in close friends more now that she had Ridge for said purpose.
Not that she exactly shunned the others for Ridge's company as Petrie was inclined to do. No tag with her other siblings while Petrie was off doing whatever he did with his friends was still common. Yet at the same time, if anything she saw more of Petrie and got to know his friends better even as Ridge would check by. Being older sometimes he felt more like the babysitter than anything, but even as his own time of adolescence grew closer and closer he retained enough playfulness that he was still counted fun enough for the others to talk to.
In fact, even though Littlefoot was the main defender of Chomper and his friend Ruby when they had to come to the Valley too, Harper was still convinced one nasty run in with Mr. Threehorn was averted quicker by the young spiketail with full defenses than it would have been had he not been there to help Littlefoot defend the young sharptooth's mishap in falling and biting the old threehorn's nose. Mr. Threehorn wasn't the type to admit he was intimidated by children ever, so Harper doubted he'd ever let loose his real reason for moving along with nothing more than a grumble about "kids".
The herd of runners had moved on shortly after coming to the Great Valley, yet then, one day, just showed back up. Ridge had noticed them first and when he asked why they were back (and he'd asked it nicer than some like Mr. Threehorn) they had said they were just returning to the peace of the Great Valley. Few could begrudge them this.
Harper still didn't feel any of them had grown, with the exception that maybe Ridge's spikes looked a bit more intimidating...maybe. Still, Petrie kept very good track of the time and the runner's arrival was also just seven bright circles away from a certain of their relative's exile ending. Harper knew this because it was reminded to her over and over so much she felt she's clamp her brother's beak shut if he talked about it one more time! Oh sure, she was glad of the event as well, but Petrie's focused got more and more one tracked as the bright circle cycles got closer and closer!
The others had given up on paying attention to Petrie as well by the very night before and so Harper was left to deal with Petrie's chatter.
"Oh and me know perfect spot to show..."
"Petrie!" Harper wheeled on her brother to hold a wing over his beak as brightfall had happened quite a while ago and still the two of them weren't sleeping because of Petrie's ramblings. Harper let out a breath, "All of that's gonna get here quicker if you go to sleep" she went on in a calmer tone, but with the undercurrent of impatience and flat out fatigue in her voice. Petrie got the message and rolled over. Letting out another sigh, Harper settled in to try and get to sleep as well, now way past the time she was suppose to have been asleep.
Maybe it was that mess up in her sleep cycle, the young flyer wasn't sure, but that night in her sleep stories she saw scenes she'd never wished to relive ever again. Re-lived them actually, step by step, everything since when she'd first turned and noticed the two runners she'd later found out were named Veck and Lars, on through their taking her and even the "learning process" they were put through. Everything in her sleep story was horribly the same...with one exception. When she was plummeting out of the sky, Petrie and Guido didn't rush in to save her, she just kept falling closer and closer to the ground until...
Thankfully Harper awoke right before the sleep story could get it's most horrible. She glanced about and found her nest empty. After such a sleep story, it was the last thing she wanted to see. Sure, her mind was telling her all of the realities and she knew all that had happened since then and that she was safe in the Great Valley and had been for a while now, but that lingering doubt made her push up and semi-stagger towards the cave entrance. "M-Mom...".
Her mother was still there and appeared at the entrance from where she's just been sitting chatting with Grandma Longneck apparently. Harper fell into her wings letting out a few heavy breaths before finding a normal breathing pattern again. "Harper..." her mother set her back, not so much looking worried but curious, "Well I noticed you slept in but...you ok?".
With this final reminder that she'd been right and all was put right, Harper found a smile as she nodded, "Yeah...just...had a bad sleep story" she answered truthfully but not fully. Both her mother and Grandma Longneck shook their heads a bit.
"Well normal occurrence, I know" Grandma Longneck smiled, "but the very night before Pterano's return, odd timing" she chuckled a bit.
"Really, I'd expect it to hit me rather than her" was Harper's mother's remark with a slight smile of amusement. This reminded the hatchling of the timing and she glanced between both females.
"Oh yeah, that is today" she said, "Is that where everyone else is?". Both nodded.
"A fair selection of the Valley from what I hear" Grandma Longneck answered.
"Oh" Harper glanced to her mother again, "Gosh, I didn't mean to keep you by sleeping in late".
Her mother sighed, "No, staying to await you waking up was a pretty good excuse to stay and...collect my own thoughts" she gazed off. Harper frowned in sympathy, remembering how the hardest part of her Uncle Pterano's exile from the herd that first time on their way to the Valley had been watching the silent struggle her mother went through, always being attuned to her mother's feelings as she was. Harper now hugged her mother after this statement, showing such support.
Her mother smiled and pat her back a bit before sighing, "Well but we should probably all get to it eventually" she said looking from her daughter to Grandma Longneck. The old female smiled and nodded.
"Yes, for Pterano's sake let's not leave it only Grandpa and Mr. Threehorn there when he arrives". All three females, two adult and one hatchling, laughed at this supposed scene.
As they headed out Harper flew along behind where her mother and Grandma Longneck talked, though it was hard to be behind Grandma Longneck, but still she gave the two adults enough space to talk over adult things if they felt like it. It didn't sound like they were talking about anything too interesting anyway.
A sudden movement off to the right caught Harper's attention, for some reason, and she glanced over. It was one of the runners, seeming in a hurry. He darted out of some bushes and then carried a pile of leaves back through the bush again.
Harper paused. Glancing to her mother and Grandma Longneck up ahead and now walking further away, she glanced back to the bushes and then back to the adults.
"H-Hey mom!" she called, drawing her mother's attention, "I...I might catch up later" she just wished to inform her mother of why she was disappearing. If her experiences with being taken had told her one thing, it was disappearing even within the Great Valley could be a cause for concern.
Her mother didn't question why, for which Harper was glad since she didn't have an answer; she instead just nodded. "Alright dear, we'll either be at the meeting of back at the nest".
Harper nodded, "Tell Uncle Pterano sorry for me and it's not him and not to get offended" she said before flying off to her right. She heard slight chuckles from the two adults before they moved off.
Flying through the bushes and, best as she could tell, after the path the runner had taken, Harper soon came out in a clearing and gasped at what she saw. The runner with the leaves rushed over to where the matriarch of their herd lay on the floor looking ill. Bending he offered them to her but she didn't raise her head. Sitting near her, her mate held her hand looking dejected as well.
"A-Are you ok?" Harper darted over, before she paused and realized this was probably sort of the runner herd's own business, their leader being ill, and maybe she was intruding. While looking a bit surprised at her being there, most of the runners didn't look upset but rather just smiled again in pity and also their own sadness.
"Well, look who it is?" Harper turned at the voice and saw the matriarch wearily open her eyes and give her a tired looking smile. "What brings you over, child?".
"I...I noticed one of your herd members rushing over with leaves and...just followed. What...what's wrong?" Harper asked, walking forward and suddenly looking very worried. She glanced between the matriarch to her mate.
The male smiled sadly as well, "I'm afraid my mate's just been a bit down, truth be told we both have" he sighed.
The young flyer frowned, "I...I don't understand, you...you both are sick? What? Down?".
The matriarch smiled, pushing herself up to a sitting position, "Harper" she drew the young one's attention, "First off, I don't want you to think I'm wallowing in pity or anything, I...I'm too strong for that, but, not as strong as I thought I suppose". The older but still a hatchling of a flyer still looked confused.
"The last thing I would wish is to leave or let down my herd, but...sometimes, when you've dealt with heartache and a great pain long enough, it...your body starts to feel it too" the matriarch went on, "I'm afraid 'dying of a broken heart' is a...real thing, as I'm finding out".
Harper slowly shook her head as she tried to make sense of this.
"I'm afraid I've started feeling it myself, even as I ironically try to help my mate" the patriarch gave a sad smile.
"Been trying to get them to eat for forever feels like, and we felt sure bringing them back here would help" the runner with leaves sighed.
"Please child, stop looking like that" the matriarch went on, seeing Harper's incredulous, confused look.
"But...I don't get it, if nothing's actually wrong with you..." her frown deepened as she tried to make sense of what was told to her, "this is about...them...isn't it?" she asked. the matriarch slumped back down to the ground. "Ok, sorry" Harper rushed in her words, also rushing over, "I...I won't mention them again, I...".
"It's not you, dear" the matriarch smiled again, "even without a mention, they've never left our thoughts and..." a ragged breath came out, "I pray you never do have to banish your own children and watch the clear knowledge come into their eyes that they think you hate them, but if you ever did...maybe...you'll finally understand".
Harper stared in shock at the matriarch for a few seconds more, then turned and darted straight off and out of the clearing, tears already forming and trickling down her beak.
I: Comings
The memory of her abduction which had lead to her meeting the young, but slightly older than herself, spiketail, Ridge, and to his herd becoming permanent members of the Great Valley was something Harper had put out of her mind a while back. At least the slight worry such a crack in her safe world had caused slowly faded over the Cold Times and her life returned back to normal with the slight exception that she understood her brother, Petrie's, draw to confide in close friends more now that she had Ridge for said purpose.
Not that she exactly shunned the others for Ridge's company as Petrie was inclined to do. No tag with her other siblings while Petrie was off doing whatever he did with his friends was still common. Yet at the same time, if anything she saw more of Petrie and got to know his friends better even as Ridge would check by. Being older sometimes he felt more like the babysitter than anything, but even as his own time of adolescence grew closer and closer he retained enough playfulness that he was still counted fun enough for the others to talk to.
In fact, even though Littlefoot was the main defender of Chomper and his friend Ruby when they had to come to the Valley too, Harper was still convinced one nasty run in with Mr. Threehorn was averted quicker by the young spiketail with full defenses than it would have been had he not been there to help Littlefoot defend the young sharptooth's mishap in falling and biting the old threehorn's nose. Mr. Threehorn wasn't the type to admit he was intimidated by children ever, so Harper doubted he'd ever let loose his real reason for moving along with nothing more than a grumble about "kids".
The herd of runners had moved on shortly after coming to the Great Valley, yet then, one day, just showed back up. Ridge had noticed them first and when he asked why they were back (and he'd asked it nicer than some like Mr. Threehorn) they had said they were just returning to the peace of the Great Valley. Few could begrudge them this.
Harper still didn't feel any of them had grown, with the exception that maybe Ridge's spikes looked a bit more intimidating...maybe. Still, Petrie kept very good track of the time and the runner's arrival was also just seven bright circles away from a certain of their relative's exile ending. Harper knew this because it was reminded to her over and over so much she felt she's clamp her brother's beak shut if he talked about it one more time! Oh sure, she was glad of the event as well, but Petrie's focused got more and more one tracked as the bright circle cycles got closer and closer!
The others had given up on paying attention to Petrie as well by the very night before and so Harper was left to deal with Petrie's chatter.
"Oh and me know perfect spot to show..."
"Petrie!" Harper wheeled on her brother to hold a wing over his beak as brightfall had happened quite a while ago and still the two of them weren't sleeping because of Petrie's ramblings. Harper let out a breath, "All of that's gonna get here quicker if you go to sleep" she went on in a calmer tone, but with the undercurrent of impatience and flat out fatigue in her voice. Petrie got the message and rolled over. Letting out another sigh, Harper settled in to try and get to sleep as well, now way past the time she was suppose to have been asleep.
Maybe it was that mess up in her sleep cycle, the young flyer wasn't sure, but that night in her sleep stories she saw scenes she'd never wished to relive ever again. Re-lived them actually, step by step, everything since when she'd first turned and noticed the two runners she'd later found out were named Veck and Lars, on through their taking her and even the "learning process" they were put through. Everything in her sleep story was horribly the same...with one exception. When she was plummeting out of the sky, Petrie and Guido didn't rush in to save her, she just kept falling closer and closer to the ground until...
Thankfully Harper awoke right before the sleep story could get it's most horrible. She glanced about and found her nest empty. After such a sleep story, it was the last thing she wanted to see. Sure, her mind was telling her all of the realities and she knew all that had happened since then and that she was safe in the Great Valley and had been for a while now, but that lingering doubt made her push up and semi-stagger towards the cave entrance. "M-Mom...".
Her mother was still there and appeared at the entrance from where she's just been sitting chatting with Grandma Longneck apparently. Harper fell into her wings letting out a few heavy breaths before finding a normal breathing pattern again. "Harper..." her mother set her back, not so much looking worried but curious, "Well I noticed you slept in but...you ok?".
With this final reminder that she'd been right and all was put right, Harper found a smile as she nodded, "Yeah...just...had a bad sleep story" she answered truthfully but not fully. Both her mother and Grandma Longneck shook their heads a bit.
"Well normal occurrence, I know" Grandma Longneck smiled, "but the very night before Pterano's return, odd timing" she chuckled a bit.
"Really, I'd expect it to hit me rather than her" was Harper's mother's remark with a slight smile of amusement. This reminded the hatchling of the timing and she glanced between both females.
"Oh yeah, that is today" she said, "Is that where everyone else is?". Both nodded.
"A fair selection of the Valley from what I hear" Grandma Longneck answered.
"Oh" Harper glanced to her mother again, "Gosh, I didn't mean to keep you by sleeping in late".
Her mother sighed, "No, staying to await you waking up was a pretty good excuse to stay and...collect my own thoughts" she gazed off. Harper frowned in sympathy, remembering how the hardest part of her Uncle Pterano's exile from the herd that first time on their way to the Valley had been watching the silent struggle her mother went through, always being attuned to her mother's feelings as she was. Harper now hugged her mother after this statement, showing such support.
Her mother smiled and pat her back a bit before sighing, "Well but we should probably all get to it eventually" she said looking from her daughter to Grandma Longneck. The old female smiled and nodded.
"Yes, for Pterano's sake let's not leave it only Grandpa and Mr. Threehorn there when he arrives". All three females, two adult and one hatchling, laughed at this supposed scene.
As they headed out Harper flew along behind where her mother and Grandma Longneck talked, though it was hard to be behind Grandma Longneck, but still she gave the two adults enough space to talk over adult things if they felt like it. It didn't sound like they were talking about anything too interesting anyway.
A sudden movement off to the right caught Harper's attention, for some reason, and she glanced over. It was one of the runners, seeming in a hurry. He darted out of some bushes and then carried a pile of leaves back through the bush again.
Harper paused. Glancing to her mother and Grandma Longneck up ahead and now walking further away, she glanced back to the bushes and then back to the adults.
"H-Hey mom!" she called, drawing her mother's attention, "I...I might catch up later" she just wished to inform her mother of why she was disappearing. If her experiences with being taken had told her one thing, it was disappearing even within the Great Valley could be a cause for concern.
Her mother didn't question why, for which Harper was glad since she didn't have an answer; she instead just nodded. "Alright dear, we'll either be at the meeting of back at the nest".
Harper nodded, "Tell Uncle Pterano sorry for me and it's not him and not to get offended" she said before flying off to her right. She heard slight chuckles from the two adults before they moved off.
Flying through the bushes and, best as she could tell, after the path the runner had taken, Harper soon came out in a clearing and gasped at what she saw. The runner with the leaves rushed over to where the matriarch of their herd lay on the floor looking ill. Bending he offered them to her but she didn't raise her head. Sitting near her, her mate held her hand looking dejected as well.
"A-Are you ok?" Harper darted over, before she paused and realized this was probably sort of the runner herd's own business, their leader being ill, and maybe she was intruding. While looking a bit surprised at her being there, most of the runners didn't look upset but rather just smiled again in pity and also their own sadness.
"Well, look who it is?" Harper turned at the voice and saw the matriarch wearily open her eyes and give her a tired looking smile. "What brings you over, child?".
"I...I noticed one of your herd members rushing over with leaves and...just followed. What...what's wrong?" Harper asked, walking forward and suddenly looking very worried. She glanced between the matriarch to her mate.
The male smiled sadly as well, "I'm afraid my mate's just been a bit down, truth be told we both have" he sighed.
The young flyer frowned, "I...I don't understand, you...you both are sick? What? Down?".
The matriarch smiled, pushing herself up to a sitting position, "Harper" she drew the young one's attention, "First off, I don't want you to think I'm wallowing in pity or anything, I...I'm too strong for that, but, not as strong as I thought I suppose". The older but still a hatchling of a flyer still looked confused.
"The last thing I would wish is to leave or let down my herd, but...sometimes, when you've dealt with heartache and a great pain long enough, it...your body starts to feel it too" the matriarch went on, "I'm afraid 'dying of a broken heart' is a...real thing, as I'm finding out".
Harper slowly shook her head as she tried to make sense of this.
"I'm afraid I've started feeling it myself, even as I ironically try to help my mate" the patriarch gave a sad smile.
"Been trying to get them to eat for forever feels like, and we felt sure bringing them back here would help" the runner with leaves sighed.
"Please child, stop looking like that" the matriarch went on, seeing Harper's incredulous, confused look.
"But...I don't get it, if nothing's actually wrong with you..." her frown deepened as she tried to make sense of what was told to her, "this is about...them...isn't it?" she asked. the matriarch slumped back down to the ground. "Ok, sorry" Harper rushed in her words, also rushing over, "I...I won't mention them again, I...".
"It's not you, dear" the matriarch smiled again, "even without a mention, they've never left our thoughts and..." a ragged breath came out, "I pray you never do have to banish your own children and watch the clear knowledge come into their eyes that they think you hate them, but if you ever did...maybe...you'll finally understand".
Harper stared in shock at the matriarch for a few seconds more, then turned and darted straight off and out of the clearing, tears already forming and trickling down her beak.
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