((I have no excuse on the lack of update, especially as now at the next update things...well start coming to a head and conclusion. We're not there yet but, well I'll just update. The accusation of darker may be a bit true for this one though...))

XIII:Brought to A Point

Anxious as Harper was on the outcome of Pterano's talk and if he would get through, she caught how Petrie was even more on edge than her. Not over what she was anxious on, or even his usual worries on...everything in the Mysterious Beyond.

No, Petrie was only calm and sure on the one issue Harper wasn't. The outcome. He knew, just because anything else was impossible, that their Uncle Pterano would convince the runners they were wrong and should come back.

Ironically that was why he was poised to spring off the rock the two were watching from for any sign of their uncle. He wanted to be the first with the news.

After all she'd done without realizing she was, Harper figured her brother felt he had to catch back up; and while he wasn't directly jealous of the proud look from Pterano she had warranted, Petrie was going to re-prove his dedication.

Still, she saw Pterano with the runners first, and pointed. "Ooh, there he is!". With amusement she watched her brother shoot off from the rock.

"You're wasting your energy, I'm not even gonna try to race you to give the news first" she muttered to her brother, even if he couldn't hear it.

Then she darted over the other way, over to meet the trio. "You got them to come out!"

Pterano laughed, "Well what's with that surprise? Of course I did" a little of his old boasting was present, in the words only.

As the flyer hatching turned her bright smile to him, Veck avoided the gaze, "Alright, ya got us here"

"It'll be ok, you'll see" Harper went on with encouragement on the very things Veck wasn't so sure about. "and if you really meant it that your mom loves those groundsweets, I could go get some more for you, since the fast biters are gone. Do you want me to? To make it easier again?".

"You really think I'm gonna say yes to that with Mr. Protective Relative standing here?" Veck shot back as he raised a brow.

As Harper laughed, figuring a slight joke was a good sign, Pterano tried to figure out if an insult was intended. His still present ego had a feeling one was, but to back up Harper's mission of getting them to the Great Valley he would refrain from taking the runner too seriously.

"You did find them" Cera's sister commented as she walked up, following the small flyer hatchling to have delivered the news, "and here I was hoping Petrie was just mistaken".

Pterano sighed, "Why is everyone so shocked at my achieved aim?"

"Me not!" Petrie announced with a wide smile as he landed next to his uncle and received the recognition he'd been going for.

"So...everyone's ok with us going back with them..." Lar's gaze took in Ridge and the adult threehorn having escorted the kids and who he knew was the twin's mother.

"I...wouldn't have thought of this myself" Ridge admitted, "but I came out here to help Harper with it in the first place and...I can try...and give you the benefit of the doubt". Both runners nodded. Then their gaze met the adult threehorn.

Her face set hard, "I have my father's issue with forgiveness" she openly admitted, "but...for the sake of others here and at the Valley, I'll let you live to reach it" she then turned and began walking in the direction they would all have to take.

Veck and Lars had started back at her blunt reply and now just stood there unsure. Pterano gave a wry smile, "Trust me, from her lineage that's quite the honor" he whispered once Cera was out of earshot too. The other kids...tried not to giggle at this.
~~~~

For all her hope that had been proven right, Harper still wasn't satisfied with the pace Veck and Lars kept as they followed along at the very back of the returning herd. With another sigh, she went to flap down, but Pterano cut her off and then gave her a small smile, "Best let them figure out their first words to their parents after all this" he said.

Harper nodded, maybe he was right. She then turned to her uncle, "They...were still doing ok before you left...weren't they?" she asked. In everything else, she had never directly asked this yet.

Pterano wasn't sure how to tell her he hadn't exactly checked, not knowing when he left that the runners were what all of this hinged upon. "I...didn't hear bad news". Harper took this answer.

As they all continued on, Pterano glanced over Harper's way a few more times. Partly just mulling over all her surprising actions once again. Yet, also, he had to admit, he was more than a bit disappointed he hadn't warranted confiding in. It was one of those small emotions he had determined to keep to himself, yet now found his curiosity and need to know became too great.

"Harper" he called her attention to him again, "why....didn't you tell me you were planning all this? I could have come helped you children sooner".

Harper got the oddest smile as she answered like one would to a child who should know the answer to what they asked, "Uncle Pterano" she laughed a bit, "if you're going to be changed and the kind of grown-up that's able to be trusted like our parents, then...you can't be the kind that would let us come out here in the first place. A good adult would stop us, like you did when you found us".

"Well yes, I stopped you then, but that doesn't mean I would have halted the entire trip" Pterano grinned, especially as Harper looked so confused. "No worries, we shall straighten out those upside down ideas of yours soon enough" he gave her a slight nudge, to which she giggled.

"Right Petrie?" he looked to his nephew for support.

Petrie nodded, "Uh huh!". As the two flapped up ahead, Harper looked after them perplexed a bit more.

"You don't even know what he just said!" she challenged her brother's defense as she flapped after them, "and what if I want my ideas not straightened!".
Pterano laughed.
~~~~

As they entered the Great Valley, Pterano realized that the opportunity to allow Veck and Lars to secretly sneak over to their parent's clearing was already right before him.

"Of course!" he grinned, "why, I merely draw out my bragging on bringing you children home safely, and we have our distraction which shall keep the others in place until the situation can be explained!".

"Ooh, yeah, that work!" Petrie agreed.

Cera rolled her eyes, "You're going to explain finding us without telling why we were out there?" she asked.

"Sounds a bit hard to do" her sister backed up, having figured she could at least see them all to the Great Valley before finding her herd.

"Not in the least" Pterano exclaimed. Yet, just as everyone but the runners turned to head towards the meeting circle, the sounds of commotion hit them.

"Spread out, but not too scattered!" Mr. Threehorn announced as he came rushing into view, directing this comment to Mrs. Swimmer and a few others of the Great Valley swimmers.

"Dad! What's going on?" his oldest rushed over.

Topsy got over any of his own shock or inquires of what she was doing here without her herd quickly, "Fast Biters have broken through, just now!" he delivered horrible news.

Pterano noticed his sister flap down, and the news just got better. "They're over by the far walking runners herd! Tria's already there!".

Veck and Lars weren't even aware they were moving before they had darted that way. Mr. Threehorn and the others followed, until Mrs. Flyer flew down to cut the children off.

"Chomper could maybe talk to them" Littlefoot politely tried for a very valid point.

"He's right Mom" Harper added, "you already know how helpful Chomper is, like when he helped us during the Time of Rising Waters, and Ducky and I wouldn't be back without Ruby's help".

Mrs. Flyer did seem to ponder this. Finally, she sighed. "Well, I suppose I can't really tell you two what to do...".

This wasn't fully saying yes, but it was enough, and Chomper and Ruby darted off after the other adults.
~~~~

As Mr. Threehorn rushed along with his daughter to attempt to aid his mate in aiding the runners, he took notice of a very interesting fact.

"Everyone else with us are individuals I hate!" he glanced over to his daughter after scowling towards the pompous flyer and kidnapping runners.

"I'll explain it all later dad!" his daughter shot back.

"It also sounds like your own personal problem, Sir" Pterano muttered.

"You make yourself my personal problem!" Mr. Threehorn grumbled.

Pterano sighed, "In case you failed to notice, I did bring the children all back with..."

"Later you two!" the female threehorn shouted at them.

Veck and Lars out ran everyone else to the scene, not surprisingly. Thankfully Tria seemed to have done it.

"Yeah you better run! And stop going after the already sick!" she shouted to the two fast biters making a hasty retreat.

"Come on!" Mr. Threehorn kept after the sharpteeth, "let's make sure they actually leave or they die trying!". His family continued on after him and Pterano only kept to their path to ensure he did know if the sharpteeth made it out or to where they were no longer an issue.

Chomper and Ruby had gone to follow, when they both paused between the direction to fast biters and threehorns had darted off in and herd of runners recollecting themselves from the attack.

"Chomper...do you smell what I am now noticing I can smell with my own sniffer?" Ruby asked. Waving at his nose, Chomoer nodded.

The two hatchlings went unnoticed by Veck and Lars as the two rushed over to where they could spot their mother, thankfully on her feet.

"Mom! Are you ok?!", Veck exclaimed.

"Veck! Lars!" she glanced between her sons in shock, "Y-yes, the shock of having to defend your father...", she looked drained after her rush of adrenaline due to worry though.

Lars helped her as she sank back on a nearby rock, "It is good to see you boys though" she added. That fact alone seemed to help the color stay in her cheeks most of all.

Veck, for once, did look guilty as he gave a small smile, "I...I'm sorry Mom, for everything Harper said we were causing". He then glanced about, "Y-you said Dad was attacked? Where is he?".

Some of the herd members were fanning out from their own grouping up, and Veck now saw why they had all gathered in the first place.

It...it wasn't possible. "Dad...", he walked forward towards the prone figure of the patriarch and slowly knelt.

From where he could see now too, Lars stood up, stunned, and then knelt back down to be beside his mother and hugged her tighter as she turned her head away.

Veck still just stared, at where his father lay with what looked to be horrific wounds. He didn't move. He wouldn't even know they'd come back. After everything else Veck had done to his father, this seemed the worst.

Sobbing, Veck finally broke, crumpling over his father. "Oh dad, I'm so sorry...I...I..." but there were no more excuses, and all his previous one's actually made him sick to his stomach now. How had he said any of what he'd said? Selfish, Arrogant Fool!

He'd had to be so stubborn that nothing short of this broke through his wall! Veck didn't blame Lars, his brother had just been following him. He'd been the ring leader and instigator of the pride that had kept them away.

When he'd been a hatchling, to be from his father's side two seconds would have been torture. The male was everything in young Veck's life rolled into one. It was of course why the banishment had stung so deep and produced such defensive statements.

He'd have grieved his mother's loss, of course, had the flyer hatchling's prediction come true or things gone even worse, but at the loss of his father and mentor, Veck felt not only guilt but the utter bottom of how far one could fail a loved one.

The rest of the herd began to move off, so as to give the young runner his privacy. Herd politics and whether or not the two should be here didn't seem to mater at the moment.

It was Lars, farther back, who thought he noticed the slightest bit of a hope.
"Veck..." as the older of the runners was huddled over his father in utter dejection, Lar's whisper was barely heard as he gently left his mother's side to walk over.

Veck shook his head, "Whatever excuses you have on my account won't help this time, Lars" he said. Then he heard his father's own weak whisper. "B-Boys...?".

(Sorry, I don't know what happened to that 'quicker update' idea of mine; but a certain idea suggested by someone finally makes it in here )

XII:Getting Through

Through both the might of Cera's sister and her horns, and Chomper translating to the fast biters on the even bigger herd to come (a lie Ruby helped him with phrasing right for maximum intimidation factor) the predators were soon convinced that in weighting their options, this fight wasn't worth it.

"So, was I insane?" Ridge asked, after the reunion with Ducky and Ruby and the others, "or did I hear Lar's voice as we came up?".

"Oh no, he was with us, he was" Ducky answered, "We found them, and Harper was trying to, once again, get them to come back".

"Again?" Cera asked.

The two hatchlings were cut off as Harper quickly darted from the cave. She proved she heard the threehorn on her flap out. "It's about to be again again! Come on, they're getting away!".

She at least meant this towards Ducky and Ruby, and possibly all the other "kids" as well, but didn't specify, or get the chance at clarification.

"Harper...desist just a moment, please!" Pterano flapped over to cut the hatchling off in her flight path, "you are not charging head long anywhere". As shocked as he was that he, the proponent of adventurous wanderings, was saying this, Pterano was only more shocked by having to tell Harper this as well as the scowl on the child's beak.

Yet as he'd told Littlefoot, the two runners in question were an entirely different matter than others, and called for different actions.

Apparently, Harper agreed, as she got as close to a challenge as her uncle had ever heard.

Looking still nervous of what Pterano would say to her, after her sneaking off and everything, she nonetheless held her ground, especially as it was now apparent Veck and Lars had escaped her by this time.

"Why...did you do that?" she half demanded and sighed, "I was...so close to getting them to listen! And now it's...no good" her entire stance broke to looking defeated and she hung her head after saying this. After all that...the runner herd leaders were still going to just die and never get to see...

After allowing herself one break, it all seemed to come and she tried but couldn't hold back the slight sniffles that got worse.

"She...has been trying very hard for a hard goal" Ruby came to Harper's defense as she walked up and placed a hand on the young flyer's shoulders. The hatchling wiped at her beak.

As Pterano bent closer, Harper glanced up at him, "I guess I should have probably told you first, so you could have stopped me before I wasted all this time and caused everyone such worry and danger" she sighed again.

~~~~

The nine kids and two adults camped out nearby, but far enough away from where the fast biters had been known to frequent. It took until halfway through their meal that night for Harper to feel like talking about what had happened.

Even Ridge, who thought he had known what those runners were like, was shocked at how far Veck's immaturity stooped. Pterano's face set grim and he shook his head, the children were all entirely too lenient on Veck as they discussed the particulars amongst themselves. Even Ridge, who was the most harsh on them both. It was clear Veck had known how determined Harper was to her goal of getting them to go back, therefor he had to have known she would attempt his crazy stunt, and Ducky and Ruby with her. This was all still saying nothing of his walking off and leaving the three children near said dangerous canyon! Pterano sighed.

Coming to his feet, he began to pace, "Why of all the...! I'm half convinced to go give those two quite the lecture on common decencies!". It was mainly just something one said, and as Pterano glanced to the children and Topsy's oldest again, he saw hardly anyone believed he was serious, they just gave him half amused smiles.

Then, perceptive as she was, Harper frowned. "You...you actually mean that" it wasn't a question.

Pterano smiled to her, "Well I figure a bit of meeting halfway is in order, and that night before you left I did promise to continue helping anyway I could".

"That was listening" Harper pointed out, as she stood, "they...they caused alot of trouble, you...you might...hit them or something".

Pterano laughed, "I give my solemn promise to avoid such" he winked.

"Then...why talk to them?" Harper asked.

"Like I said, meeting halfway" Pterano answered, "we can't have you or the others walking into anymore sharptooth filled canyons, what ever would I tell your mother in explaining". Behind her uncle's criticism of her actions, Harper caught the pride in her selfless determination mixed with the slight reprimand. She never thought she'd be causing such, and glanced down again.

As he went on, Pterano looked a bit more serious, "and...perhaps curbing other lives from going down regrettable paths" he ended. No one had any comment on this, so silence just followed for a bit.

"It's my guess they've circled back to their cave by now. I shan't be long. Keep an eye on them?" Pterano asked of Topsy's oldest. She just nodded and everyone watched as the flyer flew up and off.

Cera's sister grimaced, for the sake of both Petrie and Harper she wouldn't say it out loud, but she was beginning to understand why her father kept talking about this flyer. Even with his good intentions in his actions, he was acting like he was the only one who could get through to the runners.

~~~~

"Veck, what if they just come back here?" Lars asked, squeezing once more into his and his brother's cave by the back entrance now that the coast was clear of both sharptooth and possible vigilante adults. They weren't taking a chance on being seen though.

"Will you relax" Veck answered his brother, "Even that little hatchling isn't gonna come back this soon after the sharpteeth have left. We've got at least a full night circle of peace anyway from the yapping".

As Pterano landed just outside the cave, he was half tempted to interrupt here, but Lar's next words paused him.

"What if...she was right? What if mom is...doing bad?".

"Then she brought it on herself!" Veck snapped.

His brother stared at him, then frowned, "Come on, I know you don't mean that".

"Of course he doesn't" Pterano stepped into the cave and dim lighting provided by the pockets in the ceiling, "but foolish pride will make you say anything", his look would have been smug if remorse didn't tinge it.

Veck backed up, "N-Now look if you're here on some kind of revenge mission..." he began, pointing defiantly.

"Oh no doubt, I'd have quite the case if I were" Pterano stepped forward, causing both runners to start ever back, "but I'm not".

"Y-you're not?" Lars asked.

The flyer shook his head. "No, I'm here to insight reason".

"Come again?!" Veck asked.

Pterano shook his head as he stared at the runner, "My goodness, it's like turn about of a different kind seeing such bottled pride from the outside, and from the both of you, though your brother can just hold his tongue better" he indicated Lars.

"Now see here!" Veck now started towards the flyer.

"You know the running won't last forever, don't you, even for your kind who takes their name from it" Pterano interrupted yet again' "I should know, I tried it".

"So you're gonna start up on us too now, huh?" Lars asked and sighed.

"No" Pterano surprised both runners with his answer as he walked over to a rock along the wall big enough for reclining against, which he did, "All I'm asking of you two is that you be patient enough to hear me out on a little...well, why not call it what it is, story" he smiled.

"Story?" Veck crossed his arms, this flyer was making less sense the more he talked!

"It all really starts back in my own hatchling-hood, but I know you're patience is strained even now, so let's just skip to my traveling with a herd bound for the Great Valley, shall we? It was my sister who spotted the herd first, with a longneck and threehorn in lead, though I dare say she regretted later ever telling me of it...".

Veck's defiant and bored look gave way to intrigue and then shock not long into the flyer's story. There had been other, less disastrous, actions before the big "split". Warning signs the herd leaders had noticed but had no justifiable cause to act on.

O-Ok, Lars thought, as he listened as well, so he was guilty of discrediting their herd leaders to others, that was't so bad. Then the leading astray entered, Ok, but surly after that...it kept coming! Just when he thought the flyer had to be finished, because he didn't strike him as a criminal or anything, he kept going. The flyer's misdeeds finally ended on a relatable note of kidnapping.

"I'd say you boys got off easy" Pterano looked and sounded drained. He hadn't anticipated how hard relating everything yet again would be, yet he went on, "That and your parents obviously still have quite a bit of faith, to banish you until you felt you were better. It shows they think you can handle that and come back after being better. I...well it's no fault of the Valley herd or my own family, my sentence".

Pterano glanced down, "I know what I would have done with such a decree. Come back next night circle cycle or sooner claiming change and not changing one bit".

As Pterano finished with everything, silence fell for a bit.

"B-but..." Lars, finally letting a few of the tears of fear show, yet holding them from falling, stuttered.

"How can we go back" Veck finished for him, not defiantly, but with true fear flecking his voice too. He sighed, leaning his head back against the cave wall, "I just wanted them to see how great we were, how we could be all they wanted us to be...all my father had spoken of since I was hatched".

"It just looks different to them than it does to what your idea of great is" Pterano answered, though without a hint of chiding as he met the youth's gaze and gave a small smile, "trust me that one took majority of my sentence to realize".

He held out a hand and helped both runners to their feet, "Feats of impression aren't how you get there, trust me if you two just walk back fully repentive and just be there for your parents it will go a long way towards what you want".

The two runners frowned, glancing to each other unsurely, then slowly, as one, they turned back to Pterano. "I guess...we can at least see if we're allowed to walk back up to the herd..." Veck said. Lars nodded.

The flyer smiled "You're doing the right thing, trust me" he clapped either of them on the shoulder, beginning the walk out of the cave with them and over to where the bright circle was already rising, "I only wish someone had halted me in my path when I was your age".

(Next update, and I will try to be quicker about them )

X:Worries Justified

Harper stared forward from where she sat on a ledge away from but with a close enough view of the canyon Veck had alluded to. A canyon that did in fact hold a section of large groundsweets in it. It held other things too.

"You can not be expecting Harper to go into that dangerous canyon that is dangerous!" Ruby turned to Veck, her hands on her hips. Ducky just stared at what had caused Ruby to say this and now held both her and Harper's focus. The pack of no less than five fast biters slumbering in the canyon.

"Did I forget to mention the sharpteeth also living in the groundsweets canyon?" Veck said, "My bad".

"You...you want Harper to go down there?!" Ducky turned to the two runners as well.

"No" the flyer sighed, catching both Ruby and Ducky’s attention again, "They don’t expect me to go anywhere; Veck's trying to get rid of me" she frowned accusingly up at the oldest runner of the two.

"I'll be in my cave" Veck smiled, "let me know if you’re actually insane, and word of caution, they are all five very light sleepers". He turned and strode down off the ledge once more, leaving the three girls to decide up for themselves what they would do. Lars followed after a bit.

Harper watched them go and then turned to the canyon once more. Ducky and Ruby just watched her. She stared and stared and then shut her eyes. Ruby stepped forward and laid a hand on her shoulder, "It is not your fault if they do not want to go home and the decision is their fault" she said.

Harper shook her head, glancing from her to the canyon and back, "I...I just can't help wondering what they really can do if I come back with the groundsweet"

"But..." Ducky stepped forward now, and all the girls were ensuring to keep their voices down, "the groundsweets that they want are down there, where the sharpteeth are also, they are" she sighed.

"Yes, and I am also wondering if Veck’s words that they are his mother's favorite are true or if they do not just want us to think they are true" Ruby added.

"Doesn't really matter" Harper pointed out with a hopeless sigh, "all that matters is if I get them or not". Ruby and Ducky frowned. Harper turned to the canyon again and again just stared. "They'd have to come home" she begun whispering, talking it through to herself it seemed, "even if they didn't expect me to get the groundsweets, that's what Veck said. Get them and he'll come, they...they'd have to".

She turned to Ruby, "Veck...Veck wouldn't stare at me standing there with the groundsweet and...still refuse to come...would he?"

Ruby frowned, "I can not be sure what he will do, not being sure of what he is thinking on this, or if he has even thought of that answer himself to himsef". Harper nodded, probably the last possibility and Veck wasn’t even bothering himself with what he would do, since he fully expected her to give up.

With a sigh, Harper turned to the canyon again. She decided she couldn't really worry about what Veck would do. All she’d been doing all along was honestly trying to get through to Veck and Lars, and that's all she could continue with doing.

"I'm gonna do it" she whispered. Ruby and Ducky started, then the fast runner bent to the flyer.

"We will come with you and come to help" she said, glancing to Ducky to make sure the swimmer was alright with her speaking for her like this. Ducky just nodded. "Yes, we will Harper, we will".

Harper smiled and turned to them, "Great, thanks, because I know I probably won't be able to do it without you both. I...have an idea on this too" she confessed with a small smile, "probably no better than the idea that got us here in the first place".

"That idea is still almost working, and will work just as soon as we make this part of it work" Ruby pointed out. "so what is your other idea that is a good idea, I'm sure?".

Harper smiled at the fast runner's reassurances, then went on to explain, taking care to keep her voice down, "Well, I've seen for myself that you sometimes sing to Chomper to help him sleep, and I noticed that one time it even helped keep him asleep when one of the stone teeth dropped from the top of the cave you both use. If your singing did that, then maybe it would keep the sharpteeth asleep long enough for me and Ducky to get a groundsweet out".

Ruby nodded, "Yes, singing that worked that well before might work now too".

"I do not know if just you and me can carry a groundsweet out of the canyon, Harper, I do not" Ducky pointed out worriedly.

"I know" the flyer agreed, "and even Ruby's lullaby might not work, but...well..." with a small smile she went into her other other idea. "As you know, before meeting Ridge I never went anywhere with you all and Littlefoot, but I listened every time Petrie told me about the adventures".

"You did?" Ducky asked.

Harper nodded, "and he said when you all found Chomper's egg, thinking it was your mom's, you made a carrying nest to bring it back to the Great Valley. Well, if you maybe remember how you made it, maybe you could show me and we could make one to carry the groundsweet out".

Ducky grinned at this plan, "Oh! Yes! I am sure I could!" she said. Harper smiled. She could just see Veck's face when they came back victorious!

~~~~

The adult threehorn and flyer would have pushed on even as night fell, and in fact felt the desire to very much, but for the sake of the other young ones with them as well as for their own alertness when searching the next day, they forced themselves to pause. Pterano had been distracted by so many other thoughts, the Sharptooth traveling with them, and who had been at least alluded to by Cera's sister, had slipped by his fully notice until now.

In an action he'd practiced, Chomper crept by, clearly trying to avoid the flyer and notice by him for as long as he could. Pterano frowned in intrigue, and was no doubt about to ask Littlefoot about it, when the longneck beat him to the punch.

"That's...um, Chomper" the longneck said, from where he'd come up beside Pterano, "He's...a friend of ours who's staying in the Great Valley, so that he can find out about how we all get along and...help sharpteeth out here get along. Him and his friend Ruby, a fast runner that...".

"Yes I heard about the fast runner" Pterano cut in, turning to glance at where Chomper was again, "She's apparently the one that helped out so well when Harper found herself in such trouble..." his voice trailed off.

"Yeah" Littlefoot answered, glancing down and then back to the flyer who seemed so lost in thought, "and, as I was telling the others, she's a really good swimmer, so I'm sure her and Ducky and Harper are just fine". The nod he received from Pterano in answer to what he'd said didn't really tell him if the flyer accepted the reassurance or not.

Pterano continued to glance the young Sharptooth's way, and then slowly shook his head, "Normally I would not shoot down such high aims, but...what assurances do you even have these other sharpteeth will even listen to your friend?" the flyer turned to Littlefoot, his beak setting grimly once more, "it all just sounds overly naive and...forgive me, foolish" he shook his head before glancing down once more.

Littlefoot suddenly caught that the flyer was probably not talking so much about the plan of Chomper's he'd heard of, so much as the overly naive and outright foolish one his niece had conceived, and only worry made him title it so harshly. He let a moment or so pass, and then showed how much he did know. "I...I only came to help Harper with her plan because I actually think she can do it" he said, "her...well what she said makes sense, and they just might listen".

"But those runners" Pterano sighed, "are just not...trust worthy, how do I know what they'll..." another sigh halfway through ended the flyer's statement. Littlefoot glanced down again and neither of them said anything for a bit. They were interrupted as they noticed Chomper suddenly coming over.

"Just...because Ruby's...not here" he began in some sort of intro, "doesn't mean I don't know what she'd tell me, and she'd say I should come make friend's, not just hide from you" he faced Pterano in obvious nervousness, but determination, "so...I'm here to do that...Hi".

It was clear that any sudden move might startle the boy off, and something in the whole situation brought a smile to Pterano's face. Slowly he bent to the young one. "I take it then, Cera's sister was fine with the news when meeting you?" he inquired. Though a bit thrown by this, Chomper nodded. "Well" Pterano grinned, "then we can't have one of Topsy's family out doing me" he extended his wing, "how do you do, Young One".

"Chomper" the Sharptooth said, smiling now as well, and shaking the flyer's wing.

"Chomper" Pterano corrected himself with a nod, "I, as you no doubt have heard, am Pterano".

"Yeah, I've heard of you" Chomper went on, more cheerily as he relaxed, "but I don't believe everything Mr. Threehorn said about you" his innocent voice went on.

"Probabaly best that, yes" Pterano grimaced a bit. Littlefoot laughed.

Chomper turned around and then faced them once more, arms loaded with greens. "I gathered some of those leaves you all seem to like, including treestars!" he exclaimed happily.

"Ah, then that truly is the offering of peace" Pterano chuckled lightly.

Hey, thought I'd give your story a read and I must say I'm quickly getting drawn in

I won't go into grammar, as it's been pointed out, and I'm no expert in that area anyway. Anything I'm noticing is just formatting and mainly in the prologue, anyway.

Plot wise, your story holds up very well and has both interesting and down right endearing scenes, like little Petrie in Ch 1

And of course Taylen is just both precious and sounds like a bit of trouble as well in that "doesn't mean to be" kinda way.

Looking good so far.

Similar observations from me. While it makes sense how Grandpa Longneck would be very advanced by now...yikes, I just can't imagine how either Littlefoot or the Council will go on, but of course they will.

Yeah, Pterano (who I think is the one you had notice it) is right, Tposy isn't going to take this well at all! But the I've found the grumpy threehorn fun to either write or watch...voice concern about stuff

All in all, still enjoying and I don't see any grammar mistakes, but then as I've admitted, I'm not an editor

I will make one guess though, theses freaky fast biters cause trouble right when Pterano's trying to make sense of what's just been thrust at him

Oh my gosh, you totally made my day with this, even though it's late

Yay for promised sequels and, ok I know you're going somewhere unpredictable with these freakily talented fast biters.

Hmm, yeah I have some half formed thoughts even now, but I'm not sure if I'm on track enough to say them at the moment. I'll just wait and see how my ideas hold as you go. Looking great so far, and yeah I think I have an idea how this'll go even from just the prologue.

Harper frowned as she heard what Roger suggested as the cause, partly because it made too much sense, it all being Pternao just greeting scared. But again, of what? She didn't know, but kept the facts presented that she heard in the back of her mind for maybe figuring out later.

She didn't have an answer for what they should do, until she remembered something...

Petrie just stuck right by Pterano's side, meanwhile, hoping that his uncle would wake up soon and be ok.

"Uh, Petrie" his sister drew his attention away by speaking to him, "if it is something bad, didn't you say you and Littlefoot found a night flower for Grandpa Longneck that time, and that that helped him when he was sick?"

It had been so long ago, that it took Petrie a moment to recall, but he soon did. How did Harper just suddenly remeber that?! From back when he and his friend's met Ali. He didn't ask, just answered her question. "Uh yeah, that what do it before".

Harper nodded. "Where are they?" she asked.

"Uh...long way and me not sure if me remember..." Petrie admitted.

"Oh" was all Harper said.

"But me could try and rememeber, if it really...that bad" Petrie went on determined. Hopefully it wasn't anything that bad.

((attempting to jump start the role plays, and I don't remember what the other plot with Pterano sick entailed,,so if the night flower side talk thing is just repeating, sorry))

(Wow, three months between updates. Sorry. Yeah, I'm still here, just since things lagged, so did my actually remembering to update this. But fear not I shall get to the end of it )

VII: Hope Floats

Just as Harper had felt she could probably not hold her breath another moment she and Ducky came up into air once more. They had swam through the tunnel out into another pond it seemed and instantly the flyer spotted out shoreline and made for this, pulling herself onto land once more and catching her breath.

Ducky was just behind her. "You are a very good breath holder, you are!" the swimmer smiled, glancing over to Harper.

Letting out a breathless laugh, and then turning to Ducky, Harper finally caught enough air to speak, "You have a compliment for everything, don't you? But thanks" she next smiled back.

"Well, that went very well considering nothing went wrong that could have gone wrong under the water" Ruby said as she also came up behind the two girls and walked onto the shore.

"Yes, and Harper is going to be a swimming flyer now, I bet" Ducky went on with how impressed she was with Petrie's sister's keeping up in that tunnel.

"No, I'm not going there just yet" Harper laughed, now finally sitting up and glancing about her as Ruby and Ducky also took stock of their surroundings.

"Hmm...I am not seeing Littlefoot and the others here where we are..." Ruby said.

"Yeah..." Harper glanced over the way they had come from, "and I don't see that same ledge either". There was rock at the edge of the pond and they had come through that rock, but the surrounding lands didn't look at all similar and the rock wasn't shaped the same.

"The tunnel was very long" Ducky said, "maybe...we are more steps than we thought from the others".

"I'll fly up and see if I can maybe see where we should go from here" Harper suggested, shaking her wings dry enough for flying at least and beginning to flap up.

"Be careful while you are not sure if flying is something you can do" Ruby cautioned, "I do not know much about what makes flyers fly and not fly very well".

"I'm still learning it all myself" Harper said, "but I think I'm ok" she kept on higher and higher. Finally she reached a spot where she could see from above the twisting maze of rock they had come through, and it was very twisty. She squinted, trying to figure out from where she was where they had all been before. She saw the other pond...but it was, as Ducky had said "a few steps away" it looked. Quite a few steps.

"Yeah, I think the tunnel kind of made us stray off..." she called down to Ruby and Ducky, "I can see where we were before but it's probably a bit of a walk" she flapped back down. "We could still probably do it though". The other two frowned a bit but nodded.

"Can we reach there on a flat part that is not all tall rock or is over the rock the only way to get over to the other side?" Ruby asked.

"No, we should just have to follow alongside the rock and then over on one part" Harper replied. "I can't tell from here how tall that part is, but I think it's not too big maybe".

"Well if it is the same as I saw the others walk over before, that did not look too bad when I saw it before" Ruby said. They started off, with the rock ledge on their left, Harper flying up just above the top so they wouldn't miss the cross over point when they were closer to the other pond.

~~~~

Water. Why had it had to be water, Petrie pondered as with trudging steps Littlefoot and Ridge led them on, hoping to find something, anything, where waiting by the otherside of the pool had yielded nothing. Petrie didn't know what they hoped to find though, if Ducky and even Ruby's expertise in water hadn't been able to get them to the other end of that tunnel then...that only meant one thing...after all, flyers weren't known for their swimming abilities.

Petrie glance down, why hadn't he shot down Harper's overly optimistic plan to begin with! He should have know! What, his sister made it through one adventure like experience and he thought she could handle more?! Again, he seemed to have failed her, as well as Ducky and Ruby with her.

Almost as if she were picking up on the feelings of the flyer on her back, Cera suddenly paused. "Ooh, this is hopeless Littlefoot! What do we honestly think we're going to find out here?!".

Both the longneck and spiketail up front turned to her. "We...we have to keep searching, Cera" Littlefoot said, "there...there's still hope". He noted the look of lost morale among them, and how could he expect different? Spike and even Chomper had both lost a sister, Ruby more than filing such a spot in the young sharptooth's life, and for Petrie both a sister and the closest friend out of all his others had been lost all at once.

"I...listen when have I told you guys stuff I didn't believe?". Cera was already looking to him, but now the three boys glanced up as well. "I just can't believe that what we're all thinking is what really happened. Ducky's too good a swimmer for that! And Ruby lived out here just about as long as Ridge before moving to the Valley. Well find something, I promise you!".

This wasn't the end of his speech, and he had planned to go on with a defense of Harper as well, but Petrie's own worried doubts and guilt cut in. "Harper not!" he suddenly said, with a pained expression, "she...she never go anywhere 'sept when she taken. She...she...".

"Petrie" it was Ridge's turn for lifting morale, as he walked over to look directly into the flyers eyes with a small smile, "come on, are you seriously doubting the sister that had enough skill to knock both you and her out of the way of a Spitter’s attack?". He’d meant the reminder to be a good thing, but saw Petrie flinch in guilt again at the memory. "She’s fine, Petrie, I’m sure of it" he sent the flyer a reassuring smile.

Petrie tried to return said smile, but found only moderate success.

"Come on” Littlefoot found a small stream of water flowing from the pond on along the ledge, “let’s keep to the water and maybe we’ll find something that’ll tell us something”.

“That all still seems way too iffy” Cera said as she nonetheless followed along with the rest of them.

~~~~

As Pterano continued on, once more out in the Mysterious Beyond on his own, he scanned about with more purpose than he'd ever had in examining the ground below. Petrie and Harper wouldn't be flying too high up if with their friends after all, and his nephew's fear of sky puffies was sure to keep him down low.

He had been unaware the children were this frequent of explorers, even in what he did know of them, and Ridge must be quite the one with words if he'd convinced Harper to come out here. Not that Pterano was blaming the young spiketail. Adventure and stretching ones wings and experience was a good thing...most times.

It was just the amount of time that was puzzling and worrying. Did the children often take off for an entire day with no word? There was so much he did know, not being an integrated member of the community yet. Thought on this fact and all his laments was a distraction he couldn't afford right now though. With a sigh and focusing once more, he flapped on.

It was after a moment or so more that he thought he spotted a figure. Squinting he flew down closer, noting it was a leaf-eater and someone he could possibly inquire from if they has seen the children. Flapping over to the leaf-eater, a threehorn, he cleared his throat, "Um, excuse me Miss, I don't mean to interupt..." he could see the lone threehorn was apparently bent on reaching the summit of a sheer cliff of rock. She raised a foot once more to try and push herself closer to the top, rock sliding out from under her and her foot hold not holding. Luckily she'd put only testing weight upon the rock.

With a sigh, she tried for another, steadier point, if one existed, throwing a distracted, "I'm quite busy" to the flyer.

"Ah yes, I see that" Pterano went on, "but I was merly curious...", another rock broke forth and went tumbling down the cliff, "if you've seen a pair of children" the flyer went on. Normally he would not push a threehorn, but this was very important after all.

"I've seen more than I care to today!" the threehorn seemed to throw out some personal inside...well if she were less annoyed it would have been a joke. With another sigh, she seemed to catch herself though, and turned to him, "My appolagize, Sir. I am...hurriedly trying to scale this cliff to catch back up with my sister and her friends...though at this rate going around may be quicker" she muttered, "I've seen no lost children other than them" she went on aiding with what information she had.

Pterano nodded, watching as the threehorn went on, "Well Thankyou anyway, I suppose Littlefoot must have taken them a different way then..." he half muttered to himself, glancing to try and find which direction to try next. The threehorn had went to put her foot down again, and paused at this, losing both that and her other footing and tumbling down off the cliff, thankfully from only a bit of a ways up.

(Here's Ch 6 along with my apologies for being so late!)


VI: In Pursuit

At first it had been assumed by those in the Great Valley that the children had just headed off early to play or such, yet as time stretched on and no one could spot them anywhere, this theory made way for a much more likely scenario.

"It's just...they've never wandered off this early. Well except for those few times..." Ducky's mother said. There were sighs of agreement .

"Yes" Grandma Longneck nodded, "This is just not like anything Littlefoot has ever done before".

"Are you kidding me!" Topsy chimed up with, "he does this all the time! No telling where he's hauled them off now!".

It was well for him that Grandpa Longneck didn't get defensive on a good day, "No one is saying the children haven't wandered before, Mr. Threehorn" he began, "but you must admit they usually are not so...prompt with their explorations".

"I'll admit, as he's already proven in our time here, Ridge is as apt to explore as the others" the spiketail's mother sighed, "but are we sure we checked everywhere in the Valley?".

"We've circled over numerous times" Petrie's mother answered her. There were more sighs and the discussion went on on what to do now. From near his sister but still sort of detached from the group, Pterano just watched silently. They were doing it again. The never ending discussion when they should have been getting on with action. Ok, they weren't in the Valley, what was the next course of action? Apparently discuss how unlikely it was they weren't in the Valley and get up a plan for searching again.

Honestly! His own sister falling into this trap had always astonished him. Where was that resourcefulness that had boldly taken off after him during the Stone of Cold Fire episode? Thought of that time brought back a bitter gut wrench. Not to mention how, despite the arguing being pointless, he hadn't exactly been right the last time he called them out on it...

Still...he was doing nothing if not attempting to do everything better this time. Boldly he turned to the still discussing group. "Has the Mysterious Beyond hit anyone as a possibility?" he asked. He had to admit, he didn't imagine Harper as anxious to go back out there, but along with the others it was possible.

Again, he was shocked by how a group of dinosaurs who came from the lands now known as the Mysterious Beyond made such a fuss over it's mention. There were gasps and more worried muttering from the surrounding dinosaurs. The affected kids parents of course taking this proposed explanation in silence as they were use to this possibility.

"Of course, because you'd know all about kids being lost in the Mysterious Beyond, wouldn't you" Topsy answered the flyer with a steady glare. Pterano had more important matters to focus on than to let that barb drive home.

"One benefit of my exile is that I know many of the lands in the Mysterious Beyond like the back of my wing" he went on, "I could quickly aid a scouting party if we wished to follow this line of...".

"No more groups with you in charge!" Topsy strode forward, "wasn't last time bad enough? Honestly Pterano we're trying to salvage what members we have left, not lose the kids and a scouting herd!".

Now the threehorn was becoming harder to ignore. "Well by the time you are all quite finished arguing..." Pterano began.

"Enough" his sister cut them both off, "Now if the kids really have taken off to the Mysterious Beyond..." she paused here as well and sighed. They were where they were left so many other times, if that was the case. Just waiting and worrying.

Pterano placed a hand on her shoulder, "They are all but at an age where they can handle themselves" he said, in a pure try at reassurance. Whether his own over protective thoughts had bought this explanation too was another matter. He glanced to the Council again, "I understand your being cautious and having to plan out how to search beyond the walls, it's why I'm proposing you let me aid and...".

"I won't have anyone call me a coward where my daughter's safety is concerned, and especially not you!" Topsy declared.

Pterano took in a breath, "That was not where I was alluding with my statement at all".

After having let all these thoughts sit a bit, Grandpa Longneck finally spoke. "Pterano is correct, and if we are required to search the Mysterious Beyond for the children, his own knowledge could prove useful, especially..." he went on hesitantly, "since he is the only one of us at liberty to search for any extended time in the Mysterious Beyond...". Everyone else had either age, or another set of hatchlings tying them down, as was always the problem when the children wandered. Even Ridge's father, with no other children, had recently had a minor slip making his back leg act up and thus counting him out on account of being slow.

"You're not honestly suggesting...!" Topsy began.

"Pterano" Grandpa Longneck ignored the threehorn and turned to the flyer, "do I hear what you say correct in that you are offering to go in the stead of those who can't and search for the children?" he clarified. The flyer nodded. Almost as soon as he'd finished the action, he felt the weight of all he took on settle on him. This was more than just a "favor". Here it was. His chance to prove himself, his chance to do right.

He swallowed and forced his voice to work, though, "I can do little else, Sir" he said, "both to make it up to all of you, whom I've hurt" his eyes moved to take in the collected dinosaurs of the Valley, "as well as for my own niece and nephew's sake. I...have done little right by Petrie and even less right by Harper, who, bless her, somehow pulled faith in me even while knowing all about me" he glance down, then over to his sister, "I...shall bring them home, I promise" he all but whispered, holding her gaze and then slowly glancing to Ducky and Spike's mother, the spiketail's, even Topsy and finally Grandpa Longneck.

What the elder longneck saw gave him hope that Pterano did perhaps, for once, mean his words. He nodded his permission and commissioning of the flyer. Pterano gave a small smile, then his gaze drifted to his sister again. She simply stared back at him, so many emotions going past at once. Her fists clenched slightly, in utter worry. "Pterano..." she shut her eyes and then faced him again, "you always sound like you mean what you say, please...for once please...no bravado. This is my son and daughter were talking about".

Pterano nodded, then, hazard a glance to Mr. Threehorn. His rival looked like it killed him, putting this much faith in him and his actions. It did. Yet as the threehorn stepped forward, his voice was quiet and subdued. "If you fail...what I said I'd do to you will be nothing in comparison to what I actually[\i] do...", for once he didn't shout at the flyer, but the quiet tone just carried more weight in the threat.

Pterano nodded, "I won't fail, this time, I promise you. All of you" he glanced about. Then, he flapped up to head off. Well, time to make all those words he'd said count for once.

As they watched him go, Topsy sighed, "You sure about this..." he glanced to Grandpa Longneck.

The elder longneck sighed, "As hesitant as I am to admit it, Pterano has a point; he has spent both the time since our own travels to the Great Valley as well as the dictated five Cold Times out in the Mysterious Beyond". Grandpa Longneck paused for another sigh, "I have my own reservations but...we have to start somewhere in keeping our own promise and actually allowing him the chance of integrating back in after his exile has passed. An exile he still never broke, it must be noted, though I heard there were temptations from small hatchlings".

With a sigh, Topsy faced the wall the flyer had disappeared over once more and merely grumbled once more. "Well...supposing he does...do it. What am I suppose to say to him then? He will still be...him you know"

Grandpa Longneck smiled, "Don't worry my old friend, I feel sure you can get through this. You once found it impossible getting on with me, if you'll recall".

"I still do!" the threehorn shot out, "Hmm, well, I should go check on Tricia again" he strode off. Grandpa Longneck watched him go with a small smile.

"He will do it, won't he" Ducky's mother whispered to Mrs. Flyer.

Her friend sighed, "He...better".

Petrie heard Chomper ask his question, but for the moment all of his attention as on watching his uncle, worried for what might be wrong. He turned though, "No, me never see him before".

Harper shook her head as well, "Me either, but..." she didn't know why but as she went on, she whispered even more than she had been, "the name sounds...not familiar exactly, but...like something I might have heard my mom talk about once with a farwalker" she confided in the sharptooth, "I'm just...not sure if that means she knew him or anything".