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« on: July 25, 2013, 07:19:53 AM »
Chapter: 13
Copyright: © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me
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"Right now I do not care how they got in!" Bron screamed at Mr. Threehorn, swinging his tail against a Fast Biter who had crept closer. "Right now I just want them out again." The blood-red Fast Biter jumped back, evading the Longneck's tail.
Perhaps the Threehorn would have argued, had another Fast Biter not chosen to try and get Cera. Slowly but surely they were corralling the Leaf-eaters together, driving them to the river-edge. If one of them fell in, he or she would be dragged away by the current, with all the dangers that came with it.
The children were hiding among the feet of the grown-ups, protected by the massive horns and tails of adult Flatteeth. But even those could not keep the Fast Biters from driving them back.
"Oh no!" Petrie called, pointing with a wing to one of the entrances in the far-away Wall. The form of an adult Sharptooth was just visible descending the path down to the Valley-floor. He was a shade of pale-grey the children knew well: Red Claw.
"Topsy!" Tria called, alerting her mate to a different Fast Biter trying to use the distraction of the grey Threehorn to flank him. She was standing further into the herd, several children hiding between her legs. Tricia was pressed against her mother's foreleg, watching with wide eyes as her older sister snuck between the adults to join them.
"Are you alright?" Tria quickly checked her step-daughter over.
"He didn't get me." Cera assured her, peeking around to look for her friends. Shorty and Littlefoot were with their father, unable to cross the distance between him and the main herd, but the massive legs and tail of Bron kept them safe for now. Petrie was sitting on the ground below Tria and Spike and Ducky were with their mother a short distance away. "Where is Ruby?" She realized the pink Fast Runner was nowhere to be seen. Then she saw her: hiding among the trees, the other girl had not made it to the safety of the grown-ups in time and was now in terrible danger. At least, once the Fast Biters noticed her. But that was only a matter of time since the wind had been turning all day now.
The grass rustled, a soft breeze passing through the long blades, carrying the scent of easy prey.
Only two turned to the young Fast Runner, but they were enough. She could not outrun them, and they could simply track her with their keen sense of smell.
Ruby was frozen as they charged her, and that saved her life. Teeth closed around her tail, hoisting her entire body up as if she was no heavier than a Tree-star. Up and up she went as the Fast Biters howled in frustration. She was put high in one of the trees, only now getting a good look at who had saved her. She nearly fell down from the branch she had been put on. The Longneck wore scars, each still fresh and tender, but she'd have to be blind not to recognize her.
"Stay up there." Grandma Longneck ordered her, stepping out from between the trees. The Fast Biters backed away, their red eyes narrowing as they looked her over. They were from a pack that had hunted around the Valley for generations, and they remembered the Longneck whom they had brought down, only to lose the kill to new arrivals. Only the 'kill' had not been as permanent as one would expect.
The other Leaf-eaters had not yet realized it, but a dead Leaf-eater was walking out from between the trees. Her long neck lifted her vulnerable head away from the threat while her tail threateningly swung back and forth as she blocked their way to the tree with her body.
"Grandma!" The single word echoed through the following silence, Littlefoot having to keep from running with all his might. It could not be… She could not be here.
"Stay there, Littlefoot!" A voice he had near despaired to ever hear again while awake answered him. "Stay with the herd!"
His grandfather did not move, his jaw dropping as his eyes tried to tell him a truth his brain was slow to accept: his mate was alive, somehow, and was here.
The Fast Biters did not attack, not yet at least. By some strange way of fate a Longneck that they had killed was facing them again and regardless of that, she had been a formidable adversary even without being able to survive dying.
She roared, stepping forward and swinging her tail. Her target dodged, jumping back. The other Fast Biter jumped forward, snapping at her neck. She pulled it out of his reach, before bringing it back with all the strength she could, slamming it against his body. A dangerous move, but also a rewarding one as she managed to send him flying backwards. The other hissed, baring his teeth against her. Spit dripped down onto the grass.
In answer she rose to her hind-feet, crashing down onto the ground with all her weight behind the move. The earth shook, and instinctively the smaller dinosaur jumped back. The other got back to his feet, approaching the old Longneck from the other side.
Perhaps she could have dealt with them, had their reinforcements not arrived. Grandma barely managed to get her neck away before massive jaws crashed close where it had been. Red Claw growled at her, stepping up to her some more.
She backed away, her own growl answering his. She slammed her feet down, reminding him with what he was dealing here: an adult Longneck unafraid to defend herself with violence if need be. He did not care, starting to drive her away from the herd. He ignored the young Fast Runner in the tree, every sense focused on the much more rewarding prey of the old Longneck.