Part III:
Setting: The edge of the forest at the river mouth in the Dawn Valley. The thundering rain of the previous day has retreated from the valley and given birth to a bright sun, which is still in the act of drying out the ground and trees. The water at the opening of the river is murky and shallow, making it perfect for the sea turtles and fish that migrate up the river in the spring. Today the river is just as alive as the land as the creatures of the sea take advantage of the calm weather to feed, swim, or simply lay on the hot rocks to sun themselves. On top of a large, commanding rock with a full view of the water slightly bellow sit Rozzy and Thor.
Thor: The shell swimmers are back again this year… a tad late though. <turns to Rozzy> You think he’s here mate?
Rozzy: <strumming the rock with his feet talons> We will find out soon enough.
<Rozzy stared intently at a group of sea turtles who had beached themselves on the hot rocks to gather some sun. They spoke to one another in various conversations which were too far away to hear – not that he cared what they were saying. About a minute later a moderately sized turtle slid back into the water. The other turtles were laughing at him>
Thor: <slight smile> How about that…
Rozzy: <tilts his head up> I thought so… <turns to Thor> You brought the sweet bubbles right?
Thor: Yep … just as you asked. <knowing what’s coming, he picks them up in his mouth>
Rozzy: Leave them here, this is going to be easier then I thought…
Thor: <surprised, but obeys his friend and sets them down>
…
<The two egg-stealers skittered down to the shore where the lone sea turtle had found a different rock to sun himself on away from the others>
Rozzy: <speaking up> Having a bit of trouble with your friends Kepsla?
Kepsla: <bolts back into his shell, surprised that anyone is talking to him from shore. He seems to recognize the voice after a while though and slips back out, looking at the water in shame> Yeah… they think I’m weird. <looks up> Just because I like to be alone. It’s for no reason too, they think they’re better then me!
Rozzy: <brings the tips of his fingers together in a business like gesture> Well then… you can certainly show them when you come back from being alone with a mouthful of sweet bubbles can’t you?
Kepsla: <eyes wide open> Oh no…. I’m not helping you steal from the other land walkers again, no way!
Rozzy: <tilts his head up a bit, he was expecting to hear this> You won’t be… all we need is a simple favour. It will fill both of our stomachs, provided you’re willing to help.
Kepsla: If dad finds out about this… <thinks about it for a moment, and then looks around to make sure no one has seen or heard him> …What kind of favour?
<Thor could see Rozzy smile, a thick devious smile that only showed when things were going his way. Clearly, he had everyone he needed for his plan. Now it just fell to him to reveal what it was, an event that Thor could predict would come on the day they made their move, fourteen suns away>
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<Fourteen days passed faster then Thor had ever remembered. Him and Rozzy ate whatever they could find, but in their world eggs were considered the equivalent of fine dining – a feast that their kind favoured so much that the other dinosaurs named them after it. Around this time of year many egg-stealers tried to take from nests and failed, as they were almost always well guarded or hidden to make them difficult to find. Rozzy was smarter then the rest of them, as Thor knew firsthand, and while their brothers and sisters searched for the less guarded hidden caches for hours on end he visited various locations around the nesting grounds. He never strayed too close to alarm the mothers nested there, but was always close enough so see what went on there on a daily basis. On the morning of the day he had chosen Rozzy, Thor, Syndra and Kepsla gathered on the river bank just upstream of the nesting grounds. From here it could be clearly seen all the dinosaurs huddled together greedily sucking up the water to quench their thirst. Thor had to resist the urge to pee in the water in contempt>
Rozzy: <addressing his gathered friends> Welcome everyone… <mockingly> I trust you have all been eating well?
Syndra: Hardly… <strokes her feathers> All the good feeding spots are taken by elders or snotty males with big wings and no brains. <scoffs> One of them asked me on a date with him the other day… he’s probably still bleeding.
Kepsla: <laughs. He always enjoyed Syndra’s stories>
Syndra: <snaps back> What are you laughing at belly dragger… it probably took you all day to climb that rock!
<Thor and even Rozzy laughed, but Kepsla ducked into his shell like he had been attacked>
Kepsla: <timidly> Sorry… I wasn’t trying to be mean.
Syndra: Hmph… <snicks her nose in the air>
Thor: <interrupts> Guys, we don’t got all bloody day so you’d best listen.
Rozzy: Right… <begins to draw lines in the sand> Just downstream of us are eggs – hundreds of them – and they are well guarded. Attempting to just walk up and take one is the same as walking up to a sharptooth spitting on his nose… a one way journey to the boneyard.
Kepsla: <pipes up> I saw a group of egg-stealers try to take a swimmer’s egg near the shore the other day… one of them didn’t make it back to the trees. <suddenly realizes what he’s talking about> It…wasn’t one of your siblings was it?
Rozzy: I hope so. <gets back on topic> So we are going to have to lure the parents away from their nests, as well as keeping the competition busy.
Syndra: <stops preening her feathers> And just how do you suppose we are going to do that?
Rozzy: A sharptooth attack.
<Instantly he was bombarded with questions, accusations, and doubts>
Syndra: <sarcastically> Oh so we’re just going to ask the first sharptooth we see if he could kindly attack the nesting grounds so we can make off with everyone’s eggs?
Thor: <looked doubtful> Yeah mate I’m not seeing the end to this…
Rozzy: Not a real one! <rolls his eyes> We’re going to fake one. <draws some more lines in the sand, outlining the nesting area> One of us is going to raise the alarm, get them on alert and instil them with fear.
<Everyone was now listening intently>
Rozzy: <points to a part on his makeshift map> All this sky water we have been having has filled the ground on the walls of the valley, making it ripe for a rockslide. <pauses to let his point sink in, but they still don’t know what he’s talking about so he continues> … One of us is going to trigger a rockslide at the moment the alarm is being raised and then run ahead of it, spreading the word that the sharpteeth are coming.
Thor: I see! So in all the chaos and crashing they will think it’s an attack and if they are already on the watch it will start a stampede…that’s right devious.
Rozzy: And while this is going on, the rest of us will move in and take what we can from the nests. Normally sharpteeth don’t go after the eggs, so the parents will think they are safe. It’s up to us … <stomps on his sand map> To prove them wrong.
<Where there was doubt and concern now there was enthusiasm. It was a brilliant plan in their minds>
Kepsla: <speaks up to Rozzy> So who’s doing what?
Rozzy: <looks over to his best friend> Thor and I will take advantage of the chaos and rob the nests.
Thor: Right. <nods his head>
Rozzy: Syndra, your going to trigger the rockslide and then fly ahead to warn everyone, or rather just scream at the top of your lungs that sharpteeth are coming.
Syndra: Oh I doubt that… <clearly she didn’t like doing things that required lots of effort> But it sounds fine as long as I eat afterwards.
Rozzy: Which leaves the final job, the initial warning. <looks at Kepsla with a go ahead look>
Kepsla: <ducks into his shell again> No no I can’t lie! It’s so wrong and hurtful and…
Rozzy: Listen… we need somebody who is small, innocent, and above all has nothing to gain by lying–supposedly. <adds on with amusement> You don’t eat eggs so they aren’t likely to suspect you of anything against them.
Kepsla: But it’s still lying… I could never forgive myself!
Rozzy: Think of it this way… we know for sure that there are sharpteeth out there somewhere in the world right?
Kepsla: <unsure> Yeah…
Rozzy: So you won’t be lying then… your just not telling the whole truth.
Kepsla: Well… <he doesn’t like it, but he relents> Okay fine, but I better get some awfully tasty sweet bubbles for this – of all different kinds!
Syndra: <glowers at Kepsla> Ha… give me your share of eggs and I’ll take care of that.
Rozzy: Excellent… now everyone get to your positions. Before the day is out we will be in for a delicious feast.
<Syndra takes off and Kepsla slides down the rock into the water>
Thor: With you all the way mate…
<And the two egg-stealers left too, making their way down to the edge of the clearing to put the plan in motion>
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Setting: The rocks glisten in the fresh sunlight at the top of the cliffs overlooking the Dawn Valley on what is one of the brightest days of the season. The bright circle hasn’t been out long enough to dry the ground out however, and it is dangerously unstable. So much so that a single prod could send it all tumbling down.
<Syndra glides in and lands on a rock with a good view of the valley, taking her time as she always does>
Syndra: <to herself> Pfff… a sharptooth attack! That land walker must be out of his mind if he thinks this is going to work…
<the rock where she was perched offered a commanding view of the valley and of the nesting grounds. Thanks to her keen sight she could see the river too, which was beneficial as she had been told to wait until she saw Kepsla spreading the word before triggering the rockslide. Patience is a virtue however, and it wasn’t one she possessed. She sits for a while, bored out of her mind, but then suddenly spots a flier in the sky, darting around as if he’s out of control>
Syndra: <not knowing what to make of it> What the?
Guido: <yelling excitedly> I’m flying, I’m finally flying again! Wahoo!
<the wind picks up, and all of a sudden he’s blowing through the air towards the rock face. He makes a hard landing in a pile of loose stones, scattering them about>
Guido: <Brushes himself off and rubs his head> Oww… that can’t be good for the nose. <taps the end of his face to make sure it’s still on right>
Syndra: <crosses her wings and calls down> Your pretty pathetic aren’t you?
Guido: <looks up and brushes his eyes> Am I seeing things… wh-who are you?
Syndra: <sticks her nose up> I should be asking you! After all you are in my roosting spot.
<Syndra was lying about that, but as far as she was concerned this stranger was trespassing in her personal space>
Guido: <vision is still a bit blurry, he rubs his eyes again> I’m Guido.
Syndra: <unimpressed> Guido?
Guido: <her image comes into focus> Hey, You look just like me! I thought I was the only one!
Syndra: <unsure what to say> Well… umm… surprise. <spreads her wings to demonstrate her majesty, without any enthusiasm>
Guido: And your… <gapes at her> …beautiful. <clearly he is entranced>
Syndra: <rolls her eyes, she’d been here before>
Guido: Would you…umm…ah…<stutters> want to fly with me? Because…
<Syndra glanced down at the river in irritation. Listening to Guido talk was like watching a flier crash and burn. Every sentence seemed to make his chances even worse as he messed up words and sometimes even insulted her accidentally. Thankfully this time she saw Kepsla, swimming quickly up the river and hollering to any drinking dinosaurs he saw. She could see some of them turning to flee while others went back to their nests to protect them. It was time to put her part of the plan in motion. She turned back to Guido who was still talking to her>
Syndra: <faking a smile> I’ll tell you what…
Guido: And we could sit together and watch the great circle go down and…huh? <startled at her change in tone>
<Syndra jumps down next to Guido, making it clear how much bigger then him she is, and leans to within an inch of his face. He gulps nervously as she speaks>
Syndra: If you do a little favour for me… <grins> I’ll give you a kiss.
<Guido couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t expected that things could go so good once he panicked and began to talk like he usually did when he was scared. Looking at her devious features though, he began to doubt that he was going to like what came next>
Guido: Umm…<slight laugh to hide his nervousness> what do you mean?
Syndra: <picks up a rock in her fingers> Oh nothing much… just a little bit of “earthmoving”.
…
<As Guido set about doing her bidding, pulling out rocks from the Cliffside, she sped off in a manner that was chosen so he wouldn’t see her. Just as she was out of his sight, a large rumble and thunderous cracking signalled his success>
Syndra: <laughing> That was too easy! <glances back> Hopefully that weirdo was buried on the way…
<Syndra continued to glide on ahead of the collapse, which was now picking up speed and tearing down trees causing birds and other fliers to flee. As soon as she was over the first of the nests she did her part and began to call out to the concerned dinosaurs down bellow>
Syndra: <calls over the roar of tumbling rocks and falling trees> SHARPTEETH!!! They are coming, run for your lives!
<Bellow, the dinosaurs nearest to the rockslide had heard the noises and shouting and bolted, needing no further warning. The nesting grounds then erupted into chaos as nearly every nested coupled obeyed their natural instincts to run away. Some tripped over each other and others accidentally trampled nests as they were pushed on from behind. The large male longneck, who was the leader of the herd, called out as loud as he could but it was lost in the combined thunderous roar. Unnoticed, two egg-stealers dashed onto the open grounds to take their fill in the empty void>
Rozzy: Quick Thor, grab one from each nest!
<Rozzy wasn’t worried at all, not that he had any reason to be. Everything had gone perfectly to plan so far>
Thor: Right! <obeys immediately>
Rozzy: <grabs an egg, and then stops to marvel at the carnage he created, a look of triumph adorning his face>
<The male longneck was clever and sharp and had noticed the lack of real danger right away but he could not raise the herd despite his best efforts. Sighing, his female companion rose from her nest where she had been laying and shouted at the top of her lungs>
Longneck: SILENCE!!!
<It was so loud and penetrating that nearly the entire herd turned to face her, stopping dead in their tracks. She then began to talk to them, to reason with them. This didn’t matter to Rozzy however, who had fixed his eyes on the most beautiful object he had ever seen. Underneath the mother longneck rested a single egg – an egg so large it was almost as big as he was>
Rozzy: <thinking> The ultimate prize… <licks his lips>
<And then as if on queue the birds came. Seeing a field full of unguarded nests they descended to feed>
Longneck: <calls out in alarm> Everyone…the nests!
<Rozzy right then realized that he was standing exposed in a sea of nests with an egg in his hands, which wasn’t a smart place to be when a bunch of angry mothers are running towards you with murder in their eyes. Without hesitation he bolted for the trees and escaped>
Thor: <calls out as he reaches the bush> This way mate…hurry!
<Rozzy left behind the field where the desperate parents they had just stolen from engaged the ravenous birds and other late-coming scavengers to preserve their future. He pushed ahead deeper into the woods just behind Thor>
Rozzy: <slowing down, he takes the time to look back to see if anyone was following him, which nobody was> Another perfectly executed plan.
<suddenly Rozzy is struck down by something his size and he falls heavily to the ground. The egg he had been holding rolls briefly before stopping in a sun beam that had penetrated the canopy like a light from the heavens.>
Rozzy: <stunned> What? …Thor are you there?
<A clawed hand descends and picks up his egg, bringing it out of the light. Rozzy’s eyes follow it until they meet a pair of cold yellow eyes eerily similar to his own>
Ozzy: <steps into the light and admires the egg, then turns to him> Going somewhere… <a cold shadow of contempt passes through him> …Son?
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