The Past that Yawns Behind

[Pterano]

Nope, this was all played out in my head before hand, even before I asked you for your guess.   But yes, I do like leading my readers around a bit, and dropping clues here and there.

Thanks for the review, and glad you liked it.

[vonboy]

Yeah, you've blown my guess out of the water now. I know that's something my guess would have NEVER done. I don't have another guess right now. I'll see if I can come up with another good guess before you reveal it.

For a second, you seemed to be doing something TrulyFantasticMe did a whole lot of in Lost in a Forest, and that's make Pterano a BADASS! I really got that impression for a few paragraphs as Pterano started to get cocky and taunt the vicious sharptooth below him, only to kind of pay for that a second later.

When the fighting started breaking out, I started to wonder if this was Pterano imagining it or not. That was a very nice touch, how you brought that up right after Pterano relived that tragic day in his head. You had me wondering for a little while what was really going on there.

As for the violence itself, I liked it. It was very descriptive, and a little Gut-wrenching, but I compare it to Pterano's first test, where you explained what was happening to him in excruciating detail.

This was a really great chapter! I'm looking forward to the next one



Um, It's not getting started just yet, but I hear in this year's GoF awards, there will be a separate fanfiction awards! Here's a link to Mumbling's post explaining how it will be carried out.

Important: The Fanfiction Award, To everyone who asked.

I just want to make sure you know about it, so you can get this story entered! I think you'll have to PM Mumbling to get your fanfiction entered.

[Pterano]

Thanks, vonboy! Heheh, it's back to the old drawing board then, in terms of guess.

Ah yeah heheh, he was getting a little too confident there, so couldn't get away with that. XD

Ahhh yes, if it was all just a fantasy or not. Glad you liked that aspect, as that was what I was going for.

Oh, thanks! I wonder if I can submit an unfinished story, though at the rate I'm updating, it should be done before the end of this month, barring something major occurring. Thanks for the link, and I'm honored that you want me to enter this story into the drawing. I'm really glad you're liking it so far.

[trulyfantasticme]

Neat chapter! Go Pterano!!! Show those fast biters whatcha made of!!!!  

[vonboy]

Are you going to be posting another chapter soon?

[Pterano]

Yes, it should be coming fairly soon. Working on it now. I've been in a bit of a slump recently, and it's been hampering my creativity. I apologize for letting a week go by without any updates, but I always said I wouldn't post a chapter if I thought it was crap, so now that I'm finally over my mental blocks, I'm moving along here and should be getting it up in a bit. Thanks for your patience in this, I know I don't normally post this slowly.

[LBTDiclonius]

No worries Pterano. We all have those days when you just don't really feel up to it or you have a severe case of writer's block. Annoying little thing, isn't it? Anyways, good luck with the chapter.

[Pterano]

Once again, thank ya much for the reviews! We've reached the rising action now, speeding towards the climax! We'll be building up to it in the next few chapters or so. Sorry for the delays, but I always said I wouldn't post if I felt I'd be giving my readers crap.

So here we go! Some action for... eh I'll just let you guys read it. XD

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Chapter 10: Truths

Pterano was resting up against a rock, munching on another leaf that Chomper had been kind enough to provide. It was another one of those healing plants, and the flyer was grateful to have it. That impact with the rock arch hadn't helped his aching ribs, and though he had escaped serious physical injury, he didn't wish to take any chances.

"He really is brave!" Chomper was saying as he stood around in a circle with his other friends, who were just a ways off.

"Well... yeah... I guess he TRIED to save you and Littlefoot... but Mr. Brightneck was better at that, hee!" Cera said, holding her head up.

"Well maybe, but if Pterano did not swoop in to distract that fast biter, Brightneck never would have caught up with us, he would not, oh no, no, no." Ducky pointed out.

"I think it's true. Pterano saved us, and then Brightneck saved Pterano." Littlefoot laid out the actual series of events, hoping not to come on as sounding like a know it all.

"Aw, whatever. Pterano is still Pterano to me." Cera replied, rolling her eyes.

"Cera... not so loud. He's right over there, you know?" Littlefoot hushed her, and looked over at the resting flyer. The longneck slowly started walking over, followed by his friends, who weren't exactly sure what he was up to.

"Hey... Pterano?" Littlefoot asked, to which the flyer cracked an eye.

"Mmm... yes?" he asked, folding his hands on his stomach.

"Thanks... for saving us. And I'm sorry... about what happened to Petrie. If it makes you feel any better... I don't think you took him. And whatever happened to you out in the Mysterious Beyond... I know you're doing everything you can to find him. We're all trying our best. I just... I hope we can find him." the longneck said. It had now been a full day since the little flyer had gone missing, and it seemed as if they were no closer to getting any of the answers they sought.

Pterano smiled down at the lad, and sniffed a little, as his beak was feeling stuffed. “Thank you, Littlefoot. I only hope I can locate him soon. I've been... trying my best." the flyer explained, though he knew of course that he couldn't launch into any details.

"I know you have." Littlefoot stated with a nod of his head. "And I also know that you weren't completely honest with the grownups back there. Is something wrong? I think that if you need help, you shouldn't try and tackle all of your problems by yourself. You have people who still care about you here, and they would be willing to help you if you let them. Why don't you let them share some of your burdens... and your pain?" the longneck asked, gazing up at the flyer with concern in his eyes.

"Oh Littlefoot... I do appreciate your kind words to me... but I'm afraid I just can't. It's not out of a sense of pride or anything of the sort... I just... the one who's taken Petrie told me that if I asked for any help... I'd never see my nephew again... so that is why... you must not assist me. Please... for Petrie's sake. I care about him too much to allow you to help me... as much as I wish to just break down and allow it." he hung his head, his eyes closing in what looked to the longneck like regret.

Littlefoot's eyes widened at this revelation, and he rocked his head back a little. "You've been threatened? Do you know who took Petrie, then?"

Pterano shook his head. "No... I do not."

"Maybe... you could try to think about it again. You were trying to when we were attacked. I know it must hurt a lot... it would be like you asking me to think about the time of my mother's death." Already flashes had entered his mind, but he shook his head. He wasn't going there. Not now. "But this could be important! If you know who took Petrie... then maybe you could somehow let the adults know."

Pterano hesitated, looking down at the assembled gang before him. He furrowed his brow, and pursed his beak. He didn't wish to endanger any of them, and he most certainly had no desire to get his nephew killed. Poor Petrie...

Leaning back against the rock, Pterano closed his eyes, picturing his nephew before him, flying into his arms, squeezing him tightly as he told him how happy he was to see him again. Littlefoot thought he could see a few tears glistening at the seams of Pterano's eyelids, but couldn't be positive.

Pterano now realized it, even as a great trembling overtook his innards. He was sweating, and he felt sick to his stomach. He wasn't in this for himself. He loved Petrie... he loved his family. But Petrie he loved more than even his own sister, as difficult as that was for him to confess. He loved Petrie more than his own life... more than his own soul. He had to get him back.

The gang could now see tears rolling down the flyer's cheeks as he cried silently to himself. Pterano's mind was on autopilot as it raced back in time, back to the great many deaths he had caused. He gaped, horrified, as he was once again back on that pinnacle, watching as those who had trusted him and placed their lives in his hands were butchered one by one. There was a clubtail... a swimmer.... the swimmer who had most certainly plummeted to its death in the forest below. An image that was forever burned in his mind.

There were others as well... faces that were dim and indistinct...

Light flashed in front of his closed eyes, like some epileptic frenzy that was trying to break in. It wasn't a seizure however, but was rather a storm, gathering off in the distance, beyond the walls of the Great Valley. Lightning danced off over the horizon, causing the gang to look uncomfortably over in the direction of the black clouds.

The lightning transferred itself into Pterano's memory, and he was starting to see each face individually, lit up in the flashes that played before his mind's eye. Yes... he was starting to recall everyone who had been with him... but none matched anyone he was currently familiar with. Worried that this was going to be for nothing, he suddenly saw a particularly gruesome sight blossom before him. It was a sight that he had pushed out of his mind, and had convinced himself over the years that it had just been some nightmare, and not the reality that had plagued his life up to this point.

Rock walls surrounded him on both sides, curving up to the sky like demonic horns, enclosing the scene as it played out before him. Pterano was standing on the ground, something he had not done at the time, and the surreality of the scene told him it was just his mind, his guilty conscience making it seem far worse than it had been. Or perhaps it had really been this bad, and the reality was blending with the imagination.

Framed in between the horn like walls, there stood a particular dinosaur. He was sobbing over a fallen form that resembled him rather strongly, and it was clear that the one lying on the ground had been the mate of the other. Was this real? Fantasy? Somewhere in between? He struggled to recall. There had been several mated pairs in his group... so why was this one sticking out at him now?

As fast biters closed in from all directions, the survivor let out a wail of anguish that seemed to split the very sky itself. Pterano tried to block it out... but there was something very familiar about the voice...

The head was turning to face him, despair and affliction written all over the features. As the tear stained face stared directly at him, Pterano could not initially see who this was... but as the lightning flashed again, the flyer cried out, his eyes snapping open as he came out of his dreamlike state. "Agggggh!" he gasped, chest moving in and out as he could feel his hands shaking. It was as if he'd been struck by a bolt from the sky, or had awoken from some terrible nightmare, the latter mostly being true.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Littlefoot asked, the concern present once more on his face.

Breathing heavily, Pterano clutched his chest, his pulse pounding in his ears. There WAS a survivor! Somehow, he had gotten away. How he had accomplished this was beyond Pterano, but he now knew exactly who had taken Petrie, and why.

Rising unsteadily to his feet, the flyer tottered a little, nearly falling backwards before he managed to balance himself. "Pterano? What is it?" Littlefoot asked, unsure now.

"I... I have to go." he panted, glancing briefly over in the direction of the adults. He couldn't see the face in there... but he now knew who it was. "Littlefoot... please just stay here. It's safe, and there's a storm coming. I don't want you going out in it. I'll bring Petrie back... I promise." Pterano said, shaking his head to indicate that they shouldn't try and follow him.

"But... hey, wait!" the longneck cried as Pterano took to the air, thunder rumbling in the distance. The flyer wasn't going to confront his quarry in front of anyone if he could avoid it. Petrie was still missing after all, and unless he could locate him, he still could take no action. But if he could perhaps talk to this individual, and try and get a sense for just how angry he was, then perhaps they could reach some form of agreement. If it meant a lifetime of exile... Pterano supposed he could live with that. As long as Petrie was returned safely...  he no longer cared what happened to himself.

Flapping as the wind started to pick up, the flyer could hear a familiar voice calling out from behind him. "Hey! Going somewhere, Pterano?" It was Redeye. The albino had certainly become his shadow recently, and never seemed to be very far off.

"I know who's behind this!" Pterano snapped, looking back over his shoulder to see the albino wheeling down on him.

"Oh do you now? Well good for you. Too bad there ain't a prize for figuring it out!"

"Look... if you could perhaps take me to him... alone... then maybe we could come to some sort of arrangement." Pterano suggested, raising his voice to be heard over the wind.

"Absolutely not! You still have ONE task left to complete. Or have you forgotten? So you know his identity? So what? He's the one with all the odds in his favor. He still controls the most important piece, Pterano. Your nephew after all. If you want to see him alive... you WILL complete this last task. If you don't... you'll never see Petrie again... at least... you won't see him alive." Redeye said with a malicious chuckle.

Pterano scowled, but knew that the albino was right. He wasn't exactly holding any of the good cards at the moment, to use a more modern term. He really had nothing on his side. Knowing the face of his enemy did him no good. "Fine! This last test then... but I swear, if you renege, I'll inform the Great Valley about who did this!"

"Hmph.... whatever Pterano. Whatever. Just shut up and follow after me." Redeye figured it would be a toss up, even if Pterano did inform anyone. It wasn't as if he had any proof, though proof might be obtained if his boss's home were searched, hence the albino was considering letting his boss know so that he could clear out of his abode and destroy any evidence he might have left there. Either way, there was one test to go. One final test...

Pterano braced himself as the wind grew even stronger, and pushed himself in order to stay behind the younger and uninjured long tailed flyer. Try and hold on Petrie... I'm coming...

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Ichy found himself in darkness. It was darker than that cave where he'd initially pursued that longneck and his friends through years ago. At least back then, he'd had a belly dragger to keep him company, but now he was alone.

He shivered as he entered the cave, shaking his wet feathers off. "Ugh... I hate sky water!" He complained, slapping his wings in the air in order to dry them off. "So let's see... never been in here before." he stated thoughtfully, rubbing his chin with his wing. Dil wouldn't have been able to crawl up here anyway, as it was a cave high in the wall of the Great Valley. The belly dragger would have been hopelessly left behind, provided she'd been here to start off with. There was a small path, but it was far too small for a creature of Dil's size to utilize safely. It wound its way up to the cave from the base of the mountains.

Ichy had noted that the path had been pretty well concealed and overgrown, so it was apparent to him that nobody had come up here in a while. Privacy was a good thing, at least in his book.

Stepping in further, he could see the water falling in sheets outside. What a miserable day! He had been forced to relocate as soon as it had started. It hadn't hit the main valley yet, as it was just crossing the outer wall now, but the dinos down there would start to feel it soon enough.

"You know, Ichy, you really gotta a find a home that isn't so out in the open" he mumbled to himself as his claws clicked on the cold and slimy stones beneath his feet. Maybe this place would do. He looked up at the ceiling of the cave, wanting to know how much room he had in here. As his golden eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see what looked like a very rough patch job done to the roof. Rocks were shoved into what looked like a crude hole that probably opened up to the outside world. There were sounds of dripping water, probably coming from the "patch", but at least it didn't appear that the water was coming in with any great quantity.

"Well it's dark... but it's dry." He stated, sitting down as he looked about him.

"Is... somebody there?" The sharp beak nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a soft voice coming from somewhere deeper in the cave.

"YAGGGH!" he screamed, leaping into the air. "What!?" he demanded, looking all around him as he flapped his wings. "Is someone else IN here?" he asked, shooting his gaze all about.

"Me down here!" the voice said, sounding like it was coming from the floor. The floor? How could anyone be UNDER the cave? Squinting, Ichy's sharp eyes soon detected what appeared to be a very small hole in the ground, close to what looked like a tunnel that led off further into the cave.

"Uhhh... that you down there?" he asked, flying over to the hole. It was small... about the size of a modern day baseball, and Ichy closed one eye as he landed so that he could peer down the opening. "Who's down there?" he asked, thinking he saw a small form a few feet below.

The voice came back again, small and meek. "Me Petrie!" it said, and Ichy fumbled for that name.

"Petrie?" he asked. That sounded REALLY familiar. "How in the Great Valley did you get DOWN there?" he asked, poking his head down the hole now to get a better look, though this only served to block out the remaining light, and he could see nothing at all.

"There a back way in!" the small flyer, who was indeed Petrie, explained. "The tunnel up there lead to this place, but the back way blocked with giant rock! Me can't move it!" the voice sounded scared, but relieved to be talking to someone again at the same time.

"Petrie... WAIT A MINUTE!" Ichy exclaimed, pulling his head out of the hole. "You're that flyer that the longneck asked me to be looking out for!" he snapped a foot claw in recognition. "You uh... OK down there?" he asked. "Can't you fly out?"

"Me really hungry..." the voice replied. "Me not have food ever since me put here! It cold and dark and me no know where this is!"

"Huh... what about flying out? The hole looks big enough for someone your size... well if I remember you correctly." Ichy said, scratching his head.

"Me can't! The opening get really narrow down here, and me can't get out!" was Petrie's response. "Oh! And there a big flyer in the cave! He keep watch over this place! He say he eat anyone that try to get in or out!"

"What?" Ichy asked, still scratching his head. "I didn't see any big flyer in here..."

But even as he was speaking, a shadow fell over him. "What the..." he turned around, looking up at what must have been the largest flyer he had ever gazed upon. Gulping, Ichy's knees started shaking as the monstrosity glared down at him with beady eyes. Its beak was lined with row upon row of razor sharp teeth. They were dulled and yellowed but they still gleamed in the dim light. "Holy... sharpbeak!" he squeaked, smiling nervously up at the large brute.

"Hey... nice day huh? Well OK... not a nice day but OH MY GAGGGGGGH!" Ichy shot up into the air as the beak lanced out at him, crunching against the rocks that only moments ago he had been standing on. The flyer was fast however, and turned its long neck around to snap once more at the miniscule sharpbeak.

"What did I ever do to you!?" he snapped, pulling his rump in forward to avoid it getting bitten off by the carnivorous flyer. Flapping away towards the entrance of the cave, Ichy could hear the gigantic flyer turning its hefty girth around, and beating its wings in order to chase after him.

"Just stay there kid!" he called back into the cave, realizing only a second later that Petrie couldn't really go anywhere anyway. "Ugh... whatever." he said, not bothering to say anymore as he burst out into the driving rain. "HEEEEEEELP!" he cried at the top of his lungs, but no one was around, either above or below him.

The entrance of the cave practically exploded as the gargantuan flyer tore throw the wall of rain that was drenching the mouth. He seemed to rampage forth in slow motion, cutting through the rain as if it wasn't even there. "Oh, give me a break!" Ichy exclaimed as he conducted a dive, trying to get closer to the ground so as to get help of SOME kind. The valley seemed deserted in these parts, the dinos no doubt fleeing the oncoming storm.

He heard rather than saw the mighty jaws snap shut a few feet behind his tail feathers. Flapping his wings as hard as they could flap, the minute sharpbeak flew on into the storm, hearing the great gusts of air behind him, even over the noise of the driving sky water, as his pursuer also beat its wings, and Ichy knew that unless he could either find help or cover in a matter of minutes, he would be nothing more than a distant memory in the minds of a select few in this valley...

Against his better instincts, Ichy glanced over his shoulder, and could see nothing but the open maw of the flyer looming above him. Ichy screamed as the flyer started to dive toward him...

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Uh oh! Cliffhanger time! And that's chapter 10!

[vonboy]

This was great! I really like that Pterano finally got the revelation for himself, but he still can't really do anything about it.

The part with Itcki was very exciting. The person who USED to be a bad guy finds poor Petrie, and might die for it. I know he was evil before, but I'd feel really bad if he ended up dieing. He's sort of redeemed himself in his time in the Great Valley

And through all of this revelations, we STILL don't know who the boss is! Well, I guess we know he's a male now, but that's it. Right now I'm wondering if this Boss is even anyone who was ever shown or mentioned in the LBT movies. It's seeming right now that this boss might be an OC, but it'd be more powerful if it's a cannon LBT character.  I don't really have any good guess as to who this boss is now, but I'll give it a try.

CRAZY INSANE THEORY TIME: REDUX!!!!

So, apparently this boss is a male who's mate was killed in the tragedy, right? I guess if I'm not looking for an OC, I should look for an orphan in the Great Valley. The only one I can think of is Spike, so Spike's dad? Na, that just sounds bad.

You know, Mr. Threehorn fits this bill, even though I thought you presented stuff that disproved him earlier... wait. Mr. Threehorn didn't go with Pterano's group, did he? It'd have to be someone that DID go.

Must be some obcure character then, can't imagine it being a family member of any of the Gang now. Mr. Thicknose?

Is that flyer wanting to chow down on Itcky the boss?

...I give up, I have no idea. just surprise me man

EEE, just saw your new avatar

Anyway, you've got me at the edge of my seat, you sly writer you! Can't wait for the next chapter!

[Pterano]

Oh yes, Ichy is sort of thrust into the good guy role now, through circumstances much more vast than he. He's learned where Petrie is, but has ran into some trouble. XD

Heheh, I CAN say that no, the giant flyer chasing Ichy is NOT the boss. He's just a minion. The boss will... probably surprise you. That's all I'm gonna say. It's someone you're familiar with... that's the only hint I'm going to give.

Yep, new avatar AND new signature!

Really glad you liked it. This one took a long time to craft, so I'm happy I was able to put out something good that's keeping you on the edge of your seat. You SHOULD find out who the boss is by next chapter, the way I'm seeing it. Not exactly certain, but if not the next chapter, it'll definitely be the one after that one.

[vonboy]

Good to hear that ze boss is someone familiar. It would have been kind of...not powerful if you just made up a new character to fill that role.

Hm, if I got any other idea's, I'll post em.

[Pterano]

Yeah, it's most definitely not gonna be someone random that we haven't even met before. You don't have to worry about that. It'll be a familiar face.  

Sure, looking forward to any guesses you may have.  

[Mama's Girl]

Hmm, well you've all but proved part of what I said true, I apparently was thinking along the right lines with the herd and all, now as to WHO...I'm not sure if I still hold with what I said before, I'm thinking on this chapter and then earlier one's...eh...you know what, same guess still holds! Though you might prove me wrong

[trulyfantasticme]

Whoa! Excellent chapter! So we finally got to Petrie, eh? Can't wait to see what Pterano's last task is!

I'll be posting here real soon, like maybe tomorrow if not today. I hope so...

Edit: It's dun!  

[Pterano]

And here we are! We may learn a few things in this chapter! Might even be the moment we've all been waiting for. It seems one of my readers was right about something, but just what... we'll find out!

WOW I LOVED writing this. So I hope you guys equally love reading it. It's suspenseful and leaves a LOT of cliffhangers BUT... ONE thing is answered... something we've been looking forward to for quite some time.

This is kind of a long chapter, as lot's going on, so hope you can bear with it. If you can well... I think you're in for one heck of a ride!

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Chapter 11: Endgame

The jaws clamped shut firmly around the sharpbeak, engulfing him completely. His scream was cut off in mid shriek, and he was surrounded by darkness. Incredibly enough, Ichy felt no pain. Not even the slightest stinging sensation he expected to feel. He never figured he would die by a sharptoothed flyer's maw, but it seemed as if this was to be his end.

But there still wasn't something right about this. He didn't feel dead. He didn't even feel injured. It took him a few moments to realize that the flyer had clamped his beak around him, but hadn't bitten down with any of his teeth. His mouth was so large that Ichy had simply been surrounded by the mouth itself, but had miraculously not been harmed!

Blinking in the darkness, he knew that he had seconds, if that, before this flyer either tried to swallow him whole, or attempted to start masticating him into teeny bite sized pieces. Reacting as fast as his reflexes permitted, Ichy lashed out with his clawed feet, and slashed at the flyer's uvula, which he had fortunately been near enough to attack. A foul odor exploded in Ichy's face as the flyer screeched, opening his mouth, his breath hitting the sharpbeak full on.

Coughing and gagging, Ichy wasted no time, and jumped from the now open maw. He was once again falling through the rain, but this time, he not only had a hungry flyer after him, but a flyer that was now irate at him as well. It gave out a tremendous screech, and soared after him, diving again, but Ichy had the head start he sought.

"Come on Ichy... think... THINK!" he shouted to himself. He wasn't always the smartest sharpbeak in the world, as he would acknowledge, but there had to be something he could do!

Spotting a large tree below him, Ichy figured it was better than nothing, and flew right for it. If nothing else, at the very least he could conceal himself among the foliage, or at least try to. Racing through the leaves, he scattered a few in his passing, and landed on a branch, resting a wing on the trunk, and moving the other wing up to his chest as he panted and sucked in precious gulps of air.

He was relatively sheltered in here from the rain, and only hoped he'd lost that noisy flyer...

... only to have his hopes dashed a moment later as a gigantic beak ripped through the leaves inches above him. "Oh come on!" Ichy squawked as he hopped backward, further onto the branch. With a great eruption of leaves and twigs, the hunter-flyer crashed through the branches above the sharpbeak and landed on the branch with a thud. He glared at Ichy with murder in his eyes, and began advancing on him.

"Now hold on! Can't we talk about this?" Ichy pleaded, raising his wings defensively before him. The flyer simply screeched again, and shot his neck downward, Ichy hopping back mere milliseconds before the larger carnivore's beak took a sizable bite out of the branch they were standing on. "What is your problem!?" Ichy demanded, nervously backpedaling as fast as he could go, but realizing that he was soon to run out of branch. It was narrowing up here, and he could see the rushing river below him, swollen now from the heavy rain that was pelting down from the skies.

The titanic flyer was taking a few more steps forward now, walking out onto the narrow part with Ichy. The branch creaked under his weight, and Ichy's sharp eyes immediately picked up on the sagging section where the flyer had just bitten down on. It would snap in a few minutes, if not seconds. Ichy prayed it was the latter.

"Look! I didn't do anything to you!" he pleaded, desperately trying to buy some time. Taking to the sky would be foolish. He would be overtaken in the blink of an eye, but if he could perhaps stall...

"I promise I won't tell a soul! I don't even like that kid! I tried to eat him once! I'm a sharptooth, just like you!" Ichy showed off his teeth to try and display them for his hunter. "See! I'm a sharptooth! I hate that kid's guts! He nearly got me killed once! I hate him just as much as you do! I'm sure we can work on SOME sort of arrangement... right?" Ichy stammered, hoping to come across half as wicked sounding as he hoped he was making himself out to be. The flyer was still glaring at him, but seemed to be hesitating.

As the flyer was pondering Ichy's words, the branch suddenly trembled beneath them, and started to snap. Ichy took his cue, and launched himself into the air. The flyer realized what was going on a second too late. With a horrendous scream that vied with the very thunder itself, he plummeted downward as the branch broke beneath his feet, and he was free falling towards the violent river below. He tried to beat this wings, but this failed to stop his momentum, as he was falling backward, and he needed to conduct a roll in order to right himself.

Ichy watched with bated breath as the flyer began to turn himself over. The roll was conducted seconds too late. By the time the flyer had rolled onto his belly, he struck the water, slapping into it with force enough to throw up great geysers, landing square on the branch that he had brought down with him.

From there, nature took over. The flyer apparently could not swim, and even if he could, the swift current quickly sucked him under, the branch floating over him and clonking his head as he went down. That was enough to knock him senseless, and he was soon being carried far downstream, either to drown or wake up washed ashore miles from here.

"HAAAAAA!" Ichy crowed. "Take THAT you stupid sharp... beaked... flyer!" he stumbled on the words, unsure what to call that thing. Either way, it was out of his feathers for good! He did a little dance in mid air, twirling and shaking his tail feathers at the vanishing hunter before he quickly regained his focus. "Now to get out of here... and go tell that longneck!" gritting his teeth, the sharpbeak braced himself for a long flight, and began flapping off through the storm, feeling as if he'd just slew a beast many times the size of that already hefty flyer.

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"Ugh! This sky water sucks!" Hyp grimaced as he and Selene stumbled under an overhang of the Great Valley wall. "There... that's MUCH better!" he stated with a smile, and looked around at their surroundings.

"Hyp... I think this is someone's home." she said, pointing at the bed of twigs and leaves that was made up in one corner.

"Eh, who cares?" Hyp snorted, waving a hand dismissively. "Whoever it is isn't home." he grinned at her in a playful manner. "Now then... where were we? Oh yes! We were just about to get to the good part, weren't we?" The sky water had picked the worst possible moment to open up on them. They were trying to enjoy some alone time, but had been interrupted from their little distraction.

Placing an arm behind her, he pulled her in close as she gave off a little "Oh!" before he silenced her with a kiss that he placed squarely on her mouth, a kiss which she soon sank into, wrapping her own arms around his back and hugging him tightly against her. "Mmmmm... you taste rather good after a little shower." she said, pulling back for air and giving him a wink.

"Oh come on. You know I can't control the weather." he said, rolling his eyes. He took her hands, and started pulling her deeper under the overhang.

"Hyp!" she protested. "We really shouldn't be doing this in here! It's somebody's home after all!" she reminded him. "Besides," she placed a hand on his chest. "We aren't officially mated yet. Don't get TOO far ahead of yourself!" she scolded.

"Aw, I know!" he said, sighing. "I know." he shook his head, looked around them at their surroundings. "So whose home do you think this is?"

"Not entirely sure." she quipped.

"It's cozy, I'll give it that. Oooh hey! Check this out!" he said, walking over to the bed. "Someone certainly likes sleeping comfortably." he nudged the twigs with his foot.

"Looks like they live alone..." she paused to sniff the air. "And judging by the smell, I'd say it's definitely male." she crinkled her nose. "I don't see any signs of a nest... which would also rule out a female living here." she followed after him, noticing something ahead of him beyond the bed. "Say... what do you suppose that is?" she asked, squeezing his tail in an affectionate manner to get his attention as she pointed over his shoulder.

"Huh? Where?" he asked, squinting.

"There..." she said, walking around him to head toward what looked to be a gap in the rock wall. It was well concealed, as there was a bush that grew over the opening, but Selene frowned, and quickly grasped hold of the plant. "This..." she pulled it back, indicating it wasn't even connected to the ground. "Is fake. Well not fake, but it's been ripped out from somewhere else and placed here... almost as if whoever lives here wanted to hide it. Now why do you suppose that is?" she asked, looking into the opening.

"Uh... I'm not good at mystery games, remember?" he asked, walking up to her. "Wow! This is a long tunnel!" he exclaimed, putting his hand on the upper portion of the opening as he leaned in to look.

"Certainly is... I wonder how far it goes on for? It might even go out into the Mysterious Beyond." Selene speculated, placing a hand on her chin.

"Huh... but... so what? There are lot of hidden entrances to the Mysterious Beyond in the Valley. Ow!" she had slapped him lightly on the back of his head.

"Hyp... they're hidden FROM those in the Mysterious Beyond... they aren't hidden from us in the Great Valley... at least not generally." Selene corrected him. "So why hide it from us in here? That doesn't make any sense. We're to report all openings into the Mysterious Beyond. Not hide them." she looked around the abode again, sniffing the air as she walked back the way she had come.

"You know... my dad said they were still trying to figure out how the fast biters got in here before we left, Selene." Hyp stated, backing away from the entrance now. "That tunnel is certainly big enough for a fast biter. You don't think that..."

"I'm not sure. BUT... it's a good guess." she confirmed, nodding as she continued taking whiffs. "There's something... vaguely familiar about the scent here. Almost as if... I've smelled this before..." she abruptly turned on him, nearly colliding with him as he stopped in his tracks.

"Uh..." Hyp trailed off as his future mate began to smell him up.

"Yes... whoever lives here was near you earlier today... THAT'S IT!" she exclaimed. "I THOUGHT I smelled something rather familiar on you! I know who owns this place!" she declared.

"You... do?" he asked. "Coulda fooled me."

"And he's not doing his job! He should've reported that hole! Not covered it up. And come to think of it... if the fast biters DID come through here... not to sound accusatory or anything... but perhaps... you don't think he could have KNOWN they'd be doing so... do you?"

"Selene, I don't even know what you're talking about!" Hyp protested, spreading his arms in a helpless gesture.

"Hold on... I'm thinking..." she said, closing her eyes and turning things over in her mind.

"Uh... Selene?" Hyp asked her as he tried to shift her attention over to him.

"Shhhh! Be quiet!" She said, placing all the pieces together in her head. With a soft gasp, she opened her eyes a few moments later. "This might be crazy... but I THINK I know why the adults couldn't locate Petrie! I mean... I might be WIDE of the mark... but Littlefoot was saying that maybe someone from Pterano's past was responsible for taking Petrie. And just now, I smelled a scent from someone who I think lives here... and furthermore, if I'm putting the pieces together correctly, than this same someone is quite possibly responsible for the attack in the valley earlier on, and if not responsible, then tried to hide what looks to be a suspicious hole that could lead into the Mysterious Beyond. I can SMELL fast biters here Hyp, can't you?" she asked, to which he only shook his head in a confused manner. "Anyway, we'd best go let Littlefoot know! He can pass it on to his grandfather, and maybe we can start confirming all this. Come on!"

"But... hold on!" he called after her. "Just... WHAT are you talking about? Who lives here?" he asked.

"I'll explain on the way!" she motioned with her hand, and began running back out into the rain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pterano was holding the pink flower in his hands. It was bulbous, like a bell, and had green shoots sprouting from either side of it. "That flower will kill you by the time the Bright Circle sinks... which, since we can't see the Bright Circle due to the storm, will not be much longer. Less than half a day to go." Redeye explained. "It's so toxic, that it can even kill a grown longneck without any trouble. All you have to do... is eat it. Eat it, and you'll see your nephew again."

Pterano gulped, the rain falling all around him as lightning lit up the sky. He was shaking again, both from the cold and from the fear. Fear of his own demise. He looked upward into the falling rain, water splashing into his eyes and causing him to blink.

Thunder rumbled overhead, sounding like the death knell he knew was approaching. He knew next to nothing about plants, and had never seen this particular kind before. "Come on Pterano... that's all you have to do. Eat it, and you'll see Petrie again. I'll take you right to him in fact."

Pterano could see his chest rising in and out as he contemplated it all. He glanced down at the innocent looking plant. "If I refuse?" Pterano asked.

"Then say goodbye to me. I'm flying off someplace warm, and you won't be seeing your nephew any time soon."

Pterano shuddered as the thunder rumbled again."You said I could fail a certain number of tests."

"This one you can't." Redeye stated flatly.

Pterano took in a deep breath to calm himself. "I love you Petrie... I love you more than you know. More than my own body... and soul." he whispered, raising the pink plant to his beak. "Is there a... cure for this?" he asked, pausing.

"Just eat the blasted thing! While we're young!" Redeye urged angrily, glaring at him.

Shaking his head, Pterano shoved it into his mouth. "There! It's done!" he began to chew it. It certainly didn't taste like something that would harm him, but then again, he wasn't an expert in this field. Swallowing it, the flyer turned to face Redeye. "This should convince your boss that I'm not the flyer I once was! He'd even go so far as to take my own life would he? Well so be it! I don't care! Now take me to Petrie!" he demanded.

"Awwww well look at you. You're crazy. You know that? I NEVER thought you'd eat that thing. Oh well."

"Hmph... I'm not crazy... I'd do anything to save him... haven't you figured that out by now? You've won! I can't do anything further! I've been beaten up, nearly devoured, badly burned, and now poisoned apparently! What more can you do to me? I have nothing left but to see my nephew! So take to the skies and stop wasting my time!" Pterano growled.

"Fine, fine. Let's go old timer. Let's go." Redeye said, and turned to take off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Littlefoot was sheltering under a large tree with his friends. They were close to the meeting circle, and the storm was all around them, howling about like a mad beast. "Mmm... I don't like when the sky water gets heavy like this." the longneck commented, frowning up at the black sky.

"I do not like it either, I do not, I do not." Ducky said, shivering as the temperature fell.

"Where is everyone?" Cera asked, looking about her.

"I think they're all trying to figure out how the sharpteeth got in here." Littlefoot told her. "I only hope Petrie is OK in this... and Pterano for that matter. He flew off right when it was starting."

"Hey! Isn't that..." Cera craned her neck to see what looked like a small sharpbeak heading right toward them. "Is that who I think it is?" she asked, and Littlefoot's eyes widened.

"Yeah..." he said, recognizing Ichy immediately.

"Hey Littlefoot! Selene and Hyp are running this way too!" Chomper was tugging on Littlefoot's leg to get his attention. "They're certainly moving fast!" Littlefoot turned to look over at the sharptooth's pointing hand, and saw that it was true.

"Well... this is interesting." he said, wondering at this latest development.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pterano was nearly blown off the cliff side, but he managed to land squarely in the cave with some effort, grunting as the pain shot up through his chest again. Redeye landing right behind him. "Is this it?" Pterano asked, looking around.

"Yep... knock yourself out."

"Petrie! Petrie!" Pterano called, walking inside and shaking himself off as best he could. "Petrie! Can you hear me? Where are you?"

"Uncle Pterano!" came the familiar voice. "Me down here! In the ground!"

"The ground?" Pterano asked, looking about him frantically. He knew time was short. He couldn't see the Bright Circle, but knew it had be on its way down. "Where?"

"Over here!" Petrie called back. "Me knew you come to save me! Me down here!"

Pterano finally located the hole in the ground, and he knelt down in front of it, peering inside. "Oh Petrie!" Pterano exclaimed, seeing his nephew down at the bottom of the small pit. He looked famished, and was shivering from the cold.

"There a tunnel that lead in here! Me can't push big boulder, but maybe you can!" his nephew said, pointing towards the back of the cave. Pterano looked up, and could indeed see a tunnel. A voice sounded from behind him however... a voice he now fully recognized.

"Did he complete all the tasks?"

"Oh, he completed them alright." Redeye replied. A dark figured stepped out of the shadows from the side of the cave, walking towards the albino from where he'd been concealed before.

"Good... It seems my flyer security has disappeared... but no matter. I never thought you'd make it this far, Pterano. Well done. Well done. You've won my little game. Still having a hard time believing it in fact... but I'm afraid... it's not over yet." the voice was low, like death itself.

Pterano slowly rose to standing, but did not turn around to face his tormentor just yet. "It's good to see you too..." the flyer said steadily. "I wasn't sure at first... but now I know. I'd say it's been a long time... except it hasn't... has it, Mr. Brightneck?"

[LBTDiclonius]

... :blink: ...WTF!? Brightneck did it!? Wow...that certainly is a shocker. But, you know, for some reason, I actually thought of him doing it, but it still comes as one pretty big shock.

Great chapter and I hope to see the next one soon! Things are about to get interesting.

[trulyfantasticme]

I find it strange that we both update a chapter on the SAME FRIGGIN DAY!!!!  :blink:

Wait a minute! Mr. Brightneck was behind this?  :blink: You had me thinking he was a good guy!

So Pterano finally found Petrie, hmm? But what sucks is that Pterano may not have much time to live...

[vonboy]

Lol, how did I not see that coming  This whole time, I thought it was Mr. Threehorn. :blink:

Yes, this chapter was rather quite long. I really liked it! I like how most of the characters in the story got to do something in this chapter, each of the characters or groups of characters figuring out their own piece of the puzzle.

Hm, what else does Mr. Brightnose have for Pterano? He's already been beaten up, nearly devoured, badly burned, and now poisoned apparently. What else could possibly be done?

About the poisoning, I REALLY hope that's not true. I'm kind of thinking it is, because it seems Pterano isn't showing any signs of sickness yet. If it was going to kill him by sundown, he would start to feel the effects of it pretty quickly, wouldn't he?

I REALLY hope Pterano doesn't have to kill himself to redeem himself!

I'm still on the edge of my seat!

[Mama's Girl]

I knew it! Oh but you are tricky, having me second guessing myelf even if you said it wasn't intentional .

I agree though, cool having everyone sort of have a hand in figuring it out for themselves as well. Well looks like we're close to the end but there's still so much to know! Like, mainly, does Pterano live! and what this last thing is.

I still think Brightneck and Redeye were bluffing. Pterano doesn't have to die you know, just think he will if this is is all just to prove stuff. I'm with Vonboy, holding out hope he's not actually gonna die

[Pterano]

Yes, Mama's Girl did know it, because she PMed me earlier. So no, she wasn't just saying that. XD Now we've learned who has been behind this game, but yes, what will happen to Pterano? Some of you had some good insight on this, but I won't say more just yet.

Alllllrighty. Now we see Mr. Brightneck's true colors, and who he really is, and who he's been pretending to be all these years. Another action packed chapter, and what I'd call the climax of this story if anything. And no, this is NOT the last chapter. Close to it though. Long chapter again, but a lot happens too. It's the penultimate one, so what can I say?

I recommend listening to this track for the opening bits of this chapter. It fits quite well I think


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH9BbgEbqTQ

And if you like, use this track for the Brightneck fight.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_uNB3PnKOc

And this one, for after the fight concludes.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr4eB0WOwN0

-----------------------------------

Chapter 12: Showdown

Pterano turned around to face the hypsilophodon. At that moment, a bolt streaked across the sky, dazzling, and deadly as it lit up the cave. "It was you... this whole time. I had all but forgotten about you... I had forgotten about everyone from back then... I just couldn't... accept it. Any of it. It was all so horrendous that I simply... blocked it out." the flyer said glumly, looking down.

"Blocked it out. Forgot about us all... like we never existed. Makes it easier to forget your crime if you deny that it ever took place, doesn't it, Pterano?" Brightneck asked in an accusatory manner.

"I suppose you saved me earlier because had that fast biter finished me off... you would have been denied the chance to see me arrive here. It all makes perfect sense now..." Pterano stated in a very low voice.

"Hmph. Don't act like you understand any of this. As far as I'm concerned, you're a murderer and a coward. Look at me!" he began in a mocking accent that was designed to mimic Pterano's. "I'm all heroic and battle ten thousand sharpteeth! Oh kids, I'm SO brave! HA! You? BRAVE?" Brightneck challenged.

"I've played your game... I've passed all my tests... now let Petrie go... like you promised." Pterano said, raising his eyes to meet Brightneck's. He chose not to address that challenge, as he figured it was only baiting him in. The eyes staring back at him were cold, unforgiving, and merciless. They sent a chill down the flyer's spine. They weren't the eyes of someone who would simply let Petrie go.

"No."

"What? But you said..."

"SILENCE! It was never my intent in the first place to do such a thing, Pterano! I've been waiting... waiting for many a season to get you here... in this position. Now that I have you... I will NOT be denied my revenge." Brightneck hissed. "You left me for dead... but worse... you left my mate... my MATE... for dead! You promised us peace and prosperity with your lies! You said we'd find an area so bountiful and secure that we could raise our families in peace! We could have such a better life than the one we currently had! We trusted you! We all trusted your treacherous tongue! You led us astray! You took advantage of those of us who were young, naive, and overeager to find paradise!" Brightneck snapped. "I had just taken my mate back then! She was all I had! We were both young... and both so sick of the endless wandering and bickering and debating without answers! You had a silver tongue back then, Pterano. You promised an end to all of our suffering. You promised us great things."

Pterano could see that Brightneck's eyes were flecked with tears, though he wasn't crying, as if by sheer force of will he was keeping his tears from falling. "We trusted you because you seemed like a capable leader. And I had just been told that my mate was carrying our children... our CHILDREN Pterano... our eggs. We wanted to go with you, in order to find a safe place for them to hatch and grow and LIVE. But you... you disgusting... despicable... VILE..." as Brightneck was spouting these bitter adjectives, Pterano could see in another bolt of lightning that Brightneck was carrying the claw he had taken from the fast biter earlier in the day. It was hanging at his side, resting in his hand like a deadly weapon that made Pterano's skin crawl.

"CREATURE!" Brightneck finished, after having thrown in a few more expletives that were a bit worse than what he'd previously stated. "You LEFT US ALL! You left us to ROT while the fast biters came! We called to you for help... for assistance... you were our leader... you were supposed to help us! But what did you do? At our weakest, most terrifying moment, you FLEW OFF! You left us all behind! You left us all behind as if we weren't even living creatures! You treated us as if we didn't even exist! Some brave leader you were! I never... NEVER got to know my children because of you! They were denied the chance to hatch... denied the chance to even breathe!" the "sickle" was raised and pointing directly at Pterano now.

"And so" Brightneck went on. "That's why... I'll never forgive you... you robbed me of my family... my MATE... my CHILDREN... who I never got a chance to greet into this world! Our joy turned to sorrow in a single day... and I've never stopped blaming you for this. Do you know what's it like? Do you know what it's like to watch someone that you love more than your very soul perish right before your eyes as you stand by, helpless? Of course not! You're so selfish, you've NEVER loved anyone but yourself... and your nephew. I see that now. I wanted to test just how strong your love and devotion to your nephew was... and now that I see just how far you'll go... I'll take my revenge. I wouldn't want to kill a selfish coward after all, now would I?" Brightneck sneered.

"You had to have SOME weakness... and I'm glad I found it. I'll kill you Pterano... but not before you watch... helpless... as your nephew dies in front of your very eyes. You'll scream in anguish, you'll claw at your skin as you try and do SOMETHING, anything, to save him... and ultimately fail. And then... when it's all over, I'm going to open you up... and gut you like a fish!" Brightneck waved his "sickle" in a threatening manner, demonstrating just how he would do this.

"You'll never get away with this!" Pterano stammered, trying his best to stave this off, but unsure of what exactly he could do.

"Oh no? Honestly Pterano.... who WOULDN'T believe me? I'm a guardian of the children! EVERYONE trusts me! I've protected them ever since I've arrived here! Unlike you, I've been making my life meaningful to others! They all know and trust me! I'll report that I tried to stop you, but I was too late." his face softened now, looking almost normal. "But it was so horrific! In a fit of absolute insanity, I saw you kill your nephew... end his poor little life... and then... consumed with guilt... you ended your own life... oh Pterano... who wouldn't believe me?" he said, shaking his head and giving off a few "tsks". "That's the privilege that comes with trust. Nobody believes you if you aren't trustworthy. I've protected others for a great many seasons... what have you done?"

Pterano couldn't allow this to happen. He widened his eyes, and shook his head, sinking to his knees. "Please... please... I BEG of you sir... please... you can do anything... ANYTHING you want to me. But just please let Petrie go. He's a child! He can't even defend himself! It's wrong to kill someone like that! Please sir! You're a good person! I know you are!" Pterano pleaded. "You've protected the young ones, as you've said. Don't do this now... don't hurt him. He's counted on you most of his life... please don't do this. I'm so... so... sorry." Pterano knelt down, prostrating himself before the hypsilophodon. "I know what I did to you was horrible... and I can't even imagine it. I don't deserve to live for what occurred back then. I agree with you sir. You deserve to take my life for the countless lives I erased back then through my own foolishness and selfishness. Your pain is so great... I only wish it had been me and none of the others back then! But please... I implore you... don't harm my nephew... let him go... please. I can't take back or erase the past... though I've tried." he was whispering now, sobbing into the ground at Brightneck's feet as the cave was once more lit up the eerie flash of a lightning bolt. "You mustn't harm him... I love him... so much... I've changed! Surely you can see that I've changed! I can't see him killed... please... I'm so sorry... is there anything... I can do to make this right? I'm so... so sorry." he cried, his body convulsing as he wept in penitence.

"You have every right to hate me. I know that. But don't take your revenge on my nephew... he's innocent! I did everything I was capable of doing to save him... don't do this... I beg you sir... don't do this. Think of your own children. How would they see you? How would they look upon their father if they could see you doing this? Think of them sir... please."

Brightneck seemed to momentarily soften, a twinge of regret passing into his features now. Pain was evident on his countenance, and he sniffled a little, but it lasted only a few seconds, if that. "It's too late for that Pterano. You can't mention them. They would want me to take my revenge on you for slaughtering them before they even had a chance! And that reminds me of something... Mr. Redeye."

"Hmmm?" Redeye asked, turning to face his boss.

"Thank you for your assistance. You've been invaluable. But I'm afraid I can't leave any witnesses. You must understand..."

Redeye's pink orbs widened, and he moved to react, but he was a second too slow. Brightneck struck at a speed that seemed unreal, and buried his "sickle" into the flyer's gut, to which the albino emitted a gurgled cry of shock. "Agggh! Ggggggh!" he gargled, caught completely by surprise as he stared with anger, betrayal, and incredulity into his former boss's eyes. Brightneck looked back with no compassion. He was stone cold, and showed no sign of emotion for what he'd just done.

Pulling the claw out of the flyer's stomach, Redeye collapsed to the ground, bleeding out onto the stones of the cavern floor as he weakly reached up towards Brightneck, to which the hypsilophodon merely swatted the albino's hand away mercilessly. "You're making me look bad, Mr, Redeye." Brightneck stated contemptuously. "I was aiming for your heart. You shouldn't have moved. Now your suffering will be lengthy. You'll have to bleed to death now instead of dying almost instantly. Foolish." he spat on the dying flyer's head, and shifted his gaze back to Pterano. "

"Now... where was I? Oh yes! That's right. A flyer's greatest weakness is the water. He can't very well swim in it. And I KNOW that your nephew is incapable of doing so. When your associate Mr. Rinkus callously swatted Petrie into a lake the night you took Ducky, I was there to see the whole thing. Petrie nearly drowned because of that... and you did NOTHING, as usual." Brightneck rolled his eyes. "Anyway... I thought it would be nice to watch your nephew sputter and drown like he nearly did that night. Watch closely now... it will only happen once." He began walking past Pterano, but Pterano grabbed hold of his ankles.

"No! Leave him alone!" this earned the flyer a smart crack on his head from the butt of the claw. "Agggh!" Pterano gasped as he sank back to the floor.

"Wait your turn... don't make me break several bones in your body in order to MAKE you immobile. Why don't you be a good boy, and sit QUIETLY while I finish off your nephew?" Pterano lunged again, but was backhanded by the vicious hypsilophodon, and sent sliding across the rocks. "Last warning Pterano. Next time I break your legs and arms. BACK OFF!" he snarled, and walked over to the "patch job" of stones that Ichy had noticed earlier.

"This one will do the trick." Brightneck pulled out a smaller stone from the jumble, and all of them immediately cascaded down from the ceiling like a waterfall, scattering in every which direction and letting the rain water come pouring in through a now gaping hole. "The pit your nephew is in will fill up within a matter of minutes... nothing like a little sky water to heighten the mood, eh Pterano?" Brightneck yelled, and walked back over to him as the thunder rumbled and the lightning flashed with violent intensity outside.

"No... Petrie! Petrie!" Pterano tried to get up, but was shoved back down by Brightneck.

"Sit down and watch!" Brightneck ordered, growling as he did so. "In just a few minutes, your nephew will be..." but in the flash of another lightning bolt, a figure suddenly charged through the cave entrance and collided head on with Brightneck. Pterano looked up to see Hyp grappling with the older hypsilophodon in the poor light.

"Go! Save Petrie! I'll take care of this guy!" Hyp shouted, attempting to get the weapon out of Brightneck's hand. Pterano needing no further encouragement. He got to his feet, and began to head down the tunnel in the back of the cave, trying to reach the boulder that blocked the entrance as rain water began trickling down into Petrie's pit. The terrified young flyer backed away from it, huddling as far as he could from the incoming flood. He retreated back down the tunnel, heading to the boulder, but knew that unless his uncle could shift the rock, he'd drown. He'd drown a lot faster in the tunnel as well, as there was less space to move around in there. But he wanted to be at the entrance. He wanted to believe his uncle could save him.

Hyp was kicked in the stomach, and he dropped to one knee before being kicked again so that he was soon sailing across the cavern, landing roughly several dozen feet away. "Oh Hyp... you really SHOULDN'T have come here!" Brightneck mocked. "You stupid bully. I'll be forced to kill you now as well. But then again, no one will really miss you."

"Shut it!" Hyp said, pushing himself back to standing. "How could you do this!? Everyone trusts you! What do you think you're doing!?"

"Taking my revenge." was all Brightneck said as he charged Hyp, "sickle" raised above his head. Hyp gulped and ducked as the claw came whistling down a mere inch from where his cheek had been. He punched Brightneck in the side, but the former chaperone exhaled right as Hyp did so, and lessened the impact. He swung again, going for his ribs, but this seemed to only make Brightneck angry as he clobbered Hyp in the face, smacking him with the butt of the "sickle" and then swiftly wrapping the crescent around Hyp's neck.

"And just what is an overgrown egg like you going to do, Hyp? Huh?"

"Stop you!" Hyp choked, and lashed out again, punching furiously into Brightneck's side. He was trying to go for the lungs, trying to knock the wind out of his adversary, but it ended up working in reverse. Brightneck did a double chop downward into Hyp's own sides with his hands, and then struck him in the neck with his elbow, causing Hyp to sputter and fall backward.

"Stop me, huh? You're nothing but a bully! I've survived over TEN sharpteeth attacks in my day! How do you think I ended up with this scar?" Brightneck taunted, jabbing a claw at his scarred side. "I've learned to survive because that's ALL I could do at first! I had nothing... everything I knew was taken from me. Did I mention that I killed nine of those initial ten sharpteeth? You're outmatched, kid! Give it up! I fight better than you ever could! I SURVIVE!" he roared, and leaped into the air to bring his weapon down upon the back of Hyp's neck. Hyp rolled, but Brightneck was able to follow him, and adjusted his attack. He slashed to his left, in Hyp's direction as he landed, and cut into the dinosaur's side.

Hyp cried out as he could see his blood splatter onto the cave floor. His hand immediately went to his side. "You really should have stayed home today. Too bad. How about THIS?" Brightneck maliciously kicked Hyp in his flank, right where the cut was located. Hyp bellowed in agony as he dropped to the floor and curled up. "And THIS?" another kick, the same exact spot. Yet another kick followed that one, and Hyp was now shivering on the floor, in senseless pain and realizing that unless he reacted now, he'd be dead.

His attacker raised the claw above his head, and was preparing to finish the job from the look of things. "Say goodbye, young one. I'll give my regards to your family..." he condescendingly stated, but then screamed as he felt something bite into his tail. Whipping his head around, he could see Chomper clamping his jaws ferociously down on aforementioned appendage, and already the small sharptooth was drawing blood. "You... BRAT!" Brightneck hissed through clenched teeth. "You're going to regret that!" He shifted the claw to strike at Chomper instead, but was halted in mid-swing upon hearing a cry that split the cavern.

"MR. BRIGHTNECK! STOP!" Brightneck turned to see Littlefoot and the gang gathered at the cave entrance. Lightning lit up the sky behind them, and Brightneck could see the terror written upon the young longneck's features.

"Littlefoot... what are you doing here?" he asked, seemingly spooked at seeing the gang.

"Chomper... let him go." Littlefoot said, and Chomper reluctantly opened his mouth, coming off of the now injured tail. "Mr. Brightneck, what are you doing? Why are you hurting people? What's wrong with you? Why have you done this?" the longneck asked, uncertainty flecking his voice. "How could you even think of hurting Hyp and Pterano?"

"Littlefoot... this doesn't concern you." Brightneck said. "Hyp attacked me. I was defending myself. I don't know what you mean about Pterano, he's not even here right now." Pterano was out of sight in the back of the cave, and Brightneck knew it. "This is a matter that's too dark for your eyes. Get back to the valley. I'll be back soon, after I clean up this little mess. And for your information, sharpteeth are DANGEROUS. You shouldn't be with Chomper! If it were up to me, I'd put him down right now and..."

"PUT HIM DOWN!?" Littlefoot cried. "Put him DOWN? Mr. Brightneck... Chomper... Chomper is one of my best friends! If you hurt him you'd have to hurt me too!" he challenged, moving forward a bit. "How can you even SAY that about him? He's part of our group... just the same as Cera or Ducky or Petrie or Spike! I don't care that he's a sharptooth! How could you say that about my friend!?"

"Go BACK to the valley, Littlefoot!"

"He's lying Littlefoot! I only attacked him because he was hurting Pterano! We all came up here together!" Hyp groaned, regaining his breath. "You know why we came here... don't believe a word he says."

"I know Hyp... I know... we know what you did Mr. Brightneck. You kidnapped Petrie! You're trying to hurt Pterano by taking Petrie! We know all about it, so you may as well just stop! You led the search party that swept this area! That's why nobody could find Petrie! This isn't doing anyone any good!" Littlefoot protested. "You're supposed to be a hero! I can't see you doing any of this... but seeing you here now... it's true! It's all true! Why, Mr. Brightneck? Why?"

"Littlefoot, you couldn't possibly understand. I AM a hero, don't you see? I protect you and look out for you. I'm everyone's hero! I'm only trying to correct a great wrong from the past! I'm only trying to do right for all of us! You don't know what it's like!"

"Actually... I do." Littlefoot said, walking forward. "I lost my mother! I lost my father before I even knew him! You hurting Petrie to hurt Pterano isn't right! Petrie hasn't done anything wrong! Maybe Pterano has, but you can't do this! I didn't take revenge on the sharptooth that killed her! I was only trying to reach the Great Valley... so that I could... so that I could fulfill her wish for me. I don't even recognize you doing this. What happened to you?"

Brightneck sniffed, apparently starting to break down again, but he swiftly wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "Littlefoot, I've come too far. I don't want to have to do this to you but I will. You shouldn't have come here." and he began walking straight for the gang, Littlefoot backing up and shaking his head in disbelief. Brightneck only took a few steps before he had his feet yanked out from under him by Hyp.

"Littlefoot! Go! Help Pterano! I'll deal with this!" Hyp shouted, and interlaced his fingers together, forming a ball with his hands which he brought down on Brightneck's backside. Brightneck gasped, but delivered a swift kick to Hyp, though the latter nevertheless held on. "GO!" Hyp shouted.

The gang hesitated, but knew they couldn't do much here. Chomper was the first to move, running off in the direction of the tunnel, gaining it just as Hyp was kicked off for good from the back of Brightneck. "I already told you, Hyp. You're outmatched. It's no use struggling."

"We'll see about that." Hyp had picked up a rock in his hand, and lunged for Brightneck, the nimbler dino swiftly dodging to the side, and slashing at Hyp's arm, cutting into it and drawing more blood. Rather than drop the rock, Hyp steadied himself by taking a knee, and bashed the rock into Brightneck's side, causing him to stumble back toward the cave entrance.

The gang meanwhile, had reached Pterano, who was busying trying to push the rock back from the entrance of the pit. "We're here, Pterano!" Littlefoot called, and threw his effort into moving the stone as well, for whatever it was worth. Pterano couldn't gain much leverage, and that was his main issue. Unless he could shift it, even a little, the rock would stay put. It didn't help that it was in a dip in the ground either. Brightneck had probably rolled it down here from the cave. Chomper was pushing as well, and so was Ducky and Spike. Cera was a good ways behind them, pawing at the ground.

"Oh move aside Littlefoot! That's not how you roll a rock!" she scoffed. Littlefoot gasped, and moved himself aside, making room for the now charging threehorn. Cera took Littlefoot's spot, smashing into the boulder head on. Pterano felt it shift a little under her assault.

"Cera! Do that again!" Pterano urged, throwing his weight forward and struggling to heave the rock away from him. "If you can shift it... I should be able to roll it out of the dip!" Cera shook her head, and backed up to try again. It was with some discomfort that Pterano noted his feet were standing in small puddles of water. The water was seeping out from under the boulder, and he knew Petrie to be in dire straits in that tunnel. "Come on children. All push together! Cera, charge when you can!" he encouraged.

Cera came barreling forward as the others heaved, crashing into the rock and this time, Pterano lost no momentum once he felt it shift forward. "That's... IT!" he grunted, groaning as he and the gang gradually began to slide and roll the heavy rock forward. "Come on! Keep going! We just need to open up a hole that's large enough... for the water!" Pterano strained as he managed to gain ground, rolling the rock inch by inch, centimeter by painful centimeter as the mouth of the tunnel became visible to them by a fraction.

With a grating and scraping sound that reverberated throughout the larger tunnel they stood in, the rock was forced out of position, and Pterano gasped as he could feel his lungs start to catch fire, and his bruised ribs shout in protest over the punishment. "We're doing it... we're doing it!" the flyer grunted as the water began to pour forth from the tunnel in greater volume now. "PETRIE! NOW! GET OUT OF THERE!" Pterano cried, giving off a short yell in order to keep his spirits up as the water washed around his ankles. The little flyer was soon flushed out with the small pool that had been forming in his pit. He coughed and spluttered, and Pterano knew it was time to back off.

"Everyone... back away! Pull Petrie back. I'll hold... this.... here!" he wheezed, and the gang moved away to follow his instructions. Spike and Littlefoot each took a wing in their mouths, and pulled Petrie back and away from the water. "Aggh!" Pterano yelped, unable to hold on. He let go, and the rock rolled back into him, bashing him and knocking him onto the floor of the cavern.

He went down and lay crumpled in the pool of water, and Petrie, coughing and struggling to get free, let out an alarmed shout of "Uncle!" as he broke out from his friends' grasp and flew hurriedly over to his battered relative.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hyp was launching as best an assault as he could on Brightneck, but the agile opponent only took about a third of the blows that Hyp landed, and even then he seemed to shrug most of them off. Hyp had sustained a few more cuts from the "sickle", and he was feeling physically exhausted from the combat. Brightneck seemed more to be dancing than fighting, dodging a blow here and then slashing in like a deadly breath of wind there. His stamina was remarkable, and Hyp knew he was quickly running out of steam.

Panting, he delivered an uppercut that managed to connect with Brightneck's jaw, but his next punch, a left hook, was too slow, and Brightneck slid aside. They were working their way to the mouth of the cave, where the bleeding and inert Redeye lay. "Getting tired, I see!" Brightneck spoke, a little breathlessly, but it was more the voice of an excellent athlete who had just sprinted a mile. It was almost as if he was welcoming this exertion. "I told you, Hyp. I've trained my body and my mind over the seasons. I can take on any sharptooth, and I must admit, it's been fun toying with you, but I grow tired of this game! Let's end it... shall we?"

Hyp knew it was coming, but he was too tired to react. A jabbing pain in his side indicated to him that he'd just been stabbed there, and he roared as it finally hit him. Sinking to his knees as the "blade" was withdrawn, Hyp felt his strength rapidly failing him. They were right on the edge of the cave entrance, and Brightneck's features were lit up in an unnatural light as yet another bolt split the skies. He was sneering. He knew he had won. "I'll finish you off... and all the other ones. It's a shame... as I'd rather have saved them again... but it's too late for that now. They ALL must die in order for my revenge to be complete." Hyp was panting, his sides moving in and out as he gasped and fought for breath. "You battled well... but don't feel bad. I'll make it quick for you." Brightneck began to laugh now, an eerie, troubling sound that seemed to be trebled by the sound of thunder. The storm was departing, moving away into the valley proper now, uncaring and sightless as it continued on its path, thought it wasn't quite done yet.

"And now... AGGGGGGGGGH!" Brightneck let loose an ear splitting war cry, and he seemed to be moving in slow motion. He had raised the claw back behind his head, and was going down for a diagonal slash that would rip into Hyp's neck. Hyp braced himself, telling his legs to MOVE and get him off the ground, but they were deaf to his pleas. As the "blade" swung horizontally across and then began to angle down for its killing cut, Brightneck suddenly let out a surprised clamor, and started to lose his footing.

Hyp looked down, and saw Redeye with his hands around the older hypsilophodon's ankles, trying his best to trip him up. It didn't last long, as the energy soon left the albino, and he was too weak to hold on, expiring as the last of his breath left him, but Hyp seized his chance. Bellowing, Hyp pushing himself forward, palms out, and knocked into the tottering Brightneck. Flailing his arms as he struggled to keep steady, Hyp's push was enough, and with a terrible shriek, Brightneck disappeared, falling backward off the mouth of the cave, and plummeting down to the valley below.

Unfortunately for him, it wasn't a straight fall. He smacked into a rock on the way down, and he bounced off the sloping sides of the mountain several times before he finally stayed grounded, rolling violently over the stone until he slammed into a boulder, his body wrapping around it. The boulder didn't move. Not an inch. Neither did Brightneck.

Hyp exhaled gratefully, and sank backward onto the floor of the cave, splaying his arms out to either side of him. "That... was too close." the rain was beginning to subside, the storm's intensity continuing on into the valley as the sun attempted to poke its way through the gray cloud cover.

Behind Hyp, Pterano and the gang were limping (though this was mostly Pterano) up into the cave proper, Pterano noting that the Bright Circle was about to sink beneath the horizon. "Oh no..." He breathed, and knelt down, holding Petrie out in front of him. "Petrie... I might not have much time... but I want you to know that whatever happens... whatever you see before your very eyes in the next few moments... know... that I love you. I love you more than anything. I love you more than my own life. Please don't cry..." He stuttered.

"What you mean Uncle?"

"I may... be going in a few moments..." Pterano sniffled, and squeezed his nephew in his hands. "Just don't be scared. And don't be sad. Whatever happens... I'll be with you. Always. I love you Petrie... I love you." He brought him in for a tight hug, tighter than he'd ever hugged his nephew before. Petrie was right up against his uncle's chest and neck, and he could hear the unsteady rhythm of his uncle's heart. Its beat may have been frantic, but it still sounded so strong and powerful to him. He wrapped his own arms about his uncle's neck, and started sobbing.

"Uncle Pterano not go!" He protested. "You a hero to me, uncle Pterano! Brightneck so mean! But you my hero!" he cried, sobbing into his uncle's neck.

"It's going to be OK..." Pterano was openly weeping now as well, the last rays of the sun striking them as he kept a wary eye on the setting Bright Circle. "It's going to be OK... I love you Petrie... I love you." He whispered, as the sun vanished, snuffed out of existence for another night.

Pterano winced, stiffened... and then blinked. "I... I'm still alive?" he asked, looking about him, just to make sure. "I'm still... alive? But... how?" he gasped.

"Why did you think you were going to die?" Littlefoot asked, stepping forward.

"I ate a flower... one I was told would kill me." the flyer responded unsteadily.

"What did it look like?"

"Um... pink and... round, and... had two green shoots on either side." he described it now, and Littlefoot nearly laughed.

"Oh, no, no! That's not harmful! Those are rare flowers, but they aren't bad! They're actually pretty tasty!" he exclaimed, and at this, Pterano broke out into tears again, and squeezed his nephew tightly against him.

"Oh! Oh!" Pterano's breath was practically his voice as he wept in relief. "Oh Petrie! Petrie!" he proclaimed, crying right along with his equally relieved nephew. The two nuzzled each other, their tears mixing together as their cheeks rubbed. The tears were no longer ones of sorrow, as they had transcended into tears of joy. The two sank into each other, and both fell to the cavern floor, crying with the greatest relief that either of them had ever experienced.