Well...because I'm bored here's Chapter 11! Enjoy!
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One Long Tale
He blinked once, then twice, and then several more times just to make sure he wasn’t dreaming….then he stood up and looked the new comer straight in the eye and whispered “Say it again.”
The rainbow face of course knew this would be the reaction to his news…..but he let it slide and repeated himself once more
“I am your uncle….don’t you remember me Longtail? I was there the day you hatched on the island.”
This new feeling wasn’t just shock…it was outright confusion. He didn’t know what to say or do…in fact this was such a massive shock to him that his right eye shot open, then immediately dilated and returned to it’s original quartz pink color.
His mind was reeling, and his heart was racing, but dispite his current distress, Longtail manage to stand his ground for a few more seconds before his vision began to double, and his head began to ache, rather badly…..then as if by some miracle a boulder sitting behind him broke his fall backwards.
Although Littlefoot and the others wanted to rush to Longtails side, the adults around them were holding them back. “Me hope he okay.” said Petrie under his breath to no one in particular.
As the rainbow face walked slowly up to Longtails side, he began to wonder if coming here was such a good idea when suddenly a moan escaped the flyers beak followed by two words….
“U-Uncle Cyrix?” at that point the rainbow face beamed with pride and happiness as his nephew finally came to his senses.
“Yes, yes my nephew it is me….I can understand if you have many questions to…..” his voice however was broken mid-sentence as the flyer swiftly and forcibly embraced his uncle with a hug and still at a whisper said…
“I-I-thought I was the only…..one…who…m-made it off…I had no idea…” of course his uncle was taken aback….and said “My nephew…I wasn’t even on the island the day that tragedy happened…I was with a wondering herd…looking for something special.”
This caught Longtails’ attention and he asked “Something special….like what?” His uncle simply replied with a shake of his head and said “Not today…maybe when we’ve had a chance to catch up with each others past.”
Then a voice screamed from behind the two in the center, and it was no other than Cera’s dad Topsy who then said
“Listen child…I don’t know who or what you are, but you will tell us NOW…or I’ll see you…” but before he could continue Longtail abruptly cut him off.
“Okay you really want to know about my past and where I’m from….” At that point Littlefoot and Ali exchanged worried looks with each other as Longtail continued “…then you all might want to sit down…this is going to be a very long story.”
Then Longtail sat down in the grass beneath him and began to tell the story of how he came to be and what happened between then and now. As the story continued many in the valley turned out to hear this and as it continued, many of those same valley members began to shed tears, some only shook there heads in awe, some much like Topsy and Mr. Clubtail showed no emotion at all.
About halfway through the story a yawn could be heard coming from none other than Littlefoot himself…then several others followed some from the other children, some from one or two of the adults in the circle meaning only one thing…
“I do believe it’s time we all headed for the nest.” said Cyrix and almost immediately a large and symphonic ëAWW’ leapt from Littlefoot and the others. But before they could argue Longtail then stated
"My uncle is probably right you guys….” a yawn then escaped his beak as he finished his sentence “We do need our rest and besides I’ll finish telling the story tomorrow anyway.”
Then the inhabitants started to turn away and as they did a chill came over Longtail, almost akin to a shock. It felt like someone was watching him, from the shadows, Longtail told himself he was being paranoid, but then the trees above him swayed to and fro, and then he thought he saw a figure standing in the trees, but because of the shadows within he couldn’t exactly identify where the movement came from….but he continued to stare at one point in particular…he was sure he saw SOMETHING….then his Uncle Cyrix broke his focus by saying…
“Are you coming Longtail? Or will I have to tell the others to start sleeping without you?” “No, no I’m coming!” yelled Longtail “Well then hurry up nephew.” Called his uncle
Just before he ran to catch up to the others, he looked back one more time and this time felt his eyes actually searching for whatever that thing was in the shadows…but with a huff of annoyance Longtail stormed off to the sleeping place for the night…….however the young flyer didn’t know how keen his instincts actually were, for stepping forth from the very shadows the dark ominous figure then stated…
“Don’t worry child very, very soon you’ll know who I am and why you are my target….”
The next morning…
As everyone greeted the day with a series of yawns and grunts…Littlefoot and Ali sprung to life with a look of pure joy on their faces’. Then as everyone crowded around the meeting circle wanting to hear the end of Longtail’s story, his uncle slowly and carefully walked into the clearing, with Longtail being held in his uncles mouth sleeping soundly; that is until Cyrix forcibly shook his head and woke the poor flyer up.
“huh….wha…?” questioned Longtial in his sleep induced haze and then his uncle very gently placed him on the ground and nudged him into the morning light.
“I believe you were going to finish your story young one.” said Littlefoots grandmother. Then Longtail looked around and satisfied that the majority of the valley was once again seated and waiting with anticipating to hear the end of the story
“Okay, okay, now where was I when I stopped last night?” thought Longtail out-loud by mistake.
“You were just about to tell us about how you met Dark-tooth and her clan, yep,yep,yep.” said ducky with smile on her little green face.
Then just as Longtail opened his mouth to continue...a sound could be heard rising from an unknown source. Then Cyrix looked upon his nephew to see a look of anguish on his face, and then he asked a very simple question “My nephew, have you eaten yet today?”
“Eaten?” asked Longtail with a confused look on his face.
“You know….green food, sweet bubbles, anything?!” asked Cera.
Longtail then looked into the sky, thinking about the last time he had actually eaten any food….then answered….
“Not since I came into the Great Valley.” Said Longtail with a weak smile and another grumble rose from his stomach.
“You mean to tell us that you haven’t had a single bite to eat after you came into the Great valley seven days ago?!” cried Ceras’ father
“Yep that’s about right….unfortunately I would go and get the food my self, but now I’m still too tired I can’t seem to find the strength to get up; let alone get my own food…” he managed another weak smile and simply nodded his head in shame.
“Argh….fine I’ll go and get you some tree-stars or something….” called Cera from in front of Tria. “….Just don’t finish the story until I get back!”
With that Cera stormed off into the nearby forest to get Longtail some food, then someone else spoke up out of the crowd.
“I can finally see why my daughter is so interested in having a friend who can go for seven days without food…not too many flyers can say that with a smile on their faces.”
Despite being drained of energy…he still felt a chill go down his spine when the mysterious figure spoke….. ëAlmost like he said that inside my head…but that’s not possible….at least I don’t think it’s possible…or maybe that's still me from being half asleep’ said Longtail to himself
Then Petrie’s mother spoke up to the new comer “Hello Onyx…long time no see…how is little Teri?”
The two facts suddenly clicked into place and he shouted rather loudly “Your Terri’s father?!”
Then the new flyer designated as Onyx, was jet black, with purple irises, and something akin to a mystical aurora around him. Then he spoke again…
“Your name is Longtail isn’t it….well I hope to hear the end of your exciting story…” and then another voice cut in “…As do I”
Then Longtail began to blush again when none other than Teri sat down in front of her father, and blinked.
Just then Cera returned with a mouthful of tree-stars and sweet-bubbles, set them down in front of Longtail and said
“There are more sweet bubbles in that bush over their….” She pointed to the bush with her horn “…If you need more okay?”
Longtail nodded his head while silently mouthing a ëthank you’ to her…then after consuming three tree-stars, and four sweet-bubbles, he said once again….
“Okay, now back to the story…..”
