Earning Restitution

[StrutEggStealer]

I want to give Pterano a hug!

I think he'd appreciate that
glad it made your day^^

[Mr Wonk]

It always makes my day reading your fanfic. (And others )

I make sure my chapter up soon.

[StrutEggStealer]

=Part Twelve

“Littlefoot, why are we running?” Ducky managed in-between the jounces caused by Spike’s lumbering gait. The Gang had broken away from the Meeting Arch before they could get caught up in another debate, although surprisingly, the grownups really seemed to have a common goal in mind and things had been wrapped up relatively quickly.

Cera, pace matching the longneck's, called back. “For the last time, we’re going to see if Ruby and Chomper are okay, because in case you hadn’t noticed, they didn’t meet up with us after the earthshake!”

Petrie, catching the threehorn’s sharp retort, spoke back. “If they no meet up with us, maybe they trapped in cave and can’t get out.” The little flyer flapped over to Littlefoot and landed shakily on his head. “That what you think, Littlefoot?”

Littlefoot didn’t slow his pace any as he replied. “I don’t know, but it’s a possibility, Petrie. I just hope they were able to get to safety.”

“Me too,” Petrie nodded. He yawned suddenly, without meaning too. He hadn’t gotten too much sleep the previous night, even after his worries had been comforted. Petrie hadn’t been getting a good night’s sleep in since Pterano was banished a month ago, and though the Gang tried not to press it too much, they could tell Petrie was a little blue since he last saw his uncle. The little flyer wasn’t chatty or funny with his friends anymore and rarely participated in their games. Mostly, he stuck around because they were his friends and he liked the feeling that he was surrounded by those who supported him, but he still couldn’t bring up the fact that he missed his uncle terribly. None of them would understand; Littlefoot would listen and be sympathetic and assuring; Ducky would most likely give him a hug and tell him everything would be all right; Ruby and Chomper would want to know who Pterano was, which wouldn’t help his current state of mind at all; and Cera would scoff and insist he get over it, that Pterano wasn’t going to be gone forever, no matter how much certain members of the Valley would have preferred it.

And especially, they wouldn’t understand his hurt at seeing his uncle fly off for the last time. There was no accounting for the fact that Pterano had been around so infrequently during his hatch-hood that the little flyer barely even knew his uncle, but a big hole had opened up in Petrie’s heart that day, seeing the mysterious uncle he idolized so much be kicked out of the herd for the second time. The little flyer’s thoughts were interrupted as the Gang arrived at the blocked entrance of Ruby and Chomper’s cave.

“Oh no,” Littlefoot breathed. He leaned against the large rock and shouted as loud as he could. “Ruby! Chomper? Are you guys okay?”

No reply. Cera huffed and pawed at the ground. “Hey,” she said flatly to Littlefoot. “Move it,”

Littlefoot moved it. Cera snorted and dashed forward to hit the rock with successive force. A side of it splintered and crumbled, but it didn’t fall. The threehorn glared, backed up and charged again with a harsh squeal. This time, when her forehead connected with the stone, the whole rock shattered and the entrance opened up.

Cera shook her head to clear the dust off of it and turned back to her friends. “You coming?” Not waiting for a reply, she stepped in herself. Littlefoot followed, mentally cheering Cera’s hard-headedness, literally. The threehorn was always one to take action, especially if it involved smashing things.

Inside, the Gang could barely see through the thin layer of dust that clouded the air. “Ruby? Chomper?” Littlefoot called again.

“Hello? Guys?” Cera chimed in, her tone dropping slightly to indicate she was really worried.

Spike sent up a loud burble and Ducky shouted amid that. “Are you in here, Ruby and Chomper? Please, are you safe?”

Petrie didn’t say anything at first. He just stared absently about the dusty cavern. Cera, noticing the absence of the little flyer’s voice, shot him a look.

“What’s with you?” She inquired. Cera’s form of an inquiry sounded so much like an accusation that Petrie snapped out of his reverie, gulping nervously. He and Cera were close friends, but they were also highly critical of one another: Cera constantly teased Petrie of his many phobias and Petrie would come right back at her with some sort of whispered rebuke or insult.

“H-huh? What? Ohh… nothing; me-me fine. Really, honest!” Petrie quickly brushed it aside. Cera wasn’t swayed. By now, Littlefoot had also stopped, and Spike sort of coasted to a halt behind him, blinking up at the little huddled flyer on the longnecks’ back.

“What is the matter, Petrie?” Ducky asked, hopping off of Spike’s back and landing neatly on Littlefoot’s. She placed a gentle hand on Petrie’s back. “Do you need to talk to us? Do you?”

Spike made some sort of worried murmur as he nodded. Littlefoot turned his head around towards his passenger.

“Is everything all right, Petrie?” He asked quietly.

Petrie cleared his throat. “Me told you, me fine,” he insisted.

Cera frowned speculatively. “What’s wrong, Petrie? You can tell us.”

Petrie looked up, a sad look on his beak. “No, me can’t. You all just laugh.”

Littlefoot looked horrified. “Petrie, we would never do that! You’re our friend and whatever you’ve got to say, we’ll listen, I promise.”

Ducky agreed. “You are my bestest friend, Petrie, and I don’t ever laugh at you, no, no, no.”

Petrie looked out at the curious faces that surrounded him and sighed. “Okay,” he said slowly. “Me just… sad, that all.”

Littlefoot raised an eyebrow. “Is this about your uncle, Petrie?”

Cera rolled her eyes. “Oh, give me a break!” She snorted. “Petrie, he’s coming back; how many times do you need to be reminded? He wasn’t sent away forever, you know!”

Petrie’s head snapped about to face the threehorn and he glared angrily at her. “You no know that! He in the Mysterious Beyond where there sharptooths! He could no come back ever! You always say mean things about my uncle, but he not that bad! You no know what it like. Me not see Uncle Pterano since me was a baby, and now he go away, and me no know if me will ever see him again!” The flyer could feel hot tears well up and he broke off, huddling in his wings as he started to sob.

“Me miss him, so much,” he said dolefully.

The Gang was silent for a moment and then Ducky broke it with a quick and tight hug to her friend.

“Petrie, it is okay. Your uncle will come back, he will, he will.”

Littlefoot, after turning an exasperated frown Cera’s way, replied in assent. “That’s right, Petrie. Your uncle’s a pretty tough old flyer, and he can probably handle himself out there against any sharptooth he meets.”

“He is very brave, yes, yes, yes. Remember when he saved-ed me?” Ducky said with a smile.

“Yeah, Pterano will be back before you know it, Petrie.” Cera grumbled as she turned to resume the search for Ruby and Chomper.

Petrie snuffled as he wiped his tears away. He felt a little better, now finally getting that off his chest. He was glad he had friends like these, even Cera. He cracked a small smile at Ducky and Littlefoot.

“Thanks, me needed that,” he said quietly.

Cera’s voice came from farther back, from the back cavern. “Hello? Guys, we have a problem.”

Cera had found the blocked-up back entrance, but still no sign of Ruby or Chomper. Littlefoot frowned.

“This only comes out one way,” he mused. Ducky agreed.

“Yes, into the Mysterious Beyond,” she shivered slightly.

“And Redclaw,” Cera added with a sideways glance.

Littlefoot, face set, stared at the plug in the wall. You promised Grandma, a voice told him in his head. Don’t forget your promise. The longneck shook his head slowly.

“Yeah,” he finally spoke. “They’re… probably out there, now.”

Cera poked one of the rocks with her horn. “Well? What are we waiting for?” She eyed him critically. “Littlefoot, our friends are out there!”

The longneck turned away. “I know, but… I promised my grandma I wouldn’t go off to the Mysterious Beyond until we cover up all of the openings.” He looked back at Cera. “I owe her that; my grandparents are worried sick every time we go off.”

The threehorn glared back. “But you never let that stop you before,” she spat accusingly. “You’re just going to walk away now and forget about them?”

“No!” Littlefoot argued hotly. “I would never do that!”

“You’re doing it, now,” Cera hissed.

The longneck’s face was flushed as he replied defensively. “I am not!”

“Stop! Friends should not fight, no, no, no!” Ducky insisted.

Littlefoot inhaled deeply. “I-I… I just don’t know what to do right now.”

“We can worry about that when we get back. We’re just going to go out, find Ruby and Chomper, and then come back. We can explain everything later!” Cera insisted.

Littlefoot agreed inwardly. If they told the grownups now, there would most likely be a huge debate over what should be done. The longneck didn’t want to admit it out loud or at least to any of the adults, but he knew they were all afraid of the Mysterious Beyond – the Gang was too – but the kids didn’t let that get in the way of doing what they knew they had to. Though Ruby and Chomper both knew the Mysterious beyond pretty well, better than the rest of the Gang anyway, but they probably wouldn’t be able to survive for very long out there, especially if Redclaw, Screech and Thud were on the prowl.

Littlefoot let out his breath and nodded. “Let’s do it,”

=

Meh, I'm so lazy and blobbish right now... I blame summer  lol
waitaminnit!! Littlefoot, having second thoughts, about helping FRIENDS?! Then again, he is more often than not the ethical one of the group, even though he disobeys his grandparents in almost EVERY FRIKKIN EPISODE!
Enjoy^^

[Mr Wonk]

That was nice of Chomper to do. Well I hope there can get back into the great valley before it gets dark. But I think the fast biters are going to be busy getting into the valley as well.

[StrutEggStealer]

Eh- heh-heh, wait and see

[Mr Wonk]

I see more fights between the gang happening a lot in the future of this story. Like Cera and Petrie. Anyway great chapter! I bet this is Littlefoot 25th disobey or more by now. Can't wait for the next one.

[StrutEggStealer]

=Part Thirteen

Ruby and Chomper steadily made their way through the Mysterious Beyond, keeping their ears and eyes alert and on the move in case of a sharptooth sneaking up on them. Both children were terribly nervous about treading this territory, but they knew it would be necessary to keep moving until they found an opening in the Wall, or at least a point that they could easily access over, back into the safety of the Valley. But neither Ruby nor Chomper was comfortable moving farther and farther from their cave, even if it was blocked up. They knew if they had stayed for so long trying to remove the debris from the earthshake, a sharptooth could have easily come by at any moment and then they would have been in real trouble with nowhere to hide and a predator having the high ground.

Ruby sighed to herself as they walked on. The Bright Circle’s face still shone strong, but midday had already passed and it wouldn’t be long before the Night Circle took over. Ruby knew they would have to find shelter before then if they hadn’t managed to get back to the Valley.

She looked at Chomper, plodding despondently beside her and she nuzzled him with her beak.  

“Cheer up, Chomper,” she tried. “We know the Mysterious Beyond well, so I am certain we will find our way out of it.” She nodded deliberately, trying to believe it herself. True, they both knew this area – nothing changed much out here amidst the scorched red rocks and sparse vegetation – but they could never tell where a sharptooth lurked and that was the reason they had to be so cautious now.

======

Pterano banked sharply and landed, tottering on his feet slightly. His shoulders and back ached terribly and there was a dull throbbing in his head from lack of sleep, so he decided he had had enough flying for now, at least until he had rested.

Taylen jogged along at a steady pace, feet smartly smacking the dried earth of the canyons where they now were. Pterano recognized this route as one the far walkers had traveled through; the flyer grinned. They were going the right way. The grin quickly dissolved into a look of agitation. They were going the right way…

Taylen looked up at his companion, at the worn expression Pterano’s face held. The young dinosaur cocked his head, concerned. “Um, sir?” He spoke up.

The great crested head faced him. Taylen continued. He no longer felt afraid of this giant flyer. Respectful yes, but Taylen sensed Pterano was only putting on a show a great deal of the time with his dramatic airs.

“M-maybe we should stop for a bit.” He suggested, slowing himself. “You look right knackered,”

Pterano considered. They had made great progress and Taylen had already rested, so why not? He nodded, the corners of his beak curling ever so slightly.

“I would like that, lad, but –” he looked up, shielding his eyes against the Bright Circle’s glare. “We should get a little farther before stopping for a rest.” He gestured with a talon and Taylen’s jaw dropped slightly.

The smooth land opened up into chasms and ditches– some wide enough and deep enough to swallow a whole herd of longnecks. Taylen gulped. They stopped at the edge of the first one and looked down. Pterano doubted he had the energy to make the flight across, much less with the youngster on his back.

Taylen itched the back of his long neck dubiously. “It’s… a pretty long way over,” he surmised.

Pterano inhaled. “Rather, but I don’t see any other way. Going around will take much too long, and climbing down, well, while not completely out of the question, is still risky.” He made a sour face. “We’ll have to go across.”

Taylen looked up, surprised. “D’you think you can, sir?” the Eggstealer asked meekly.

Pterano looked back down at the youngster, his blue eyes fatigued. “No,” he answered shortly, almost crisply. “But, I know that we’ll have to try it sooner or later, so why not face the inevitable?”

Taylen shook his head and made a face that showed he plainly disagreed with that idea. “I don’t think we should chance it, sir. You’re really tired, and I don’t think you’d be able to carry me for very long, especially over these ditches.” He kicked a stray pebble and then leaned over the chasm’s edge to watch it as it fell. He gulped again. “That-that’s a long way down, don’t you think?”

Pterano didn’t answer right away. He surveyed the landscape before them, eyes narrowed, looking for any possible way of easy access across. And then he saw it: a log leaning out over the canyon, easily crossable by just a simple push. It didn’t appear rotten or weak. The flyer smiled to himself.

“Taylen,” he gestured with a talon. “Follow me,” he walked over to the edge of the precipice, over to the log, planted his foot on it and shoved. The log creaked ominously. Pterano tried again, succeeding in making it sway. Taylen watched nearby, wringing his tail.

With an annoyed grunt, Pterano flapped up into the air to gain more momentum and rocketed back down. The log cracked from its root support and toppled over with a thump and a scattering of dust. The flyer surveyed the bridge he made with not a little satisfaction. He stepped aside, grinning at his young companion.

“Ergo,” he remarked dramatically. “We can get across, now,”

Taylen’s eyes got wider in admiration. “W-wow…” he breathed. “Nice… nice one, sir.”

Pterano wrapped his wings about him as he made a theatrical bow. “Thank you, I’m sure.” He looked back out over the log bridge and narrowed his eyes against the glare of the Bright Circle.

“Well,” he started. “We should get going. We have to reach those peaks before the Night Circle rises.”

Taylen cocked his head as he stepped up to the bridge. “Why?”

“That’s the route the far walkers and I took, and that’s the route back to the Valley.” Pterano replied shortly. “I’ll go first, to test it out; make sure it’s stable and then you follow, understood?” He about-faced before the youngster could answer and started the journey across.

The log wobbled terribly, and bits and pieces of the body crumbled and fell as he walked. Pterano assessed his situation carefully as he walked; marking with his eyes the areas in which the wood looked particularly weak and which looked strong enough to support another passenger. He looked back once or twice to make sure Taylen hadn’t blindly bounded out onto the log and was now prancing happily behind, but both times the old flyer was reassured. Taylen stood, anxiously waiting on the other side.

In no time at all, Pterano reached the opposite cliffside. He hopped neatly off and turned. “All right, lad,” he called back. “Your turn!”

Taylen looked a little too eager as he jumped onto the log, which wobbled slightly at the sudden new presence of weight. Not appearing to notice, Taylen took a couple of particularly bouncy steps forward; the log creaked and groaned. Pterano held his hands up urgently. “Steady, boy, don’t put too much stress on that log.”

Taylen stopped then, looking down at the log with wider eyes. He glanced back up. Pterano gestured he go slower.

The Egg Stealer did so, choosing his steps more carefully. At length, he reached the other side and was about to hop off when the log cracked again, but this time it sounded deep and hollow, like it was coming from the very core the wood.

Taylen, instincts taking over, tensed and hunkered down, not two feet from the other side. Pterano, fearing the worst, stepped closer. He heard the sound again and this time, it was slower and deeper; a wrenching sound. “Taylen,” he said slowly, reaching his hand out. “Get over here, now,”
=====

OMFG! I cannot believe how long it's taken me to upload this... but, *sigh* I have finally managed it, emjoy this cliffhanger  

[StrutEggStealer]

=Part Fourteen

Taylen inched forward and whimpered when the noise came again.

“Taylen,” Pterano said again, voice hardening slightly. “Keep coming,” he didn’t know what the source of the sound was, but he didn’t like it and the sooner Taylen got over there the better. But the youngster stayed in his squat, clutching the log. He couldn’t move.

“Taylen!” Pterano allowed himself something short of a bellow. He reached out farther, waving his claw urgently. “Reach up here and grab my claw, now!”

The little one finally looked up. The noise had stopped. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Taylen slowly smiled and moved to get up. The support broke just then, and the log jerked violently. Taylen flopped back down and slipped slightly off to the side.

“Taylen!” Pterano screeched. He was about one step short of going out onto the wood, but decided against it. Right now, with the log in this weakened state, adding more pressure would be sure to break it, sending Taylen all the way down to the bottom of the canyon. He held back, grimacing in annoyance.

Taylen looked up. “I-I… I think it’s gonna go, sir,” he squeaked, absolutely stiff with fear.

Pterano frowned. “Reach up here, lad, it won’t go unless we make sudden moves. Reach slowly,” he emphasized the last word.

Taylen painstakingly lifted his right arm and moved it forward. Closer and closer to Pterano’s waiting talons. The flyer nodded encouragement. “That’s it, lad,” he approved. “Keep going; slowly, slowly.”

Within centimeters of the old flyer’s grasp, Taylen made a minute shift on his perch. The log snapped. Taylen screamed and clutched the support, making the log sway. The front part of the log had been broken off, and the wooden body was now slipping down the side of the canyon.

Scrabbling for a foothold, Taylen leaned too far and slipped off the side, claws slicing into the side as he fell. He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for his impact upon hitting the ground, but none came. Cautiously, he opened one yellow eye to see he had grabbed the log and his claws had caught. He would have laughed if he wasn’t so blind with terror and relief.

Pterano was at a loss. Taylen was too far away now. “Taylen, can you move closer to me?”

Taylen shrank back and shook his head, clenching his eyes shut again. His legs and tail dangled down; his whole body was hanging by the slim hold he had managed with his flimsy foreclaws. The youngster concentrated every thought, every heartbeat, and every muscle he had into not letting go.

The log shifted slightly to the side; its equilibrium off. Taylen whimpered. He was too scared to move, too scared to notice Pterano stepping out onto the log and reaching for him. Too scared to even feel the old flyer’s talons seize his own and tug his claws out of the wood.

But once his hold was lost, Taylen jerked and struggled. “Ah! What are you doing?” The Egg-Stealer yanked his claws back. The log bucked like a spiketail who was in a battle with a pair of sharpteeth. Pterano fell back, claws smartly grasping the edge of the chasm. Taylen, jostled, lost his hold. After a moment of frantic scrambling, his claws slipped.

“Taylen!” Pterano’s arm sprang out and nabbed a hold on Taylen’s wrist. He grunted as he was very nearly yanked forward, down into the precipice. He tugged back, his foothold on the log weakening and the log creaking again. He growled deep in his throat as he draped Taylen’s arm over the log.

“Grab on!” He barked. Taylen’s skinny arm latched hold. Pterano backed up onto the canyon’s edge and, kneeling down so his weight was evenly spread, leaned out again, arm reaching for the little Eggstealer.

“Come on, then!” Pterano encouraged, “You can do it, Taylen.”

For a moment, Taylen stayed put, and then, finally, he reached out to catch the flyer’s claw. Upon grasping it, Taylen allowed Pterano to pull him to the edge of the canyon, and then drape his arms onto the edge.

Nearly out of breath due to the adrenaline rush and the sheer, dizzying relief that the little one hadn't fallen, Pterano hauled Taylen to safety.

The little Stealer collapsed limply onto the hard, red ground. His ribs heaved with the effort of his gulps of air, and his eyes were clenched shut, squeezing out small, tricking tears.

Pterano, knees going weak, settled down beside him, a claw across his heart. "Taylen," he spoke, softly, gently.

Taylen opened one pale eye, and without warning, threw himself into the old flyer's arms. Pterano barely suppressed an Oof! as he caught the youngster, very nearly bowled over by the sudden force. The little Stealer buried his face into Pterano's neck ruff, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed.

"Taylen," Pterano said again, grunting to right himself. "It's all right, you're safe, lad..."

Taylen's muffled voice broke through. "Thank you, sir." He lifted his head, all tear-stained and distressed. "I-I didn't listen... I didn't listen to you, and I'm-I'm sorry," he lowered his gaze. Pterano tucked a claw under the Stealer's chin and lifted his head up towards him.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Taylen." The flyer admonished simply. "And we're both alive, that counts for something, right?"

Taylen shrugged, cheeks reddening in a blush "But I almost slipped off because I wouldn't--"

Pterano brushed it aside, brusque manner returned as he stood up, helping Taylen to his unsteady feet. "No matter, we made it anyway." He looked up towards the mountains and sighed, grimly. "Well, we'd better get on our way. We're in the Mysterious Beyond now, lad. The border of the Valley."

Taylen nodded and followed after his companion, head ducked meekly.

~~~
Heeeeya! Wow, I'm on a roll^^ good to have these parts over with. Now, onto the Gang!! muhahaha!!

[Mr Wonk]

Poor Taylen! I guess he needed a good hug after that ordeal. By the way great come back with these two chapters. There where fantastic! Also sorry for not replying straight away.

[StrutEggStealer]

NP^^ Glad you liked them. And it feels great to get these posted after so long!

[Mr Wonk]

I need to get back writing very soon as well. I taken a break just for a few weeks and then something happens and you forget until the year almost over.

[StrutEggStealer]

Lol, IKR? Luckily, I had written the first draft down, so I had it all set... it was just the means of getting it uploaded, which takes a far greater effort hehe

[vonboy]

Woo, looks like Pterano, and Taylen are closing in on the Great Valley! I wonder what's in store for them, as they both have reasons they would rerally not be liked over there, and there a good deal of opportunity for them to get their selves in trouble around there.

I just wanna know what happens next, the suspense in starting to kill me.  

[Pterano]

OK so I'm FINALLY caught up with this. I've really been enjoying the rising action so far, and how this journey is taking us on a character exploration as well as a literal journey. I liked that warm moment at the end there, and then Pterano gets all professional again as he's got to remind the reader that they've still got a bit to go before their destination. Ugh I hate reading fics from behind, as then I just have TOO much to say but not enough time to write it all out. I'll try and keep up from now on.

Now if I only could find the time to get back to my own fic... >_>

[StrutEggStealer]

Hehe no worries, I'm glad you got to it^^
I kind of have Pterano's personality as being rather cold and distant at first, but also kind of wishy-washy, like he's not sure how he's supposed to act. I like switching between the personalities^^
hahaha there will be moar!!

[Jrd89]

I'm all caught up to chapter 14, too, Strut.

It's a great adventure. Pterano and Taylen have had quite a journey so far, and I know there's still more ahead.

You sure know how to write awesome flyer fanfics, Strut.  What an adventure...  Pterano, your eggstealer Taylen , Petrie, Petrie's mom....

You've really got me into this one, Strut! Super job so far. Another awesome fanfic.

(ALSO..GREAT description of Pterano's view of Rinkus and Sierra in the beginning. )

Rinkus was naive, borderline clueless, and easily manipulated. Pterano wouldn’t hesitate to land a hard whack on Rinkus’ head for some stupid idea or action, but Sierra was different. Nearly matching Pterano in height, wingspan, but being at least six seasons younger and bearing an awful temper, Sierra made a nasty foe. Pterano remembered one such incident when the two had a disagreement, which quickly escalated to a full-blown duel. Both of them ended up winded and nearly knocked senseless from repeated wing-blows, but Sierra, youth still somewhat on his side, kept getting up and coming back harder until Rinkus leapt in-between the dueling flyers and insisted they stop. Pterano couldn’t help shaking one nagging thought: Sierra had nearly beaten him. But aside from all the drama, Rinkus and Sierra had made good enough stooges.

Yes, Rinkus can easily be manipulated funny rhamphorhynchus, hee heh. You already know I LOVE him!  .

But DO NOT MESS AROUND WITH SIERRA!! He's capable of beating you senseless! :blink: He IS one nasty, fierce, rotten cearadactylus! Watch OUT for him!! :blink:

You captured both of their personalities perfectly with that paragraph of Pterano thinking about them in his head.  Good going!  

[StrutEggStealer]

=Part Fifteen

“Oz!” Strut wailed. “Where-where are we going?” he plodded on listlessly after his more determined brother. Strut couldn’t fathom how Ozzy could keep up such a brisk pace – he knew his older brother was hungrier and more tired than he was.

Ozzy grumbled. “Just keep up! And I’ll tell you later.”

“You said that,” Strut huffed as he stumbled forward a few running steps, “Before! When will it be ëlater’?” Temper flaring, Strut halted in the middle of the pathway, glaring after his older brother. He planted both feet firmly, narrowing his eyes back. “I’m-I'm not going until y-”

“Just get over here!” Ozzy interrupted. Strut flinched, trying to sustain his resolve. He had rarely stood up to Ozzy before they were stranded out here, but those frequencies had become more common of late. Ozzy wasn’t the brave and bold leader he had been, or may have thought he was. Strut was starting to assert himself, and the darker Stealer really didn’t know how to properly react to this new-found independence.

“N-no,” he stuttered, his knees knocking slightly.

“ëNo’?” Ozzy was indignant. “Did you just say ëno’ to me?”

Brother faced brother in a silent showdown. Yellow eyes stared into glinting amber ones, and the very air around them seemed tense with this wait. “Strut,” Ozzy growled. “I won’t have this. Any of this! Get over here! I’m the leader, and I say--”

“You say what!” Strut blurted, clapping both claws over his beak after this loud query. Oh no, he didn’t just…

Ozzy’s eye twitched. “I say when to move, and when to stop; and right now, I-” he stiffened and the next second, a bone-chilling bellow emerged from the rocks nearby. Strut stifled a yelp and Ozzy turned, mouth hanging open.

A massive sharptooth rounded the bend. He noticed the two Stealers almost immediately and fixated on them with his one good eye – the other was blood-red. His limber, sinewy body halted in his tracks as he stared his potential prey down. Red Claw.

“Oh, dash it!” Ozzy sputtered. He turned to Strut - paralyzed by the very sight of this sharptooth – and latched hold of his arm. “Run!”

Red Claw roared as he started after them. Ozzy thanked his hide that Screech and Thud were nowhere to be found… unless that was bad news as well. He thought too soon. Sure enough, both Screech and Thud appeared on the trail ahead of them in an attempt at ambush.

“Jump!” Ozzy barked. Strut needed no prompting. Both Stealers threw themselves off to the side as the two fastbiters sailed past, and resumed their sprint. Red Claw was still hot on their trail, growling and gnashing his teeth. Ozzy and Strut had had rare dealings with Red Claw in the past, but none that precluded a chase. The Stealers would wander across the big brute and his henchmen at a kill or when they had the disadvantage of low ground, and thus couldn’t get at the brothers. But apparently, the luck had worn off.

Fortunately for the Stealers, they were natural sprinters – the main reason they had survived out here for so long – and it wasn’t terribly long before they lost sight of the massive meateater and his cronies, if at least for a moment.

Ozzy saw where they were headed – a narrow embankment; it looked small enough to be inconspicuous, and from there they would have the high ground advantage. “Get to the edge, Strut!”

Strut lost nothing to hesitance. He gave a leap to settle unsteadily on the shelf of rock and turned to see Ozzy land safely behind him. Red Claw thundered in then.
 
“Climb! Get up the-!” Ozzy whirled to see Strut had already clambered up, and was holding out his tail for Ozzy to grab on to.

Red Claw roared in consternation as the Egg Stealers made their escape. Ozzy and Strut didn’t chance to look back as they sprinted in the opposite direction until the roars were mere talk-backs in the distance. Only then did they stop, in a cluster of gray rock on the high ground.

Ozzy cleared his throat in as business-like a manner as he could. “Well, that’s that. You alright, bro-?” the pale Stealer paused, face twitching with rage.

Strut stopped short in his attempt at taking a bite out of a small, withered bush nearby. “Don’t make another move.” Ozzy hissed.

But Strut didn’t listen, nor did he take a bite. It was an awkward position, stance-wise, with him bending over like that, but also from the situation itself – disregarding his brother’s orders. A part of Strut wanted to obey, but another, stronger, stranger part of him was pushing him forward ever so slowly. All at once, his beak shot out and snagged a mouthful of the dry leaves.

Ozzy tensed, edge of his beak curling into horrible contempt. “So that’s what you think of me, then?” He asked quietly, just below a whisper. Strut finally looked up, finishing off the mouthful, his yellow eyes expressionless as he faced his older brother.

“Of all that’s happened and all I did to keep you safe, all you had to do,” Ozzy stalked forward a couple steps, voice still painfully low, “was keep to that original deal – no-green-food!” Like a coiled spring, Ozzy sprang forward at his sibling. Strut hardly had time to react before Ozzy’s foot made contact with his face, knocking his head back and throwing his balance off. Strut fell backwards onto the rough stones of the path they had just emerged from.

For a moment, there was another heavy silence. Strut moodily rubbed his stinging cheek and Ozzy stared with inexplicable fury at his fallen sibling.

“You… you act like you have all the answers, Oz.” Strut quavered, managing to get to his shaky feet, claws clenched. “B-but you don’t. We’re back to sq-square one, no food, and all you can do is boss me out of trying to find s-something to eat!”
Angry tears flooded his vision but Strut willed them back, shaking his head.
“I’m… I’m done with this whole thing. I’m… going home.”

======

Ruby and Chomper found themselves in an awful predicament. Moments before, they had heard that all-too-familiar roar in the not-so-distant distance.

“O-oh dear,” Ruby stiffened. “Chomper, can your sniffer find a way out to where we need to go?”

Chomper nodded slightly. “I-I think so.” He took a long, deep breath and held it. This was followed by several smaller snorts as the little sharptooth wandered forward a few steps. “Um,” he straightened. “We-we can still go this way.” He pointed forwards. Ruby nodded and followed after him, keeping a wary eye out.

The two carried forward several more feet before Chomper halted. “It… it smells like he came by here. Not so long ago, either.” He sniffed the stone face and grimaced. “And… he was chasing something…” Chomper narrowed his eyes. Why was that one scent so familiar? The smell was heavy, almost musky. Runners in the Valley had a similar scent, but this one was far stronger.

“Chomper?” Ruby queried. “Are you alright?”

Chomper frowned. “I… know that smell, Ruby. It’s really familiar, but I can’t tell.” He sniffed in the direction the scent had disappeared to. “It goes this way.”
“And so does Red Claw,” Ruby surmised.

“But, but I know who that is, or at least I think I do. And they could be in trouble.” Chomper looked up at his friend. Ruby sighed.

“Very well, let’s go find what we will see.”

======

“What ëhome’, Strut?” Ozzy said in a grating tone. “We don’t have a ëhome’!”

Strut finally turned to face his brother, scowling. “Well it was better than out here, for certain! And at least we had food!”

“I’m trying to get food for us, you ingrate!”

“But you haven’t, yet!” Strut insisted.

“But I will! I’m the leader here, Strut!” Ozzy’s eyes flashed, indicating the discussion was at an end. Strut, however, ignored the signs of his brother losing patience.

“And there you go on with the whole ëleader position’, again!” His claws twitched as he clenched them into fists. “You haven’t done a single thing right ever since we started on this dashed journey!” Strut’s voice cracked as it intensified. “Nothing!”

“Shut up!!” Ozzy boomed, talk-backs bouncing crazily off the surrounding rocks. “Barkbreath, d’you want to alert every bloody fastbiter in the area to a free meal?” He growled.

Strut stood his ground. “I’m not going to follow you anymore, Oz. This is it. I-I’m finished.” The dark Stealer had little to no idea how he had managed to say that; he was quaking terribly and not really thinking clearly, but once those words were out, there was no chance of snatching them back.

Ozzy’s sharp features darkened with a withering glare. “You don’t mean that,” his biting tone warned that Strut better not have meant it, for his own good. Strut pursed his beaked snout and set himself rigidly, quieting his shaky limbs.

“I do,” he hissed back.

After another pause, Ozzy snorted, drawing himself up to his full height. “I didn’t want it to come to this, Strut, but you’re obviously unwell.” He spat the words contemptuously. “It’s apparent I’m going to have to drag you back if you won’t come willingly.”

“I’m n-not going!”

Chomper snapped his head up. After the two had skirted around Red Claw and Screech and Thud, the scent had gotten stronger, and the sudden emergence of voices had accompanied it. Very familiar voices, too, although Chomper couldn’t immediately say why.

Ruby picked her way along after him, curious. The voices sounded angry, even if she couldn’t tell what they were saying.

“Are we closer to where we’re going, now?” She asked. Chomper paused to sniff.

“Just up there.”

“óYou’re a pitiful excuse for a Stealer, you know that? All this rebellion, it’s unwanted!” A low voice cried. Chomper jerked to a stop.

“No, it can’t be.” Without knowing why, Chomper broke into a full run, up the embankment and stopping just before crossing into the midst of two very familiar Eggstealers. Ozzy abruptly put a halt to his tirade and glanced up at the small shower of pebbles that had come raining down from the embankment. Strut gave a weak yelp as he jumped back.
Ozzy’s voice quickened. “Wh-who’s there?”

Chomper’s heart raced. They had survived, after all this time? The small sharptooth frowned. The no-good Egg Nappers! Everything that had happened the day of his hatching came flooding back. Taking a deep breath, Chomper stepped out from where he’d hid, eyes narrowed. The two Stealers froze.

“Remember me?” Chomper growled.

======

Ugh! Worst entrance ever! Ah well, anyway, serves its purpose as a connection.
Enjoy my writer's block!! *nuuu!*

[StrutEggStealer]

=Part Sixteen

Ruby turned the corner and stopped short as she almost ran into Chomper. She looked up to behold two very bony-looking Stealers. One dark and one light, staring back at them in bewilderment.

Ruby raised a brow as she turned from the Stealers back to Chomper, and then back to the Stealers. “Are they the ones you had looked for to find?” She whispered.

Chomper nodded, not losing his glare. “Yeah, they’re the ones.”

“It’s… it’s that egg, Oz.” Strut quavered, disbelieving that he saw what he saw.

Ozzy nodded slowly, face twisted into some sort of angry astonishment, like he couldn’t quite understand what was going on, but it made him mad. “What are you doing out here?” He hissed, composure regained. “You bring back those parents of yours to finish us off?”

“Well, right now I’m wondering how you two even escaped.” Chomper replied.

Ozzy guffawed. Strut really admired how carefree his brother was acting now, despite their actions of earlier. “You honestly think we couldn’t get away from two brutes like those? We’re Struthiomimuses, my boy. Nothing catches us.” He sneered.

Chomper frowned. He was reminded of just how much he didn’t like these two. “How long have you two been out here?” He figured he should start from there.

Strut cleared his throat before Ozzy could answer with some stinging remark. After all, what happened when this sharptooth hatched was… in the past, right? There wasn’t any need to be aggressive… right? “Ahm, well uh, since then, I suppose. Wh-what d’you think, Oz?”

“ëOz’?” Ruby asked, curiously.

“Oh, uh right, you probably don’t even know our names.” Strut laughed nervously. “Look, I’m Strut, and this one’s Oz, I mean Ozzy. We’re brothers.” The darker Stealer tilted his head. “And-and might we know your names?”

Ruby smiled, oblivious to the Eggeaters’ and Chomper’s past dealings. “Sure, I’m Ruby because that’s my name.”

“Chomper,” the little sharptooth replied.

“Uhh, charmed.” Strut made a move forward, but Ozzy stuck out his foot to block. “Yes, yes we’re quite charmed,” the corners of his beak lowered in distaste. “So where are your little friends? Those buggers who were protecting you before? Are they around?”

Chomper paused to consider. Both of these Stealers were bigger than him and Ruby put together, and though they looked harmless and quite starved right now, the sharptooth remembered all too well how these two had treated his friends. Maybe they were looking for an easy meal right now. Anyway, he wouldn’t give them the truth.

“Yeah, actually. We’re exploring not too far ahead.” He smiled. “Wanna come along? I’m sure they’d be happy to see you.” He tried not to notice how shocked Ruby looked as he said this. Chomper almost never used sarcasm, anyway.

Ozzy raised a skeptical brow. “Really,” he said. Strut shivered.

“Yep, right over those rocks.” Chomper pointed. “Hey guys!” He called over, making both of the brothers jump. “Guess who I found back here?”

“Alright, alright!” Ozzy held his claws up. “Fine, we… we believe you.”

“You-you explore the Mysterious Beyond?” Strut asked, eyes widening. Chomper shrugged. His time, he could tell the truth.

“Yeah, sometimes.”

“Why?”

Ruby nudged Chomper, but he ignored her. “I’m actually supposed to find out more about Red Claw, and how to stop him.”

The two Stealers glanced at one another, and then turned back to the children before them. Strut stifled a giggle. Ozzy wasn’t so courteous. His laugh boomed off the surrounding rocks. Chomper frowned as the brothers gave in to helpless mirth.

“What’s so funny?” He demanded.

“You… you c-can’t be serious!” Ozzy managed, holding his sides. Strut leaned onto the rock wall for support as he continued laughing.

“Why not?”

“A puny little thing like you is going to take on Red Claw?” The pale Stealer’s amber eyes narrowed with ridicule. “That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard!”

“Hah, oh, that was brilliant!” Strut whooped, not quite recovered.

“It’s the truth!” Chomper insisted. “Ruby and I are going to get rid of him!”

“Sure you are,” Ozzy, composure retrieved, stared the little sharptooth down. “Chomper, is it? Well Chomper, let me enlighten you. You. Will. Not. Get. Far.” His neck stretched out with each syllable.

“We will so!” Chomper folded his arms, glaring right back. Ruby harrumphed, uncomfortably.

“Chomper,” she whispered. “We should leave because it’s dark.” She looked up with growing concern at the steadily darkening sky.

Strut broke off his hysterics with a rather strangled-sounding hiccup as he noticed the gathering dusk as well. “O-Oz, we should get back.”

“Very well,” Ozzy sighed dramatically as he straightened. “Wonderful to see you again, Egg,” he declared, absently. He turned on his heel and strode smartly off. Strut hesitated behind, biting his beak, looking at the two children. Hey were so vulnerable out here. But didn’t they say they knew the Mysterious Beyond? That was no excuse, they were only children, andó

“Strut!” Ozzy snapped. The dark Stealer jumped.

“O-oh, right. But, um… Oz?”

Ozzy stopped, but didn’t turn. Strut saw this as a sign to continue. “Well, I mean, they’re alone out here, right now. M-maybe they should… come with us? I-I mean, the Beyond is really no place for chil-children, right?” he looked down at Chomper and Ruby, smiling awkwardly. “Do-do you need someplace to stay, tonight?”

Ruby and Chomper in the meantime had also turned to leave, but at this invitation, they turned back, surprised. Chomper frowned, warily.

“Ab-absolutely no tricks this time! Heh, don’t need to tangle with a sharptooth, thank you!” Strut put up his claws in surrender. “But, um, you can… come with us, if-if you want to.”

Chomper considered. One the one claw, these two had tried to eat him, and had almost succeeded in doing away with Littlefoot. He frowned. But on the other claw, it was night, and now that he saw these Stealers in a different light they seemed, well… far less threatening now that he had grown up some. And the dark one, Strut, seemed almost friendly.

The bright Circle had disappeared over the horizon. Chomper made his decision. “Okay.”

======

Heh, not doing too shabby - definitely helps that I don't have to crunch time into four separate elements of the story: such as the Gang, Ruby and Chomper, Pterano and Taylen, and those Egg Buggers
Now why does Strut remind me so much of Portal 2's Wheatley? Truly Machiavellian
And of course, Ozzy would be that much of a jerkweed...

[Mr Wonk]

Great two chapters. Could Chomper become friends with Ozzy and Strut? Anyway looking forward to the next chapters.

[vonboy]

Woo, another day at my brother's house after the move, an some internet time! Hopefully I'll have internet of my own either tomorrow or Monday, and I can actually get active here again! Yay!

I really liked the re-meeting of Chomper and the eggstealers. I'm wondering if Chomper's thinking in the back of his mind "Hmm, wonder what eggstealer tastes like."

I don't have much time today, but I could do a more meatier review after I get my own internet at my new apartment.

Don't know if I'll make any other posts today, but I've been missing you guys the last 3 weeks.