The Gang of Five
Role Play => Land Before Time RPG => Topic started by: The Great Valley Guardian on March 10, 2009, 11:40:30 AM
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Okay here we go!
But before I get started I'd like to give a brief description as to what has happened so far.
At the opening of Chapter 26, the herd of the Great Valley and the valley itself is under siege by a crazy and bloodthirsty group of sharpteeth known as the Saurischia lead by the infamous Bleeding Heart, who is said to be worse than even Redclaw!
Meanwhile Longtail's darkest secret is revealed to everyone that he is half sharptooth. While his friends still trust him, the elders are beginning to spread rumors, some behind Longtail's back, and some to his face, and some are going so far as to question Longtail's sincerity and loyalty. And this could be the start of something far more dangerous...for everyone!
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As the bright circle rises on another morning in the Great Valley Longtail yawns and opens his eyes to see his uncle Cyrix still sleeping. Longtail then stood up and stepped outside the cave to see Mim standing near a stream. He yawned once more and walked over to her.
"Good morning Mim...how are you?
~~~
Elsewere in the valley Grandpa Longneck was enjoying the rising of the bright circle.
"It is a wonderful thing to see the circle rise on a new day." he said to himself aloud.
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With a smile of her own, Kit peeked one eye open as the rays of the bright circle penetrated over to shine on her face. She smiled and had just decided to sit up when a voice interrupted her.
"Hey Kit" Cory called, he seemed to always been the one of her friends coming to get her whenever Littlefoot and the others had something planned, and that could have been due to them knowing eachother for a bit longer on that trip to the Valley with the adults before she'd met back up with her lost cousin Petrie and his new friends that both her and Cory next got to meet.
Cory wasn't summoning for Littlefoot or the others benefit today though, he had just come over on his own before knowing of any plan yet. "Come on, I noticed Mr. Threehorn's at the watering hole, let's go splash and bug him" the whistling swimmer laughed at the idea already.
Kit's father, Tylr, smirked to himself without opening his eyes yet, "that kid gets up way too early" he commented.
Kit giggled, "Well I'm gonna follow his example and head off, ok daddy?" she said. Tylr nodded that he heard her and Kit flapped down to where Cory was.
"Come on, we gotta hurry or he'll move off and we won't get to do it" Cory said, running off towards the watering hole.
"Cory...you're not really serious...Cera's gonna be so mad if we actually do bug her dad this early" Kit called flapping after her friend.
"Aw, I'm not afraid of her" Cory called back, grin still on his face.
"Well how 'bout Mr. Threehorn himself, he'll yell too" Kit added as the two continued on towards the watering hole Mr. Threehorn was at
(can be where Mim and Longtail are or not depending on what you guys want; plus I don't think I mentioned Cory, but he's here too)
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Deimos yawned as he got up. His best friend, Raptix was still sleeping. He went over to Raptix and gently petted his feathered head.
Raptix made a contented rumble and Deimos headed off to the stream to catch breakfast.
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Ovius was awake too; his parents were still sleeping and he headed off to the Feeding Grounds.
(OOC - I'll replace Hadros with Raptix but he'll be sleeping until that change is approved.)
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Dante yawned, stretching out lazily on his tree branch. He looked up at the sky, then sighed.
"Another day, another treestar. Time to get myself moving, I guess."
He yawned, then rolled out of the tree, landing on his feet, and walked towards the stream. As he got closer, he saw Longtail and Mim, and he waved to them, smiling broadly.
"Morning, you guys! What's new?"
He asked brightly...
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Mim smiled to Longtail then to Dante, "I'm doing well, not much new with me, and how about yourself?" She asked, having gotten done getting herself a drink from the nearby stream.
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Deimos swatted a fish from the stream when he heard voices. He decapitated the fish, ate the head and went over to Dante, Mim and Longtail.
"So what's new?" Deimos asked between bites of fish.
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"Not much with me, and you?" Mim asked looking at Deimos. "The fish are quite taseful here." Mim said, having the occasion to once in a while eat one of the smaller fish, though they were hard to catch.
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"I just got up; I'm not sure what I want to do today." Deimos replied. " I normally spar with some of the valley's dinosaurs."
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Dante smiled.
"Sparring? Sounds like that might be kinda fun. You game?"
He asked Deimos, smirking...
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"Oh yeah!" Deimos said. "Armed or unarmed?"
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"Just be sure not to injure each other, or not to badly." Mim said smiling to them.
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Dante smiled and rolled his shoulders.
"Whichever one you'd prefer."
He smirked...
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"I'll take weaponry. I'm getting a little rusty with my staff. I guess the usual rule set: no clawing, no eye or groin attacks, no biting." Deimos responded.
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Grandma Longneck had noticed her mate as slept in, as she would call it, sort of late...come to think of it so had Littlefoot. Shaking her head at 'her boys', she moved off towards the watering hole and found Topsy already there.
Mr. Threehorn, after giving a customary greeting sort of nod, and with a smile she returned it. All in all it seemed to be a normal peaceful day at the watering hole...
Just as Topsy bent to drink, though, a yell rang out, alteast near where he was so it sounded loud enough (the intruder was actually bursting from having hidden in the bushes for the right moment).
"Treesweet!" (ooc: cannonball) Cory yelled before tucking his feet and leaping straight into the water, splashing Topsy as effectively as if he'd been trying...which he had.
The young swimmer came up and spat water, which also hit Mr. Threehorn in the face, before smiling at the drenched, at least on his face, threehorn.
"Oh hi Mr. Threehorn, gee sorry, I didn't see you there" Cory grinned. Kit shook her head and smiled as she landed nearby.
Grandma Longneck hid a laugh.
Topsy sighed annoyed, shaking the water off of him, "You..." he said pointedly to Cory, yet then just finished almost sighingly, "...need to stay out of trouble". Topsy then moved off grumbling something about going to where a grown threehorn could get a drink in peace.
Cory grinned, "Out of trouble, got it sir" the little swimmer saluted. Kit laughed then looked to where Grandma Longneck was. "Oh hi Ma'am" she greeted politely with a smile, "I'm afraid Cory's causing trouble this morning" she looked to her friend once more, as if expecting him to be ashamed at having done that in front of one of the Valley leader...although it was also one of the Valley leaders he had just splashed.
Cory just grinned. Grandma Longneck smiled, "Oh, well I'm sure that splash was not intentional" she smiled to Cory. The little swimmer just glanced to the side, still smiling, and refused to answer one way or another.
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Dante smirked.
"Well, that sounds just fine by me! Can't wait to try out some of the new moves I've been working on..."
He said, eyes eager and ready...
(OOC: Dante's weapon style is similar to swordsmanship, either iaido or nito-ryu. Right now, he'll use the first.)
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Deimos went over to his sleeping area where he kept a wooden quarterstaff and a stone tipped spear.
He grabbed the quarterstaff and headed back to Dante. "Ready."
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Dante ran off to his small sleeping area, grabbing one of his slightly curved, solidly-shaped branches. He ran back to where Deimos and the others were, smirking broadly.
"Okay, I'm ready. Where shall we duel?"
He asked, grinning...
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Grandpa Longneck turned around feeling a bit thirsty and wondering if his mate was up yet. As he began to walk off he noticed Mr.Threehorn, and he seemed upset. 'This early in the day...oh this is not going to be easy.' thought the elder to himself as he looked down to his old friend and asked, "Excuse me my friend, have you seen my mate around? I'd like to speak with her."
~~~~~
Longtail smiled at Mim and replied.
"I'm alright....I'm still a little worried though." he said with a scared tone in his voice.
He then turned his head to watch Dante and Deimos spar.
'so early in the day...this is going to be a long day.' thought Longtail mentally with a sigh.
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"Worried about what?" Mim said, finishing getting herself a drink. She had filled one of her gourds earlier and had had some leaves. "You hungry for some breakfast?" She asked Longtail.
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Topsy looked up with a frown, "Yeah, she's at the watering hole" he grumbled simply, "along with that trouble making whistling swimmer who had the audacity to splash me, and on purpose I know, despite what he says!" the threehorn grumbled.
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Longtail placed his claw on his belly as he heard it rumble at the mention of food, but he sighed aloud as he looked up to face Mim and answered her question.
"I'm worried...what the other elders will think of me now that they know my secret...whenever my heritage is revealed in a herd....I'm always...always exiled from it...and I can't....I just can't take that kind of rejection anymore..."
He then said in a sad voice, "Yes...I might not feel like eating, but breakfast would be best for me right now."
~~~~
Grandpa Longneck chuckled at Threehorns response.
"Oh you know Cory means well, and he is still a hatchling, while his method of fun may not be the wisest, you could at least try to smile about it." he said with a smile.
"And thank you for letting me know where my mate is."
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"Not everyone will like you, regardless. As nice as Littlefoot's grandfather is I'm sure there are some who don't like him, Threehorn for instance." Mim said. Then she smiled, "What sort of food are you hungry for, a certain type of leaf, tree sweet or something else?" She asked.
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Longtail just looked sad.
"I do guess you're right. We'll just have to see where our loyalties lie huh?" he asked Mim, he then answered her question. "I think...tree sweets will make me feel better."
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Mim smiled, "Ok, let's go over here, there's a treesweet tree not to far away." She said and walked over in the direction where the tree was and started to climb up it once she had reached it.
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"We'll duel at the usual place; the Thundering Falls Lake!" Deimos replied.
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"Hmm" Topsy grumbled, "Well I suppose right now Cory isn't the biggest child problem of this Valley" he admitted, looking to Grandpa Longneck, "Any better idea of what we're going to do about...him?" the threehorn asked simply and unashamedly of how he titled Longtail, yet the secret that had just been spilled was a bit thing to be dealt with.
He'd formed his own opnions of course, but still, the longnecks and him were a team. He had waited on their input to kick Pterano out of the traveling herd, and he would honor their input here too.
~~~~
"You know Cory, you shoudln't get Mr. Threehorn any more madder" Kit pointed out at the watering hole, "he...well after yesterday..." the young one broke off, glancing down.
Grandma Longneck smiled, "Don't worry dear, majority of this Valley has known Longtail for a while now, and they will remember that when weighing this...new news".
Kit just nodded sadly, still feeling worried over Longtail's ultimate fate...a relation of hers with a half sharptoothed flyer heritage who had yet to be discovered in his visiting was also in her thoughts and how this was dealt with would show her better if in addition to the family she'd already lost due to banishment that would be added to...after the loss of a friend.
Yet...Grandma Longneck was right, these dinosaurs about were her neighbors and she had to have faith in them.
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Mim finished climbing up the tree and pulled off a few tree sweets, going to the lowest branch to drop them onto soft grass so they would not be harmed. "Here come some." She said before she dropped the first one.
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Dante hopped up and down on the balls of his feet, waiting for his match against Deimos to begin...
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Deimos held his staff in a ready position waiting for Dante to strike.
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Grandpa Longneck sighed as he looked around for a moment.
"Yes while I agree, that this news is rather shocking...I feel some of the other elders here in the valley are being too hard on Longtail. He is still a hatchling after all, and even if he is...different, he has still done many great and helpful things, including fighting those rouge sharpteeth." He then gave a small smile as he began to walk off and said, "Well in any case, I hope the rest of your day goes well."
~~~~
Longtail smiled as he jumped up and caught the first few falling tree sweets. He continued to grab and hold as many as he could...before falling over and being buried in the pile he'd collected with a laugh.
Cyrix at that moment stepped out of the surrounding bushes and smiled.
"Would you two like some help?" he asked Mim and Longtail with a chuckle.
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Mim smiled and stopped what she was doing, seeing Cyrix and the pile Longtail was under. "I wonder if Longtail will need help with getting himself free." Mim said smiling at the funny image.
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Cyrix laughed again.
"Oh I doubt he'll need help. He's going to try and eat his way out...and the last time he tried he made himself sick, but perhaps he'll get it right this time?" Cyrix commented with a light hearted sigh.
Longtail however was indeed trying to eat his way out and was going at a steadily fast pace, but it was working....kinda. He had to admit, these tree sweets did make him feel better.
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"Well, hopefully he'll stop before he makes himself sick." Mim said, hoping Longtail would not eat to much and get sick.
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"Hmm...I doubt it" Topsy grumbled, yet moved off to deal with other things this day.
~~~~
At the watering hole, Cory leapt up and splashed Kit just for the purpose of trying to get her to feel better. He did get a laugh out of her, "Cory, stop it!".
Grandma Longneck smiled, the young ones certainly did know how to all cheer each other up, they were almost like their own little herd with eachother she mused, since most of the adult talk went over their heads she'd noticed.
She turned as she noticed her mate approach, "Ah, I thought you were sleeping in" she commented with a smile.
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Dante faced off against Deimos, holding his stick lightly at his side before he smiled, then leapt into the air, drawing his stick as he did so...
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Deimos moved out of the way of Dante's attack and retaliated by swiping with his staff as Dante landed.
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Grandpa Longneck smiled in reply.
"Well I'm not, but our grandson seems to enjoy his sleep. He's still at the nest as far as I know." He looked down to see Cory and Kit splashing in the water, and it brought a frown to his face as he asked his mate.
"What do you think about Longtail? I don't think any of the other elders are being fair."
~~~~
Longtail had finally eaten enough tree sweets to stick his head out of the pile. "Hi uncle Cyrix, how are you?" he asked with a childish smile on his beak.
Cyrix couldn't help but laugh as he nodded his head and replied.
"I'm doing just fine nephew...however, I believe you and I should go for a walk." He then turned to Mim and asked, "Is that alright with you?"
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Mim nods, "I can eat 1 or 2 of the treesweets and off some to some other folks who live here. Its not like they would say no, unless they are full." Mim said starting to pick up some treesweets.
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Cyrix smiled at Mim and picked up a few treesweets as well and handed them to her.
"Alright we won't be gone long Mim." he said with a never ending smile as he turned and walked away.
Longtail stood up from out of the pile and began to follow his uncle into the nearby grove of bushes and trees.
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Mim picked up the rest, leaving a few in case Cyrix was hunger when he came back and went off to see fi she could find any dinos who would like any of the treesweets she had as she ate one.
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Grandma sighed, "Well I agree with you of course, that Longtail shouldn't be punished for a heritage alone...but we've always put things to a vote and...like you said, majority does not seem to be with us, yet".
She glanced to Kit and Cory once more. Grandma Longneck hadn't had a chance to speak with Cory's mother about the issue personally, but she knew Kit's dad, Tylr, felt like they did and was on Longtail's side.
"I really don't know" she continued to whisper, "if you asked me now how the vote would go...except...that I know where our threehorn friends stands on the issue" her amused smile was a bit grim.
It was just then that two of the sleeping children were discovered to finally be up as Littlefoot, followed by Cera whom he'd also gone to get, came over.
"Look I'm not saying I agree...I don't think" Cera finished half of an argument, "I'm just saying my dad's never wrong".
"Well I think here he is!" Littlefoot shot back, gently though. Cera frowned back at him, "you take that back right now!" she rushed up to get her face within inches of Littlefoot's own.
It was then that the two noticed Littlefoot's grandparents and Cory and Kit, who's splashing had stopped to notice this little fight.
Littlefoot and Cera glanced aside a bit. "Um...sorry", with his grandparents there, Littlefoot did actually take the statement back.
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Mim walked along till she heard some voices and saw a very small pink threehorn bounding out of some grass. She paused as she saw Mim and started to say something that Mim could not quite understand but she knelt down in front of her and keeping hold of the treesweets she had in her arm & against her body she picked one of the smallest ones and offered it to Tricia. "here, is this what you wanted?" Mim asked.
Tricia not to hungry, but not full either took it saying something in her baby talk. Tria came up a second or 2 behind her.
"Tricia where..." Tria said pausing, "oh, hello. "
"How goes?" Mim asked waving one hand, her other hand and arm still busy holding some treesweets. She thought she wished she had brought one of her woven baskets with her, but didnt think she'd need one.
"I was just talking to Mrs. Flyer when Tricia took off." Tria said, "Come along Trica," She said to Tricia who had started to nibble on the treesweet. She picked it up in her mouth and started walking along with her mother, "You're free to come along if you'd like. One more can add to a conversation." Tria said.
"Thanks, I think I will." Mim said walking along with Tria and Tricia, who carried the partially nibbled treesweet in her mouth. Since threehorns had not hands nor pockets.
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Grandpa Longneck looked down to his grandson and asked, "Is everything alright Littlefoot?" He didn't want to pry, but knowing how often his grandson and his friend Cera fought he figured he'd at least try to figure something out.
~~~~
As Cyrix and Longtail walked Longtail felt like they had walked this path before...and he couldn't figure out why.
Cyrix then spoke up, but kept his eyes on the path ahead.
"You know what I'm going to say don't you nephew?"
Longtail then looked to the ground and answered. "Yes....I do...but uncle! It's not fair...I shouldn't be judged on what I am...but WHO I am...and how I can and have helped this valley."
Cyrix sighed as he knew his nephew was at least part right.
"Yes Longtail, you shouldn't be judged for what you are, but some grown-ups are afraid of what they don't understand."
Longtail continued to stare at the ground.
"But...I...can't...I won't..." he said with a stammer.
Cyrix finally looked down upon his nephew, and saw the pure fear in the flyers eyes...he was scared...and didn't bother to try and hide it.
He then decided that it would be easier to carry Longtail as he picked him up and into his arms.
"It will all be okay, you'll see."
Longtail didn't respond as he turned his head and finally saw why the path was so familiar...it lead to the Tree of Life in the center of the valley.
Cyrix noticed the silence and smiled as his nephew seemed to calm down.
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Littlefoot and Cera both looked a bit ashamed as Littlefoot answered, "Um...yes Grandpa, it's just...I...well I know I probably shouldn't have said so, but I don't think Cera's dad is right in what I heard him say about Longtail being...dangerous".
"He never actually said that!" Cera pointed out.
"Well...then I didn't understand what I heard" Littlefoot tried not to cause an argument again, "because it sounded like he did".
Grandma Longneck sighed, apparently the adult discussion was trickling down to affect the young ones' too...not that she was surprised, they were friends of Longtail all of them.
"Aw come on guys" Cory sighed, "the adults are doing that 'nice fighting' called discussing thing anyway, don't you all start!" he said, stating it quite bluntly but effectively Grandma Longneck thought...even if the young one's description of a discussion was wrong...a bit.
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The small group walked along till they got to where Petrie's mother was standing.
"Sorry, had to catch up to Tricia. Young ones can be hard to catch up to at times." Tria said.
"Yes, one must keep ones eyes on them every second." Petrie's mother said. "Hello, Mim. "
"Hello, want one?" Mim said offering a treesweet to Petrie's mother then to Tria.
"Yes, thanks." Petrie's mother said as did Tria who took hers in her mouth.
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Grandpa Longneck held in a chuckle at Cory's description of the valley elders arguing methods. He smiled and said to the children below.
"You little ones have nothing to worry about...I know that the elders here in the valley will do the right thing and give Longtail a fair chance to stay here...after all none of them would be silly enough to send a hatchling into the Mysterious Beyond."
~~~~
Cyrix set Longtail down and pointed to the tree.
"Do you hear it nephew?" He asked in a shallow tone of voice.
Longtail frowned and tilted his head as he asked, "Hear what?"
Cyrix continued to point to the tree.
"Hear...what you want to hear...most of all." Cyrix said with a devious smile.
Longtail stepped forward and his eyes widened when he heard a voice crying out for help from inside the tree..."I can hear someone...they're trapped, I'm going to help them uncle!"
As Cyrix watched Longtail rush forward into the tree, he sighed and sat down to await his nephews return from inside the tree.
~~~~
Grandpa Longneck suddenly looked up to see the tree of life in the distance and he sighed aloud.
"I suddenly got a....a very bad feeling." he said to himself.
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Dante smiled, parrying Deimos's staff strike with his own stick, twisting away to avoid any other attacks and shifting back into his ready stance...
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"Yeah" Kit realized with a smile. Cera was frowning hard and Kit giggled as she realized what the threehorn's problem was. "Oh Cera, the other adults were just kidding with that whole Brave Threehorn girl thing, they were just mad your dad made you lie" she said.
Cory laughed, "Yeah, and Grandpa Longneck was even there to make sure they didn't overreact and do that" he pointed out, "so he'll do the same here" he said, feeling better about the situation...until the weird noise and Grandpa Longneck's frown.
"Oh dear..." Grandma Longneck walked forward, looking towards the tree as well.
"What is it?" Littlefoot asked, walking closer.
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"What is that odd sound?" Mim asked and looked in the direction it came from.
"I don't know. Tria said taking a step in that direction.
"I'll go and take a look, you 2 stay here." Petrie's mother said and took to the air.
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Grandpa Longneck took a step forward before he turned to his mate and said, "Please take the young ones and get them to safety, I think Bleeding Heart is in the valley again."
As Longtail stepped into the tree it began to shake as a loud and obvious roar echoed through it...but it sounded familiar...too familiar Longtail realized as he turned around, and just in time to see a pillar of fire rise up out of the ground and in its place was an egg, but this egg gave off an evil feeling, and just as Longtail reached out to touch it, it shattered and as it did he heard a voice call out
'You are doomed child...and those you think are your friends are just traitors and hateful creatures, you were destined to be alone now...and forever!'
And then again Longtail was alone in the tree. He looked around and shuddered as he turned to step out and felt the ground shake once more, and this time he knew it was something bad.
Cyrix stood up once he felt the ground shake and turned his head to see a large black sharptooth with a scar running down to his heart...which is how he got his name as Cyrix took a fighting stance and uttered one name...
"Bleeding Heart..."
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The strange noise made Deimos turn his head. "Uh, Dante, we should hold off the duel. Something's going on and we'd better start checking it out."
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Ovius, who had finished eating ran towards Grandpa Longneck. "Grandfather! What's that noise?" Though Ovius was almost the same age as Deimos and not related to Grandpa Longneck, he still called him "Grandpa" or "Grandfather" as a respectful title.
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"Come along children" Grandma Longneck said, quickly ushering Cory, Kit, Cera and Littlefoot off even as the children looked a mixture of confused and worried.
"S-surely we're not running away from..." Cera began to protest. "Um, I think the answer to that is, yes!" Cory said even as he rushed along with the others as best he could.
"Threehorn's never..." Cera tried again, yet found she could do little but just follow along with the others, this seemed bad either way...
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Petrie's mother returned and reported what she saw.
"What do you think it is?" Tria asked.
"Let's go and find Mr. Thicknose. He's lived in the valley a long time, if anyone would know he should." Mim said and they set off, with Mim picking up Tricia who had finished her Treesweet by then and they went off. Petrie's mother flew off to look for him from the air.
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Grandpa Longneck began walking to see if he could find any of the other elders in the valley, but he looked down to face Ovius and answered his question.
"The valley may be in danger again. Would you like to help me find the other elders? I'm hoping to come across Mr.Threehorn, or Mr.Thicknose knowing they will have the best ideas on how to handle this situation." He just hoped nothing bad happened in the mean time.
~~~~~~
Cyrix took a step back as Bleeding Heart took a step forward.
Bleeding Heart then laughed and asked, "Why so scared Cyrix? I just want to talk to you and your 'nephew'."
Cyrix scoffed in reply and said, "Even if I knew where Longtail was, I wouldn't dare let the likes of you talk to him."
The sharptooth laughed again.
"Well then....I guess I'll just have to hurt you until he shows up!" He roared as he charged at Cyrix.
Cyrix however had seen this attack coming and jumped out of the way just in time as Bleeding Heart closed his jaws around nothing but air.
Longtail had seen everything from inside the tree, and he wasn't sure what to do...but he knew he didn't want Cyrix to get hurt because of him so he did the only thing he could, he jumped out into the open and shouted:
"HEY UGLY! Looking for someone?! Cause I'm right here!"
BH smiled and stopped chasing Cyrix as he turned to face Longtail.
"So, hopefully we can talk now...right Cyrix?" he asked rhetorically
The rainbow face simply nodded his head and stood in his place.
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Cory's mother, Rea, was just coming from a small cavern within the Valley that held nothing and went no where, as she'd just found out, when she met Grandma and the kids.
One look at the elder longnecks frown and she knew something was up. "What is it?" she asked, rushing up.
"We think there may be a threat to the Valley" she said, "I hate to ask you to keep the others as well as Cory safe, but--".
"No please, ask away, I'd be happy to" Rea said. Grandma nodded, "I must help my mate find some of the others".
"Don't you worry about a thing Ma'am" Tylr next added, flapping down from where he'd passed by to hear everything. "I'll help Rea here by being first line of defense, unless and until I'm needed more somewhere else, you just let me know" he said.
"Thank you" Grandma Longneck gave a grateful nod and then moved off to try and find another of the Valley elders.
~~~~
Meanwhile, Mr. Thicknose frowned as he sensed something was up. Spotting Grandpa Longneck far off seeming in a low talking worried discussion with someone didn't look good either.
"Best go find out what's going on" he said, slowly making his way over.
-
Grandpa Longneck was still waiting for a reply from Ovius, when he noticed Mr.Thicknose. Grandpa nodded his head as he spoke up.
"Good day old friend...it would seem we are in a bit of trouble. I have reason to believe that Bleeding Heart and his fastbiter friends are back in the valley, but we aren't sure where yet."
He paused to catch his breath as he said, "We were hoping you'd have an idea or two."
~~~~
Cyrix really couldn't believe this was happening...but it seemed the more Bleeding Heart spoke the more and more Longtail seemed to agree! While he'd done his best to counter the arguments BH was making, it seemed to be a losing battle.
In an effort to get Longtail away from the rather large sharptooth, Cyrix bolted forward and grabbed Longtail in his arms and attempted to run hoping to find a place to hide.
Of course Bleeding Heart did not enjoy that idea at all, and he immediately gave chase of the two giving off a loud and inconspicuous roar as he did so.
-
"Oh my, well this is serious" Mr. Thicknose agreed. "Hmm, yes" he thought for a bit. Just then a roar seemed to reverberate all throughout the Valley.
"Well first off make sure some poor soul isn't be eaten that way" Mr. Thicknose guessed for an action, "though how while not becoming a meal ourselves I really don't know...and I have a feeling it's worse that just that if this is Bleeding Heart we're dealing with" he admitted.
The roar meanwhile brought Mr. Threhorn running to quickly find the others. "Longneck, we got trouble it seems" he said.
"Um, I believe we just figured that out" Mr. Thicknose told him.
~~~~
While feeling guilty at leaving Rea, even for a bit, Tylr had nontheless just wanted to ensure that the others of the children not present were not just wandering aimless to stumble into Bleeding Heart's way.
He had just finished ensuring Ducky and Spike were still safe with their mother, which they were, as well as any of the other families he passed on the way.
Petrie and his siblings were still at their nest, but their mom a bit busy it seemed trying to locate help of her own, was the best Tylr could guess so he did his sister and little nieces and nephews a favor and ushered them to where atleast he and Rea could keep an eye on them while informing a nearby lone flyer in his safe altitude nest where they went so his sister wouldn't worry.
"Don't tell me we gotta hang out with Petrie's yelling threehorn friend" one of the boys asked. "Trust me" Tylr said, "it's better than the revengeful sharptooth wandering about".
A roar sounded as if to prove his point, and Tylr hastened the brood on...though he didn't have to really try, they were all darting toward the safety they could already see, with Petrie foremost to hit the back of the cave in a huddled mass as quick as he could.
"Aw" Kit went over to hug him after his arrival, "It'll be ok Petrie, we're in a cave where he doesn't even know we're here so we're good".
-
Ovius grabbed a stick from the ground and looked at Grandpa Longneck. "I wait my next assignment, Grandfather."
Deimos ran up to Grandpa Longneck. "Mr. Longneck! What problems have arisen?"
--------
"Remain silent." Dromaeo said. He and Red-Eye were crouched in some bushes waiting for prey to come by.
-
Motochika ran up to the gathered adults. The odd-looking raptor bowed his head for a moment, then looked up at Grandpa Longneck.
"Jii-sama! There are more foes than just Bleeding Heart and his herd. There are..."
He stopped, trying to catch his breath, as Dante stepped up.
"There are the members of Ressentiment, right? This is not a good thing..."
Dante said, twirling his stick-sword nervously...
-
Grandpa Longneck was rather surprised at how quickly the valley members sought each other out even before the true crisis had emerged. But upon hearing from Dante and Virgil that members of Ressentiment were in the valley as well...he was beginning to doubt their chances of keeping those who were unaware of the danger alive.
"Everyone please just settle down for a moment...we need to think this through." He took a breath and continued talking.
"As unfortunate and knowing time is short it seems we need to find Longtail and Cyrix first, as they are to be the two most likely targets for this attack."
A nearby swimmer shouted, "Oh please these sharpteeth are after all of us...what even makes you think they're after Cyrix and his goofy nephew?"
~~~~
Cyrix at that moment however was trying as hard as he could to outrun Bleeding Heart. He was also trying to get his nephew to pay attention as Longtail seemed to have this glazed look in his eyes.
He tried once more calling out his nephew's name in a yell.
"LONGTAIL!"
And that got the young flyers attention. He looked up, almost apologetically at Cyrix as he heard his uncle whisper something into his ear.
Cyrix leaned into his nephews ear and said, "Sorry Longtail, but this is your destiny." He then raised his arms, coming to a stop with his feet at the top of a steep hill, and using all his strength threw Longtail over the edge.
Cyrix then had enough sense to jump to the side as none other than Bleeding Heart came over the ridge the very next moment and off the cliff as well.
While BH was stunned, he regained his senses and rolled the rest of the way down the hill.
Longtail however was still too shocked by his uncles actions to actually do anything and proceeded to lose consciousness as he continued to fall.
However it seemed fate would smile upon the young flyer as he landed in a nearby tree, directly above where Tylr, Petrie, Kit and the other young ones had taken safety.
-
"Because he just attracts trouble like that" Mr. Threehorn said, not one to overly try to explain a situation and he certainly didn't feel like doing so now; he knew longneck was right though.
"Well if that rainbow face and...flyer are such a target let's find them quickly so that we can put and end to these sharpteeth". He turned towards where the tree was, knowing that would be the best direction to try first.
"All the same" Grandma Longneck said, finding where most of the others had already found eachother, "We mustn't try, for Longtail and Cyrix's sake, not to be rash and give any of these sharpteeth and open opportunity to catch us off guard.
"The children are with Rea and Tylr" she explained to her mate on a side note, knowing he'd possibly wonder about that with her here.
~~~~
"What do you keep staring at?" Cera asked, walking up to Littlefoot as the longneck did just keep staring out of the cave like entrance and exit past where Cory's mother was keeping guard.
"I just...I don't like having to just stay here and feel so useless" Littlefoot said, "Especially if Longtail's in trouble".
"Well we can't get by two adults" Cera said, circling and getting comfortable in a section of the cave, "so best just accept it, until an opening comes or something".
"Something like Longtail coming to us?" Petrie asked, pointing up. "Huh?" Cera turned to the flyer yet soon got her answer as Longtail tumbled into the tree.
"Well good grief" Tylr circled down, noticing the young one's tumble as well. "Longtail..." he gently slapped at either side of the flyer's face to try and roust him once more.
"Oh my, is he ok?" Rea asked, the kids watched nervously, wondering the same.
"Don't know, but first let's get him lower to where the other kids are where he's not so out in the open, Tylr half carried Longtail as he flapped down to the cover where the other kids were.
-
Deimos looked around and brandished his stick quarterstaff. "Hmm. Ressentiment, this is not good."
Ovius brandished his stick as well. "Seems like we should protect Longtail, Cyrix and Tylr."
-
Grandpa Longneck nodded to both his mate, and Mr.Threehorn knowing that both of them were right.
"Well under the current issues we have here...then I suggest we split up to cover more of the valley, but we must stay together, no less than two to a group, or else we run the risk of leaving ourself open to attack."
He then turned to Dante and Virgil.
"Would you two please help to track down and keep Bleeding Heart and the Ressentiment busy while we search for Longtail?"
~~~~~
Longtail groaned as he stared to come to, and as he opened his eyes he gave a rather startled cry, and rolled backwards onto the cave floor. He then looked around not knowing exactly where he was, but knowing that he was safe.
"Thank you...uncle Cyrix..." he mumbled to himself before falling back to sleep.
~~~~~
Cyrix at that moment in time was running back the way he'd come hoping to find someone to either help him find Longtail, or know where Bleeding Heart had gotten to.
"I just hope he's not near any of the bigger herds in the valley, or else there might be trouble." he said aloud to himself.
~~~~~~
Bleeding Heart at that moment also knew that his cover of secrecy was over. He figured it would be best to leave the valley for the moment and return when it was at a better opportunity.
-
Ovius and Deimos nodded.
"Grandfather, Deimos and I will protect Longtail and his family." Ovius said.
-
"Right, well I'll go with Mr. Threehorn here and take the east direction if you want" Mr. Thicknose said. "Yeah...I suppose that could work" Mr. Threehorn grumbled a bit.
~~~~
Tylr smiled, "Well he's talking, that's good, don't worry he'll wake up and realize where he is soon enough, atleast it's still just sleep".
"The good kind?" Littlefoot asked as he and the other kids walked up. "I think so" Tylr nodded with a smile.
-
Grandpa Longneck smiled and nodded.
"Grandma and I will take the North path and see if it is safe." he said. He then turned and asked, "Who will take the southern path? As that one does lead to the closest entrance to the Mysterious Beyond?" he asked aloud.
He then looked to Ovius and Deimos and smiled.
"Yes, that sounds like a good idea you two. Please, be sure to hurry."
~~~~~
Cyrix's luck seemed to be working well, as he suddenly found himself quite literally running into Tylr accidently knocking the flyer down.
"I am so sorry Tylr, are you alright?" he asked calmly, and then after a moments hesitation he remembered why he was running.
"Have you or the young ones seen Longtail?"
-
With a nod each, both Mr. Thicknose and Mr. Threehorn set out. "We should probably not forget to scan the bushes, I know dastardly sharpteeth like to hide there" Mr. Thicknose said.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean we should forget about out in the open" Mr. Threehorn added. Mr. Thicknose frowned, "I wasn't saying we should, I just think it's more likely..." he began, and while looking it seemed another famous argument between the two would start out.
~~~~
After recovering from the hit, Tylr turned with a smile and was just about to reassure Cyrix that it was ok and he was fine, when the rainbow face's last question paused him.
"Actually Longtail found us by tumbling into that tree it seems" Tylr said, pointing to the tree, "but he's alright from what I can gather, here see for yourself". Tylr stepped aside so Cyrix could see where Longtail lay, being watched over by the young ones quite effectively.
-
Deimos nodded. "Let's go!"
Ovius nodded as well and the two immediately ran towards Longtail's nest.
-
Cyrix sighed in relief upon hearing of his nephews safety, but then he blushed and cleared his throat as he rubbed Longtail's back for a moment.
"Well...I'd say that tree was a stroke of luck for him...as I had to think on my feet, and....threw him off a hill...heh."
Longtail stirred as he felt a comforting hand. He blinked twice and asked, "What's a flyer gotta do to get some food?"
Cyrix couldn't help but chuckle at his nephew for that comment.
-
"Here you are, dear" Rea stepped forward with a pile of leaves which she set down, "While Tylr here is a great help in protecting the young ones, I'm afraid even with a young daugher he's raising on his own he's just like males and doesn't always remember to make sure food is stocked nearby at times like this" she gave a teasing smile to the flyer she'd count a friend as Tylr ducked aside muttering something about 'getting to it'.
-
Longtail gave a soft smile to Rea as she dropped the treestars. He yawned and began eating almost immediately after.
Cyrix sighed and turned to Rea with a heartfelt thank you, and a bow to show his utmost respect. He then asked, "Does anyone know where the other elders happen to be right now? I'm starting to worry about them as well."
-
"Well I saw Grandma Longneck heading off that way to find more of the elders herself" Tylr told Cyrix, pointing in the direction, "I would assume they all met up not long after, as I haven't seen anyone else wandering looking for them until you asked".
-
"Well then, in that case with all the little ones in a safe place, I suggest we stay here until the others are done searching the valley for Bleeding Heart. He then whispered to Tylr, "What do you think of...well Longtail's current standing with the valley herd?"
Longtail stopped eating for a moment and turned to his friends, "If you guys are hungry, you can have some of these treestars...I know I won't finish them all."
-
Tylr smiled at Longtail's offer, politely waving it off even as he turned to answer Grandpa Longneck quietly.
"I...if your asking my personal opinions...Longtail's still the same he's always been, heritary aside, after all he's always been a half sharptooth, if that's what his heriditary is, all that changed is us knowing about it".
He thought about the trances that Longtail had been known to go into at times, and knew that that was another thing to be considered...would there ever come a time Longtail would be dangerous due to that...Tylr didn't know.
-
Deimos and Ovius arrived at Longtail's nest.
"Cyrix! Longtail! Tylr! Is every one all right!" Deimos asked.
-
Cyrix gave a genuine smile at Tylr and nodded his head.
"Thank you for understanding." The rainbow face then turned to Deimos and Ovius and said softly, "Yes, yes everyone here is alright Deimos. Tell me what are the elders doing right now? I would assume trying to track and hunt down Bleeding heart right?" he said.
Longtail continued to eat his treestars and smiled brightly when he noticed Deimos and Ovius had arrived.
-
Deimos nodded. "I believe so."
"Deimos and I volunteered to guard you." Ovius said, standing with his stick at the ready.
-
Longtail yawned as he finished eating his last treestar.
"that's good...we could use all the help we can get."
Cyrix looked over at his nephew and asked, "Are you getting tired again?"
Longtail nodded his head and blinked several times and yawned again.
"I think I'll take another nap." he said as he laid his head down.
-
"And don't worry, we won't let anything come at ya while you sleep either" Kit told Longtail
~~~~
"For the last time, this is not the way to go, we're heading more south than...". As Mr. Threehorn kept complaining, Mr. Thicknose turned a frown back to him. "Will you stop, I know where we're going!" he said firmly and without raising his voice like Mr. Threehorn seemed to always need to do.
-
Longtail smiled as he closed his eyes again and fell into sleep.
~~~~~
Bleeding Heart had been trying to sneak out of the valley but it seemed all that happened was he kept running into valley members, this time it was that pompous threehorn and another valley resident that seemed to be arguing about something. He shook his head as another confrontation wasn't what he was looking for and turned and walked away as quietly as he could.
-
"Yeah well I..." Mr. Threehorn began, yet then he paused, "...heard something" he finished in a different tone, "hold on..." he walked about almost in a perimeter seeking circle, just glancing about for anything out of the ordinary.
-
The threehorn was far too close, and to move now would be a major mistake, Bleeding Heart could only hope now that the shadows would mask his presence to the old threehorn. And wouldn't ya know it...as he began to feel secure he had to sneeze!
"AH-CHOO!" roared the sharptooth, and realizing without a doubt that his cover was blown charged out into the open hoping to catch the two plant eaters off guard.
-
Mr. Threehorn paused in shock at the sound, but didn't have much time before that became his last worry as a sharp tooth...no a sharptooth (ooc: fast biter type right?) so big it had to be this Bleeding Heart they were all looking for, charged out. Mr. Thicknose froze, but Topsy was quicker on the recovery.
"You fool, move!" he yelled to the hollowhorn as he lowered his own head to face Bleeding Heart's charge. He rammed forward as Bleeding Heart reached him, unaware of if he hit straight on or down the side, but knowing he thought he got in one hit atleast.
"Go...let the others know we found him" Topsy roared to Mr. Thicknose, who had yet to move. The hollowhorn shook himself out of his stupor it seemed and turned tail to flee back, still feeling unsrue about just leaving Topsy...but then the threehorn had always told them himself he was tough.
-
(No...Bleeding Heart is like the original sharptooth...only...pure evil.)
Bleeding Heart knew the hollow horn was going for help, but he wanted out of the valley and the only way to do that was to fight the threehorn, so he opened his jaws wide and tired to bite down on Topsy's face hoping he'd move.
-
By pure instinct that didn't care one whit about his pride, Topsy did rear back from the bite, yet he next ramed forward to jab Bleeding Heart in the leg before stepping back before he could be bitten behind the aid of his frill. "Hurry up ya old fool" he muttered in reference to Mr. Thicknose.
Meanwhile, Mr. Thicknose struggled to run as fast as he could, which wasn't fast enough for even himself to be satisfied with. He spotted a longneck soon though and praised every nightlight in the heavens.
"W-we found him! and Mr. Threehorn's holding him, Bleeding Heart I mean" he cried, reaching Grandpa Longneck and all but collapsing onto the floor of the Valley from sheer exhaustion of running so far and fast.
-
Grandpa Longneck was as shocked as he could be as he turned to face Mr.Thicknose and said, "Please lead the way, we need to help him as quickly as possible!"
Redclaw stepped back from Topsy's attack and he snapped at the old threehorn hoping to startle him enough to get away before the other elders showed up.
-
Topsy did rear back, making sure though to keep his horns pointed, "You...are not going anywhere" he said, sounding as tough as he could, and only hoping he could hold the sharptooth.
Mr. Thicknose felt like sighing, but nonetheless forced himself to get up and turn to head the other way, it was an almost hobbling run now with his exhaustion, but he kept on, leading the way.
-
Grandpa Longneck could see the fatigue on Thicknose's face and he stopped for a moment. "Perhaps you should rest for a while old friend. You may need it." he said with a frown.
BH wanted to get away and in a final charge pushed past Threehorn and made a dash into the surrounding trees.
-
"Well...I'm only agreeing...since I don't think I have much choice" Mr. Thicknose said, he pointed his nose though, "it's right through there anyway, so you all can find it now I think".
~~~~
"Hey!" Topsy turned and began to attempt to rush after the sharptooth, "come back here!".
-
Bleeding Heart was glad to hear that the threehorn had given chase, and now he had a chance to either surprise the old leafeater, or trick him into making a mistake and securing his escape....but he had to think about which idea was better...
~~~~
Grandpa Longneck nodded his head for a moment and replied.
"Thank you Mr.Thicknose...you've more than earned your rest, I'll go ahead and help Mr.Threehorn." He then turned and began to walk down the way Thicknose pointed.
~~~~~
Longtail had gotten so bored at this point that he'd begun to bash his head against the wall of the cave everyone was in. For a moment he stopped and stumbled as his vision swam with spots and he muttered "....ow." And had to catch himself with his tail to stop from falling over.
"Geez I'm bored. Can we pleeze....get out of this cave....I don't care about danger...it should be a part of my name..." stated Longtail with a frown.
-
Mr. Thicknose just nodded. He'd have followed if he could have.
~~~~
"Well first we have to find a safe spot to move to, even if I know such has never worried you, Longtail" Tylr gave a side smirk. "Hang on a minute, he flapped out to see if he could find a better spot for them all to stay.
-
Longtail watched for a moment as Tylr flapped out of the cave and he sighed. He turned to Deimos and asked, "Well...what would you do? We're stuck here in a cave, and I'm going nuts with boredom...come to think of it...how can any of you guys sit here, and just be...so....clam about this?!" he cried as he looked around to Littlefoot and the others surrounding him in the cave.
~~~~~~
In the end Bleeding Heart had settled for escape knowing that an attack could get him in more trouble. He came to a fork in the path and thinking quickly turned to the left and up the winding slope hoping the old threehorn would get tired, and back off.
-
Kit frowned a bit, "Shh, Longtail, I'm actually trying to not think about stuff and not get Petrie to panic" she indicated where Petrie was next to her looking...less than comfortable but not freaking out yet.
"We can't exactly sneak out past the adults very noses" Littlefoot indicated Cyrix still about, "even we're not that good".
"Maybe some of you aren't, but Longtail's right, we should try something!" Cera said. The young threehorn then began crawling over to try and sneak past. Littlefoot sighed, "Now you've done it" he said not really in complaining to Longtail.
~~~~
Mr. Threehorn kept on until he reached a spot where he no longer knew what to do. He glanced about then turned back.
-
Longtail smiled at Cera as he responded, "Now she has the right idea!" the flyer then flapped his wings and elevated himself to the ceiling and clinging to it with his claws he began to crawl across it being careful and as quiet as possible so as not to alert the adults.
Cyrix was still standing guard outside the cave just admiring the beauty of the world around him. He took a deep breath and sighed as he closed his eyes and decided to take a quick nap....after all, the children weren't just going to sneak away...
~~~~
Grandpa Longneck had just reached the pass and could see Topsy coming down. The elderly longneck immediately frowned as he knew his old friend had not stopped Bleeding Heart from escaping.
"Do not worry Mr.Threehorn, we'll be sure to stop him the next time he's in the valley." said Grandpa Longneck with a smile, hoping it would cheer up the old threehorn
-
Littlefoot understood a need to act, but they couldn't very well sneak past Mr. Cyrix could they...yet then he watched as Longtail and Cera did just that.
He sighed, "Well come on, it looks like the coast is clear".
"Come on Petrie" Kit grabbed his wing and gently pulled him along as she followed Littlefoot. "But...cave so safe..." Petrie said. Kit smiled back at him, "Trust me, wherever Longtail and Littlefoot are is the safest spot to be really, so we just gotta follow if you look at it that way" she walked behind him and pushed him.
Petrie frowned, trying to figure out that logic yet in the end was left with no choice but to follow, since he didn't want to be alone and then explaining where everyone went when Cyrix did find out.
-
Longtail had to admit he was surprised that his friends could be so quiet...and that his uncle could sleep through all this. He then turned and jumped from the outside of the cave and landed on a nearby tree and smiled as he slid down without making a sound.
-
"Ok, now I'm starting to think you're just showing off" Cera frowned at Longtail.
"Come on" Littlefoot urged them "we're still where Mr. Cyrix could see us".
"Yeah" Cory, who was also with them, said to himself, "and if they start fighting that's gonna just kill all hope".
-
(Figured it was time to bump this!)
Bleeding Heart stepped outside the valley and sighed. It had been a harder climb than he remembered...but he had indeed done it and escaped that cursed valley. "Time to meet up with the rest of my group." commented the sharptooth with a wicked grin.
~~~
Longtail walked a few more paces before stopping and noticing something.
"We're missing Deimos, and Ovius....I thought they were supposed to be guarding me?"
Cyrix however continued to sleep unaware that the children had just snuck right under his nose.
~~~
Grandpa Longneck looked at Topsy with a concerned look as it seemed the threehorn was wounded. "My old friend are you alright? Perhaps we should get you some help." he said with sympathy.
-
(OOC - Oh, I get to jump in here after a massively long hiatus!)
Deimos and Ovius were indeed looking for Longtail. They had been searching for him after they noticed that he had crawled out of the cave.
"Longtail, where are you?" Ovius called.
Deimos repeatedly sniffed the air. "I can smell him but it's kind of faint." He then sniffed again and pointed in a certain direction. "He's over that way and he's with Cera."
Deimos and Ovius immediately rushed towards the scent and found Longtail.
"Longtail, what are you doing here?" Deimos asked.
-
Longtail turned and smiled.
"We thought sitting around in a cave was a waste of our time. So we snuck away."
-
Deimos faceclawed. "Well, I can't get you to get back in the cave so I guess the most we can do is follow you."
-
"Him, me, whichever is more accurate" Cera said, striding forward and past both Longtail and Deimos with a determined look on her face like she was going to lead the expedition.
"C-Cera, do you even know where we're going?" Kit asked.
The threehorn glared back at her, but only in an annoyed way, "After probably the only vicious sharptooth in the Valley so Longtail here can do stupid stuff, what else is there to know" she said and guessed.
-
Longtail grinned.
"Once again thinking too small Cera...I'm sneaking away so I can show the elders I'm not as bad as they think I am....I just want them to trust me." he said looking at Cera.
Cyrix was awakened by the wind blowing in his face and he turned to check on Longtail and sighed lightly as he noticed he, and the other young ones were missing. "Never a dull moment with them is there?" he asked himself quietly as he turned and began searching for the children.
~~~
Grandpa Longneck was walking back to the center of the valley with Topsy and was still concerned he may be injured and asked again "Are you sure you're alright?"
(And I think Kit was playing Topsy....I'm not entirely sure, but I'll check on that.)
-
(Yes, I was, forgot him, how I add in Cera's bit but forget him I don't know...)
Cera frowned, "Whatever" she turned forward again, continuing on.
~~~~
As the 'co-babysitter' Tylr flapped down once he noticed Cyrix looking about for something...oh no.
"Tell me they didn't?!" he said, flying closer down to the ground.
~~~~
"Fine..." Topsy answered, more than a bit stubbornly and with a grunt of pain, "Ah, it's nothing I can't walk off..." he kept on.
-
Longtail laughed.
"Don't be mad Cera...as long as we can prove my good nature we'll be fine!" he said with a smile.
~~~
Cyrix sighed and nodded to Tylr not wanting to voice his mistake.
"All we can do is hope to find them before they do something reckless."
~~~
Grandpa Longneck led the way to the meeting circle where several of the other valley elders were waiting. "Alright everyone it seems we need to make a decision about this threat." He turned to Topsy "What is your thought on this Mr.Threehorn?"
-
"I guess you're happy that we're here to serve as guards?" Deimos asked.
-
"Your optimism's starting to rival hers!" Cera indicated to where Kit flew, "and trust me that's saying something!".
Kit frowned, trying to figure out if she'd been insulted.
It was Littlefoot who added with the rose tinted statement though, "I'm sure we'll be able to prove your good nature, Longtail" he said, "and yes we are" he told Deimos.
"Yeah, stuff less likely to eat us that way" Petrie replied.
(ooc: 'the gang' was never officially taken right?)
~~~~
Tylr sighed, "They have Longtail and Cera together...oh gosh!" he knew that wasn't a good mix and knew, or hoped, Cyrix would catch that that wasn't an insult of Longtail, just...both kids were rather strongwilled...
"Well hopefully they can't have gone far" he flapped up to see if he could spot them.
~~~~
"I lost track" Topsy admitted, "which threat were we focusing on, the huge sharptooth to just come through or the flyer who probably lured him here in the first place!".
(ooc: Hope I do ok with Topsy by the way, not recalling detail for detail how Longtail's past was suppose to go, just correct if I get something wrong)
-
Longtail grinned as he said, "Well it is nice...but you guys don't have to come if you don't want to."
-
"And let you have all the fun, ha fat chance" Cera answered back.
"Hey, we helped you before and we're not gonna stop now" Littlefoot said with a smile.
"Even if that mean scary stuff..." Petrie admitted.
-
"What exactly are we looking for?" Deimos asked.
"I don't know but let's hope it's something we can handle." Ovius asked.
"With this group, we can handle anything."
-
Longtail smiled.
"Thanks guys." He then looked over at Deimos as he answered. "We're going to the Tree of Life in the center of the valley...there is something there I need to check on."
~~~
Cyrix looked up at Tylr and smiled knowing what the flyer said wasn't meant against Longtail. "Its alright. But if I had to think like my nephew, the group is either leaving the valley to confront Bleeding Heart and his gang or the center of the valley hoping to find answers."
~~~
Grandpa Longneck sighed.
"Mr.Threehorn we don't know that Longtail lured them here. But you seemed to have forgotten they did kidnap him and torture him, however we've since closed the entrance they have used to enter the valley."
Grandma Longneck then spoke up. "Even if Longtail is still loyal to them, he's at least listening to us and that's a start. If he starts to act out, or worse goes back to those sharpteeth, that is when we should find more...creative means for his safety."
-
Cera thought anything in the center of the Valley worth seeing, she'd probably seen, but decided to go along with the plan, "Alright".
"What kind of thing?" Kit sort of asked for her.
~~~~
"Let's hope for the last one" Tylr said, "still I guess I'll go scour the outskirts to make sure they're not doing that if you want to check the center, or however you think best to go about this'.
~~~~
"Yes yes I know" Mr. Threehorn grumbled, he sighed, somehow Grandma Longneck having to admit harsher methods having a solemn effect. "Alright, we'll await firm proof" he said, "but I still don't feel good about it, or the whole thing".
-
Longtail smiled at Kits question. "We're going to get a stone." He then turned to his friends and asked, "Does anyone know what kind of stone we're looking for?"
~~~
Cyrix nodded.
"Thats a good idea, as you'll fly faster than I can run, and I'll check the center of the valley. Good luck Tylr." he said with a firm nod.
~~~
Grandma Longneck sighed at Topsy statement and replied, "None of us feel good about this...but as long as Longtail stays in the valley and does as we say we shouldn't have too much of a problem."
Grandpa Longneck however just shook his head and asked aloud, "Does anyone else feel like something....special is about to happen?"
A random swimmer spoke up.
"Yeah and I think Longtail is behind it...we need to force him to obey us! That's the only way we can be sure he stays on our side!"
-
The whole group of the kids seemed to pause and turn back to look at Longtail. Cera frowned, "If you say a certain thing which you better not say I will hit you" she said, if this was stone she'd heard about before she'd had enough of it.
"Now Cera, let's at least let him talk" Littlefoot said.
"Yeah, maybe there other magic stones" Petrie said. Cera shot him a look before turning back to Longtail, "Ok Mister, what stone are[ you talking about?".
~~~~
Tylr nodded, not saying that he'd probably need it. "You too" he said before taking off to circle the outer perimeters of the Valley.
~~~~
"Wh-where'd you..." Topsy was a bit caught of guard as the swimmer (ooc: Whom I'm assuming just appears as they're walking, or atleast Topsy could see it that way?) spoke up.
He got over it quickly though, "Well rest assured we have it under control and watching his behavior is just what we will do" he stated firmly, just making sure the swimmer knew this and his almost co-leadership of the Valley wasn't questioned.
-
Longtail giggled at Cera's remark.
"Don't worry Cera, you'd have to be dumb as a rock to believe in the Stone of cold Fire. No...the stone we're going after I found one day while with my uncle...and it's helped me before."
~~~
Cyrix was running as swiftly, and quietly as he could, hoping not to alert the other nearby elders to what exactly he was doing. "I do hope I catch them soon....I would hate to think of what would happen if the grown-ups found out about this."
~~~
Grandpa Longneck looked over to the swimmer.
"Please rest assured everything is under our control."
The swimmer glared at the older longneck and replied, "It doesn't matter, my friends and I will be watching that little half breed freak, and when he slips up just once, we'll be there to....set him straight." he then gave a short laugh at the thought.
-
"What is this 'thing' you need to check on?" Deimos asked.
"It better not be that Stone of Cold Fire hoax." Ovius replied.
-
"Oh...well, that good" Petrie said with a smile.
"Well...what makes this rock so special?" Cera asked, trying to sound more skeptical than curious as she was.
-
Longtail grinned at Deimos, and Cera's questions.
"You'll see when we get there..." he said as he looked up to see the Tree of Life meet his gaze. "Nice, we got here faster than I thought!" He then began to look around the tree for a hole just big enough for him to fit through.
He climbed inside for a moment and found the rock he needed. He then shoved the rock out of the hole and climbed back out. As he stepped over to his friends he picked the rock up with his tail.
"This my friends is the stone of guidance...depending on how warm it feels determines if something serious is going to happen..." He looked at the stone as he grabbed it with his claws as it began to feel red hot, causing him to drop it.
-
"and...that would mean bad stuff...?" Petrie asked, noticing Longtail drop the rock.
"Oh come on, first a stone of power and now one that tells stuff before it happens?!" Cera asked. She scoffed, "Yeah right".
"Cera, Longtail must know what he's talking about and if he says it helps tell stuff than it must, plus it does look hot" Littlefoot said and walked forward to look at the stone.
-
Longtail's eyes widened as he touched the rock again, and this time as he let it go he screamed in pain as he dropped the rock. "Oh...t-this...won't...end w-well." he stuttered aloud.
Cyrix as he was running heard the scream and only ran faster to reach his nephew, and as he came upon the tree. He then gasped as he saw what Longtail had come out here for, and seeing his reaction Cyrix immediately knew, that was a bad sign...
~~~
Grandpa Longneck turned his head for a moment and asked, "Did you hear that Mr.Threehorn?"
Grandma Longneck nodded her head as well. "I heard it as well, one of the young ones could be in trouble...should we go see?" she asked.
-
Kit, Petrie, Cory and most of the others backed up in shock at Longtail's scream.
"Y-you ok?" Petrie asked.
~~~~
Instead of answering either of them, Mr. Threehorn frowned and walked forward towards where the cry had come from. That was his way of saying yes to what Grandma Longneck had asked.
-
Longtail looked around, and for a moment he sighed. "I think we're in real trouble guys!" he said.
"You would be right about that nephew!" called Cyrix as he stepped forward with a very stern look on his face knowing the young ones would get in a great amount of trouble for running off.
Grandpa Longneck followed after Mr.Threehorn and sighed, knowing he was likely to blow what ever happened quite possibly out of proportion.
Grandma Longneck however seemed determined to keep pace with Mr.Threehorn as she said, "Now my old friend, please try not to do anything to rash!"
-
Deimos and Ovius ran to Longtail's side, sticks at the ready.
"Something wrong?" Deimos asked.
"I think we may have to answer to Cyrix." Ovius said, pointing to Cyrix.
-
The kids again backed up as Cyrix came up, their main worry just getting in trouble for rushing off.
"Uh...Mr. Cyrix...hi..." Kit said hesitantly.
"We...uh well we..." Petrie tried to come up with an excuse.
~~~~
Mr. Three horn huffed, "I won't be rash" he said, "I'll just be as firm as need by in whatever crisis we're facing now!" he said, somehow sure there was a crisis even when he hadn't reached the spot yet.
-
Cyrix held up a hand to silence the young ones as he asked, "Who's idea was this...I can only guess at two of you who would even try to sneak out like this!" His gaze then rested on Cera and Longtail. "So, which one of you talked the others into it?"
Longtail felt his heart creep into his throat as he stared down his uncle and began to tremble.
Grandpa longneck gave a short smile as he heard Mr.Threehorns response.
"This may not be a crisis, but do remember these are our hatchlings we're dealing with."
-
Deimos and Ovius said nothing.
"At least Cyrix isn't paying attention to us." Deimos muttered.
-
Cera at first frowned insulted at the accusation...before she realized both that Cyrix had a point and she was in enough trouble as it was.
"Well it wasn't me!" was her round about defense and accusation of her own.
"W-we all kind of agreed to coming, like we all always do" Littlefoot spoke up.
-
Cyrix turned to Deimos and scowled.
"Don't think you two are off the hook. You were supposed to warn me if they did anything like this!" he then heard voices approaching. "And now the trouble starts!" he commented aloud.
Longtail looked behind him to see Grandpa and Grandma Longneck along with Mr.Threehorn standing in the clearing as well.
"Wonderful..." he whispered under his breath.
Grandpa Longneck asked, "Are you young ones alright? We heard a scream."
-
"We were in the process of trying to get them back." Deimos replied.
"Since we couldn't convince them to come back. We decide to keep them safe." Ovius said.
"Ovius!" Deimos shouted.
-
Dante sprinted over.
"Gah! S-Sorry I wasn't here sooner. Some stuff was going down, and..."
He trailed off, realizing that now was not the best time to talk...
-
"Uh...that just us...uh...being startled" Petrie came up with a quick excuse, "but we fine now" he grinned.
Cera sighed, "Longtail found some rock and it was hot or something".
Mr. Threehorn tried, off the conversation before, to not let this make his thoughts go directly to suspicions on the...flyer.
"That's it?!" he instead asked the others, "a hot rock? No sharpteeth or other actually serious threats that would warrant..." he broke off in his frustrated...well he actually wasn't shouting yet so his tirade.
"Well there was the before..." Cory began.
"I know about before" Mr. Threehorn said annoyed before letting out another sigh as it seemed absolutely nothing had happened.
-
Longtail sighed.
"You wouldn't understand, because something REALLY big is going to happen soon. I can feel it."
Cyrix looked up at Mr.Threehorn and asked, "I may regret this, but despite the seemingly false alarm, what do you plan to do now?"
Grandpa Longneck sighed aloud and looked to the sky.
"I personally believe that the young ones would do well with some time away from Longtail."
Grandma Longneck looked to her mate and nodded.
"I agree."
-
"But...Grandpa..." Littlefoot stepped forward, "L-Longtail's our friend, you can't just...I mean..." he knew Longtail was on touchy ground with the adults but...still.
Cera wasn't sure what to think really, deep down she didn't think that badly of Longtail but...well anything her father agreed with was usually right and Topsy was nodding as he stated, "Sounds best".
"Well it's not like we got hurt or anything" it was Cory who spoke up, "and I don't think we would either" he added, folding his arms.
His mother had walked over though, "Now Cory let's watch the rude attitude" she said, the little swimmer grumbled but kept his thoughts to himself.
Tylr had found the group too, "Oh, we found 'em and they're safe...good..." he said, clearly picking up on what was going on.
-
Grandpa Longneck sighed.
"I know it seems unfair Littlefoot but trust us, this will help us sort out the problem."
Longtail looked hurt at that statement and he voiced his opinion.
"YOU MAY BE THE ELDERS OF THIS VALLEY BUT YOU CAN'T DO THIS!!!!"
Cyrix stepped forward and hugged his nephew close to him. "Please Longtail, try to understand. This isn't easy for any of us, but sometimes you have to take a step back and look at the larger picture."
Longtail then began to cry as he whispered.
"This isn't fair...I'm just a hatchling..."
-
Dante stepped in front of Longtail, arms out to the sides.
"This isn't right. Think of this! Wha~t if, by separating him from his friends, you create an actual threat? If these kids are threatened, Longtail's about the only one who can save them, and if he's not there..."
Dante trailed off ominously...
-
Deimos nodded. "Dante is right. Though Ovius and myself are strong fighters we cannot take on this threat ourselves."
-
Grandpa Longneck shook his head.
"I'm sorry Dante, but the young ones need to be watched over by the other elders who can protect them far better than Longtail can."
Cyrix stepped forward.
"But surely if there is no danger present then Longtail can play with the other younglings right?" he asked hopefully.
Grandma Longneck however sighed as she replied, "No. They need to be safe, and if keeping Longtail from them is what we must do....then so be it."
Longtail's scowl only got darker as he heard that statement, and he broke free of his uncles grip and flapped his wings and cried out, "FINE! Then I just won't be here when trouble comes!" He then flew off in a random direction and flying above the trees.
-
"Longtail..." Littlefoot longed to go after and reassure his friend, but then...well that was exactly what the grown-ups had just forbidden wasn't it.
"Hmm, shouldn't have been trusting them to a child's care anyway" Mr. Threehorn grumbled as he watched Longtail dart off.
Tylr sighed, somehow getting the feeling that trouble would come find them in double folds now just because this had happened.
He glanced down to see how Kit, Petrie and the others were taking this. Kit just looked as confused as the others, but, like he knew she was prone to do, didn't voice her opinions good or bad.
"It's just for a short while I'm sure" he answered her unspoken words.
-
Dante sighed, shook his head, and ran off after his friend...
-
Cyrix didn't bother to go after his nephew knowing that Dante would find him far faster than he could. He simply stepped over to Mr.Threehorn and said, "I'd watch my mouth if I were you, it seems you have a habit of getting others including your daughters into trouble when you speak about things you have no business in."
Grandpa and Grandma Longneck gasped at Cyrix's words knowing that it was crossing a very well balanced line between the council elders of the valley and partially because what he said was true.
~~~
Longtail was flying through trees and over branches heading for the one place in the whole valley that no one would dare venture into especially after dark....the swamp lands.
-
Mr. Threehorn's eyes went wide as he took in Cyrix's words, "Oh you do do you?!" he stomped forward a bit.
The kids sort of took a step back together while Cera just looked stunned.
Mr. Threehorn's eyes narrowed, "Well I happen to think certain others should keep their mouth's shut about stuff they don't know as well!" he said. Right as the kids began to worry that he'd ram Cyrix right the and there, the threehorn instead turned and began to walk off with the simple, "Come on Cera".
Cera shrugged to her friends, "Try to see ya later" she said before lopping off after her father.
The kids (and Tylr) were silent as they turned back to where Cyrix and Littlefoot's granparents stood. No on was going to comment on that.
-
Dante ran after Longtail, following him into the swamp lands, tracking his best friend by scent and occasional glimpses of him...
-
Longtail didn't stop flying until he'd reached the deepest, darkest parts of the swamp lands and found a cave high up on the valley wall covered in slime and dirt hoping it would hide his scent and presence altogether. "They don't want me fine...I'll stay here forever if I have to..." he said to himself.
~~~
Cyrix balled his fists together and stomped his foot on the ground.
"So stubborn! It's no wonder things always seem to go from bad to worse with him!" shouted the rainbow face trying to vent his anger.
Grandpa Longneck lowered his head and slowly spoke.
"My friend, I know from experience that Mr.Threehorn can be..difficult, but he always puts the good of the valley and his family first. Surely that counts for something right?"
Cyrix didn't answer as he thought about what Grandpa Longneck had said. He then began to walk away hoping to clear his mind and as not to lash out at the others around him.
Grandma Longneck sighed.
"Perhaps we should get back to our nests for now." She turned to Tylr and smiled. "If you need anything don't be afraid to come to me or Grandpa Longneck."
-
"Yeah..." Tylr sighed, then smiled, "Thanks, I know this time isn't easy for any of us".
Kit frowned a bit, she was just more confused now. What on earth was going on that Longtail was possibly a danger and her dad might need help?
Her dad had that bright smile of putting on the best face for the kids as he turned back to them though, "Well come on Petrie, I'll drop you off by your mom's on the way, and you too Cory" he said.
(ooc: I know, at one point I had Cory's mom there, but then she didn't say anything else, so...we'll say she's not...yeah)
With semi-sighs Kit, Petrie and Cory moved off following Tylr.
As only he and his grandparents were left, Littlefoot still looked upset but like he was trying to understand this...not that he was succeeding.
-
Despite his anger towards the valley elders, Longtail couldn't help but cry as he thought about the things they had said. "M-maybe....I am a bad influence...a monster. There is no escape for me...I'll either be alive or dead by the end of this...and I must confess...I...I can feel it..." His tears began to flow faster down his face as he came to a horrible realization.
"They don't care about me...I...I'm all alone...a-again...I'm losing everything...its...its so dark...I feel it deep inside, my anger and hatred...I just wanted a normal life...now I'm a monster..." he paused for a moment and then smiled wickedly as he said,
"And I like it!"
~~~~
Grandma Longneck looked down at Littlefoot and nuzzled him.
"Please Littlefoot, let's return to the nest. And Grandpa and I will explain everything as best we can alright?"
Grandpa Longneck nodded at his mates statement and using his foot gently nudged Littlefoot to begin walking. "You will get to see Longtail again, that won't change. But for now until we are sure he can be trusted around you young ones...we will have to keep you with us at all times."
Cyrix was still standing where he'd confronted Mr.Threehorn, and still very upset that this had happened at all. "My nephew is out there somewhere and I can't help him now!" He shouted. "And it's all because they learned of his past...that isn't fair! Not to a hatchling!"
He then had an idea, and turned running back towards the tree of Life hoping the rock of wisdom would offer some help in this matter.
-
Deimos and Ovius looked at the group.
"I think we are really, really screwed." Deimos said.
"What are we supposed to do? Find Longtail and bring him back?" Ovius shouted back.
Deimos grinned. "Exactly. We're adults so we can disregard the warning and look for him."
-
"You may be many things, but a monster you aren't."
Dante said, leaning against the mouth of the cave lazily.
"Trust me, you have a bad past. So what? So do I, and they still don't particularly trust me. But I haven't let that get to me. So you shouldn't either. If you do, don't you think you'll just prove them right? So buck up, go back there with your head held high, and prove that you're a kid, just like theirs."
He said resolutely...
-
From inside the cave Longtail wasn't even remotely convinced. He only crawled further back into the cave and bared his teeth. "Just stay away from me Dante! The others don't care about me why should you?!" he asked accusingly.
~~~
The walk back to the nest was uncomfortable to say the least and Grandpa Longneck looked down to Littlefoot and asked, "Are you hungry Littlefoot? Some treestars might put a smile on your face."
~~~
Cyrix reached the Tree of Life and smiled as he could see the stone of wisdom still sitting where Longtail had dropped it. He picked it up gently and prayed silently,
Please let this work...my nephew may depend on it... Cyrix then saw something that made his blood run cold...the smoking mountain, it was erupting and two figures could clearly be seen fighting atop it as the fire water flowed all around them, but Cyrix couldn't determine who it was that was fighting.
He then dropped the rock and sighed knowing that whatever happened now, was going to happen if he liked it or not.
-
Littlefoot sighed and shook his head, "N-not really...thanks" he said, "I...think I'm just going to go...do some thinking" Littlefoot didn't walk too far off, just a small bit, and tried not to sound harsh or anything towards his grandparents. He knew they did just mean the best but...well this didn't seem like the best.
-
Both Grandma and Grandpa Longneck both looked sad as they watched their grandson.
"I'm beginning to think our decision wasn't the best idea." said Grandma at a whisper.l
"I believe you are right. Maybe we can let Littlefoot play with his friends and Longtail, that is of course provided Cyrix and the others can find Longtail since he ran off." said Grandpa Longneck.
-
Dante walked closer to him, unafraid.
"Let's think, shall we? Maybe it's because you're my friend, or maybe it's because you're the only person I trust. Or maybe it's because you have never left me, even when everyone else had, and now, I'm returning the favor. Or maybe it's because...I really care about you...a lot..."
He said, reaching out a claw to his dear friend...
-
Longtail's eyes held something different, even though he knew Dante was speaking the truth, he just didn't want to hear it and in an act of sheer defiance he reached out and slashed at Dantes' claw attempting to draw blood. And when he spoke his voice was distorted due to the closeness of the cave, but his voice also held a deep, inner hatred to it as well. "SHUT U!!!! I'M A MONSTER AND A TRAITOR AND THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO TO CHANGE IT!!!!"
-
Dante flinched back, but stood firm.
"If you're a monster, then I'm the guy who is in love with that monster!"
He yelled, then froze...
-
Longtail crawled forward and using his one good claw reached forward and grabbed Dante's snout. Longtail's yellow and pink eyes burned into Dante's eyes as Longtail said, "You're love it pointless....and it will only hurt you in the end! Now. Be. Gone!"
-
Dante stared back at him, his eyes shifting to their inverse color. The white became black, and his normally blue eyes turned blood red.
"I will not...and I repeat not leave you!"
He retorted fiercely, eyes resolute...
-
Longtail's yellow eye seemed to glow as if lit by fire and he stared back at Dante and replied, "Then I guess we have a problem...cause I don't want you here!" Longtail then used did something he knew Dante wouldn't expect and headbutted his friend and brother as he said, "I won't tell you again! Leave me here...or I won't hold back!"
~~~
Grandpa Longneck stepped over to Littlefoot and sighed.
"Would you like it if we went to find Longtail and apologized to him Littlefoot?" he asked politely.
Grandma Longneck walked up next and said, "That sounds like a wonderful idea."
~~~
Cyrix was running back to the clearing hoping to find Deimos or Ovius so he could speak to them...he needed their help and fast!
-
Ovius and Deimos returned to the clearing after they had searched the nearby area.
"Where could Longtail be?" Deimos asked.
Ovius shrugged.
-
Dante glared at him resolutely.
"Then...give me everything you've got...because...without you, what do I have to live for?"
He said sadly...
-
Longtail grinned darkly as he laughed.
"Then so be it...brother!" he said as he used his feet and literally launched himself out of the cave with his claws drawn back ready to fight and take blood. He landed in front of Dante with a look of hatred on his face and said, "Oh and what about your precious mate Hunter huh?! What about her...is she worth dying for!?"
Just as Longtail was going to attack a pair of paws pinned the flyer to the ground.
"I don't know what's going on around here, but judging from the giant storm cloud hovering over the valley I'm guessing something bad is happening right?" asked Hunter with a grim look on her face.
~~~
Cyrix stepped into the clearing and sighed with relief as he noticed Deimos and Ovius. "Thank the Guardians you two are still here...we have to find Longtail, or he might just lose his life!" he said without hiding any of the emotion from his voice.
-
Dante gave Hunter a nod.
"Hello, love. Was wondering when you'd show up."
He said, joking weakly with his mate...
-
Deimos's jaw immediately fell. "We were just looking for him."
Ovius shook his head. "Let's go. Lead the way Cyrix!"
-
Cyrix looked around for a moment and then said, Deimos you go find Rebecca and Tylr, tell them to meet us at the smoking mountain and then round up anyone else you can. Ovius you come with me, we have one place to check and if I'm right, we all may be in for a lot of trouble in the next few days."
~~~
Hunter wanted to smile, but she didn't simply for the fact that something was definitely wrong with Longtail. Even though she was holding him well enough, she could feel him still resisting. Finally she spoke up, what exactly happened to make this kid so angry Dante?"
-
Deimos nodded and ran as fast as possible to the sleeping areas. "Tylr, Rebecca! Get up and meet Cyrix, Ovius and myself at the Smoking Mountains! Go there first! I've got to get some others with me!" he shouted.
Deimos then ran to Littlefoot's nest. "Grandmother, Grandfather, Littlefoot! There's an emergency! Cyrix has ordered me to round up as many dinosaurs as I can!"
He then made his way to his own nest, where Raptix was walking around. He hastily swapped his quarterstaff for his stone headed lance.
"So Deimos, what's going on?" Raptix asked.
"No time to explain! Meet me by the Smoking Mountains! I've got to finish rounding up some followers!" Deimos replied. He then dashed off to Cera's nest. "Mr. Threehorn! Cera! There's an emergency!"
Raptix, then took off at full speed towards the Smoking Mountain.
Deimos then looked around. "No...no more." he panted. He then bolted for the Smoking Mountain.
-------------------------
"Cyrix, can I keep my stick around? I mean, I can fight with my bare hands but I'm not Deimos. I prefer fighting with a weapon but I'm not sure if that's safe if we encounter Longtail." Ovius said, following Cyrix.
-
Littlefoot looked up, "Really?!" he asked excitedly, then frowned a bit, "Uh...I mean..." he sighed with the other part of what he was feeling, a slight guilt, "Grandpa I know you and Grandma only meant the best, and...I didn't want to cause trouble, but yes that does sound good!"
What didn't sound good was the call that Deimos raised and rushed over to deliver.
Littlefoot frowned a bit in worry.
~~~~
It was Kit who stirred to Deimos call first, but Tylr promptly heard it as well.
"Kit go stay with your aunt, I'll be right back" Tylr called as he flapped up, it was the back-up babysitting plan and curious though she was as to what was going on, especially if it invovled Longtail's Uncle Cyrix, she obeyed and flapped over to where Petrie and his siblings and mother were.
"What going on?" Petrie asked, having noticed to an extent the commotion as well.
"I don't know, but it has to do with Mr. Cyrix and my dad's gotta meet with him" she let a hopeful smile show, "maybe...maybe it's about the grown-ups changing their mind about Longtail".
~~~~
Topsy of course had reservations about just getting all panicky over this odd member of the valley's call, but he wasn't one to let the word 'emergency' pass by.
"Watch the girls" he told Tria before making his way to where Grandpa and Grandma stood, "Any idea what this is about?" he asked, almost daring the situation itself to be about him again...
-
Grandpa Longneck smiled at Littlefoot's enthusiasm and nodded his head.
"As your grandparents it is still our job to protect you, and to see that you are as happy as can be." said Grandpa
Grandma then spoke up, "And we may have forgotten that." She then reached down and nuzzled her grandson and continued speaking. "Thank you for not being mad at us."
Grandpa then said, "Perhaps we should follow Deimos' advise and head over to the smoking mountain. If what he says is true, then those gathered there will need our help."
~~~
Cyrix nodded his head to Ovius' request.
"Of course you can keep a weapon...if anything, it might keep you alive, Longtail despite his age is extremely skilled for a flyer. Anything that can protect you I say use it." He then turned and looked up at the smoking mountain. "I'm so worried...not just for Longtail, but for everyone. The valley's judgement seems to be...clouded now...and I can't understand why."
-
Deimos returned to the Smoking Mountains. "Cyrix, Ovius! I have rounded up as much as possible."
"Erm, what's with the spear?" Ovius asked, tapping his stick against the ground.
"A spear has higher lethality and intimidation factor. We may need it." Deimos replied.
Raptix looked at Cyrix. "Cyrix, what's going on?"
-
Dante sighed.
"It's the elders again. They're being unreasonable, and they're keeping him from seeing the younglings..."
He trailed off...
-
Hunter groaned aloud.
"Of course...but that still doesn't explain why he's so angry right now...he seems determined to hurt someone, even if its himself."
~~~~
Cyrix hoped he hadn't gathered everyone here this late at night for nothing....but just as he was trying to come up with an explanation, the ground shuddered several times and then a familiar voice rang out.
"Hello everyone, Glad to see we can all be here for this....historic occasion." commented Bleeding Heart with a cruel and twisted laugh.
The other sickle claws and fastbiters that traveled with him also appeared out of the surrounding trees and bushes with grins and sly smiles on their faces.
-
Deimos and Ovius readied their weapons.
Raptix picked up a small but sharp stone shard to use as a weapon.
"Cyrix, who's going to see if Longtail's okay?" Raptix asked.
-
"Is this the entire reason for dragging us here?!" Topsy couldn't help roaring, not meaning really to blame Cyrix but going off impulsive emotion same as he always did.
"Now you know Cyrix had some ohter reason for us to be here and...well, is it really a shock the sharpteeth followed a large congregating herd of us" Tylr preparing himslef to defend once the first bite or slash was delivered, but he wasn't going to be foolish and start if off himself, plus...the stand off was a good time to take stock of exactly what they fought here...as unreassuring as such a sizing up was...
-
Cyrix sighed inwardly as he spoke up.
"We don't have time to worry about Longtail, he can handle himself if he gets into trouble!" He then looked to Bleeding heart and asked, "What do you mean 'historic moment'?!"
The giant Sharptooth simply smiled showing his rows of teeth and said, "Surely you Cyrix know what's soon to happen here...two fighters are going to be on top of this very Smoking mountain and one of them is going to die...and I'm guessing one of them is Longtail. This should be fun especially since I know there are some of you here in the valley who don't even like him at all."
Rahzorr stepped forward and roared.
"I WANT TO KILL THEM! CAN I KILL THEM MASTER?!?"
Bleeding Heart chuckled and stepped forward. "No...not yet." And he continued to stare down at the valley herd with a sadistic grin on his face.
-
Dromaeo licked his claws; claws that he had honed with a rough stone and water until they were nearly as sharp as a piece of broken stone.
Red-Eye impatiently tapped the butt of his stone headed lance against the ground.
Procella licked the flat side of her stone knife.
----------------------
Deimos swore under his breath.
"Raptix, see if Longtail's fine." he muttered.
Raptix nodded and ran up the Smoking Mountain.
-
Cyrix watched Raptix run up the side of the mountain and sighed, but was glad that no one had moved to fighting yet...the tension however was becoming rather stressful even for Cyrix and he began to shuffle his feet but never once took his eyes off of Bleeding Heart. He however did say "Tylr...please try to find Longtail. He may be in incredible danger."
Both Grandma and Grandpa Longneck were also at the ready not sure what was going to happen.
~~~
Longtail had finally stopped struggling for a moment. He was biding his time...and he knew the moment Hunter let up, he was going to get free...
And Hunter finally sighed and lifted one of her paws off of Longtail's back and was surprised and shocked to feel Longtail's tail whip her across the face knocking her onto her back.
Longtail then jumped forward and bit Dante on the nose drawing blood and scratched at his neck with a feral rage in his eyes.
-
Raptix climbed up into the cave where Longtail, Hunter and Dante were fighting. His eyes widened as he saw Longtail bite Dante. He quickly ran down the path so fast he nearly fell down the path.
"Cyrix...Longtail...Longtail....he...he..." Raptix stammered.
"Spit it out already!" Ovius said.
"Longtail's attacking Dante!" Raptix said.
"What!?" exclaimed Deimos.
Raptix nodded.
-
Dante's eyes hardened, and he grabbed Longtail and threw him across the cave.
"You little...That's it! You're going down!"
He hissed evilly...
-
Cyrix looked rather stunned as he stuttered, "no...no. Y-you must've be mistaken! Longtail and Dante are like brothers!"
Longtail smiled as he replied, "come and get me!" he then flapped his wings and began heading up towards the peak of the smoking mountain.
Hunter shook her head to clear the dizziness and then tried to call to Dante.
"Don't hurt him! He's still your friend!"
Grandpa Longneck was surprised when he'd heard what Raptix had said. He looked down at Littlefoot with an apologetic look on his face.
Grandma Longneck leaned down to Littlefoot and nuzzled him.
"Don't worry I'm sure Longtail and Dante will work this out...they always do."
-
Raptix shook his head. "I wish I was making this up. I really wish. We'll need to stop them before either of them get hurt."
Deimos, upon hearing this dashed up the side of the Smoking Mountain.
"Deimos, wait!" Ovius shouted.
"I am not waiting for commands, we need to protect Longtail and Dante!" Deimos shouted.
Ovius sighed and followed.
Raptix swore under his breath. "Cyrix, shall I stay here or follow them?"
------------------------
Deimos and Ovius hastily entered the cave.
"Dante! Longtail! What are you doing?!" Deimos demanded. His spear was in a ready position.
Ovius soon followed. "Raptix was right." he muttered.
-
Cyrix was quick to react as he stepped forward and said, "No! Raptix we'll need you here. Just relax and let everything take it's course."
Longtail was halfway up the smoking mountain when he noticed Deimos and Ovius scaling the mountain and trying to call out to them. He swiftly turned around and bared his teeth and claws as he replied, "GET AWAY FROM ME! NONE OF YOU WANT TO HELP ME!!! YOU JUST WANT TO BRING ME DOWN AGAIN!!!!"
Grandma Longneck looked up to the sky only to see the swirling storm cloud get worse and spin faster. "Oh dear, this storm could be trouble."
Grandpa Longneck sighed as well as he replied, "It certainly isn't helping matters."
-
Dante saw Ovius and Deimos near the entrance to the cave.
"Out of my way. Or do you want to die, too?"
He snarled, shoving past them and following Longtail...
-
"Dante, Longtail, we are here to help." Deimos shouted, giving chase to the two.
"Deimos, are you crazy!?" Ovius asked.
Deimos looked back at Ovius and winked. "Maybe but I do not intend to abandon either of them"
Ovius sighed and ran after them.
----------------
Raptix's tail twitched nervously but he obeyed Cyrix's command.
-
Longtail landed atop the very edge of the Smoking mountain and grinned deviously as he replied, "Oh come on Dante, you know you'll need the help....after all I always was the best out of the two of us!"
~~~
Bleeding Heart was now tired of waiting and gave a heavy roar as he ordered, "EVERYONE ATTACK!"
Rahzorr laughed insanely as he charged right at Cyrix with murderous intentions, swinging his claws back and forth with his mouth dripping with drool.
Cyrix stepped back and raised his claws in a defensive manner ready to block and defend himself. "This is going to be bad." he commented aloud.
Grandpa Longneck immediately picked Littlefoot up off the ground and turned to try and make it to a safe place of protection for his grandson, while he watched Grandma Longneck swinging her tail and knocking away several fastbiters at once.
-
Raptix ducked as one of the fast-biters advanced and leapt at him.
Another fast-biter tackled him. Raptix clawed and bit at the opposing fast-biter, tearing out clumps of feathers and drawing blood.
Of course, Raptix, having watched Deimos fight, was not averse to fighting dirty. As he was pinned by the opponent, he reached up and gouged his opponent's eye.
----------------
Dromaeo whooped as he slashed the air with his claws and advanced.
Red-Eye advanced threateningly with his stone tipped lance in front of himself.
Procella looked for someone to stab.
-
From behind Cyrix, a barrage of stone knives sunk into a fastbiter as Virgil leapt into the fray.
"Forgive my delay. I got here as soon as I could!" He said, as another fastbiter leapt at him, only to have him catch it by the throat and throw it into the air before jumping up and kicking it hard into the ground, killing it...
_________________________________________________________________________
Dante smirked at Longtail.
"Oh, you think so? I'm afraid I've held back every time we've fought!"
He taunted...
-
Raptix had killed the fast-biter he was wrestling with by tearing his throat out.
A large stone struck a fast-biter as it leapt at Cyrix, killing it.
"Sorry, I got here as fast as I could." Hadros replied. He threw another rock at the fast biter, knocking it down. He then killed it with a kick to the head.
---------------
Deimos and Ovius eventually caught up to Dante and Longtail.
Deimos was about to charge into the fray but Ovius held him back.
-
((Alright, I gotta make something up for my absence...hehe, sorry about that combination of RL and computer issues))
Tylr and nodded and taken off at Cyrix's words, intent on finding and reporting and/or helping in what ever Longtail had gotten himself into, but only for the independent yet still young flyer's benefit.
The gathering clouds he also noticed didn't seem too promising either. "Like we need more trouble" he sighed.
With the clouds his speed wasn't what it should have been.
"G-Grandpa, I'll be ok" Littlefoot protested a bit as he was taken off, "Grandma and the others need our help!" he stared wide eyed back at the fray they were leaving.
Meanwhile, within the fray, Cory's mother's attention was also on keeping her son safe and shielded from the attack going on. She have told him to make a break for the nest if that wasn't more dangerous than where he currently was.
-
Grandpa Longneck smiled at his grandson but continued to move away from the fight. "Grandma will be alright the others are there to help her. Your safety is my only concern right now."
Cyrix smiled at Virgil as he joined the fray. "Thanks for the assistance!" he said aloud as he locked claws with Rahzorr. "You and your leader won't win...and you'll be driven from here...I promise that!"
Rahzorr laughed and simply smiled at Cyrix with a devilish look in his eye.
~~~
Longtail scowled darkly at his former friend and brother.
"Then lets just see how good you really are!" He then charged at Dante and attempted to bite and claw at his face. "DIE TRAITOR!!!"
-
Ovius and Deimos immediately brandished their weapons as soon as Longtail began attacking Dante.
"Longtail! What do you think you are doing!?" Deimos shouted, leveling his spear at Longtail.
------------------------------
Hadros was grappling with Dromaeo.
At the same time, Red-Eye glared at Vergil. He brandished his spear threateningly. "You and me." he hissed.
Raptix was trying to disarm Procella but his small size made it difficult. Procella threw him to the ground as he leapt on her and tired to bite her wrist but he simply got up and tried again. After the fifth attempt, he looked at Rahzorr. He then leapt at Rahzorr and jumped onto his back. He raised his stone shard in preparation to drive it into his back.
-
Longtail looked up at Deimos as he shouted "I'm KILLING A TRAITOR!!!! NOW STAND OUT OF MY WAY!!!" With that he suddenly charged at Dante again, as the ground under them all began to shake and quake.
Rahzorr jumped out of the way of Raptix and braced himself as the ground began to shake. "Oh...and now the fun really begins!" he said as he turned to Bleeding Heart with a devious grin.
Bleeding Heart also felt the tremors in the earth and stopped the attack as he turned his attention to the top of the smoking mountain and could see four figures on top fighting. "This is the beginning of a wonderful day." he said with a booming voice.
Cyrix stopped fighting as well as he looked up with a face covered in horror as he knew what was happening now on top of the Smoking Mountain. "no...NO LONGTAIL!" He cried seeing the smoke beginning to rise out of the volcano.
-
Dante grinned and caught Longtail by the neck, throwing him to the ground easily.
"Is that it?"
He sneered coldly...
-
Longtail rolled onto his belly as the ground continued to shake and the fire water began to erupt around them. "No...not even close!" Longtail counted slyly as he used his tail and slapped Dante in the face twice.
-
Deimos returned Longtail's glare. "Dante is not a traitor." He then jumped into the fray attempting to pry Longtail off of Dante.
"Deimos! The Smoking Mountain is erupting!" Ovius shouted. "Let's get out before we get burned alive!"
"Not until we subdue Longtail!" Deimos grunted.
Ovius sighed and also waded into the fight, trying to grab hold of Longtail's limbs.
------------------
Hadros had just pulverized a sickleclaw's head with a rock as the ground shook. "Oh no!"
Raptix got back to his feet. "Cyrix! I'm going to go check on Dante and the rest of them."
"Raptix! Are you crazy!?" Hadros shouted.
-
Dante lunged Ovius, striking him aside with a kick as he grabbed Longtail by the throat again, grinning madly
"Stay out of this...Interfere and you both die!" He yelled coldly, grinning darkly.
_________________________________________________________________________
Virgil smirked and drew a stone blade, twirling it around his hand.
"Fine. Let's go."
He taunted, beckoning Red-Eye...
-
Red-Eye grinned and waited for Vergil to make the first move.
----------
Ovius got back onto his feet and jumped back into the fray. The kick did not seem to affect him at all.
-
Bleeding Heart felt the ground under him rumble again and harder than before. He wasn't one to run from a fight, but he also wasn't stupid enough to stand in the way when nature could do his job for him. "EVERYONE RETREAT!!! NOW!" he roared aloud to the other sharpteeth and sickleclaws around him.
The rest of his group looked at him as if he were crazy, but decided to follow his orders as they all turned and began to leave the valley through the same passage they entered though.
Grandpa Longneck stopped running once he was sure they were a safe distance away and put Littlefoot down on the ground with a sigh. "Are you sure you're alright Littlefoot?" he asked sounding gravely concerned.
~~~
Longtail raised his shoulders for a moment as Dante was distracted and finding a chance bit down on Dante's nose with as much force as he could muster, his eyes seeming to glow with an inner and dark fire all their own.
-
Red-Eye followed Bleeding Heart. "You win this one but this is not the last!"
Dromaeo and Procella followed suit.
--------------------------
"Ovius! Help me!" Deimos grunted, grabbing hold of Longtail's arm. His spear was outside the cave.
Ovius did as he was told and used his stick to help control Longtail's other arm.
-
"Y-yeah" Littlefoot said, still a bit shaken by all that had happened and the conflicting worries that had gone from whatever Longtail was doing up on the smoking mountains, to the smoking mountains maybe errupting to...well he knew there was other stuff.
He hesitantly glanced down to see how the others had fared.
"They, they just gave up..." Cory sounded as shocked as he looked as he glanced to his mother.
"Only because we may have a bigger problem..." his mother said as she scooped up her son and began to try and make for the higher ground as well, keeping a wary eye on the still unstable mountain.
-
Longtail bit and clawed at Dante, Ovius and Deimos as they tried to break up the fight not wanting to lose to those he now considered enemies in his mind. "Stay away from me or you will all die! I have no friends anymore...just my pain and hatred to keep me alive!"
It was at that moment that the smoking mountain decided to erupt in all it's red hot and deadly fury. Lava sprung out of holes in the ground, and gasses trapped in the rocks began to explode their way out, causing cracks and fissures to appear all over the mountain along with dark, choking smoke that flowed out of the very top of the volcano.
~~~
Grandma Longneck ushered others away from the smoking mountain as she too noticed it was becoming unstable and was already erupting. She then looked over and asked Cory's mother. "Do you think everything will be alright after this?" as she ran to keep up with everyone else fleeing the scene of danger.
Grandpa Longneck nuzzled Littlefoot as he tried to reassure his grandson."I may not know as much as Mr.Thicknose, but I am sure everyone, including Longtail will be safe when the fighting is all over."
-
Littlefoot just sighed, his grandfather was always saying that kind of stuff. True it helped the little longneck's optimism, but still...he could only hope his grandfather would prove right again.
Cory's mother, Rea, sighed, "I have to admit, I've seen the whole Valley recover from some amazing stuff, so...once again...it may be possible" she said realistically.
"Of course it will" was Tylr's answer from above as he also helped herd everyone the right way. Cory thought to himself that Kit's dad was probably just saying that so 'the kids' didn't freak out.
-
Longtail's claws caught Deimos near the eye, leaving a deep gash. "You're pushing your luck Longtail! If you keep this up I may be forced to start gouging eyes and biting." he grunted.
Ovius ended up with a bite to the stomach and a slash that narrowly missed his eye . He finally snapped and started kicking Longtail repeatedly. "Bite me will you?!"
"Ovius! What are you doing!? We're supposed to subdue Longtail, not kill him!" Deimos replied.
Ovius didn't hear him and continued kicking him, he didn't even seem to notice that in his rage he kicked Deimos in the side.
-------------------
Raptix and Hadros fled from the mountain as it started to shake.
-
Longtail was forced to let go of Deimos and Ovius as the repeated kicks in his belly were more than he could handle. He staggered backwards and taking the moment to move he did so jumping off the walls and spinning around Dante, Deimos and Ovius, right outside the cave and began scaling the now erupting Smoking Mountain with a wild scowl on his face. "COME AND GET ME YOU HATCHLINGS!!!" he cried out in anger.
Grandma Longneck nodded her head. "Still I worry for the young ones, this affects them more so than us...these are their friends that we are splitting up."
~~~
Grandpa Longneck looked up and was now beginning to worry about his mate, as he hadn't seen her since they had split up during the fight with Bleeding Heart.
-
"True" Rea had to admit in a small voice. She glanced down to Cory, but her son put on a brave face, "Yeah, well if all Longtail needs is a little yelling at to straighten out and get you all to feel better about him being around, we can handle that" he said.
Rea could hear the worry behind her son's words though and just smiled a bit sadly.
~~~~
Littlefoot remained at his spot too, just staring, as if waiting for his grandmother to come into view as well.
-
Before anyone could stop him, Ovius seized Deimos's spear and followed Longtail. "With pleasure!" he shouted.
Deimos started in shock as Ovius ran up the now shaking volcano. His right side was sore from Ovius's kick.
"I never thought Ovius would do that. He has a short temper but this was something I did not expect." He then decided to follow Ovius.
-
Dante raced up the volcano, kicking off rocks and such as he pursued Longtail, a murderous grin on his face...
-
Longtail was now at the very peak of the smoking mountain, and despite the smoke and heated fire water, a platform could be seen stretching over the entire hole of the volcano, and Longtail not having any other options raced out into the very center of the platform and turned to face Dante, Ovius and Deimos with a wicked and pure evil grin on his face with the fire water casting an even more sinister glow.
~~~
Grandma Longneck stepped over a small hill and her eyes spotted both her mate and Littlefoot, and she sighed in relief as she realized they were safe and sound. "I'm so glad you two are alright." she said once she was within hearing range. She then turned to Rae and Cory. "You can stay with us until this is over if you'd like." she said, being polite.
-
Littlefoot rushed forward to nuzzle his grandmother's leg in relief that she was alive.
"Thankyou" Rae said with a grateful smile, "Looks like we should all just stick together for a bit.
From where he flew ahead, much as the smoke would allow, Tylr heard this and knew it was directed at him. He landed, "I"m just seeing if I can...see anything" he sighed.
Kit landed near Cory, "I think he's as worried over Longtail as the rest of us but won't show it" she said.
"Yeah small wonder there" Cory said, "Someone should knock some sense into him".
"No Cory" Kit said, knowing what her friend was thinking and knowing it was way off limits.
-
Dante leapt into the air, landing on the platform and facing Longtail.
"Well, this is appropriate for a place to have a showdown, isn't it?"
He chuckled, then faced his friend coldly...
-
Longtail laughed sickly while the smoking mountain continued to spew fire and smoke all around. He grinned at Dante's statement and replied, "That is the only thing we can agree on now." Longtail then bared his teeth and stood ready for the next attack to begin this legendary fight.
~~~~
Grandma Longneck nodded her head and agreed with Kit.
"Yes Cory, Kit is right. All of this trouble started because of others physically harming Longtail. Doing more would only give him reason to doubt us more." she then nuzzled Littlefoot in return and asked, "Does anyone else have any idea what can be done to protect the other dinosaurs in the valley?"
It was at this moment Cyrix stepped forward.
"We....we may not have any other options except..." he sighed as he didn't have the heart to finish that sentence.
And Grandma Longneck knew what he was getting at as she replied, "No Cyrix....we will not dare think of execution at a time like this!"
-
"Yeah!" Cory said, shocked Cyrix would suggest that. When he'd said 'knock some sense' he'd meant a friends type slap...from a kid's point of view anway, "and I would think...".
Kit reached over to gently shut Cory's swimmer's beak before his mother scooped her son up. "Now Cory, I know this is stressful but I'll not have you talk back". Cory sighed.
"Littlefoot, what are you thinking..." Kit hopped closer to her friend as the longneck was silent. Littlefoot sighed and tried to whisper without the grown-ups hearing, but that was hard to do with so few about and no group to hide in essentially.
"Just...that we need to do something, but I'm not sure what..." he answered.
-
"You're outnumbered!" Deimos shouted, "Give up! It doesn't have to be this way!"
"Longtail has attacked a member of the community. For that he must die," Ovius replied, leveling his spear at Longtail. His eyes held nothing but pure hatred and bloodlust.
-------------------
Raptix and Hadros looked at the Smoking Mountain.
"Longtail's not coming down without a fight...and we..." Hadros gulped.
Raptix looked away. "Cyrix, I am afraid we really have no choice. Deimos, Ovius and Dante are up there and I have a feeling they all want a piece of Longtail. Add to the fact that weapons are present and that Deimos is perfectly willing to gouge eyes or bite off fingers or even limbs in a fight and I have a feeling that Longtail may not come out alive or even in one piece."
-
Dante turned and faced Ovius.
"Pheh. He's mine and mine alone to kill. Get in my way, and you'll die. Got it?"
He sneered darkly...
-
Cyrix stepped back from Raptix and Hadros and replied, "Well then let's hope that Longtail isn't as stupid as some in this valley believe him to be, and comes to his senses soon."
Grandma Longneck leaned down to face Littlefoot and sighed.
"I may not like what's happening here in the valley, but sometimes, the circle of life has to take it's course...and if that means those of us who hate to wait have to stand aside and wait....then...that is all we can do. I'm sorry but Longtail is the only one who can end this fight, and I'm afraid that his mind is clouded by fear and that makes any decisions he makes dangerous to himself and anyone around him."
~~~
Up on the Smoking mountain Longtail could still feel the mountain exploding around him and he couldn't help but smile darkly as he stepped towards Dante. "well...are we going to fight or what you sentimental fool?!" he cried out in rage.
-
Littlefoot sighed and nodded, "Yeah...I know" he said.
"So wait, for once we're not sneaking off?!" Cory asked.
"Longtail in a fight like this is different than...lost water or sharpteeth or stuff" Kit told him.
-
Grandma Longneck gently licked her grandson and replied, "Once the Smoking Mountain stops spitting firewater and fire rocks perhaps once it's deemed safe we can go looking for Longtail. How does that sound?"
Cyrix whispered under his breath, "If he's alive you mean..."
-
Deimos was frozen by shock as he watched Ovius, Dante and Longtail face off.
Ovius said nothing but spat in Dante's direction. "I want a piece of him too," he said icily, bloodlust gleaming in his eyes. Without warning he charged at Longtail murderous scream and repeatedly kept trying to stab him.
Deimos rushed forward to take Ovius down but Ovius pivoted and slashed Deimos across the face, leaving a long line of red. "Get closer and I'll spear you!" he screamed.
Deimos backed off, he knew that entering this 3 dinosaur battle was suicidal.
--------------------------
Raptix could hear the screaming from the top of the Mountain.
"Cyrix! Ovius is actually trying to kill someone up there! It's either Deimos, Longtail, Dante or possibly all of them!" Raptix said.
"What's gotten into Ovius?" Hadros asked.
Raptix shrugged. "Wish I knew. Could it be... no..." he said.
"What?"
"The Stone of Cold Fire. Could it be making those three extremely aggressive?"
-
Cyrix blinked for a moment at what Raptix had said.
"I don't think so....but Longtail is half sharptooth, and he's still getting used to his sharptooth like abilities, and his rage may just be affecting the others near him...but I suppose we can't rule anything out...even though I believe the stone of cold fire is a silly story." he replied with a thoughtful expression.
~~~
Longtail dodged backwards and sent a red hot stone towards Ovius aiming specifically for the spear he held in his claws, knowing Ovius was rather lousy at claw to claw combat. "Try and fight me now!" he shouted aloud.
-
Ovius batted the hot stone back with the butt of his spear. The stone scorched the wood it it did not catch fire. Even though he was nowhere as strong as Deimos, he was far faster and much more agile. "You'll have to try harder than that!" He then repeatedly thrust his spear at Longtail.
"Ovius! Stop this madness!" Deimos shouted.
Ovius turned around and kicked a stone at Deimos. Deimos was struck full in the chest by the rock and he fell to the ground.
He then slowly made his way down the mountain.
When he arrived at the bottom he was breathing heavily.
"What happened?" Hadros asked, noticing the large bruise on his chest.
"Ovius kicked a stone at me," Deimos replied. "Cyrix, we cannot reason with them. They are antagonistic to all who wish to interfere."
-
Littlefoot nodded, "I guess it's all we can do" he realized, "and thanks Grandma, for...understanding and all and not just sending us to our nests".
"Not that that doesn't sound like a very safe plan with all this going on..." Cory's mother said. At her son's frown she smiled, "but I won't...since I know you wouldn't stay anyway".
-
Grandma nodded her head as she replied, "I was once a hatchling myself. Although being as far away from the Smoking mountain does indeed sound like a rather nice idea." She turned to her mate with a concerned face.
Grandpa Longneck for his part was rather stunned at the amount of fire and smoke that came from the mountain and to the fact that anyone could actually survive up there.
Cyrix wasn't at all surprised by the news Deimos brought back.
"I figured this might happen. Well now all we can do is wait and see if those involved can survive and return safely to us."
~~~
Longtail dodged out of the spears path and growled.
"What's the matter Ovius can't fight with your claws....what kind of sharptooth are you then?! Must not be a very good one!" he taunted aloud.
-
"I am not a sharptooth!" Ovius shouted back, "And smart sharpteeth fight with anything that's at hand! Just ask Deimos!"
He then kicked some stones at Longtail and attacked him again with the spear.
----------------
"Well, we can assure that those involved will come back in one piece," Hadros said looking at Deimos.
"What?" Deimos asked.
"I know how you fight: extraordinarily dirty."
"So? Ovius and Raptix fight just as dirty as I do," Deimos replied with a shrug.
-
Cyrix looked at Deimos and Hadros and replied with a serious tone, "Yes well as dirty as they fight...Longtail's fighting is so unorthodox he may just surprise the other two."
~~~
Longtail stepped to the side as Ovius drove the spear at him again and he bit down and snapped the spear in half. "Fight me now ya coward!!!" he called as he stepped closer to the center of the platform nearest the fire water as another massive earthshake shook the entire mountain.
-
Ovius picked up the shaft with the spearhead still attached and charged at Longtail. "With pleasure!" he shouted. He continued trying to stab him.
------------------
Deimos shrugged. "When Ovius has entered a battle frenzy like this, there is literally no telling what he will do in a fight."
"Hey, didn't Ovius once rip off someone's arm?" Hadros asked.
Deimos nodded. "He did. What scares me is that Ovius is normally not that strong and in a battle frenzy, his strength seems to match mine," he said.
-
Cyrix eyes' widened in a moment of shock as he stepped back from Deimos and replied, "That's....not good. But still there is nothing we can do. We're too far from the smoking mountain now to be of any help. We can only hope that all three of them get down without being hurt."
Grandma Longneck nudged Littlefoot to see if he was still okay.
"I know it's hard to watch when there is a friend on the smoking mountain, but we have to believe that Longtail is smart enough to stay safe."
~~~
Longtail dodged several more stabs from Ovius' spear and laughed as he knocked it away with his tail. He then noticed Dante hadn't moved and he took a chance, charging at Ovius and at the last minute sliding under him and ramming Dante in the belly trying to get his attention. "Hey fool! We have a fight to finish here!" he cried.
-
Ovius turned around and tried to grab Longtail. "Mock me will you!" he snarled.
---------------------
"I hope Ovius stays safe too," Raptix said.
-
"It's just so hard!" Littlefoot paced, "I'm so use to...helping my friends, but this time I can't. Just have to watch" he sighed.
"We should probably get use to that with Longtail" Kit said as the kids remained there, with as big a frown as Littlefoot had, "he seems to get involved with big stuff like this".
-
Grandma longneck sighed not sure what else to do.
"We can only hope that when this is all over, Longtail will be better because of it." she said at a whisper.
Cyrixs' feelings were starting to make him feel nervous. He knew Longtail could take care of himself....but being so protective of the young flyer he suddenly had an urge to do something foolish.
~~~
Longtail flapped his wings and using the lift flipped over Ovius' head and landed on the platform with a wide grin. "Is this really the best you two have....such a waste from both of you!" he commented with a sarcastic tone.
-
Ovius picked up several large rocks and began hurling them at Longtail.
---------------
"Cyrix, there's nothing we can do," Raptix said.
"He's right. Interfering with the fight could get someone killed," Deimos added.
-
Longtail jumped, flipped and kicked the rocks Ovius threw at him and smiled sadistically as he replied, "Really? Throwing rocks...that the best you can do? You make me sick!" Longtail then charged forward and attempted to bite Ovius in the neck.
~~~~
Cyrix suddenly shuddered as a cold chill ran down his spine at their words knowing they were indeed right in that there was nothing that could be done. In that instant he began to silently cry for his nephew now truly realizing that he might never see Longtail again.
Grandma Longneck sighed as she watched Cyrix breakdown, which prompted her to face her own grandson and ask, "Littlefoot would you like a treesweet? It might help make you feel better."
-
Littlefoot sighed, giving a smile which showed he knew how his grandmother was only trying to comfort him, "T-that's ok Grandma, I don't really think I could eat right now" he answered honestly, and he probably couldn't the way his stomach was twisting with nervousness.
-
Longtail latched onto Ovius's neck for a brief moment and bought him down. The two wrestled for several minutes until Ovius then stuck a finger into Longtail's left eye. "You'll be less cocky once I'm holding one of your eyeballs!" he shouted, attempting to gouge out Longtail's left eye.
--------------------
"How do you even think about food at time like this?" Raptix asked.
Deimos walked away from the mountain.
"Where are you going?" Raptix asked, spotting him do so.
"Leaving," Deimos replied. "We can't help them and there's the risk the fight could spill down here and engulf us."
-
"She was just trying to help, some of us waiting are just kids!" Littlefoot, who was usually very respectful, couldn't help feeling insulted just with the tone that had been taken towards his grandmother.
"It's ok Littlefoot, we're all just a bit upset I think" Kit pat the longneck's shoulder
-
Grandma Longneck nuzzled her grandson gently and replied, "It's alright Littlefoot. He's just upset at everything that is happening. Even your grandpa and I are on edge. This is a very dangerous time for all of us."
Grandpa Longneck who had been silently praying for everything to turn out alright also nodded his head at his mates words. "Your grandma is right Littlefoot. Perhaps though Deimos has the right idea, moving away might be the safer option."
Cyrix stepped forward with his claws clenched into fists as he shouted "I hope the fight does come down here....right here so I can step in and put a stop to all this foolishness!"
Grandma Longneck then noticed that Cory and his mother were being unusually quiet and she asked, "Are you two alright?"
-
Littlefoot nodded.
Cory's mother nodded for the both of them, even though while Cory sat there he looked more like he was pouting. Kit knew it was the whole issue of not being able to do anything about the situation.
"I guess there's just little left to say on such a topic" she indicated towards the mountains yet sighed.
-
Hadros looked at the top of the mountain. "Cyrix, we'll have to intervene!" he said.
"Hadros! Ovius'll rip your arm off!" Raptix said.
-
Cyrix face held a grim determination as he turned to face Raptix and said, "If Longtail want's to stop me...he'll have to kill me. I WILL NOT GIVE UP ON HIM!!!" he shouted aloud as he shed a tear.
Grandma Longneck sighed at the mention of more potential death in the valley during all this danger.
Grandpa Longneck, leaned his head over and gently asked Cyrix, "You really do care about Longtail don't you?"
Cyrix nodded his head silently as he replied, "Yes, yes I do. He's my nephew. I have to care....I...I'm all he has left. I don't want to lose him."
-
"I'm going in," Hadros said, heading up the mountain.
Raptix looked at Hadros and gulped. "Cyrix, Hadros, wait! I'll get Deimos," he said. He then bolted from the mountain.
----------------------
At the top, Longtail and Ovius were still wrestling with each other. Ovius has been bitten and scratched several times but he did not seem to notice.
Ovius then attempted to plunge his fingers into Longtail's eye.
-
Dante had taken the time to recover, but upon seeing Longtail still fighting he charged forward and racked his claws against the flyers back in a fit of rage, and continued to try and claw and bite at his former friend.
Longtail screeched in pain as he felt Dante's claws rip into his back and then he realized he still had to split his attention between them.
However before Longtail could retaliate the mountain and the ground around it began to shake violently and at that moment Longtail and Dante knew what was about to happen....and even with their hatred still on their faces, they both knew staying here would be suicide.
Longtail was of course the first to move and flapped his wings levitating himself into the air and said, "I'll see you two at the bottom!" And began to fly down the mountain.
~~~
Cyrix saw what was happening before he felt it. "Oh...no." was the only response he could give to such a grim moment.
Grandma Longneck turned to others present and replied, "We need to move to a much safer place and soon! Hurry now, we don't have too much time left!"
Grandpa Longneck picked up Littlefoot and placed him on his back with a sigh as he turned to leave the immediate area.
-
Ovius threw rocks at Longtail. "You think you can escape!?" he shouted. He then carefully wove down the steep mountain path.
----------------
Hadros, Deimos and Raptix fled from the mountain.
"Just when things can't get worse," Deimos said.
-
Longtail dodged the rocks being thrown at him...but didn't turn back to see if they were following.
Dante hadn't said a word, simply opting to chase after Longtail with murderous intent in his eyes. However in his attempt to catch and potentially kill Longtail, he didn't notice the rock in his path and he slipped getting his other foot stuck inbetween several rocks.
Longtail could feel the mountain falling apart them, and for just a single moment he turned to look back and almost without thinking he turned around and was at Dante's side in an instant. He locked eyes with Dante and Ovius as he started to pull rocks off of Dantes foot. "Ovius...get Dante out of here." he said with no emotion in his voice.
-
Ovius berserker rage abated as he started heaving rocks aside. Even though the rocks were quite heavy, adrenaline let him toss aside the rocks like they weighed nothing.
-
Longtail pushed the last of the rocks holding Dante and then stepped back.
"This...is my final act of compassion...towards both of you...now get off this mountain before we get burned by fire water." he commented still with no emotion.
Dante stood up and nodded his head once in understanding and ran down the smoking mountain with a renewed haste.
Longtail continued to watch as Dante and Ovius fled the dangerous mountain side. He then turned his head to the oncoming fire water and began to laugh as he stepped under a rock outcropping that protected him as the firewater split into two paths around him. "And now...for my first trick." said Longtail with another sinister laugh.
~~~~
Cyrix suddenly had a horrible gut wrenching feeling....as if some part of him had been ripped out and tossed aside. "no...Longtail...please...be safe." he whispered to himself.
-
Dante chuckled.
"Ready or not...Here I come, Longtail..."
He said malevolently...
-
Just as the fire water was sliding down the Smoking Mountain the clouds overhead began to drop skywater, and in moments it was a downpour. The firewater began to give off steam but it continued to flow down the mountain and into the valley. Cyrix stepped forward with a horrified look on his face as he stared up at the smoking mountain now certain that Longtail was lost. He leaned against a tree and began to silently cry for his lost nephew.
Grandma Longneck leaned over and nuzzled Littlefoot not sure if she wanted to tell what had just happened.