And we're back!! Here's the next chapter that I hope you will very much enjoy??
I should point out that this chapter is only partially proof-read, and it contains battle tactics that are probably horribly thought out. Please forgive me for that...
This is also the chapter where I put all my up and coming potential ships to the test, so that's probably a load of rubbish too...but I'll let you decide that. Hopefully the title itself should generate some sense of excitement...
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Eve of WarSkywater was a cover-all.
It soothed all the senses, and Seizon, sitting amongst a clump of ferns gazing dismally at the shapes of the three adult sharpteeth, discussing and arguing about the next course of action was glad for how the now fairly intense rainfall was obscuring his visibility, drowning out Gigas’ brusque and aggressive tones, making the foliage smell fresh, and splashing gently against his scales...
Seizon had to admit to himself, even allowing the rain to wash over him, as though cleaning his mind, that he wasn’t sure where this would go next. The sight of Saureen being pinned up against the tree by a slavering Gigas was still burned into his consciousness and made him almost want to cry every time it flashed across his mind...
Only he wouldn’t. Crying was not for him. He was, as Xal said, an ëapex hunter.’ And apex hunters don’t cry.
Well, if that were the case, being an apex hunter was incredibly difficult.
Seizon closed his eyes and tried his best to return to his own feelings. If he were honest with himself, he had never really considered the dangers involved in being part of Xal’s army. He hadn’t expected one of Xal’s underlings to turn upon his own friend so...easily. It was a horrifying prospect. Was this necessarily the fault of Xal?
No...
It was his. Or rather, it was his own naivety. When envisioning the revolution, it had always been him and Xal, and maybe Saureen and Chomper and whatnot if they behaved...Seizon’s dream had always reflected on the old stories Xal had told him about Eykion and the great escapades of sharptooth revolution against Ulciscor and other oppressive leaf-eaters. It had been something they were doing together. It had been about someone who had cared for him, including him in something for the first time...
No, he would not cry.
But in Seizon’s vision, it had all been perfect. Through their resolve and familial affection, he and Xal had conquered the world. In this vision, there was no room for the likes of Redclaw, the monstrosity who had terrorized all dinosaurs for so long, or indeed Gigas, who, judging by his own observations and Lini’s stories, was even worse. How could a dream get so scuppered?
Even amongst the rainfall, he heard a small something land next to him. Turning, he noticed Ichy, whose feathers were sodden, necessitating a constant twitch.
“I take it Xal’s utterly devastated?” he asked briskly, turning to nip at something on his wing.
“I don’t really know,” Seizon replied honestly, now watching the sharpbeak. “I mean, the escape was pretty...thorough, but he seems to be maintaining his calm.” Seizon smiled admiringly. “Certainly compared to the other two...”
“Well, what doesn’t anger them?” Ichy muttered distractedly, attempting to ease his sodden form beneath a large fern, wringing out his feathers as he did so. “Their impulsiveness and tendencies to channel their anger into everything they do is what makes them great lieutenants.”
“You really think that’s all Xal’s looking for?” Seizon asked, a littler sharper than he had meant. Ichy’s eyes met Seizon’s, and, realising he had enticed the young bladeback’s defensive attitude, averted his gaze and simply shrugged. Satisfied, Seizon gazed back at the form of his step-father, obscured and muffled by the heavy rain.
“Who knows? I guess they’re good at what they do...but they don’t seem like the sorts with same vision...” Seizon scowled and looked down at the observant Ichy. “What do you think?”
“Me?” Ichy shrugged. “I have no idea. All I know is that I’m here to follow Xal, not the other two. He’s been the first person to give me any hope in a long time...and Dil too...” A faraway smile passed across his beak, and Seizon continued to watch him intently.
“How is Dil anyway?” he asked. “I saw she took some pretty heavy damage from that spiketail...”
“Oh, she’ll be fine!” Ichy replied, with a dismissive wave of his wing. “She’s been through far worse...and this time she didn’t lose an important one of her senses...” He gave a slightly dry chuckle, and shifted his eyes to the ground.
Watching him now, Seizon was forcibly reminded of Nycha, and her desire to avoid recollections and hangovers from her past. Upon memory of what he now knew, his insides became heavy with a leaden feeling of regret, and he concluded that the more he knew about the ones he worked with, the better. It was so easy to see these individuals as pawns in a larger, greater plan, but even with that in mind, they had their own feelings and agendas too. Not to mention stories to tell.
“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Seizon said carefully, watching Ichy for any sign of reaction. “You and Dil – you’ve got to be the strangest pair I’ve ever come across, and you argue all the time. How come you’ve stuck together through all this anyway? Where did you come from? And...well, what’s up with Dil’s eyes?”
Ichy gazed up at him reproachfully, and didn’t speak for a few seconds. Then he sighed.
“When the new dawn we’ve been hoping for arrives...or at least when things are more stable than they are right now, I’ll explain it all. But even then, I don’t know if it’s my place...” he shook his head. “For now, let’s just say we’ve both been through it. Like, badly. We joined together for mutual benefit. I was on my own and in a place where getting hold of food was very difficult. She had similar problems due to an incident which left her nearly completely blind. By working together, I could locate larger prey, and she could kill it. We didn’t like each other, as you can imagine, but...” she smiled slightly. “Neither of us will admit it to each other...but after all this time, there is definitely a grudging respect growing...maybe one day we’ll even be fond of each other.”
Seizon grinned approvingly.
“That’ll definitely be something worth seeing!” he remarked, getting to his feet.
“Where are you going?” Ichy demanded.
“I want to see what the next course of action is,” Seizon replied, his eyes now intently fixed upon Xal. “There’s no way he’s giving up just yet...”
He walked carefully forward, the rain still cascading around him, until he was in earshot of the three large sharpteeth. They seemed to be arguing, both Redclaw and Gigas in indignation at something Xal was saying. Intrigued, Seizon tiptoed closer.
“I can only guess that those two longnecks came from a much larger herd!” Redclaw was saying. “This goes without mentioning Ulciscor’s entire army!”
“I am well aware of the destructive power of longnecks,” Xal replied, fairly calmly, although there was a bite of impatience to it as well. “They managed to wipe out my entire family. And I have fought Ulciscor myself, if you remember.”
Redclaw fell silent, but Gigas just shook his head in disbelief, smiling all the while.
“You’re planning to go after them as quickly as possible? Follow them to the Valley and somehow defeat both them and Ulciscor’s forces? Relax, Xal, there are much less convoluted ways of bumping yourself off...”
“And what else do you suggest we do?” Xal demanded. “I for one am not willing to sit here after getting this far.”
A flash of lightning illuminated Gigas’ perplexed features momentarily.
“Well, how do you suggest going about doing it?” he asked irritably. “We’re down on Piercers as it is...”
“I think you’re misunderstanding what I’m proposing,” Xal replied. “If you would allow me to explain?”
Gigas fell silent, nevertheless watching Xal with a pronounced scepticism. Xal did not avert his gaze as he continued.
“What I have in mind is not a full-on attack. You’re right – that would be far too risky. What I’m planning is something more subtle, which will get us what we want with limited man-power.”
He turned to gaze out of the mouth of the forest, watching the rain splatter and hammer to the ground.
“We will follow them at a distance, all the way to Valley without them noticing and allowing them to penetrate it for us. Or rather, for me.” He turned to his two lieutenants. “You two will not be accompanying me.”
It was evident in their facial expressions and gestures that Gigas and Redclaw didn’t appreciate being told this, and made to object.
“If,” Xal cut across them dangerously. “Something were to happen to me out there, I will need you two to be safe in continuing my ambitions.”
There was a stunned silence punctuated only by the rain. Even Seizon was mystified. Xal had made it clear to him on many occasions that he was only working with these two for necessity’s sake. Asking them to continue the legacy...? Then again, he supposed he didn’t have an awful lot of choice. Seizon held his tongue.
Entirely unexpectedly, Xal then turned to Seizon.
“Seizon,” he said briskly. “Do you know where Ichy is?”
“Oh, right...” Seizon replied, caught off guard. He hadn’t even realised Xal knew he was there. “He’s just back there actually...” He pointed back to where he had been sitting moments before, and, vaguely noticing the form of the sharpbeak watching him, beckoned.
Ichy flew over.
“Yes?” he asked expectantly, looking up at Xal.
“It’s very important I have you with me,” Xal told him seriously. “I will need an eye in the sky, to keep track of our location and our quarry.”
“Sure thing...” Ichy nodded. “Just give me instructions as per the occasion...but...”
“But what?”
Now Ichy looked uncomfortable.
“It’s just...well, with things like this, it’s normally easier to have someone by your side. Someone you’re used to working with...”
“What’s your point, Ichy?”
“Well...” Ichy shifted his eyes to the ground. “I’d like to request Dil accompany us.”
Seizon grinned at that. Xal on the other hand, simply looked annoyed.
“I’m afraid that would be unwise,” he said sternly. “She’d slow us down. Especially if she’s injured.”
“Oh, she’ll be fine!” Ichy said hurriedly. “I can get her to move at our pace, I’m sure! And she’d be useful in case combat is necessary!”
Xal gazed at him in mild interest.
“You really insist upon keeping her at your side?”
Ichy nodded. Xal continued to gaze at him for a while, his amber eyes momentarily flicking over to Seizon.
“Alright,” he relented. “But if she lags, you’re going to have to leave her behind.”
“Got it!” Ichy replied, grinning in a rather relieved manner. “I’ll go and let her know!”
As he flew off, Seizon stepped forward.
“What about me?” he asked.
Xal’s gaze fixed on him.
“Why would you want to come?” he asked curiously. “No offence, but I don’t know if you’d contribute much...”
“I’m aware of that...” Seizon admitted. “But...I have personal scores to settle. Besides...I want...to stay with you...”
He couldn’t bring himself to look Xal in the eye as he said this.
“Seizon,” Xal said seriously, and Seizon immediately found himself frustrated at the lack of emotion behind the way Xal spoke his name. “We’re talking about entering the Great Valley. Right now, there is probably no place in the world more dangerous for a sharptooth.”
“The same could be said for you,” Seizon replied, gazing back up at him.
Xal gazed at him for a long time, until something that might have been the beginnings of a smile flickered briefly across his features.
“OK,” he said. “But...on your own head be it.”
By this time, Gigas and Redclaw had returned to the depths of the forest. Dil soon came lumbering into view, a scar quite visible of her back, and Ichy perched atop her head.
“Are you sure about this?” she demanded grumpily of Xal. “We’re not much of an attack force.”
“Never mind attack right now,” Xal replied evenly. “For now our primary concern is keeping close tabs on the battle. However, we will be joined by an attack company soon enough...”
Seizon frowned.
“But I thought most of our Piercers were out of commission...?”
“Oh, I mobilized a reserve force a while ago,” Xal replied smirking slightly. “Just in case it were a necessity...we can follow our dear friends back to their rendezvous before following them to the Valley, by which time we will have our squad. Although beforehand it will be better to create a low profile, once they’ve regrouped they will be in a group so large, they won’t notice a few dozen Piercer’s in pursuit some distance away...”
“Where are these Piercer’s stationed?” Seizon asked.
Still smirking, Xal gazed upon him.
“I owe it all to you really, Seizon. We’ll find them at the Grand Cave Network.”
*
The sky water was beginning to die down; something that Ducky wasn’t sure how she felt about. The constant hammering of cold water upon her as she lay on Spike’s back may have been the only thing keeping her awake.
She emitted a loud and prominent yawn. Opal gave her a sideways glance.
“I know,” she said soothingly. “I know you’re tired. But you can sleep for ages once this is over.”
Ducky nodded.
“Therefore, we should get it over with quickly! Yep...yep...” she faltered, and allowed herself to slump back onto Spike’s back. Opal watched the two of them intently, wondering vaguely how she was going to reveal her identity to Spike.
“There’s no easy way...” she concluded. “I just hope he understands...”
Zyro was walking at the forefront of the group, his eyes darting over the horizon. Chomper was watching him with interest.
“Aren’t we returning to the Heathland?” he asked.
“Old One thought that would be a bit of a trek,” he explained. “So she agreed to move everyone halfway. We would agree on a route to the Valley from there...ah!”
Chomper too had spotted the distant silhouettes of a large mass of longnecks and sharpteeth. It was very hard to miss – normally such animals didn’t gather side-by-side. He smiled at this thought.
Old One also expressed a warm smile as the group approached her.
“Glad to see you’ve all made it out,” she said earnestly. “If anything had happened...”
“I will admit I’m surprised at how successful it was,” Zyro agreed.
“So, are we going then?” Al asked Zyro.
“Patience,” Zyro told him. “We can’t just march blindly off. We have to know what we’re doing...”
Old One had already called a few burly looking longnecks to her side, and requested that Bron and Opal also join her.
“Screech and Thud,” Zyro beckoned to them. “I want you to listen carefully too.”
“What about us?” Chomper asked, gesturing to the other eleven youngsters and the remaining adults.
“Get some rest,” Zyro told them firmly. “You’ve been through a terrible ordeal, and there’s still more walking to come. After we’ve finalized our plans, we’ll all take a brief break and then we’ll run it past you.”
The youngsters obeyed these instructions, thanks in part to gesturing of the older dinosaurs. Ross, Rhea, Ferox and Fumei all ushered the children away, as the herd leaders and their lieutenants discussed their battle preparations.
“The messenger you saw me send will have already informed the residents of the Valley of our intentions,” Old One explained. “So, they’re likely to be stirred into action when they hear of our approach. We will meet with the messenger there, and he will act as a means of communication between us and the Valleians until we’re inside.”
“And how exactly are we doing that?” Bron asked. “I take it you were drawing up ideas?”
“I was,” Old One agreed, extending her tail and drawing a rough diagram of the Great Valley in the mud. “Now, we know that Ulciscor has a knack for building up all the mountainous walls of the Valley using the manual labour of its residents, until it’s less of a Valley and more of a fortress! It’ll make it difficult to get past those particular walls, but I get the feeling that Ulciscor will be concentrating his efforts on reinforcing one of the sides of the Valley in particular.” She gazed up at the watchful circle.
“Let us not forget that Ulciscor’s regime was brought down once before,” she said.
“By Xal...” Bron murmured.
“Exactly – or at least, the group that Xal now represents,” Old One continued. “And Xal resides in the Fanged Forest, to the East of the Valley. Therefore, it would make sense for Ulciscor to focus most of his effort on the east wall, which means we should attack him via the west side.” Old One marked this on her diagram.
Bron made a sceptical noise.
“It does sound promising, but this is Ulciscor we’re dealing with,” he said, his memory unwillingly flashing back to a much younger figure, yet still tall and intimidating...
Bron, shaking his head, continued.
“If he’s been attacked before, and there’s whisper of revolution amongst the populace, it’s likely he’d increase efforts on all of the walls, not just the east. That would make more sense...”
“It really depends on how much time he had,” Zyro mused. “And he’d probably go for the east first...”
“Should we really be going for a single offensive though?” one of the longnecks at Old One’s side queried. “After all, there are lots of us – I think we should make use of the numbers. Have different groups of us attack at all sides. I think that would be preferable...”
“It’s true that we do have numbers on our side,” Zyro agreed. “However, the Bludgeon Brigade is just more professional at this kind of thing. They’ve been trained to be soldiers and thugs, whereas we are just herds...they are much more likely to pick us off if we are in smaller groups, nullifying our numerical advantage. I personally think going for a single offensive is better, and hopefully overwhelming Ulciscor and his troops through sheer numbers. Meaning...” he looked more uncomfortable now. “Meaning we need to find a place we can strike and make use of our vast group. We don’t want to get funnelled in, that would be a disaster...”
“This is why I suggested the west side,” Old One agreed, nodding to her diagram in the dirt.
“But how can we be sure to get a clear shot?” Bron asked. “He may have fortified that...”
“Well...” Opal began, and everyone turned to look at her. Looking slightly nervous, she nevertheless continued.
“I’m just thinking...Ulciscor also has a habit of keeping prisoners...”
“So, we should free them too?” Old One queried.
“This just keeps getting better...” another longneck sighed.
Opal shook her head.
“Well, obviously, yes. But there’s more to it than that. From what I remember, he imprisons them in the Secret Caverns, yes? Those caverns are a network that runs through the mountains walls of the Valley.”
“The caverns won’t make it easier to get through if we want a single, large offensive...” Bron pointed out.
“I know,” Opal agreed. “But having hollow tunnels is likely to make a mountain wall weaker. Ulciscor would have made some effort in trying to counter this. It’s a shot in the dark, but I think he’d have to choose which side of the Valley he’d want to reinforce by blocking the Caverns with rocks, and which side he’d want to keep the Caverns free to place prisoners. And my guess is...”
“...that it would be the east wall he’d want to reinforce!” Zyro finished, cottoning on, and gazing at Opal with blatant admiration. Then he turned to look expectantly at Bron.
“I think it’s our best option,” Old One concluded, also watching Bron for a reaction. He sighed, and nodded.
“It’s decided then,” Old One said briskly. “We’ll have to go a slightly more obscure direction, but once we arrive at the west wall, my messenger will greet us, and hopefully he can confirm what we’re hoping. Then, with help from the prisoners, we can work on getting a safe route into the Valley.”
“Alright,” Bron said. “But assuming all this works, what will we do once we’re inside?”
“Well, if all goes according to plan, we’ll be pressing in on one side, and the Valleians on the other,” Old One replied. “Then we can drive them out through sheer numbers, as Zyro said.”
“What about Ulciscor?” Bron asked. “What happens to him?”
Old One sighed.
“Whatever is necessary. And let’s brief everyone and inform them that we’ll be aiming for him specifically. He and his lieutenant Kai are our targets.”
Opal, satisfied that the plans had been finalized, wandered back over to where the children were resting. It was only as she approached that she realised all was not well...
*
The time had finally come for Lini to explain everything. The entire experience filled her with paramount dread, but with Chomper and Saureen and her side, she had finally begun to recant the tale of her past to the gang. At least, this is what she claimed, but her primary intentions were obvious – although she couldn’t look him in the eye, she was directly facing Al as she spoke, nervously wringing her claws together, and looking apprehensively at him once she had finished. On one side, Saureen held onto her arm, whereas on her other side, Chomper soothingly rubbed her back and watched Al for a reaction.
She had spoken in sharptooth, and Shorty nearby was translating as best he could for the leaf-eaters, as Lini’s rapid talking a shallow breathing had made it difficult for them to keep up. Shorty himself had a slight frown on his face, but looked up Lini after they had both finished and nodded solemnly. Most had expressions of similar understanding, although Cera was looking slightly resentful.
“Hang on...” she murmured in an undertone. “Is she saying that she actually...”
“Shush, for now, Cera...” Ruby whispered to her. She was watching Al closely. Cera sighed, but uncharacteristically did as she was told.
Al himself, with all eyes upon him, simply looked vacant. He was looking at Lini, but his purple eyes betrayed the look of someone far away. Eventually his focus shifted to the ground, and he said, rather sullenly,
“Lini...why are you telling us this?”
“W-why?” Lini repeated, caught off guard. “I...well, I thought you should know. I thought you should all know.”
“Is that so...?” Al murmured back, still staring into space. However, he soon snapped his eyes back upon Lini, and suddenly, their expression was angry. Lini felt a thrill of foreboding and a wave of cold pass over how as Al peered judgementally at her, the corner of his mouth curling.
“Why would we want to know about this?” he demanded of her with an almost venomous quality to his voice. “It would have been much better for you if we had kept this under wraps, so we don’t find out what you really are...” He looked her up and down, something he had previously done with considerable warmth. All of that had vanished now.
“Al...” Lini gasped, her eyes widening and her whole body trembling. “Please...don’t...”
“How could you, Lini?” Al snapped. “I thought I knew you. I thought you were so...sweet and innocent. But you took the path of the likes of scum like Gigas, and decided to torture and kill your fellow sharptooth??”
“Now hang on!” Saureen interjected, stepping forward to face Al, looking equally angry. “Do you mind laying off with those remarks?” For now Lini was openly crying, emitting shallow breaths in a futile attempt to stem the flow of tears that fell from her azure eyes. Chomper, still rubbing her back, was attempting to comfort her, but throwing Al a scandalized look as he did so.
Saureen, still glaring at Al, continued.
“Do you even care how she feels about it? Chomper and I...” Saureen glanced around, and then back at Al.
“Chomper and I had to persuade her not to kill herself!”
She could have sworn she saw a brief flicker of something softer pass over Al’s expressions, but the moment was fleeting, and he just stared coldly back at her.
“You were willing to forgive her, then?”
“Yes!” Saureen snarled. “Why the hell aren’t you?”
“Because I know the measure of some sharpteeth!” Al snarled back. “I thought you would be aware of this by now!”
“Well, I have to say...” came a slightly apprehensive voice. Cera may not have grasped the sharptooth language as easily as Shorty, but she was still able to follow the general gist of what was being said. Heads turned to look at her.
“Weren’t you all a bit quick to forgive...?” she asked, glancing at Saureen and Chomper. “I mean...I’m sure Lini does regret, but it all seems a bit...”
“Thanks for that!!” Saureen snarled at her, now striding in her direction. “But we don’t need him to be thrown a bone!”
“There’s no need to be like that!” Cera replied, firing up. “I’m simply saying that I think you’re being a bit too lenient...”
“That’s easy for you to say!” Saureen snapped. “But you weren’t there, with us, you didn’t see how she was...how could we not be??”
“Thanks Saureen...” Lini murmured, sniffing heavily. “But I can speak for myself.” She glanced at Cera.
“You don’t have to forgive me...” she said simply. “In fact, I don’t know why I expected anyone to...”
Cera looked uncomfortable, but didn’t say anything. Instead, Ruby leaned closer to her.
“Cera...surely you have regrets?”
“Well, yes!” Cera agreed. “But...hmm...” she fell silent.
Ducky was now looking at Lini, smiling sympathetically.
“I am really sorry for what happened to you, I am. I could never judge you for it, no, no, no.” Spike also nodded his agreement. Petrie also gave affirmations, nevertheless shuffling quickly to Spike’s side.
“I won’t hold you to blame either,” Littlefoot added, shrugging.
“Me neither,” Ali affirmed.
Even as Lini gave them small smiles, Al grunted with a combination of bemusement and disdain.
“Well, I am holding you to blame,” he said simply, gazing at Lini with a similar coldness. “I can’t just forget the whole thing this easily. I’m afraid no matter what you try and say, you can’t pretend this didn’t happen.”
“When did I even say that??” Lini demanded, horrified.
“You acted like it,” Al replied, coolly. “All smiles, acting like the big, supporting group member, and all this time you were no better than-”
“Stop it!” Now Chomper was glaring at him.
“Don’t even finish that sentence! I don’t want to hear it.” He marched forward and eyed Al furiously.
“Why the hell are you being like this? This is not the Al I’m used to, you’re normally so level-headed and...” he broke off, the reality of what he was experiencing hitting him.
But Al’s strange mood did not waver.
“I thought you, of all people, Chomper, would understand the very nature these so-called apex predators. Heartless, calculating...”
“This is Lini we’re talking about!” Chomper snarled back. “She had no real idea what she was doing – her morals and worldviews had been shaped ridiculously by the likes of Gigas-”
“Are you really using upbringing as an excuse?” Al demanded. “It doesn’t change someone’s choices, Chomper. She was still acting as a free agent.”
Chomper gave a hollow laugh.
“You really want to call her a free agent? Well, she is now, for sure, which is why she’s no longer in the act of systematic k-killing...” he stuttered somewhat on the word, but continued. “And you’re saying that the way someone was brought up doesn’t matter? Are you going to tell me that Nycha was in the wrong, no matter what the Tetrarchy did to her and her family?”
The memory of Nycha returning to him, Chomper’s emotions took over considerably – his voice was raised to a considerably carrying volume, and there was a deep growling element to it now, alarming is leaf-eater friends and causing Al to take a step back.
“Such a shame you didn’t get to tell her that before she died!!” Chomper roared, his voice heavy with sarcasm and potential foam beginning to form at the sides of his jaws. “I’m sure she would have loved to know it was all her fault!! It’s all easy for you to say isn’t it? You don’t even have a family!!”
This last sentence had an obvious stinging effect. At once, Al’s purple orbs reignited their rage, and he too began to growl.
“You know what??” he snarled. “I’m starting to think Seizon was right about you. You’re too naive, you understand the first thing about how to conduct yourself against your enemies. It was little wonder you were powerless to prevent Pyron-”
Chomper didn’t let him finish his sentence. Barrelling into him with an ear-splitting roar of rage, Chomper had Al on the ground before the latter even knew what was happening. He could vaguely hear his friends panicking and calling his name, but right now he didn’t care. He was snarling, and Al was snarling back, their jaws moving in on each other’s throats...
“Enough!!”
A huge leg had stamped into their midst, forcing them apart and rolling on the ground, shaking their heads in bewilderment. Chomper and Al sprang up to see the form of Opal striding towards them, casting a surveying eye over the twelve youngsters. Chomper glanced back at the others. Although their gaze mainly concerned Opal, they kept glancing back at him, looking quite concerned.
“Alright...” Opal murmured, gazing at them all and sighing heavily. “I heard most of that, and quite frankly Al, you’re being ridiculous.”
Al looked up at her indignantly.
“What do you know?” he demanded.
“Considering my own husband was killed by sharpteeth,” Opal replied patiently. “Quite a bit. I know exactly what sharpteeth do and the desperation of their situations that lead them to do certain acts...I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s experienced this.”
Littlefoot nodded meekly. But Cera, looking suddenly confused, spoke up,
“Hang on...you have a husband?”
“Actually, in my time, I’ve had two...” Opal murmured. She shook her head hurriedly.
“Right now, it’s irrelevant. My point is Al, I’m astounded. I thought Lini had taken you. Or rather, taken your heart.”
Al didn’t say anything. His line of vision was now focused on Zyro, somewhere in the distance, in discussion with Old One. Lini was still gazing intently in his direction however.
“I hate to break it to you,” came a voice. “But he’s always like this.”
All thirteen of them, caught completely off guard, turned to see Screech and Thud standing behind them, looking completely relaxed and slightly amused by the situation, despite their noticeable injuries.
Opal, the only one amongst them who had no knowledge of the sharptooth language, allowed Chomper to translate for her, before asking,
“How do you mean?”
After receiving the translation, Screech laughed loudly, and Thud replied,
“Just because he’s completely blameless, he thinks everyone who has done something regrettable in their entire lives is completely beyond redeeming. Never mind that Shark and Zyro’s vision is to help sharpteeth who are in desperate situations, or that we were instrumental in saving everyone’s butts...no, we were once with Redclaw, so we are the scum of the earth!”
“I see,” Opal murmured, after receiving Chomper’s bitter translation. “Al, it’s great that you such an absolute view of the world’s morality, but maybe it’s time you grew up.”
“What??” Al snapped his head round, suddenly angry again.
“Everyone has some blemish in their past,” Opal went on. “You can’t just push others away via that particular judgement. I have a great regret that I have, up until recently, forgotten entirely...”
All eyes were on her now. She couldn’t not explain now...she sighed.
“I once lived in the Great Valley,” she said. “A long time ago. My husband, Omendric, led the Valley until his death, upon which Ulciscor took his advantage. In our desperation, and our cowardice, I and his brother, Ronan, fled.” She closed her eyes and gave a sad smile. “I get the feeling I was the one who persuaded him to turn his back, but we soon both forgot, trying to ignore the horrifying tales coming from the Valley under Ulciscor’s suffocating regime. We even got together ourselves, and had an egg. But then one day he came for us.”
“Who???” Littlefoot asked in awe.
“Ulciscor’s greatest follower...” Opal replied bitterly. “The fabled stinging longneck, the one called Kai.”
Cera made an appropriate noise of disgust.
“I don’t even know quite what he wanted,” Opal admitted. “By then I was sure Ulciscor’s regime had fallen. But he attacked us. Relentlessly...took out Ronan, and I was sure I was taken out too...I woke up with the rainbowfaces with no memory of who I was.” She sighed. “I think it was payback for running when I did. From this heap of regret, however, I’m glad one thing went right.” She now, drawing deep breaths and heart hammering, finally lowered her eyes upon Spike.
“I’m glad my child survived. And I’m glad he went on to live happily, with those who cared for, and loved him. And I’m glad...that I finally got to meet him.”
For a brief second, everyone just stood in a silent confusion. Then the penny dropped.
“Wait...!!” Cera looked scandalised, glancing from Opal, to Spike, and then back again. “You mean...?”
Ruby made a soft ëohhh’ of understanding, and simply smiled.
Spike was staring back at Opal, completely motionless, his heart pounding against his ribcage, his mind numb with disbelief. Eventually, his lips moved.
“M...ma...”
“I know you might think this is a bad time,” Opal went on hurriedly, tears now beginning to leak from her eyes. “I know we can’t rekindle a proper connection having spent all this time apart, and I know you feel far more connected to the one you now call mother, but...” she gulped. “But soon we will be marching off the war, and although hope is high, we have no guarantee what will happen. The only real certainty is that Ulciscor will not be pleased to see me. And if I go, I’d like to let you know beforehand...and live in hope that what’s connecting us is the one thing we have over Ulciscor. The fact that we’re all here because we believe in each other...” She glanced briefly back at Al. “That we are all connected by a common goal and the love we all have. The love we all share. There is real love here, I can tell...”
Her words sent a shiver through the group of youngsters, who all glanced at one another in equally appropriate ways.
“It gives me some joy knowing that, even if the Valley itself doesn’t survive, what it stood for will continue on for a long time...” she finished, gazing at them all with a very solemn pride.
Al, allowing himself to me momentarily swept away, turned back to face everyone.
“Maybe you’re right...” he murmured. “And I’m sorry for what I said concerning Pyron...he was my friend too...”
Without looking Lini in the eye, he turned his back on her.
“I’ll allow some bonding to go on, if you believe it should,” he said monotonously, before beginning to walk away.
“But Al!!” Lini called, speaking up again after a long silence. “What about us??”
Al paused briefly, before continuing walking away without a word to her.
*
“Yep, this is definitely the place...”
Seizon’s confirmation caused another, slightly far away grin to settle over Xal’s face.
“The Grand Cave Network...” he murmured. “So many stories I’ve heard...and now it will be the key to our victory.
He strode towards the entrance, Seizon carefully following. Ichy and Dil were nearby, resting against a conveniently placed rock.
“Anyone would think you were hurt!” Ichy observed, smirking slightly.
“I’d like to see how you’d come off in a fight with a spiketail!” Dil retorted, twisting her head around to squint at her wounds. “Ichy, why did Xal want me out here anyway? I’m hardly going to fare well in a fight with Bludgeoners!”
“Oh, he knows I have great authority over you,” Ichy replied dryly. “It’s my tactical skills he wants. Besides...” his tone of voice now changed. “Once he gets what he wants, you’ll be in immediate priority. It’ll be useful in finding...you know...”
“Don’t insult me,” Dil growled. “As if I would forget my own daughter! And what about you? I take it you have agenda too?”
“I thought I did,” Ichy admitted. “But maybe that’s quite considerably gone...I don’t think anything I do will hold any weight...”
“Damn it, Ichy!” Dil sighed. “Will I ever be rid of you??”
Ichy simply smiled, but didn’t reply.
Back at the mouth of the cave, Xal was peering intently into the network. It was still a few hours until sunrise, so he could barely see a think. Sniffing intently, he growled, and said in a carrying whisper.
“The average leaf-eater is the great oppressor.”
Slightly confused at this, Seizon jumped when he heard a reply coming from the cave.
“But the average sharptooth is a sibling to unite with. Well, Xal, you took your time.”
“It was necessary,” Xal replied, now looking more relaxed. “What’s this network like?”
“Bizarre,” the voice replied. “It floods half the time, and there were a pack of young misfits jealously guarding some shiny stones.” At this, both bladebacks noticed a small, slightly whitish object come flying out of the gloom, landing with a clatter at Xal’s feet. Seizon peered round to take a good look at it, and felt his heart briefly stop.
It was a small, sharptooth’s skull. And not just from any sharptooth. This skull was immediately distinguished by its short and deep shape. And the two horns atop it...
Seizon remembered how he had told Nott that he never should have messed with Xal. And how those words had literally come back to him. He felt a stab of sympathy, but it was short lived. Nott had had it coming. Besides, there were more important things to worry about.
Now striding into view was a jet-black Piercer, with several narrow red lines upon her back. Her eyes were a deep, blood-red also, and she was looking at Xal quizzically.
“So what’s the issue here?” she asked.
“It’s quite simple, Zoe,” Xal replied. “We’ve got to follow a large alliance of sharpteeth and flatteeth to the Great Valley, and wait until they and Ulciscor’s forces have all but destroyed each other before heading in ourselves.”
“Sounds like sheer suicide,” Zoe replied boredly. “But it might work. Once you’re in control of the Valley, assuming that’s even a possibility, I’m hoping my own agenda will be considered?”
“As with everyone’s desires, yes,” Xal nodded curtly.
Seizon was watching this exchange with a coupled fascination and outrage. This Piercer, whom he had never seen before, was speaking to Xal as though he were nothing...
“Show respect!!” he snarled at her. “Without Xal, your goal will never be realised!”
Zoe looked at him coldly.
“And what do you want out of this revolution of his?” she asked.
Seizon quickly changed the subject.
“What was it you said to her at the beginning?” he asked Xal.
“A passcode,” Xal replied briskly. “One of Eykion’s sayings. Helps us keep track of each other. Now, I need to help Zoe mobilize the Piercers, go and make sure those two...” he jerked his head in Ichy and Dil’s direction, “know what we’re doing...”
Seizon obediently walked over, his mind working furiously. So, Xal’s pledge was to help all those who helped him revolt with whatever issues the world had given them? It seemed perfectly in sync with the world he had envisaged; he just hoped there would be room for his older friends in that world too.
On the subject of old friends, he noticed a lilac feather sticking out of the ground nearby. It looked a bit worse for wear, but it was definitely Nycha’s – the very one she had plucked from her head to place on Pyron’s grave. After a great many weeks, he was finally back here.
“Fallen companion?” Ichy asked quietly, as Seizon knelt down upon the mound of earth.
“Yeah...” Seizon muttered absent-mindedly, gazing at the single feather intently.
He placed his hand upon the earth, staring hard at the feather, as his mind rolled back to Pyron.
“Forget Al, you were the real peacemaker...” he thought solemnly.
“Goodness only knows what you’d say to me if you saw me now, Pyron. Would you rebuke me? Or just tell me to continue, trying to get the best result possible...” Seizon glanced at Xal, whom was in deep conversation with Zoe, as many more Piercers, possible numbering thirty, milled around, preparing...
One objective, Seizon told himself. One objective...and then everything followed on from that...
*
The early hours of the morning continued to trend until obvious signs of pre-dawn were upon the dinosaurs that inhabited the Great Valley. With the clouds rolling over, and the stars beginning to disappear, a light breeze whistled harshly through the largely bare trees, the branches creaking...
The signs would have been obvious, but most Valley inhabitants were asleep, their dreams disturbed my mingled excitement and fear. They had all heard the whisper of liberation, but their lives were still ruled by a monstrosity who could take their lives with a single command...
Movement existed solely in the form of this monstrosity. Ulciscor was wide awake, pacing back and forth at the bank of the watering hole were the Thundering Falls gushed abundantly, and gazing at his reflection. Nearby, his parents slept, guarded by fanatical and loyal Bludgeoners.
Ulciscor knew that they were talking of liberation and rebellion. But finding the source of this rumour and crushing it was a lot more difficult. It had seemingly come from nowhere. If these dinosaurs had rekindled some backbone, then it could prove disastrous for his plans. Maybe some new measure was necessary.
Ulciscor considered. What new measure would keep them under his thumb?
There were their children of course – but kill them and they would have nothing left to lose...although keeping them hostage and holding to a ransom of their undying obedience...yes, that would be better!
Ulciscor smiled to himself, but this smile was short-lived, when he remembered the enemies he had beyond these walls. He knew it were only a matter of time before their forces were scraped together once more.
“I have fortified the Valley...” he told himself firmly. “The East mountain wall is blockaded with solid rock. If those sharpteeth do return, we will be forewarned...”
But if, Ulciscor continued to himself, if there are enemies on all sides, where would he expand next? His plan had always been to fortify the Valley and expand his armies...
“Everything just moves so slowly...” Ulciscor thought mutionously. “If I am to rid the world of the curse that is sharpteeth, I will have to expand my horizons beyond the Great Valley...”
At that moment, he heard a rustling and heavy footfalls heralded the arrival of another at the water’s edge. Peering through the darkness, he saw the distinctive form of his greatest lieutenant, looking very content.
“Where have you been?” Ulciscor demanded.
“Just been cleansing the area,” Kai replied nonchalantly, lowering his neck to drink. “Managed to uproot what looked to be a family group of sharpteeth.” A small grin appeared on his face. “Took only a few minutes to deal with them all.”
“We have Bludgeoners for that!” Ulciscor snapped. “Bludgeoners that are stationed on the exterior of the Valley to watch for any approaching force. Their job is to deal with sharpteeth, I need you here! What if something important had come up? But by all means continue to enjoy your sport!”
Kai, raising his head, glared back at the iron-grey longneck.
“I am merely keeping myself occupied,” he growled back. “I have been asking constantly if there’s any other task you require of me. What with sending me to the Fanged Forest and tailing your nephew, I thought you had planned further ahead. But there is simply nothing left to do. They all live in fear of us, why do I even need to enforce it? Shouldn’t we be cleansing the land of sharpteeth, as you always pledged to do??”
“It’s not as simple as that,” Ulciscor replied shortly, now striding around the water’s edge to be closer to him. “But you are right – it is time we got things moving.”
“Oh really?” Kai watched him closely. “How so?”
“It’s time we rallied more leaf-eaters to our cause. Only the pure stock, of course. But I get the feeling I’ll need to retrace some of my steps from the past.”
“Like when you recruited me?” Kai murmured, a look of what may have been reminiscence passing across his face.
“Technically, yes.” Ulciscor replied. “But I’ve been wandering for a long time, and with something as vital as this, it may result in digging up many ghosts. I’ll have to head off myself, alone. I don’t want to draw every eye.”
“And what of the Valley?”
“Oh, that’s where you come in.” Ulciscor’s smile of malice had returned. “Sorry, did I not mention?”
Kai’s eyes grew wide.
“Yes – because you have generated a great sense of fear and order into the Valley’s populace!” Ulciscor told him, continuing to pace.
“They all live in abject terror of you. Everywhere you go, they call you the longneck that stings, or words to that affect. I know you can control a crowd, and you can fulfil my noble goals. When I leave in a few days time, I will be leaving you in charge. You can do that for me, yes?”
“Oh yes!” Kai’s eyes were gleaming and he was practically salivating with excitement. “Yes sir, I won’t let you down!”
“Good,” Ulciscor said. “Now, go and get some sleep. I don’t wish for you to be wandering from the Valley again without permission, alright?”
Kai bowed his head, and with a grin wide enough to swallow his entire face, strode away, leaving Ulciscor to gaze at his reflection once more, his mind elsewhere.
*
The ghostly shape loomed into view against the inky black sky, but its identity was unmistakable. The destination had been reached.
Chomper knew their journey must have been considerable. Dawn could only be an hour or so from breaking, but the long trek of the large group of longnecks, sharpteeth, one spiketail and few random kids had left him much time to think. He supposed it helped that Rhea had insisted on carrying him atop her head for a lot of the journey so that he could get some sleep, and had gone strangely deaf when he pointed out that she needed her sleep too.
Even as tired as he was, there was no way Chomper could have slept. With every step the great liberating alliance took, Chomper’s panic had mounted. It was just beginning to occur to him what faced them – they, along with everyone he knew in the Great Valley were about to do battle with a group of murderous longnecks in the sheer hope that this would someone leave a decisive victory? It seemed the only option given what he knew about Ulciscor, but all the same, there was a good chance many of whom strode amongst him wouldn’t make it to see the next sunset. What if was Old One, the wise and aged longneck who carried such maternal power? What if it was Zyro, the bilingual and agile sharptooth whom had taken such responsibility on his shoulders? Or maybe even Opal, the once leader of the Valley, and Spike’s real mother? His heart sank even lower when he came to terms with the possibility that it could be either one or both of his parents. Of the casualties of the battle, it could also be Littlefoot, Saureen, Ruby, or another one of the friends he held so dear...
When these kind of thoughts struck him, he had persuaded his mother to lower him to the ground, so he could walk off some excess stress, and spend some time with the friends he had conglomerated. Although none of them spoke much, there was a mutual recognition and appreciation that walking with each other was something they wanted to do, just to linger more with each other before the inevitable battle. Saureen walked close beside him, in the close wake of Ferox, whom kept glancing back to check she was still with him. Saureen’s hand was easily visible by her side, and Chomper, remembering what Opal had told them about their love holding them together, grew curious sensations and felt the overwhelming desire to take hold of it, and squeeze it tight, if just to remind her that he was still there...?
But he refrained. Maybe it would just seem out of place. He had no clue. Was there love permeating amongst their group? Well, yes, definitely, but Chomper was still unsure whether she had been referring to the love you feel for true companions who will always have your back, or the love you feel for someone who you want to spend your life with...? Maybe both. Chomper was pretty sure Ali and Shorty had that kind of relationship – they hadn’t left each other’s side since the Fanged Forest. And Lini and Al had that too – or, they had done. Al had still refused to speak to Lini, and by extension, any of them, walking ahead by Zyro’s side. Chomper felt only a great boiling anger for Al’s self-righteous attitude, but all that bubbled away into cold terror and guilt when he wondered how he would feel if Al were to fall in the ensuing battle without them having reconciled...
And yet all this fear, guilt, anger and the dawning of brewing love largely evaporated from Chomper to be replaced with adrenalin and anticipation once he had caught sight of the unmistakable shape – Saurus Rock stood, lonely but stubborn, against the dark sky. Many months after being forcibly taken from it by a pair of enthusiastic young sharpteeth, he was back home at last. It was hard to believe that beyond the glorious mountain walls he knew so well, was a terrifying and oppressive state that they had come to aggressively resist against.
This sign had obviously been noticed by everyone, as the large marching alliance had come to a sudden halt.
There was silence, except for a few sniffs coming from Zyro.
“OK...” he breathed, though the alliance could hear quite clearly. “We’re facing the West wall, although we can detect a few guards directly ahead. Part of Ulciscor’s Bludgeon Brigade. Before we can get anything done, we’ll need to take them out. Quickly and without drawing too much attention. If you don’t mind me saying so, I think sharpteeth are the best option.”
“How so?” A longneck asked.
“Firstly, we’re smaller,” Zyro explained. “Secondly, we can find our way around the dark with our sense of smell. We have the advantage over them. Thirdly, they are more likely to expect sharpteeth to attack them. It’ll seem less suspicious, and there will be less of a desire to report this strange mishap and just initiate a slaughter.” He had a slightly grim smile as he finished.
After gathering a few medium-sized sharpteeth, including Screech and Thud, Zyro fled quickly but silently off, advising the group to follow him slowly. As they did so, they began to hear the sounds of angry grunts, snarls and thuds, whilst vision was limited. As they drew nearer, the sounds grew louder, until there was a resolute and final thud that sounded like it was caused by considerably more than a body falling to the ground. As they continued their approach, Zyro crept back to them, looking windswept, but noticeably pleased.
“We got a little hand,” he panted, inclining his head towards a figure clearly visible against the wall of rock.
“Pterano!?” Petrie gave a strangled gasp, repeated by many of his friends.
“Quieten down, now!” Pterano advised, nevertheless accepting the hug that Petrie offered him as he zipped towards him. “Yes, Old One recruited me for this task. I’ve been hanging with her herd for quite a while...”
“How come you never said anything??” Cera demanded, casting an accusatory eye over at Old One. Old One merely smiled.
“Pterano preferred anonymity for now,” she said simply.
“Yes, but I figured I would have to show myself at some point, and why not drop a rock whilst you’re at it?” Pterano remarked, gazing at the nearby body of a Bludgeoner, its skull clearly flattened by a fairly sizeable rock. Most of the group averted their eyes.
“In any case,” Pterano also tried to detract attention from the slightly grisly scene. “I have managed to recruit a rebel in the Valley for the task of getting you all through this wall. I left him up there...” He quickly flew upwards to the top of the slope, and upon his descent, carefully carried a figure clinging to his leg.
“Hyp?” Littlefoot exclaimed, craning his neck as soon as he recognised the features. “What...what have you been doing?”
“What anyone would have done!” Hyp replied stubbornly, staggering slightly as Pterano set him down. He gazed curiously up at the liberation force, looking slightly alarmed at all the large sharpteeth.
“According to Hyp, one of the Bludgeoners has defected,” Pterano exclaimed. “A chap called Uriah, who has informed us that this wall is where the prisoners are kept-”
“Now, hang on!” Cera protested. “How can we be sure he’s not just trying to trap us all??”
“Hmm...” Old One looked thoughtfully at her, before turning back to Pterano and Hyp.
“She has a point, you know,” she remarked. “What evidence do you have...?”
“Uriah came to me even before he heard there was rescue force on its way!” Hyp explained dismissively. “And kept me hidden whilst everyone else is baying for my blood! Besides, I have previous. I’ve seen Ulciscor imprison leaf-eaters in here!”
There was a lot of muttering at this, before Old One spoke up.
“So, now we attempt to get a clear way through this wall and free the prisoners at the same time.”
“But how?” Zyro looked troubled. “Doing both at once will draw an enormous amount of attention, and we’re pretty close to losing this cover of darkness as it is...”
Old One nodded, frowning, and turned back to Hyp.
“Couldn’t Uriah station himself at the other side to help everyone through?” she asked.
“He has,” Hyp replied. “But he doesn’t want to blow his cover until the entire force has got through, which might be a little difficult...”
“Couldn’t he offer to guard the caverns himself?” Bron asked.
“Ulciscor doesn’t allow it,” Pterano explained. “He’s been getting increasingly paranoid. He requires them always to work in at least pairs, and tends to switch these pairs around so no double conspiracy can happen...”
This led to more, much longer muttering. The leaders were pretty baffled by this turn of events, and it was several minutes before Opal walked over to Zyro and whispered in his ear.
Frowning prominently, he gazed at her.
“Are you sure she’s up to it?” he asked.
“Oh yes,” Opal nodded grimly. “She seemed very enthused when she told me, actually. And we know that someone moving through the caverns can’t be anyone very large, or indeed a sharptooth, as any one of Ulciscor’s followers would kill them on sight. And she promises that, timed correctly, she’s sure it could work.”
“It does seem promising,” Zyro admitted. “But it’s taking an awful risk...”
“We’re running out of time,” Opal reminded him, still looking grim.
Zyro sighed, gazed up into the sky as though asking for forgiveness, before saying,
“Ruby?”
Ruby immediately stepped forward, her face shining with anticipation. Adults on either side of her drew back to let her through.
“Yes?” she asked eagerly.
“I think your idea could be put into action...”
Ruby grinned.
“Excellent.”
“Wait, what idea is this?” Old One asked abruptly. Zyro was about to explain when Ruby cut across him.
“No, I know there’ll be protests – and we don’t have time to waste protesting.” She immediately strode to Pterano and whispered hurriedly in his ear. Pterano frowned, but nodded, and quickly took off.
“Wait!” Chomper stepped forward. “What is this??”
“In short, I’ll be heading into the caverns,” Ruby replied. “Chomper, relax – it’s something I’m very much used to, and the next stage of operations can take place from there...”
“Which I think we all should know,” Old One said sternly. “This is very poor form...”
“Zyro will fill you in,” Ruby explained quickly, gazing around the wall she was facing for an opening. “Right now, we don’t have time...”
“Well,
