I guess that it's the Borris goose from the movie Balto.

Am I right?

Thanks for the correction. I'm always finding small mistakes like that to edit out.

Chapter: 14: An Uncomfortable Subject

The night before the last event in chapter 13.

It was a full moon tonight; silver moon light cast large shadows all across the Great Valley. All was quiet as many families were turning in for sleep. But Littlefoot was not asleep at the moment.

He was up and wide awake, although Ducky's younger siblings were already fast asleep beside the massive bulk of his Grandma. Ali was also up, she sat next to him, his Grandparents were both having a hushed conversation with Ali's mother but Littlefoot's mind was elsewhere. He had remembered what he had originally intended to do three days ago. He had been about question to Mr Swimmer about Ducky's whereabouts and he would have if Ducky, along with her mother, had not arrived at that very moment.

But after overhearing his Grandparents talk with Mr Swimmer, he was made even more curious about The Trial of Destiny but he had a very bad feeling in his stomach about it because of how the adults looked so grim about it and they usually knew what was going on.

Tonight, however Littlefoot had resolved to ask his Grandparents about The Trial of Destiny. Ali rubbed up close to Littlefoot's body as it was a cold night. Littlefoot looked distractedly off into the distance and largely ignored her. Ali could tell that something was troubling Littlefoot. She knew him too well to miss a hint; she could see it in his eyes, his troubled expression, his agitated body language and also by the fact that he had appeared to have forgotten that she was here. "Littlefoot?" asked Ali.

Littlefoot didn't respond so Ali pressed her muzzle against his neck. Littlefoot finally snapped out of his trance and gave an apologetic look to Ali. He rubbed up against Ali's body as if he had only now begun to feel the night's cold. The two friends sat together for a while looking up at the starlit sky, sharing each other’s warmth and providing each other comfort. Finally Ali broke the silence between them.

"What's troubling you Littlefoot?" she asked plainly.

Littlefoot looked at her thoughtfully and asked her a question.
"What do you think is going on with Ducky?" he asked.

Ali was a little surprised at his question but it was evident to her that all the recent events involving Ducky had made Littlefoot feel a little worried.
She chose her answer with great consideration "I think that Ducky has a lot of troubles at the moment" she said slowly.

Littlefoot had a weary look on his face when he next spoke. "I'm worried about her. She looked so exhausted after she came home with her mother from the training and now we haven't seen her for the past three days. I've seen her mother looking for her. Something bad is going on and she's not telling us”. Littlefoot spoke his last words in a deeply agitated voice.

Ali considered what Littlefoot had speculated. He was indeed right about how tired Ducky looked when she arrived home and now it appeared that she was missing. "Do you think that she is not telling us because she is worried about how we will act?" asked Ali.

Littlefoot looked at Ali. "I'm sure it has something to do with this Trial of Destiny" he said.

"I don't like the way the grown ups appeared all worried about it but we don't know what it is about, it might just be an Individual Trial" said Ali.

"I don't like the way that the grown-ups looked either and I think that this Trial is more then what it seems" said Littlefoot "so I'm going to find out".
Littlefoot raised himself and walked over to his Grandparents, closely followed by Ali.

"Grandpa, Grandma, can I talk to you for a moment?" asked Littlefoot in a polite voice. The two elder longnecks turned to their Grandson.

"Of course Littlefoot, what is it?" asked Grandpa.

Littlefoot took a breath and began his inquiries. "Do you know where Ducky is? We haven't seen her for three days".

Grandma and Grandpa both exchanged worried looks. Littlefoot had thought this would be the case so he started off with a subject that they would not find too awkward. Grandma was the next to speak "We don't know dear, Ducky has been training with her mother somewhere out of sight" said Grandma half truthfully.

Littlefoot was not at all convinced that his Grandma was telling the whole truth. "Why are the Swimmer children sleeping with us then?" he asked. His Grandparents both wore nervous expressions. He was evidently sticking his nose into an uncomfortable subject.

"Mr Swimmer asked if they could stay around for a little while because their family is busy at the moment" said Grandpa.

Littlefoot decided that he had better ask what he was going to ask before the conversation got any more awkward. "We didn't mean to eavesdrop. We just wanted to know where Ducky was".

Both his Grandparents now wore shocked and alarmed expressions. "How much of that did you hear?" asked Grandma nervously.

"I would like to know" said Littlefoot "what is The Trial of Destiny?". The elder longnecks both let out shocked gasps. "We know Ducky's going to take this Trial and we were wondering what it was" asked Littlefoot.

Littlefoot watched as his Grandparents exchanged anxious looks. He wondered if he had gone to far but then he saw his Grandma give one long, slow nod to Grandpa. They were going to tell him. "Well Littlefoot, Ali" said Grandpa " The Trial of Destiny is......"


*


Littlefoot and Ali walked slowly towards their usual meeting place outside the Secret Caverns. They were both awfully tired having hardly slept at all after Littlefoot's Grandparent's had told them about The Trial of Destiny. They were horrified when they heard that Ducky would probably not survive the Trial. They had also been informed about the Swimmer family’s predicament and it shocked them when they heard what Sculra was like.

The two friends had laid close to each other that night. They nuzzled each other and entwined their tails, in an attempt to provide some comfort to each other. Ali was in tears after that meeting and Littlefoot hardly kept his in. He was reminded once again of the loss of his mother and now he was in a position where he had to watch one of his friends fight for her life in a Trial that would more than likely kill her. It was too much for Littlefoot. He nuzzled Ali in an attempt to calm her; she nuzzled him back. The night had suddenly felt much colder.

"Oh Littlefoot why her? Why Ducky?" cried Ali.

Littlefoot nuzzled his friend "I don't know" he said mournfully " but what I do know is that we will help her when she comes back" said Littlefoot with resolve. Ali agreed, she nodded to Littlefoot's statement. They would be there to help Ducky.

The two Longneck's arrived at the Secret Caverns. Everyone else was waiting for them apart from Chomper and Ducky. Littlefoot noticed this. "Hey, where's Chomper?" he asked.

Ruby stepped forward. "He was with me yesterday in his cave. But then Ducky's mom came in and asked Chomper to help find Ducky". Ruby looked very concerned "She said that Ducky was in danger, in danger Ducky was in. Chomper then left to look for Ducky with her mother".

Littlefoot and Ali exchanged a dark look with each other.

"What's with you two today?" asked Cera "you look like you both have had a tough night, but I know that look Littlefoot. You always carry it when your worried so would you please tell us what happened last night?" asked Cera, who was unusually sharp today.

"Hi Guy's!" said a familiar voice.

The six friends turned to see Chomper arrive. He was wearing a blank expression on his face. Ruby ran forward and anxiously asked if he had found Ducky. Everyone else crowded around Chomper and eagerly awaited his report.

"I found her alright" said Chomper grimly. The was a collective sigh of relieve from his friends but Chomper wasn't finished yet. "In the Mysterious Beyond" he finished. He looked up at his friends to see there mouths wide open in shock.

"Ducky go to...Mysterious...B...B...Beyond?" stutted Petrie in fear.

"Why would she do that" asked Cera in a startled voice. Cera looked at Spike, he had been wearing a look of horror on his face ever since he heard that Ducky had run into the Mysterious Beyond.

Chomper looked slightly hesitant at Cera's query "I overheard Ducky talk with her mom and she said that no one had ever survived the Trial of Destiny.

There were worried looks around the circle except from Littlefoot and Ali.

Littlefoot spoke next "Ali and I asked my Grandparents what the Trial was last night and what Chomper says about no one ever surviving the Trial is true and..." he said slowly. Ali began to sob.

Cera guessed what Littlefoot had to say "and Ducky is going to do the Trial isn't she?". Littlefoot nodded. A long silence descended on the circle of friends and for a long time no one said anything as they all tried to absorb the shock of this news. Ali was sobbing quietly, Littlefoot nuzzled her. Spike was now breathing hard and fast. To hear that his beloved sister would soon be dead hit him like an earth shake. Spike trembled on his legs, the shock was way to much for him, he fell to the ground and blacked out.

Cera and Chomper both stood rooted to the ground as if they had been paralysed as they tried to digest the news. Ruby was almost inconsolable. She was trembling from head to foot. Ducky had always been a dear friend to her, she had welcomed Ruby in with open arms and was always there when she needed her. Petrie who had been hovering above his friends heads fell onto Cera's back when he heard the news, tears started to fall down his cheeks.

"We c...c...can't let Ducky do this" said Petrie his voice was filled with the fear that the others all felt.

"We have to save her, save her we must" said Ruby in an uncharacteristically small voice. She went over to the stream and sipped some water, then she took a tree star full of water and dumped the it over Spike's head, which brought him back to consciousness. Spike whimpered quietly.  

The others all turned to Ruby, they all thought the same thing. But how could they do this? Littlefoot cleared his throat and relayed to his friends what his Grandparents had said to him last night. When he finished everyone had there mouths open again.

"So..." said Cera "It's all this Sculra's fault". Cera's breathing became hard and fast. The six friends knew what was coming and hastily backed away from Cera. "This so called Swimmer is sending Ducky to her death BECAUSE SHE CAN!" Cera yelled out the last part, she then stood back on her hind legs and gave a roar of fury.

 After that Cera quietened down but her temper was still past the boiling point. She charged it a large rock on the edge of the clearing. She smashed into it with full force and the rock shattered. Cera stood there panting, her face was contorted with rage. Littlefoot and the others approached cautiously as Cera was still angry. But what happened next was both surprising and alarming.

Cera dropped to the ground and gave a few chocked sobs, evidently she was still trying to be tough but now that she was faced in losing one of the friendliest and caring dinosaurs she knew, the emotional flood gates finally opened and overwhelmed Cera with grief.

The friends stood beside her Ali, Petrie, Spike and Ruby were also sobbing. While Littlefoot and Chomper had pained expressions on their faces. They were hardly maintaining control over themselves. The situation was just so unprecedented and horrifying.

Littlefoot finally found a voice. "I understand why Ducky didn't want us to know, but she still should have told us. We could help her" said Littlefoot "I don't think any of her brothers and sisters know either. They all brought the grow-ups cover story as did we" Littlefoot said in a regretful tone.

"But now" said Littlefoot "I know what we must do". The others looked at him hopefully. "We will inform Ducky's siblings, they at least have a right to know of the danger that Ducky is in.....Then we will go to Ducky and do what we've always done". Littlefoot straightened himself out and rose to his full height. "We will help her survive the Trial".

"Yes" said everyone in the circle vigorously, their hearts filled with new hope as they set off to the aid of their dear friend.




So Littlefoot has told the rest of the Gang about Ducky's current situation and is now planning to help tell her siblings and then help his friend. Ducky's chances of survival feel a lot less bleak now.

Boys-3

At the moment I'm in the process of reading Anne McCafferey's The White Dragon for the hundredth. The third instalment of The Dragon Riders of Pern series.

The Dreams that Ducky has are and will be very important for her during the story and before the Trial, and it is the dream that she had about Swayer  that will prompt the next plan from her mother.

Chomper attempts to imitate the yellow bellies hiding strategy when he sees Doc coming.

Chomper: (after he tries the strategy and is found by Doc) Remind me never to try hiding like that again.

Chapter 12: Flight From Destiny

It was night time in the Great Valley and Sura and Ruphus were deep in conversation, nearby the sleeping spot lay Merri sleeping beside a small nest, it was made of dried mud and inside were at least seven of Sura's newly laid eggs in a bed of leaves that covered the bottom, this provided warmth for the eggs and would also provide a soft bedding for the babies when they hatched and it would also be very useful when the babies relieved themselves, because all the parent would have to do is replace the leaves, which was better then a bear nest which would revert back into mud when any liquid was poured on it, Sura had been through this problem with her first clutch when she was younger and inexperienced at parenting and was in no mood to repeat that mistake. The youngest children in the Swimmer family were all absent, they were sleeping with littlefoot and his Grandparents. But the quiet peace of the nest was suddenly disturbed.  

"WHAT!?" cried Ruphus so loudly that the older children shifted in their sleep.

"Quiet! dear, you'll wake the children" said Sura in a hushed voice. Ruphus closed his mouth and stared at his mate in numb shock, what she had just proposed was so out of character for her, Ruphus never expected to hear his mate even consider killing and yet here was Sura giving him details of her plan to assassinate Sculra.

"It's possibly the only option we have left dear" said Sura "If Sculra was not around then there would be no Trial of Destiny and our daughter would be safe and so will everyone else from that horrible fiend".

Ruphus was hesitant in his answer, Sura's logic was perfectly sound, if Sculra was dead then there would be no need to run the Trial of Destiny as she was the only one who supported it, but the other Swimmers only backed her up because of fear of what Sculra would do to them if they refused.
"Sura this is not a good idea" said Ruphus slowly. "You are staking everything on this and it is not a good bet. We don't even know if Chomper has killed before".

"I'm sure he has and I know that he would help a friend, as soon as he is told of the danger that Ducky is in, I'm sure that he will do it" said Sura grimly.

"Sura" said Ruphus in an agitated voice "persuading him to do this would only mean telling him about The Trial and you know what he'll do, we will have all his friends and our children to answer too".

"and if Chomper succeeds then we won't need to worry about the Trial, Ruphus" replied Sura.

"That's if he succeeds" said Ruphus in an unconvinced voice. "Sura if you do this then what makes you so different to Sculra?" he asked.

"At least I'm not doing it for selfish reasons, but to save my daughter, do you want the river to run red with Ducky's blood Ruphus? Do you want to see our lovely daughter dead?" asked Sura rhetorically.

Ruphus sighed and looked down, he remained in this posture for a while until he said "I don't want to lose Ducky, but I also do not want to have blood on our hands. What would happen if we failed and Sculra found out about our plans Sura?"

"It's the only way dear" said Sura in a tearful voice "I would sacrifice myself to a Sharptooth if I know it will save Ducky".

"But you don't know whether this risk will pay off" said Ruphus

But before Sura could respond another voice entered the debate. "I do not want you to risk it, oh no no no".

Sura and Ruphus turned to see Ducky standing beside them, she was wide awake and had a worried look on her face. Sura and Ruphus looked awfully shocked at this unexpected development. "What are you doing up dear?" said Sura in a more calm voice then she had used before.

"Couldn't sleep" said Ducky simply, her face took on a more pleading look. "Please don't put Chomper up to this please please pleaaase" she begged.
It was obvious to both parents that Ducky had heard the whole conversation so far. Neither Sura or Ruphus was sure about how to respond to this delicate situation.  

"This is a last resort dear" said Sura in an attempt to explain to her daughter. "We did not reach this decision lightly but if Sculra was gone then you would not have to do the Trial". But her daughter was not convinced.

"I do not care if it is the only choice left, I do not care if I will have to take the Trial, just do not ask this of Chomper it is not right oh no no no" said Ducky firmly.
Her parents stared at her, looks of disbelieve on both there faces, but both hardly knew how to respond to her. If they asked Chomper then their daughter will probably take the Trial and if they did not then the result would be the same, either way they lost.

"Pleeeeaaaaaasse" said Ducky, pleaded the young Swimmer, her eyes were open wide and filled with tears while her hands and beak were both trembling. It was almost impossible to resist her when she was pleading like this.  

Sura exchanged a worried looked with Ruphus and gave a long sigh "Okay dear, we will not even try this, satisfied now?"

"Yes yes yes" said Ducky in a way more cheerful voice, she begun to turn when her mother addressed her again.

"Ducky, we will return to the Hidden clearing tomorrow to complete your training" she said. Ducky looked awfully sick now, she appeared to go a little greener.

"I do not want to do that training nope nope nope" she said in the same pleading voice she used before.

Ruphus slapped his hand over his eyes and shook his head but Sura put a comforting hand on Ducky's back and said in the softest voice she could muster "I know you don't, but if you don't then how will you survive the Trial? I was willing to make an exception when it came to Chomper, but not here dear, this is a task that you must do and I will do all I can to help you accomplish it".

Ducky looked down sadly and nodded once. "Come on dear it's time you got back to sleep" said her mother quietly. Ducky did not protest, she walked over to Spike and curled up beside him and fell asleep.

"Well looks like we can forget this ridiculous plan after all" said Ruphus, sounding relieved.

Sura looked at her daughter, "Sometimes Ducky is to selfless for her own good" she thought. "Okay dear, we'll forget this plan" said Sura to Ruphus who nodded. "Goodnight" they both said before turning in to sleep.


*


Ducky trembled violently in her sleep, bad dreams were plaguing her.

Ducky was swimming as fast as she could through the darkened passages of the Crescent Caves, her heart was working overtime. Fear had completely overpowered Ducky as she swam, the caves scared her but it was not the darkness that made her scared it was the feeling that she was being watched when something large and dark as the water she swam through moved out of an opening nearby and disappeared again in a flash just like a ghost. Ducky swam at full speed in an attempt to escape the claustrophobic caves, she longed for the company of her friends and family, but down here not a soul could be seen.
The water was also way more colder then what she used to, Ducky shivered as she swam, the currents were also unpredictable and sudden, Ducky would often be slammed into the wall of the cave by a sudden rush of water.
Ducky was easily scared and she would get scared very often but she was never as scared as she was now, she was terrified. Everything was dark and she was totally alone and separated from all those who she cared about her and the feeling that she was being watched added greatly to her fear. The cold was also slowing her movements and she was finding that it was way more difficult to swim due to all her shivering which was becoming more and more uncontrollable every second and to add to that her whole body was hurting due to all the times she had collided with unseen rocks that the current had forced her into, Ducky thought she was bleeding, that would explain how weak she felt.
"I do not like this nope nope nope" she thought. " I want to get out of here I do I do".

But no matter where she went or how fast she swam, Ducky felt like she was getting nowhere at all, everything looked the same, just the same senseless blackness. Ducky felt her way along the cave wall then a dim light came from a chamber ahead, Ducky's heart raced maybe it was a way out!
Ducky swam toward it, she entered a small cavern that was dimly lit by a tiny hole in the roof of the cave, where the light came through but Ducky could not fit through the tiny hole.
Ducky looked down and stared at the cave floor and saw a small plant growing in the light.

"Wait, that's the plant mom showed me" thought Ducky. "Night Light".
   
Ducky swam down to the plant and pulled it out of the ground and just like her mother had taught, she crushed the plant in her hands, when she opened them up, the cave she was suddenly illuminated by the eerie blue light. But Ducky immediately wished that she hadn't illuminated the cavern as when the light produced by the plant flooded the cave, she saw that she was almost beak to beak with the skeleton of a young Swimmer, she quickly turned around only to find more bones.
With a pang of horror Ducky realised that she was in a boneyard, which was littered with the bones of all the other Swimmers that had taken the Trial before her. Ducky suppressed the strong urge to scream, she swam as fast as she could through a second opening in the cave wall, the Night Light illuminated in her hand provided the light that Ducky needed to see where she was going.

Ducky heard a cracking sound behind her, like the sound of a tail hitting a rock. Ducky turned her head and she suddenly saw a large dark shape behind her, illuminated by the light, Ducky gasped in horror to see a Swimming Sharptooth coming up behind her, it's teeth gleamed coldly in the blue light. Ducky screamed in fright and whole lot of bubbles emerged from her mouth and the Sharptooth suddenly swam at breakneck speed towards her. Ducky swam as fast as she could, away from the predator but she was too slow.

CRUNCH!

Ducky gasped as pain racked her body, she looked back to find her tail bleeding badly, the Sharptooth could not be seen behind the thick wall of blood but she knew it was there. Ducky held her breath as she swam, the pain was unbelievable and the cold did not help, it made the wound sting like mad, but she swam on until through another passage and found that she was suddenly facing a dead end.
Ducky turned around but she was already trapped by the massive bulk of the Sharptooth.
"I'm so sorry mama. I failed. I will not make it". she thought in despair, there was no doubt in the distraught Swimmers mind that these were her final moments.
That was when she noticed it, out of the corner of her eye, a small crevice at the back of the cave that was large enough for her but not the Sharptooth. "If only I could make it in there" she thought.
Ducky turned tail on the Sharptooth and swam as fast as she could toward the crevice. The Sharptooth saw what Ducky was trying to do and as she turned it raced forward and bit down on her tail.

CRUNCH!

Ducky grimaced in pain, without looking back she kicked her legs hard in an attempt to free herself. The Sharptooth suddenly jolted it's head backwards and opened it's mouth then jolted forwards. Ducky was thrown into the back of the Sharptooth's mouth but the jaws was still open, Ducky swam with all the speed she could muster in a desperate attempt to escape the creatures giant maw she was halfway across the teeth when...

SHLUCK!

The jaws of the Sharptooth came down upon the middle of her body, Ducky screamed in pain, blood exploded into the water, almost blinding her.
Ducky groaned, she could not move without experiencing intense pain, she realised now that the Sharptooth had deliberately opened it's mouth so that she would swim right into it's trap. As Ducky became overwhelmed by pain she was able to make out one last thought "At least it will all be over soon yep...yep......yep". The Night Light plant that Ducky had been holding onto suddenly went dark as Ducky's last hope was extinguished and the predator munched on it's hapless victim. Ducky's eyes closed for the last time as she was sucked down the gullet and into the belly of the Swimming Sharptooth and everything went black.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Ducky awoke with a terrified scream.


*


Ducky jumped up in fright, breathing fast and heavily she had just had the most scariest dream that she ever had. Ducky looked around to find herself at home in the nest, with her mother, father, siblings and Spike, all still sleeping because it was still several hours away from daylight. Ducky looked to her left to find Spike, that's when she felt a strange and pleasant relieving sensation from her rear end, it felt like hot water was being tipped on her tail but when she looked back, she was startled and very embarrassed to find the lower part of her body was wet as was the small area around her, an unpleasant smell arose and Ducky put a hand one her nose.
Ducky's mind deducted "It must have been such a scary dream that I..." Ducky's face flushed red with embarrassment "It is a good thing nobody is up yet" she thought or she would be a laughing stock for her other siblings.  

Ducky's breathing started to return to it's normal rhythm but she was still scared half to death. She knew that she would soon have to resume her training, that unpleasant training for that terrible Trial. Ducky could not bear it, she quickly got to her feet, her breathing becoming hard and fast again. Something snapped in Ducky, she already had too greater burden placed on her, Ducky could not take it. It was inevitable that something would give in.
Ducky had completely forgotten to dry herself, she suddenly turned tail and ran. She ran as fast as she could away from the pressures that had been thrust upon her, she cried her tears as she ran to places unknown but all she knew was that she had to get away from this Trial which was responsible for so much misery. Ducky looked back to the nest and said in a pained and mournful voice "Goodbye mom, goodbye Spike" she sobbed before she turned around and ran away from the horrible fate that she was suddenly confronted with.


*


Sura awoke in the early morning feeling very refreshed. She looked up to the sky to see the bright circle peeking over the mountains, now it was time for her to resume Ducky's training in the Hidden Clearing. She wished that it did not have to be this way but she knew wishing would not necessarily save Ducky.
Sura got up and yawned then turned her head to look at her children that was when she saw that Ducky was missing. Though this wasn't really a cause for too much worry, but under the current circumstances Sura's mind immediately assumed the worst.

"DUCKY!" she screamed.

Sura jumped up and bent to examine Ducky's sleeping spot. Ruphus had woken up with a start when he heard Sura's cry. Thankfully none of the children woke, although there were a few tired groans.

"What's going on?" he asked Sura in alarm.

But Sura was bending down over a bit of damp grass next to Spike. Ruphus joined her and looked at the patch of grass and sniffed it curiously. He immediately lifted his head in disgust as did Sura, they both smelt it.

"Urine?" said Ruphus, he looked at his mate.

"Ducky's gone" she said "I think she's run away". Sura burst into tears. Ruphus held her in his arms.

"We have put to much pressure on Ducky dear, she is scared out of her mind, if she was in her right mind then I'm sure that she wouldn't do this" he said bitterly.

"What if she's hurt?" sobbed Sura.

"We'll find her dear" said Ruphus firmly. I swear we will find her and we will keep her safe".

Sura nodded and stopped sobbing, she had to find Ducky and bring her home, Sura knew that she would not rest until Ducky was back safe and sound. Sura got up and begun her search. "I'm coming Ducky" she called in a determined voice and she set off to find her beloved daughter.



Cliff hanger, this is when it gets interesting with Ducky gone, how will Sura and Ruphus find her? Stay tuned for the next chapter (s).

Yes. The training is very hard, to hard for Ducky. That is why Sura has been considering other approaches to the problem at hand.

Thanks very much.