What appeared from the trees behind the youngster was a Sharptooth, at least it seemed like one. But it was different, the teeth were too big, the eyes too glowing for it to be normal: it had been warped by a child's mind. Littlefoot had not imagined just any Sharptooth, but The Sharptooth that had cost him his mother and innocence. Years had passed, and the memory had become a monster of its' own.
Despite the massive creature not making a single sound, Threehorn instinctively jumped back in a defensive position, opening the way for Mary to reach the children. She did so, passing underneath the behemoth without him reacting, even as his spit dripped down.
"It is enough." The human female whispered to Littlefoot, seeing the pain in his face. Holograms were not hard to call, but the memories he had called upon were. "Thank you."
Littlefoot said nothing, merely letting the image fade. "He took my mother." He whispered, looking up to his father and grandfather. "It was the first time I saw death."
"I'm sorry." She carefully rested her arm over his shoulders and as if they could tell why she was touching him, the two elder Longneck males did not object.
Threehorn was less forgiving, his temper being brought to a boil at the closeness the human was having to his youngest daughter.
Hadria, no longer hindered with a being on her back, countered him with a cold boldness they had not seen in her before. Just as he had protested the presence of Pterano, he now protested the presence of the human. And this time, very few were in favor for her: only Hadria defied his demands, even her own mate turning against her.
"Still the same, eh?" A male's voice snorted. No one had noticed how and when, but Pterano had taken seat in one of the trees behind the children. "Can't you ever let someone inside?"
"Brother…" Saphira was one on hand overjoyed, on the other concerned. Where had he come from?
"Uncle!" A barrage of youngsters shot up to him, Petrie first of all.
"Well hello." Pterano flapped his wings, dispersing his sister's children. "Mymy, what a welcome."
"Just like always." Hadria half-turned to him. "Where is the rest?"
"On their way, it's not like they can fly over the Great Wall." Pterano reported, flapping down to good old earth to stand beside the children and human.
They saw with some worry that he too had those strange shining lines on his body.
"All of them?" Grandpa Longneck demanded, regarding the Flyer with trepidation.
"Yes." Pterano smiled. "And then some. But really, are we back to arguing already?"
Threehorn opened his mouth to throw his meaning into the world, but a withering glare of Grandpa made the words get stuck in his throat. "Grandma too?" The question he had wanted to ask the entire time, but could not since the interests of the Valley came first.
"She too." Pterano's face softened, spreading his wings. He pointed with one to a further-away spot in the protective mountain-ring where there was another secret entrance.
"So she is okay?" Littlefoot demanded, wide and hopeful eyes fastening on the Flyer's face. To his horror, the elder male seemed hesitant to answer.
"Not fully." He whispered, mien darkening. "It was a terrible battle, with more Sharpteeth than I had ever imagined together."
"And the others?" Hadria whispered, hands clasped together. "Tria, Tyra? The humans?"
"They will live." Pterano looked at the two mates, Chomper's father only getting what was being said with a short delay. "I cannot say the same about some of the humans."
"Serves them right." At ease after the news that his mate would be fine, Threehorn could once again fall back to his normal state of mind of anger.
"You do not know them." Hadria admonished him, eyes narrowed like those of a Sharptooth. "Don't judge."
"Your time with them has warped not only your body, but also your mind." He snarled. "They took you, nearly killed some of us and now you want us not to judge?"
"They took us and kept us with them." She conceded the point, her own voice harder than what her children were used of her. "As such we know them."
"I don't want to know them, I do not want them in this valley."
"It is already too late for that." Pterano countered sharply, pointing again to from where the others were to come. "Grandma is leading a good dozen of them inside as we speak. Will you not even take her judgment as trustworthy?" He pointed at the children beside him. While the grown-ups had argued, the gang had clustered together once more – though the ones without lines were somewhat hesitant around the human – aside from Chomper who had to stay near his father to translate. "These children have yet to lead you astray. Will you turn a deaf ear to their words? Littlefoot was raised well and responsibly by his grandparents. Is that worth nothing to you?"