The Gang of Five
Role Play => Land Before Time RPG => Topic started by: Serris on September 28, 2008, 11:31:15 PM
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This is an RP based off my fan fiction Twilight Valley
The discussion thread is here. (http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=3835)
The format for the character profile is:
Name:
Species:
Alignment:
Personality:
Appearence:
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So post the character profile here?
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So post the character profile here?
If you are using an original character, then yes.
You can use a canon character, but you will not need to do a profile.
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Here is my OC (I decided he should have a fighting style)
Name:Fastclaw known as 'kid' to the elder dinosaurs of the valley
Species:Deinonychus
Alignment:GV
Personality:Friendly,honest,loyal,willing to do whatever it takes for victory.
Appearence:light grey.
Fighting style: His fighting style is based off of Kickboxing and Karate.
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Name: Dante S. Starfall
Species: Troodon
Alignment: GV
Personality: Odd, but cheerful most of the time. In truth, he is hiding the pain of his being chased out of his herd behind the mask of a smile, and occasionally will let his true emotions, especially to Longtail, who he sees as his best friend.
Appearance: Black with red markings over his body, a scar on his left side, and a red underbelly.
Fighting Style: Capoeria-Based kickfighting
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Alright here's mine.
Name: Longtail F. Skyfire
Species: Flyer/Sharptooth (Think Rinkus)
Alignment: GV
Personality: He is something of an oxymoron: being the last of his direct family blood-line he can be exceedingly prideful and headstrong, however after spending most of his young life in the Mysterious Beyond, he is also somewhat hesitant and shy around others, fearing what they think of him.
Appearance: ** He has undergone several 'facial' redesigns since this drawing**
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii261/LBTGuardian/One_Long_Tail.jpg)
Fighting style: His personal fighting stance arise loosely from Tai-chi
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Fighting Style choice is optional.
Name: Deimos
Species: Utahraptor
Alignment: GV
Personality: Fun-loving and easy going. He can be rude at times. He will do anything for victory.
Appearence: Solid brown scales. Small facial scar on right side.
Fighting Style: Krav Maga
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When is this starting?
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(OOC - RP has started)
Deimos kicked a large brown seed pod to Ruby as Littlefoot tried to block him. Hyp intercepted the ball and kicked it to Nod. Nod then tail whipped it into the goal.
"Nice shot!" Deimos said.
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Dante grinned at Nod.
"Not a bad shot. I gotta say, I'm impressed."
He said, a smile on his face...
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"Yeah that was a very good shot indeed but that doesn't mean you're gonna win the game,' fastclaw said as the seed was tossed back into play.
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"Well are we going to continue the game or what,' fastclaw asked.
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Longtail just happened to be watching his friends play while sitting in the tree and eating several tree stars. He smiled as he saw Nod make his goal. 'Not a bad shot. thought Longtail to himself. He then ate several more treestars and thought about joining their game.
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Chomper passed the ball to fastclaw which was almost intercepted by mutt. Fastclaw ran for the goal dodging everyone who tried to block him he was within an arms reach of the goal when spike tackled him.as he fell fastclaw felt his ankle twist around. "Ow my ankle,' he yelled while hold his ankle in his right hand on the ground.
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Dante looked over at Fastclaw.
"Ah! You're hurt, aren't you? Let me take a look at that..."
He quickly ran over, dropping to a knee and looking at the ankle.
"Hm. Not too bad, but I'd still suggest you keep weight off it for a while."
He said, offering his arm
"Let's see about getting you somewhere where you can at least take a little break, friend..."
He said, smiling broadly...
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"Time out!" Deimos shouted. Littlefoot and the rest of the gang stopped playing.
Deimos then offered his hand to help Fastclaw onto his feet.
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Longtail looked down to see Fastclaw being helped up by Dante and Deimos. It looked like he was hurt. "Well looks like they are going to need another player now...don't have much of a choice." said Longtail to himself as he jumped out of the tree and landed next to Dante and Deimos who were still helping Fastclaw. Longtail then asked "You guys need any help..or another player?"
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Littlefoot looked at Longtail. "I think we could use another player. Those two look like they can handle this."
Hyp shrugged his shoulders.
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Longtail smiled and said, "Okay...I'll play. How many more seeds do we need to win the game?"
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"Yeah I'll just sit here on the side line and watch but next time spike's on our team,' fastclaw said to Dante.
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Dante smirked at Fastclaw.
"Yeah. I think that's a good idea. And yeah, I think having Spike on our team sounds like it's a good plan."
He said, smiling...
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"We were down by 2 points longtail,' fastclaw said.
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"So what happened?" Nod asked.
"Fastclaw got hurt." Deimos replied.
"So shall we continue?" Ruby asked
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Longtail smiled and said "Thanks Fastclaw! Okay...lets finish this game!" Longtail then got into a ready position knowing he'd have to run for the seed. He waited contently for the seed to be tossed.
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spike came up to fastclaw and asked "Ehhh'.
"It's ok spike it's not that bad,' fastclaw said.
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Deimos went back into the game, picked up the seed and punted it into the middle of the field.
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Fatsclaw set his leg on a rock and sat back to watch the rest of the game.
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Chomper caught the ball running in a zig zag pattern to dodge mutt before passing the ball to Longtail.
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(Has this RP gone dead?)
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(OOC- Raptor, this RP is not dead. I just haven't had much time.)
Hyp tried to slide into the ball to try and deflect it to Ruby but he missed and ended up sliding into Littlefoot. Deimos pursued the ball but was blocked by Spike.
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(Yeah I was wondering if anyone in the Rp had time I have been having some problems with doing homework lately)
Fastclaw saw Hyp slide into littlefoot and said to himself "Now that had to hurt'.
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Longtail saw what had happened and just had to laugh. He then said, "Sorry guys, but this ball is mine!" and he then landed on Spikes back and used his tail to knock the seed away from Spike. "And now the game keeps going!" He said with a smirk.
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"All right,' Fastclaw said smiling.
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Hyp leapt back onto his feet and pursued the ball. But he was cut off by Chomper who kicked the ball to Ruby but Mutt intercepted it only to lose it to Deimos who then tried to score but was blocked by Cera.
"Nice try." Cera said, "Heads up Longtail!". She then tail whipped the ball back into play.
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Dante chose that moment to act, leaping into the air, kicking the ball down, then landing next to it, running off down the field.
"Heh! Not gonna catch me!"
He laughed, racing towards the goal...
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as Fastclaw watched the game he was sitting anxiously.
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Longtail knew Dante's antics far too well, for as Dante raced down field Longtail had already doubled back and slid on his back across the ground and tripped Dante with his tail, and he smiled as he said, "I thought you knew Dante, never try to out run me...I'm a flyer...I'm just faster in the air!"
He then kicked the ball out from under them and said with a smile, "Somebody on my team get this ball in the goal!"
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Chomper caught the ball and ran past the goal scoring. "Yes,' fastclaw said to himself.
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Dante looked up, brushing dirt off his snout.
"Aw, c'mon. No tripping, Longtail. That's just not cool."
He said, faking a sulk...
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"Yes we're only down by one now,' fastclaw said to himself.
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Longtail smiled at Dante and replied "Oh yeah then don't steal the ball from a flyer who can trip you!" he then laughed and said "So, all we need is one more point...alright, let's end this game!"
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"Alright we're almost there,' fastclaw wispered to himself.
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Mutt trapped the ball and wove around Chomper and passed it to Hyp who then kicked it between Littlefoot's legs to Nod. Nod then faked out Cera and tail whipped the ball into the goal.
Deimos leapt into the air as a celebratory display.
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Longtail laughed nervously as he stood up and said, "Well that was a good game! Anyone up for another one? I can get us a new seed and everything!"
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Deimos shook his head. "Nah."
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Dante nodded, sinking back onto his haunches.
"Yeah, same here. I think I'll pass. I'm burnt out from that last game."
He said, smiling...
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"yeah it was a good game,' fastclaw said smiling.
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Longtail sighed at the sound of everyone saying they'd had enough, but he smiled as he repiled to Dante "Nah...you're just saying that cause you know I can trip you up when you're not looking!"
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Deimos chuckled at Longtail's wit. "So now what?"
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Dante stuck out his tongue.
"Yeah? Well, I could too, but I just didn't. So there."
He retorted.
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fastclaw chuckled to himself "Well what do we do now,' he asked.
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"I don't know... Maybe some sparring?" Deimos said. He threw a few jabs into the air. His stomach rumbled, "Or eat."
"I'd rather have something to eat." Chomper said.
"Who in the right mind would spar with you, Deimos?" Hyp said.
Deimos grinned, revealing his mouth full of serrated teeth. "You."
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"Yeah Eating would be better now,' fastclaw said.
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Dante smirked at Deimos.
"Well, I'm up for a quick bout! What do you say?"
He laughed, happily...
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"With pleasure!" Deimos responded.
"This ought to be interesting." Mutt said.
"I challange the winner!" Hyp said.
"Hyp! Can you go for one cycle of the Bright Circle without challanging someone to a contest?" Ruby scolded, crossing her arms.
"Well. If Dante and Deimos want to lay into each other that's fine by me." Cera said.
(OOC - x cycles of the Bright Circle = x days)
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"Well if I didn't get hurt in the game I would challenge you but I'll just watch,' fastclaw said.
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"So Dante, what rules do you want to use?" Deimos asked. "I'm up for the 'anything goes' category."
Ruby sighed "Deimos, choose something other than the 'anything goes' category. It then turns a friendly competition into a brutal battle."
"Aww. But that's what makes it interesting." Deimos said with mock sadness. "Fine. I'll go by this rule set. No biting, eye-gouging or groin attacks. Use of claws is prohibited. Winner declared by countdown or submission. These rules okay with you, Dante?"
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Dante nodded.
"Like I've ever turned down a fight! Ready to go, Deimos?"
He chuckled...
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Petrie, Spike, Hyp, were gathered around what was the ball field. The gathered dinosaurs formed a large ring around the two combatants.
"This will be a best out of 3 match. There will be no biting, eye-gouging or groin attacks. Use of claws is prohibited. Winner declared by countdown or submission." Littlefoot said.
Deimos grinned. "Bring it!" He then squared off against Dante.
"This fight will now begin!" Hyp said.
Deimos circled Dante for a few moments, he suddenly charged towards Dante started off with an elbow aimed at Dante's jaw.
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Dante smirked, then jumped backwards, spinning a kick at Deimos's jaw.
"How's this?!"
He retorted, grinning...
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Deimos ducked under Dante's kick and let him land. He then aimed an elbow at Dante's face and a sweeping tail whip at his legs.
"Hmm. Notice how Deimos isn't quite as flashy as Dante?" Hyp said.
"Whatever." Ruby replied, rolling her eyes.
"Aww. Come on, Ruby. This is interesting." Cera said.
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'Yeah it's fun watching riby,' fastclaw said.
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Dante flippantly leaned back to dodge the punch, then let Deimos's tail whip push his legs into another kicking attack as he caught himself on his arm...
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Deimos leapt to the side, dodging Dante's kick. He then circled around and attempted to grab Dante's arm.
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Dante let a small nervous gasp escape his lips as he felt Deimos grab his arm, but then he relaxed as he thought up a plan...
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Deimos twisted Dante's arm behind his back and tried to kick Dante's legs out from under him.
"Hmm. Looks like Deimos is winning." Hyp said.
"Remember the last time you sparred with Dante?" Cera said.
"Oh yeah."
"Well, this going to be interesting." Chomper said.
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Dante flipped backwards, deliberately dislocating his own shoulder, landing on Deimos's back, then jumping off, pushing his arm back...
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Longtail was too busy watching the fight to actually comment on it. But he did in fact wince as he saw Dante dislocate his own shoulder on purpose, and asked "Wouldn't that hurt? Even I can't do that to myself...but Dante just did and he didn't even shed a tear! I still have a lot to learn!
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Deimos grunted and fell to the ground as Dante leapt on his back.
He then kicked Dante and got back up onto his feet.
Deimos feinted to the left of Dante and attempted to grab him once more.
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Longtail grinned and shouted, "Hey Dante, don't slip up! I'd hate to see you get your tail whipped!"
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"So who's gonna win?" Chomper asked.
"I'm betting on Dante." Cera said.
"Remember, Deimos is absolutely brutal at grappling. If he grabs Dante and gets him to the ground, it's over." Hyp said.
"You only say that because you suck at grappling!"
"Hey! Have you seen him grapple with some of the other dinosaurs?"
"Ah, cut it out you two!" Littlefoot said, "Just watch the bout!"
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Longtail had a curious look on his face as he asked the others watching "Do you think they'd be mad if I just started throwing rocks at the two of them? Cause that's sounding like a lot of fun right about now."
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In the moment he felt Deimos's arms moving to grab him, he lashed his leg out, hoping to trip Deimos...
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Fastclaw looked at longtail and said "Yeah but they'd probbaly throw them back a lot harder'.
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Longtail chuckled and sighed as he replies, "You're probably right Fastclaw. But it was a funny idea."
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Deimos leapt over the low kick. He then landed and threw a punch at Dante's ribs.
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Dante fell onto his back, slinging his legs out to catch Deimos's punch, then rolled over, throwing Deimos with his momentum...
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Deimos grunted as he struck the ground. He placed one hand on the ground and pushed himself back onto his feet. He took a few deep breaths and squared off against Dante.
He closed in on Dante and swept low with his tail, trying to trip Dante.
"That has got to hurt." Chomper said, looking at the blow Deimos took.
"Deimos has taken worse. Remember the time that Mutt accidentally whacked him in the groin with a tree branch?" Hyp said.
"Please don't remind me."
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Longtail laughed at the memory. "Oh yeah...I remember that day...hehe...I still can't believe Deimos didn't even flinch at that...it must've hurt!" he then turned his head up to the tree above him and asked "Does anyone else want some green food?"
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"I'm in!" Hyp said.
"Yeah, it's hard to watch a match when you're thinking about food." Cera added.
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Longtail smiled as he stood up and began climbing the closest tree. After reaching the nearest branch he started ripping the treestars away from their roots and smiled as he brought down more and more for his friends. After several moments of clawing and tearing he looked down at the pile he'd made and asked, "Is that enough....or do we need more? Cause I can get more."
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"Spike eats the most, so I would say get some more." Cera said before eating the treestars.
Ruby said nothing but began eating.
"So who's going to win?" Mutt asked.
"Deimos." Hyp replied.
"Dante." Chomper countered.
(OOC - how long do you want me to wait until the invasion and battles start?)
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Longtail laughed and nodded his head as he returned into the tree and started clawing at the leaves once again. After another few moments he stuck his head back out and jumped out of the tree landing on his feet. He then answered Mutts question and said, "I'm rooting for Dante, but at this point its anyones fight."
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"Well Longtail, you're right it can go either way. But let's eat!" Littlefoot said. He then began to help himself to the pile of treestars.
Spike mumbled something and began to eat heartily.
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Dante let out a soft 'oof' as he hit the ground, rolling away from any followup attacks from Deimos...
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"It's still anyones fight,' fastclaw said.
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Deimos got on top of Dante and tried to pin him to the ground.
"This is not going to end well for Dante." Hyp said between mouthfuls of food.
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"No it does not,' fastclaw said.
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Dante retaliated, throwing both his legs up into Deimos's sternum, trying to dislodge him...
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Deimos grunted as Dante's feet struck him in the chest but he still kept his grip.
"Yikes! Deimos has freakish pain tolerence!" Mutt said.
Deimos then tried to headbutt Dante in the face as hard as possible.
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"It is OVER!" Hyp shouted.
"It is not!" Mutt shouted back.
"Deimos on top of Dante equals lose for Dante."
"He'll be able to pull something off!"
"Will you two shut up and watch the fight!" Cera shouted.
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Dante grinned, then twisted, throwing himself out of the way of Deimo's headbutt.
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Longtail grinned and muttered "That was too close...come on Dante! Get off your tail and fight!"
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Deimos grunted as he accidentally slammed his head into the ground.
He then tried to punch Dante.
"Does Deimos even feel pain?" Mutt asked.
"Judging from the tree branch incident and now this, my guess is 'no'." Ruby said.
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Longtail smiled at Rubys comment and said, "Yeah...I think she's right."
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Cera then turned to Longtail. "So you think it's gonna end in a draw?"
"A draw?" Hyp asked.
"Well yeah. Deimos seemingly can't feel pain and Dante can't quite be pinned."
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Longtail sighed and said, "Well it's either going to be a draw...or this will be the longest sparring match in this valley's history. I'm hoping for a draw at this point...cause I'm getting tired of sitting here."
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Yeah so am I,' fastclaw said yawning.
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(OOC - An announcement:Canon characters are "public domain" [anyone can use them at anytime so as long as they do not conflict with each other])
Mutt chuckled. "It looks like Deimos is not quite as good as he was. What happened to his grappling?"
"Yeah, what happened to Dante's flashy kicks?" Hyp countered.
"Shut up will you! I'm trying to watch." Nod shouted.
"What is there to watch? Neither is getting the upper hand." Cera said, "I'm with Longtail and Fastclaw. I hope it ends soon because it's getting boring. I mean, Deimos is on top of Dante and Dante is too flexible to pin and Deimos can't feel pain so it's basically stalemated."
"Want to call it a draw?" Littlefoot asked.
"Sure. It's not like anything Deimos or Dante is going to win." Ruby replied.
"Fastclaw, Longtail, call a draw?"
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Longtail smiled and said, "I'm fine with that idea. I'll go get them." Longtail the stood up and walked over as he said, "Hey you two...stop the duel. Its over, we all talked it over and it's officially a draw. Now step away from each other and let's do something that we can all enjoy!"
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Deimos immediately released Dante. "Ok, Longtail so now what?"
Cera groaned. "I wanted to see this finished."
Nod chuckled. "I hope you have a lot of patience then."
"I do!"
"Sure."
"Cut it out, you two." Ruby said.
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Longtail had a sudden idea! "Okay I know how to finish this! Both you and Dante will take several steps away from each other and when I give the signal you two will charge and the first last one standing is the winner...how's that sound to you two?" he asked Deimos and Dante
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"I like that idea,' fastclaw said.
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"Aww. I wanted to fight it out with Dante, not run into each other." Deimos complained.
Ruby sighed. "Deimos, be realistic no one's going to sit here and watch you and Dante fight when no one is winning."
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Over in the far reaches of the Mysterious Beyond, in a valley like the Great Valley only filled with sharpteeth, a tall black Sharptooth was talking with a Spike-Frill.
"Styracus, have your forces prepared for the invasion yet?" the sharptooth asked.
"Yes, Excidium, my forces are currently preparing their weapons." Styracus replied.
"Excellent. I'll prepare the squadron. And I'd recommend you take a few members of my Hunter Battalion, they are the most well trained of my sharpteeth. "
"Will do."
Styracus then headed back to a flat plain where his squad of plant eaters were preparing their weapons.
One of the plant eaters, a dark green Runner was using a sharp rock to whittle a spear from a long tree branch.
Another plant eater, a dark blue Swimmer, was hammering out a stone spearhead from a glassy black rock. A completed stone tipped spear lay by his feet.
(OOC - I hope no one minds that I didn't bother to explain why Styracus and his squad are inside a valley full of Sharpteeth.)
(OOC- Spike-Frill is a Styracosaurus)
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Dante nodded.
"I guess Longtail's right. We weren't going anywhere fast with the last thing, so let's try something new."
He said, grinning slightly...
_________________________________________________________________________
Next to the black sharptooth, a purple raptor dropped out of the nearby trees.
"Sir...Allow me, and the Ressentiment herd to go with Styracus. It would be an honor to accompany them, to...keep an eye on them, if you will..."
Kireek said, his voice quiet, rasping, and evil...
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"Any new form of sparring is fine by me." Deimos replied.
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"Kireek, take the most well trained members of Ressentiment herd and order them to accompany Styracus." Excidium said, looking at Styracus's herd preparing for battle. "And another thing, under no circumstances are you to attack them, unless they attack you and even then, you may only use the force required to defend yourself."
"Um, sir? Exactly how well trained is Styracus's herd." a green raptor asked.
"I'd say that they are more than a match for the average sharptooth or plant eater and they'd would give our basic sharpteeth quite a challenge but they are still no match for the elite Hunter Battalion or Ressentment Herd."
(OOC - I hope I didn't make Styracus's herd too powerful)
(OOC - Starfall, how should we do the Deimos/Dante "joust"? Should we ignore real life weight differences <Utahraptors weighed about 1,000 pounds or more and Troodons peaked at 150 pounds or so.>?)
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Longtail sighed.
"As long as you two don't end up trying to overpower the other on the dirt I'll be fine with whatever you two choose." he replied with a irritated tone. Suddenly Longtail shuddered as he looked around as if trying to find something that he couldn't see.
_________________________________-
A yellow belly dragger happened to be sitting nearby Excidium and Kireek while they spoke, but taking no interest in the conversation she simply sighed and set her head down on the rock under her.
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Deimos looked at Dante. "Ok then, ready when you are."
Chomper looked at the two. "This should be good."
"Not as interesting as was watching them pound on each other but hey who's complaining." Hyp said.
"You." Cera countered.
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Dante smiled.
"I'm always ready, Deimos! Let's get it on!"
He said, tailtip twitching...
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Deimos nodded. "Let's go!" He then backed up a distance and charged at full speed towards Dante.
"Wow! I didn't Deimos was that fast." Cera said.
"You'd be suprised." Littlefoot said.
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The young sharptooth sighed as she pulled herself the rest of the way up the hill and examined the valley before her. Lori frowned as she saw the flattooth herds wandering across the valley floor.
So she hadn't managed to find the valley her parents had talked about. Instead she came across this flattooth paradise.
Lori sighed aloud and started down the hill. She hadn't eaten in a while and she was growing thinner than usual. Perhaps she could find some small prey without attracting any attention from the leafeaters.
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(OOC - Drake, please make a character profile, the instructions are in the first post <fighting style choice is optional>. You can place it here or in the associated RP discussion thread)
"I'm betting this is going to end in a stalemate again." Mutt said.
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Dante smirked, kicking forwards with a burst of speed at Deimos.
"Ready or not, here I come!"
He said, the dust kicking up around his feet...
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Deimos maintained his charge and angled his shoulder so it would be the first part of him to strike Dante.
"I'm going to bet that this is the one time Deimos feels pain." Chomper said.
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"Yes this should be done quickly,' fastclaw said
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Lori had gobbled up several slow moving beetles and was feeling quite full. She decided she would find a place to rest before doing anything else.
As she walked through the trees, voices reached her ears. Curiosity overrode her sense of caution and she turned in the direction of the voices.
She peered over top of a fern bush and saw a group of young flatteeth and sharpteeth. She was stunned to see such a group. Her attention turned to the two charging sharpteeth.
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The rustling bushes caught Ruby's attention. She turned towards them and noticed someone. "Guys, there's someone in the bushes."
Cera was too busy watching the impending impact to notice Ruby's statement.
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"Yeah I hear it too ruby,' fastclaw said.
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"Uh-oh," Lori whispered and slowly backed away, the bushes rustling slightly as she did.
Chomper looked up as well and sniffed the air. "I smell a sharptooth."
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((OOC: I'll take control of Dante here too.))
Longtail still too engrossed in the fight tried to quiet everyone down so he could watch without interruptions. "Can you guys keep it down?!"
Dante saw the charge coming and reached his claw to catch Deimos' shoulder. As his hand collided with Deimos Dante jumped up and over his adversary and landed low to the ground and he turned to try and bite Deimos's tail.
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Deimos flicked his tail, trying to strike Dante.
"Oh, great. Long sparring match is coming up." Cera said.
"Dante!" Littlefoot shouted, "What are you doing? Didn't Deimos and you agree to the 'no biting' rule for this match?"
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Dante was distracted by Littlefoots comment just long enough to trip over his own feet and landed on his belly. "Ow...and yes, I forgot. Sorry." He then picked himself up and tried to headbutt Deimos.
Longtail continued to watch unaware that the others were walking away.
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Deimos saw the group moving out of the corner of his eye. He was distracted for a moment, allowing Dante's headbutt to connect with his stomach.
Deimos grunted as the wind was knocked out of him. "Dante, Longtail, something's going on. Our audience is gone."
Cera was walking towards the bushes where Ruby had heard rustling before. Cera shot a quick glance at Dante and Deimos. She chuckled. "Those two seem to live for fighting."
Ruby nodded. "Yeah, they're turning a simple charging match into another wrestling match."
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Lori had retreated out of the bushes, when the group had passed through them, they found the sharptooth waiting for them.
She was several tail lengths away, so she would have enough of a headstart if she needed to make a run for it.
"Hello," Lori said, speaking in leafeater.
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"Well hello to you too,' fastclaw said and paused for a moment before asking "What's your name?"
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"Well hello!" Ruby said.
"Hi." Hyp said, not making eye contact.
"Uh. Hi." Mutt added.
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"Lori," she replied, facing Fastclaw. "I kind of just wandered in here."
"It's nice to meet you, Lori," Chomper said, smiling and displaying his mouthful of teeth.
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"Nice to meet you Lori." Littlefoot said.
-------------------
Excidium looked over at Styracus's herd.
A sickleclaw went up to Excidium. "Sir! Styracus's herd seems to be mostly prepared."
Excidium smiled. "Excellent. Go brief them and report back to me."
The sickleclaw nodded and headed to Styracus's herd.
"Styracus! Your group will be the first to arrive at the Great Valley. Target any sentries. If there are no sentries, attack any Great Valley dinosaur you see. Take prisoners if so desired. Hunter Battalion and Ressentment Herd will join you as leave Claw Valley."
Styracus nodded. "Very well. My herd is mostly done preparing their weapons."
A blue Fast-Runner stood up. He had a hollow reed and a pouch of poison darts dangling from his shoulder. "Ready to go."
A green Swimmer stood up. She had three stone tipped javelins strapped to her back and held another one. "Ready."
"Good." The sickleclaw said. He then left the group to report back to Excidium.
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"May I ask how you came to find the great valley,' fastclaw asked.
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"My parents were looking for another valley," Lori replied. "Supposedly a sharptooth paradise with plenty of food... I thought this might be it."
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Chomper grinned. "This isn't a sharptooth paradise but you'll be fine here. Just don't try eating any of my friends."
Ruby looked over at Dante and Deimos still sparring. "Who's going to tell them that we have a visitor?"
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"We have more than one visitor. Ill news, I fear. An armed group has begun to move around here."
Motochika said, stepping out from the nearby trees, eyes grim, clutching his personal bladed staff.
"They don't seem friendly, either, I'm afraid."
Virgil added, stepping out aside his friend.
_________________________________________________________________________
Kireek dropped beside Styracus, holding a long stone blade at his side.
"You are ready then, Styracus?"
He asked, then gestured with his hand, calling his chosen allies to his side.
Lilith, who was armed with a thin lance with a curved, sharp stone blade, her feminine curves belying her sadistic nature.
Alastor, his massive stone blade on his back, a cold gleam in his eyes.
Mephist, whose claws were grown long and sharp, with stone reinforcements over them.
And Faust, whose entire body was wrapped in vines with short blades tied to them.
Kireek nodded at each in turn, then faced Styacus.
"When do we move?"
He asked, eyes narrowed and ready...
-
Styracus grinned. "We move NOW!" he shouted.
His herd cheered, a loud roar that was heard through out the valley.
Theta, a heavily built, solid black Swimmer brandished his weapon, a stone knife. The black blade gleamed in the sun. "Now, let's have some fun."
A thin female Fast Runner, whooped as she brandished her weapon, a thin but deadly stone tipped spear.
Another Swimmer brandished his weapon, a stone ax.
Styracus's herd gradually proceeded to the exit of Claw Valley.
-------------
Ducky's mother and two another Swimmers were patrolling an area near the outskirts of the valley.
"Someone's present." one of the Swimmers said. He readied his weapon, a stone ax
As he finished his sentence; a large rock hurtled from bushes and knocked the Swimmer out.
The other Swimmer dodged another large rock thrown at him and charged into the bushes with his stone tipped spear at the ready.
Ducky's mother followed, brandishing her twin sticks.
There, they encountered 3 sickleclaws, one wielding a stone tipped spear and the other 2 fighting with their bare hands.
The other Swimmer attacked the spear wielding sickleclaw. He parried a jab from his enemy and retaliated with a short thrust which the sickleclaw dodged. The Swimmer narrowly avoided a jab to the stomach but the sickleclaw was not so lucky. The Swimmer managed to graze the sickleclaw's leg causing it to flinch.
As it flinched, the Swimmer aimed another thrust at its stomach, which caused a shallow stab wound. The sickleclaw aimed a desperate jab at the Swimmer's stomach which the Swimmer tried to dodge but not well enough. The stone head penetrated the Swimmer's skin and left a shallow stab wound.
The Swimmer swore as be blocked another thrust from the sickleclaw and retaliated with a powerful thrust to the stomach that the sickleclaw didn't parry in time; the stone spearhead buried itself into the sickleclaw's stomach. The Swimmer pushed the spear even deeper into the sickleclaw and then pulled it out, leaving his fatally injured opponent on the ground.
Ducky's mother, who had just finished knocking out one of the sickleclaws turned to her partner. "Look out!"
The Swimmer turned around but it was too late, the other sickleclaw, who had seized the stone ax from the unconscious Swimmer, struck him in the head, severely injuring him. As he fell, the sickleclaw hacked at him until he died.
Ducky's mother looked at the ax wielding sickleclaw who decided then decided to attack her.
The sickleclaw reared back to take a swing at her, but she blocked the blow with one of her sticks, catching the ax just below the head. Almost, simultaneously, she swept upward with the other stick, catching the sickleclaw in the groin.
The sickleclaw flinched and prepared for another blow, this time to her arms. Ducky's mother quickly dodged the blow and retaliated with powerful swing to the ribs.
The sickleclaw grunted as the blow landed. Ducky's mother then closed in on the sickleclaw and smashed the butt of her right hand stick into the sickleclaw's right shoulder.
The sickleclaw swore as the bone crushing blow landed. It dropped its weapon and tried to slash Ducky's mother with its free hand. But she parried it and forced the sickleclaw to the ground where she snapped its neck using the sticks for leverage.
(OOC - Sorry for the bizarre characterization of Ducky's mother :p)
-
Kireek nodded.
"Excellent! Ressentiment! ADVANCE!"
He said, raising his sword high...
________________________________________________________________________
As Motochika and Virgil made the announcement, a pair of Sickleclaws lunged at them from the trees. One lunged at Virgil, who quickly caught the attacker's arm, flipped over him, and with a sickening snap, broke the bone, then grabbed his opponent's head, snapping his neck in one wrenching motion.
Motochika caught the attack on his staff, kicking his opponent back, slashing at him. He landed a single blow, cutting his opponent, who quickly fled...
-
Longtail heard the roar of triumph, and turned his head to see Virgil and Motochika fighting the two...well...one sharptooth with the other being dead on the ground. Time seemed to slow down for Longtail as he stood up, felt that familiar anger rise within him, felt his right eye change color, and noticing a nearby rock he ran and jumped off of it using it to throw him into the air.
Using the aerial height to his advantage, Longtail looked down upon the floor of the valley and noticed another sickleclaw about to attack....knowing that calling out would just waste time, the flyer dive-bombed the sharptooth biting and clawing as hard as he could.
-
"What is going on longtail tell us what you see,' fastclaw shouted.
-
"Oy. Something's up!" Ruby said, noticing that Fastclaw and Longtail were missing.
Littlefoot looked at Deimos and Dante. "Come on, you two! Something is really going on!"
Deimos looked at Dante. "Want to just call this off and see what's going on?"
Ruby was the first to arrive. She spotted Longtail fighting with a sickleclaw. She jumped in and proceeded to kick the sickleclaw anywhere she could reach.
The rest of the group arrived soon after and noticed Longtail, Ruby, Virgil and Motochika fighting with 2 sickleclaws.
Hyp, Mutt and Ducky seized some sticks on the ground and jumped in to help Virgil and Motochika.
"I'll tell the adults." Littlefoot said.
"Go do that!" Hyp replied, as he struck the sickleclaw in the ribs with his stick.
-
Despite Ruby's best efforts the sickleclaw now had a firm grip on Longtail's throat, and the poor flyer was struggling to breath.
"Not so tough now little one...wait..." said the sharptooth, "You smell like a sharptooth as well, but...you're clearly a flyer...unless...Oh this is a good day for me!" The sickleclaw then gave Ruby a hard kick to her head and turned to run off with his prize.
-
Fastclaw leaped and landed on the sickle claw's back before clentching his claws into the sickleclaws back.
-
The sickleclaw screamed in pain, but refused to let Longtail go, and thrashed about trying to throw Fastclaw off of him. He cried out:
"Let go little biter, this flyer is mine!"
-
Ruby fell to the ground. Nod dragged her away from he sickleclaw.
Littlefoot soon arrived at the Thundering Falls Lake. "There's been an attack at the Bubbling Muds."
Chomper leapt onto the sickleclaw and bit whatever parts he could reach. "Let go of him, you bastard!" Chomper shouted.
-
Fastclaw started to rip pieces of flesh off the sickleclaw's back while yelling let him go!'
-
Chomper briefly let go of the sickleclaw. "Hyp, Mutt, someone get over here!" He then lept back on the sickleclaw and continued biting him.
Hyp jabbed his stick into his opponent's neck, stunning him. Hyp then ran to the sickleclaw and proceeded to beat him about the head with his stick.
-
Lori watched the battle from afar. She wondered at the youngsters' resolve to just plung into the fight. Especially the flatteeth, most of her experience with flatteeth was watching them try to run away from her parents.
The sight of both meat and plant eater fighting together was even odder to her. She stared at the sickleclaw that was strangling Longtail for a moment. This really wasn't her fight, she had just arrived and didn't even plan to stay at the moment.
She gritted her teeth and then leapt forward, closing her mouth around the tip of the sickleclaw's tail.
-
Fastclaw continued to claw and bite the sickleclaw trying to get him to release longtail.
-
The sickleclaw had finally had enough, and in a last ditch effort to keep his prize and make his escape the sickleclaw stuffed Longtail into his mouth as he whipped his tail attmepting to get Lori off, and now with his hands free he began to attack Fastclaw as well.
-
Fastclaw slashed the sickleclaw in the eyes then jumped off his back in front of him before slashing his claws against the sickleclaws jaw.
-
Dante had turned when he heard the struggle, and now took a shot he had been waiting for. He held a small, sharp stone, tossing it into the air, then kicking it as hard as he could, sending it hurtling into the Sickleclaw's throat, piercing cleanly through, sending him to the ground in a pool of blood...
"You...That's what you get for trying to hurt my friends..."
He said, his eyes a bloody crimson, then turned to Longtail.
"You okay, Guardian?"
He asked...
-
"Yeah you ok longtail,' fatsclaw asked turning his head which was splattered with blood.
-
Deimos ran up to the group. "Did I miss anything?"
"Only Dante killing a sickleclaw." Chomper said, his mouth stained with blood.
"Wonder why he was after Longtail?" Hyp asked. He was leaning on his stick which was stained with blood, both from his previous assault and Dante's final blow.
Mutt and Ducky were still fighting the one sickleclaw alongside Motochika and Virgil.
Mutt swung a powerful downward blow that the sickleclaw tried to block but instead had his arm broken.
Ducky aimed a short thrust at the sickleclaw's groin causing him to double over in pain.
Deimos looked at the four. "Let's go help them."
Nod chuckled. "You just want to kill something, don't you?" he said, looking at Deimos.
Hyp nodded and readied his stick. Deimos advanced on the sickleclaw, Hyp following.
Deimos glared at the sickleclaw. "Hey buddy! Get out of this valley!" Hyp brandished his stick to reinforce the point.
-
"Hey I got to him first and I injured him first,' fastclaw said.
-
Longtail was in utter shock...not at being now covered in blood, but waking up just moments before and realizing he was IN a sharptooth's mouth. After a few more moments he blinked and looked around expecting something else...but finding only his friends Longtail sighed.
"Don't...worry about me....I'm okay. I think..." he then looked up at Dante and asked, "wait....did you just call me guardian?"
-
"Yeah why did you call longtail that dante,' fastclaw asked as he wiped the blood off his face.
-
Lori growled as she rolled onto her feet. The sickleclaw's tail whip had flung her a short distance away from the group.
She took a moment to lick away the few specks of blood around her mouth and then walked over to see how the flyer was doing.
-
Longtail looked over to Lori and gave a weak smile.
"Yeah...I'm okay. Thank you for asking Lori, it means alot to me knowing a sharptooth in a strange land would help me, and ask if I'm okay."
-
Littlefoot looked at Longtail. "So any idea why Dante called you 'Guardian'?" Littlefoot asked.
-
Longtail sighed.
"Dante, only calls me that when something bad, or horrible is about to happen, which is why his eyes glowed red."
-
Dante shook his head, seeming to come to his senses.
"Longtail's right. That wasn't so much me speaking as my...other self. Everything that I'd rather not be. That's a sure sign of trouble coming."
He sighed, an irritated look on his face...
-
Longtail sighed.
"I fear another, and rather dangerous adventure is about to unfold...and we are all going to be stuck right in the middle. And there isn't anything we can do about it."
-
Lori frowned in confusion. She stepped back and away from the group, turning toward the nearby trees. She obviously wasn't planning on hanging around much longer.
-
Longtail turned his head and noticed Lori leaving. He then called out, "Hey, Lori...where are going...don't you want to stay. Maybe we could help you find what you're looking for."
-
She stopped and turned back to face him. "You would do that? Even though you barely know me?"
Lori was confused and touched by Longtail's offer. She looked at the rest of the group to see their reactions.
-
Chomper nodded. "Welcome to the Great Valley Lori."
Cera looked at Lori. "You're one of us now."
"Hey Deimos! Aren't you gonna greet our newest friend?" Nod shouted.
"Later! I've got to administer a beatdown to our intruder!" Deimos shouted back. He then tackled the sickleclaw and punched him. At the same time, Hyp kicked the sickleclaw in the groin and Ducky kicked him in the head.
Finally, Deimos tore the sickleclaw's throat out with his teeth. He stood up from the dead sickleclaw and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Virgil, Motochika, Dante, Hyp, Mutt and Ducky thanks for the help." he said, looking at each in turn.
Deimos then turned to Lori. "Oh, hello there."
-
Dante smiled at Lori.
"Hey there. Nice to meet you. I'm Dante. Dante S. Starfall."
He said, offering his hand to her...
Virgil and Motochika looked at Lori as well, each smiling...
-
Littlefoot was at the Thundering Falls Lakes. He had finished speaking to Mr. Threehorn when Ducky's mother ran in. She had her twin sticks strapped across her back.
"Ms. Swimmer, what seems to be the problem?" Mr. Threehorn asked.
Ducky's mother took a deep breath. "We are under attack."
Mr. Threehorn nodded. "It seems like Littlefoot here can confirm. I'll call a meeting."
-
Lori tilted her head to the side as Dante extended his hand. She did not recognize the gesture and his name was also oddly long. "Um, hi."
She briefly glanced over at Virgil and Motochika, noticing their smiles.
-
Deimos saw Lori's confusion. "That's gesture called a handshake. We use it to greet others. By the way, my name is Deimos."
-
Ducky introduced herself. "My name is Ducky."
Hyp, Mutt and Chomper introduced themselves.
--------
Out in the distance two Egg-Stealers were at an oasis. The sound of bickering was heard.
"Strut! How many times have I told you, no more of this damned green food!" Ozzie shouted, forcing Strut's mouth open and sweeping it clear of the food.
"But Ozzie..." Strut began.
Ozzie punched Strut. "Shut up! I am tired of your excuses." He then began to rain blow after blow on Strut.
Suddenly and much to Ozzie's shock, Strut landed a surprisingly well aimed and strong punch to Ozzie's groin.
"Ozzie, I am tired of the abuse you've given me! I'm going to join the Great Valley dinosaurs." Strut said.
Ozzie was in too much pain to chase after Strut, so he cursed at him instead. "Go on, you ungrateful bastard! See how they treat you!"
Strut then spat in Ozzie's direction and headed in the direction of the Great Valley.
(OOC - I'll take Strut. Anyone can have Ozzie.)
-
Dante smiled at Lori's confusion, then dropped his had to his side, grinning.
"If you're wondering, the name's something that my mentor gave me. He always said that names exerted a strong pull on people..."
He trailed off, looking into the sky...
-
Strut wandered through the Mysterious Beyond until he reached the borders of the Great Valley.
"I hope they will accept me." he muttered to himself as he entered.
-
"Hey who's that,' fastclaw asked .
-
Deimos looked at where Fastclaw has looking. "It's an Egg-Stealer."
"Let's take him out before he steals some eggs!" Hyp said, brandishing his stick.
The group then began to advance towards Strut, who tried to run, only to be stunned by a well thrown stick by Deimos.
Strut fell to the ground as the wind was knocked out of him. He looked at Deimos.
"Wait, I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm here because I need to hide from my brother." Strut said.
"You're an Egg-Stealer, thus you steal and eat eggs. Give us one good reason why we shouldn't smash your head in." Hyp spat, stick raised.
"I don't eat eggs."
"Liar."
"Hyp. We may have a useful ally." Chomper said. "I mean he's a two-footer like you. Thus, he can use the same weapons as you. Besides, if he does try anything funny, Deimos and I will eat him."
-
Longtail sighed and said, "You guys need to relax." He looked to Strut and asked, "So, what's your name, and if you need to hide from your brother, why did you choose here?"
-
"You're not going to kill me are you?" Strut asked, looking at Hyp who was still brandishing his stick.
Chomper looked at Hyp. "Hyp, put the stick away."
Hyp grumbled but obeyed.
Chomper then turned to Strut. "Hi."
-
Lori followed the others they moved towards the egg-stealer. She reflected for a moment that neither sharptooths nor flattooths liked egg-stealers very much. She didn't much like them herself.
-
Longtail was simply looking Strut over when his eyes widened and he said, "You look way too familiar to me...but I don't know why?" He then looked Strut in the eyes and asked, "Where have I seen you before? Tell me!"
-
"I've never seen you before." Strut said.
-
Longtail stared at Strut for a few moments longer, but then sighed as he turned away.
"Nevermind...I'm sorry you just looked familiar is all...maybe a sleepstory I had before." Longtail then asked:
"Well why are you here?"
-
"He said he wanted to hide from his brother," Lori pointed out. She paused, not comfortable bearing her feelings to people. "And I don't see why you're so intent to turn him away, when you have a sharptooth living here in the first."
She glanced over at Hyp.
-
Hyp glanced back at Lori. "Woah. We're under attacked and we're kind of on edge."
Strut looked at Lori. "Thank you! I will help you in any way possible in return for sheltering me."
Chomper looked at Strut. "Fine. We'll trust you for now."
"Well, Strut, the first thing to do is help us keep watch on this area. We're on duty until the Night Circle rises."
Strut grabbed broke off a stick from a nearby tree and stood guard.
-
"Yeah, great," Lori sighed, wondering if she would regret offering support for the eggstealer. If he turned out to be a spy or something, it could possibly reflect badly on her. She decided it wouldn't matter anyway since she didn't plan to stay long. "Anyway, do we have to get someone's permission to stay here?"
-
"I'd bring up with Littlefoot's grandparents." Deimos said "They're basically the leaders of the Great Valley. They shouldn't have a problem as long as he hasn't tried to kill someone."
--------
Ozzie had followed his brother's footprints until he started to become tired.
"You win for now Strut." Ozzie said. "But you wait."
He then lay down in a small hollow for a nap.
-
EDIT: Oh gosh, I'm sorry for the length! So not a good first impression to this RP...
(Oh, and for those who don't know yet, Kit's Petrie's cousin by her dad, Tylr being the youngest of his mom's brood, I wasn't sure if Serris you got the memo yet and I left it out of the bio somehow)
Just then Kit, who had been gone for about two bright circles due to an adventure that had spanned into controversy that might or might not have had anything to do with the war, re-entered the Valley giggling, an oddity in this time.
"Misty, come on" she called, landing and turning to call to her companion. The young egg snatcher followed soon enough, yet hesitantly.
"Ok, look kid, I know I saved you and you want to be BFFs forever now" she began. Kit giggled again, "Well I didn't say you had to do that".
"Anyway, first off, not that I'm not starting to like you and I'm glad I saved you and all, you do realize I was just hunting those sharptooth eggs in the first place and the rock falling was a fluke at best".
Kit nodded, "Uh huh, I got that" she said still smiling.
"Second, I'm an egg snatcher, I snatch eggs" Misty tried to communicate this point yet again, "your full grown adults aren't going to want me within ten feet of here and their nests".
"I already told you, I know where they have fish and fish eggs" Kit said.
"You're...not listening" Misty sighed.
"Just come try" Kit said, "we've had a sharptooth get accepted here, I think it's do-able that they'll like you, especially after I explain over and over how you saved me" she grinned.
"You have enough optimism for a herd of depressed bellydraggers" Misty sighed yet followed the flyer, getting ready to run at the first indication of attack. She even pulled her stick out for such purposes.
"Misty..." Kit smiled, "the stick might give them the wrong idea, put it up for now".
The egg snatcher sighed yet did so. she continued her argument as well.
"But I mean, what do you expect to happen, I'm just going to bump into another egg snatcher here who's already been approved!" she said for point making purposes.
She then paused at the sight of one of this Valley's guards by the look of his stance...an egg snatcher.
"You so didn't tell me on purpose" she kiddingly accused to Kit as the flyer landed.
"No, honest I didn't know. I haven't even seen this egg stealer before...well maybe I have" she tilted her head in the same curiosity as Longtail then pushed it aside.
"Eitherway I thought I was going to be arguing for you to be the first egg snatcher here!"
Eitherway Kit flapped over to the others, "Um...hi guys...Misty here" she indicated the egg stealer looking like she wanted to hide, "saved me so...she's cool".
"Now who are you?" she asked Strutt not suspiciously, but confused.
(oh and incase anyone wanted to ask, there's no reason for Strutt to know Misty unless you want to pull that or something. I'm under the impression they haven't met)
-
"So is who I think is attacking attacking us,' fastclaw asked deimos
-
Lori moved around to the back of the group, hiding from sight of the two newcomers. She briefly wished she wasn't so antisocial.
-
Longtail smiled as he saw Kit.
"Hi Kit! How are you?" He then looked over at Misty as Kit introduced her. "Oh...hello Misty. Nice to meet you, my name is Longtail." he said with optimism in his voice as he displayed his tail.
-
"Oh I'm good thanks to her" Kit smiled and pointed to Misty. The young female egg snatcher on the other hand smiled nervously and waved back as Longtail introduced himself, "Um...hi".
She glanced to the others...well they didn't look liable to kill her on the spot. "So...even if I did just accidently save her...I've decided if Miss Perky over here is an indication of what you in the Great Valley are like...I'm on your side" she said.
Kit frowned at the 'miss perky' title and wasn't sure if that was an insult or not. Misty's slight smile showed it was just kidding, so Kit's frown eased up.
-
Strut looked hard at Misty. "Hmm."
"Hi! Kit, Misty. I'm Chomper!" Chomper said. He then turned to Strut. "What's your name?"
"Oh, I never told anyone my name. I am Strut." Strut replied.
Deimos looked at Fastclaw. "It's been rumored that Excidium has been attacking us but we aren't sure of it. For now it's best to assume that these guys attacking us are part of Excidium's forces. "
Suddenly a flyer landed in the clearing. "Deimos, Hyp, Dante, Longtail, everyone. There is a meeting at the Thundering Falls Lake. Please hurry."
Deimos's brow furrowed. "Hmm. We'll hold off on the intros for now. Kit, Misty, Lori and Strut you may want to come with us so we can introduce you to the adults so no misunderstandings occur."
-
"Sounds like a good idea," Lori said. "Lead the way."
-
Kit nodded, following the others. "Yeah, just stick close Misty and I'll explain, and then I'm sure my dad who something tells me would be at this meeting, will help back up if needed once I tell you saved me".
The egg snatcher nodded, still not quite sure about the whole thing, "Well that will still be something to see" she said.
~~~~
Meanwhile at the meeting place, probably the quietest brother Petrie's mom had, Tylr, was there but , well silent out of the worry of what such a meeting most likely meant from what he'd already heard of the calling of this meeting and not to mention seen of how there was a war going on.
I just hope Kit's returned, her lost is the last thing we need in all this fray he thought.
-
Longtail never one to argue when the grown-ups were nvolved quietly flapped his wings and fell in behind his friends wondering what was to important.
-
The group soon arrived at the Thundering Falls Lake. The air was thick with chatter.
"Silence. Are we all present?" Grandpa Longneck ordered. The crowd ceased talking and paid attention.
Grandpa Longneck this spoke: "Now then, Ms. Swimmer and Littlefoot have reported sharpteeth attacking. Now we have had sharpteeth attack us before but there were usually 1 or 2 attackers and they were in the same area. This time it is different, 3 sharpteeth attacked and at different areas. Also unusual is that one of the sharpteeth was seen using a stone tipped spear, not unlike the one that some of our guards use. Weapon use among sharpteeth is extremely rare."
"Yeah right." Deimos muttered.
"Deimos, shut up!" Cera hissed.
Deimos glared at Cera but became silent.
"This is a serious situation and we may have to prepare for a massed invasion of sharpteeth and a possible war. We do not know who the aggressor is but Deimos has hinted that it may be Excidium, a ruthless sharptooth bent on conquest." Grandpa Longneck continued.
The dinosaurs began to chatter amongst themselves.
-
Lori moved herself into the center of the group of young dinosaurs. She wasn't trying to hide, rather she hoped that if the adults decided she was a threat of some kind, they would hesitate to do anything while their kids were around her and hopefully that might buy her time to escape.
She whispered to Deimos. "Who's Excidium?"
-
"He's a sharptooth who is intent on taking the Great Valley. He has taken other places like this. I don't know why he's doing this. It could be for territory or even just as a sick form of entertainment. He leads a sharptooth inhabited valley named Claw Valley but it is not paradise, the valley is in a constant state of war. There is no fun there, just fighting and weapons training." Deimos replied.
-
"I take it you've lived there," Lori guessed, she glanced around at the adult dinosaurs, her gaze settling on a particularly aggressive and grumpy-looking threehorn. She immediately knew he was one dinosaur she didn't want to tick off.
-
Yep, Tylr couldn't help realizing with an inward sigh as all of what these possibly random, but obviously not, attacks meant. He sighed and glanced to the side with the thoughts of Kit's safety, and just then spotted his daughter.
He smiled and flapped over, giving her a hug, "Kit, well at least you're back and safe with all of this breaking forth" he indicated the meeting, "if not I would have definitely had look for you before anything else was done".
Kit smiled a bit guiltily, "Well then I'm glad I didn't cause trouble like that" she said, "but no, I was fine thanks to Misty here" she indicated her new friend. The youngest egg snatcher smiled nervously.
"Well then you have my thanks young lady" Tylr shook the pleasantly shocked egg snatcher's hand.
Tylr noticed Lori as well but given the snippets of conversation she didn't seem a problem. Kit was still trying to put together what Grandpa Longneck had said was the severity of the issue though.
Sharpteeth cooperating on any large level was still such a hard concept to wrap her mind around, even given what she'd heard now and before, yet Kit wasn't the type to be the first to speak up at a meeting of this seriousness and so kept her thoughts and worries to herself.
-
Longtail's face contorted in anger at hearing the news of the sharpteeth attacks. He then turned to Tylr and asked, "Excuse me, Kits dad...what..what should we do? It could be dangerous. But I'm not afraid!"
-
Despite the situation, Tylr couldn't help smiling a small bit at Longtail's words, "Oh I don't doubt that one bit" he told the young flyer, "but even so I'm not sure pulling you...well I guess kids would be a bit offensive now..." he admitted.
"I should say so" Misty boldly said, crossing her arms, very boldly given her still new status here.
"...into this on the get go is the best".
"But dad, if our home's under attack" Kit said, "and like you pointed out, we're not kids anymore" (you guys did say mid teens right?).
"Sorry, old ideas die hard" Tylr said, "but maybe we best see what the best plan of defense while keep those who can be kept safe is" he said, his gaze going back to Grandpa and Grandma Longneck as well as Topsy to see what they thought the best next plan was.
Kit sighed, her father's protectiveness didn't surprise her, and she wasn't wanting to just run headlong into a fight, but if her home was under attack...she was starting to feel like Longtail that something had to be done!
Tylr felt it too, but only so far as putting his own scales on the line went. He wouldn't pull the younger set of his daughter and her companions into it...though something told him Longtail was not going to be able to be held back in this.
-
Deimos nodded. "Yes I have lived there but the constant state of war disgusted me. I fled but unfortunately that has made me a dinosaur who Excidium wants dead."
"I am not afraid!" Cera shouted. "We found this valley and we're not going to let any sharpteeth take it!"
Littlefoot went to his grandparents. "Grandpa, there's some new arrivals."
"Bring them up here." Grandpa Longneck said.
"Hey, Lori, Strut, Kit, Misty and family come up to the front! My grandpa wants to see you." Littlefoot shouted.
(OOC - I did say that the 5 years+ have passed and the gang is ~18 years old with some older. Deimos is the equivalent of a 22 year old.)
-
Lori gulped nervously. "Can't he see me from back here?"
Nevertheless she stepped around the group of dinos she had hidden behind and up in front of the old Longneck. She glanced around nervously at the wall of adult dinosaurs. "Uh, hi?"
-
Misty gulped as well, "Don't worry" Kit urged once more, "I'm right here, and it's gonna be fine". Kit, being Misty's advocate of the Valley residents there, flapped forward along with Misty.
"Well Mr. Littlefoot's grandpa", even after growing, Kit still called him that, "as you know, I was gone for two bright circles so I'm sorry I missed this big attack on the Valley when I could'a been here and helped" she looked around to her neighbors, "but anyway...I'm gonna help now, and this is really about Misty, so sorry".
"Um, Misty here" Kit smiled and got back on track, "as you can all see is an egg eater, but she saved me while I was out in the Mysterious Beyond". The story would help Misty's case, Kit thought, so she determined to tell it in a way that accurately showed the young egg eater's bravery.
"You see, while I was out there a group of about two fast biters chased me, I don't know if that had anything to do with this combined attack, but anyway I just began to fly off when one grabbed me by the wing. If...if Misty hadn't dropped a rock on his head I probably would have been a goner" Kit smiled over to the egg snatcher.
Smiling nervously, Misty looked to the elderly longneck as well, "Um, not to have someone else talk for me, Sir" she said, "but Kit insisted on that...anyway...being fully honest, since it will help" Misty said, "I was hunting eggs when I noticed Kit's distress in the first place".
Kit looked nervous at the murmur that went through a few members, "Misty..." she whispered worried that the egg eater might ruin her own chances.
"but when I saw another already hatched dinosaur, really near my age too, in such trouble I...well I just had to help out, after all the sharpteeth hunt us egg eaters too, so I saved Kit in the manner she described, intending for that to be it, but she's got this thing about making friends, she says she got it from your grandson and the others when they were kids...".
"She wouldn't let me just walk away and promising I could live off buzzer nests and such, all but drug me here". Misty looked around at the gathered flatteeth as well as others on the hot seat with her.
"and after hearing that this alliance of sharpteeth is bugging you now...I'm here to help you out if you'll have my help, Sir" Misty gave a small bow to show her sincerity of intentions.
-
Dante had been silent for a time, contemplating each of the arrivals to the Valley.
"Well, you two seem nice enough. I for one don't see a problem with welcoming you here, so long as you don't cause any trouble."
He chuckled....
-
"I would just like to rest up here for a few risings of the bright circle and then I'll be out from under your feet," Lori said glancing around nervously.
-
"Uh, yeah, don't worry, no trouble from me" Misty said, still a bit nervously, getting use to all of this. She heard what Lori said, but figured she was the last person to tell a sharptooth whether or not to stay in this Valley she'd just entered herself.
Kit had the thought of what a help another friendly sharptooth could be to them in this fray, but also figured such a thing was Lori's decision and they really had no right to ask her to put herself in danger like that for them, or she herself at least didn't have that right the flyer figured.
-
Grandpa Longneck looked at Misty. "Thank you for your offer of help. You are welcome to stay under the condition that you do not eat any eggs. And please introduce yourself and your group to the rest of the valley."
He then turned to Strut. "Hello. What's your name?"
"Strut, sir. May I stay here?" Strut replied.
"Very well, Strut, you are welcome to stay here. But you are not to eat any eggs. "
"Eggs are icky. I eat green food." Strut replied.
Grandpa Longneck then turned to Lori. "Hello. What's your name?"
-------
Over in the Bubbling Muds two of Styracus's advance guard had entered the Valley.
One of them was wiry black Fast-Runner with a stone knife strapped to his leg.
The other was a icy blue Swimmer. He was armed with a simple but effective club, whittled from a stout tree branch.
Footsteps were soon heard.
"I hear footsteps." the Swimmer said. "I'll draw them out and you kill them."
The Fast-Runner nodded and hid himself in some shrubs.
A Great Valley guard saw the Swimmer. "Hey, who are you!" he demanded, brandishing his weapon, a wooden spear.
"No one you know." the Swimmer replied.
"This valley is on alert. If you do not leave, I will forcibly remove you. Resist and I will use deadly force."
The Swimmer remained stationary and beckoned towards the guard. "Come get some."
The guard went over to the Swimmer and prepared to fight him but he never got the chance; as the guard passed over the bush that hid the Fast-Runner, he leapt from cover, seized the guard, cut his throat and concealed the body behind some bushes.
The Fast-Runner wiped his bloody knife with a leaf and strapped the knife to his leg once more. "Now what?"
"Head deeper into the valley." the Swimmer replied.
(OOC - As I mentioned in the discussion topic, unnamed characters can be killed by anyone.)
-
"My name's Lori, sir," the sharptooth youngster replied.
-
"The whole Valley?" Misty frowned as she asked, that sounded like alot of dinosaurs. Despite the situation, Kit giggled a bit, "Come on Misty, I'll help take you around to the nest of the people who aren't here" she offered, "Um, you can come to Strutt, Lori, if you want" the flyer next added, "might make everything easier on you guys introducing yourselves too".
-
"Okay," Lori said after a few seconds hesitation. She was unsure if she wanted to spend too much time with anyone in the valley. Her parents and her had often moved around and thus she had always been leaving behind friends. Recently she had deicded to stop trying to make friends and thus avoid the heartache that would come when she left them later.
-
"Hello, Lori. You too are welcome to stay here. However, I impose the same conditions I did on Deimos: no eating eggs or hunting dinosaurs in this valley. You may scavenge or hunt fish. And about this war, if you don't want to be involved, that is fine. Just avoid the entrances to the valley and stay out of the paths of the various patrols."
-
Longtail smiled and said, "Well I'm glad you're both here." commented Longtail with sincerity in his voice as he spoke to both Lori and Misty
-
Misty gave a small smile, "Thanks, I'm sort of glad to be here now that I am" she said. Kit laughed, "Yeah, no one can hate the Great Valley, and that's why we gotta make sure no group of sharteeth take it from us" she added in quiet determination.
Misty shrugged, "and apart from that serious reason, I gotta tell you", she pulled her stick from off her back to look at it, "getting to use these sticks to beat enemies up, I'm kinda taking to the idea" she grinned.
"Well, they're still clumbsy while flying, so I'll never get use to it" Kit shook her head, "I'm left with just diving down like I've always done...ok". She spotted the first inhabitant not at the meeting they came along.
"Oh...uh, did I say anyone, I would be the one to introducing her to them?" Kit asked Longtail as she spotted Mr. Clubtail munching sweet bubbles, much like he'd always been doing Kit mused.
"You're afraid to introduce me to the clubtail?" Misty asked. Kit frowned, "He's just...really grumpy, but I said I'd introduce you guys, so here we go!". Kit landed and walked up to begin introducing, still looking nervous.
-
"I'm afraid I won't be getting involved in your little war," Lori said, turning and following Kit and the others.
Lori paused as she spotted the clubtail. She decided to just stay put, safely out of range of the flattooth's tail and let Kit introduce her.
-
Deimos shrugged. "Okay Lori, you're still welcome to stay in the valley. Just stay away from any of the Great Valley patrols."
Chomper looked at Kit and Mist. "So are you two going to help or not? It's okay if you don't want to."
"Grandpa, what shall we do?" Littlefoot asked.
"Well Littlefoot, since you are not a kid anymore, I'll let you help defend the valley."
"Don't worry I will." Littlefoot stated.
"I'll help too." Deimos added.
"No sharpteeth are taking this valley!" Hyp exclaimed.
-
"I will die before letting anyone afficlated to Claw Valley enter the Valley,' fastclaw said.
-
Strut looked at Mr. Threehorn who was eying him with suspicion. "All right, I'll help defend the valley. I guess it's the least I can do for you letting me stay here. But, I really don't know how to fight."
Deimos looked at Strut. "Can you throw rocks?"
"Yes, but..."
"Good. I'll introduce you to close quarters combat later." Deimos said, cutting Strut off.
-
"Of course we are" Kit said, "so far as we're able, we're not letting our home just go to a bunch of Sharpteeth". Misty nodded.
"Sharpteeth, what's that?" Mr. Clubtail raised his head, "are we under attack again? Was it them?" he narrowed his eyes, spotting Misty and Lori.
"No, it wasn't them!" Kit got in front of the clubtail, "they're gonna help, or Misty is".
"Oh...well then very good for them, or Misty" Mr. Clubtail said dismissively, beginning to walk off.
"Wait" Kit flapped in front of him again, "I've gotta introduce you".
"What for, I heard their names" Mr. Clubtail said grumpily.
-
"He's right, leave him alone," Lori called to the flyer. She didn't want the clubtail to get riled up and if she had to guess from Misty's earlier attitude towards the flyer, she was quite capable of annoying people.
-
Longtail sighed as Mr. Clubtail began to walk off. He then mumbled under his breath. "Mr. Clubtail scares me...he's so unreasonable sometimes." said Longtail with a frown.
-
Kit sighed, but unlike Lori's worry, did drop the subject and watched as Mr. Clubtail wandered off. "Well, I still semi-introduced you, so...it worked" she allowed with a shrug, "he's just not very friendly".
"That seems the be the understatement of the cold time!" Misty muttered.
-
"He's about twenty times our size and covered in armor and spikes," Lori smirked. "Of course, he's scary."
-
Longtail shot Lori an amused glare and spoke up.
"So you saying you can out run him if you had to?"
-
Lori watched the clubtail lumber off and laughed. "Are you saying I can't?"
-
Longtail laughed.
"I don't know, I'd have to see it to believe it after all!"
-
Lori snorted and turned away. "Well, you can forget it, cause I'm not dumb enough to cross a clubtail, no matter how slow they are."
-
Longtail grinned and wanted to say a comment along the lines of scardy egg, but thought it would be better to keep such comments to himself.
"Alright, it's your choice Lori." He said with a smile
-
"Ah forget about Mr. Clubtail." Deimos said. "His armor makes him almost impervious to attack but also makes him kinda stupid."
Strut chuckled a little at Deimos's wisecrack.
"Hey, Longtail, Kit, Dante, Misty I'm currently forming a squad to patrol whatever part of the Great Valley we get assigned to. I need some more dinosaurs and I would be happy if your could join me." Littlefoot said.
"I will fight alongside Littlefoot." Deimos said.
"Strut, what about you?"
"Uh no thanks. I'll help defend the Feeding Grounds. Lots of rocks there for me to throw at invading dinosaurs." Strut replied.
-
Lori glanced over at Strut and seemed to study the egg stealer. She wondered why he had volunteered to fight for the Valley when he had only just joined the populace. She supposed it was his way of showing his loyalty to those that might look upon him with suspicion.
-
"Sure thing Littlefoot" Kit said. "Yeah" Misty shrugged, "why not...uh not to sound flippant, you guys know I already said I'd help out".
"Yeah" Kit smiled, "we know. So who should take direction do you think, Littlefoot?" Kit next asked.
-
Longtail smiled brightly and he couldn't help but nod his head at Littlefoots request.
"Oh yes! Count me in! Just tell me where to fly, and I'll be there." Longtail didn't want to admit it, but he was trying to prove himself to the valley elders that he could follow directions and do things right....after all he was still a half sharptooth and he knew that some of the valley residents didn't truly trust him.
-
Littlefoot grinned. "Okay, Longtail." He then turned to Grandpa Longneck. "Grandpa, where do you want us to patrol?"
"Well, I'd suggest the Bubbling Muds. There hasn't been a patrol there in a while." Grandpa Longneck said.
"Okay, guys we are heading to the Bubbling Muds. I'll show the way." Littlefoot said.
-
"I'll come with you," Lori said though her only reason to accompany them was to stay in the group so she wouldn't be mistaken for an enemy sharptooth. She wondered briefly how young the enemy sharpteeth could be.
-
Longtail nodded his head at Littlefoot and took to the sky, but stayed low enough that he could see his friends, but high enough that he'd be able to surprise any sharpteeth that might be nearby.
-
Misty followed along with the main group and Kit flapped up to fly about where Longtail was too. She glanced to see where Petrie was and was somewhat relieved he wasn't too close since the last thing she wanted was for him, her cousin that she looked up to as well as had tried to look out for when they were younger, to hear what she had to say, but she felt she had to voice it and...Longtail might not take it the wrong way...
"i--oh gosh I'm almost ashamed to say this, but, as fully behind the whole Valley as I am...it's ok to be more than a bit scared right now...right?" the young flyer couldn't help but ask. "I mean, a full on attack of Sharpteeth, for our Valley". She shook her head, "I just shouldn't think about it too much".
-
Longtail turned to face Kit as he heard her question. He thought about an answer that would help her, and finally he just settled on the truth.
"To be....scared, is nothing to be upset about. Its natural..even some of the grown-ups get scared sometimes....but, I'm more worried about...me." his voice was shallow when he finished his sentence, but deep down inside, he was terrified.
-
Strut and Ms. Swimmer were heading to the Feeding Grounds. Ms. Swimmer had her trademark dual sticks.
"So what made you come here?" Ms. Swimmer asked.
"I needed to get away from my brother; he's always beating me. He once tried to throw me off a cliff for eating green food."
"Well, you're safe here."
After several minutes, they arrived at the Feeding Grounds. Strut's eyes brightened as he saw a Sweet Bubble tree laden with the fruit; then a forlorn expression came across his face as he realized that he couldn't reach them.
Strut's eyes fell on a rock near the tree. He picked up the rock, took aim at a thin branch and threw his rock. The rock struck the branch and cracked it. He grabbed another rock and threw it at the same branch which then fell to the ground.
Strut grabbed the branch and handed a few Tree Sweets to Ms. Swimmer. "Want some?"
"Thanks! You know, with aim like yours it doesn't matter if you can't fight at close quarters." Ms. Swimmer replied, placing one stick across her back, accepting the fruit and eating it.
"I guess you're good at close quarters combat?" Strut said, his mouth full of the sweet fruit.
"Yep, though I fight with sticks. Spears and stone knives are so very, very crude." Ms. Swimmer replied airily.
-------
"Well, we're here." Littlefoot said.
Deimos looked around. "Lori, stay by me. Misty, stay with me, Ducky and Nod. Longtail, Petrie Kit fly at low level and alert us if you see anything. And if you have a weapon, get it out now."
As Deimos finished speaking, he grabbed a heavy tree branch from the ground.
"Hey, Deimos, I thought you always used a spear or a stone knife?" Hyp asked. He had kept his stick from before, when he had attacked the invading sickleclaw.
"I use whatever's there. I forgot to get a weapon from Mr. Bigmouth. He's making a few stone tipped spears right now or so I heard."
(OOC - if anyone wants to start a battle now I can have the 2 interlopers get caught by the group.)
-
Lori glanced around, suddenly cautious. She had almost forgotten about the sharptooth that had attacked them previously.
"Will they really be so far into the Valley?" she asked Deimos.
-
Deimos looked at Lori. "It is possible. We must be on guard." As he said those words, a stone tipped spear flew through the air and landed at his feet.
"We're under attack!" Deimos shouted. He dropped his tree branch, pulled the spear out of the ground, brandished it and looked around.
He heard rustling from one of the bushes.
"They're here. Kit, Misty, Lori, Longtail, Hyp, Deimos, all ready for combat?" Littlefoot asked.
Hyp readied his stick. "Ready."
-
Longtail immediately raised his wings and dropped to the ground. He then spread his wings and took a fighting stance. "Are you kidding Littlefoot? I was hatched ready!" His right eye changing color once again, as he let out a small roar challenging whoever it was in the bushes.
-
Lori gulped as she slid behind Deimos. "Be careful, they could have more of those stick things."
-
"Don't worry" Misty answered Lori, getting braced for whatever might come her way, she turned her body sideways a best help add cover for the sharptooth who had already said she wasn't part of this war.
It might have seemed like giving the enemy a blindside to hit, but then egg nappers like Misty were always so quick that she'd used this tactic against sharpteeth many a time just to get them rushing for her flanks and then darted aside to allow them to hit their own heads on a rock or something.
"Don't forget this, as extra help since they got them too" Kit flapped by and handed Misty her sharp stick she must have dropped.
As Kit flapped over to be closer to where Littlefoot and Longtail were, she noticed a tree nearby with more than a few stickers on it and the branches didn't look terribly strong.
"I wonder..." she flapped over to test pulling it back and found she could bend one or two branches in the direction of the bushes. She smiled, that could prove useful...
(OOC: You said we could go ahead with the interlopers? I'm only slightly using them anyway)
As one of intruders leapt from the bush, drawn by Longtail's call and how it just urked him, Kit let the branch loose and two of the stickers hit him on the nose.
"Hey it worked" she sounded surprised herself. Yet prepared to either dart in or pull back another branch as she knew his response to this would be swift
-
"Urgh." the Swimmer grunted. "They're here, draw them out and kill them."
Just then two more armed Fast-Runners appeared behind them. One armed with a stone ax, the other armed with a stone tipped spear.
"Who are you?!" the Swimmer demanded.
The stone ax wielding Fast-Runner looked at the Swimmer. "Styracus sent us."
"Good. Let's bring the fight to them now."
With that said, the four dinosaurs burst from the bushes with weapons at the ready.
"They're here!" Deimos shouted.
The ax wielding Fast-Runner targeted Hyp. Hyp parried the ax stroke and struck his attacker in the ribs with his stick.
The Fast-Runner grunted and dodged a retaliatory swipe from Hyp. The Fast-Runner again attacked Hyp. Their weapons locked as Hyp parried the stroke. The Fast-Runner quickly used his free hand to punch Hyp in the groin, causing him to drop his weapon. Hyp managed to fight through the pan and dodge another ax stroke from the Fast-Runner.
Deimos was fighting the spear wielding Fast-Runner. He parried a short spear thrust and retaliated with a spear thrust that was dodged. Deimos blocked another spear thrust and followed up with a kick. The kick left a small stab wound in the Fast-Runner's stomach but it didn't seem to slow him down too much.
The Swimmer decided to target Ducky. Ducky, who was not armed, simply dodged the Swimmer's blows until a missed blow left him open for a second. That second allowed Ducky to tackle him.
Ducky and the attacking Swimmer were on the ground and trying to reach the club, which flew from his grasp when he was tackled. Ducky punched the opposing Swimmer in the stomach, winding him and allowing her to try and reach the club. She got up and ran to the club but the Swimmer had grabbed a large rock and hurled at Ducky, striking her in the head and knocking her down.
-
There were one of two rocks littered about the ground. Lori growled and picked one up, hurling it at the swimmer's head. The swimmer was close enough that it made aiming easy. "Eat that, leafgobbler!"
The Swimmer turend its head at the insult and the rock slammed into its nose with a loud crack. The dinosaur stumbled back with a bloody nose.
-
Kit smiled, "wow, nice shot!" she complimented. She flapped down to dart around one of the other intruders, baiting him out.
"Try and catch me" she taunted sticking her tounge out.
"Are you serious?!" the other attacker said, "oh you are so dead". Kit, with the attcker following, flapped over nearer where the others were to bait him right into their attack.
-
Longtail gave a wide grin as he watched Kit leading one of the attackers right his way. He got a running start, and after opening his beak clasped down hard on the attackers neck and dragged him to the ground. At that moment both combatants were rolling on the ground attempting to get a better hold on the other, using everything they had: Claws, talons, and teeth.
"Why won't you die?!" Asked attacker as it clasped a claw around Longtail's neck and began to squeeze tightly.
Longtail was struggling for breath, but he had enough sense to bite down on the interlopers claw that was around his neck to try and get it to let go.
-
As she gained more air, noticing Longtail's success, Kit laughed to herself then turned to notice Longtail wasn't doing as well as he was suppose to be. "Woah! Hold on Longtail, I'm coming!" Kit dived down to jab the attacking fast runner in the side. He yelled and did let go of Longtail a bit in the pain.
"Why you annoying little..." he backhanded Kit, actually catching her by surprise and causing her to roll across the ground from the impact.
"Hey, buddy, that's not nice!" Misty for-went her stick and kicked the fast runner straight in the stomach as a return for this attack.
-
Longtail was glad when Kit had come back to help ,but quickly became enraged when he saw the fast runner hit Kit, He rolled onto his belly and using his legs like springs all but threw himself at the fast runner and once again bit down on his neck, but this time with much more force, and drawing a great deal of blood from the attacking fast runner.
As both fell to the ground Longtail looked over to Misty and nodded his head as if to say 'thanks for the help'.
-
The swimmer glared angrily at Lori. "Uh-oh," the sharptooth said, stepping back as the swimmer recovered his club and approached her. She grabbed another rock and tossed it at him, but he just ducked out of the way.
"That's not going to work a second time," the swimmer smirked, raising his club.
-
Misty just nodded back, and would have helped Longtail continue to fight the fast runner except for Kit; yet as she rushed over to make sure the flyer was ok, Kit was already staggering to her feet, "I'm fine" she reassured, "as soon as the world stops spinning a bit...".
Misty smiled releived a bit and nodded. Just then she noticed Lori's trouble as well. As the swimmer raised his club, Misty rushed over to next kick him.
Recovering fully, Kit also once more leap in to help by flapping over to see if she couldn't help Longtail fight off the fast runner once more.
-
The Swimmer staggered from Kit's kick but he still tried to swipe at her with his club.
Hyp dodged the ax stroke from the Fast-Runner. He then tripped the Fast-Runner and pinned him to the ground but Hyp had neglected to pin his opponent's arms.
The Fast-Runner punched Hyp in the jaw and Hyp retaliated by headbutting the Fast-Runner. The Fast-Runner reached for a stone knife he had strapped onto his leg and tried to stab Hyp. But he suddenly screamed in pain.
"Don't think so." Ducky said, stepping on the Fast-Runner's knife hand and grinding into the ground. She had recovered from being hit in the head with a large rock but a large bruise was visible on the right side of her head.
"Thanks. Let's kill this...Argh!" Hyp was cut off by the Fast Runner who jabbed a finger in his eye. Hyp staggered away from his opponent.
Ducky glared at the offending Fast-Runner. "That was not nice."
The Fast-Runner chuckled. "Thanks for noticing." He then approached her, stone knife raised.
Ducky hastily grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it at the Fast-Runner.
The Fast-Runner dropped his weapon as he tried to clear the dirt from his eyes.
Ducky prepared to take him to the ground, when Nod suddenly darted from nowhere and slammed the Fast-Runner with such force the dinosaur actually flew through the air. The Fast-Runner slammed into a nearby tree and slid to the ground, dead.
"Nice!" Littlefoot commented.
"Hey, Hyp's my friend. You hurt Hyp, I hurt you!" Nod commented.
Deimos dodged yet another spear thrust. He saw Ducky heading towards him. "Ducky, help Longtail!" Deimos feinted and aimed a powerful thrust towards his enemy's stomach. The Fast-Runner barely avoided the fatal thrust.
Ducky grabbed the knife that her enemy dropped and headed over to where Longtail and the Fast-Runner were grappling.
"I cannot use this, it is too dangerous with Longtail." She tossed the knife at the club wielding Swimmer only for him to dodge the thrown knife.
Ducky then waded into the melee and started off by kicking the Fast-Runner in the jaw. My hands hurt from punching the Swimmer. How does Hyp manage to repeatedly punch his enemies and not feel pain? she thought.
Littlefoot went over to Hyp who was sitting by a tree, clutching his eye.
"Hey, Hyp you okay?" Littlefoot asked.
"Yeah, I'll be out of this fight though." Hyp replied.
-
As Longtail continued to grapple with the fast runners neck still held tightly in his beak, the fast runner raised his hand and punched Longtail in the belly with enough force to make him let go, and then the fast runner kicked him several time, just for good measure, and then proceeded to step on Longtail's neck trying to squeeze the life out of him.
Longtail began gasping for air, but was too weak from the punch to the belly to do much, and he could only hope one of his friends could help him as his vision was starting to get blurry.
"h-h-help...." he cried.
-
Lori ran at the fast runner and hopped unto its back, the impact sending him tumbling off Longtail. Lori gasped as she found herself landing underneath the fast runner. The larger dinosaur stood up and Lori immeidately tried to run for it, but found the fast runner's hands wrapped around her neck. Lori slammed her tail into its leg and heard it cry out in pain, followed by the fingers leaving her neck. She spun around and took her opponent's long neck into her mouth, before snapping it.
-
Kit winced at Lori's good job done, but still, quite harsh attack. She would still say it was a good thing though, and needed; atlest one of the attackers was dealt with.
She dropped to the ground, thankful Lori had reached the spot before her, and since the attacker was dealt with, she instead tried to help Longtail up and see if he was ok.
"Longtail, are you ok? Oh please tell me you're ok!" she said, carefully trying to help him up if he could even do that much.
-
Deimos feinted again with his spear and managed to successfully strike, implanting the head of the spear into his opponent's stomach. Deimos then charged forward, pushing the spear with all his strength. He pushed so hard that the head of the spear came out of the Fast-Runner's back.
The fatally injured Fast-Runner tried one last feeble stab at Deimos but it was no use. Deimos pushed even harder, driving his enemy against a tree and pinning him to the tree.
The Fast-Runner gave one last breath as he died.
Deimos tried to pull the spear back out but he couldn't; he had put such force into his thrust that he actually wedged the stone spearhead into the tree.
"Eww." Ducky said. She looked slightly nauseous at the bloodied body of the Fast-Runner pinned to a tree and the pool of blood forming at the tree where.
"I guess that's why Ducky's mother and Ducky both prefer to fight with sticks. Less blood and you can't pin your enemy to a tree." Hyp joked.
"Hyp, that is not funny, it is not, it is not." Ducky replied. She still looked rather nauseous.
Deimos picked up the other spear and targeted the Swimmer. "There's only one left."
Ducky seized the stone ax dropped by one of her opponents.
The Swimmer gulped as he realized he was horribly outnumbered and out armed.
-
Misty, meanwhile, spotted the trouble and quickly and quietly moved off into some bushes. “Oh please let those trouble making baby fast biters be onto something…” she almost prayed as she weilded her newly put togther and new weapon, a forked stick with a vine between it meant to launch a rock…it sounded crazy but the pre-teen fast biters who’d hit her with some rocks using one before any of this cropped up swore it was the best thing for annoying people.
Just glad they hadn’t been planning to eat her, Misty had listened and now prepared to put this new idea into action.
She aimed at Deimos from the bushes as he ganged on Ducky and Hyp, aimed and launched her rock.
-
The rock struck Deimos in the hip. "We've got some new attackers! And I think it came from over there." he shouted, rubbing his hip where the rock had struck him. He then pointed a clump of bushes
"We'll get get them." Nod said. He and Littlefoot charged into the bushes.
"That leaves us with this one." Ducky said, gesturing to the Swimmer.
The Swimmer took advantage of the brief distraction that Misty accidentally provided to scoop up a handful of dirt in his free hand. He waited for Ducky and Deimos to approach.
Deimos was the first to approach him and was rewarded with a face full of dirt.
"Ah damn it!" Deimos shouted as the dirt flew into his eyes. He dropped his spear and tried to remove the dirt from his eyes.
Ducky went over to Deimos and gently sat him down next to Hyp. In the precious few moments he had gained by blinding Deimos, the Swimmer escaped.
"Deimos, don't rub your eyes. We'll get you to a stream." Hyp said. His right eye was closed.
"Fine. Next time he comes here; I want him dead!" Deimos spat.
(OOC - why would Deimos be attacking Ducky and Hyp? They're allies. I'm assuming that Misty shot Deimos with a rock as a prank and it was not intended for the enemy.)
-
(Oh wait, did I put Deimos, I meant whoever was attacking Ducky, we can just say Misty's shot went astray...I can work with that actually)
Misty sat up from where she'd tripped right as the rock left the make shift thrower and judging from the sounds she heard she guessed her way of aim was not a good thing...slowly she peered out to see the chaos she'd caused...and it was pretty bad.
That law of luck or something that her father had once told her about when she was really young seemed to be true, and once things went bad they kept going bad. If she'd just hit Deimos she would have felt bad enough but that attacking swimmer had gotten away because of it!
The egg eater gulped before frowning fiercely, angry at herself now, "See Misty, this is why we don't go meddling in leaf eaters affairs!" she told herself. "There's a way the world works and...oh!". Misty silently crawled out of the bushes to stalk off before anyone noticed.
"Maybe I should just go on back to that Mysterious Beyond and let these Valleyers fight their own battle without my muddling it up" she sighed to herself, "you're an egg snatcher, you're closer to sharpteeth than you are these flatteeth, so just stick to where the world put ya" she continued on to herself as she continued along.
-
(OOC - yeah, stray shot works too)
Nod and Littlefoot ran into the bushes and found a crude slingshot.
Ducky helped escort Deimos to a nearby stream.
"Hey, there's a weapon here! But no enemy. Kit, Lori, Longtail, Misty, could someone pick it up. Hyp's in no condition to pick anything up." Littlefoot said.
-
Lori picked up the weapon and examined it. She sniffed at the handle, a familiar smell reaching her nose, but she couldn't pinpoint whose scent it was, since she had just met so many new people and hadn't worked out who smelled like what. "Whoever was handling this is someone I know..."
-
Longtail tried to smile as he felt Kit trying to help him up, but his neck was sore and breathing was getting way too hard. He gasped for breath as he slid back down onto his belly and shook his head at Kit's question. He chocked and coughed for several minutes and then finally had enough strength to ask his question.
"Is...is it *cough* over...*cough* did we win?"
-
Kit frowned, really unsure how to tell her friend the answer to his question. "No...we lost" she said, "Uh...well" she hurried to make it not sound so bad, "I mean, some of them got away and Deimos got hit in the eye, but...well provided you get better we all seem to be ok, so I guess we sort of won for now" she tried to be optimistic.
"Right Misty" Kit looked for support, glancing up and around, "Wait...where's Misty?!" she asked.
~~~~
Misty, meanwhile, was staring at one of the exits to the Valley. Somehow, despite all that had happened, she couldn't make herself just walk on through. She wasn't sure why, after all she'd decided, but then she couldn't head back to where she'd been...so she just stood there for now.
-
Deimos was at a nearby stream where Ducky was helping wash out Deimos's eyes.
"That's much better." Deimos said, splashing water in his eyes. His eyes were reddened from the dirt attack.
--------------
"We'll speak to Grandpa Longneck." Nod said.
"Hyp, Nod, Kit, Longtail let's move out!" Littlefoot commanded.
-
Lori snapped her calws as Kit said Misty's name. "That's whose scent is this thing. It's Misty's..."
-
Although Longtail was still having issues breathing, and was still coughing from time to time, he finally found the strength to stand up...albeit shakily at first but after several moments he finally stood straight up still breathing heavily and nodded his head at Littlefoot's command, as he started to take small steps forward.
-
Kit followed along as well, not flying though, but walking right along Longtail incase he fell or needed anything. She heard Lori's statement though and frowned, confused. "Misty's...but why would Misty's scent be on...".
Kit pondered whether or not to tell this development when they got to Littlefoot's grandpa. She thought, so Misty had been the one too hit Deimos and now wasn't here...Kit still wasn't sure what had happened but knew her new friend must be feeling terrible.
She couldn't leave the others without them wondering why though. Maybe after they reported to Grandpa Longneck she could go try to find Misty...or...maybe she should be there to try and dodge any mentioning of Misty, she really didn't want her friend getting in trouble for something she wasn't even sure if was her fault yet.
She almost wanted to ask Lori not to tell, but there was no way of doing that without causing suspicion as well.
-
"I have no idea," Lori replied, frowning. "But just how well do you know Misty...?"
Lori was already suspecting Misty of some kind of treachery. There was no other reason why the eggstealer might have attacked one of their own and then fled. If it had been an accident, then she should have stuck around and explained herself, instead of running.
She had paused as the thoughts ran through her mind and shook her head, before dashing to catch up to the group, who had gotten a little farther ahead of her.
-
Longtail was thankful to Kit for tying to help him walk. It was still kinda difficult, but he was managing. He was a bit curious about Misty leaving so suddenly but decided not to question it...he was sure she had her reasons. He had to stop for a moment to catch his breath as just the effort of walking was straining his throat.
~~~~
Grandpa Longneck was eating from a nearby tree being cautious about the attacks, but sure that taking a quick bite to eat would do no harm.
-
The group was approaching the Thundering Falls Lake.
Nod looked at Kit. "We should bring this in private to Mr. Thicknose or Grandpa Longneck. I don't think they'll judge."
Littlefoot shook his head. "No. We'll have to find Misty ourselves. There is a good chance that they may judge early and class her as an enemy." He then lowered his voice. "Besides, if she did intentionally target Deimos, we have to find her and remove her from the valley before she kills someone with that rock shooter."
Nod then spotted Lori catching up to them. "Hey Lori, you missed a discussion about what to do with Misty." He then turned to Littlefoot. "Littlefoot, we need to stop and talk about Misty."
Littlefoot nodded. "Okay, we need to convene an emergency meeting about what to do with Misty. We have 4 choices: alert the adults; find Misty ourselves then alert the adults; find Misty ourselves but don't alert the adults; alert the adults then help find Misty."
-
Longtail frowned.
"I...I think we should find Misty first. *cough* Just to se if she can explain first...*cough* then...a-alert the elders!"
~~~~
Grandpa Longneck turned and faced the children.
"I'm sorry young ones, but I couldn't help but overhear you all have a problem. Perhaps I can help?" he asked sincerely.
-
Littlefoot's mouth fell open. "Um, hi grandpa. We've got a little problem with Misty. Deimos was hit by a rock that was either thrown or fired from one of these things and we suspect it might be Misty's doing. We are not sure if it was an accident or intentional." He then turned to Lori. "Lori, show Grandpa Longneck the rock shooter."
-
Lori held up the contraption for Gandpa to see. "It has Misty's scent on it."
-
It was only natural that Lori be sucpsicious, Kit realized, but still...she just knew, somehow, that Misty couldn't have meant any harm. "I...I admit I just met her" Kit had to tell the sharptooth though, yet she next looked determined, "but I just know she wouldn't have..." she dropped off.
As they continued on, Kit had to agree with Littlefoot's point of putting it in private. She knew Littlefoot was only stating each option, but still, something about the words of "dealing with" Misty, even in hypothetical question, caused her stomach to sink.
She distractedly nodded as she tried to think of which option she would go with. She had just decided to go with Longtail's option...when Grandpa Longneck walked up. Kit felt her stomach plummet yet again as they had to tell him.
"W-we had just decided, I think, that the best option would be to find her, but were deciding whether or not to tell you and some of the others first" Kit explained.
"I haven't heard it from her own mouth" Kit went on, "but...I just know she wouldn't have done it on purpose, she saved me out in the Mysterious Beyond and...and attacked one of the attackers in defense of me and Longtail just a bit ago, she...she can't be a turn-scale" Kit frowned, either unsure and worried or just worried, even she wasn't sure.
~~~~
"Come on Misty, make a decision!" the egg napper said to herself, still staring at the entrance.
"You're an egg napper after all, supose to be very good at running before you're found out and have to answer hard questions...but then maybe that's just another mistake..." Misty realized, glancing down.
"Oh why can't I just say I made an oops eeps like when I was a hatchling and everything be ok then, things are so difficult when you grown up" she sighed, kicking at some dirt in frustration.
She noticed some tracks off to the side as she did though, the invader's tracks she thought she recalled...
Misty's eyes narrowed, "Well...it doesn't mean ya can't try to make it right!" she said, determinedly begining to stoll after those tracks.
-
Grandpa Longneck sat still and listened to everything the young ones had to say and show him. After they were finished he took a breath of air, and thought about what he should say, after all, this could be a very big deal especially to the other elders in the valley, as he was sure some of them would take this a deliberate attack and find Misty guilty without even hearing a good reason. He sighed as he looked down to his grandson and his friends.
"Little ones, I try not to judge others before I meet them, or hear what they have to say, but as of right now, we are at war, and that alone is dangerous enough. If you want to find her, then i suggest you do that, however I will have to tell the other elders about this, and I can promise you that some of them won't be happy to hear this news....I certainly am not."
He took another deep breath.
"I also believe however that Misty is innocent, and this was most likely an accident that she just wasn't expecting. As long as Deimos is safe, and you can find Misty, then please bring her back so she can explain. That is all I ask."
Longtail wanted to respond, but all he did when he opened his beak was go into a coughing fit, forcing him to sit down on the ground.
Grandpa noticed this and asked, "Is Longtail alright? He doesn't look too well."
-
"He got a little banged up in the fight," Lori replied. She glanced off into the distance, lost in thought. After a moment, she turned back to the rest. "I could probably follow Misty's scent trail from where we found the rock thrower."
-
"M-maybe I should stay behind with Longtail, just to make sure he's ok, while the others find Misty" Kit said. This option killed her more than she would let on, since she wanted to be with the others when they found her new friend just so she could make it easier on her if needed...but then she did trust Littlefoot and the others.
-
"You should come with us, since you're the one who knows Misty the best," Lori said and she was really the only one who knew Misty anyway. She wasn't going to take any chances around Misty, not until she proved her innocence.
-
Grandpa Longneck nodded in agreement with Lori.
"Yes Kit, Lori is right, you should go with them. You may not know her well, but you do seem to trust her and that is what's most important right now." he said with a warm smile as he continued to speak.
"Besides I can look after Longtail for you."
-
"Will do, Grandpa." Littlefoot replied.
Deimos walked back to the group. His eyes were red and he had a few scratches on him but he was otherwise unhurt.
"Deimos, we are going to look for Misty." Nod said.
"Fine by me. Could you wait while I get a weapon?" Deimos said.
The group waited as Deimos dashed back to the battle site. Several minutes later he returned, armed with the stone ax that one of the enemy Fast-Runners was carrying.
"Okay, I am armed and ready to go." Deimos said.
"Excellent." Littlefoot replied. He then turned to Kit. "Where would Misty most likely be located?"
-
Kit nodded, grateful for Grandpa Longnecks's offer, and less than hesitant to help Misty out, as he had said.
She was looking at the stone knife Deimos carried with another sinking feeling when Littlefoot's question pulled her attention back to him. "Oh, well...let's see..." she thought.
"We did spend about two bright circles in the Mysterious Beyond before heading here, so I know her a bit...she mentioned even then how pre-dispossed Egg Stealers are to being good at running before detected, but that was just in reference to normal hunting and all".
Kit was getting off track, and with words that might damage their opinion of Misty more, so she paused, "but...she did say caves were a good spot and...if she were running she would want to get away from the Valley...maybe the hidden caverns?" she guessed.
~~~~
Misty, meanwhile, was unaware that it was the hidden caverns she was prancing around outside of even now. She'd lost the trail she was trailing a while back.
"Well...I can hide in here a bit while I sort stuff out" she thought, and walked farther in to find a spot to rest.
She soon made her way out into the good smelling trees and such and smiled a bit, her first smile in a bit. "Not my pond of water" she said, looking about at the treesweets, "but then they don't stink like I've heard they do to sharpteeth...hey!" the adolescent's eyes went wide.
Something she could do that would help this Valley out after her mess up... "I wonder". She plucked just one of the treesweets and next began to dig at the ground, she'd heard if one buried a treesweet the tree of such would later grown.
"Can't hurt to have a tree or two more" she thought, working at her hole. She noticed a stone spear nerby and used it as a shovel to help her digging beyond what her claws could.
-
As Kit began to recall where she thought Misty might be hiding, Grandpa Longneck turned around carrying Longtail on his back to go and tell the other elders what had happened, starting his search with Mr.Thicknose. Knowing he'd be just as understanding, and willing to listen before making any kind of judgement.
-
(I'll help out with Mr. Thicknose I guess, it sounds kinda fun actually)
Mr. Thicknose was over near a pile of newer types of leaves that had cropped up on the base of a tree. Others had told him that these leaves no one had encountered before were really good.
Mr. Thicknose debated trying some and then sighed, "My age, I shouldn't be trying new things" he said, "I should be settled with what I always eat...but then how can I advise any of the young ones to try new things if I don't" he sighed again and took a mouthful.
"Kinda...well, not bad" was his verdict, he turned a bit even as he noticed Grandpa Longneck with passenger arriving.
"Why do I get the feeling something bad happened?" he asked with an almost worried tone as the elderly longneck approached. (ooc: although wouldn't he be older...never mind)
-
Grandpa Longneck sighed as he came into view of Mr.Thicknose.
"Well the children wer attacked by a pool of water near here, and it seems Longtail took quite a beating, his throat is sore, but that's not the biggest problem. It seems Misty the young Egg-stealer who entered the valley recently may have accidentally hurt one of our own, and the children are going to find her. I promised to look after Longtail until he was feeling better"
-
Littlefoot nodded. "Hmm. The Hidden Caverns, that's a good start."
"The Hidden Caverns are large. We may need some other searchers." Nod added.
"Too many searchers might make Misty uncomfortable." Deimos said.
"Hmm. I guess we'll take 2." Littlefoot said. He then turned to Kit and Lori. "Shall we take 2 other searchers?"
-
Mr. Thicknose nodded slowly, taking in all that was said. “Hmm…I see, well this is a problem. I don’t want to go spreading around a rumor, but if we don’t tell Mr. Threehorn about this he’s likely to be very mad when he does find out…yet I’m not sure I’d want him knowing about it just yet, for the poor egg eaters sake” he added still thinking.
“Hopefully those kids can get some progress done quickly” he finished.
~~~~
Kit thought about the question. “I think…” she tried to put herself in Misty’s feet, “so long as they were about our age and not any of our parents aged grown-ups or anything Misty would feel the most comfortable” she agreed, “but any of the grown-ups and she’s likely to think they’re coming after her for more than just talking”. It was still guessing, and Kit could only hope that none of their presences did make Misty uncomfortable.
-
(OOC - in case anyone is wondering, Deimos is older than the gang. He's the equivalent of a 22 year old.)
"I'll get Ducky. She can make anyone feel comfortable." Littlefoot said.
Deimos looked at his ax. "I think I should switch this for a less threatening weapon."
"Yeah, take a stone knife that you can strap to your leg or arm." Littlefoot then looked at Deimos's mouth, hands and feet. "Actually, leave the ax by Mr. Bigmouth's grove. Your claws and teeth will be good enough. Besides, we don't want to make Misty uncomfortable."
Deimos nodded and headed to Mr. Bigmouth's grove.
"Ah, Deimos are you here for herbs or weaponry?" Mr. Bigmouth asked.
"Neither." Deimos replied. He placed his stone ax against a tree.
He then headed back to where Mr. Thicknose and the group of searchers was located.
----------------
Ozzie finally made his way to the Great Valley. He looked through the entrance and he could make out the forms of armed dinosaurs patrolling the entrance.
"You think hiding yourself among a valley of armed dinosaurs is going to protect you Strut? You wish." Ozzie muttered to himself.
-
Grandpa Longneck sighed as he agreed with Mr.Thicknose.
"Yes I want to tell sooner than later, but ether way, hes likely to turn the discussion into another shouting match. And that will get us nowhere, but it will buy the young ones time to find Misty so she can explain." he said in a confident voice.
Longtail had taken the quiet moment to fall asleep and was curled up on Grandpa Longnecks back.
-
Littlefoot returned with Ducky. "Okay, we got Ducky. Kit, Nod, Deimos, Mutt, Lori, everyone ready?"
Deimos nodded. "We need to find her before one of the patrols do."
-
"Yeah, I guess," Lori replied, wondering why she was still hanging out with the group. She wasn't going to stay in the Valley, so why was she letting herself getting caught up in their problems. Because I'm a big softie," she thought.
-
Kit smiled, glad to see that the others were interested in making Misty feel as comfortable as she could as well.
At Littlefoot's comment on finding Misty before a patrol did, Kit nodded, "Good point, let's get going" she flapped up, definitely wanting to find her friend before a patrol did.
~~~~
Mr. Thicknose nodded, "Hmm, well when you put it that way, I could almost handle his yelling" he half joked.
"Alright then, lets get to finding this second half of any Valley decision" he was making a joke off of an off comment Mr. Threehorn had made one time.
-
After a journey of several minutes, the group arrived at the entrance of the Hidden Caverns.
"The cave is dark. It is, it is." Ducky said.
Deimos snapped off 3 tree branches from a nearby dead tree.
He piled up some dried grass in a patch of dirt and used two pieces of flint he found to start a fire. He fanned the flames with handfuls of twigs. After the fire was was well established, he lit all three branches and extinguished the fire by covering it in dirt.
"Okay, Kit, Ducky, Lori, take a tree branch. We'll use it for light." Deimos said.
Ducky complied and took one of the torches.
-
"Mr. Threehorn, we need to talk" Mr. Thicknose said as he and Grandpa Longneck approached. "What about?" Mr. Threehorn turned to both of the individuals.
"Uh...well..." Mr. Thicknose looked to Grandpa Longneck, "there are reservations about one of our newcomers...".
~~~~
Kit took a lite branch as well and followed along with Ducky into the cave.
Misty had just finished burying the treesweet and stood as Kit and Ducky along with the others made their way out of the caverns.
"Misty!" Kit cried out relieved. The egg napper wheeled about, "Oh...hi guys...". Her gaze came over to Deimos and she cringed, "Geez, I...really left a mark didn't I" she said, "I mean..." she glanced aside.
"Misty..." Kit stepped forward, "did you hit Deimos?".
"It was an accident, I tripped on a rock!" Misty sighed, "and then...well...if it had just been that I would have just apologized, said oops eeps, whatever, but...well I'm sure no one missed how the battle was all but lost and the attackers got away, all because of me" Misty sighed once more, "I just couldn't face you all after that".
-
Deimos sighed. "Misty, just apologize if you screw up."
"Well, we have to get back to Grandpa Longneck and hope Mr. Threehorn hasn't gotten the news yet." Nod said.
The group then headed to the Thundering Falls Lake where they encountered Grandpa Longneck.
"Grandpa, we found Misty. The whole thing was an accident." Littlefoot said.
-
Grandpa Longneck was about to say what had transpired when he heard his grandson call out. He gave a sigh of relief as he turned and smiled.
"Very well done Littlefoot. Is Misty safe?" he asked with concern hoping he'd get a good answer.
Longtail however happened to fall off of Grandpa's back and landed on his belly, however he stayed asleep despite the pain.
Grandpa Longneck was surprised, but glad to see that he was okay.
-
Misty looked after the departing group in shock for a bit, "That...that's it?" she asked surprised. Kit smiled, "you should really have more faith in us, we're your friends" she said.
Misty sighed, "Yeah, ok, I'll put that on the list of stuff to do better as well" she said with a small smile as she followed.
Once they reached Grandpa Longneck, Misty hesitantly but determinedly came out. "Uh...yes sir, I'm fine" she said, "Just have to learn to take responsibility a bit better" she half muttered, "um...it's the whole being an egg napper thing I think, too good at running". She took a deep breath, "Sorry" she said, "for the trouble and then more trouble".
-
"That's okay." Deimos said.
"Now what do we do?" Nod asked.
Sunset was approaching.
"Well, maybe we could get something to eat. Combat is quite intense." Deimos said.
"Yeah, let's do that." Littlefoot said.
----------
Over in Mr. Bigmouth's grove, Mr. Bigmouth used a torch to light 2 small piles of wood inside a fire ring made of stones. The fire illuminated the entrance of the grove.
"Well, I hope the patrols are enjoying their..." He was cut off by a stone throwing knife being embedded in a tree near him.
"Hey! The target range is near the Gravel Fields!" He shouted.
A large rock was thrown at him in response. It narrowly missed his head. "Can't you hear!" he shouted again, "If you want to throw rocks or knives go to the target range, damn it!"
Another large rock missed him. Mr. Bigmouth took the hint and ran into his grove. When he reached the core of the grove; he seized Deimos's stone ax.
"I'm not used to close quarters combat but it's do or die." he said grimly, clutching the handle of the ax.
------------
Ozzie was hiding out in a small cave near one of the Valley entrance to the Feeding Grounds. Several times he heard patrols just inside the valley.
-
Grandpa Longneck nodded his head.
"Yes, food at this time of day is important for everyone. Come along, lets find some food." he said as he turned to leave.
Longtail however blinked his eyes open at the mention of food and grinned as he stood up and hobbled after his friends, his breathing still a little heavy, but much better than before.
-
Kit laughed as Longtail leapt up, "In case you missed it, Misty explained how it was an accident and isn't in trouble anymore" she summed up.
Near where she walked with the others Misty sighed, "Yeah, apparently those tales I heard about how great the Great Valley herd is are true".
"Well, there are moments of misunderstanding" Kit allowed, "like one time half of the Valley dinosaurs wanted to actually kick Cera out as a young one just 'cause she lied about defeating bellydraggers, and it was all her dad's fault anyway since...".
Kit then noticed that Mr. Threehorn had been silent but was with he group. She smiled nervously, "I mean, never mind". The Threehorn just grumbled but didn't say anything.
-
"Well, I'll be at the stream." Deimos said "Chomper, Misty want to come with me for fish?"
Littlefoot, Ducky, Hyp and Nod headed over to the Feeding Grounds where they encountered Strut.
"Mmm. Nice to see you." Strut said. He was stuffing Sweet Bubbles into his mouth.
"How did you get them?" Littlefoot asked.
Strut grinned and pointed to a rock by his side.
"Wow. You actually knocked down a branch with a rock?" Hyp said, astonished.
Strut nodded. "Yep. I seem to have a natural talent for projectiles. You should have seen me with the hollow reed and darts or the stone tipped spears."
"Well, don't get too cocky. You need to be able to fight at close quarters too." Littlefoot replied. He was eating from one of the piles of treestars on the ground.
-
Longtail smiled at Strut.
"Not bad...If you wouldn't mind Strut, I'd like to have a sparring match with you...just to see how good you really are." he said as he picked up several leaves and ate them. 'I wonder what his answer will be?' thought Longtail to himself.
-
"I'm a thrower not a close quarters fighter. If you want a close quarters battle, go to Deimos." Strut replied. He had finished eating his Sweet Bubbles and was now eating some treestars.
----------
Deimos was at a stream. He used his hand to swat a large fish from the stream and devoured it.
Chomper was eating some large beetles.
-----------
Mr. Bigmouth was inside his grove with a stone ax. The voices of the invaders could be heard but they haven't found him yet.
-
Lori yawned as she watched the other two sharpteeth eat. He was leaning back against a tree trunk and soaking up the heat of the sun. She glanced over at the other two and asked. "Do you have any family here in the valley?"
-
Chomper shook his head. "Nope. I stay here with Ruby. Mr parents are on an island out in the Big Water."
"I'm not sure if I even WANT to see my parents." Deimos said.
-
Lori sighed and glanced away, feeling a little regret for having asked. As she looked around the valley, she decided it would have made a nice home, but it only seemed it would be that way for the leafeaters and her parents might not be allowed to stay here, even if she could find them.
-
As if Misty needed the “Ripeness of a tree sweet” as flatteeth said (icing on the cake) of Demios’ offer, it helped nontheless and she nodded. “Sure, I should probably get good at fishing if I stay here” she said.
As they reached the stream, she knelt by a spot and watched the fish swim around. Slowly she tried to capture one but it swam too quickly. “Drat” she sighed, eggs never moved…she tried again, with about the same success.
As she sighed again, Misty noticed something off to the side in the water, a leaf with what she now remembered were fish eggs on it. “I wonder…”, she plucked it and deposited only the eggs in her mouth…then grimaced horribly.
She swallowed yet then took in gulps of water, “Funny, you’d think it’d be the same thing” she said, “but…not at all”.
“Oh well, it’ll do in a pinch I guess” Misty went back to trying to catch one of the fish. She this time managed to flip on onto shore and next began chasing it about as it flopped this way and that. “Hey, hold still” she cried.
She had just caught the wiggling thing as she heard Lori’s question. “Sadly I haven’t had a family for a while now” she said, “but I’ve sort of got use to that…you ok?” she next asked, seeing Lori’s look.
~~~~
Kit had planned on accompanying Littlefoot and the others, yet as she flapped out she spotted her dad just staring into space beyond the Great Valley wall it seemed. She flapped over, “Ya ok dad?”. Her dad, Tylr, snapped out of his spacing. “Huh? Oh yeah, I was just…uh scouting or something”.
The ëor something’ gave him away and Kit just smiled. “Ok, but beyond just scouting, what are you doing?” she looked curious again as she landed near him on the tree he’d found.
Tylr smiled, “Oh, it sounds silly I know, but I was family pondering again; ya know even after this long I lament that your mom had to be taken from us a bit before your hatch date and never made it to the Great Valley, war torn that it may be now”.
Kit smiled sadly, “Yeah, same here, but you do pretty good telling me about her…um, care to do some more of it?” she asked. Tylr smiled, “Well sure, ok, as I’ve told you many times before, her name was Violet, and that was kinda odd since your brown coloring is almost the spitting image of her; she had only one other sibling, an older brother, Trip, and it was when we were all kids and your Uncle Cree bumped into Trip and didn’t say sorry that I first met her…”.
-
Longtail had taken Struts advice and gone to find Deimos but before he got the chance he noticed Kit and Tylr sitting on the valley wall and he decided to see if they were okay. As he flapped up to the wall to join them he sighed, as he heard the mention of family, however he also hoped they wouldn't notice his sour disposition to the topic at hand.
"Hi Kit, Hello Mr. Tylr, how are two doing?" he asked sincerely.
-
Tylr paused his story to smile at Longtail. "Hello Longtail, we're good" he said.
"Yeah, now that there gets to be at least a small time of peace after that last attack" Kit said with a little bit of a sigh, "Now if it would just last; you seem to be doing better" she smiled, "do you feel any better?".
-
"I'm fine," Lori replied with a heavy sigh. Her frown and forlorn look still remained as she stared at the valley walls.
-
Longtail smiled as he answered.
"I'm not hurting anymore...at least not on the outside." he then frowned and asked a question.
"What do you do...when you miss someone, you have no real memory of...except their death?" he sighed and tried not to look as sad as he felt.
-
Misty nodded, taking Lori's answer as fact even if she could tell the sharptooth looked like it wasn't true; still she didn't know how to just up and a pry into private matter such as whatever was bugging Lori, so she turned to the river once more.
"I'd offer to catch you a fish" she said, "but you're probably really good at it and I'd just insult you, huh?" she asked with a smile, "I'll try anyway". She bent to see if she could catch some more fish for either Lori and herself or...just whatever with however she could catch.
~~~~
Tylr had known there was something behind Longtail's mood. He frowned at the serious question though.
"Well that is a hard one" he admitted.
"Sometimes even with enough of a past history, how they died is still hard to get past" Tylr replied from personal experience, "but...clinging to whatever good memories you are able to remember is what's helped me...even if I admit I'm not good at it myself; from what they tell me of the Circle of Life we do get to see them again though, though I also know that doesn't help right now" Tylr looked down as well himself.
"Yeah" Kit nodded, "I didn't even get to meet my mom and I miss her enough without that, though...". She glanced to both her dad and Longtail unsurely, "I...I really am not sure if there's anything to this, but..." she turned to Longtail, "have you ever heard of, or are you familiar with...them being in your dreams?" she asked Longtail.
-
"I've tried fishing," Lori said. "I can hunt down bugs, lizards, and small fuzzy things easily enough though."
She smirked, remembering how her parents had always praised her ability to hunt. Her uncle always said they only did that because she was their kid and her hunting abilities weren't anything spectacular. She had learned that her uncle didn't really mean half of the things he said and just seemed to like to get on people's nerves for some reason.
She watched Misty bending over the water, secretly hoping the next fish she caught would be as amusing as the one she had previously.
-
Deimos swatted another fish out of the water. He ate it and sat on a rock. "Hey Lori, Misty are you done? And you could use a spear to catch the fish."
Chomper caught a frog by the stream and ate it.
----------
Theta, Hasta and their forces were camped out on a oasis in the Mysterious Beyond.
A fire was burning in the middle of the oasis.
Some of the dinosaurs were sparring with each other and some were engaging in some target practice.
-
Longtail shed a tear after hearing what Kit and Tylr had to say, and then he blinked as he thought about Kits question and then he slowly nodded his head.
"Y-yeah...I do know of something like that...sometimes I even hear my mothers voice when I'm awake...although I can never understand why." He began to sob quietly but he also said, "I have...other memories of her, but the one that I remember even when I don't want to is watching her die...and it hurts so much..."
-
"Oh, right, sorry, this whole using weapons thing is still new" Misty said, she nonetheless had two more fish to being over, and figured this would do her.
"Yeah, I'm good though" she said.
~~~~
Tylr was hardly this impulsive before, but with the shared emotions of the three of them, and with his own tears pooled and also falling a bit he reached out and gently have Longtail a hug, "Yeah...those scenes just hardly ever seem to go away" he admitted quietly.
Kit glanced aside, trying to recall if the voice she'd heard in her dreams had ever been heard before by her...yeah, once or twice she thought...or maybe that was just remembering.
With proof from Longtail that it was possible though, she felt more sad somehow and her own tears fell.
-
As Longtail felt Tylr embrace him in the hug, he only cried harder. He didn't think it would feel this bad. He did however look over to Kit for a moment, and thinking on his feet wrapped his tail around her and brought her into the hug as well.
Longtail then looked to the sky with tears falling from his eyes and he thought he heard someone speaking...
'Your friends are your family little one, let them help you.'
Longtail wasn't sure if he was right or not, but he believed the voice anyway and smiled.
-
Deimos chuckled. "Well Misty, most dinosaurs I've met don't use weapons. The Great Valley dinos and the Claw Valley dinos seem to be the exception. Though I have met a few Far-Walkers, mostly Swimmers, who do use weaponry. Well, anyone up for some sparring?"
--------
Ozzie was waiting outside the Great Valley walls when a stone throwing knife slashed through the air, narrowly missing his chest, and shattered against the cliffs.
He quickly ran back to his cave before he could be hit with more projectiles.
----------
Mr. Bigmouth was clutching his stone ax as he crouched behind a tree. He was cursing himself for rejecting the offer of guards.
3 enemy dinosaurs entered the grove: a black sickleclaw; a grey Runner armed with a stone war hammer, no more than a wedge shaped rock tied onto the end of a heavy branch; and a green sickleclaw armed with a tree branch he had studded with flakes of sharp rock.
-
"Um...I don't know, maybe I'll practice against a tree that doesn't mind when you hurt it before I'm more sure of my aim" Misty said with a small smile, moving off to a nearby tree to try out, at very slow speeds and semi-close distance, her rock thrower.
~~~~
Kit smiled at Longtail's including her in the hug too. When the moment had passed and Tylr let up, he smiled, "You know the reason everyone around here's fighting so hard to protect the Great Valley is because we're an extended herd or community; and so we're here for you too" he pointed out, "even Mr. Clubtail when he doesn't show it has to like some of us".
Kit gave a small smile, "Well someone should really tell him that".
Tylr smiled thoughtfully again, "Hey if I could handle your Uncle Cree, I can handle him" he said, before sighing, "and on that and other such notes, I am a firm believer, once a member of a herd always a member so..." he broke off yet then continued turning to Kit, "that goes society debt payers and...loners as well" he said.
Kit gave a small smile.
"Well, who's up for more upbeat discussions and or activities" Tylr smiled. Kit gave a small laugh, "as long as it's not a patrol that has to remind me of the war again, I'm up for mostly anything".
-
Longtail wiped his eyes with his tail after the hug had been broken. He then gave a wide smile and asked, "Well...could we get some food...all this remembering has made me kinda hungry." he then giggled at the thought of food.
-
"Sounds good" Kit said with a smile, "since I didn't eat anything even before we had to go looking for Misty and all that".
Tylr smiled as he flapped up, "Come on, we can go see if Mr. Threehorn is guarding the tree sweets tree again or if it's up for grabbing a few".
-
Longtail laughed.
"Knowing him, he's going to guard those tree sweets until they fall from the tree during the cold time!"
-
"Okay, I'll be heading back to the Feeding Grounds." Deimos said. "Wait, that take that rock thrower to Mr. Bigmouth; he might be able to make it better or come up with other projectiles for you to use."
With that said, Deimos left Misty alone to practice.
-----------
At the Feeding Grounds, Strut was using a rock to knock down a few treestars.
Ducky looked at Strut. "Strut does not need to fight at close quarters. He does not, he does not."
Nod chuckled. "Well, we don't have to worry about him hitting us either. I'm pretty sure he can probably take down an enemy flyer."
"Let's hope we don't have to do that." Littlefoot added. He had eaten his pile of treestars already.
-
"Yeah, one would think he'd get bored and want to do something else" Kit commented.
When they reached the treesweets tree though, Mr. Threehorn wasn't anywhere to be found.
~~~~
Misty took aim yet again, standing a bit further back, and then smacked the tree yet again with the rock thrower she'd built for herself, letting Deimos take the other one with him.
She smiled, "Ok...maybe I've got a handle on this".
-
Lori watched Misty practice with a vacant gaze, clearly her mind was elsewhere. She glanced over at Deimos and watched him leave, debating briefly if she should go with him. "Would you like some company?" she asked the other predator.
-
"Sure." Deimos replied. He was holding the slingshot in his right hand. "So Lori, how are you enjoying the Great Valley?"
-
"It's little soon to be asking me that, isn't it?" Lori frowned. "Well, I suppose it's a great place if dinosaurs like us, can live in harmony with flatteeth. It certainly seems there's enough pre- er, food here."
-
Longtail smiled brightly as he noticed Mr.Threehorn was nowhere to be seen.
"Hey, I ain't complaining! Let's grab a few and leave before he gets back." He then dived down to the tree and picked up several tree sweets and giggled as this was just a little too easy.
-
(ooc: I believe no one knows where Cera is...)
Kit smiled, swooping down to grab a few herself. She was about to comment to what Longtail said when a voice cried out and interrupted her.
"Hey!" Cera said, storming over, "What do you guys think you're doing?!".
Kit, still holding a wing load full of blossoms, sighed as she looked down, "Don't tell me..." she sighed.
Tylr smiled, "How you doing Cera? Taking over for you dad I see?" he asked simply. Cera huffed a bit, "I feel it's necessary, especially with intruders, and apparently I'm right and the citizens are looking to steal tree sweets too!".
Kit sighed, "Cera, they've been on the tree for a while, we're past the rationing point".
~~~~
Finally satisfied with how well her aim was, Misty turned and rushed off to try and see if she could maybe catch up with Deimos and Lori to show them. "And this time I won't go hitting anyone who I shouldn't" she said.
-
Deimos arrived at Mr. Bigmouth's grove. "Mr. Bigmouth! I've got a new weapon for you to look at."
------
Mr. Bigmouth was inside his grove and trying to fight off his attackers.
He had dodged an attack from the war hammer armed Runner. He quickly grabbed a leaf packet from a nearby rock, crushed it and threw the powder at his assailants.
"Powder?" the club wielding sickleclaw said derisively as the white dust enveloped him. "Heh, you think....argh!" The sickleclaw shouted, dropping his club.
The three other dinosaurs started coughing and crying as the powder was actually a strong irritant designed to be used as a weapon.
Mr. Bigmouth ran out of the grove through another exit.
-
Lori saw a dinosaur who she guessed was Mr. Bigmouth, running out of another exit from the grove. "Hey, Deimos. I think we've got trouble..."
-
"Let's deal with it." Deimos said. He handed Lori the slingshot back to Lori and looked around for a weapon. There was nothing he could use.
"Ready?" Deimos asked Lori.
-----------
"Nice job on guarding the food, Cera." Littlefoot said. "Though, I think you're a little paranoid about the citizens."
-
"I guess," Lori replied, turning the weapon in her hands over and bending down to pick up several rocks. "Are you sure we shouldn't get reinforcements?"
-
"Good idea!" Deimos said, "Thinking like a true tactician."
With that said, Deimos ran to the Feeding Grounds.
-
Lori turned and darted after him, having trouble keeping up due to her shorter legs. She kept a tight grip on the slingshot and the stones. "What's a tactician?"
-
At the frown that came over Cera's face at Littlefoot's words, Kit laughed. "I'm just making sure by the time the Cold Time does come we aren't all wanting to eat a treesweet we squandered beforehand" Cera replied.
"Very good thinking, Cera" Tylr said amused, "but we promise to watch it". Kit discretely popped in and swallowed one blossom just incase.
~~~~
As Misty got closer she noticed Lori pick up speed to catch Deimos probably, he was farther ahead and she couldn't really tell. "Lori" she called, "What's going on, you need help?" she raced to keep up as well.
-
"We're going to get reinforcements," Lori hollered back. "It looks like someone attacked Mr. Bigmouth's grove."
-
"Mr. Bigmouth's grove was attacked." Deimos said. "We need reinforcements to engage the intruders."
---------
As the irritating dust settled, the war hammer toting Runner swore.
"Tear this place apart! He must be here somewhere!" he shouted.
The other 2 dinosaurs obeyed his command.
The club wielding sickleclaw searched one of the winding passages and the unarmed sickleclaw seized a nearby spear and helped the Runner search the main grove.
-
Longtail sighed and put down several of the tree sweets just to make Cera happy, but he did take the last one and ate it anyway. He then turned his head as he stated: "I think I hear someone coming...it...it sounds like Deimos." He then secretly ate another tree sweet.
-
"Oh...my" Misty's words dropped off though as she quickly got to glancing about for reinforcements. Still a ways ahead, and closer to Deimos than her, she spotted the others at the treesweets grove.
Deimos seemed concentrated on getting to Mr. Bigmouth's grove though and Misty's kind had always been quite fast with proper motivation, so she spilled the news first. "Mr. Bigmouth's cave has been attacked apparently" she said with a quick direction change over in their direction.
Tyrl frowned, "Oh...my".
"Yeah, that's what I said" Misty answered. The flyer snapped too though, "Well then come on, he probably needs help" Tylr said, flapping up. He spotted Kit and frowned a bit like he might say something but she just sighed, "Not now dad, get overprotective later when we've saved at least Mr. Bigmouth" she said flying over in the direction Deimos and the others were heading.
-
Longtail after hearing the news immediately followed after Kit and said to Tylr, "Don't worry...I'll keep an eye on her, you have my promise!"
-
Deimos with the others trailing had reached the Feeding Grounds. "Cera, Littlefoot, Hyp, Ducky, will you join us?"
"I'm still recovering." Hyp said.
"I do not want to fight more." Ducky replied.
"I'll come." Littlefoot said.
"Thanks!" Deimos said. "Everyone! Look around for a weapon!"
Deimos looked around and grabbed a nearby fist sized rock.
-
Tylr sighed, Kit was in good wings he knew if Longtail was looking out for her, so he didn't make Kit turn back even as his own intention to help was hindered by the fact that Mr. Threehorn, who arrived to help his daughter guard the treesweet tree pointed out that someone had to clean up the now blossom littered area, or at least pile the one's that had fallen.
Tylr knew he was right so he obliged.
~~~~
Kit glanced around to see if there was anything she could use. "Hmm, maybe still just pecking at intruders is the best way to go" she wondered out loud.
Misty stocked up her own rock thrower, "and this time, I can aim" she told herself.
-
Longtail looked at Deimos and gave a dark laugh.
"I don't need a weapon...I've got three already, and they're attached to my body! Let those intruders try anything stupid...I'll show them what I can do." He didn't mean to sound cocky to his friends, but he wanted to make up for looking so weak before. He hoped the others knew that.
He then turned to Kit and said, "that sounds like the best idea Kit, and like I said, I'll watch your wings during the fight."
-
Kit smiled, "Thanks Longtail, I'm not gonna lie, I might need it" she sighed, "We're not all as experienced at this as you" it was meant to be a compliment.
"Well who would expect us to be" Misty asked from below, "I mean, we're all but programmed to run...some of us anyway, and then we find ourselves wanting to and needing to defend something important to us...or important to a friend, so important to us" she kept falling back on her own personal experience, "and we have to figure it out. I think I have though" she said, "figured it out".
Kit smiled, "I think you have too...by the way, Misty, what were you doing in the hidden cavern when we found you?" Kit asked something that had been bugging her as they walked.
Misty ducked her head, "Oh...well...it sounds silly but I was putting on of the treesweets in the ground so the seed would later make another tree to maybe help keep any sharptoothed attackers who tried to come that way out" she said.
"Hopefully it won't backspit (backfire) and bug Lori or anything" she added to herself almost.
-
Deimos looked at Longtail. "Hey, I have several natural weapons on me as well, but I like to add even more."
-
Longtail cracked a smile.
"I suppose you're right Deimos, but still...I know a few fighting moves that are sure to keep me alive this time!" But the more he thought about it, he felt he might need a weapon, and he picked up a sharpened stick from the ground and wrapped his tail around it, and swung it several times getting the feel for its weight and his movement.
"Oh...this works!" He said with a laugh.
-
Kit turned to notice Longtail picking up the stick and debated if she would need one too. She scanned the ground, oh well, if she saw something of use maybe it would just call to her and then she'd know.
-
Deimos looked at Littlefoot, Longtail, Kit and Misty. "Everyone ready?"
-----------
Ozzie waited until the sounds of patrols grew faint, then he ran into the valley and took cover in a small grove.
-
Longtail gave a cocky grin as he answered.
"Oh yeah..I'm ready! Let's go protect our home!" he said aloud.
-
"You bet" Kit nodded. "Yeah" Misty sent a rock sailing to hit smack on a tree, "I think I've got it now".
-
Deimos and Littlefoot headed to Mr. Bigmouth's grove. On the way, they encountered Mr. Bigmouth.
"Hey Mr. Bigmouth, can you tell us what we're up against?" Deimos asked.
"There's 2 sickleclaws and a Runner. I think the Runner had a stone war hammer and one of the sickleclaws had a club." Mr. Bigmouth replied.
-
Kit frowned at this assessment, yet steeled up her courage once more. "Well...then if it's to defend your grove and the Valley, we're here" she said. "You bet" Misty turned her sights to the grove as she now repeated what Kit had said earlier.
-
Deimos clenched his rock and looked at the entrance of the grove. "Ready when you are."
-------------
The 3 dinosaurs inside the grove readied their weapons.
-
Longtail was right behind Deimos, Littlefoot and Mr.Bigmouth. Just as he passed under a low hanging set of vines Longtail wrapped his tail tighter around the weapon he was holding and took a battle stance as he landed on the ground.
"Come and get it ya cowards!" he shouted hoping the the three attackers would still be close enough to hear him.
-
Kit following right behind, had taking a rock Misty had all but insisted she at least have for back up at the last moment, was tempted to flinch at Longtail's calling the attackers out...but then either way the attack was to come, still she hoped they didn't ruin any surprise attack or anything.
"So just three..." Misty muttered to herself near Kit, "Yeah, I think we can handle that" she turned to Kit. The flyer left her thoughts unsaid for the moment.
There was a movement off to Misty's right, yet rather than chunk the rock when she didn't know where it was going, she waited and squinted at the spot, this time she was gonna know who she hit; yet she still prepared for a quick defense.
-
Mr. Bigmouth clutched his stone ax.
"They know we're here; we'll need to charge in." Littlefoot said.
Deimos nodded. "Charge!" He then ran into the grove brandishing his rock.
-
Lori followed the charge, staying back so that she could use the rock thrower in her hands. She tripped on a rock jutting out of the ground, falling onto her face. "Ow."
-
"Lori!" Misty halted slightly to help the sharptooth back up, even if she was bigger and thus Misty wasn't sure what help she was really in hauling her back up, but she at least offered a hand up.
She handed her her dropped rock thrower, "Might want to keep this on you" she smiled. The others were already up ahead now at least by a bit, so Misty glanced around to make sure no one was going to leap out to surprise them here before they could rush back up to catch up to the others.
Unfortunately, one of the sickleclaws had noted the laggers it seemed since he (?) leapt out to block the path with a grin. Misty frowned, "Don't even try it bud, we are armed ya know!" she showed her rock thrower, then prepared to use it as the sickle claw leapt froward...
-
(OOC - yes all the attackers are male.)
"Oh you're not the only armed ones." the sickleclaw said. He moved his other hand to reveal a club studded with sharp rock flakes. "Come out and greet our guests!"
At his command, the spear wielding sickleclaw and war hammer armed Runner walked out and brandished their weapons.
"You took my grove!" Mr. Bigmouth shouted, brandishing his stone ax.
-
"Thanks," Lori said as she accepted the rockthrower back. She glanced over at the sickleclaw. She eyed the club with distaste, not wanting to imagine getting hit with it. "So you have a giant stick. Big deal."
She placed a stone into the rockthrower and pulled back, letting it fly. It sailed past the sickleclaw's head missing by about a foot.
-
The sickleclaw with the spear charged Lori but Deimos threw his rock at the sicklelclaw, striking him in the face. The sickleclaw's nose was broken but it made him even angrier.
"I'll get the small sharptooth! Get the sickleclaw and the Bigmouth with the ax!" The sickleclaw shouted.
Deimos was set upon by the war hammer wielding Runner. He dodged an attack and grabbed his opponent's weapon arm, placing him in an arm lock and forcing him to drop his weapon.
"Someone grab his weapon!" Deimos shouted.
The Runner stepped on Deimos's foot and ground it into the grass.
Deimos gritted his teeth but loosened his grip slightly. The Runner then continued grinding Deimos's injured foot into the ground.
Mr. Bigmouth was set upon by the spear wielding sickleclaw. He dodged all of the sickleclaw's thrusts but could not retaliate effectively as the sickleclaw had a large reach advantage.
-
"My, aren't you the big tough sickleclaw, picking on the little sharptooth," Lori mocked, grabbing another stone from the ground and sending it flying with the rock thrower. This time the rock slammed into the sickleclaw's chest.
Lori quickly darted to the side, trying to get around to Deimos and the runner he had ahold of.
-
Kit gasped and also darted over to try and help Deimos during the confusion of her hopefully being forgotten. The other sickleclaw un-occupied leapt up and grabbed a hold of one of her feet, pulling her down though.
"Oh no you don't, no trickery!" he said as they hit the floor and he struggled to pin the flyer. "Look who's talking!" Kit threw back in shock before putting her focus into trying to get away.
Misty had once more snuck around to be unseen and this time took a true aim with the rock thrower, hitting the runner pinning Deimos down in the back with a rock. she grit her teeth and muttered though, not sure if it was a hit to do enough damage, but she'd have to wait and see, maybe it would stun him enough to let up and give Deimos an opportunity though.
-
Longtail was surprised these three had gotten the jump on their team. But in the confusion he noticed one of the Sickleclaws had Kit held to the ground and as quietly as he could charged forward picking up speed and spun around bringing his stick into the sickleclaws face and then he pounced onto his back and began scratching and biting.
-
The sickleclaw leapt back, forgetting the other flyer now with this one attacking him. Kit took the opportunity and dodged out, yet delivered her own blow to the gut on her way out.
Eitherway Longtail's assault seemed to be more annoying than any actions of herself and he struggled to swipe out and get a hit at the flyer on his back, but to no avail. He sidelonged over towards the rock wall hoping to maybe knock the flyer off that way...
Meanwhile, thus freed and with Misty's action proving some distraction, Kit dodged in to try and grab the stone hammer as Deimos had suggested. She gripped the top at least and flapped up, pulling with all her might.
-
Deimos's grip was loosening and was finally broken when the Runner elbowed him in the stomach. The Runner grabbed his war hammer and tried to pull Kit down to the ground.
Mr. Bigmouth dodged a spear thrust and retaliated with an ax blow that snapped the spear in half. He closed in but the sickleclaw tripped him and stomped his back, leaving Mr. Bigmouth on the ground and in severe pain. The sickleclaw grabbed Mr. Bigmouth's ax and tried to strike him in the head but Deimos took advantage of the confusion to hit the sickleclaw's ax with a well aimed rock, breaking the head. The sickleclaw turned to face Deimos and that was when an even larger rock struck the sickleclaw full in the face, knocking him unconscious.
The sickleclaw who Lori had struck closed in and swiped at Lori with his club. Littlefoot charged the sickleclaw and delivered a strong headbutt cracked a few of the sickleclaw's ribs but was repaid with a powerful blow to his side. The many gashes caused by the club started to bleed. Littlefoot continued attacking but another club blow caused him to stagger away, dripping blood behind him.
-
Lori tried to duck out of the way of the club, but it caught her arm and she gasped in pain, her arm went limp. She growled and leapt onto the sickleclaw's back, digging in with the claws on her feet and her one good arm, while she attacked the back of his neck with her tooth-filled mouth. The sickleclaw managed to shake her off and Lori landed on her bad arm.
-
Longtail groaned in pain as his head met contact with the rock. He slid off the sickleclaws back and landed on his feet, he took the moment to try and bite his opponets neck, and then lashed out with his tail trying to strike. "Come on...I thought Sickleclaws were supposed to be tough." he taunted.
-
In shock, Kit felt herself pulled down with the momentum of the runner's tug on the hammer, and a hard collision with the ground felt like it did either bruise or sprain her left wing, but she couldn't tell yet.
She dodged around the hammer being brought down to finish the job, though and in seeing an option, grabbed the runner's hand which held the club and bit hard with her beak.
As the runner cried in pain and dropped the hammer, Kit grabbed it and flew upward, finding the weight hard to handle but do-able.
"You're...too dangerous with this" she said, gaining altitude with the club. It was as she was debating where to go with the club, that it slipped from her talons mid flight and twirled down to hit the sickle-claw about to finish the job with an injured Lori.
Kit flinched, yet then sighed as she saw that it was a good hit. She flapped down to see if those hit by him were alright though.
"Lori, Littlefoot, you guys ok?" she called.
Although Misty was shocked at her rock driving home, she moved quickly past it though and leapt out, seeing the trouble Longtail was having...well...she couldn't tell if it was trouble, but still one more aid might help.
"Nah, they're just big hatchlings!" Misty called just to get a response and the sickle-claw to turn to her before she let her rock fly...
-
The falling stone hammer killed the sickleclaw with the club.
The remaining sickleclaw ignored Misty, dodged back from Longtail's bite attack and grabbed his tail and tried to slam him to the ground.
Deimos went over to the unconscious sickleclaw and broke his neck by stomping it. He grabbed a rock on the ground and nodded to Misty. "We'll hit him at the same time."
"I'm fine, I ll just need to see Mr. Bigmouth." Littlefoot panted.
-
With a nod, Misty let her rock fly at the same time as Deimos to finish off the last sickle-claw.
With a nod, Kit flapped over to where Mr. Bigmouth was as quick as she could, and gave one simple bit of news, "Littlefoot's been hurt".
-
The sickleclaw was simultaneously struck by the rocks and fell. Deimos grabbed the stone war hammer and crushed his skull before he could get back up.
Mr. Bigmouth was getting onto his feet. "I'll see what I can do. I'll need to head back to my grove."
-
Lori groaned as she rolled onto her feet. Her good arm went to hold her injured one, which was dangling at her side. She flinched in pain and stiffled a roar of pain, which came out as a strangled hiss. "I think my arm got hit pretty badly."
-
Longtail groaned and pushed himself off the ground from where he'd been thrown by the sickle claw. He looked around and shook his head to clear his senses, and noticed Lori's hurt arm. He then stepped over to her and asked,
"Are you okay?"
-
Kit nodded, "Then maybe we should get to the grove, I think Lori's hurt too". Misty sighed in relief that the threat was dealt with, but like Kit had pointed out, they weren't out of the woods yet.
"Here" she pulled a few leaves she could find, "maybe we should make a sling for that arm until we can see what can be done" she said.
-
Longtail nodded.
"Yeah, good idea Kit. Let me help you." said Longtail as he stepped over and pikced up a few vines and waited for Kit to place the leaves so he could warp the vines around them.
-
"Thanks" Kit said. "Now don't worry Lori, I'll be as gentle as I can" she said before placing the leaves for Longtail to then tie up.
-
Deimos was assisting in cleaning Littlefoot's wounds. He found several stalkts that oozed clear sap. He used the sap to cover the wounds.
Littlefoot flinched as the cool sap flowed into the deep cuts on his back. "Thanks Deimos. We should get to Mr. Bigmouth."
Deimos nodded. "The plant I used is good for emergencies but we need something longer lasting."
-
Longtail nodded as Kit held the plants in place, and he began to tie the plants together with the vines in his hands. He tied several knots and asked, "How does that feel Lori, or do I need to tighten the vines some more?"
-
Lori flinched away from them for a moment, before she relaxed, figuring that whatever they were was similiar to the meidcal knowledge that her mom knew.
"Um, I don't know," Lori said, unsure of exactly how the sling was supposed to feel. "I guess it's okay..."
-
"Well, you won't have to hold it all the time now anyway" Kit shrugged, finding at least some good in the plan.
"Yeah" Misty admitted, "Hmm, but I don't know if those leaves will help Littlefoot's injury".
-
Deimos shook his head. "He needs something like sickleclaw paste. Mr. Bigmouth has a batch but I'm not sure if the attackers stole it."
Mr. Bigmouth shook his head. "Unfortunately, the powder I used to stun my attackers tends to contaminate things. If my herbs are contaminated; I have to burn them. "
-
"Then...what do we do?" Misty asked, knowing even Lori's arm might need further help. In the back of her mind it hit Kit how she hadn't tried to fly on her sprained, at least, wing, but she didn't want to say anything now and make further trouble...
-
"We'll have to gather some more. I know where the herbs are located." Mr. Bigmouth said.
"Hmm. Lori, Kit rest here. I'll accompany Mr. Bigmouth. Misty, you help Littlefoot clean up Mr. Bigmouth's grove." Deimos said.
"Will do." Littlefoot replied.
-
Lori wasn't content to just sit and wait for Mr. Bigmouth to return. She went over towards Littlefoot and Misty. "Do you need any help?"
She tried to smile, though the dull ache in her arm made her expression flinche.
-
"If you want, I'm not stopping you but I'm not sure if it is good idea. " Littlefoot replied. "Wait, do you know how to start a fire? We'll need to burn all the herbs as Mr. Bigmouth said."
--------
Deimos and Mr. Bigmouth were searching for the herbs.
"So I assume your 'weapon herbs' will have to be destroyed too?" Deimos asked.
Mr. Bigmouth nodded. "Yes. But we can deal with that later." He then turned around and noticed a cluster of tall green reeds. "There's one of the herbs, the clear sap reed."
Deimos went up to the cluster and uprooted several of the reeds. He snapped off a large lead from a tree and placed the reeds on them. "Where to next?"
"We'll need the sickleclaw paste." Mr. Bigmouth responded. "We'll head towards the Bubbling Muds."
Deimos followed Mr. Bigmouth, dragging the leaf behind him like an impromptu sled.
-
As the others moved off to collect what they needed, Longtail suddenly lost the feeling in his legs and fell to the floor. He sighed as he realized that the fight had taken more out of him than he'd thought. He was worn out...and it showed as he could barely keep his eyes open from exhaustion.
-
"A fire..." Misty repeated, "well, Lori, if you do you could be a big help, since I obviously could start a fire with my hands, from who I've heard it's done, I just...don't really know how to" she shrugged.
~~~~
Noticing Longtail slump in exhaustiion, and knowing that was all it was, Kit gave a small smile and gathered up some non-dangerous or 'in need of burning' ordinary leaves and used it as a make-shift blanket which she put over Longtail.
She knew that whole fight that had ensued due to the sickle-claw's attack of her had been the main thing to tire Longtail. "Well, I'll stand guard this time" she said to no one who could heard her, "as a switch around pay back, and don't worry...you're getting lots of praise for keeping that promise to my dad, since you did do that real well".
Kit realized with Longtail dozing she was sort of talking to herself and so stopped it.
-
"Start a fire?" Lori looked confused. She couldn't imagine how a dinosaur could start a fire, or why they would want to, since fire was something feared by all dinosaurs. "How do I do that?"
-
"I'm thinking the fire idea's not gonna work" Misty declared obviously. She sighed, "oh well it is a new concept...maybe I could try though, who knows I might get lucky".
-
"Mr. Bigmouth is the one who showed us how to start a fire. I think what he did was find these grey rocks and strike them together. And I remember them sparking as he did so. And he did that over some dried grass and once the grass started smoking he blew on it until a small fire started. Then he placed more wood on it." Littlefoot said. "And we can't throw the contaminated herbs into the river."
-
"Sounds easy enough...so long as no one gets burned by it" Misty said. She looked about for some of the rocks described.
"Yeah, that would be the important part, no one getting burned, since fire can do that" Kit pointed out.
-
Although Longtail was asleep when Kit had given him his praise he still smiled as if he'd heard it all and gave a content sigh.
-
Lori glanced down at her splinted arm, figuring even if she did know how to bang the rocks together, she would need two good arms to do so. She sighed and sat down where she stood, deciding to rest after all, since there didn't seem to be any way she could help.
-
Littlefoot looked at Lori. "Hey, Lori. You could help by seeing if there's anything that we need to destroy. If there's powder on it; it's bad. Once Misty starts the fire, you can help them burn the contaminated herbs."
-
"Okay," Lori said, her mood brightening a bit as she went to check the store of herbs for powder. She was surprised to find a variety of plants inside, some of which she had even seen before, but had never thought might be used as medicine. She began taking the powder-covered items and placing them into a pile just outside of the grove.
-
Misty meanwhile gathered the kindling needed and then found two of the rocks described of right size and such.
Kit, now unoccupied, found she could flap a bit and so helped Lori look for powdered herbs.
"Now let's see..." Misty stuck her tongue out one side of her mouth as she concentrated and hit the rocks over and over. It seemed to be going no where but just as she gave up, one final bang produced a spark.
"Wow...ok, guys, we got a spark!" she said. "Wow, rock fire" she looked to the two rocks, "Who'd have thought..." she shook her head.
-
Littlefoot cheered. "Keep going Misty!"
He then used his forelegs to push a large powder covered stick of black wood to the pile that Lori was making.
---------
Deimos's crude sled was filled almost filled with the required herbs.
"Mr. Bigmouth, do you require new calabashes?"
Mr. Bigmouth shook his head. "Those can be washed out. They are only burned if they are really contaminated."
"They might have been."
Mr. Bigmouth held his chin in thought. "You know, we should get some extras."
They then headed off to the Calabash Grove.
-
While Longtail slept he began to dream. It was a peaceful one, and he found himself surrounded by his friends, and standing behind him was his mother, who was holding an egg in her claws. His mother then raised the egg and began to speak, but Longtail couldn't hear her...but whatever she said made him feel happy, and safe, and that made him smile in his sleep.
-
"So...how do we make sure it won't get out of control like fire can?" Misty asked once she was sure she had the fire going pretty good.
-
"Surround with with either rocks or dirt. And make sure that the fire is never bigger than something you can handle." Littlefoot replied. "The fire's going pretty good. Lori, Kit, Misty, we can start destroying the contaminated material now."
-------------
Mr. Bigmouth was using Deimos's stone ax to make a calabash from a gourd that he had retrieved from a vine. He had cut it in half with the ax and hollowed it out.
"That's the last one!" Mr. Bigmouth said.
"Good, I have a feeling they're going destroy a good amount of your calabashes." Deimos said.
They then headed back to the grove.
-
Lori stared at the fire in amazement. She had never actually seen a fire up close, though her mom had once pointed a forest fire out to her from a distance. All that she saw though was the pillar of smoke stretching into the air.
She grabbed a handful of powder covered herbs off the pile and tossed it into the fire.
-
"So do we have to just wait for the herbs to grow back now that we have to get rid of the contaminated ones?" Misty asked even as she helped throw some of the herds onto the fire as well.
-
"Mr. Bigmouth and Deimos are gathering herbs as we speak." Littlefoot said. He then pushed a calabash covered in white dust over to the fire, using his forelegs.
---------
Deimos and Mr. Bigmouth smelt the fire as they approached the grove.
"At least they're disposing of the contaminated herbs properly." Mr. Bigmouth said.
"Yeah, last time something like this happened, they threw the herbs in the river that runs through it. We couldn't drink out of the lake it led to for a whole cold time." Deimos replied.
-
Longtail blinked as he opened his eyes after his nap. He yawned and sighed as he stood up and asked Mr. Bigmouth, "What...can I do to help? Now that I've had my rest."
-
It was now starting to get dark.
"Well, Longtail, you can help clean up my grove. We've got a fire started in there. Anything that is covered in a white dust is to be burned." Mr. Bigmouth replied.
"I'll watch the herbs." Deimos replied.
--------------------
Ozzie had evaded a Great Valley patrol and hid himself in a grove near the Great Rock Pass.
-
Longtail nodded his head in reply and began searching for anything covered in white powder. As he picked up several herbs and sticks with his tail he could swear he saw a figure moving in the bushes.
"Who's there?" he asked the moving shadow hoping he would get a response.
-
Ozzie held his breath hoping that he wasn't discovered.
----------
"I don't smell any intruder." Deimos replied.
"Probably just the wind." Littlefoot said.
-
Longtail scoffed before he spoke.
"I'm surprised Deimos...your nose should be better than that...cause I definitely smell something." He then started taking steps towards the bush Ozzie was hiding in, but he didn't see anything...but he knew from past experiences that his nose was almost never wrong.
He stopped just a few feet from the bush and sighed.
"I must still be tired..." commented Longtail as he turned around and walked back to where the others were burning the plants. He took one last look behind him at the bush, and shook his head.
-
Kit turned in interest as Longtail possibly spotted someone, though. He'd hardly been wrong that she could recount.
She flapped up, and found that while not perfect at it she could fly semi-straight. She scanned a small area about, looking for anything in bushes or anything, of course something could hid since it was getting dark.
As she thought she spotted a lump she paused. "Well there is a possible rock or something...there" Kit said half to herself as she flew down closer for a look...
-
Ozzie held his breath.
"I'll check it out." Deimos said. He then peeked behind the bush and came face to face with Ozzie.
"Strut?" Deimos asked.
"Why, erm yes." Ozzie said.
Deimos sniffed Ozzie. "You're not Strut!" He made a move to grab Ozzie.
Ozzie, reacted as quickly as possible, throwing dirt into Deimos's face. Deimos however, closed his eyes as soon as he saw Ozzie preparing to throw something.
"It's an intruder!" Deimos shouted. He made another move to grab Ozzie but Ozzie was far too agile for him to catch.
In a few moments, Ozzie bolted from the grove.
-
"I got him!" Kit darted out and after, trying to catch up to where Ozzie was. "K-kid wait" Misty called, despite Kit being close enough to her own age, it was half a nickname she'd come up with, eitherway, she tore after the flyer and fleeing egg snatcher (oh the irony! she thought) as fast as she could.
Misty had just reached what some would call her prime of cold times, where as this egg snatcher was older she could tell, so she quicky caught up to his strides atleast enough to grab for his tail, "Hold it right there buddy!" she said, "if you're giving egg snatchers a bad name you're gonna have to answer for it!".
She lunged to try and catch Ozzie and did manage to grab atleast his tail this time.
-
Ozzie spun around and threw a punch at Misty.
Deimos also gave chase, though he slower than an Egg-Stealer, his stamina was very high.
Mr. Bigmouth set to work placing the finishing touches on his grove.
-
It had been fortunate that Longtail had decided to quite literally hang around after dropping his pile of greens and sticks into the fire. He had seen everything that had happened and was now low enough to the ground and flying fast on a crash course for Ozzie...and he did mean crash as he lowered his head when Ozzie came into sight and with him distracted, this head-butt was going to leave a mark!
And indeed he hit Ozzie, however it wasn't where he was aiming, but the fact that his left leg was helping him to stand up was a good start as Longtail's body shook from impact.
-
"Ah, darn it," Lori muttered as she watched them charge off after the eggstealer. She wouldn't be fast enough to catch up now and her arm was in a sling anyway and she didn't want to risk hurting it any farther.
-
Deimos had grabbed a large stick as he ran after Ozzie, who was greatly slowing down.
Deimos took aim, using the moonlight, and threw his stick, striking Ozzie's good leg and knocking him down.
"I've got him!" Deimos shouted. He then accelerated and caught up to Ozzie.
"What are you doing here?!" Deimos shouted, grabbing Ozzie.
"I am looking for my brother." Ozzie replied.
"Would that be Strut?"
Ozzie nodded. "Yes."
"Sorry, he joined our valley now. And we're not going to let you harm him."
-
Longtail then stood up and poked Ozzie in the face with his tail and asked, "I want to know how you got in so we can close the hole in the valley. And it would be wise for you not to be stupid and try to escape from Deimos or me."
-
Ozzie grinned. "You're in a state of war? Then how was I able to sneak by a patrol in the Feeding Grounds?"
"Longtail, you deal with Ozzie. I'll speak to the elders." Deimos said.
Littlefoot had just arrived. "Hey, so we find what was in that bush?"
Deimos nodded. "An Egg-Stealer. Noe Littlefoot, I need you to come with me to speak to the elders; we're going to need to strengthen the patrols."
Littlefoot nodded and followed Deimos to the Feeding Grounds.
-
Longtail smiled almost deviously as Deimos had left him to deal with Ozzie, and for a moment he gave a toothy grin.
"Oh...this will be a good day after all!" he said aloud as he placed his tail around Ozzie's neck and gave a tight squeeze of pressure.
-
Panting, and obviously not fast enough to have out flown Ozzie, Kit landed near where Misty had tumbled. "You--ok?" she asked.
"Yeah fine" Misty quickly leapt back up to see that Ozzie had gotten far ahead, although thankfully it looked like Deimos and Longtail had stopped him.
As Deimos and Littlefoot moved off to tell the elders, the two girls thought from what snippet of conversation they caught, Kit turned back to Misty, "Come on, everyone else is so worried about the elders knowing, I don't think anyone has warned Strutt his brothers here, maybe we should go do that".
"Sounds good" Misty said as they walked back to the grove, "Hey Lori, we're going on a not too dangerous misson of finding and letting Srtrutt know his brother his here, wanna come along or rest in the grove more?" she offered.
-
"I'll stay here," Lori replied, glancing over at Ozzie and Longtail. "I'm feeling a little tired and besides Longtail might need help keeping hold of the prisoner."
She turned and started towards the flyer and his prisoner.
-
"Ok, sounds good" Misty replied before she and Kit left to go try to locate Strutt.
"I think last I heard he was somewhere over here" Kit said, flying low enough that Misty could hear her as they headed off across the Valley.
-
Ozzie tried to slash Longtail with his free hand.
-------
"I think Strut got assigned to the Feeding Grounds." Deimos said.
"I hope they didn't change his assignment." Littlefoot said.
Deimos shook his head. "They wouldn't change assignments that fast."
-
Longtail moved his body out of the way and using his head rammed it into Ozzie's belly hoping to knock the wind out of the egg stealer.
-
With quick nods that they heard, Kit and Misty made haste to the Feeding grounds, though sped on past where Littlefoot and Deimos were headed towards the elders and continued their search for Strutt specifically.
"Strutt!" Kit called, glancing about and soon spotting the egg snatcher from among those there.
"Your...brother's here" the flyer panted, landing. "Yeah" Misty said, catching up, "and he's already been causing trouble just by kicking us when we tried to catch him".
-
Strut gulped. "I guess I should learn some close quarters combat skills?"
Deimos nodded. "Yes, but you should still stick to fighting at range."
-
Longtail still had his tail around Ozzie's neck, and now had his claws holding his mouth closed.
"Kinda hard to talk when you can't open your mouth now can you?" he said with a mocking tone
-
"Do you need some help?" Lori asked as she approached Longtail. He glanced at the eggstealer for a moment and noted that he resembled Strut a little bit and recalled Kit saying he was Strut's brother.
-
Ozzie then attempted to gouge Longtail's eyes.
----------
Deimos was in the middle of teaching Strut some basic grappling.
"Looks, like Strut's doing pretty well." Littlefoot commented, looking at Strut, who had Deimos in an armbar.
-
Misty and Kit nodded in agreement as they watched.
"Whichever combat skills you do or don't use, Strutt, we'll help you, don't worry" Kit said. "Yeah" Misty nodded. They weren't sure the egg snatcher heard them though given his attention on learning the moves.
-
Longtail this time however was distracted by Lori's comment and didn't see the attack from Ozzie coming and for his lack of attention he received several small scratches on his face and he cried out for a moment letting go of Ozzie completely and stepped away....but as he did the pain turned to anger. He turned and shouted "You'll pay for that!" then let loose a feral screech and pounced at Ozzie hoping to take him down.
-
Lori flinced as the eggstealer's claws slashed across Longtail's face. She started forward to help, but paused as she remembered her broken arm. Taking part in the battle directly could make her injury worse.
She crouched down and picked up a sizeable stone from the ground with her good arm. She waited for a clear shot at Ozzie.
-
Adrenaline caused Ozzie to ignore the pain of his injured leg as he leapt away from Longtail's charge. He then ran over to Longtail and attempted to kick him in the jaw.
--------------
Deimos and Strut had finished their close quarters combat lesson.
"Wow, Strut! That was pretty good." Littlefoot said.
Strut sighed. "I just like fighting at range."
Deimos looked at the gathered group. "If any of you want a brief close quarters combat lesson speak to me. But it's getting late now. But I'll give a quick tip; there is no such thing as 'fighting dirty'; gouge your opponent's eyes; beat or stab them until they stop moving; punch, kick, slash or even stab them in the groin; break all their limbs; throw objects at them; throw sand at them. Do whatever it takes to neutralize the threat."
-
Lori tossed her rock as soon as she saw Ozzie leap clear. She aimed for his body, since his neck, head, and legs were too thin to really make great targets.
-
Longtail knew another attack was coming and he had to get out of the way, so being on the ground at the moment, he did the only thing he could do, and he rolled out of the way of Ozzie's kick. He then followed Lori's example and using his tail tossed a rock at Ozzie's face, hoping to score a hit.
-
Ozzie ducked under the rock thrown by Longtail, but in the process was struck by Lori's rock. Ozzie grunted as the rock struck him in the ribs.
"So...there...are...2?" Ozzie panted. He picked up the rock that hit him and threw it back at Lori, aiming for her injured arm.
He coughed, picked up a large rock and pursued Longtail again, trying to use the rock as a bludgeon.
-
Longtail's eyes widened as he saw the rock Ozzie was trying to strike him with and as he jumped out of the way he gave a momentary cry.
"Woah! Watch where you swing that thing!" He then jumped onto a nearby tree and pushed off of it and tried to land on Ozzie's back.
-
Ozzie felt a rush of air behind him as Longtail leapt onto his back. He tried to dodge but failed. He fell back to the ground and dropped the large rock that he had been using as a weapon before.
"Nice trick!... But I'm not done yet!" Ozzie then ran backwards into a tree, trying to crush Longtail.
------------
"Target practice anyone?" Strut asked.
Hyp, who had arrived as soon as Strut's close quarters combat lesson began, shrugged. "Why not?"
Ducky, who followed Hyp, shook her head.
Deimos also shook his head. "I'm going to sleep."
-
It was easy to twist herself and most importantly her arm out of the rock's path. She bent to pick up another rock, but hesitated as she saw what Ozzie was about to do. She was too far away to do anything to prevent him hitting the tree, but she still leapt forward to try and do something, forgetting her injured arm for a moment.
-
Longtail felt the impact of the tree, and he heard something inside pop, but he didn't have time to figure out what it was as he slid down the tree and off of Ozzie's back. He quickly stood back up and used his whip like tail and tried to strike Ozzie several times in the face.
-
Misty nodded at what Deimos said before she and Kit prepared to leave. Kit nodded as well, yet Misty detected she was pursing her beak a bit.
As they left, the egg snatcher asked her about this. "Hey, um, you ok?" she asked. Kit turned to her as if nothing were wrong and Misty noticed that whatever it was wasn't a huge problem. "Huh?" she asked.
"You just, looked bothered, back there" Mist pointed. "Oh that" Kit laughed a bit, "Yeah, I'm fine, just...a difference of opinions between me and Deimos, see probably to what he would say is my opening myself up to attack, I do believe in atleast some mercy even when dealing with the most vidicitive dinosuars, even if they wouldn't give it to us too".
"Well, it is kinda just cave door opening to them attack you worse, I'll admit" Misty saw Deimos' point. "Yeah, but just because you're disabling doesn't mean you have to do it mercilessly...look don't get me wrong, I'm not judging what Deimos just said, like I said, it's just a difference of opinons, and he means well which is why I didn't and won't say anything" the flyer finished.
"Now let's go see how our newest threat is doing and Longtail's doing with him" Kit next said, flying that way.
"Now there's someone who strikes me as not needing much help" Misty commented. Kit laughed, "He'd just want you to think that".
-
Littlefoot then headed off to his nest. After a few minutes he arrived.
"Littlefoot! Are you all right!?" Grandpa Longneck asked, noticing the deep gashes on his back.
Littlefoot nodded. "We encountered some intruders in Mr. Bigmouth's grove, we have killed them. And yes, I am fine."
"Any losses?"
"Most of Mr. Bigmouth's herbal medications had to be destroyed. The weaponry should be intact."
"Good, as long as everyone is all right it doesn't matter." Grandpa Longneck said.
"Oh, we'll need to increase patrols in the Feeding Grounds. Strut's brother, Ozzie was able to sneak in through an entrance there. We intercepted him in Mr. Bigmouth's grove." Littlefoot added.
Grandma Longneck frowned. "That's in the Sheltering Grass and a fair distance from the Feeding Grounds. We'll need to call a meeting with the patrol dinosaurs when the Bright Circle rises."
Grandpa Longneck nodded. "Agreed. I don't want to be accusatory but this is totally unacceptable and there will be punishments for those who shirked their duties and I have a feeling some of them did."
---------
Ozzie was unable to dodge the nearly invisible strikes of Longtail. He screamed as he was struck multiple times in the face. "You'll pay for this!" He again attempted to gouge out Longtail's eyes.
Over in the distance, 2 Great Valley guards were watching the battle. One of the guards had a stone knife and the other had a torch. They both ran to the battle.
"Longtail! We're here to assist." the torch bearing Swimmer said.
The knife wielding Fast-Runner, tried to wrestle Ozzie off of Longtail but was rewarded with painful elbow to the groin.
------------------
Theta, Styracus, Hasta along with their herd had set up camp in an oasis in the Mysterious Beyond.
A Swimmer was using her stone tipped javelin to stoke a campfire near the lake.
"Where's Kireek and Ressentiment Herd?!" Theta shouted.
"I'm assuming they got lost." Styracus replied.
"Damn it! We can't start attacking until they get here!"
"If they don't arrive soon we're going to start without them. We can't wait any longer."
-
Longtail heard the guards make their entrance and while thankful for the help, he also knew that this was his fight.
"One of you two protect Lori, she has a hurt arm. Ozzie is mine!" However as he stood up to continue fighting only to realize that he couldn't move his wings...they were limp at his side.
"Well...this is bad." he said with a huff.
-
The knife wielding Fast-Runner staggered towards Lori.
"Longtail, you are in no condition to fight." the torch bearing Swimmer said. He then turned to Ozzie. "Pick on someone who's healthy!"
-
Lori stepped away from the Fast-Runner, giving a distrusting glare. "Forget about protecting me. If the two of you can beat him down, I won't need any protecting and I'll step back so he can't escape from you and use me as a hostage."
-
"Suit yourself." The knife wielding Fast-Runner said. He sheathed his knife and ran over to Ozzie.
"I have a knife!" he shouted, unsheathing it and brandishing it.
-
"Just becuase I can't use my wings does not mean I'm useless! I'll do what I can, but you two will have to distract him." said Longtail with a determined look on his face.
-
"Looks like the Calvary Herd's already arrived" Misty commented as she and Kit reached the area as well.
"See, you do need help" Kit said with a slight smile as she swooped down lower to try and help distract Ozzie. Misty wasn't sure where she would be of best use, but she waited for an opportunity to provide a surprise attack perhaps where needed.
-
The knife wielding Fast-Runner drew his knife and slashed Ozzie, leaving a clean cut on his arm.
Ozzie threw Longtail aside and faced the Fast-Runner. He grabbed a nearby rock and squared off against the Fast Runner.
The Swimmer was trying to hit Ozzie with thrown rocks.
-
Longtail landed on the ground with a thud, and he gritted his teeth as he felt something else pop inside. He didn't want to think about it, but he knew he was in pain right now...and he slowly tried to crawl away from the battle between Ozzie and the others, making his way over to where Lori was standing.
-
"Oh, what'dya do now..." Kit's sigh was a worried one as she swooped over to help pull, as gently as she could, Longtail over to where Lori was. "You can't move, can you?" she guessed and asked once they reached the spot, "well that just figures, what am I suppose to tell your uncle?" she asked rhetorically and not really lecturing.
-
Longtail gave a grimaced look as he said, "I don't know...what'cha gonna tell my uncle...I'm just...glad I can't feel any pain right now....but I know I'm hurt....and not moving...well....it stinks."
-
Kit sighed again, her worry becoming worse as well. "Well come on, first thing we gotta do is get you safer and off the ground...um..." she tried to figure out how to do that without adding to his pain, since despite what he said, it would probably hurt when he was moved.
"M-Misty" she called, "Could you come help me?".
"Oh sure" the egg snatcher, who wasn't needed with all three of the others attacking Ozzie, she realized, rushed over to help Kit lift Longtail and begin to move him over.
"What he d--" Misty began to ask, even if she should have seen it too, but Kit shook her head now was now the time.
She sighed again as they helped Longtail find a more secluded spot, but he was still in really bad shape now, she figured.
"Oh Longtail, I don't know how you're gonna recover from this?" Kit had to almost fight back tears with how bad this looked, "it's like that time we almost lost Grand--". Kit paused.
Then, in barely a whisper, "The nightflowers...".
"What what?" Misty asked. "Nightflowers" Kit answered, turning to her, "they all but a legend thing, but I saw them work once and, if anything could help him".
"Magic...flowers?" Misty asked. "I saw them work!" Kit insisted, "they might be our only shot!".
-
Ozzie grappled for the knife with the Fast-Runner but ended up getting slashed multiple times. He did not notice the hail of rocks had stopped.
Ozzie then grabbed hold of the Fast-Runner's wrist and placed him in a wrist lock forcing him to drop his weapon.
"Now!" the Fast-Runner shouted.
"Huh?" Ozzie asked. The shock caused him to loosen his wristlock on the Fast-Runner, who simply pulled his hand free from the lock and kicked Ozzie in the groin. The Fast-Runner then assumed a fighting stance.
"Argh! You'll pay for this!" Ozzie shouted. He ended up with a strong right hook to the temple as a response and dropped to the ground, dazed but still conscious.
Immediately after the Fast-Runner punched out Ozzie, the Swimmer, who had been hiding behind a bush, burst from his hiding spot and grabbed Ozzie in a chokehold.
Ozzie was too dazed to resist and eventually slipped unconscious from the Swimmer's chokehold.
The Fast Runner picked up his weapon and grinned. "Kit, Misty, Lori, someone help me bind Ozzie."
-
Longtail was laughing for a moment as he looked up at Kit and said,
"Don't worry about me....you have to remember I used to live like this almost everyday. He smiled again until Kit mentioned the Nightflowers. He turned his head and replied, "No...not a chance! You and I both know....that where they grow....is off limits....even if you could find some....here in the valley, you may not get back...without help."
-
"On it" Misty ran over to help bind Ozzie, "Here, you're gonna want to tie his arms like this" she said, all but instructing them in a few points, "tying up us egg snatchers is like tying up hatchlings sometimes, lots of loops that if left open we can just wiggle ourselves out of" she grinned, "trust me I know".
"You've broken nearly every bone in your body before?" Kit asked rhetorically, "since I gather that's what happened; I mean, what else is gonna help you through this?" she asked. Longtail did mention help though, as if if she could think of someone she could go through with it.
"I'll just have to find Twiz again" she all but shrugged, "I mean Mysterious Beyond or not I think I know where his loyalties lie and you can't argue with someone who's been raised by sharpteeth and can fly" she grinned, even if she knew Longtail quite possibly could. "Plus I'm sure he's got herd members he could talk into helping us out too, I'd have like a herd of ground sharptooth fighters protecting me".
-
Longtail closed his eyes for a moment and sighed.
"Just do what you need to do Kit. I'll be okay...I hope." he said with a waver of uncertainty in his voice.
-
"You will...all going well" Kit said, "I--I'll be back before I can hardly be missed, probably" she said with her own uncertainty.
"Misty...watch Longtail" she quickly told her friend as she flapped off. "W-where are you going?" the egg snatcher asked.
"I'll explain later, it'll be easier then" the flyer said with a frown before continuing on towards the wall. Misty sighed, Kit didn't seem impulsive like this, so it must be big she realized.
-
"Magic flowers?" Lori repeated skeptically. She shook her head in disbelief, turning and padding away. It was depressing to see Longtail injured, even if she didn't know him very well.
She frowned over at the others, who were currently occupied with tying up Ozzie. They were covered in bruises and scratches from the various scuffles that had taken place just that day. A thoughtful expression appeared on her face.
-
Longtail tried to move his body, but it just wouldn't listen. He wanted so badly to get up and do something other than just lying around...but it seemed that for the moment it was all the poor flyer could do.
"I hope....she doesn't do anything....drastic." said Longtail with a frown.
-
The Fast-Runner had finished binding Ozzie's legs with multiple strips of vines. "So, shall we carry our captive to Mr. Longneck?"
Ozzie began to stir and finding that he was being bound, began to struggle. "Why you..."
The Fast-Runner held his knife to Ozzie's throat. "I'd shut up if I were you." He then turned to Kit and Misty. "Kit, Misty, got his arms?"
The Swimmer was keeping watch. He had no weapon and his torch had burned out.
-
Noticing her look, Misty frowned, "Hey Lori, you doing ok? Something up?" she asked. The fast runner's next words caught her though. She didn't bother to try to explain where Kit had gone, since she couldn't even if she tried, but she nodded that Ozzie's hands were succesfully tied. "Yep, he's good" Misty said.
~~~~
Meanwhile, Kit paused at the wall to the Great Valley, looking out to the Mysterious Beyond, only now was the total weight of how hard this could be sinking in...but then...the hope that it might just work beyond anything else pushed her on. "All I have to do is find Twiz and his herd first, surely someone must know of them" she said to herself as she took flight.
The many other times she was out here as a hatchling had been with the group, and recently when she'd just been lost she'd been trying to find her way back to the Valley as quickly as possible, it was an odd thing to be willingly and singly flying off into the Mysterious Beyond.
"Oh well" she said to herself, "it's been like how many cold times since the last time any of us saw the Land of Mists, it might not even be the Land of Mists anymore" she chuckled to herself, and the flowers might not be there still the thought hit her, but she had to push this aside.
-
Longtail spoke aloud as he took a breath.
"I just got a really bad feeling....Kit. Don't pull a Longtail and do something crazy or I'll hunt you down myself...as...soon as I can move."
-
"Huh?" Lori snapped out of her daze and glanced around. She spotted Misty and started to say that it was nothing out of reflex, but stopped herself and decided it might be better to tell her thoughts to someone. "It's just... I'm wondering what all this is for. Why are dinosaurs killing and hurting each other? It's different when it's for food, or to defend oneself, but what is this for? I know it's not for food. It's unnatural and we shouldn't do it."
-
Instead of arguing, Misty nodded, "Yeah, I agree, but from what I hear it's because this other group of Claw Valley dinosaurs are trying ot take over this one, I guess...they're the only one's that can stop it" she shrugged, not really sure.
~~~~
As she flapped on, Kit soon spotted what looked like a sharptoothed flyer milling around about a small carcass, but carcass all the same. She felt like upchucking, but forced herself to swoop lower, "Ok...if you don't know Twiz, this could get ugly fast..." she realized. She fell back on some of the sharptooth she'd picked up from Twiz to Chomper and such.
<"Um, 'cuse mi, you sin Twiz?"> she asked as simply as she could get around to it. The sharptoothed flyer turned and Kit waited with baited breath.
<"W-what was that?"> the sharptoothed flyer asked. Kit swallowed and forced herself to say it again, or part of it, <"Twiz, you seeen 'im">. The sharptoothed flyer laughed, <"Well aren't you just the cutest thing, with that trying to talk and all!">. Kit tried to hold in her sigh, "Look" she fell back on flattooth, "it's kinda important that I find my cousin Twiz, so if you could stop laughing for like two seconds...".
<"H-hold up"> the predatory flyer waved his wings, not understanding all of the rambling, but getting most of it. <"Sorry, I...I have a dull life, ok so Twiz, yeah he's sort of the new leader of our herd, since his mom was the last one and all and he seems to have taken to our traditions rather than...">.
As she caught enough of the gist of it, Kit rushing forward to hug the unsuspecting sharptoothed flyer halted his statement. "Oh, praise the skylights, thankyou!" she exclaimed in joy.
-
The Fast-Runner looked at Misty and sighed. "You're right. It's something we've never done before. And something I hope never has to be done again. But since Claw Valley started it and won't back down; we have no choice but to defend ourselves." He brandished his stone knife. "And defend ourselves we will!"
The Swimmer grabbed Ozzie. He then turned to Misty and Lori "Are you coming with me? Someone has to carry Longtail."
The Fast-Runner picked Longtail up, placing his arms under Longtail's armpits. "Lori, Misty, someone take his feet." He turned to Longtail. "We're going to take you to Mr. Bigmouth."
-
Longtail who by now had grown used to not moving merely blinked and replied,
"Okay...whatever. Just make it so I don't hear anymore pops from my body those are getting annoying."
-
"I was afraid you would say that," Lori sighed. "You don't know anything about why they want the valley though?"
She headed over to Longtail and frowned. "Sorry, I don't think I can really help..." She moved her slinged arm to point out her reason for refusing to help. "More than likely you'll hear some popping if I try carrying you."
-
"Hmm, well let's see" Misty moved over to survey the way in which Longtail was laying, "move you without any more annoying pops, well I think I could at least help do that" she said, taking Longtail's feet.
-
"Got him?" the Fast-Runner asked.
The Swimmer shook his head. "I'm not sure why they want the valley but I have heard that there is a strange blue crystal in one of the caves."
-
Longtail spoke up.
"Well...I'm not sure about any stone....but I'm guessing they're just getting desperate, hungry, or both!"
-
"A strange blue crystal?" Lori repeated with a skeptical expression. "What in the Mysterious Beyond would they want with that?"
-
"Yeah, around here rocks are just rocks" Misty said, "What could they do?".
~~~~
"So I have to get to the Land of Mists" Kit went on to explain to the sharptoothed flyer from Twiz herd helping her out, "and you could have said earlier that due to both my Uncle Trip and Twiz you can understand flattoothed flyers!" she pointed out a bit annoyed. Her guide chuckled, <"You never asked"> he replied in his native tongue, and Kit caught the gist of it.
<"Well anyway, here we are, best start explaining again"> the sharptoothed flyer said, landing. Kit took a breath and prepared to do just that. She spotted her aunt, the sharptoothed flyer who lead all these others, and figured she would be the best bet for where to start with explaining, since she didn't see Twiz yet.
"Here goes nothing..." Kit walked over.
-
Longtail suddenly felt a wave of fear grip his body and he tensed up for a moment. He then said aloud, "I think I remember part of a story about a blue rock...and if it's the story I'm thinking of...we might have a problem....a really big problem!"
-
Misty was still skeptical, of anything magic that was, though and frowned, "What, is it like a sharp weapon or something?" she asked.
~~~~
"K-Kit-", Despite being shocked beyond belief, Kit found that Twiz' mom was accepting enough of her being here, but then she figured that made sense since she probably wasn't the one who came up with the idea of kicking her mate out.
Kit smiled, "Y-yeah, that's me, Tylr's little girl all grown up" she frowned, "but I need your help right now, or Twiz and one of the rest of yall or something" she said.
"What's up?" Twiz asked, eager to help. Kit smiled gratefully and then launched into the story.
Twiz whispered back to translate for the rest of his herd that couldn't speak flattooth, even if halfway through he was just as shocked as the rest of his herd.
<"Magic flower...boy these flatteeth have the dumbest ideas"> one of the others said.
Twiz frowned yet rather than answer him, told Kit, "Well sure I'll help ya find it...<me and Skylar both will"> he grinned, as he said this last part in sharptooth, but Kit could still catch on he knew. Skylar had been the one to just make fun of the tale, and he frowned in shock as some of the others chuckled.
<"I was just put in charge of the herd the bright circle before"> Twiz smiled at Skylar, <"So you gotta listen and if I say you're coming you are">
-
Longtail answered Misty's question with one of his own.
"I'm not sure what it was supposed to look like, it is a story after all, but I have another question....how much trouble do you think we'll all be in if they manage to get the stone?"
-
Misty, despite her skepticism, thought. "If it's just a sharp thingy...not much" she answered, then sighed, "if...my senile old grandfather's stories I remember from back when I was really little and had a family are true...lots" she whispered, "it's suppose to be able to...well do things...but then no one ever believe my senile old grandfather, it's why he was senile" she found for a defense, "I'm sure it's just a stupid rocks, stupid legends aside" she sounded more like she wanted to convince herself than Longtail.
~~~~
"So which way do we head?" Skylar asked, with only a slight sigh of annoyance. "Well, since I'm in charge..." Twiz began, only remembering his rank in relatoion to his herd member Skylar, and not his cousin that he wasn't over in any way shape or form. "Um...which way was that Kit?" he asked, this also being her mission and all.
Kit just smiled, "The Land of Mists should be this way, if I remember correctly" she said, continuing to fly towards the right direction. "You're in charge..." Skylar chuckled. "Well I am of you!" Twiz shot back.
"Now boys" Kit sighed, "does it really matter...besides, this being the mission I started on, if anything...oh nevermind" Kit grinned.
-
Longtail tried to laugh, but found it hard.
"Well...perhaps your grandfather wasn't as senile as you and your herd may have thought. It might help if we could understand what exactly the rock is supposed to do." he said aloud
-
"Well, if the rock is supposed to have magic powers, why hasn't anyone investigated it?" Lori asked. She made to cross her arms before she remembered one of them was still in a sling.
-
Longtail sighed.
"Well it could be that no one here in the valley has ever heard of such a stone, or maybe they just didn't feel like looking for it."
-
"That...that's all he gave though" Misty sighed, "it's dangerous 'cause it's gots powers normal dinosaurs aren't suppose ta know of" she said as if quoting him, "lot of good that does us, he didn't even give a clue as to what!".
-
Longtail then asked aloud.
"Where...where's Kit, I'm starting to worry about her. I hope she's okay."
He then asked, "So if we have to find this silly stone...who's going to do it?"
-
"She's not back yet" there was a sigh in Misty's voice, "I don't know, should I go try to find the foolish flyer or the rock?" she offered to do either.
~~~~
(ooc: Time jump, so we're not doing this all month...although going by the movie...the trip should be do-able in a day right? :D)
"Does a mist like that mean the Land of Mists?" Skylar asked as they got closer to a huge amount of mists in any event. "It's worth a shot" Kit said, "Ok boys...here's where we have to stay on top of things...apparently once we land on that ground there are very dangerous things that could attack us".
"Lovely" Skylar said lowly. They'd been flying so far, despite the multiple other rests, though that none of the three flyers really had a choice of landing.
"T-that looks sort of ok, still high" Twiz pointed out a sturdy looking tree with sturdy looking top branches. Kit nodded, "Best we've got I'm afraid". They circled lower to land. Kit peered a bit and sighed, "I can't see if we'd be nearer the flowers or if they're around from this high though...we'll have go lower at some point...".
"Well let's rest first so we can avoid anything that might attack" Skylar suggested.
-
The Swimmer had already escorted Ozzie to Grandpa Longneck.
It was now daytime and Deimos, armed with a stone tipped spear, approached the dinosaurs.
"So anything new come up?" Deimos asked.
"We caught an intruder." the Fast-Runner replied.
"Good. Has he been delivered yet?"
The Fast-Runner nodded. "Yes."
Littlefoot, Hyp and Nod were patrolling the Feeding Grounds.
Strut was also with them. He wielded two stone tipped javelins and a hollow reed with some poison darts.
-
Deimos then turned to Lori. "So Lori, your arm doing any better?"
--------------
Strut, who was still patrolling the Feeding Grounds stopped for a break. "So, I heard Ozzie's been captured."
Hyp nodded. "Yep. We're going to interrogate him soon."
-
"I guess it feels better..." Lori said, glancing down at her arm skeptically. "But I don't know. I've never worn a sling before, or really broken my arm either..."
She glanced off at the wall of the valley with a frown. "Has anyone ever tried to find that mystical blue stone that's supposed to be in the caves around the valley? I heard the Claw Valley dinosuars might be after that..."
-
"Good to heard that Lori." Deimos replied. "As for that stone, I was not present when it crashed into the valley but I do know that every cold time an expedition has been mounted to try and find that stone. Each cold time, the stone moves within the valley. The most recent expedition was the last cold time and the stone was found in a cave at the base of the Smoking Mountains."
-
"Well if they found it, why didn't they do anything with it?" Misty asked, walking over to where Deimos and Lori were.
~~~~
"Alright boys, I think we've got to go a little bit lower" Kit said. Twiz, Skylar and herself were trying to fly through the mist as best they could at as high as they could, but it was becoming clear they'd all but have to fly low to the ground to see anything of where these flowers were.
Hesitantly they all flew lower. "Eh, that's some nasty looking water" Skylar said, seeing a nearby pond, "even if I was thirstier than I am now, I don't think I'd think about drinking it". Kit and Twiz nodded their agreement. Down below, a tail flicked in the water briefly and a pair of eyes swam along following the trio.
-
Deimos shrugged. "I don't know. But from what I gathered, the valley residents seem to fear the stone." He then turned to Lori and Misty. "I am considering mounting an expedition to search for the stone. Would you consider coming along?"
-
"Well..." Misty thought, "It does still sound like a bunch of dirty water...but yeah, I guess I'm curious about if it's real or not so, I'd come along" she nodded.
-
A spear toting Runner ran up to Deimos and the group. "Deimos, a strange blue rock has appeared in the Great Rock Pass."
Deimos's expression darkened. "Hmm. I'll check it out."
-------------
In the Great Rock Pass, the current patrol there was gathered around a medium sized blue crystalline meteorite.
"What is this thing?" a Swimmer asked. He jabbed the meteorite with his stone tipped lance only to receive a painful electric shock that threw him to the ground.
-
"I would...if I could move!" commented Longtail with a scowl on his face.
"I'm still worried about Kit...is she back yet?" he asked with a concerned crack in his voice.
Grandpa Longneck chuckled at Longtail.
"Now now...it is not all that bad. You can relax for a while, and try to think of ways to help the valley until you can fight again." said the older Longneck.
He then turned to Deimos and said, "You would be right...we did...and still do fear the stone...but as for where it is...I can't say, because I don't remember."
-
"I'll go along," Lori siad, not suonding at all eager, but that was only because he was carefully controlling herself. He was really excited and eager to see this stone.
-
Misty as well as reservations, and alot of them, but she followed anyway as Deimos made his way to the stone. She frowned as they got closer, seeing the one swimmer already on the ground. "Please tell me he just fainted and Grandpa wasn't right" she muttered to herself.
~~~~
Skylar turned back once more, frowning at the water they were flying over. "Something wrong?" Kit asked, turning back to look at him.
"Look I see yellow flowers!" Twiz exclaimed, pointing. Kit quicky turned that way once more, "That's them!" she said, "the one's Littlefoot had to find before! Oh we found them, now we just have to...".
A bellydragger leaping out and snapping at Skylar, who quickly darted closer to the others, interrupted her.
"Quick! Fly that way!" Twiz ordered, flying as high as he could while still being able to see in the fog, with the others following, as the three of them headed towards the land where they saw the flowers. The height they were at seemed safe but was a bit unnerving as everytime the bellydragger, now on land, leapt up to snap at them he almost caught them.
<"Hey! We're sharpteeth too, so let up!"> Twiz yelled down at the bellydragger in sharptooth. The bellydragger just smirked, "Well given how long it's been since I'v eaten, I don't really care right now, all that's around here are those nasty furry things".
Skylar, as a full meat eater, and even Twiz to an extend, felt a bit sorry for the poor bellydragger, and Kit's soft heart made her feel sorry for him too, but that didn't mean they were going to offer to fix the hunger problems personally. "We've got to get higher!" Kit glanced up at the fog and wondered if maybe they could try to find their way through it...
-
Deimos ran over to the Swimmer and gently tapped him. "You okay?"
The Swimmer groaned and staggered to his feet. "That damn rock! It... threw me to the ground when I poked it with my spear."
"Hmm. I'll take you to Mr. Bigmouth. Misty, Lori do you mind helping some of the elders guard the stone?"
The Swimmer shook his head. "I just need to rest a little."
----------------
Inside one of the bushes near the stone, a gold fast-biter was eavesdropping.
So that's the legendary Stone of Cold Fire? he thought.
-
Lori shook her head. No, she didn't mind. She was staring at the stone with a shocked expression. She was almost afraid to get near it, but decided she would probably be okay if she didn't touch it.
She glanced over at Misty. "Well, I'd like to see those Claw Valley sharpteeth take it if no one can even touch it."
-
"Remember Lori, if they want it; they'll find a way to do it." Deimos said.
And that's what we'll do. the gold fast-biter thought as he ran towards the exit.
-
Misty had to frown at first at the prospect of guarding a rock that had just done that...but she nodded, "Sure, be happy too", ok maybe that was exaggeration.
She laughed at Lori's comment though, "Yeah, I'd like to see that too".
~~~~
"Ok, someone tell me what we do now" Skylar said, looking to where the bellydragger blocked their path to the flowers.
"Don't you get it, an innocent flyer's gonna die if we don't get those to him!" Kit shouted at the bellydragger urgently. Twiz translated and when the bellydragger just smirked, he next frowned.
"Look, there's plenty of flatteeth who don't think highly of sharpteeth or bellydragger or anything like that, do you want to prove them right?! Now for once, have a heart!".
"Fine" the bellydragger said, "I'll let one of you go back, but not all, I need two other potential meals to chase". Twiz and Skylar looked at eachother and before anyone could say anything, turned to Kit, "Kit, you go" they said.
"What?!" Kit turned to them, "Oh no, no way I could just abandone you guys to...".
"We'll be along shortly" Twiz whispered, "just to not waste time, go on now and once we dodge the bellydragger we'll follow".
"We won't take no for an answer, it's the only honorable way to go about it, we can hold our own better than you" Skylar said. Kit sighed, still hating the idea, but flapped down and like he'd promised the bellydragger let her get a flower and fly back up with it.
"I'm flinging it towards the first of those in the Great Valley I see and coming back for you boys" she said. "Won't be neccessary" Twiz assured her, "we'll be along shortly".
Only knowing the boys would just argue with her more, Kit forced herself to begin to fly off back towards were the Great Valley was as she tried to think up a way to also help the boys.
-
The gold fastbiter ran to where Theta and the rest of his forces were camped out.
"We've found the Stone of Cold Fire." the fast-biter said.
Theta grinned. "All right group. Let's roll!"
The gathered dinosaurs cheered and brandished their weapons.
They then headed into the Great Valley via that same exit.
-----------------
"I hear shouting." Deimos said, "and it's coming from the outside."
The Swimmer gulped and brandished his stone tipped lance. "Oh no, I think the Claw Valley dinos are invading."
---------------
Theta and Hasta led the assault.
The entrance was lightly guarded, with the only guard being a Spike-Tail and a Fast-Runner.
Hasta and a Claw Valley Clubtail quickly battered the Spike-Tail guard to death and a Claw Valley Spikethumb (Iguanadon) grabbed the Fast-Runner and slammed his thumbs into the Fast-Runner's neck.
The Fast-Runner escaped by using one of his hands to gouge the Spikethumb's eyes forcing him to let go.
The Fast-Runner then bolted into the valley, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
---------------
A Fast-Runner clutching his hand to a deep stab wound in the side of his neck arrived at the group. "The...Claw Valley dinosaurs...they're here..." He then took a final breath and collapsed to the ground, dead.
-
Misty rushed forward to check the poor messenger's pulse, but of course it was too late, she stepped back and glanced in the direction he'd meant.
"No way this rock could help defend us is there?" she asked as her gaze stayed fixed on the direction they were apparently heading from.
-
Grandpa Longneck wasn't expecting an attack like this, and he said, "Little ones, someone needs to look after Longtail." he then looked to Deimos and asked, "Which way are the attackers coming from?" as he stepped forward to defend his home.
Longtail moaned and said, "Oh...this is gonna get bad!!"
-
"They are apparently coming towards this entrance." Deimos said. A series of shouts and roars coming from the entrance confirmed his words.
Littlefoot, Hyp and Cera had arrived at the group. All were breathing heavily.
"An attack?" Hyp asked.
Deimos nodded. He then turned to Misty. "Try throwing or knocking the enemies into the rock."
"Talk later, prepare for battle now." the Swimmer guard said, readying his stone tipped spear.
-
With a nod, Misty raised and aimed her stone thrower, letting the vines snap and hurl a rock straight into the midst of the attackers...
~~~~
I must be crazy, that or Longtail's rubbing off was all Kit could tell herself, yet she was given some relief in that her "crazy" plan was working to an extent.
"Kit, what part of getting the flower..." Twiz began annoyed as Kit darted past the bellydragger once more, causing him to turn in that direction, "No guys, really, the mist's making it harder on him too, just...get down here and do what I said".
"It's worth a shot" Skylar sighed, and darted down to dive just out of nose reach of the bellydragger and make him turn towards him before Kit diverted his attention the other way. The belydragger was starting to feel teased.
"Stop moving so much ya winged morsels!" he shouted. Kit glanced up to Twiz, almost inviting him to join in too, but in a specific way that Twiz caught the hidden signals of yet still wasn't sure of. Either way, they had to try something. Twiz dove straight for the bellydragger and as the meat eater turned forward again, Kit and Skylar darted by in an X formation on either side as well, causing the bellydragger to try and look that way before Twiz being all but in his face shocked him further and he ended up reeling back and flopping onto his back on the ground near the flowers that had looked so promising of a position before.
Twiz and Skylar laughed, "Alright, now that's a successful team right there!" Skylar said as Kit even grabbed a few more of the flowers just in case and the trio flapped back towards the Great Valley.
-
A grunt of pain arose from the ranks of the enemy dinosaurs as Misty's rock struck home.
More Great Valley dinosaurs, most of them armed arrived on the scene.
They wasted no time in sending a volley of stone tipped spears and rocks (both hand and sling thrown) at the enemy dinosaurs.
Hyp grabbed a large rock from the ground and threw it into the ranks.
Deimos grabbed a rock and did the same.
The Claw Valley dinosaurs continued, even though some were killed by the volley of spears and rocks.
"Fire!" a sling wielding Swimmer shouted. He picked up a rock from the ground, placed it in his vine sling, swung the sling once and released the rock into the Claw Valley ranks.
-
"Alright!" Misty dared to hope they might have a shot, given the success she was seeing even now, she kept up her barrages.
-
More Claw Valley dinosaurs fell. In reply, several of them threw javelins and launched stones from slings at the Great Valley dinosaurs. The
Hyp suppressed a wave of nausea as he saw a sling launched stone split open a Great Valley Runner's head.
"Close in!" the spear wielding Swimmer shouted.
The Great Valley slingers kept up a withering hail of rocks, while the spear dinosaurs closed in.
Strut launched a large stone from his sling, splitting open an enemy sickleclaw's head.
-
The dinosaurs ran together and began fighting hand-to-hand.
Both sides kept up a fierce volley of stones as they closed.
Strut switched to using a short bladed stone knife and Hyp switched to using a large rock as a bludgeon.
Deimos and the spear dinosaurs formed a phalanx formation and marched steadily towards the enemy dinosaurs.
-
As the two sides advanced closer, and Misty was faced with fending off one of the Claw Valleyers at close quarters, she found her rock slinger useless...until she decided to improvise and wrapped it around the attacker's neck, pulling and all but choking him.
"If you ran right now, I might let you off..." she said. The attacker struggled out the answer of 'no way'.
"Ok" Misty tightened the slinger and the attacker slumped to the floor.
-
Deimos looked at Kit and grinned. "Nice!" He then parried a spear thrust from a Claw Valleyer.
Hyp was grappling with a Claw Valley Runner. The enemy Runner was trying to wrest Hyp's rock away but Hyp used his free hand to gouge the Runner's eyes. He then swung the rock at the Runner's leg, breaking it.
"You know, if you give this attack up, I'll spare you." Hyp said.
The Runner spat at him in response. "I will not surrender." He then grabbed a stone from the ground and threw it at Hyp.
The rock struck Hyp in the chest, knocking the wind from him. He ignored the intense pain and broke the Runner's neck with a powerful downard swing.
He then retreated to the back lines to catch his breath.
Strut grabbed an enemy Fast-Runner and stabbed him to death before he could resist.
-
"Protect the stone!" Hyp shouted. He was grappling with an enemy Runner and managed to accidentally push him into the Stone of Cold Fire. The Runner was immediately electrocuted and died.
Deimos saw this. "Guys! Use the Stone of Cold Fire as a weapon!"
-
Hearing this, and just as another enemy runner rushed at her, Misty flipped him and kicked him straight at the Stone, electrocuting him as well.
She grimaced to have to use such means, but it was in defense of this Valley her friends had and wanted to keep.
~~~~
Just then Kit, Twiz and Skylar swooped down into another part of the Valley. "Where's Longtail?" Kit wondered half to herself and half outloud in searching for him, "We got the flower".
-
Deimos had his spear broken by an ax wielding Swimmer. Luckily for him, a Great Valley slinger broke his arm with a well aimed rock.
Deimos then grabbed the Swimmer and pushed him face first into the nearest object, which happened to be the Stone of Cold Fire. Deimos didn't flinch as the Swimmer was fatally electrocuted.
Strut was being strangled by an enemy Runner.