As Littlefoot rushed over excitedly as Cera made her choice, Ridge laughed a bit to himself. He wouldn't try to push back on the longneck any of the comments he'd innocently made before, but he still found Littlefoot's enthusiasm after what he'd said kind of funny.

"Oh yes, and I am glad that we are all going together, I am!" Ducky said, as she rushed over as well. "I do not know about threehorns, but it would still not be the same without you, Cera, would not".

Ridge's father squinted towards the rock causing all this pondering between the flyers. "Hmm...well that's odd" he agreed, yet commented to his mate and Mrs. Swimmer.

"To say the least" Mrs. Swimmer agreed with a nod.

~~~~~

As it seemed everything was winding down and the groups about ready, well hers anyway, Mrs. Flyer flapped up, "Come on, Harper, let's see what we can't spot for a good direction to head" she said to her daughter, knowing how much wanting to be useful had driven her choice in coming over. With a smile, Harper flapped up after her mom.

As they reached still low altitude, Mrs. Flyer turned to her brother's group. "You all just make sure to be careful out there" she called for her final parting. It wasn't a criticism of Peterano's abilities at all, just, a customary send off. Majority of the other herd seemed fascinated by some rock at the moment. Oh dear, she sighed.

"I'm sure it's different" Harper spoke up with a smile.

Her mother sighed, "All of them are nothing special, I just hope your uncle....doesn't get distracted again".

"I'm sure he won't" Harper was quick with a defense that her uncle wouldn't even hear her say. Her mother glanced to her with a small amused smile of surprise at this. The hatchling just smiled bigger then flapped over to get a look at their options. Her mother soon followed.

"Hmm...well, it's not much to chose from on the way of looking better from here" the adult flyer told Grandpa and Topsy, "but going off what there is to make a decision, we might out best at luck that way, and also we're clear of sharptheeth that way".

As they were all still preparing to head out, Ridge caught the words said to Littlefoot, though he hadn't exactly been trying to ease drop or anything, and the spiketail couldn't help smiling for the longneck's benefit. He didn't know what it would be like to be in Littlefoot's foot steps, his father being with him even in this group, though he was just silently observing for the moment.

It was probably the same on most levels, though, the wanting of praise and knowing you did right by their opinion. He thought of saying something to Littlefoot, but decided that would just interrupt his moment and so didn't.

Ducky smiled, happy also, as a solution was found for Chomper and perhaps Cutter as well for while they would be traveling. She glanced around to try and find Cutter again, just hoping he hadn't got lost already, and saw him over talking with Longtail. She couldn't hear what they were saying but smiled that maybe he was making even more friends.

Mrs. Flyer couldn't help laughing a bit as Grandpa Longneck went on sort of over explaining the reasoning for heading away from Pterano's position. "No worries, I know it's not just tom avoid his company" she smiled, "of course it makes sense that if we're trying to find another place we should be looking in as wide circles as we can" she nodded her agreement with the plan.

The moment Pterano asked his question, his sister frowned, sighing and trying to figure out how to tell her what they had just realized and been discussing. Grandpa Longneck took over that though. Shock over the sudden news on Pterano's promotion would have come if other news hadn't lodged itself in first. Ducky frowned as they were told of the Great Valley's condition. They would have to live out in the Mysterious Beyond for a bit...again.

"Hasn't this happened enough" Harper sighed; and just when she'd felt relieved at their making it back home!

Ridge was disappointed as well but...well he and his herd had lived out here enough, he just steeled himself with determination again. Then came the big question over who would follow Pterano, really. It was understandable if none did, they all had excuses, and so it did sort of lay how Littlefoot had said, all in trust.

"Well" Ridge's mother surprised him, at least, when she spoke, "I know I don't know the flyer as well as you all do, so it probably doesn't mean as much, but young Littlefoot has a point and I'll throw my vote of confidence in on our appointed temp as well; that fine with you all?" she turned to both her son, mate, and their small bit of a herd.

"Y-yeah, of course" Ridge said, then smiled. His father went with the plan as well, giving his own nod.

Ducky had been silently thinking and now glanced up to her mother, "Momma..." she began.

Mrs. Swimmer sighed, "I sort of expected you would be saying this..." it was a big step for her too, as she glanced to Pterano and considered. The flyer had once caused the worst kind of pain and worry to hit her while being in charge of her daughter without anyone's permission back during his last visit. Also she knew of the mislead herd as well as the others from their traveling group at the time.

But that was sort of why Ducky had to do this, and why she had to let her. With another sigh she nodded. Ducky skipped over to Littlefoot.

"I'll scout for you and whoever comes with you, Mr. Threehorn" Mrs. Flyer told the threehorn, nodding to him.

Harper...just stood there not seeming to look at anyone for a bit and just watching everyone else line up as they would. She trusted her uncle now, of course, as she'd said, but...everything in her wanted to stay by and with her mother. If anything happened and she wasn't even there to try to help...but then that logic went with Petrie as well, and she knew where he was most likely going. The young flyer let out a sigh.

Her mother seemed to sense all this, and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Harper...it...it would be...", much as she was trying to show her own faith in her brother, Mrs. Flyer found the sentence hard to get out. A big part of her still wanted to halt Petrie's plan, though for said reasons of trust she didn't.

Harper let out a sigh, coming to her decision and turning to face her uncle. "I trust you, believe me I do, but...she needs me" she said, thumbing over her shoulder at her mother, "to help with those she's gotta lead". While she'd made up her mind, Harper did look sorry of how she knew this must look and worried at casting any doubts towards Pterano by her doing this. "I'm not saying the others won't help but..." she glanced to make sure her other siblings weren't listening. They were out of earshot. "...well they won't take it as serious as they should and someone's gotta make sure mom doesn't tire herself scouting". Mrs. Flyer just looked a bit stunned at daughter's devotion.

"I...I'm sorry" Harper went on in a low voice to her uncle, feeling she should say it.

"Wow, yeah, that is kinda just lucky I guess, first traveling with the right far walkers, then running into my mom and even us out there" Harper agreed, smiling as Norton mentioned her possibly showing him around. "Sure! Yeah, I'd love to show you around. I know a lot about the Great Valley too, since I don't usually go leaving it" she smiled.

Littlefoot's cry as they got closer drew her attention and soon she could see the adults for herself as well. She grinned and then, not even saying anything, proved her uncle's guess right and shot over towards where she could spot her mother. "Mom!".

Ridge and Ducky were quickly making their way over to their own families.

Mrs, Flyer had just got up a plan for how she and Longtail should best search when at Grandpa Longneck's cry she jerked her head over to look as well. A soft smile came to her features as she saw all the kids safe with Pterano. "Yes...he certainly did" she answered the elder longneck, though too low for him to hear.

Her daughter all but barreling into her next distracted her and she laughed happily, encircling her girl with her wings. "Harper, oh I was so worried" she sighed. As soon as Pterano landed she of course wasted no time scooping Petrie up as well, though she also instantly noted his injuries.

"Petrie!" she sighed in shock, holding him out a bit to investigate, "what happened?".

From closer up near her mom's shoulder, and after returning the greeting her other siblings darted over to give, Harper frowned, trying to answer and maybe spare Petrie and Pterano trouble. "He just um...well..." no matter how she thought of how to say it, it sounded bad.

Mrs. Flyer just sighed, now also noticing her brother and his son, whom she chastised herself for forgetting about in the chaos. "Norton!" she gasped, "oh I should have told you about the exits!" she shook her head, "well, thankfully you found them on your own; as well as did find your father I see" she smiled to her brother, both at being ahead of him on knowing about Norton already and also in her pride at his job well done.

((Unfortunately no action in this Chapter either, just build up, but we're getting there fairly quickly, I promise ))


III: Preparations

Pterano's arrival and "greet" had, of course, been early in the day, so Harper found that the hardest part of her plan was that she still had a good chunk of the day to get through while keeping secret what was planned up for tomorrow. Also, almost to not seem suspicious probably, Ridge was keeping his distance, so aside from tag and such with her other siblings, the day drug on in a tense sort of way.

She made it to that night, though, and none seemed the wiser. It had been even harder, after Petrie and Pterano returned from their outing, to not grab her brother and immediately interrogate him on how it had gone and if the secret was still that. Petrie guessed enough to give her a slight smile that all was still good, though.

Harper was now munching on some treestars for their evening meal trying to think up something else to get her mind on. This was unfortunate for some relatives. "So, Uncle Pterano", she found it, "Since I wasn't there, did the...meeting back up with the Council and all go...ok?". Her mother smiled over to Pterano with one of those looks that was trying to be sorry for one's child, but wasn't, and was a tad amused.

Pterano let a few seconds go by as he seemed to gather his answer. "Well, my still being here is of course testament that it didn't go as horribly as it could have" he began with a small smile, "though that old threehorn is just one of the worst, most stubborn...". Whatever other adjectives Pterano was going to cast at his rival, Harper didn't get the chance to hear them because her mother cleared her throat while giving him "that look".

"Right" Pterano moved on in topic, glancing over to Harper again, "Yet, all in all, I suppose I can call the Great Valley Council nothing if not fair for giving such a reprobate as myself a second chance, as they have" he finished with a sigh.

"It Littlefoot's grandpa who talk for him and get Mr. Threehorn to be quiet" Petrie informed his sister, having paid very close attention during Pterano's gathered "welcome".

"Petrie!" his mother scolded her son being so rude in what he said towards one of the leading members of the Great Valley Council. The hatchling ducked his head with a small smile.

"Well, the assessment isn't exactly off" Pterano muttered in defense, though Harper caught that he probably didn't want anyone to hear what he said. Her mother did hear it though and promptly aimed a glare Pterano's way. Seeming to catch on to the tense atmosphere, all of the hatchlings quickly finished up and headed towards bed.

Harper...almost threw all the planning all away, but couldn't help herself. Leaning over to her mother before heading off to her spot in the nest, she hugged her, "I love you, Mom". If anything happened while they were off searching, she didn't want to have not said it.

Her mother smiled and after hugging her back gave the sort of informal "Back at ya" that actually said a lot.

"You too, Uncle Pterano, thanks...um, for listening earlier" she said with a smile. Again, it was almost giving away too much, mentioning the issue with the runners, but again, Harper couldn't leave it unsaid.

"Anytime" Pterano said with an understanding smile on the secret the two...well three of them shared exclusively. If he only knew the other half of the secret only her and Petrie shared. Glancing between her mother and uncle again, Harper began to feel bad and like she had too many secrets already, so quickly went to bed.

~~~~

"Wow...Littlefoot wasn't kidding" Harper whispered as she peered out of her nest and to the ground where Littlefoot, Cera, Spike, Chomper, Ruby and Ridge all stood. Ducky had made the climb up to the flyers' nest to gently wake just Petrie and Harper early to set out on this little mission of theirs. The two flapped down, each grabbing one of Ducky's arms to help float her back down to the ground as well.

Once they landed, Harper turned back to check that none in the nest had stirred. Nope, her siblings and her mother were still asleep, as was Pterano on a lower ledge. No turning back now. Littlefoot motioned them all out away from the nest and it wasn't until they had walked off a ways that the conversation started with Cera.

"So, it is you then? The reason I was waken up so early?" Cera asked Harper, "When Littlefoot told me, I sort of didn't believe him". There were chuckles and Harper smiled.

"No, I came up with the horrible idea this time" Harper answered.

"Well but just to help the two runners, right?" Chomper said, sort of coming to Harper's defense, it sounded like, and causing her to smile again to the sharptooth she already met before Ridge had her hanging around the gang, back when Petrie brought him by the nest.

"That's what I'm hoping" she answered.

"Well I thought it was the best and kindest thing I'd ever heard of, I did" Ducky smiled to Harper, "and I'm sure we can get the runners' sons to listen, I am, I mean their parents are sick and like Littlefoot said Harper said, they have to care".

"Yes" Ruby agreed with a nod, "When people like your parents have cared for you, caring back is sort of all you can do". As they walked on towards one of the exits of the Great Valley, Ridge wondered why it was the girls of the group being the most optimisitc with this, and if it was bad that he wasn't so optimistic. He glanced to Littlefoot who seemed to know what he was thinking and share the thought even. The longneck smiled back. Neither of them were saying it wouldn't work, obviously, they just...didn't know what would happen.

"Ok, well that's all great" Cera piped in with, changing the pattern Ridge noticed by being not optimistic, "but anyone thought on how we're going to find these runners?".

"Well I'm sure someone in the Mysterious Beyond has heard something; that and we have Chomper's sniffer" Littlefoot answered.

"Yup!" the little sharptooth grinned, "and I can smell anything from way far away!" he said enthusiastically, sniffing the air for demonstration.

Chomper really was the sweetest thing ever, Harper had already realized, but still she smiled a bit nervously as the sharptooth went on about how good at...sniffing he was. "I--is it bad if I still find that a little scary?" she whispered over to Ducky and Petrie. With agreeing smiles of unsurity, both shook their heads. No, it was still a little odd when Chomper said things like that.

They all reached one of the exits from the Great Valley out into the Mysterious Beyond, and from Ridge's back, Harper glanced up at it.

"You know you can still turn back...". Harper glanced over to see Cera smirking at her in a knowing way. She was expecting the little nest-body to "egg" out.

Harper frowned a bit and seemed to sit straighter, "N-no thank you, I'm good. What about you?" she threw back, though in not such an assured voice as Cera's challenge had been in.

The threehorn gave a small laugh, "This is treesweets by now" she assured. Littlefoot frowned, he didn't know why Cera had gotten it into her head to give Petrie's sister such a hard time. Probably because she felt she could, along the same reasoning for why she sometimes gave Chomper a hard time too. Still, even if this wasn't Harper's first time hanging out with them, he didn't think it was a good impression or just plain nice.

"Oh, I'm sure Harper will do just fine on the trip" Littlefoot said,  "It was her idea after all" the longneck gave Harper a smile, one she tried to return.

"Yeah" Ridge went on, "and if we're counting experience with the Mysterious Beyond, I actually beat out all of you since my herd's from there". The spiketail walked on past.

"Exactly" Littlefoot replied.

"Oh hush up!" Cera pushed past the two and continued on. With chuckles, Littlefoot and Ridge followed. Ruby, Chomper and Spike followed them, Spike of course carrying Ducky while Petrie and Harper flew along for now.

Harper just nodded with a smile as Pterano admitted they probably didn't get much sleep. Well, they were grown-ups and could do what they wanted. The smile faded a bit as Norton went on asking about Sierra. Harper knew it wasn't a pleasant story, she'd just been thankful before that she'd never had to actually run into the flyer herself after Petrie had told her about all that had happened. Running into him last night had also been enough for her.

She just silently listened as Pterano explained his own actions. It was...disappointing hearing him go through his less than pure motives of before, as she noticed Norton's look fall. Yet still, somehow, the way it was explained, Hatper felt a bit proud of her uncle again in that he wasn't making excuses anymore.

As Hyp went on, apparently trying to annoy Pterano with the 'pops' thing, she and Ridge both gave a small smile and laugh. "Well, while they do that" Ridge said, watching as Devon walked off with Pterano to speak with him, "I'll go make sure Ducky knows we probably aren't bringing other two sharpteeth with us..." the spiketail glanced to where the swimmer was talking to the sharpteeth and slowly walked over to try and get justbclose enough to call Ducky over and not near enough to put the two sharpteeth on edge.

This sort of left Harper alone with Norton except for Petrie. She smiled to her new found cousin. "Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing...major" she tried to reassure, knowing things must still be all unsure between Devon and Norton with all the surprises of the past day.

~~~~

Ducky smiled as Fang sort of took the offer. "Oh!" she realized they were right and didn't have her name, "That is right, I never told you! Sorry" she giggled, "I'm Ducky".

Things always looked better in the morning. It was a philosophy that Petrie's mother wasn't even aware she held to. Born of and held to due to experience always proving it right. Every time except now that was...

Crestfallen she just stared at their smoke filled home. It wasn't the first time the Gerat Valley was uninhabitable for a bit, but it did seem the worst somehow. Plus there was no time line to hope on. After the swarming leaf gobblers they had all known that they only had to await everything growing back. After that harsh cold time of frozen ground sparkles, only until that co,d time passed. This...there was no telling.

Closing her eyes she dealt with the disappointment, though, and moved on. Nodding to Grandpa Longneck's point, yes first came finding the kids and Pterano. She sighed again. "You said you'd do it, and I know you're capable of it" she whispered to just herself and in a statement to her brother he'd never hear, "please, make good on those promises of being better and please have kept them safe...".

She was just about to, of course, add her aid to the flyers going out to search, when Cyrix addressed her. Turning to the rainbow face, and caught of guard a bit by the request, she nonetheless nodded with a small smile, "Of course, Cyrix. I'll stay as near Longtail as I can without stifling or anything".

~~~~

Ridge also felt like he'd slept like a log due to the many twists of the day before. Stretching as well, he smiled to Pterano as the flyer greeted them with a good morning and then scanned about to the others awake as well. Despite the fact that something seemed to be going on with Chomper and Littlefoot, the first thing the spiketail noticed was Harper and Ducky both up already and glancing over towards Famg and Nat again.

"Don't tell me you two got up early after all that?" he said with a smile, walking over.

"No" Harper gave a small laugh, "just now".

"Oh. So why are you glancing towards our maybe friendly maybe not sharptooth visitors?" Ridge went on.

"I was just hoping that little one didn't hurt himself again or anything" Ducky said.

"Oh yeah, Fang as I heard his name is" Ridge said. He would have gone on, commenting on how the swimmer's actions of before must have done something right since the sharpteeth next tried to help them, but the rainbow faces walking up drew all three of their attention.

Harper and Ridge at least made their way over as Pterano asked for and didn't get much out of them. Ridge sighed, "Yet somehow what they did say makes it sound like it is bad".

"Now Ridge we don't know that until they say so" Harper replied. Already she scanned about and found a pretty nice cluster of ground-stars. Flapping over she picked a few but with a grimace set aside some crawlers that were resting on the leaves.

"Ooh!" Ducky rushed over to pick them up, "I will go see if Fang and his friend want them! I will!". The idea had just suddenly hit the swimmer as a good one, since Chomper ate crawlers too.

Ducky had been watching nervously both in worry for Pterano and also Fang, oddly enough now, since she felt almost responsible for the small sharptooth's health after she helped mend his tail, and she hoped he wouldn't aggravate anything. She turned as Ruby walked over and sighed, "Yes, I do not think this day will end well either" she said.

Ducky had just been glancing over Fang's tail one last time when she too caught the sound and then Fang rushed off. She was just about to suggest that maybe he shouldn't, when he was already gone. She turned to Littlefoot as he sat up. "I...I think so" she answered with a frown.

"Yeah. Pterano and Norton went after them" Ridge told them as hd walked up. He watched as the blur that was most likely Cera shot past and them and then turned a well as Littlefoot made his way off. Ducky rushed over as well.

Harper frowned, "But...we're suppose to stay and..." she sighed a bit before following. As they reached the top, she gasped at the sight of Pterano hunched over and watched worriedly, hoping Sierra just might take the suggestion and leave, even if she knew that as unlikely. Ridge watched the brown flyer warily, looking a bit more releved as Redback and Tero added their support to the fight.

Turning from having asked Harper for her assistance, Ducky smiled to the sharptooth's again, "Well...don't you want me to?" she asked, "I mean I know your tail has to hurt. Oh" she turned as Harper delivered over some of the leaves she had asked for, nodding her thanks to then flyer before Harper flapped back over to her family again.

"Plus I know what it's like when most of everyone else is bigger; that's probably why you talk big, like I tried to do once" she gave another smile, "but it's ok, even if you don't want to be nice I'll still help you, because...well...". Ducky stumbled a bit on trying to explain why she would still help the sharptooth's even if he didn't be friends. Describing. The comapssion that was so much just a part of her was hard to do. She didn't understand herself why she felt so sorry for Fang or like she just had to do it. She just did.

Ducky shrugged, "I just don't think anyone should hurt or get scared if it can be helped".

With a smile to himself, Ridge glanced aside in thought. It was odd how humbled he suddenly was by Ducky's just being her and not resorting to the jests that even he had been prodded into delivering due to the little shatooth trying to rub them all the wrong way and succeeding with almost everyone.

Harper's attention had still been focused a bit on the whole issue with the sharptooth as she flapped back over, but intrigue over whatever this secret Norton had slowly took over full focus as he went on. Especially at the words she thought she caught of Norton saying Petrano was his...father?

Giving a frown of confusion and taking in the news as well, Haper just listened as Norton went on. She of course knew nothing of the story of Pterano's mate and the egg, or even that he's had one. So then...what had happened to this aunt she'd never met? Probably...nothing she wanted to ask about.

She was just coming around to realization herself of how this did make Norton their cousin as the adult flyer she'd already told herself was "pretty neat" turned to them and spoke such. She gave a small, still stunned smile. As Pterano hugged his son, their cousin, Harper glanced over to Petrie and her smile grew at his dropped beak.

"Wow...so...wow we have a cousin!" she grinned.