The Gang of Five
The forum will have some maintenance done in the next couple of months. We have also made a decision concerning AI art in the art section.


Please see this post for more details.

Finally Together Again/Into the Mysterious Beyond

LBTFan13 · 330 · 23169

StarfallRaptor

  • Member+
  • Cera
  • *
    • Posts: 5445
    • View Profile
Dante had been silent this entire time.  Now, however, he looked up, and Virgil gasped.  Over the side of Dante's face was what appeared to be a strange mask, made up of what appeared to be bone.
"Go.  After the stone.  I'll...Make sure Ozzy doesn't get to it.  If any stand in my way...They're dead."
He pulled the mask entirely over his face, then turned and ran off following Ozzy's trail...

"Be thou prepared, scum.  For now, the shadow comes for thee..."
The darkness in his mind whispered...


LBTFan13

  • Cera
  • *
    • Posts: 3364
    • View Profile
Chomper began to panic and looked around. "Zaine! Zaine! Where are you?" I can't believe we were sidetracked by that fight, and now Ozzy has Zaine. We have to get him back!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zaine looked around, but he didn't see any way of escaping with all the raptors around. "You do realize what you've done right? My friends aren't going to stop until they find us, and I think Longtail is going to be very pissed with you!" Ozzy then laughed.

"Well we're going to have to fix that now." Zaine wasn't sure what he was talking about, then he noticed something terrible. They were standing right next to a cliff with a dropoff into big water.

"You don't want to do that," Zaine warned. "You really don't want to do that."

"Maybe I do. If you are not going to cooperate, then you are of no use for me. I know where the stone is, and without you your friends will become hopelessly lost. This time, you won't be coming back." Without warning, Ozzy body slammed into Zaine. Zaine yelled out as he flew over the edge of the cliff, and landed on a huge tree branch sticking out the side ofthe cliff. He squeezed tight in order to stay on, but he could kind of felt like he was slipping. Ozzy peered over the edge and grinned. "Have a nice fall little longneck. I promise I will thank you for finding the stone for me." He then turned around and left with the raptors.

Zaine tried not to look down, but unfortunately it was no use. He glanced at the height and yelled out. "Somebody help me!" I hate heights! I can't stand them!


The Great Valley Guardian

  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7314
    • View Profile
    • http://www.supersonicboom182.deviantart.com
Longtail suddenly stopped flying for a moment and turned around and listened closely to the sound he heard. He then smiled as he flapped his wings and headed towards a waterfall in the distance.
After flying for several more minutes he could see the cascading water...and a branch with a leave. 'wait...that branch looks bigger than normal.' thought Longtail to himself.

He flapped over and as he got closer he could see it was Zaine! Longtail then sped up and climbed higher into the sky, as he did he shouted to Zaine "Hang on...I've got you just sit still!"

_________________________________

Cyrix patted Chomper on the back and said "Don't worry, Zaine will be fine...if anyone can find him fast enough it'll be Longtail.


LBTFan13

  • Cera
  • *
    • Posts: 3364
    • View Profile
Zaine noticed Longtail approaching at hih speed. "Longtail! Hurry! I can't hold on any longer!"  He felt himself letting go of the branch, and it only made him squeeze tighter. Suddenly, he started to slip until he was holding on with one foot. Oh no! This is it! "Longtail!!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chomper nodded. "Yeah, you're right. The best thing to do is wait." But waiting was the last thing Chomper felt like doing. His best friend was in danger, and all he could do was nothing? Not really appealing.

Strut kept muttering to himself. "Ozzy I swear I'm going to kill you for this."


Kor

  • The Circle
  • The Gang of Five
  • *
    • Posts: 30087
    • View Profile
Mim thought for a moment looking around as she thought to herself before she looked at those present.  "If we have someone who knows where the stone is then at least some of us go to find the stone.  What do you others think, should all of use go towards the stone or do you think some should go in rescue of Zaine?" Mim asked.

"Zaine may be injured from whatever Ozzy will do and it is to dangerous here for him to make his way to the stone by himself.  But Ozzy may be expecting that some will try to rescue him." Littlefoot said, not sure what to say.  He looked around, "Has anyone seen Ducky?" Littlefoot asked, concerned that he had not seen or heard her yet.  


- - - - -

Ducky had held onto Zaine during the battle and a bit afterwards.  One of the fastbiters grabbed and pulled her off of Zaine.  

"We're only to catch 1, and you're to small for even a snack." the one said holding her and threw her away.   Ducky flew through the air screaming.  

Zal the Quetzalcoatlus was flying, heading towards the Great Valley when she heard a screaming.  Looking down she saw a small swimmer fly through the air and land on some grass and slide for a bit in a clearing.  "A flying swimmer, that is a most unusual site and may bode something ill." She said as she headed to land near where Ducky was.  

Ducky sat up, rubbing her head, and some other parts.  "They were not nice, no they were not."  She said, her eyes closed as she rubbed her had and her chest.

"Are you hurt?" She heard an older female voice ask.  Ducky opened her eyes and was about to scream when she saw it was one of the large flyers, she had seen their kind before, though not very often and only once before up close.  

"I hurt a bit but am not really hurted.  It was those mean fast biters.  They took Zaine and threw me.  Though I am glad they did that instead of eating me, I am, I am." Ducky said.

"Where were they taking this Zaine, maybe we can help him." Zal said.

"There are to many fastbiters, and they are following a really mean egg eater.  I need to get back to my friends and tell them, I do, I do." Ducky said.  

"Why don't I take you back.  We should be able to find them and avoid fastbiters if I fly us around.  Safer then wondering around on the ground." Zal said smiling.    "I guess you are heading to the Great Valley?  If so you are going in the wrong way, it's back over yonder." Zal said as she pointed back to the direction where the Great Valley was.  She then put out a hand.  "The sooner we get into the air the sooner we can find those friends of yours & mozy on over to them." Zal said.    Ducky nodded and got into her hand.  Zal put Ducky on her back at the base of her neck and took off.


The Great Valley Guardian

  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7314
    • View Profile
    • http://www.supersonicboom182.deviantart.com
Longtail then dived down through the sky knowing there wasn't any time left, he was nosediving straight for Zaine and just as Zaine's foot slipped Longtail reached out with his talons and grabbed the back of Zaines neck.

Longtail still moving in a nosedive suddenly realized that the ground was coming up a lot faster than he'd thought it would. Then he realized that the combined weight of him and Zaine was the source of their speedy fall/dive. Longtail had an idea, but he had to wait just a few more seconds...which in free-fall felt like a lifetime. Longtail then at the last possible second using his tail for momentum he flipped himself onto his back and landed on the ground with a bone crunching thud.

Knowing that he still held Zaine, Longtail had purposely used his body as a giant cushion and let Zaine bounce/roll off. However Longtail didn't have the strength to get back up...his scale color returned to normal, as did his eye as he passed out from the impact...just hoping Zaine was okay.

~~~~~~

Cyrix frowned as he answered "I'm not sure Littlefoot...I know she was watching out for Zaine when the sharpteeth attacked, but since then I have yet to see her." The rainbow face looked up and noticed something.
"What is that? It looks like a flyer, but it's not my nephew..."


LBTFan13

  • Cera
  • *
    • Posts: 3364
    • View Profile
Zaine felt the impact and rolled off Longtail and onto the ground. He slowly stood up, his body sore from the fall, but then noticed his friend's condition. "Longtail!" Zaine knelt beside him and shoved him to try and wake him up. "Longtail! Please wake up! You can't be dead! You can't be!"


Meanwhile, Chomper looked to where Cyrix was watching, and he too noticed the flyer. "Wait. That flyer is holding something!" He squinted his eyes as the flyer got closer. "It's Ducky!"

Strut sighed with relief. "Well that's one missing child found. Thank goodness nothing happened to her. Now we just need to find Zaine."


The Great Valley Guardian

  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7314
    • View Profile
    • http://www.supersonicboom182.deviantart.com
Longtail groaned as Zaine nudged his body...he was still in too much pain to really do anything signifigant so Longtail settled for tapping Zaine with the end of his tail. He figured that would be enough to grab Zaine's attention as he fell back to sleep.

~~~~~

Cyrix sighed with new found relief as he noted Chomper was right...Ducky was okay. "I'm very glad to hear this...We should thank this flyer once they land."


StarfallRaptor

  • Member+
  • Cera
  • *
    • Posts: 5445
    • View Profile
Dante saw Longtail fall, and he raced over to his side.
"And you say you don't need my help?  Well, too bad.  Right now, you're gonna need it."
He smirked...
________________________________________________________________________

Virgil nodded.
"It's good to have at least one of our friends back.  There's hope yet."
Motochika looked.
"They are unfamiliar to me.  Perhaps we should refrain from our joy yet."
He said, eyes wary...


Kor

  • The Circle
  • The Gang of Five
  • *
    • Posts: 30087
    • View Profile
Mim shielded her eyes as she looked up where Cyrix and Chomper were looking.  "It looks like Ducky is getting a ride indeed and it looks like it's one of the large flyers." Mim said studying the figures in the air.  

"It does look like it.   I've not seen that type very often." Littlefoot said looking up in the direction the others were looking.  "I"m just glad Ducky is safe.  But now how about Zaine." He said.  

"Me go say hi." Petrie said.  He flew up into the air towards the larger flyer.  It looked like one of the large types he'd seen now and then and were not to common.  He wasn't very afraid of them.  1 of them had helped to carry some of his friends from threehorn peak back to the Great Valley a while back.

- - - -

Zal flew around in a wide circle.  Ducky looked down and pointed down.  "There they are.  My friends are there, they are they are." Ducky said happy.  

"Quite an unusual looking group." Zal said looking at them in the distance & turning to head towards them.  "Not often you see sharpteeth & fastbiters traveling with green food eaters." Zal said as they drew closer.

"Looks like of your friends is coming up to greet us." Zal said as she saw Petrie heading in their direction.  She continued to draw near and slowed her flight as Petrie got close.  

"It is Petrie, it is it is." Ducky said to Zal then louder so Petrie could her, "Hello Petrie.  Zaine was taken." Ducky said.

"We know.  We glad you ok." Petrie said then he looked over at Zal.  "Me Petrie.  Me glad you bring Ducky back." Petrie said.

Zal smiled, "I'm glad to help.  & anyway I couldn't let Ducky here just wonder about on her own without helping." She said as the 3 of them drew closer to where the others were.


LBTFan13

  • Cera
  • *
    • Posts: 3364
    • View Profile
Zaine noticed Longtail's tail and breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness you're alive. Don't worry Longtail. We'll get through this." Then he noticed Dante caught up to them. "Dante, I don't know how you got down here without hurting yourself, but I'm glad you're here. Longtail had a really hard impact from the fall. We need to get to some place that's safe so we can get some rest. We'll need it if we're ever going to meet back up with the others. Hopefully they've gone ahead for the stone." Zaine propped Longtail on his back, trying hard not to hurt anything possibly broken. "Thank you again Dante, for coming with us."

----------------------------------------------------------

Strut walked over towards Cyrix. "This is only a suggestion, but maybe we should head towards the stone. If my brother is really going to use Zaine as batm then they will surely be heading towards Smoking Mountain."

Chomper turned towards Strut. "I'm going after Zaine!"

"Chomper it's too dangerous. Ozzy would kill you if you tried to rescue Zaine. Besides, Longtail and Dante are going after him, so he should be taken care of." Strut knelt beside Chomper. "In the meantime, we need you and your parents now more than ever. Once we get out of the Mysterious Beyond, then we can worry about Zaine."

Chomper nodded. "You're right. Zaine will be fine. We do need to get out of here. Maybe this new flyer can help us."

Strut looked at the flyer with Ducky. "He certainly seems friendly. It's worth a shot." He stood up and walked towards the flyer. "I'm sure you've heard by now of our little predicament. I'm Strut, and my brother is the one who has our friend."


The Great Valley Guardian

  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7314
    • View Profile
    • http://www.supersonicboom182.deviantart.com
Longtail moaned as he felt Zaine moving his body onto his back, but then again he really wasn't in any position to say or do anything about it...so he settled for sitting still and letting his friends take care of him for the moment. But he was so grateful for his friends being here to watch out for him in his times of need.

~~~~~

Cyrix nodded to Struts comment and replied:
"Yes, I believe you have a point. Longtail and Dante should be able to help Zaine when they find him. If anything finding the stone should help us gain some ground on Ozzy. If he's trying so hard to take Zaine out of the issue...he's not too far to the stone. We may have a chance if we push on."


StarfallRaptor

  • Member+
  • Cera
  • *
    • Posts: 5445
    • View Profile
Dante looked at Zaine, then raised an eye ridge in concern.
"You sure you're okay, Zaine?  I mean, you're still hurt and all, so if you need me to, I can give you a lift..."
He said, grinning faintly...
_________________________________________________________________________

Virgil nodded.
"I'm worried, though.  Dante in that state might not be able to keep control of himself.  He might become a danger to his friends..."

Motochika looked at Virgil.
"What do you mean, that state?  Does this have something to do with that mask?"

Virgil nodded...


Kor

  • The Circle
  • The Gang of Five
  • *
    • Posts: 30087
    • View Profile
Zal finished landing, with Petrie landing beside.  Zal grasp Ducky and put her onto the ground then she nodded.  "Yes, I heard and it does sound rather, bad indeed." She said.   'I did notice some commotion or something going on.  Though they'll be unhappy if they go into the territory of a certain fastbiter friend of mine.  But what sort of help do you need?" She asked looking at the others.  

"Friendly fastbiter herd? Sounds like a story I heard one of my sisters tell of,  It does it does.

Mim nodded, "We're trying to get to the stone of cold fire before Ozzy is and those working for him." Mim said.


"Friendly fastbiter herd? I'd like to hear that story sometime." Littlefoot said looking at Ducky




The Great Valley Guardian

  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7314
    • View Profile
    • http://www.supersonicboom182.deviantart.com
Longtail in a state of semi thought said, "Heeey....relax Dante...I'm sure Zaine...knows...what he's doing...d-don't cha Zaine?" and then he fell asleep once more.

~~~~~~~

Cyrix looked to Virgil and asked "Wait...a mask..I remember hearing about in a story from long ago...something about bring darkness and peace at the same time...but I'm not sure I remember it too well."


StarfallRaptor

  • Member+
  • Cera
  • *
    • Posts: 5445
    • View Profile
Dante looked at Longtail, then sighed and shook his head.
"Zaine might, but I don't think you do right now, pal.  Just rest up..."
_________________________________________________________________________

Virgil nodded.  
"My brother is what is called a 'Visored'.  That mask is the embodiment of his supressed anger and other dark emotions.  When he puts it on, he is able to move faster, hit harder, and overall is better at fighting.  The reason he seals it in a mask is that it lets him keep his sanity when he wears it."

He trailed off...


LBTFan13

  • Cera
  • *
    • Posts: 3364
    • View Profile
Zaine nodded. "Don't worry Dante. I'm fine. Longtail is the one who needs help right now." He flinched a little from the impact of the fall, but held strong. "Well, it's going to be a while until we meet up with the others, so let's get out of here before we attract the attention of something else unfriendly." Zaine walked down the path with Dante right behind him.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Ozzy hurried down the path with the other raptors at his side. He kept looking back and said out loud, "Maybe I shouldn't have thrown him off the cliff. Well it doesn't matter now. Either way, he was a nuisance." He looked at Kireek. "What do you think I should have done?"


Kor

  • The Circle
  • The Gang of Five
  • *
    • Posts: 30087
    • View Profile
"Maybe I'll tell you more about that herd where there's more time.  I've heard stories of a stone of cold fire, but they all seem to be just myths." Zal said.

"I've heard much the same." Mim said, "But this one may be different and anyway we do need to stop Ozzy from getting there first either way." Mim said to Zal.

"Only a few know where this stone is and we have to hurry there." Littlefoot said.  

"Me glad me no know were stone is, to scary Petrie only know." Petrie said.  

"Maybe it is, but it's better then just one knowing, it is it is." Ducky said.



StarfallRaptor

  • Member+
  • Cera
  • *
    • Posts: 5445
    • View Profile
Dante nodded, prying the mask off his face with a soft sucking sound.
"Right.  Let's keep moving.  I hope the others are safe..."
He said, looking off at the direction he had come from...
_________________________________________________________________________

Kireek nodded.  
"Your decision was unflawed, my lord.  He would have been nothing but an obstacle to us, and now his friends will be no threat at all..."
He uttered, then broke out into a cold laugh...


LBTFan13

  • Cera
  • *
    • Posts: 3364
    • View Profile
Zaine nodded. "Yeah, I hope they head for the stone. Maybe they'll have better luck than us." He then looked back at Longtail. "Get some rest buddy. You've had enough action for one day." He then thought about the mask that Dante was wearing. "Uhh Dante. What was that mask you had on just now? I've never seen you wearing it before."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ozzy nodded. "I guess you're right. They won't be a problem so long as we get the stone first. I promise once the world is ours, you will have your share in the power."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Strut nodded. "That would be interesting to learn about. At this point, we can use all the friendly sharpteeth we need."

Chomper stepped in. "Well I wouldn't be surprised. Not all sharpteeth are evil and terrible."