NOTE: MAJOR EDITING DONE
Chapter 28: Life Flash
Ducky watched in amazement as Cyrest allowed the leech that he had recovered from outside the cave to latch onto him and begin sucking his blood. Cyrest endured the pain without complaint then when the Leech had its full share he removed it using the same method as before except for one thing. He did not squeeze the leech this time, He took the overgrown bloodsucker to Sura where it latched onto her. That was when Cyrest squeezed all the blood out of the Leech and into Sura's body. After removing the Leech he laid down and panted in exhaustion. He appeared a bit pale but nothing like Sura had been. Sura gained a little colour when the blood entered her body but Ducky did not know whether it would be enough to save her.
"We've done all that we can Ducky, now we shall see if your mother pulls through this" said Cyrest. He gave a tired yawn and fell asleep where he lay. He had given up a lot of blood for Sura. Ducky sat next to her mother, content to sit and wait until she recovered. She would also prevent anything else from harming her. Ducky allowed herself to be filled with the hope that her mother would survive but it was still out of her hands now. It was all dependent on Sura.
*
Images flashed through Sura's mind as she slept.
She opened her eyes and saw her first image. A dim light came through a strange surface that she appeared to be encased in. She could see the ends of her tail and her feet which were right up close to her head. Her back was covered in a wet substance that she did not know.
The Swimmer then saw what appeared to be shadows cast on the outside of the strange barrier. Many shapes that she did not recognise but filled her with an intense curiosity, she squeaked and touched the barrier with her hand. It was a new sensation to feel, one that she had never felt before. The barrier felt hard and rough.
The Swimmer wagged her tail in excitement and tried to stretch herself out but the barrier prevented her from doing that, so she resolved to break through it and see what was on the other side. She thrust and kicked at the barrier with all her might, her heart beating at twice its normal pace with the effort. Then she heard an excited cry from behind the barrier. She pushed harder and harder, until the surface of the barrier was filled with cracks that let light in.
Then with one final push the Swimmer broke through the barrier that was her egg and landed on the ground outside. The sensations that greeted her were both exciting and confusing which made her very curious. She heard strange sounds that included squeaks from her clutch mates and the sound of running water that was loud in her ears. A warm wind fell over her along with the light which was a lot more abundant outside of her egg. She smelled strange scents that were unfamiliar to her but ones that she liked none the less.
The Swimmer opened her eyes and was almost blinded by the light. She blinked a few times until her eyes adjusted. Now she could see.
She looked around with excitement and curiosity. She saw a river and a few tall trees, she saw the sky, the sun and the nest that was filled with hatching eggs. Then the young Swimmer saw what had made the shadow over the barrier that she had just broken. She beheld a brown Swimmer with a duck beak and crest with webbed hands and feet and a strong body and tail. The Swimmer was smiling warmly at her, which made the newborn smile back her tail wagging from side to side in excitement. She did not know who or what this creature in her new world was but she liked it especially when it nuzzled her.
The hatchling laughed happily as the felt the new sensation of being tickled. She placed her little hands on the creature’s beak and felt it. The skin of the Swimmers beak felt smooth underhand.
"Hello Sura" said the Swimmer in a soft and kind voice.
Sura did not understand what her mother had just said but she loved the sound that she made, it made her feel happy and safe. She looked around the nest at her clutch mates and spotted one that looked exactly like her. Sura felt very curious now. She wondered how this creature could look so much like her. She crawled up to her newly named sister: Merri. The two looked at each other up and down, they touched each other and squeaked in happiness. The two sisters hugged each over as they started their journey into this brave new world.
*
The years had passed and now Sura was an adult, her adventurous childhood was left behind and a new chapter of her life had started. Sura walked along the banks of a wide river. On her side there was a parched, desert land and on the other was a tall green forest filled with food. Sura felt her stomach complain as she looked at the green food longingly. The only thing that separated her from the food was the river. But the river was deep, fast flowing and ended in a powerful whirlpool at a junction of three rivers that could kill even the strongest of Swimmers.
Sura may be an adult but she was a new adult, who only just left the nest to make her own way and she was still very inexperienced in life. Her reason told her not to risk taking on the river but her reason was overthrown by her growling stomach which had not received any food for the past five days. Sura's hunger was just too strong at this time to ignore, she had to satisfy it. So against her better judgement she stepped into the river.
The water was cold and very fast. Sura resisted the pull of the current and walked into deeper waters, all went well until she reached the middle of the river where the water reached up to her neck and the current was far stronger. Sura took another step forward but slipped on a rock and lost her footing. She did not even have time to scream before she was pulled under the water and swept downstream.
Sura regained her balance and tried make a break for the shore but the current held her firmly in place with an iron grip that refused to let go. Sura tried to break the surface but the current was pulling her into the deeper waters. Sura started to panic, she kicked her legs desperately, but to little avail. She looked ahead and her eyes widened in fear, she was heading for the whirlpool at full speed.
Sura now knew how foolish she had been in letting hunger rule her reason. She braced herself for the impact that was to come. The impact of the water came with such force that it knocked all the air out of Sura's lungs. Sura was in a full panic now, she had hardly any air left and her mind was becoming dangerously clouded, she knew that she would not survive unless she could make it to the surface.
Sura angled herself down with the current and mustered all the speed she could before trying to break the surface. She felt the current resisting her efforts to beat it. Her body was burning with the exertion but she pushed herself. Her hands broke the surface but by that point she had no strength left and the current started pulling her down again. Sura felt light headed. "Is this what dying feels like?" she thought as she used up the last bit of air she had.
SPLASH!
A hand grabbed hold of outstretched Sura's hand and pulled her out of the water. Sura gasped and took deep breaths of the welcoming air and filled her lungs with it. She struggled to the shore and lay there in a trembling heap. She had a fit of coughs and vomited up a lot of water that she had swallowed in the river. She groaned.
"Are you okay?" asked a concerned voice.
Sura looked up and saw a tall male Swimmer, whose hide was a mixture of light blue and green hues on his belly, while being coloured a light brown on the rest of his body. She nodded at the Swimmer. "I feel much better now," she said "did you pull me out?"
The male nodded. "I thought I was too late but you were still alive when I pulled you out. What were you thinking in trying to take on that river? You almost got yourself killed" he said in a shocked voice.
"I was starving" was all Sura could say in reply. "But.......thank you for saving me" she said in a kind, grateful voice.
The male smiled and helped her up. "What is your name" he asked inquisitively.
"Sura, what's yours?"
"Ruphus."
*
At least nine years had passed since Sura had met Ruphus and now they were mated and had their own children. Sura watched them playing in the watering hole a little away from the rest of the Swimmer families. She watched all eight of her children: Echo, Ray, Opal, Rapid, Diver, Spinner, Sandy and Ducky playing tag in the water, each one as happy as they could be. They had lived a tough life, with the land suffering a major drought. Water and food had become scarce but that never seemed to dampen the spirits of the children.
Sura watched as Opal chased Ducky to the other side of the shore, while everyone else moved to her side. That was when it happened.
The ground rumbled with a force so violent that it sent everyone to the ground. "EARTHSHAKE!!!" was shouted from everyone present. Deep cracks appeared in the ground and headed straight through the water hole draining all the water through the crack.
"Children come here! HURRY!" yelled Sura.
Six of her children made it into her, Merri and Ruphus. A loud scream of pain sounded that drew Sura's eyes back to the now dried up watering hole. She saw Ducky supporting Opal whose leg was twisted badly, preventing her from walking. Ducky moved slowly over to her mother who ran out to meet them.
"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"
Sura turned to her left and gasped as over half of the herd fell as the ground they were on collapsed, sending then falling to oblivion. If she and her family had been with them then they would have perished too. A large crack appeared in the middle of the earth between Sura and her two children.
"Ducky, Opal jump!" shouted Sura from her side of the crack.
"I can't move my leg" cried Opal in pain.
"Mama Catch Opal!" called Ducky. And with that Ducky threw Opal with all her might toward her mother, but the throw fell short and Opal started to fall but Sura grabbed her in her hand and pulled to safety. With Opal safe Sura turned her attention to Ducky.
Sura reached out for her daughter as Ducky took her run up but all of a sudden the ground that Sura was on suddenly lifted.
"RUN DUCKY, RUN!" she yelled as she was sent up. She could not see her daughter but she heard her scream and then she heard the deafening sounds of the crumbling earth. She lay on her belly and held onto the ground until finally after an unknown amount of time the ground stopped shaking.
Sura recovered herself and rushed to the edge. At first she could not see anything through the dust but as the dust cleared she saw a huge crack in the earth. She could not see the bottom of the crack, all she could see was the blackness staring up at her. Sura looked at the land on the other side of the divide.
She noted how deformed the land was. It was no longer flat and had many overhangs. But worst of all was that Ducky was nowhere to be seen.
"DUCKY!" called Sura. But she got no reply. She knew that the chances that Ducky survived were almost non-existent. She looked away from the edge and cried hard into her hands. Ruphus looked at the scene and held on to Sura tightly.
"She might have survived dear, she might just be unconscious somewhere" said Ruphus in an attempt to brighten his mate. Sura didn't really listen, she wept hard for her dear Ducky. Opal limped up to her.
"Where's Ducky?" she asked.
Sura looked hard at Opal. Ducky had saved her but at a terrible cost. "A life for a life" thought Sura. "Come here dear" she said and took Opal up in her hands. Opal cried loudly when she saw the destruction caused by the earthquake. She buried herself in her mother's arms and sobbed hysterically, completely inconsolable.
Sura nuzzled her, but she was faring no better than Opal. "Come on dears, it's time we got going" said Sura sadly.
"But what about Ducky?" cried Echo in dismay, he too was crying.
"I'm sure it's what she would have wanted dear, now let's go" Sura stood up and before she left, she looked back at the destroyed land in the hope that she would spot Ducky. But she was disappointed. "I'm so sorry Ducky" she said then left for The Great Valley.
*
Sura was eating some of the underwater green food in the river next to her new nest in The Great Valley. She felt proud that she had safely gotten her family here safely. "Almost all" her mind corrected. Sura sighed sadly, if only she knew if Ducky had survived. She had been plagued by constant nightmares since that horrible day and hence was badly sleep deprived.
"But at least I still have the rest of my family" thought Sura which was more then she could say for The Longnecks or Mr Threehorn. Suddenly laughter erupted behind her, she thought it was just her children playing around but when she turned her head she was greeted by a sight that she thought she'd never see again. There was Ducky on the back of a baby Spiketail, they slid through the water towards them.
"Ducky!" she yelled.
"Mama!" replied Ducky as Sura embraced her. She felt more alive than she had been in days. "Oh Ducky, I'm so glad your all right" she said.
"Me too yep, yep, yep" said Ducky.
Sura smiled at her then turned her eyes on the Spiketail. Ducky could see this and jumped onto the Spiketails back. "This is our new brother Spike" she announced to the family. Sura heard what Ducky said, she looked at Spike and considered her options. She knew that there were no other Spiketails in The Great Valley and as much as she could tell Spike was an orphan. But her daughter had taken him in and already liked him so what was the harm in adopting him. Even though he was a Spiketail and she was a Swimmer and raising Spike would bring its own set of challenges, she resolved to take them as they came. She bend down and nuzzled Spike, her new son.
*
“I am not going to have a daughter who is friends with a Sharptooth!” yelled Ruphus to Sura.
The night was cold by The Big Water and Sura and Ruphus were standing on a secluded beach far from the herd or their children. It was two days after Ducky and Spike returned from Chomper’s Island along with the rest of The Gang.
However after Ducky gave her parents the details of her adventure on the Island as well as the finding of Chomper’s egg the happy, relieved atmosphere was completely dissolved. Sura was shocked that Ducky and Spike had hatched and raised a Sharptooth in The Great Valley, she was also shocked by her apparent friendship with said Sharptooth but she was astonished that they had survived there time on the Island.
Ruphus however did not handle the story very well. He was horrified that Ducky was friends with a Sharptooth, he knew about Sharpteeth, he had suffered at their claws, he had lost his friend and several of his siblings to the teeth and claws of Sharpteeth. Ruphus was not going to accept his daughter’s apparent friendship with one of those murderous fiends. He furiously scolded her for it, letting out a furious rant about how foolish she had been.
However when Ducky said naively “I did not mean to do all this, I did not mean to make you mad no, no, no” she said, sounding a little hurt.
Ruphus had stomped on the ground and shouted at her “Make Me Mad?!” He yelled at his cowering daughter “I’M FURIOUS!!!!”
He stomped his foot on the ground causing the ground to shake. Ducky screamed and tried to run but her father caught her by the tail and lifted her up in front of his face. Ducky was crying now, she had never seen her father so angry before in all her life and it scared her. “You are no daughter of mine if you can be friends with one of those beasts!” he yelled.
It was at that moment that Sura stepped in, snatching Ducky out of her mate’s hands. “Ruphus!” she yelled in shame and shock. Ducky sobbed into her mother’s chest “We will talk later” she said as she turned and left in order to comfort Ducky.
Now here they were.
To say that Sura was unhappy with Ruphus was a complete understatement, she was really angry. She glared at Ruphus with her hands on her hips and he glared back. “How could you treat her like that?!” She yelled. “Your own daughter!” Sura was furious with the way Ruphus had treated Ducky though she knew that her mate had been through hard times with Sharpteeth before, he had crossed a line with Ducky and Sura was extremely protective of all her children, she was not going to stand this sort of behaviour from anyone.
“She’s no daughter of mine!” hissed Ruphus coldly.
“She’s your own flesh and blood Ruphus even if you don’t want her to be” replied Sura
Ruphus stomped his foot, he was hardly as open minded as Sura, especially when it came to Sharpteeth. “But I will not have a daughter who fraternises with a blood thirsty murderer!” shouted Ruphus.
“He was just a child Ruphus,” said Sura. “Just like Ducky.” Ruphus looked away from Sura, his blood boiling and his fists clenched “Would you kill Ducky if she were a Sharptooth?” asked Sura in fear.
“I would kill any and all Sharpteeth that cross my path if I had the power” he said firmly. While Sura put her hands on her mouth in horror.
“Please say you don’t mean that, you would never hurt your children, our children” said Sura, her hands trembled.
“Shut UP! Yelled Ruphus, suddenly pushing Sura back. Sura was so astonished she fell to the ground looking horrified, Ruphus had never struck her before.
“I DON’T GIVE A DANM ABOUT THE CHILDREN NOW, BUT IF THEY ARE HELPING SHARPTEETH THEY ARE NOT MY CHILDREN AND I WILL TREAT THEM LIKE I TREAT ANY SHARPTOOTH!!!!!!!” yelled Ruphus at the top of his lungs.
Sura got back on her feet looking horrified, she had tears in her eyes when she next spoke “Then why haven’t killed Ducky and Spike yet? If what you say is true” asked Sura.
Ruphus shrugged “then perhaps I’d better get the job done.” He said firmly and started walking off with a purpose.
“NOOOOOO!!!!” screamed Sura and rammed herself into Ruphus’s back.
Ruphus fell to the ground but he managed to trip Sura with his tail but Sura jumped on Ruphus in an attempt to hold him down. “I WILL NOT LET YOU HARM THE CHILDREN, YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!!!!!!!” screamed Sura. The two wrestled around and rolled into the water and proceeded to pummel each other senseless until finally after one ferocious fight they both stood staring enraged at each other.
“I will not be a part of this Sharptooth loving family” said Ruphus, panting with exhaustion, he and Sura were both bleeding from cuts and abrasions along their badly bruised bodies.
“Then go on then……leave this family……..never come back……..I hope I never see you again” said Sura who was now crying.
“Fine” said Ruphus tonelessly and turned his back on Sura and walked away until he was out of sight while Sura fell to the ground and began to weep uncontrollably over the loss of her dearest love.
*
“AHHHHH!!!!! Put Me Down!!!!”
Sura opened her eyes drearily, her mind was still asleep yet she quiet distinctly heard something.
“I Am Not a Flyer!!!” screamed the same voice. It sounded familiar, Sura jumped to attention with a horrible realisation, she knew who that voice belonged too. Sura looked down at her children and…
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! HELP!!!!”
“DUCKY!!!” screamed Sura in horror when she heard her daughter scream and she was not in the nest either. Everyone around jumped awake in shock including all her children who also recognised the voice of their sister.
“What’s Going On!!!?” Cried a nearby Hollowhorn.
“Sharpteeth!!!” screamed a nearby Threehorn female who was dashing past.
Sura leapt up and yelled to Merri. “Look after the kids, don’t let them leave the nest, I've got to save Ducky!” she cried and ran off into The Valley.
“HELP, HELP, HHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLP!!!!!!!!!!!!” came Ducky’s scream.
“DUCKY WHERE ARE YOU!!!” yelled Sura running around frantically, searching for her daughter. She dare not even think what would happen if she was too late. She ran to the main river and saw a splash as Littlefoot surfaced with Petrie on her head. Sura ran to them, perhaps they knew where Ducky was.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! HELP, HELP, HHHHEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLP!!!!!!!” screamed Ducky.
Littlefoot and Petrie gasped and looked up in horror. Sura followed their gaze and saw three Flyers in the distance that appeared to be heading into The Mysterious Beyond “Where is Ducky! She cried rounding on the two kids.
Petrie let out a loud wail “Ducky gone!” he lamented.
“Gone!” said Sura, her eyes and mouth opening wide in horror.
“Those Flyers took her” said Littlefoot pointing his snout up to the three Flyers.
“Why me Uncle Pterano take her?” she cried Petrie who was in tears and completely shattered from this betrayal.
“Pterano?” said Sura in horrible realisation. “He’s kidnapped Ducky?” asked Sura slowly, the fear and panic rising into an overwhelming torrent.
“Yes” said Littlefoot.
Sura swayed on the spot then fell to the ground with a large thud, as she completely blacked out with the horrifying scenario fate had presented her.
*
Sura was enjoying her lunch with Merri while the kids played in the stream next to the nest however they were still missing their father who had been absent for more than two years. Sura brushed away those thoughts, she had loved Ruphus and he had loved her and they had many fond memories of each other. But that was all gone. Taken in one fateful night, one argument. Sura shook her head and suddenly walked away from the stream.
“Sura?” said Merri uncertainly.
“I’m okay, I just need some time alone” replied Sura with a hint of melancholy in her voice.
Sura walked until she was in a secluded spot by the stream and looked down into the water, a few chocked sobs escaped her. Ruphus’s absence had taken its toll on her. With her mate gone there was a lot more work to be done in terms of looking after the kids and of course there were some nights that Sura remained completely awake, unable to fall asleep and other times when she would just begin to cry for no apparent reason.
No one knew of course. Sura was the same as ever on the outside but inside her heart was torn with grief at being separated for so long. With no outlet, her emotions were eating her from the inside. Sura crouched down and stared at her depressed face in the water, a face that would make every resident in The Valley want to help but none had to experience a breakup like she had so who could she talk too?
Suddenly there was there was a sudden rustling in the bushes nearby. Sura tried to wipe away her tears and regain her composure as she rose up but what she saw made her heart stop. Sura gasped in astonishment.
Standing on the over side of the stream wearing the same astonished expression as her was none other than Ruphus.
The two Swimmers stood utterly frozen to the spot as the stared at each other. The whole world felt like it had stopped for then then all of a sudden, almost simultaneously the two Swimmers gave out yells of joy and ran toward each other. They met in the middle of the stream and embraced in a loving hug. Ruphus twirled in a circle, laughing loudly as did Sura before they both stopped and Sura pulled her mate into a long kiss.
She felt like she was invincible at that moment, her heart no longer ached because now she was back where she belonged. She had tears fall from her eyes. However as she looked into Ruphus’s eyes she felt an old pain and anger assert itself over her.
Without warning Sura pushed Ruphus down into the water and with a pained yell she proceeded to beat every inch of him that was in her reach. Her tears streaming down her eyes but Ruphus did not fight back or even beg for her to stop.
“YOU…….UNIMAGINABLE…….BASTARD RUPHUS!!!!!” she yelled as she punched him in the face.
Ruphus fell to his knees and Sura actually saw that he was crying. “Oh Sura” he sobbed.
“You show up here after two cold times…….and……..and…….You have not been here for me, for my children!” cried Sura.
Ruphus looked up at Sura and said just two words “Our children.”
“Do you know how much pain you have caused for us, everything you missed, Ducky was kidnapped and where were you?!” said Sura in anguish.
“Ducky was kidnapped?! Said Ruphus in horror getting back on his feet.
“She is fine now, playing at home and why do you care if she is a Sharptooth friend?!” replied Sura.
Ruphus closed his eyes tightly and held her hand and sobbed “I’m so sorry, I have never done anything so stupid before.”
Sura gasped “Do you think that simply saying sorry will help Ruphus?” said Sura.
“No” said Ruphus shaking his head. “I never wanted this. To be away from you or the kids and Ducky. I take it all back, she is my daughter and I love her.”
Sura’s expression softened. “Why did you come back?” she asked quietly.
Ruphus looked at her “You know why dear, I just want a second chance a chance to redeem myself” he said.
Sura stood rooted to the spot, her mind in conflict over whether she should take Ruphus back in or not. “I missed you” said Ruphus.
Sura’s mind clicked, her decision was made. She grabbed her mate and pulled him into a loving but strangling embrace, her tears flowing the whole time. “I missed you too” she said as she finally had her love back now the family was well and truly back together.
The two disengaged and smiled at each other. “Come dear, I think the kids would like to see you again” she said.
Ruphus chuckled and smiled “Anything for you dear” he replied.
Ruphus and Sura then made three direct but short kisses before turning both their heads down then bringing them up again simultaneously so that they were both facing skyward before bringing there beaks back down. After that they both circled each other nuzzling the side of the others beak until they came to a stop and held onto each other’s hands and arching their necks they touched the tips of their beaks together. Finally they broke off and hence ending the traditional Swimmer courtship dance, it had a very symbolic meaning for them, a symbol of union, a symbol of love.
The two left the clearing with their hands held together and smiles on their faces.
*
Sura lay on her belly in the snow. It was the first time she had ever seen such strange stuff but it had brought her children joy today so she found it easier to put up it with despite what the Spiketails had told her about it. Everyone appeared happy except for Ducky. She sat some distance away from her mother and had not eaten any of her dinner and had refused any counselling by her father or siblings. Sura knew perfectly well why Ducky was acting like this. She had shattered her daughter's day when she gave Spike permission to sleep over with Tippy. In one second Sura watched Ducky turn from her happy, cheerful self to an angry, depressed side that she had never seen nor wanted to see again.
Sura knew that her daughter just wanted to be with Spike, but she had appeared to have forgotten that Spike had never had any associations with any of his own kind before and that this experience was very special to him.
The night came and Sura called her children over to her but Ducky did not move from her position. She had her back to her mother with her arms folded and a furious glare on her face.
"Come Ducky, sleeping time" called Sura. Ducky ignored her.
Sura groaned and spoke directly to her daughter. "Look dear, I understand that you are upset but that's no reason to give me the cold shoulder" she said.
Ducky's beak twitched but she made no move.
"Ducky why don't you tell me what's bothering you?" asked Sura although she already knew but it was not good for Ducky to hold all her emotions in.
Ducky turned around and asked in a very hurt voice "how could you?"
"I did what I thought was right at the time dear" said Sura, trying to be reasonable.
"That decision was not right nope, nope, nope." said Ducky "Spike should have come home with us yep, yep, yep.”
"Ducky did you not see that Spike wanted to go with Tippy? He is the first kid of his kind that he has ever met" replied Sura.
"Humpth" said Ducky, turning her back.
Sura frowned, insolence was not in Ducky's personality and yet here she was displaying it. "Ducky come here dear, you still need your sleep" said Sura trying to keep her voice calm and composed.
"I will sleep here I will, I will" replied Ducky.
"Ducky" said her mother in a more serious voice. "This weather is more dangerous than it looks, the Spiketails have told me that younglings can freeze to death in the cold, I am not going to take that chance with you."
"Ohhh, the Spiketails told you" said Ducky in a mocking voice.
Sura glared at her rebellious daughter "Ducky, come here!" she said firmly.
"No!" said Ducky in a rebellious voice. "Spike is my brother, but you do not appear to want him as your son, if you can send him away like that!" Ducky turned and stomped off.
Sura had enough of this. She quickly grabbed Ducky's tail in her beak and hoisted her into the air, she could feel Ducky struggling and could hear her angry protests but she did not let that stop her. She placed Ducky next to her and swung her tail around her children.
"Listen Ducky, you can be mad at me some other time but now I'm not going to risk your life for foolish reasons is that understood!? Spike is indeed my son, but that does not mean that he can't visit his friends, do I make myself clear!?" she said firmly.
Ducky glared at her mother and walked into the middle of the area sealed by her mother's body and settled down, keeping her head turned away from her mother.
Sura sighed. "I am sorry little one" she said.
Sura laid her head on the ground and thought of Spike. He was like a son to her but now she wasn't sure. He was still a Spiketail and she a Swimmer and that made it difficult at this moment to decide what was in Spike's best interests. But Ducky's outburst made her feel very uneasy, she had been acting very oddly lately, doing things that did not suit her and overreacting at the smallest things. Sura hoped that all would be well soon as she drifted into an uneasy sleep.
*
Sura laid beside her mate in the early hours of the evening. Her nest was prepared and she was ready. Merri was supervising the children at the watering hole where they were still happily playing. She and Ducky had only just returned from The Hidden Clearing after Ducky's disastrous attempt to master The Swimmers Wisdoms.
"It's so good to see you again dear" said Ruphus.
"Same you darling" replied Sura.
"How did the rest of the training go? Did Ducky go well with the wisdoms? I can't deny that I didn't expect to see you to back this early" he said.
Sura sighed and launched into a story about how Ducky had broken down from the training that she had given her in preparation for The Trial of Destiny.
Ruphus sighed when she was done and placed a his hand on her hand. "At least you tried" he said.
"And I will try again" said Sura.
"Sura" said Ruphus in a warning voice. "Don't push Ducky to hard, remember she is just a child and does not have the abilities of an adult or their self-control, what were to happen if Ducky was to fail the Wisdoms dear? She would be devastated and how would she have the strength to take The Trial then?" he asked.
Sura looked down "I just want her to be safe, is it a crime trying to keep your children safe from vile traditions?" asked Sura.
Ruphus shook his head "No dear, I'm just saying that I don't want Ducky to do something stupid because she thinks that she can't handle the Wisdoms." he said calmly.
But Sura did not respond to Ruphus, she just groaned at the pain in her belly. "It's time" she said. Sura got up and walked over to the nest and proceeded to lay her eggs, with each push another egg was laid until there were eight eggs in the nest. Sura laid down beside Ruphus, totally devoid of strength. "She'll survive dear, there is always hope......I know...she will......live" Sura yawned, she was now exhausted after laying her eggs and fell asleep as soon as her head touched the ground. But she would soon wake again to tell Ruphus her plan for getting rid of Sculra.
*
Everything went black, all these thought's and memories passed through Sura's mind in an instant then all of a sudden the blackness took shape.
Sura swam through the water. Toward a whirlpool, her way back to Ducky. Her legs were burning and she was exhausted and her injuries bled but she still swam, the current pushed against her in an attempt to stop her. A black Swimming Sharptooth was chasing after Sura in an attempt to catch her. Sura wanted nothing more than to stop and give in but she knew that Ducky needed her, so she forced herself onwards until she was at the edge of the whirlpool. She was tired now, so very tired. "Why do I need to push myself?" questioned a voice inside Sura "If I stop then the pain will go away."
Sura was about to give in to the voices demands when another voice, a strong voice spoke in her mind "Keep going! Ducky needs me, I won't leave her or any of my children. I will survive!" Sura felt a new strength assert itself over her and she pushed her limits despite everything being against her, the voice gave her something to fight for and it gave her strength to overcome her obstacles.
"Hold on Ducky, I'm coming!" she thought to herself and with a final kick, she entered the whirlpool and everything went black.
*
Sura could not see anything, though she could hear the trickling of water nearby and another voice.
"Mama, please come back." Sura felt something nuzzle the right side of her face.
"That's Ducky's voice" thought Sura. Suddenly she felt the pain which was the dominant feeling all over her body, she groaned.
"Mama?!" said the voice in joy.
Sura opened her eyes and saw Ducky grinning at her.
"Oh mama, you are alive you are, you are!" cried Ducky, she jumped in joy and cuddled her mother.
Sura smiled weakly "Yes dear, I'm back" she said in a loving voice to her daughter. "I'm back and I’ll never leave you again."
Now that was a big chapter. If your wondering about the name it of the chapter: Life Flash. It refers to how people's life flashes before their eyes in a dire situation. So now we have a bit more detail on Sura's life, I was tempted to add a little more but I think that this is an adequate amount. But still at least Sura is back and alive and on her way to recovery. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, feel free to comment and review as it's always helpful and stay tuned for the next few instalments.
