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« on: October 29, 2009, 12:15:31 AM »
I had an idea for an LBT war story for some time and I was going through some ideas. Finally decided to start writing it. It's been a long time since I last wrote an LBT story.
I don't know how often I'll be working on this, especially since I plan on entering NaNo next month (write a 50,000 word story in one month).
* * *
Ducky screamed as she dodged sharp ends of the horns as the threehorn thrust his head into the ground, attempting to spear her. There was a sickening crack as one of the horns broke under the pressure, and blood spewed from the opening in the horn. The threehorn stopped momentarily, bellowing in pain, before he resumed his chase after Ducky.
Ducky looked ahead and saw a big pile of rocks against a cliff. She looked behind her and noticed the threehorn was quickly closing in. She ran as fast as her small legs could carry her and climbed up onto the rocks. Once she was on top, she pressed herself as far back against the wall as she could. She looked down as the threehorn attempted to climb up after her. She couldn't help but be confused. What was wrong with this threehorn? She had never seen this kind of aggression from a threehorn, save for Cera's father, and even he didn't go this far.
“Why are you doing this?” Ducky worked up the courage to talk to the threehorn. “You are not a sharptooth, no, no, no.”
But instead of responding, the threehorn simply bellowed at her and continued to attempt to climb up. Ducky gasped and started to move along side the cliff sideways, being careful not to let her feet slip on the very narrow edge she was now standing on. Making painstakingly slow progress, she managed to put some distance between her and the marauding dinosaur.
The threehorn was relentless. In his constant efforts to climb up the slippery pile, he managed to get close enough to snap his beak at Ducky. The action was so sudden it took Ducky by surprise and she stumbled on her next step. Her foot missed its target and she found herself rolling across the side of the cliff.
“Oof!” Ducky hit the ground and shook her head. She looked over and saw the threehorn was closing in on her. Screaming, she quickly got up and tried to run, but the threehorn placed his foot on her tail and stopped her in her tracks.
The threehorn spoke his first words since he began the chase. “You're not going anywhere.”
“Help!” Ducky called out.
“Who are you yelling for? There is no one out here, swimmer. You should have stayed in your pitiful valley.” The threehorn said.
Ducky started to shake in fear. She had been with her friends not so long ago. She had become separated and ultimately ran into this fellow. She thought he would help her find her friends, but instead he chased her into the Mysterious Beyond. Outside the walls, she doubt no one had heard her scream.
“You're not like any threehorn I've seen...” Ducky murmured. “...who are you?”
The threehorn narrowed his eyes. “That does not concern you. Now why don't you hold still so I can...”
“Leave her alone!” A voice suddenly rang out.
A second later, something large and tan slammed into the threehorn, knocking him completely off Ducky. The little swimmer watched in astonishment as the threehorn landed on his back with a heavy thud. But she didn't have any time to take in what just happened as she felt herself suddenly lifted into the air by a large hand and the ground beneath started to move really fast as her savior started to run away from the threehorn.
Ducky looked up to see who had rescued her. Her eyes widened. “Ms. Maia? What are you doing?”
Ms. Maia looked down with a stern look. “Saving you, of course! What did you think I was going to do? Leave you there?”
Ducky didn't answer her question. She looked behind her to see the threehorn was catching up. Ducky let out another scream and clung to Ms. Maia's arm.
Ms. Maia smirked. “Don't worry, child. That threehorn isn't fast enough to catch up to me.”
Ducky's eyes widened again. “I think you spoke too soon...” She pointed forward.
Up ahead was a large wall. Ms. Maia suddenly came to a halt, and looked up. She then turned around and saw the threehorn charging forward, his horns lowered. After setting Ducky back on the ground, Ms. Maia took position in front of the swimmer and stomped the ground with one foot and let out a roar.
The threehorn didn't stop and made contact with the crestless swimmer. Ms. Maia quickly grabbed onto the long brow horn with one hand and the side of the frill with the other. She began to push the threehorn back, using all the strength that she had in her.
Ducky looked on in horror as she watched Ms. Maia take on the voracious threehorn. Of all the dinosaurs in the Great Valley, Ms. Maia was the last dinosaur she thought would come and save her. And it seemed she was losing. The threehorn looked much stronger and he was certainly proving it, having pushed Ms. Maia a couple inches backwards while she barely managed to make him move at all.
Worried, Ducky started to walk up towards the two fighting dinosaurs. Not the wisest thing to do, but she couldn't help herself. “Ms. Maia...? Do you need help?”
“Get out of here, child!” Ms. Maia snapped at her, startling her. “Run!”
“But..what about you..?” Ducky asked, reaching a hand out towards the crestless swimmer. She silently wished she could do something to help.
Ms. Maia suddenly struck Ducky with her thick tail, knocking her a couple feet back. “I said get out of here! I can handle myself, but you are just a child! Get out of here while you still can!”
Ducky picked herself off the ground and glanced back at Ms. Maia. Although she wished she could do something, she trusted Ms. Maia's words that she can take care of herself. Ducky turned around and headed towards a small opening that she could fit through. She paused in front of the tunnel and looked back at Ms. Maia one last time. “Don't worry. I will go get help. Yep, yep, yep.” With that, she disappeared into the tunnel.
Once she was certain that Ducky was indeed gone, Ms. Maia released the threehorn and immediately sidestepped, allowing the dinosaur to fall forward and into the hard ground. Before the threehorn had time to get up, Ms. Maia swatted him with her tail, nearly breaking one of his front legs. A large bruise slowly began to form where she had struck.
The threehorn groaned in pain and looked up at the crestless swimmer. “Why do you risk your life for the little swimmer? Do you care about her?”
Ms. Maia narrowed her eyes. “No...but I'd rather die than allow an innocent child to be killed by a monster like you.” Ms. Maia couldn't help it. Even though she didn't like Ducky, her maternal instincts were strong, and it compelled her to save Ducky's life. She couldn't just let the little swimmer die.
“That can be arranged...” A voice spoke from behind.
Suddenly, Ms. Maia felt an arm slink around her neck and she felt her head behind pulled to one side. Before she had time to react, she felt a single, sharp claw press against her neck. The mysterious dinosaur made a quick motion with his arm, driving the claw clean across Ms. Maia's throat. Then, he released her.
Blood spurting from the deep gash in her neck, Ms. Maia slumped to the ground. As she lay there bleeding swiftly, she felt sky water hitting her body and noticed it had gotten noticeably darker. Weakly, she looked up towards her killer. Despite the darkness, she seemed to recognize who, or what, her killer was. Her eyes widened. “H-How...” But she never finished her sentence. She quickly bled to death and her body went limp.
The threehorn slowly climbed onto his feet and limped towards the mysterious dinosaur. “I have done what your leader asked of me. Where is my end of the deal?”
The mysterious dinosaur chuckled. “Excuse me? You did none of the killing. As you remember, my leader wanted you to kill a Great Valley dinosaur and deliver it to him. You did not do the killing. I did.”
“I at least tried! That counts for something, doesn't it?” The threehorn said. “Why, if it weren't for me weakening that pathetic crestless swimmer, you wouldn't have a body to take back!”
The mysterious dinosaur reached towards the ground beside himself and held out a couple small, orange-colored treesweets. They were extremely rare in this part of the world. “I don't think you really deserve this. You couldn't even dispose of a little child...” He tossed the treesweets towards the threehorn. “But I suppose your little effort counts for something.”
The threehorn immediately gobbled up the treesweets and licked his beak. “You're darn right it does!” He said in an arrogant fashion.
“If you're quite done gloating, carry this dinosaur back to my leader.” The mysterious dinosaur said. “You are big enough.”
“Oh all right.” The threehorn said as he pushed the lifeless leafeater onto his back.
As the two dinosaurs started to make the trek back from where ever they came from, they didn't notice a flyer standing in the shadows, looking at the scene in horror. After a few moments, the figure slowly moved out of the shadows, their eyes never moving from the retreating dinosaurs. The little light that remained barely made the figure out to be Rinkus. Standing next to him was another flyer, Sierra, who eyed the scene with a calm expression.
“What just happened?” Rinkus asked, holding his tail nervously.
“Who cares?” Sierra said as he spread his wings. “Let's just leave. I hate being near the Great Valley. Too many memories of those little brats.”
Rinkus was hesitant. “Shouldn't we..tell someone about this?”
“Why? What have they ever done for us?” Without saying another word, Sierra took off into the air.
Rinkus glanced at the Great Valley for a couple seconds before reluctantly turning away and taking off after Sierra.
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