The Great Plague

Ducky123 · **Reply #240 on:** September 07, 2013, 04:16:31 AM

Ducky yawned noisily her mouth wide opened. "Let us go to our nest, Spikie!" she chirped looking quite drowsy.
"See you tomorrow!" the little Swimmer said waving goodbye to everyone.

StrutEggStealer · **Reply #241 on:** September 07, 2013, 06:09:54 PM

Ruby suddenly realized how tired she was. Obviously, saving a friend from drowning and then that surprising epiphany of having the grownups agree with them took a lot out of her. She sighed and looked down at Chomper.
"We should get back to the cave, Chomper, to sleep."

The Anonymous Person · **Reply #242 on:** September 07, 2013, 07:29:53 PM

(Umm...me back?)

Petrie, feeling as sleepy as everyone else, yawned. "Me better go too. 'Night everybody."

And with that, he turned, began flapping his wings, and flew off to sleep with his family.

Kor · **Reply #243 on:** September 07, 2013, 07:41:40 PM

Cera gritted her teeth together to avoid yawning. "Yea, I'll see all of you in the morning." She said when she felt the urge to yawn had passed. She turned to where she was looking in the direction of where her family's nest was and started to head off.

Sleeping-force's-inside · **Reply #244 on:** September 07, 2013, 07:45:42 PM

"Okay..." Chomper yawned himself, following Ruby drowsily. "Night guys..."

Dosu2Dinner · **Reply #245 on:** September 09, 2013, 02:48:31 PM

Spike distinctly heard Ducky calling him - oh yeah, it was time to sleep. Quickly finishing his mouthful of the unidentified vegetation, he sauntered after her.

LoyfeCycleProtector · **Reply #246 on:** September 12, 2013, 03:36:37 PM

Littlefoot was young. He looked young-- other longnecks described his appearance with terms like 'boyish' and a 'springly'. It was always a stark contrast from the comments he heard from how people say he sounded: 'mature', 'aged', 'wordly', 'adult'. He didn't take those to be compliments.
Littlefoot couldn't really say how old he himself felt. Sometimes he did feel very, very young. At times-- especially play time, when there wasn't a care in the world-- he felt almost Chomper's age, and he did feel that innocence and idealism that to him were what being alive was all about.
Then there were other times that he felt older. Whenever the gang looked at him to see how he reacted to bad news, or to danger, or wanted some idea of what to do, he would feel a drive of responsibility to think and act like an adult would.
Most times, Littlefoot didn't see himself any older than his age would suggest. But tonight, Littlefoot didn't just feel old: he felt ancient.
As he dragged his tired body back to the den, and saw his tired grandparents lumbering along with so much discomfort it hurt watch, all he could think about were his responsibilities. He had to lead the gang to the land of mists. He had to get enough nightflowers for everyone in the valley. He had to do it quickly. He had to make sure everyone got back safely.
As soon as he made into his nest, he watched as his grandma and grandpa achingly lay down in their preferred sleeping spots, and turned their long necks to him.
He felt a strange, sad sense of longing as he saw them look at him.
"Can you say something to me," Littlefoot said reluctantly, "That could make me ease up a little?..."

Ducky123 · **Reply #247 on:** September 12, 2013, 04:08:52 PM

This day was one of the hardest Grandpa Longneck ever experienced. Every bone, every muscle, every single spot of his aged body hurted and tweaked. He was so glad that the meeting was finally over and that he could still make it to his nest since he felt so weak this day that he didn't even expected to make it. However, he did. He was just nuzzling his mate one last time before finally drifting off to the world of dreams where everything would be fine: No pain, no problems, and wonderful things to discover. However, his grandson kept him awake. Grandpa was actually too tired and exhausted to reply to Littlefoot's request yet he did. It costed him a lot of will to hieve his head towards Littlefoot to be able to speak to him directly. His voice only being a silent whisper, he spoke to his grandson: "Good evening, Littlefoot! What kind of things do you want to know?" A good-night story, or advice?"

StrutEggStealer · **Reply #248 on:** September 12, 2013, 07:19:42 PM

Ruby had a hard time sleeping that night as well - she had a feeling she wasn't alone.
She tossed and turned on the hard stony floor of her and Chomper's cave, staring into the darkness, as if searching for an answer. Was there even an answer?
She felt scared, but strangely relieved. She'd never been to the Land of Mists, and doubted she could be of any help direction-wise, unlike in the Beyond where she knew the chasms like the back of her claw.

Kor · **Reply #249 on:** September 12, 2013, 10:42:55 PM

Cera walked back to her nest. She walked back slower then normal. Once back at her family's nest she lay down and closed her eyes trying to relax and go to sleep. The thought of going out and leaving the Great Valley was a bit scary. They had done it often in the past and she was glad she was going with her friends and they did need to go. Though she was a bit scary she would never admit it to anyone. They had made it before and she told her self they would again as they had before.

LoyfeCycleProtector · **Reply #250 on:** September 13, 2013, 06:24:20 PM

Littlefoot paused to sit himself down on his bed of dry grass. His joints murmered thankfully, and he wondered if it was because he nearly drowned, or just because he was exhausted. Looking up, he licked his lips and tried to think of any advice his grandparents could give him.
"I've run off a lot to go on adventures, haven't I?" he asked, looking between the two longnecks. "Usually without your permission. I know I must always worry you by sneaking off to the mysterious beyond... How do you deal with it? How do you deal with the fact that someone you care about might be put in danger, and there's nothing you could do about it?"

Ducky123 · **Reply #251 on:** September 15, 2013, 11:13:17 AM

Grandpa sighed and spoke up: “Littlefoot… it’s the things we care about we seem to have the least control over. I think it’s important to remember that when you see someone you love take a necessary risk, that worry you feel is partly because you’re already blaming yourself for anything bad that happens. It’s not because you would be the most responsible if the worst did happen: it’s because you can’t forgive yourself for anything that happens. When we see you go, Littlefoot… we try to forgive ourselves for anything that may happen to you. I know that sounds awful, but it’s only because we’re so imperfect. We try the best that we can, and we love you so much. That’s why we try to tell ourselves, whenever we’re waiting in the long hours of the night to see you returning through the Great Valley entrance, that if the worst should happen, if there HAD been a way for us to prevent it we surely would have done it. After all... we'd go through the worst tortures, the deepest fears, and the loss of our own lives if it could keep you safe. Focus on what you can do... and remind yourself that you're own love is bigger than your physicial limits, so that when the worst things do happen you can still have that love to help you through it, instead of bitter self-hatred.”

(This text has been written by LoyfeCycleProtector because I couldn't think of a good answer on Littlefoot's questio but he did. Thanks!)

LoyfeCycleProtector · **Reply #252 on:** September 19, 2013, 12:25:29 PM

Swallowing, Littlefoot looked to his grandmother to see how she would react.

Ducky123 · **Reply #253 on:** September 28, 2013, 11:37:04 AM

(filling in)

"My dear Littlefoot..." Grandma sighed as she spoke up. "It is true, you have run away very often yet you have always returned safe and sound. On a few occasions, you even saved the lifes of others." Grandma smiled at her mate before continuing. "We have always been worried sick when you were off in the Mysterious Beyond on your own or just in accompany of your friends but we have learned to have trust in you, Littlefoot. Do me, do us a favour and trust yourself now. If you do, you will fullfill your task and rescue us once more. Whatever will happen, we will always love you, my big little one."
With that, Grandma nuzzled her grand-son.

Kor · **Reply #254 on:** September 28, 2013, 02:52:08 PM

Mamma Flyer & Mamma swimmer both went back to their nests to get ready for the night as well to make sure their kids all were there or soon arrived and went to sleep and would have a good nights sleep.

Ducky123 · **Reply #255 on:** September 28, 2013, 03:16:04 PM

Ducky had laid down at her usual resting spot and so did her brother Spike. While he had fallen asleep in an instant, Ducky's brain was flooded by thoughts and worries.
Eventually, she gently shook Spike to wake him up.
"Oh Spiky... I cannot sleep, nope, nope, nope! I cannot calm down because I am thinking about tomorrow, and I am worried, I am, I am. But I am so tired..." The little Swimmer hoped that his brother would know how to settle down for the night since he was a good sleeper.

Dosu2Dinner · **Reply #256 on:** September 28, 2013, 03:22:02 PM

Spike listened to her worries with a patient mind-frame before smiling, tenderly licking and gently nuzzling her.
He made a few grunting noises, which Ducky understood to mean:
'Tomorrow will still come. But settling down with me will make it easier to face when it does. We are all a great team and have never failed - let us get some sleep and the morning will come with ease.'
Smiling slightly as Ducky saw the look of consolement and brotherly affection in Spike's eyes, she carefully nustled up under his chin, with the warmth and comfort of any embrace.
Spike made another grunting noise.
"Goodnight Spike," Ducky whispered. "Love you too."

LoyfeCycleProtector · **Reply #257 on:** September 29, 2013, 03:37:17 PM

Littlefoot lowered his head thoughtfully, his eyes hidden by a blindfold of shadows. There were cricket chirping in the night, as they always did on cool nights like this. He imagined, if he were to walk back to the riverside where he had nearly drowned, the buzz of the crickets would be joined by the thrum of the hoppers. He had a sudden, vivid recollection of a small mud puddle far to the east, where the air was dry as a bone and the land as harsh and jagged as teeth. The puddle where he had met the worst monster to ever make it's way into his life... And also the puddle where he played with his first friend. Terrible things happened that day, and terrible things might happen tommorow too. But he believed his grandparents were right: if even the memory of the worst day of your life can be sweetened by a few fond moments with a friend, what did he have to worry going out with six friends who would be by his side every step of the way?
He would do it: he would trust his friends on every step of the journey ahead... And forgive himself if the worst did happen.
He smiled, and raised his eyes above the bar of shadows to look at his grandparents with moist eyes.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. "Thank you both..."
He couldn't remember if he had said anything else that night when he awoke the next morning. The sweet memory of what his grandparents had said and the dark memory of what he experienced in his sleep overpowered whatever else had gone on. What he did know was that very shortly after looking up at his grandma and grandpa to thank him, he slept harder than he had in recent memory, ending what had been a long, eventful, bizarre day.

StrutEggStealer · **Reply #258 on:** October 03, 2013, 09:43:39 AM

Ruby awoke to find herself covered in morning dew. So that's why she was shivering half the night. No matter, she had earned most of a good night's sleep and felt rested up for today. It was really a wonder she had slept at all; the anxiety and excitement weighed heavily on her mind. Nevertheless, she stood up and shook herself, forcing the droplets to evacuate her hide and feathers.
She lookd back down at Chomper and grinned. She bent and made to lightly touch his shoulder. "Chomper?" She whispered. "It is time to go, because it is now."

Kor · **Reply #259 on:** October 03, 2013, 11:38:08 AM

Cera awoke stretching and yawning as she did so. Once that was over she did some extra stretching to make sure she was fully awake. Then she started to go to a nearby bush to eat a few leaves since she was starting to feel a bit hungry and thought a few quick bites then she's start for where she and her friends had agree to meet.

"Goodmorning Daddy & Tria and Tricia. I'll be back as soon as I can." She said, speaking quieter then usual to not awake anyone still sleeping. Then she started going in the direction of where they had agreed to meet, pausing now and then to eat a few leaves from this or that bush along the way. No sense in arriving hungry, she thought.