A new world...Same old faces

Cancerian Tiger · **Reply #440 on:** October 21, 2009, 06:57:32 PM

Spike was the first to leave the water, then Renn, and then Ducky. Aurelia was still busy scrubbing blood off of herself. When Renn looked at Ducky, he noticed she was glancing at both Longtail and Sweetie.

"Everything okay, dear?" Renn asked as he stepped over next to Ducky.

"I am worried about those two, yep yep yep. I am worried about all of us, actually. What will happen if more fights break out within the herd?" Ducky asked in a concerned manner. Renn wrapped his right arm around Ducky, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"We will all be okay, sweetheart. We're going to find this place Littlefoot has mentioned, and we'll be able to pick up our lives again. You've got my word on that," Renn said before he gently nuzzled Ducky. Ducky smiled as she nuzzled him in return.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #441 on:** October 22, 2009, 12:03:31 AM

Diamond couldn't help but laugh as Petrie and Twiz gently pushed Kit into the water.
"And even now, we can still have fun."

Pearl and Cyrix were now slowly lowering Longtail into the water after he'd calmed down from his sleepstory. However both Cyrix and Pearl were unprepared for the reaction Longtail gave as his body touched the water. He began to shake as if he were afraid...but something was wrong.

"This can't be normal." commented Cyrix as he watched his nephew squirm in the water.

Pearl sighed as she could only watch hoping that whatever her mate was going through wasn't going to kill him. "Longtail! Please wake up!" she cried.

Longtail's eyes for just a moment opened in shock, but then closed them tighter as he continued to thrash around in the water and dream.

The firewater is everywhere. And to think I saved Dante and let him take the safe path down to the valley floor. 'What a fool he is. To think he can help me...when I don't want his help!' Longtail continued to stare at the firewater as he flowed around him and he could feel the heat, and it was burning far worse than he thought ever possible. 'And perhaps I was a fool to think staying here to die was for the best...'

Terri looked out over the horizon and sighed.
"I miss the sky." she said to Chomper as she continued to scan around the herd.

Dein despite his feelings on the situation stayed silent out of respect for those that had died.

LBTFan13 · **Reply #442 on:** October 22, 2009, 02:18:45 AM

Littlefoot looked down and noticed Longtail's abrupt movements. "Oh no. What's happening to him?" He lowered his head down to try and get his attention. "Longtail! Wake up! You have to wake up!" When Longtail didn't respond, Littlefoot looked frantically toward Zaine. "Zaine Longtail's in trouble!"

No sooner did Littlefoot say those words, Zaine had actually stepped into the water and was heading towards Longtail. He could feel the warm liquid splash against his body as well as the soft muddy ground beneath his feet. I was afraid something like this was going to happen. I hope we can stop it. He lowered his head and gently nudged Longtail. "Longtail. Please wake up. You're having another bad sleep story, and we're all worried about you. I'm worried about you. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. Please wake up Longtail."

tempestwheel · **Reply #443 on:** October 22, 2009, 07:49:34 AM

Chomper, Rita, Myra, Rory, and Greg all hoped Longtail would wake up.

Just then, Ichy saw a figure in the distance. "There's a fast biter coming our way!" he called to the group.

But the fast biter was not interested in a fight. He ran past the entire group and into the water, where he took a big drink.

Then, the fast biter became recognizable. "Thud?!" Chomper asked surprised.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #444 on:** October 22, 2009, 04:40:49 PM

Cyrix wasn't sure what to do at this point, and almost jumped when he heard Ichy called out about a fastbiter, but after realizing he was Thud, he sighed with relief.
"Thud isn't dumb enough to bother us...but perhaps we can get his help?" he asked aloud to the others present.

Pearl stepped closer to Longtail despite his movements and gently licked him across the left side of his beak to try and get him to calm down. "Please Longtail...listen to me and try to relax. You're safe and among friends."

Sweetie at that moment stood up and walked over to where Longtail and everyone else seemed to be standing and stepped up next to Pearl with a truly concerned look on her face as she asked, "I know Longtail and I don't get along too well, but would you mind if I tried to wake him?"

Pearl was hesitant at first but nodded reluctantly as she stepped back.

Sweetie then gave a devilish grin as she said to Longtail whispering in his ear, "I'm taking over....just try to stop me!"

Dein was watching with anticipation to see just what would happen if they did manage to wake Longtail up with Sweetie so close.

The very moment Sweetie was done speaking, Longtail's body stopped thrashing about and his eyes shot open, but he didn't move, his eyes just stared straight up into the sky, almost as if were ignoring everyone around him. He then looked down and the first face he met was Sweetie's...and against everything he'd been through he smiled a genuine and friendly smile.

LBTFan13 · **Reply #445 on:** October 22, 2009, 10:22:52 PM

Littlefoot noticed Longtail wake up, but the smile he saw on the flyer's face concerned him. What's going on? Why is he smiling like that? "Longtail, are you okay? You were shaking around violently there."

Zaine was equally concerned not just for Longtail but for Sweetie as well. Okay, just don't break out into another fight. Just keep smiling at her and.........wait, he's smiling at her? Something's not right. "Longtail are you all right? You gave us quite a scare just now? Were you having a bad sleep story?"

Then Littlefoot glanced back at Cyrix. "It's strange Thud would be traveling alone? Maybe Screech and Red Claw were both killed by the same thing that destroyed the valley."

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #446 on:** October 23, 2009, 01:47:11 PM

Pearl was filled with joy that Longtail was awake, and smiling...but she noted he was staring at Sweetie. She stepped forward and gently pulled Sweetie away from Longtail as she whispered, "Thank you for helping wake him up."

Sweetie grinned as she said back, "You owe me one Pearl."

Even as Pearl was rolling her eyes, she helped her mate up to his feet.
"Are you alright?"

If it were possible Longtail's smile only got wider as he looked at Pearl. He then looked around to everyone and his eyes settled on Zaine, and with Pearl's help he stepped unsteadily forward. "I...I need everyone here to listen to me very closely as I'm only going to say this once....and then I'm going back to sleep."

Diamond looked over to the hatchlings and could see that even they were now listening to Longtail and watching as he stood talking.

Longtail then continued.
"For those in my herd, who are more likely to know what I'm talking about....I've chosen a second."

Pearl and Diamonds eyes widened in shock and they both looked at the other fliers they'd traveled with and began to murmur amongst themselves.

Sweetie too was rather surprised.
"Maybe all that sleeping did you some good." she commented slyly.

Cyrix looked up at Littlefoot and asked, "Should I try to talk to Thud?"

Kit12 · **Reply #447 on:** October 24, 2009, 08:40:09 PM

Kit smiled, accepting Diamond's statement, "Yeah...I know" she answered for all three of the boys really.

She frowned as a fast biter came into view though, yet checking to make sure the kids were still in the air helped calm her a bit that atleast they were out of snapping distance...

yet both Cyrix's words and the now recoqnizable Thud's actions helped calm her even more.

She heard Littlefoot's words and even while hearing what Longtail said, focused on that mostly, so that while the other flyers of Longtail's herd before murmured amongst themselves she stepped forward.

"A-are you in need of help?" she asked, unable to stop herself from being a bit naive in her concern.

Petrie and Twiz had followed a bit, alarmed by her actions, and Twiz relized Thud probably wouldn't understand what his flattoothed cousins said, so with a nervous smile he translated, "Um...what she was attempting to say there was, are you ok? Do you need any help...and id' add preferably not the kind of eating anyone of our group...".

tempestwheel · **Reply #448 on:** October 24, 2009, 08:58:41 PM

Thud took a few breaths and drinks of water before he responded, "The sky fire...it was everywhere, I don't what happened to the boss and my brother..."

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #449 on:** October 25, 2009, 01:41:05 AM

Cyrix was pleased to see that Twiz and Kit were trying to at least deal with Thud as he was now focused on Longtails words.

Diamond asked rather hastily "Well who did you choose?"

Pearl nudged her brother as she said "Quiet, he's going to tell us alright."

Longtail's vision began to blur and he knew he didn't have too much more time awake so he spoke quickly. "I've had alot of time to think on the mistakes of my past, and as such...to keep from having too much...power in the future t-there will be three Seconds in my herd. With the reduction in our numbers the three chosen are the o-only ones capable and deserving...of such...praise." he swayed on his feet and used his tail to steady himself. "Pearl, you're the first...and most logical choice as you are my mate." His eyes then drifted and stopped on Sweetie.
"You've tried several times to kill me, turned others in our herd against me, and tried to take my herd by force....and...t-that...is why you are the only other choice for being a Second in my herd."

Sweetie's eyes widened considerably as she stepped back and took several deep breaths trying to calm herself down.

Longtail then said to Sweetie with his eyes full of sorrow. "M-m-make...your mother and father proud...something...I-I could...never do."

He then swayed again and Pearl was forced to hold Longtail upright to keep him standing. His gaze then locked onto Zaine and he continued staring at his friend and brother, for what felt like forever trying to see something inside before he coughed several times and whispered "Zaine....for helping me..a-and watching over me....y-you are...the....last of the chosen Seconds in our herd....b-be proud."
Longtails eyes then rolled into his head and he collapsed completely with Pearl holding him from hitting the ground.

Sweetie was still too stunned to comment. She looked to Pearl and let a tear slid down her face as she played back what Longtail had said to her. 'M-m-make...your mother and father proud...something...I-I could...never do.'

Cyrix smiled at this turn of events.
"Sweetie, it would seem Longtail's slumber has given him a change of heart. You should thank him the next time he awakens."

tempestwheel · **Reply #450 on:** October 25, 2009, 09:58:50 AM

"At least his attitude's changing," commented Chomper.

"I hope we can find more belly draggers after all of this," Greg told Dil.

LBTFan13 · **Reply #451 on:** October 25, 2009, 07:51:38 PM

Littlefoot looked at Thud for a second and then looked back at Cyrix. "It might be best if you talk to him. Try to find out as much as you can, and maybe offer him to join us if he seems willing to." He then noticed the commotion going on with Longtail, and when the flyer collapsed he sort of smiled. "Well at least hes changed since his fight."

Zaine didn't know what to say. He was above all glad Longtail didn't try to kill him and that he was being somewhat nicer to Sweetie, but Longtail had looked at him and told him he was the last choice of the Seconds, but he didn't understand since he had never been a part of Longtail's herd before. "What did he mean by that?" he asked.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #452 on:** October 26, 2009, 12:36:54 AM

Dil smiled and nuzzled Greg.
"I know we will son. Of that I have no doubt."

Pearl looked over to Sweetie and nodded her head. She then turned and asked, "Littlefoot, you wouldn't mind carrying Longtail again would you?"

Cyrix accepted what Littlefoot said and stepped over to Thud.
<"I know what happened must have been dangerous and frightening for you, but all we want to do is help Thud."> he said speaking in sharptooth.

Sweetie flapped over to Zaine and gently licked his nose as she spoke.
"When Longtail joined our herd, the previous leader was under the impression that outsiders were likely to try to take over, so he chose a Second. Basically it means should the first and true leader be unable to lead, the Second would take over for a limited period of time...but...but now...Longtail chose three...three that's unheard of!" She then looked Zaine in the eyes and asked, "Do you know why he would do this?"

Terri and Dein both stepped over to Thud and while not willing to start a fight, were only being cautious and protecting the others.

tempestwheel · **Reply #453 on:** October 26, 2009, 07:45:33 AM

"<Thanks...>", Thud replied still shaking.

LBTFan13 · **Reply #454 on:** October 26, 2009, 08:25:30 AM

Littlefoot nodded. "I can handle that, and besides he was providing quite a nice back warmer." He lifted Longtail off the ground with his tail and gently placed him on his back again. "Pearl if you wish to you may ride on my back as well."

Zaine couldn't believe the things he was hearing. Longtail is such a strong leader though. Sure it may get to his head sometimes, but I could never see anybody else lead but him. Can he really trust me to lead a herd? He shook his head at Sweetie's comment. "Beats me. I've never even heard of such thing. I guess he chose people who he would trust with his life, or people who he feels have shown potential and are capable of handling it. I guess he can't choose one person out of us, so he chose three of us."

Cancerian Tiger · **Reply #455 on:** October 28, 2009, 10:31:40 AM

Ducky made her way over to Littlefoot.

"Are Longtail and Sweetie okay? What happened to them was scary. It was, it was," Ducky asked Littlefoot.

LBTFan13 · **Reply #456 on:** October 28, 2009, 04:42:49 PM

Littlefoot looked down to Ducky and nodded. "Longtail seems to be finally resting peacefully, and I think Sweetie's doing better too. I just hope the two of them can resolve their conflict without any more fighting." He then became a little concerned for Ducky. "How are you holding up?"

Cancerian Tiger · **Reply #457 on:** October 28, 2009, 05:49:34 PM

"I am hanging in there, yep yep yep. This is something that I guess I will have to take one bright circle after another. All of us, for that matter," Ducky replied before she looked up at Littlefoot. "How about you? Are you doing okay?"

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #458 on:** October 29, 2009, 09:59:56 PM

Pearl smiled at Littlefoots offer and she climbed up keeping a firm grip on Longtail to keep him steady. "Thank you Littlefoot." she commented with a nod of her head.

Sweetie looked into the sky and asked aloud, "Please just let this work...I...I'm tired of fighting...and want to let go of all the hate." She then turned to Zaine and giggled. "Are you sure you don't want to take a quick swim?"

Diamond smiled as things seemed to calm down. He then flapped over to Petrie and Twiz while asking, "So, what you two doing to keep yourself entertained around here?"

Cyrix took a chance and placed a claw on Thud's shoulder.
"Would you like to join our herd...we can protect you and you can go hunting when you need to." he asked gently hoping not to anger Thud.

Both Terri and Dein turned to look at each other with concern not fully trusting the fastbiter.

tempestwheel · **Reply #459 on:** October 29, 2009, 10:02:58 PM

"I would," Thud replied with legit thanks.