The Continuing Saga

vonboy · **Reply #140 on:** July 19, 2011, 04:15:30 PM

Mr. Threehorn was about to tell off Pterano, when his daughter did just that for him. He watched Cera blurt out everything, then run off. He looked worried as he turned back to the Council.

"Excuse me, everyone. I think I need to speak with my daughter for a moment."

He started to walk off, but then paused for a moment.

"...Oh, and don't do anything with that...sharptooth till I get back. I've got a thing or two to say about him as well."

He walked away from the congregation; to where Cera ran off to.

"Cera...Cera, are you alright?" He said it in the most loving tone he could muster, because he knew what she must be going through right now."

Allicloud · **Reply #141 on:** July 19, 2011, 04:16:19 PM

Redback and Tero were stunned. Sitting side by side, they froze for a moment, eyes wide with surprise. Then, Redback leaned sideways towards Tero, muttering from the side of his mouth

"Can't say I saw that comin'..."

Tero nodded, making a gesture with a hand, as if drawing an imaginary spiral in the air.

Redback suppressed a grin at his mute friend. Quite a twist, indeed.

trulyfantasticme · **Reply #142 on:** July 19, 2011, 05:42:31 PM

Devon put a hand on Pterano's shoulder, comfortingly. He didn't know what to say, but all he could do at this moment was comfort his father. Petrie felt as though he should do the same, so he took Pterano's hand in his and gazed up at him with sympathetic eyes.

Pterano · **Reply #143 on:** July 19, 2011, 08:00:58 PM

((This is why I LOVE RPing. I can't control what happens next, like I would in a story. I love twists like this.

And I'm about to throw in one of my own.

))

Norton almost choked when he heard her mention the name of her brother. Pterano!? PTERANO!? He started coughing, and almost interrupted her, but found his voice stolen from him as she went on. Pterano??? HERE? Her BROTHER?

He found himself unable to interrupt, fascinated to FINALLY hear about this flyer that might possibly be the one he'd been looking for all these years. So he was ambitious... yes that fit. And he wanted others to like him. Well maybe. Probably. And he always argued with the other adults... sounded about right.

His knees started to shake a little when she mentioned that he made some sort of terrible blunder. He convinced others to follow him, and the flyer suddenly felt his throat become very tight, and his mouth dry. None of them made it back except Pterano... and Pterano wouldn't say what happened. That... didn't sound right. It didn't sound like the flyer he'd been picturing in his mind all these years. And the fact that he DIDN'T want to turn his life around... that formed a nasty lump in Norton's stomach.

"I see..." He said, his voice low and choked. "Go on..." He fell in with a bad crowd... this story was getting worse as it went on. He was liking it less and less now. And he KIDNAPPED her son's best friend?? This wasn't good... this wasn't good at all. This was the not the noble, proud, brave flyer he'd had in his mind all these years. He almost yelled, wanting her to stop, but he didn't, as he couldn't. He NEEDED to hear this. A kidnapper... his heart sank down into his stomach and even lower, and he was starting to get a little teary eyed as she continued speaking.

Hearing him redeem himself... in a way... at the end, served to assuage him a bit, but he still felt very uneasy about this. And so he was here then... in the valley. And he might not even know how to do right. He wiped his eyes, and heard her asking about Rinkus.

"Eh?" he asked, suddenly snapping out of the daze he'd been in. "Rinkus... right... um... I think... I think I saw him flying toward the valley's center, towards some trees. I didn't catch his name though. Um... forgive me for asking this." he said, walking toward her now. "And this might sound really, REALLY strange but... are you POSITIVE your brother's name is Pterano?" he asked, giving her a nervous smile.

"You see... if it IS Pterano... THE Pterano... could you perhaps describe him to me? Is he a deep reddish brown in color? Sort of like me, but not as much red." he explained, motioning at his own body. "And is his underbelly light brown? If this is really... REALLY the Pterano I know and have been seeking... then... you... if you're his sister then... you might be..." he looked right into her eyes now. "My... aunt."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yeah... that HAS to be them!" Littlefoot exclaimed as Ducky confirmed it. "But why are they back? What are they doing here? Hey! Cera!" Littlefoot called as the threehorn started to run forward.

Pterano heard a shriek and looked off to his right as Cera openly challenged him, screaming that he had led her mother and siblings to their deaths. Pterano froze, caught in the proverbial headlights, and listened as she accused him of outright murdering her family. His heart raced, his head spun, and he was at a loss for words.

Littlefoot too felt his heart breaking over this news. Since when had she learned this? Was THAT why she had just disappeared last night? Hearing her speak of their journey again... about all that they went through... about how he'd help keep her hope alive... it was terrible. He hadn't even had that much hope. His heart rending loss of his mother had given him only one desire... to fulfill her last wish for him. He hadn't even thought he'd see his grandparents again, and when he did, it was ten... no, a HUNDRED times better than anything he had ever dreamed he'd feel when reaching the Great Valley. But Cera... Cera was different. He felt guilty now, because he'd helped keep her hope alive that she'd see her family again... and she did... but not all of them.

And now... as it turned out, the biggest twist of all was that they had been with Pterano on that fateful day. "Cera!" he called out softly to her, but she didn't seem to hear him.

Pterano's chest was moving in and out, his breathing becoming heavy. He couldn't even remember her family being there! Why had he erased most of this from his mind!? He struggled to recall... tried to bring it back to memory. It was so distant for him now, and he shook his head. "Cera, I..." but he couldn't get more than those two words out of his mouth before the threehorn charged off, brushing by Littlefoot as he called out to her again.

"Cera! Come back! Please!" he pleaded, but it was too late. She was gone faster than he could've blinked his eyes. Mr. Threehorn left shortly after, muttering warnings about Redback. He was going to follow her, but didn't want to leave Redback alone either. "Ugh... hey Redback, I'm sorry but I'll be RIGHT back, OK? Just stay close to my grandpa. I have to see if I can help." He ran off after Mr. Threehorn, following in the wake of the older triceratops as he tried to comfort his daughter. "Cera!" Littlefoot called softly. "I... I didn't know that! Are you alright?" he asked, concern flooding his features.

Pterano stood there, looking for all the world as if he'd just seen a ghost; a creature back from the dead. "I can't... I can't remember." he whispered, blanching a little as he realized it. "Did I... did I murder them?" he asked, feeling Devon's hand on his shoulder now, and Petrie grasping at his hand as it lay limp at his side. He couldn't look at either of them though, as he was too terrified to do so. "Did I? Someone please tell me..." He said, his voice not even a fraction above a whisper. "Someone... please tell me..." He couldn't recall, and his head hurt thinking about it, but he knew that deep down, somewhere in his aching, burning heart, he knew it to be true.

Mama's Girl · **Reply #144 on:** July 19, 2011, 08:49:48 PM

(Ok, I'm not saying I can always read you, but I had a hunch with Norton too! Wasn't sure on that one though until you said

and yes I love the reaction of rp and all too, that and getting into the character's heads, if you will)

In her flurry of getting the story out, it suddenly became obvious to Petrie's mother that she hadn't taken as much stock of how this was affecting her companion as she should.

He came back, from taking her story hard for some reason, and tried to answer about Rinkus but what she caught more than anything was the look on his face, especially as he asked her again about Pterano. She nodded as he asked her to verify her brother's name, wondering where he would have met Pterano before and not known all of this.

He hadn't though, apparently, just been searching for him, but why? She nodded again to verify the description and just listened as Norton dropped the sky water so to speak.

Aunt...then that meant...Pterano's son? Her mind raced as she stared back first in surprise and then thought. Had Pterano ever taken a mate? She couldn't recall any but...

"You've been told Pterano's your father..." she half questioned half just said, glancing off thoughtfully, "Don't get me wrong it's not impossible but..." she glanced back over to Norton, took in his coloring, his accent so unlike and yet closer to Pterano's than any other she'd ever encountered. "...somehow I just know it...probably is true...".

She suddenly frowned a bit, "Well of all the things to not tell your sister!" she sighed next though, "Sorry, not the reaction expected I know to finding out I probably have a nephew" she glanced back over to Norton and, while still looking just stunned at all this, found a small smile.

"Well...what, how...?" she tried to get around to asking him about his story and what had lead him here.

~~~~

After Cera's outburst, not many in the group spoke, but Ducky's mother gave a glance to Grandpa Longneck and decided that their leader had been burdened with enough of telling this tale to both the young one's and even others.

She could take Pterano's question, so, softly she cleared her throat as she stepped forward a bit. Her gaze on this flyer once guilty of kidnapping her own daughter was nonetheless gentle and compassionate as she could see even now his pain and...perhaps, change from all that. Plus he had done right by Ducky since then both saving her and even escorting her and Spike home last night, she knew, though she'd not greeted the flyer.

"No more than...the others" she softly said, "but...yes, Topsy's mate...went with you, along with her children" she gently told the flyer. It scared her a bit at his not remembering this, but then she supposed he had blocked it all.

Harper looked down, lost in thoughts of her own while she wasn't sure what to think. She felt Ridge nudge her and glanced over at him. The older spiketail giving her a small smile, which she tried to return.

~~~~

Cera heard her father and even Littlefoot approach and she thought to still her tears, to put up the front again, but she couldn't. "I...I just...miss them" she told her father, allowing herself to brush against his leg. It was a simple statement for all that was going through her, but she'd already given voice to the anger and all.

Glancing over to Littlefoot, she thought to shoot back some sarcastic answer on his asking if she "was fine". No she wasn't fine! But she knew it was just all people could think to say. Stepping back from her father, she shook her head, glancing down. She glanced up, "I...I know this can't be easy for Petrie" she admitted, "but...I...I hate him Littlefoot" though this time she actually sounded guilty and almost lost as she admitted that, "I've never actually hated anyone but..." she shook her head again, trying to do something with all the emotions going through her but not sure what she should do with them.

Allicloud · **Reply #145 on:** July 20, 2011, 04:31:46 AM

As silence reigned over the circle, Redback rested his head on his hands. It was truly interesting to hear about local leafeater politics. Once again, you'd never get something like this in the Beyond.
But he was growing anxious, and just a bit impatient. Stretching out his tail, he let out an enormous yawn. He was actually starting to grow eager of the threehorn's return. At least it would end this awkward silence!

Tero suddenly stood up. He hobbled outside of the circle, and sat in a nearby grove, facing away from the meeting.

Redback watched Tero's sudden actions, and smiled slightly "Huh.... Well, that's nothin' new. Tero's not a fan of this kind of drama. Heck, if I wasn't up next on the bill, I'd probably have left by now too."

vonboy · **Reply #146 on:** July 20, 2011, 07:37:11 AM

Mr. Threehorn tried to comfort his daughter as best he could.

"I...know what your going through right now. I know how much you loved your mother and siblings. I loved them too; loved them very much. I just want you to know that you're not the only one going through this right now...that you're not alone."

Topsy was almost shocked at himself. Did he really just say something so...touching? Maybe he could be kind when he really wanted to. He lowered his head to nuzzle the little sobbing threehorn.

Pterano · **Reply #147 on:** July 20, 2011, 02:49:21 PM

Norton chuckled a little again at her incredulity, but at the same time he still felt very perturbed over everything he had been told of his father. "Well that's the name my mother kept saying... grew up hearing it after all. As for the how... well... I doubt your brother even realizes he has a son... and no, it's not what you think." he said, offering her a smile. "You see... my father took a mate when he was young... probably around my age. I don't think he was living with you anymore; being older and all, he had left the nest once he'd come of age. My mother said that they were very much in love... and that he would've made an amazing father... had things not gone the way they did."

He looked down a little, and shuffled his feet. "You see... my mother fell very ill before I hatched, so ill that she later described it to me as if she had lost her mind. She felt incredibly hot all the time, and suffered these visions... hallucinations I guess." he shook his head. "She kept thinking that Pterano was doing all of these things behind her back... that he wasn't being faithful, that type of thing. She didn't have anything to go off of, and she admits that her mind had been different during the time she was ill. She became intensely jealous of things that weren't even occurring, and they got into many arguments, and though he tried to help her and comfort her, she always pushed him away. It got so bad one day that my mother said she snapped... and told him that she was going to hurt him in a way that could never be made better. She told him that she was going to leave, smash my egg, and disappear. It sounds horrible... I know."

He paused here, still looking down at the ground and not fully at his aunt. "Um... an earthshake struck, and she was able to get away from him and hide in the confusion, taking my egge with her. She remembers him calling out for her, but she didn't reveal herself... but nor could she crush my egg either. I guess being a mother... a good mother... you can't do things like that to your children, even if they haven't been born yet." he smiled again, very small, but it was there. "Anyway, she slowly recovered from her illness, I hatched, and she raised me, but she was also left weakened and deeply hurt when she realized what she had done. She realized that if any of her fears were true, then my father never would have stuck around like he did... trying to help her. He would have up and left the first chance he got... but he didn't. Initially, she felt too guilty to go back to him. Then... when she did try and find him... well he was no longer at our nest, and I guess he had moved on since then. She told me that it was all her fault that I'd grow up without a father, and that when I came of age, I should try and find him, as he was the greatest, most noble and tremendous flyer that I'd ever meet." he said, tears starting to glisten in his eyes as he began recalling all of the things his aunt had just told him.

"My mother never could look for him... she was very sickly, and fell ill a lot. Eventually... she died. She just... wasn't strong enough to keep going... and even though I wasn't alive for any of it... I suspect that what happened between her and my father broke her up inside... and that that was what killed her in the end. Her last wish was for me to find him... she said I'd find this wonderful, fantastic, warm flyer, full of life and energy. He'd probably be doing something great with himself, like being the leader of a herd, or something." He said, trying to smile, but the tears still fell from his eyes nonetheless. "So that's what I've been doing... I've been looking for him this whole time... wandering the world, learning about it, and trying to find this father of mine that my mother said was worthy of idolizing. Is... is it true then?" he asked, looking at her in a hurt manner.

"Is he really... a bad flyer? You said that he led a herd... but that only he came back. He never told you what happened. And that he didn't seem interested in mending his ways, and that he... he even KIDNAPPED your son's best friend... my cousin's best friend." he sniffled a little here, trying to contain himself in front of her. "I just can't believe it. Is this really the same flyer my mother's told me so much about? It can't be him... right? I mean KIDNAPPING? Stealing someone else's child? That's wrong... terribly wrong. She told me he was proud... but I didn't think he'd let his pride ruin him as you described. Please... is my father... really all that bad?" he asked, swallowing heavy as he finally looked up at her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pterano was silent, quavering as Mrs. Swimmer delivered the news. "No... it can't be." He said, shaking his head, eyes wide as he stared at her, but also right through her, as if she wasn't even there. "It can't be... I can't even remember..." he said, sinking to his knees as he felt he could no longer support his weight. "How... how can I ever make that right?" he asked, clawing at the ground and letting go of Petrie's hand. "I couldn't ever make that up to them... I couldn't." he stated, shaking his head. "That just... can't be true..." he knew it was though.

He couldn't specifically picture it, but he knew that his silver tongue must have charmed her. He couldn't imagine how Mr. Threehorn had let his mate go off like that, but ultimately, it wasn't his fault, it was Pterano's. He closed his eyes fighting back the tremors and the tears as best as he could. Grasping his head with his hands, he struggled to fight off the flashbacks the terrorized him so. "What can I do?" He asked to no one in particular. "What can I do to make this better? I came back here to try and prove myself... but I can't do anything about this! I never expected... my wrongs to be quite so..." he couldn't finish however, and simply kept his eyes closed, trembling as he knelt on the ground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Littlefoot sighed as Cera said she hated Pterano. "I... can only imagine." the longneck said. "I... wouldn't even know what it's like. I wish I could say something that would make things better... but I can't. My words can't bring your family back... just like they can't bring my mother back." he said, looking away in a dejected fashion.

"I... all I can say is... I hope you feel better soon. I wouldn't want this getting in the way of our friendship." he said honestly. "When you mentioned our journey... it brought back all those memories of everything we had to go through. Our friendship is worth too much to me, so... I'm sorry I can't say anything that will be of any help. Just... I hope you feel better soon... you too... Mr. Threehorn." he said, and started walking back towards his friends and Redback.

He really was at a loss. He knew being logical wouldn't do Cera any good, as it wasn't what she wanted to hear right now. He could point out the fact that Pterano looked really sad too, but what good would that do? He decided to let it slide for now... she had too much pain she needed to work through on her own at the moment. He'd just let her be, and have her time.

"Sorry about that." he said to Redback. "I guess your turn is coming up soon." he said, his voice much more reserved now as he sat back down.

Mama's Girl · **Reply #148 on:** July 20, 2011, 07:59:29 PM

As she waited, unsure what exactly to do, Ducky noticed the silent flyer walk off and sit by himself. She was about to worry over this when the sharptooth, Redback, mentioned it as ok. So the little swimmer stayed silent, not sure what to do with the tense atmosphere.

Ridge wasn't sure either, except his attention was able to focus on one thing, help Harper and by extension her brother or even Devon however he could. That was an easier goal in theory though, as he wasn't sure what there was anyone could do. Pterano had done what he'd done and had to work through it, no matter how his family might wish different, the spiketail knew.

As she heard her uncle, Harper frowned, not sure herself how one fixed something like this. It...it couldn't be taken back.

~~~~

Cera just nodded, taking in her father's words but not sure what else to say. She just listened as Littlefoot next went on. She knew there weren't words that would fix this. She wasn't mad at Littlefoot though so was about to wonder on how this would affect their friendship when she realized, it could affect very much so hers and Petrie's...

Could she really go on hating Petrie's uncle and somehow keep him as a friend. Probably not. As she thought on the flyer, and the journey Littlefoot had brought up, a sudden unwanted memory came to her own mind as well.

When she'd taken off on the way she thought was right. One minute Ducky, Spike and Petrie had been right there and the next she was alone and then chased by domeheads until the others saved her because Littlefoot saved them. It had been hard to take. But...that was completely different! For one, even then, they had been her friends and not just mislead followers and...

Cera's own arguments seemed to get tired of being thought in her mind as she sighed. She smiled to her dad, trying for standing just a bit straighter. She still didn't know what to do about Pterano but...maybe...maybe she could survive at least seeing him again. For Petrie's sake. She owed him after letting the flightless flyer fall into sinking sand.

"I...I'm good Daddy" she said, voice low, but trying for strength, "We can go back, I know you still have to deal with the sharptooth".

As she walked back out to the clearing once more, Cera didn't look at anyone, well except slightly over to Littlefoot before looking ahead, her being here saying enough she figured.

~~~~

Norton's companion and apparently aunt, found a small bit of a seat on a nearby rock, one she sort of needed and leaned against as she listened in silence to what Norton said, running through the facts herself. It all made sense, yes, Pterano would have been away from the nest and she still at home, a fact able to account for her lack of information.

As Norton went on, describing all this that she hadn't known about that gap in what she knew of Pterano's life, she still just listened, understanding though, after a bit, why her brother could probably have never talked of all this. Pterano didn't open up, even to her, on things that were of consequence, like the herd, so why would he bring up something that he would probably think couldn't be fixed from the past.

She felt a pang of sadness and all of her motherly emotions went out to this flyer who was apparently her nephew as Norton went on, describing his search and what he'd hoped for and recalling herself just what she had said.

She hadn't been wrong...even if she wished she had been, but still. "Norton, I..." she stood up, taking his hands and looking into his grief stricken eyes. "Your...your mother wasn't wrong, it's just..." she sighed, trying to find the answer to what he'd asked.

"Perhaps" she began, stepping back a bit and seeming to collect her thoughts, "Perhaps and probably I said it all a bit harsh, just in the frustration I felt having to deal with all he did. Even as his younger sister I've always felt I had the role of having to watch out for him. Even when he came to live with me, all for the purpose of helping out after I lost my own mate and had a brood to take care of on my own. That was actually one of his good moments, I must say, he was a very warm uncle and good with the kids, he just...also would tell stories I wished he wouldn't, getting the kids excited and wanting to take off on adventures like the one's he said he did".

She paused, trying to put it all together, "I've hardly known what to think on him myself, sometimes. Everything I told you...yes, he did all that, but what your mother also described...Pterano was and I believe still is that too. Like I told the swimmer's mother, the one he'd kidnapped with his...friends, Rinkus and Sierra, yes he mainly came up with that idea, I knew, but I also knew she was in no danger from him and he wouldn't harm her or let the others harm her".

"Like with the herd he lead, I know he didn't mean for any of whatever really happened to happen, but that hardly helps the facts and..." she sighed. "Norton, especially after you've had such a search I wish I could look you in the eye and tell you your father is nothing but good, but your father...is complicated and struggled quite a bit due to what he's done and the consequences of it, as he did feel guilty for both I know".

"Since he's been back though...he does seem different, better on the pride issue and...I would never have said he was a bad flyer. Irresponsible because he was distracted by trying to be great, yes, but never truly bad".

vonboy · **Reply #149 on:** July 20, 2011, 08:07:00 PM

Mr. Threehorn made his way back with Cera to the still ensuing meeting. He nuzzeled Cera one more time before leaving her for the spot he was originally at in the meeting.

"Okay...now that that is out of the way. I think Grandpa already said that Pterano can stay, so if it would please the council, I'd like to move on to that...sharptooth now."

Allicloud · **Reply #150 on:** July 21, 2011, 05:00:16 AM

Right on cue, the collective faces turned to look at Redback. The sharptooth attempted a nervous smile, but the fearful looks this "smile" brought about were enough to tell him it was a bad idea. Reluctantly, he got up and slowly walked into the circle, his blackweeds rustling with every step.
He turned to gaaze in the direction Tero had flown, and inwardly wished the silent flyer could stay with him. Just his presence could help to steady him and make things easier.
Taking a deep breath, he nodded to the old threehorn and said "That would be me. Hi...er..."

He inwardly cursed. He had no idea what to say!

vonboy · **Reply #151 on:** July 21, 2011, 08:02:59 AM

"Well, if you're not going to speak up, I suppose I will!" Mr. threehorn said.

He still mostly had Cera and Pterano on his mind, or else he would have had a LOT more to say right here!

He cleared his throat, and began his little speech. "You're bringing forth a lot of worried stares, but that's understandable. You ARE a sharptooth, afterall. Now, I'm not going to tell you you CAN'T live here, but I will say that you'll have to prove yourself!"

"When Chomper first came here, he got the same stares as your getting right now. For quite a while after he came here, he was under CLOSE supervision! There was always at least one adult keeping an eye on him at all times! Even if he was so small, he could very easily and quickly take down a hatchling if he wanted to, so he had to be watched constantly to make sure that never happened. Eventually, after seeing he didn't pose any threat, most of the adults in the valley came to trust him, though a few are still uneasy about him. By the way, where IS Chomper? Hmm, haven't seen him around yet today..."

"...Anyway, that's what I have to say. Would anyone else like to add anything?"

Allicloud · **Reply #152 on:** July 21, 2011, 10:25:13 AM

Redback thought about what the threehorn was saying. He seemed to be taking it remarkably well. Watching his reaction to that Pterano fellow, he had half expected him to unload on him and flatly refuse him entry. Redback was pleased that he was being given a chance, but his last remark gave him the confidence to speak up:

"Well, sir, with all due respect and all... we've been followin' the farwalker herd for about a week now, and I've been in the Valley since last night. If I was gonna attack somebody, wouldn't I have done it by now? I mean, sharptooth tactics don't exactly involve biding time or bein' patient."

Pterano · **Reply #153 on:** July 21, 2011, 11:10:57 AM

Norton allowed his aunt to clasp his hands, and looked down into her eyes. She wished she could have been wrong about her brother, and he was desperately wishing the same thing. A few things she said he picked up on, however, and he tried his best to brigthten a little, or at least come off as more neutral rather than sad.

"Well... if he felt guilty... then I suppose that means he's not a bad flyer, because a bad flyer wouldn't feel guilt over his actions. It just sounds like he's irresponsible, as you said... and a failure..." he said, trailing off with that bit. "I guess an irresponsible failure is better than a malicious father... but... I... I have to admit it's not really what I had been expecting." he said with a sigh. "All this time I had my mother's words forming a picture in my mind of what my father was really like. Strong, brave, with a heart bigger than any flyer I'd ever meet. A success at everything he did. Turns out I was... really just lying to myself, I guess, in the belief that my hope would see me through, and lead me to never abandon my search." he stated, eyes falling a little again.

"When he came to live to with you to help you out... that must've been after my mother left him. That's probably why we couldn't find him when we headed back to the nest. He had already gone back to live with you, after the death of your mate. And also... why he probably started telling those stories of his 'adventures'." he said, shaking his head. "I mean... I've never met him... but maybe the pain was just too much... so he invented all these stories about himself... tried to make himself sound better than he really was, since his real life was something... a lot different." he sighed again, and his shoulders slumped.

"See... he just reverted to the way he had been... I don't know whether to feel sympathy, disgust, contempt, or something in between all three for him. We react different ways to tragedies in our life... my mother just gave up and wasted away... my father... from what it sounds like, became obsessed with trying to prove himself. I'm sort of the same way... if I'm not doing my best, it's not good enough... but I would NEVER... EVER resort to something like kidnapping!" he emphatically explained. "Even if he had no intention of harming the swimmer... he still stole someone else's child in an act of selfishness... and my mother, speaking from experience of course, told me that that's one of the worst crimes someone can commit. I... almost wish I hadn't run in to you." he said, looking at her with sadness flecking his eyes.

"But it's... it's alright." he said, trying to steady his shaky breathing. "Well... don't you have a meeting to be at? I'm sorry I held you up like this." he said, trying his best not to reveal the wrenching pain he felt deep within him. "Thank you for... everything you said. I think it was good at least that I was able to hear it... so that I'll stop living in this delusion that my father was some tremendously great flyer, a hero even. I guess I should know by all that I've seen on my travels that reality is never quite how we idealize it to be. I suppose I could just never see my father negatively before... it's what kept me going... and kept me searching." he said, looking once more into her eyes as he held her hands, deciding he'd let her release him first, whenever she felt she had to depart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Littlefoot glanced briefly at Cera, giving her a small smile before she looked away from him, and he focused on the discussion about Redback. As it turned out, Redback was standing up to Mr. Threehorn, and stating why he felt he should live here, and justifying himself as well.

His eyes inconspicuously wandered over to Pterano. The old flyer had picked himself up from the ground, and was walking unsteadily back into the ring of dinos. He looked ashen, wide eyed, and in shock. The truth was pretty similar to Littlefoot's observation.

The flyer sank to a sitting position, and stared at the ground, plucking at blades of grass as he ran things over in his mind. "Poor Cera..." he said softly. "How can I ever make it up to her and her father? It seems like no matter what I'd try to do here, nothing would come close to repairing that type of damage." he stated forlornly. "I wish... that I'd never been with the herd after the great earthshake... things would have been so much better for everyone." he looked blankly at the ground, twirling some grass with a claw, looking as if he were in some sort of trance, or dream-like state.

Littlefoot decided to run forward at this point, charging up beside Redback. "And on top of that, he eats greenfood!" the longneck claimed, and looked over at Redback. "He really hates it out in the Mysterious Beyond, and can you blame him? We came here to avoid that lifestyle after all. He can speak our language, and he eats our food!"

"But which adult should watch him, Littlefoot?" his grandfather asked now.

"Ummm... well... I'm not really sure on that one. Maybe I could do it? Maybe he could stay with us? Well... I mean if he WANTS to that is." Littlefoot said, remembering that Redback certainly had a mind of his own as well, and if he wanted to live by himself, Littlefoot shouldn't be imposing like this. "I know I'm not an adult, but I wouldn't mind doing it. Or maybe... here's another thought." he braced himself, as he knew Mr. Threehorn might explode at this idea.

"Maybe if we want to..." he paused here though, and stopped hismelf from saying that. No... he couldn't antagonize Cera like that, much less her father. He was going to suggest that maybe Pterano could watch him, but realized given the atmosphere, that maybe this wasn't such a good idea. "Er... never mind." he quickly said. "Anyway, I guess we should find out if Redback would be OK with maybe living with us... or if he wanted to live on his own."

Littlefoot's grandfather seemed to shift a little as his grandson spoke these words, but said nothing for the moment, wanting to hear from Redback first.

Mama's Girl · **Reply #154 on:** July 21, 2011, 12:01:28 PM

Norton was able to grasp the situation quite well, Petrie's mother found, as he went on. Frustration at her brother and how it seemed his failings now let down Norton in all he'd hoped for in his search hit her again and she sighed inwardly. Of course, again, he hadn't meant it.

She could tell by his last words, Norton had sort of given up on Pterano and, while she couldn't blame him, she felt sad of the fact for the both of them.

"Oh I'm not in any hurry to watch the herd yell at him" she sighed, glancing aside, thinking. She glanced back over to Norton again and smiled, albeit still a bit sadly. "Well, I don't want you thinking you came all this way for nothing. The only reason I get so frustrated with Pterano is that I do care about him and can find it in me to believe he can be better, and...this may be a bit out of line, since I just met you and all, but you do strike me as like what he would be like if you took away all the things about him he needs to fix. So with that as proof enough for me that you are my brother's son, I hope you know that you found some family at least, Norton, and I'll be there if you need anything" she looked him in the eyes sincerely. "Though, that's complicated too since Pterano's back staying with us" she sighed, "I don't know what I should tell you on if you should reveal yourself to him, that's...up to you. Well, maybe as time goes on that answer will become more clear".

"I...I guess I'll see you" she reluctantly stepped back, then shocked both of them she knew, probably, but stepped forward and hugging Norton. "I"m sorry Norton" she sighed, hoping he knew what she meant. She then stepped back, "but, complications aside, the previous answer still stands, anything you might need, even if you want to just send a message to me to meet you here or somewhere else" she added.

Then, finally, she made herself bid her new-found nephew good-bye and flew off. She thought of just avoiding the meeting but with a sigh finally decided to see how it had gone down.

As she landed and saw the sharptooth, she almost had a heart attack. "It's ok mom" Harper flapped over, "he's nice and Littlefoot's trying to see if he can stay". Harper's mother just stared at her, coming to terms with this.

"I...see...", she decided she'd ponder that one later, and her gaze went to just ahead of her daughter to where Pterano sat on the grass, looking for all the world, horrible. She slowly walked up, kneeling down beside him, "Pterano...what they do to you" she sighed.

"He found out...or remembered, about Cera's...mom" Harper told her. Her mother looked from her back to Pterano, "You didn't remember that..." she sighed, cutting herself off.

Moving forward to face her brother she shook her head, "Ok true, I don't know anyone with as much on them as you have" she admitted, thinking over even her previous conversation with Norton. Keeping that a sort of secret pained her now, but for Norton's sake she knew it wasn't her job to reveal him.

"But you can either keep wallowing or try and pick yourself up and be better, like I've told you over and over" she sighed. For once her look towards her brother held more compassion than the hard look of a disappointed sister, though both where there.

Ridge just watched, sort of impressed at the younger longneck, though not surprised really after all this time in the Valley, as Littlefoot stood up for Redback. He had a hunch what the longneck's final words had been about to be, but knew why he couldn't say it. "For what it's worth, I support the longneck's position" he called over with a small smile. Yeah that was it, have the newest kid here stand up for the controversial sharptooth as well.

Cera just stood there, avoiding even recalling Pterano existed or was near and not sure what she felt over the sharptooth, or mainly not having enough attention to spare to it. Ducky had hopped over to her back and pat her frill a bit. "Ducky, plese stop" Cera said it softly but the swimmer caught on and stopped patronizing to her friend.

Allicloud · **Reply #155 on:** July 21, 2011, 01:27:45 PM

As Littlefoot stepped forward in his defense, Redback smiled. "Sounds like a great idea! If you'd be willing to take us on, I swear, Tero and I won't get in the way!"

As if on cue, Tero re-entered the circle, flying over the heads of the crowds and landing by his sharptooth friend's side. Redback smiled down at him

"You didn't think I forgot about you, did you my friend?" He joked.

vonboy · **Reply #156 on:** July 21, 2011, 06:32:30 PM

Mr. Threehorn walked over to Cera, and whispered in her ear.

"Humpth! Seems like something that little longneck would do! Um, I think you should stay away from that sharptooth for awhile, Cera. You know, just until we can be sure he can be trusted. I'm just concerned for your safety, Cera."

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

Out of the Secret Caves, a tired fastrunner that had been walking all day emerged. Ruby and Chomper had finally made it back to the Great Valley.

Ruby: "Hey, Chomper? Where is everyone?"

Chomper: "Um, I heard there was going to be a meeting today about Petrie's uncle. What was his name? Oh yeah, Pterano!

Ruby: "Hmm, walking up on a meeting like that, where everyone is, could be risky. Since everyone would be there, there be more people questioning us."

Chomper: "Hmm, you could be right Ruby.

Ruby and Chomper took off for the Great Meeting Circle. Ruby had already thought of a little plan. They would come up close enough to see what's going on while still staying under cover, wait until it's over and most of the adults have left, then walk in like nothing happened.

Pterano · **Reply #157 on:** July 21, 2011, 07:39:06 PM

Norton nodded, and thanked her. "I'll consider revealing myself to him... but right now... I think I just want to think things over. The fact that others are yelling at him right now... well... that's reason enough to stay back for the moment, I think. I'll... just hopefully be able to bring myself to see him soon... but thank you for your kind words. It's good to know I've finally found family." he said, nodding with a smile.

He waved as she departed, and he turned back to the watering hole, looking at his reflection in the calm, still water. He wondered just how much he resembled his father, and what his father even looked like. His father would be older now, though not ancient. He studied himself for a time, just taking his appearance in before the tears started up again. If only he could muster up the courage to head over there... but such a thing was going to elude him for the time being, or so he thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well... I suppose... it will be alright." Grandpa Longneck said, pondering on it for a moment. "He DOES have a point... he hasn't hurt anyone yet, and if he was going to, he probably would have already done so."

"Great!" Littlefoot exclaimed, smiling now and looking over at Redback in an excited fashion. It would be sort of interesting having another sharptooth here, and living in his nest. Of course, Chomper still had to meet this guy... and speaking of which, where WAS Chomper? He looked around, but still could see no sign of him.

"I suppose we can all keep an eye on him, though he seems old enough that he won't need constant supervision."

"Yeah, he's around Hyp's age, I'd say." Littlefoot also noticed that Mr. Threehorn didn't outright say no. "This is gonna be great!" he told Redback. "I think you'll really like it here, and I can show you around in a bit, if you want." he offered.

Pterano, meanwhile, was still twirling blades of grass as his sister arrived. "Oh... sis..." he sighed, chest moving in and out slowly as he greeted her. "Yes... I... I just can't specifically remember them being there. I must have blocked it out... or something." he said in a dejected fashion. "I feel horrid over it though... like I killed them... but indirectly." he looked over at her as she told him what he could do.

"Try to be better. I TRY sis... all the time. I try to do right... and it always comes out wrong." he explained, shaking his head sadly. "I want to do good... I want others to appreciate me... but not just because I want to be appreciated... but because I'm afraid that it seems like I can't do good." he said sadly. "I just hope I can prove I can be trustworthy while here... already I'm off to a bad start, and I haven't directly done anything yet!" he exclaimed. "I've always tried to do what I thought was best, or right. And I... I don't mean anyone any harm." he stated. "I just wish I COULD do the right thing for once." he said.

It was then that Ridge called over to support Littlefoot's idea, and the longneck smiled further at this.

"Well if you ask us... I think that sharptooth is more than capable of living here." the voice caused heads to turn, and the onlookers would see that it was the female Rainbow Face that had stepped forward. Her companion was with her, and together, they strode into the circle.

"Hey! Welcome back!" Littlefoot said, brightening even more as he saw them.

"Hello, Littlefoot." the male said, nodding at him in a familiar manner.

"I... beg your pardon?" Grandpa said, a bit baffled by their sudden appearance.

"That's what you said last time." the female responded.

"And I said, 'as well you should'. However, this time, no begging of pardons necessary." the male added. He looked right in Topsy's direction, and smiled, knowing the old threehorn most certainly had a bit of a short fuse. "He does seem rather eager to live here, and he's most certainly proven himself so far, I'd say."

Mama's Girl · **Reply #158 on:** July 21, 2011, 08:10:14 PM

"O-Ok Daddy" Cera nodded. Well she'd been told to stay away from the sharptooth, not away from Littlefoot so much. That was good since, truth be told, she still felt she needed both Littlefott and Ducky and even Spike and Petrie for support while she still dealt with all that was going through her. Not that she'd ever in a million cold times tell them this!

Seeing the atmosphere around Reback lessen, Ducky giggled, "Come on Spike, let us go say hi to Redback!" she said, "and of course you should come too, Cera" she turned to the threehorn.

"No way, my dad said not to get near the sharptooth just yet" Cera said.

"Oh, well then, maybe you can stay around close enough to be with Littlefoot and us but not near Redback" Ducky tried to figure this out.

"You're starting to think like Ruby" Cera rolled her eyes. She still followed a ways but not so far back as Ducky headed over.

Pterano's sister sighed at his words, "I know you do" she said. It was so frustrating, she wanted to help her brother but she couldn't tell him what to do step by step in any and all decision, he had to figure that out on his own.

"And I know it's not you who puts all this stuff from your past on you" her gaze flittered past where Mr. Threehorn had left, "well, good news is, I can't think of anything else anyone can drag up".

"Yeah Uncle Pterano" Harper flapped forward to try to encourage and was unaware she just came off as overly optimistic, "so...probably only good can follow for all the other stuff, since you learned from mistakes and all like you said before".

Hearing Ridge's call she smiled and then looked curious as the Rainbow Faces stepped out. She'd heard of them from the last time, but not seen them so she wasn't sure if these were the same one's. Her mother frowned, not negatively, just confused, wondering what it meant that they were back now.

vonboy · **Reply #159 on:** July 21, 2011, 08:11:28 PM

Mr. Threehorn saw Cera inch a little closer to the sharptooth. he was going to say something, but noticed she didn't get THAT close. He just decided to keep an eye on the two of them for now.

"Humpth!" Topsy said when he finally saw the two rainbowfaces. "They're back too!?"

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

Ruby and Chomper made it to a bush sort of close to the meeting place.

Chomper peeks out of the bush and gasps. "Ruby, look! Sharptooth!"

Chomper is about to bolt out, but Ruby grabs his tail and pulls him back in. "Wait Chomper! Um, just look at that sharptooth. I mean, he's in the middle of the circle, Littlefoot is next to him, and he doesn't look scared. The sharptooth is just sitting there. He's not trying to eat anyone."

"Hmm, your right Ruby! Do you think he's nice, like me?"

"From the looks of it, he looks nice, yes! For now, let's just wait till the meeting's over, okay?"

"Alright, Ruby."