The Continuing Saga

[vonboy]

(OOC: Allicloud gave me temporary control of Tero and Redback while he's gone on a trip till August 9th or so. He can just take them back when he's ready.)

Tero shifted an eye when Redback left, but remained emotionless and silent. Even when the minor earthshake hit, he stood there, unmoved.

Ruby was getting tired of waiting around. What is going on? Is Littlefoot figuring it out? hmm, maybe I should go and see what's really going on. This could be serious! She was getting antsy from the long wait. Especially because of what has been going on. "Hey, everyone, I'm going to go see what is going on with Chomper. This is taking a long time, and I'm worried about why it's taking this long. I'm...really close to him, so I'm sure I can help." She parted from the group and headed for the foliage where Littlefoot, Chomper, and Redback already were at.

Tero raised an eye when Ruby left as well, but did nothing.

When Ruby closed in on the group, she saw Chomper and Littlefoot sitting together, with Redback standing close by. She caught the end of Littlefoot's speech, where he said no one else had to know. She was about to exclaim something, but paused. She backed up to think, and try not to be seen.

Redback looked back at Ruby, and simply grinned. He didn't bring it up with the two young dinosaurs. His grin quickly left, though, as he thought about all that was going on right now. He left the two young ones, as he felt he had already done his part, and that he should just leave them be to work it out themselves. He walked back to the waiting group, with another branch of leafs in his claws. "Anyone still hungry?" He asked.

Chomper turned to Littlefoot, with a small grin on his face. "You know, it's kind of funny how you make such a distinction between leafeaters and meateaters, Littlefoot. I mean, most sharpteeth would treat either of us the same way. You have be careful out there, no matter what your are." His little grin soon went away, and he got more serious. "I've only been scavenging, yes. I'm glad I've been able to find something...uh, I mean someone...who is already dead. I haven't had to resort to that...yet."

Ruby frowned. Chomper wasn't being completely truthful, though this was probably for the best. She didn't know just what Littlefoot would be able to take. She decided to step out to reveal herself.

"So...Littlefoot knows?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, yes he does, Ruby." Chomper replied.

Ruby walked over to them and laid a hand on Chomper's shoulders. "So, you won't tell anyone? Is that what you said, Littlefoot?"

[Mama's Girl]

First Redback went after Chomper, which maybe made sense, and now Ruby, which also made sense. Still Ridge hoped this wouldn't become to crowding.

"Yeah, well, some of the rest of us are antsy too" Cera went to follow her, when Ridge stepped in front. The threehorn frowned.

Ridge just sent her a smile though and was about to explain when Redback came back.

"How is Chomper?" Ducky asked, leaning forward even as Redback lowered another branch to them.

With nods of thanks, and a bit to distract themselves as well, She, Cera, Ridge and Harper took and munched the leaves.

[Pterano]

Pterano watched as the children all flapped away, jolted by the tremor that had passed through the valley. Looking over at Devon, and then Petrie, he finally rested his eyes upon his sister. "Um yes well... that was certainly a little unexpected. It was just a small earthshake, children! Nothing to get worried about!" he called back to them.

Looking down at Petrie, he wondered something then. "Oh Petrie, why aren't you with your friends? Would you like me to take you over there, perhaps? I almost never see you without them at this time of day." the flyer stated, chuckling.

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

Littlefoot smiled, and nodded. "Yes, of course I won't tell the others. They don't need to know... I can't really speak for Redback..." He looked behind him, noticing that the teen was now gone, heading back to the others. "But I for one won't reveal that about Chomper. I know it might be wrong to keep this from them, but I think Chomper would feel better if things just... stayed the way they have been, for now." the longneck explained.

He was inwardly relieved that so far, Chomper was only a scavenger. That relieved him in a way, and made him feel better about keeping this under wraps for the moment. "Shall we head back? You feeling well enough to see them all again? I wouldn't want them to get TOO worried." he said, laughing a little.

[vonboy]

"aw, little fella is just torn up right now that he can't eat greenfood, is all." Redback replied. He didn't go any further, as it looked like Littlefoot was wanting to keep it a secret. He didn't want to bring it up now, as it'd just bring up more drama for the valley, and he didn't feel like dealing with it right now.

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

"...alright, Littlefoot. Let's head back." Chomper said.

[trulyfantasticme]

Petrie looked up at his uncle, then looked at his mother, then back to Pterano. He smiled. "Sure, me love to." he replied.

[LBTDiclonius]

Spike sighed in relief when he heard that the the little Sharptooth was just a bit down about how he couldn't eat green food. Although, he thought it was just kind of silly how Chomper took it a bit too far in his determination to prove to them that he could eat green food like everyone else. He just hoped that he wouldn't do it again.

[Pterano]

"Alright Petrie, I'll fly you over there. I'll see you a bit later then, sis!" he called, waving to her. "Let's go then, Petrie. They're probably still at the meeting circle... but just in case they aren't, we can always fly around and look for them." he told his nephew. Stretching his wings, the older flyer took to the air, and began flapping off over the Great Valley, knowing that Devon would probably be following them as well.

"Well, Petrie, now that we finally get some time together, I've been meaning to ask you... you don't see me as... a bad flyer do you? I mean after what your friend Cera said... and Mr. Threehorn. I... was... responsible for that... but I'm also quite sorry... terribly distraught over it. I didn't WANT any of that to happen... but because I led them into that place... they all... died. And I realize it's my fault." he confessed to his nephew. "I only hope I CAN try and make things right by the denizens of this valley." he said, sighing a little as they flew.

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

"Yeah... let's." Littlefoot said with a nod, and turned to walk with Chomper back in the direction they had come in.

"Well look who's finally back." Hyp said, folding his arms over his chest again and smirking. "I bet he lost it all... didn't he?" his smirk grew.

"Give it a rest, Hyp. You don't always have to do this, you know?" Littlefoot's words seemed to give Hyp pause, and his features softened a tad.

"Chomper just... got really sick. And he wanted to make sure he was all settled before he came back here." Littlefoot shifted a little, still digesting the information he'd been given by his friend. Chomper... eating dead dinosaurs. He wasn't exactly sure how that sat with him. He felt terribly sorry for his friend, but also a little guilty that he was concealing it from the rest of the gang. I only hope they understand, he thought. "He's feeling better now though, right?" he asked, giving Chomper the best smile he could manage as he looked down at him.

[trulyfantasticme]

Petrie listened as his uncle asked him that question. Then a thought came over him: If he thought Pterano was a bad flyer, why would he be flying around with him? "Uncle, me wouldn't be flying with you if me thought you a bad flyer." He shot his uncle a smile to try and cheer him up a little.

Devon, of course was fallowing right behind the two flyers and he listened to their conversation. Of course you wouldn't, Petrie. he thought as he never said anything.

[Mama's Girl]

The others did come out a bit with Pterano's ressurances. "Yes, nothing to worry over" their mother added her own backing up of the kids not getting too worried, since it was past.

She then bid Pterano, Devon and Petrie farewell as well before turning to the mudane task she always busied herself with of making sure all was set and proper with the nest.

~~~~

Cera immedietly thought she noticed something up with Littlefoot's behavior, but decided, for the moment not to pry or anything. Maybe Littlefoot just walked up at a really bad timing of Chomper's being sick or something.

"Oh, well that is good, that he is all better I mean" Ducky said, jumping down and rushing over to give Chomper a bit of a hug, "It is ok, you do not have to eat treestars for us to like you, we already do" she smiled, hitting near the subject without even really knowing it.

Harper smiled, "Yeah, Chomper, since Petrie's not here to tell you, I guess I'll tell you for him what he would have about...well you know it's all ok, however he would have put that". She smiled to herself as she answered her own question with thinking Petrie probably would have said just that only without the "in between" words.

[vonboy]

Redback smirked at Ducky. Oh, if only she knew he thought.

"Yeah...I'm feeling a lot better." Chomper replied to Littlefoot, though he didn't really mean it. "Um, do you guys want to play something now?"

[Pterano]

((This post was OKed with Mama's Girl beforehand ))

Rinkus was tired of flying around aimlessly. He was getting restless, and when he saw Pterano flying with Devon (wasn't that Sierra's son?) and that small gnat that he'd swatted into the lake, his rage bubbled up within him. "Ooooh that Pterano! He'll get what's coming to him, if I have anything to say about it, I think." he muttered. He began following, but at a distance. As Pterano, Devon and Petrie drew closer to the gang, Rinkus's eyes lit up. Finally! Some action! Rinkus was losing his patience, and he no longer wished to skulk around. He wasn't sure what he'd do, but seeing Pterano there had sent him into turning plots over in his mind.

As Pterano was coming closer, Littlefoot brightened up at Chomper's suggestion. "Yeah! Let's play something!" he said, excitement growing in him now.

Pterano could see the gang, and he smiled as he prepared to land. He was a bit perturbed at seeing Cera, but he knew she would just have to deal with his presence now, guilty as he felt about it. "Well hello children!" he exclaimed, rather grandiosely as he was prone to doing.

Spreading a wing out with a "whoosh" as he landed, he looked about him. "I have brought Petrie here to share in the fun, excitement and games that I'm sure you children have been getting in to recently." he said, not suspecting what they had really been discussing.

As Pterano spoke, odd gray clouds began gathering in the sky, though they seemed to be coming from every which direction at once, and converging on the Great Valley. They were rolling in, a noise like distant thunder beginning to sound.

"Mmmph." Littlefoot said, noticing. "That's not good. We can't play if skywater is gong to fall." he said, lowering his head in a dejected fashion. It was at that moment that the Rainbow Faces pattered up.

"Children!" the male said, a concerned look on his face. "Where are your parents? They should know that a..." but before he could finish speaking, a certain pink streak swooped down from the sky, nabbing Ducky in its foot.

"Gotcha!" Rinkus exclaimed, cackling as he began beating his wings to fly off. Pterano gasped, recognizing the assailant at once.

"Rinkus!" he cried, shock written upon his features. "Let her go! NOW!" he called, but the pink rhamphorhynchus paid him no heed as he began to make off with the swimmer, still cackling as he noticed the gathering clouds. A storm... perfect! He could use it to elude Pterano, and make clear out of the valley.

"RINKUS!" Pterano shouted, and took to the sky after him. "Come back! Let her go!"

"Guys! Come on!" Littlefoot urged, and took off after Pterano and Rinkus. He wasn't going to simply abandon Ducky like that, and he doubted any of his friends would either. Hyp shook his head, and began following after Littlefoot, muttering about who he wasn't sure was the bigger idiot, Littlefoot for chasing or himself for following.

"This isn't good." the male Rainbow Face stated, watching the unfolding scene with apprehension.

"Come on, we can't just leave them when it's about to happen." the female stated, and the male nodded solemnly, beginning to join in the odd chase as well with his companion.

[trulyfantasticme]

(Finally! Some action in the story! And yes, Pterano, Devon is indeed Sierra's son. )

Devon caught up to his father, keeping good speed. "Hey you! Do as my Dad says!" he commanded.

[LBTDiclonius]

((Things are heating up!))

Spike, instinctivly, took off, running as fast as he could to try and catch up to the pink Flyer who had kidnapped his sister. He made a loud moan out of anger, trying to get the Flyer to let her go. Desperate, he kept sprinting as fast as he could, which wasn't very fast, mind you. He was NOT going to let this happen, not again.

[Mama's Girl]

As they heard Pterano's greeting before they saw the evidence of his flying over, Harper and Cera both turned but with very different reactions. Cera frowned deeply and backed a step or two up, whether to avoid or charge Pterano was unsure though; while Harper gave a small smile and was about to comment on how it didn't seem any of them had really found any "fun or excitement" yet when the clouds rolled in.

"Yeah..." Ridge began, "that does damper...". The rainbow faces rushing up cut him off, but it was the second action that really detoured attention as a pink flyer swooped down and grabbed Ducky.

This snapped even Cera out of her previous thoughts. "H-hey!" she started to try and yell something, but could hardly think what before Littlefoot had them all rushing after (Ok, Pterano really moved first, but Cera was still half in ignore mode with him).

The threehorn took after the others as well, mind racing for what they could possibly do to be of better help this time while Ridge followed along with even less of an idea how the others usually deal with this kind of stuff. He was a fast learner, though, and already his own mind worked around possibilities.

The went same for Harper, who flew along about where the others were, having to sort of let it all sink in a bit. It was that old friend of Uncle Pterano's from back when he still had "issues to work through", that much she knew just from what she'd heard; but what would he want with Ducky, again? Probably nothing she wanted to know the answer to. She struggled to keep as much altitude as she could, but the storm they were passing into made it hard and flying in sky water wasn't something she was practiced at trying, so she couldn't quite keep directly where Pterano, Devon and even Petrie were able to, and was instead between them and the group on the ground.

If everyone else had been startled, Ducky had been doubly so. A small scream of course escaping right after she was nabbed and Rinkus flew up higher. Instinctively she'd tried wiggling and then cut that out as the flyer went higher. She just tried to not panic or recall all the trouble that had happened the last time she'd seen and been in the custody of Rinkus.

Of course, Petrie uncle was coming after to try and save her again, she could see that much even as they started out and even through the storm, and she thought her friends were there as well. It gave...some hope, but the little swimmer still worried, especially as Rinkus kept on flying.

That sense of being able to forget her predicament enough to comment on things, like when she pointed out Rinkus' fault in standing on a ledge that time before, came back now too. "Um, I am not a flyer" she shouted up to Rinkus through the storm, not even sure if she was audible, "but I believe that flying in sky water is a very bad idea, it is, it is, you should probably go down!". Ok, there were more reasons than the storm for why Ducky wanted him to cease flying...

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Elsewhere on the thriving Earth…

The sun was shining brightly. The wind was ripping through the tall plants, causing them to sway. The clouds overhead gave some shade as they moved along. In other words, everything was doing exactly what it always does, so for someone to truly marvel at this, he or she should must be very easily amused…

“Isn’t this day just great!?” a voice exclaimed.

Anyone on the outside looking in would have to call it that- a voice, as a large herd of longnecks was migrating south as they always did when they weren’t migrating north, east, or west, and the source of the noise was coming from inside their ranks, out of sight. That exclamation was full of energy, enthusiasm, and- sarcasm…

“When are we gonna find water? I keep asking because I’m so thirsty!” the boy explained.

“I’m sure glad you cleared up for us why you have been asking for water every waking moment. If you hadn’t clarified that, we might have thought you were asking for water because you were hungry,” one of the grown males replied crossly.

“Old One…” the boy continued to moan.

“We will find water eventually,” she replied, neither rudely nor in a caring tone.

“Eventually? What if I die of thirst before then?”

Rhett was fortunate he could not hear the grownups’ thoughts at that moment.

“Young one, I cannot create water or move us to some in an instant. I can only do what I can, and what I can do, I am doing, so hush,” she told him.

As he continued to walk at a pace to keep up with the adults, he hung his head dejectedly. He wouldn’t need so much water if would only ride like the other child in the herd, but he wanted to get tougher so he was not going to be a passenger unless absolutely necessary. He knew Littlefoot was smarter, so if he was going to get Ali to like him more, he was just going to have to be stronger. If only he could realize that he actually continued to get weaker as he pushed his body but looked to his maturity with a large indifference.

At this point, although he actually could, he FELT that he could walk no further and began contemplating what he dreaded- asking for either a ride or for them to stop. He fidgeted his tongue around inside his mouth as the awkwardness of his future request drew nigh. He squinted his eyes and tensed his face then prepared to open his mouth for what he feared would make him look badly to his best friend.

“I see some green food just ahead and to the side, along with a small watering hole, everyone, so keep this up just a bit longer, then we can relax and refresh ourselves,” the Old One encouraged them.

This was the lucky break Rhett needed. After that announcement, he didn’t need to ask for anything. Now he could continue looking strong to Ali, or at least, think he was, but he was not so fortunate. He was so lost in his own thoughts that while he heard the Old One, he really wasn’t listening to her. So his question emerged anyway.

“Old One, could we stop for just a bit, please?” he asked, trying to hide the tiredness in his voice.

“Stop!” the Old One commanded, and the herd ceased moving.

“Thank you, everyone,” he told them.

The very same adult that spoke to him earlier said, “Really, you couldn’t walk just a few more steps? Come on…”

“Huh?”

“You didn’t hear a word she said a moment ago, did you?” he asked.

“I did too!” he insisted.

“That’s great. Now then, what did she say?”

“Well, she said- I know she said ëand’ and I’m pretty sure she used ëthe,’ maybe twice,” he replied proudly.

“If you ever became a herd leader, please let me know,” he told him before looking away.

“Why, so you can congratulate me?” he asked hopefully.

“Sure, Rhett, sure.”

After only another two minutes, the Old One resumed the journey, and they soon arrived at the lush area. There were large patches of grass, though they didn’t spread across the entire area. There were dozens of large trees, and the water source was at the far edge of the fertile location.

“Wow, food and water! Did you guys just notice this?” Rhett wondered.

“Somebody bite me…” that same male thought to himself.

The grownups of the herd first got some water then began the long process of filling their bellies with sustenance. At this point, there were no longer any passengers, and bored Rhett didn’t waste too much time after getting his energy back.

Walking over to her, he said, “Let’s play a game, and this time, you pick one out.”

[LBTDiclonius]

Ali just sighed as she watched Rhett and his little argument with the male. She knew that sometimes he could just be a little bit over the top, and this was no different. The female Longneck also knew that he was trying to act stronger than he actually was. His body language and the way he spoke gave that away for her perfectly, but she didn't say anything. What caught her offgaurd was when he asked her what game she wanted to play, and he normally didn't do that. Maybe he had changed.

"Really? You're sure I can pick it, Rhett?" she asked cautiously, trying not to fall for any of his tricks again. "Well, I would like to play Tag for a bit," she offered, bracing herself.

((Ah! The good old-fashioned game of tag! Always fun! )

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Rhett seemed deep in thought for some time. He said nothing for so long that he seemed that he wouldn’t answer at all. At long last, he replied to her suggestion.

“Nah, I don’t feel like tag. Rescue it is. Now then, it has been a very long since we’ve played that… I still think it was dumb to not be allowed to play for fourteen days just because I wouldn’t run back during that sharptooth attack. I mean, the grownups had it under control, and being a kid, of course I wanted to see the action! Anyway, after so long, would you like me to go over the rules of that again just in case you might not remember something about it?” he asked her.

[LBTDiclonius]

Ali rolled her eyes in annoyance of how he just cast away her idea.

"Some Dinosaurs never change," she sighed inwardly as she looked at Rhett once more. "No, can you remind me of how to play it?" she asked him.

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

“Oh well,” Rhett thought to himself. “I thought it would work, but she didn’t even seem to notice. She always says how I don’t think things through, so I was certain that if I looked like I was carefully considering her idea, she would be impressed, but it failed. I’ll have to keep thinking of new ideas.”

He looked up at her, cleared his throat, and began refreshing her memory on how rescue is played.

“Rescue is, first of all, the best game in the world,” he explained, matter-of-factly. “It’s a game of pretend where your imagination is all that’s needed. A hero, obviously me, and a girl in need of aid (who else but you?) screams for help, and then I cleverly find ways to defeat or overcome the danger you are in. At no point can you try helping me, either by actions or suggestions. Heroes do the saving, and the girl just sits there helpless. As I work on the trouble, you have to keep cheering me on and telling me how well I’m doing, all the while acting very, very afraid for both yourself, and for me. When, not if, I win, you must give me a big hug and express your gratitude for as long as you can think of ways to, well, keep doing it! Now, whenever you are ready, call for help, I’ll arrive, you tell me the dilemma, and I will stop at nothing until you are safe.

But uh, yeah, the grownups tend to get annoyed when we do this, so let’s go off a little ways so they can’t hear us. Follow me,” he instructed as he began walking away from the herd, unbeknownst to any of the resting adults...

[LBTDiclonius]

Ali sighed as she followed Rhett away from the Herd. She didn't really think it was such a good idea to be wandering away from her mother and the rest of the adults they used as protection against Sharpteeth and other dangers of the Mysterious Beyond.

"Um, Rhett? Are you sure we should be going away grom the grownups? What if a Sharptooth comes?" she said quietly.