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Chapter Text

If anything could be said of Pterano, it was that he really meant no harm. Sure, he was a schemer and a pompous, self-centered conehead with absolutely no sense of responsibility, but “he wasn’t all that bad, just misguided”. Pterano snorted in mid-air, glaring into the dusky horizon. No matter how many times he tried to twist it, the sentence had been struck and now he had no choice but to carry it out. It hadn’t even been a season since his banishment, but already it felt like eternity. Pterano had been flying solo for a few weeks since leaving, aimlessly traveling nowhere, just on the wing. It was monumentally boring. The mighty flyer huffed as he touched down high in a tree. The sky was clear, so no threat of rain, and the surrounding area was relatively barren and dry, so if sharpteeth were to sneak up, all he had to wait for was a cracking twig and he’d be alerted. Of course, as soon as he wasn’t flying and exerting himself for no reason, his rampant thoughts pushed themselves to the forefront of his mind, battering him with their endless monologues.

Pterano grimaced as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to fight through the turmoil to earn some rest. He’d always been terrible about pacing himself, and coming to grips with consequences was practically foreign, but something had happened back in the Great Valley, for better or worse. Something finally clicked into place. And now Pterano was beset with nagging notions and dignity-denying reminders. Accountability was exhausting, and the fact he’d made it this long without it bogging him down was almost impressive.

No. Not impressive.

Who was he kidding, he’d never been “without” these thoughts despite all his bravado. Fear and insecurity were second nature to him and reared their ugly heads at the absolute worst of times.

Like now, when I’m trying to rest.

The flyer exhaled long and steady, remorse coloring the action. But what good was it doing him, sitting in a tree and feeling sorry for himself? It wouldn’t make the time go by any quicker, wouldn’t heal past wrongs or make anyone look at him differently.

I’m not helping myself, and isn’t that what this whole banishment is about? Getting better? Whatever that meant.

Becoming a better flyer was out of the question; Pterano was, as he put it, a fabulous and fearsome flyer, aerodynamically skilled and effortless. His ruff puffed up a bit at the self-preen, before he angrily stomped that train of thought back down. Not helping!

Hadn’t flying saved those children when the Smoking Mountains blew their top? Not the time!

But it had. For about two blissful minutes, Pterano had all the recognition he could have hoped for, for all the right reasons: he’d saved that little Swimmer in the heat of the moment, thanks to quick thinking and surefire flying. But it was my fault they were in that mess.

If he hadn’t been so selfish and conniving, he wouldn’t have had to save anyone. If he hadn’t listened to those ratty Rainbow-faces, he could have been back in the Great Valley, telling stories of derring-do to his beloved nieces and nephews, basking in the light of their adoring eyes. No. He had to become better, if for no other reason than not to let those little ones down. His musings went blessedly silent as thoughts of his far-away family took center stage and a minute grin tugged at the corner of his beak. They still believed in him, didn’t they? Especially little Petrie. His sister’s brood had been all but a few days old when Pterano, high on delusion spurned on by desperation, made his fateful speech to divide the herd. After all, he’d considered it quite a pragmatic solution seeing as how they’d been getting nowhere quick enough just plodding along at the grounders’ pace. Why not send the fliers further out? With all the scouting he and the others had done, he thought he knew the terrain better than anyone else did, and everyone else was just so slow. He couldn’t bear seeing his sister lose another hatchling, not after she lost her mate. Something had to be done.

But that wasn’t your decision. Pterano grunted. It was foolish and deadly, and he paid the price.

__________

Several miles away in the peaceful Great Valley, little Petrie was having trouble falling asleep. Tossing and turning in the large nest surrounded by siblings, he just couldn’t keep his eyes closed long enough. He finally sat up with a sigh and carefully picked his way around the slumbering bundles of small fliers until he reached his mother, nestled on the edge. He hated to wake her, but he was out of options.

“Mama?”

Having hatchlings meant Mama Flyer was an extraordinarily light sleeper, and when her youngest’s voice sounded in the smallest whisper, her eyes were open and instantly alert. “Yes, Petrie?” She murmured softly.

“Me no can sleep.”

Mama Flyer graciously lifted a wing for the little flyer to huddle under, against her warm side. Petrie snuggled in and gave another sigh that sounded much too old and burdened for someone his age. “Petrie dear, is there something the matter?”

“You think Uncle Pterano doing okay?”

The question hit Mama Flyer like a thunderbolt. Somehow, Petrie had said the quiet part aloud. Her brother hadn’t been off her mind ever since his sudden return and the Stone debacle. Yes, there was some part of her that had been relieved to see him, happy even. At the end of the day, he was still family, and she cared about what happened to him, even if he was a rockhead with no sense. But Petrie didn’t need to know that, even if she suspected he already did. “I hope so, Petrie. I really do.”

“Mama miss Uncle?”

Truth be told, she did. They had grown up close as any brother and sister, getting each other into all sorts of schemes. But while she had grown out of those notions, Pterano only grew in both boldness and ambition. Hatch-hood games had whet his appetite for bigger and worse trouble. They called it thrill-seeking or a lack of discipline, and even Mama Flyer didn’t completely know what it was, only that she and her brother grew farther apart. In fact, the first she’d seen him in some time was when she’d lost her mate. He must have heard the news through some vine of gossip because one day he was there, willing in his own way to be of some comfort and help. Mama Flyer wished that time had ended differently.

“I miss him very much, Petrie.”

Chapter Text

Thankfully, Pterano’s tumbling thoughts quieted down much quicker than usual, and he entered a dreamless slumber high in the tree. A small breeze kept the air moving and was refreshing after a long day of flying. Sometime around midnight, he was alerted to the sound of swift footsteps below. Stirring reluctantly out of his rest, the flyer blinked awake. The Night Circle shone like a beacon in the sky, turning the baked earth icy white.

Nothing immediately appeared, but Pterano found his shoulders reflexively tense as he continued to scan the ground, expecting some predator out for a nightly hunt. What he hadn’t expected was a small shape tripping right into a dried-out husk of a bush with a hushed “Ouch!”

To say the flyer was flabbergasted was putting it kindly. Pterano blinked as the small dinosaur put up a mess of a fuss trying to free itself, muttering in childish consternation all the while.
“Stop it, let go! Mean old bush! I mean it!”

“Keep it down, will you!” Pterano was taken aback by the words being hissed from his throat. Some instinct was prickling his senses, and all this loud noise was making him anxious.

His warning caused the young dinosaur to squeak in dismay. “Ahh! What was that, who’s there?”

Rolling his eyes with a very audible growl, Pterano responded against his better judgment. “I did. You’re making an awful racket down there, you know.”

The youngster poked its head out from the husk, eerie pale yellow eyes peering intently up at the big flyer in the tree. “Whoa! When did you get up there? I was bein’ super sneaky and didn’t see you!”

It was a young Egg Stealer, skinny and clumsy and way too young to be on his own like this. Pterano gave a furtive glance around before he spread his wings with a whoosh. The action startled the little one, who tried to uselessly duck back into the thicket.

“Come off it now, I won’t hurt you.” Pterano flapped nimbly to the ground.

The Egg Stealer blinked his large pale eyes. “You’re a flyer!”

Said flyer cocked his crested head. “And you woke me up,”

“I did?”

“What are you doing here? Where are your parents?" Pterano huffily folded his arms, only to gawk at the newcomer’s next words.

“It’s just me. I’m lookin’ for someone. Two someones actually. And I wasn’t goin' fast enough, so when I woke up I saw the Night Circle was so bright – see?” In emphasis, he pointed upwards. “I started runnin', but I guess I tripped. What are you doing out here?”

Pterano rubbed at his eyes, already regretting coming down. “Trying to sleep. Can you look for these someones elsewhere? Better yet, can you go back home to your parents? They’re probably worried sick.”

The little one shook his head. “I can’t do that! Not without my brothers, you see. I’m gonna be the one to bring ‘em back home.”

Amused, Pterano raised a brow. “Are you, now?”

The youngster grinned. “Yeah! I’ve made some crackin' good progress, and I’m doin' it all on my own! I’m stronger’n I look, see?” A twiggy flex was provided.

The flyer shook his head, trying not to let the little fellow grow on him. “This really isn’t wise, m’boy. You’re a walking snack out here, especially with all this noise you keep making.”

“I haven’t been making noise!” The Egg Stealer protested. “I’ve been sneaky, like my parents taught me!”

Frantically waving his claws in a shushing fashion, Pterano pointed out. “Son, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. It’s not safe out here, now allow me to point you back in the direction you came from.”

“What? No! Please, sir! I can’t just give up now! I have to find ‘em! Can’t you help me?”

Mid-shush, Pterano nearly choked on his own tongue. “What?”

“Well, you’re a grown-up right? Grown-ups help!”

Some grown-up you stumbled into, little lad. Pterano groused, foot tapping irritably. “Search and rescue isn’t really my area of expertise, my odd friend.”

“Well, have you seen my brothers around? How long 'ave you been out here, anyway? Do you live out here?” The Egg Stealer was carefully picking his way out of the tangle of thicket, this time taking care not to make as much noise.

Pterano huffed a sharp laugh. “No, I do not live out here. And I haven’t come across any Egg Stealers this way, afraid you’re out of luck.”

Pale eyes glistened in the light, radiating both misery and stubbornness. “Are you sure? Please sir, I must find them!”

The flyer regarded the suddenly melancholic youngster with no small level of concern. If this Egg Stealer started crying, he was done for. Tears were hugely effective. “L-lad?”

A loud, wet sniffle caused him to visibly cringe as the Egg Stealer’s impossibly big eyes seemed to get that much bigger as they brimmed with tears. “I said I wouldn’t stop till they came home, and I can’t go back without 'em,”

“Calm down now, son, th-there’s no need to cry.” Pterano winced as the youngster tipped his head back with a loud wail. Springing into action, Pterano darted forward, claws closing around the little one’s beak and muffling his lament. “Alright! Alright! I’ll do it, now you must stop crying! Do you hear me?”

In a flash, tears were blinked away and the Egg Stealer gave a fierce nod, throwing in a smart salute. Pterano was left blinking in astonishment. He’d fallen for the oldest trick, one he’d practically invented! Since when had he lost his ability to discern? He harrumphed in agitation as his claws fell from the little one’s beak, which opened a flood of chatter.

“Thanks sir! I really mean it! With you around, I’m sure to find my brothers, just you wait and see!”

Pterano sighed and straightened, annoyed that he’d been duped. “Well, I haven’t got all night, where are we looking?”

“Oh! Dad sent ‘em to check out the Great Valley!”

The great flyer first spluttered, and then started cackling mirthlessly, even after his misgivings about the decibel. “You’ve come to exactly the wrong grown-up! I’ve been banished from the Great Valley.”

The youngster stared up at him. “How come?”

“None of your business,” came the cold reply. “But, technically, I’m not allowed to set foot back in that valley until five cold times have passed by. Now, let’s see: this obviously puts a damper on our plans. Terribly sorry, son.” He turned to spread his wings when suddenly the little Stealer pounced onto his back, holding fast! “Wh-what are you doing!”

“You said that you’d help me!”

“Banishment takes priority here,” Pterano replied hotly. “Now, let go!”

“No! You promised! Please, sir!” The desperate tone in the little one's voice might had softened Pterano’s resolve if he wasn’t already seriously miffed about the earlier trick. But he didn’t take off; with his luck, the little fellow would slip off and Pterano would never forgive himself.

“All right, fine! I promise, but you have to stop yelling. And don’t jump me like that: if I can’t fly, you won’t have help, now will you?”

The Egg Stealer mumbled in agreement but didn’t slide off. With a heavy scoff, Pterano added. “Now, I’ll try to get you as close to the Valley as I can, but I can’t actually get you in.”
Slowly, the little Stealer slipped back to the ground. “Maybe they won’t be in the Valley, then. And you won’t get in trouble for helping me!”

Don’t bet on it, Pterano reflected sourly. He glanced up at the Night Circle for strength, before looking back down at the young charge. “Before we start, do you have a name?”

“Taylen, sir! Yours?”

“Pterano,” the flyer spread his wings and nodded off towards the distance, heading west, beyond the dry plains. “That’s our way. Can you travel by night?”

Taylen nodded so vigorously Pterano wondered if he scrambled the rest of his brains. He smiled and lifted off, flying low. “Best keep up then, lad.”

Chapter Text

Pterano wasn’t as far as he thought from the Valley: perhaps he was always trying to keep its location in mind just in case – in case of what? Not like I can just return anytime. Truthfully, he was hesitant to travel too far away in the event he couldn't find his way back again. Little by little he branched out his travels just enough to feel the effects of his solitude, but he was never fully gone in that sense.

That being said, he had made good progress in flying away from the prize he sought to return to. He ran over calculations as he and Taylen made their way through the night. If the little one could stand it, Pterano could see them returning to the rocky outskirts in a few days time, but again, that was thinking in flyer terms. He sighed. Thinking like a grounder was tougher than expected. It made him all the more grateful to have wings.

So grateful that he nearly didn’t notice Taylen’s sluggish pace until he’d overshot the little lad by a few meters. Breaking out of his thoughts and banking sharply to turn, Pterano looked back quizzically. They’d passed the night with various small and big talk, the first question out of the youngster’s beak was of course regarding the banishment, a line of questioning the flyer immediately shut down. As much as Pterano didn’t want to admit it, the little Stealer was a tough egg; keeping pace with an older and experienced flyer was no small feat, and Taylen hadn’t once complained.

“Er, sir?” Until now it seemed. The poor thing looked like he was on his literal last legs.

Pterano glided back over to touch down. It was nearly dawn already and the scrubland was giving way to grassy fields before the mountain ranges took over. And somewhere in those distant mountain peaks nestled the Valley. “You’re tired,” it wasn’t a question.

Taylen shook his head but the sleepy blinking gave him away. “Nah, I can keep goin'. But maybe you need a rest? You’ve been flyin' all night, after all.”

Pterano raised a brow at the childlike pragmatism. Was Taylen trying to look out for him? Either way, he shook his crested head. “I’ve had a lifetime of practice flying through the night, lad. But I suspect you haven’t, correct?” He took stock of their surroundings, not particularly liking how exposed they were. They hadn’t had any close encounters, mostly just some curious crawlers and sliders, and far-off shapes lumbering through the dark. But Pterano didn’t know how long that luck would hold. And besides, Taylen was still young. Realizing what that meant he had to do, the flyer asked. “Taylen? How heavy are you?”

The Egg Stealer flashed the big flyer a doubtful frown. “Um, I dunno. Not very, I think.”

“Can you give me an estimate?”

“Wha's that mean?”

“Something that's about as heavy as you are,”

Taylen yawned as he focused on the flyer's query, scrunching his face and sticking his tongue out in thought. “Um, I’m really not heavy...” he looked around. “Not as heavy as that rock there,” he pointed. A massive boulder met Pterano's eyes.

The flyer sighed as he turned and bent. “Hop on, then. And hold on tight.”

"Sir? Are you gonna carry me?"

"Well, I can't just leave you staggering behind, can I?" Came the rather snippy response.

Thankfully, Taylen climbed up rather than jumped on Pterano's back. The flyer grunted as he spread his wings and flapped into the air. Taylen was about as heavy as a nest full of eggs – really, the flyer was surprised at how light he was. The Egg-Stealer dutifully held on but once they lifted off the ground, he was suddenly very wide awake. “G-great nest-egg!” He croaked. “We-we're in the sky!” He risked a glance downwards at the slowly increasing height and yelped again, planting his feet against the flyer's back and flinging both arms around his neck!

Pterano's breath caught mid-flap and he quickly leveled his wings before they locked up. They were nowhere near the real height he was used to, but for a grounder he supposed even a couple of meters was probably too high! He tried talking Taylen calm again. "Now now, steady there, lad. You're fine, we're not even that high up!" Taylen was too busy cringing in terror and if anything his hold tightened. For all that his arms resembled twigs, Pterano quickly found that he was gasping for breath on the wing. Bucking against the young lad was out of the question but he couldn't keep on like this. He banked then and dropped less than gracefully back on terra firma with a wheeze. "Taylen?"

Taylen answered with a shiver and whimper. Pterano was struck by just how scared the youngster was. it hadn't been that long ago he'd ferried another grounder on his back with little to no hassle. He doubted little Ducky had ever flown before, but she had been remarkably at ease during their short flight back from Threehorn Peak, chattering away with his nephew Petrie. He glanced over his shoulder to see the youngster arched into a frightened ball between his shoulders. Pterano wasn't exactly sure what to make of this - it seemed the most logical step to carry him and fly on.

Sensing the stillness, Taylen loosed his constrictive hold and carefully peeped one eerie yellow eye out. “Er, 'ave we landed, then?"

"We've barely taken off," Pterano replied, subtly. "My boy, are you... I'm guessing that was... you've never flown before?"

Taylen blinked rapidly. "I-I tried to be brave, honest I did! B-but then you started goin' up, and I got scared." His little face was pinched like he was trying not to cry.

Great ditch! Not the tears, again! The great flyer nodded quickly. "No no, you did fine! I-I, it was my fault," what? Who was he to throw around the word "fault" so easily? "I should have asked, I-I'm sorry." Now he was sorry? "You're tired, and I'm more than capable of carrying you, at least until we're out of the plains. Look ahead there," He threw in a helpful point. "See that green in the distance? Those are grasslands. We're almost out of the dry plains,” Pterano sent a smile of encouragement back.

Taylen squinted in the growing light, but he nodded. "I-I think I can try again. I'll be real brave this time." He settled his claws back around Pterano's shoulders, mindful of his neck this time. "Sorry again, sir."

The flyer shook his crested head. "You don't need to be, and don't worry dear boy. I've been flying since I hatched." A quick wink, and Pterano once again spread his wings, steadier this time as he gave a gentle leap and his wings caught the updraft. He stayed low, feeling the prickle of Taylen's claws digging in ever so slightly. But it wasn't long before the little Egg Stealer was snuggled against the flyer's shoulder blades in a dead snooze.

To Pterano it was a short flight. Coasting to a gentle stop in the grasslands sometime after dawn, he was reassured to see the small forest outcropping he remembered passing by some days earlier. It was on a slightly raised plateau and surrounded by young saplings growing in dense patches, so larger predators kept well clear of it. Keeping mindful of Taylen still sound asleep on his back, the flyer bent low to the ground and gently slid the youngster down his wing to the soft, grassy ground: an elegant movement, and quite effective as well. Taylen remained asleep. Pterano settled himself against a nearby rock with a small sigh, gaze sweeping the area. Various buzzers and colorful flappers charmed the air and once or twice little sliders slipped out of sight under small rocks. He felt his eyelids droop. Right now, there was nothing to be worried about: a warm breeze circled lazily, and sky puffs lagged overhead. His eyes snapped open. Nothing to worry about, indeed! What was he going to do?

Sleepless thoughts somersaulted back into his brain as the flyer dropped his crested head into his talons with an agitated sound. I can’t just leave the lad alone, he's much too young! But I can’t exactly go back to the Great Valley, either. Maybe once upon a time he would had thumbed his beak at such a restriction. But not this time. This time the limit had been reached - perhaps it had been reached a long time ago and only now he was feeling its effects. He couldn't go back this time, not yet. But maybe be didn't have to? Maybe I'll get lucky – maybe his brothers won't be in the valley. As to where else they could be, Pterano hadn't the foggiest. But if he had a surplus of anything right now, it was time.

He glanced over at the small shape of Taylen nestled in the grass, dead to the world in his slumber. A brief smile touched the flyer's beak as once again he closed his eyes. Yes, he had plenty of time now, and what better use of that time than proving he could do right by someone in need? He would heed his banishment, deliver on his promise to help, he would do it all! He fell asleep to the gentle sounds of a breeze and the light snores coming from his companion.

----------

Pterano came to with an uneasy sense - call it a flyer's intuition. Something wasn't wrong persay, but it was off. Opening his eyes, he gave a loud squawk of surprise as a small face with two pale yellow eyes appeared right in front of him, causing him to slide off the rock! Taylen jumped back a good few feet, tail raised in alarm. Slapping a talon over his heart, Pterano struggled to his feet. "Taylen! WH-what was the meaning of that, you scared the living daylights out of me!"

The young Egg Stealer didn't recognize anger in the older flyer's tone, but he still lingered back out of respect, as well as slight bashfulness. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to wake you! But see, I just woke up, and the sky was all dark. Ya see?"

Getting over his momentary brush with death by shock, Pterano stood, calmed his breathing and took stock of the situation. The sky had indeed clouded over considerably, and the gentle breeze from before had picked up and turned chilly, which meant one thing: sky water. Mood souring, the flyer folded his wings with a sigh. "Not much to be done about the weather. Flying in sky water isn't a wise choice."

"So we're stuck here, then?" Taylen didn't bother keeping the whine out of his tone If anything, Pterano found it rather amusing.

"'Fraid so, son." He nodded his crested head in a vague direction as he was suddenly aware of his empty stomach. "Why don't you grab us something to eat before the storm starts?"

Taylen was off like a flash, the mention of food obviously cancelling out his previous attitude, but Pterano hold it against the youngster. He half watched as the little dinosaur popped up and down amid the grass, snatching up tasties here and there quick as his little legs and arms allowed, while also searching for something - anything, an alcove, a tree, a large bush, to shelter them from the storm. His answer lay in a natural sort of rocky lean-to where the saplings grew sparse, some meters up the plateau - perfect! The two dinosaurs sought shelter just as the first few fat raindrops splattered down.

Pterano had never been good about tracking weather - being a flyer meant shortcuts, and he was all about shortcuts - except for storms. Death by lightning was an unfortunate and very real danger to any flyers dumb enough to test their mettle against sky fire. Pterano was many things, but stupid wasn't one of them. He watched the storm as he and Taylen shared a small meal of sweet grass, ground stars, and tree fuzz. Despite not being a huge fan, he could appreciate the ambiance given he had some protection. Taylen didn't seem too bothered by the storm, to Pterano's mild surprise. He half expected the little dinosaur to be cowering further under the lean-to.

"My brother Strut likes storms," the statement came out of nowhere and around a mouthful of tree fuzz. Pterano quirked a brow at the youngster.

"Does he, now?"

"He doesn't even jump when the sky makes noise. Ozzy hates 'em though. Says things change when sky fire hits, like they disappear or somethin'."

Pterano nodded thoughtfully as he speared another ground star. He had only popped it in his beak when Taylen spoke again.

"So, how long 'til we reach the Great Valley?"

Through tremendous effort, Pterano managed not to choke on the morsel as his eyes roved everywhere around the shelter save for the young one's earnest face. Pterano wasn't about to admit he was afraid of a mere child, but if he was Taylen and his eyes would be on that list. "Er, well... we've still quite a ways to go, lad. But we've kept good pace, just as long as we keep track of our bearings." It was the best non-answer he could think of, but Taylen's gaze felt red-hot. "In truth, I can't say exactly. But we'll get there."

Taylen nodded and went back to his tree fuzz, pretending not to notice the older flyer's agitation. He still felt a little bad for scaring him awake earlier, and sensed bringing up the Great Valley more than necessary would only add to his stress. Taylen was no stranger to stress - his Dad was always stressed and he in turn passed that onto Mum, which in turn got Ozzy all worked up. Strut was terribly good at staying out of confrontations, but even he fell victim to the worries of tomorrow when nothing could be solved today. That was the whole reason his brothers had gone out, to search for a home where no one had to worry or stress. But when they hadn't come back, Taylen was stressed himself, but instead of wallowing in it like his parents, he decided to do something about it. As he watched Pterano, the little dinosaur made another decision: he'd keep an eye out for this flyer who had given him help when he didn't have to; he'd make sure Pterano didn't stress about getting into trouble.

Chapter Text

At that moment, far beyond the Walls of the Great Valley in a little red-rock glen, a mother sickleclaw was tending to her nest. She was a large, striking sharptooth with a dull scarlet hide and yellow pinpricking stripes down her back. The bony crests on either side of her head, apparent to her species, were colored a deep, burnt orange. Her gold, slit eyes regarded the circle of twigs, brittle bones and dried grass at her feet.

With one foot, she rearranged the oblong, milky-colored orbs and gently kicked more of the dried grass over them to keep them warm. She had been in this glen for weeks now, ever since she started laying, and her mate’s presence here was infrequent as he was out hunting a good deal of the time. The longer, deadly talons on her toes glinted as she turned towards the entrance of the glen and caught the Bright Circle’s rays.

A cautious hoot announced the return of her mate and he slowly entered the glen, bringing a slain runner in his jaws. He was more colorful than the female; his flanks were streaked with shades of lime green and his eye crests were bigger. His mate chirped happily as she rushed to greet him, nuzzling his neck and licking his snout. The male relished this kind of attention until he remembered the prize hanging from his clenched teeth. He dropped the dead dinosaur to the ground, bobbing his head towards it, indicating that his mate eat first.

The female tilted her head, confused. Usually, her mate would find something they could share. The runner was big enough for at least a small meal; something to tide them over until the next hunt. She shook her head and made a series of small, worried grunts.

Her mate looked rather embarrassed as he answered in the sharptooth language: “Almost caught a young swimmer, but it saw me before I got too close.” He sounded frustrated. His mate smiled empathetically and bumped her nose against his as a way of saying she wasn't annoyed.

However, just then, the male stiffened. His legs went rigid as he rose up on tip-toe to sniff the air. A low growl escaped his throat as he turned to his mate. “Something’s out there, I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll go, you were just out,” his mate suggested, catching his arm.

The male grunted uncertainly, knowing his mate should stay with the eggs. “You stay here.” He replied flatly, and went to investigate.

As the female’s back was turned, a pair of glinting amber eyes appeared from a dense bush which overhung the nest. From the eyes, a beaked snout and long, slim neck stretched slowly out from cover, keeping a watchful eye on the mother sickleclaw. It was a male Egg-Stealer, paler in coloration than most others of his species, but slightly bigger and with a more pronounced profile. He snuck forwards in, one arm reaching longingly for one of the morsels when all at once there came a stifled cry of surprise from back in the bush. The Egg-Stealer froze, eyes wide as his head snapped behind him and then towards the female sickleclaw who, hearing the noise, whirled around.

The Egg-Stealer froze, his arm mid-reach for the nest. He hesitantly pulled it back in, slowly sliding back into the bush the way he came, a lame smile on his face. “Sorry 'bout all this, continue with your business, don’t mind meeAAGH!”

Like lightning, the female sickleclaw sprang forward, talons splayed, needle-sharp teeth bared in a blood-curdling screech of rage.

“…!” The Egg-Stealer about-faced and dove back into the bush where he faced another of his species – another male with a darker hide and yellow eyes. He looked up at his pale companion who crashed through the thicket, wide-eyed with fear. “Change of plans!” He sputtered. “Run!”

The darker one, slightly slower, peered over his companion’s shoulder to see the mother sickleclaw try to claw her way through the foliage. He gasped. “O-oh, right!” He complied, struggling to his feet.

The pale one sent him stumbling forwards with a violent push. “Move!” He barked.

“Move where? We’re trapped!” The dark one complained. He yelped as a clawed hand snagged his tail and the pale Egg-Stealer jabbed an index towards the red cliffs.

“Climb!” He hissed urgently. The dark one scrambled up the steep sides of the glen, followed close behind by his companion. The two left the thicket in the nick of time as the female sickleclaw burst through the thickets, growling and clawing at the two retreating dinosaurs. She let out a warning series of hoots and then finally turned back to tend to her eggs.

The two Egg-Stealers, safely at the top pathways overlooking the glen, stopped to catch their breath after their momentary panic. The darker one peered back down to glimpse the sickleclaw, whose mate had just returned. He gulped loudly and turned to his companion. “Hey, Ozzy?” He murmured.

Ozzy whipped his head around, fixing the dark one with a withering stare. “You… idiot!” He panted. “I was this close!” He measured the distance with two of his claws. “Why did you scream!?”

The dark one gulped again, eyes darting about wildly, like he wanted to hide under the first rock he found. “I-I… stepped on a… ground prickly.”

Ozzy stalked up to his companion, boring down on him. “A ground prickly,” he hissed. “Maybe you should have thought to yourself that stepping on a ground prickly is a hundred times more pleasant than what Ozzy’ll do to you when he finds out you spoiled our lunch!” he raised his claw to land a sharp clout but withdrew at the last moment, as if thinking better.

The dark one shrank back to avoid the blow, but when none came, he cautiously looked up. Ozzy appeared suddenly older and tired as he sighed and folded his arms over his narrow chest. He continued in a much softer, though strained voice. “Look, Strut, brother… I’m just… hungry.” He mumbled an apology. “This is bordering on ridiculous; we haven’t had anything to eat for the past three days now.”

Strut slowly straightened and nodded. “Yeah,” he agreed.

Ozzy continued. “I mean, it wasn’t so bad back in the valley – remember? – despite our rough start, but at least there was food all around.” He suddenly frowned. “But then those… those little –” he broke off before he could say another word and growled deep in his throat.

Strut rolled his eyes, knowing exactly who his brother was talking about. “Oz, I thought you said you were over it. After all, they didn’t really ruin our meals, we… we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He tried to chuckle, but it was forced. In good light, the two appeared quite undernourished – ribs stuck out slightly through their hides and were even more noticeable when they breathed, Ozzy’s severe face was slightly broken by his narrow cheekbones, and both had dark circles under their eyes.

Ozzy gave an unwilling shrug. “I, well… okay fine, they didn’t.” He harrumphed and looked away. “But I need to blame somebody,”

“Well, then,” Strut replied primly, claws stuck on his hips. “Blame yourself. If you hadn’t called so much attention to us that first night, we wouldn’t have had to high-tail it out here to eat! And,” he stepped forward. “Those little buggers wouldn’t have chased after us, started a rock-slide, make us lose the egg and then -!”

Ozzy snarled as he faced his brother. “Okay, MUM! I get it!” He broke off his brief tirade when he realized just what he'd said. And looking at his brother's slowly morphing expression made it worse.

Strut’s yellow eyes glistening slightly. “...Wonder how… Mum and Dad…” he sighed, mourfully. “I miss home, Oz. I really miss home.”

It was Ozzy’s turn to sigh as he turned, gesturing or his brother to follow. “Me too. But we’ll get home, brother.”

“When?”

Ozzy grumped. “As soon as we find another, safer place to live, the entire bloody reason we came out here in the first place!”

Strut bit the edge of his beak, figuring he should probably be quiet for a while now and let Ozzy stew. He'd lost track of the time they spent out here, but knew it hadn't been a full cycle - not even a cold time had passed after all. He often wondered about things in the so-called Mysterious Beyond (not so mysterious now that he and Ozzy had made their living since narrowly escaping two very irate adult sharpteeth), such as how everyone was doing back home. Mum had just hatched a new clutch of eggs, only one of which made it in the poor conditions: a sprightly little male she'd named Taylen. The survival of one had taken a worrisome toll on their little family and not long after - despite how much Mum had protested and little Taylen wouldn't stop asking concerned question after question - he and Ozzy set off to do right by their family. After all, they were the oldest of the previous clutch and the only ones who had made it into adulthood.

Strut continued to follow his brother, something he'd done since the two were very little. Ozzy always had a plan, was always prepared, and Strut was the follower. And he hadn't minded so much up until he and Ozzy set off on their own. Maybe it was stress or maybe something else, but something shifted in his brother that caused him to be more snappish and rude. Sure, as brothers it was normal to rag on each other and exchange names, but things had gradually taken a turn for the worse, and no matter what Strut did, it felt like he'd never be enough. He shook his head. He hated thinking like this, it made his head hurt. Not for the first time, he wished things could return to normal: he and Ozzy had succeeded in their journey and found a lush paradise, and no one would worry ever again!

At any rate, the dust kicked up by their progress made it hard not to focus on reality and Strut found himself glumly sweeping across the crags, ditches, and hills of the Mysterious Beyond.

Chapter Text

The Great Circle was already high in the sky and the day looked to progress as it normally did for the Gang. They were sitting around in the Tall Trees, lounging in the warmer weather as they tried to come up with a game or something else to do but so far nothing had stuck. Farwalkers had steadily been coming through the Valley, but now on the cusp of the changing seasons, visitors had all but dissipated. It was almost cozy in a way. After all the hustle and hubbub, it felt nice to just sit and do nothing. It didn't last too long as Ruby eventually suggested that they go and hunt for more sky-color stones, which earned her a challenging smirk from Cera.

"You still think you can find more stones than me, Ruby? I told you, I'm the best sky-color stone-finder there is!"

The pink fast runner shook her head very matter-of-factly. "No, Cera. Remember? Ducky found more because we didn't find very many." She looked at Ducky, sitting atop Spike's head.

The little swimmer nodded happily. "I did-ed find more stones than you, yes, yes, yes, I did!" She giggled.

Littlefoot shook his head good-naturedly as he watched his friends argue. Times like this the little longneck was just content to let the day be as it were, surrounded by friends. He glanced across the assembled Gang: from Cera and Ruby off to the right continuing their friendly one-ups, to Chomper sitting in the grass, pondering if he should say something or let the two girls have at it. To his left, Petrie was laid serenely on the ground beside Spike, and Ducky was watching everything with a smile. He was just about to suggest a game of Swimmer and Splasher in the fast water when all at once there came a low rumble. All noise ceased from the Gang in the Tall Trees as they listened. It was a deep, foreboding sound and was steadily growing louder.

Littlefoot's head snapped up. One look from everyone else and he knew what it was. Earthshake! He cried. "Run!" His friends didn't need to be told twice. They bolted out of the Trees and split up, each to run to their own family or area. The rumbling got louder and the ground started to buckle and jump. Littlefoot yelped as he lost his footing. His whole world was vibrating. Behind him, he heard trees splintering as they broke from their root support and crash to the ground, and mighty boulders that even Grandpa Longneck couldn't move cracked and crumbled. The surrounding Great Walls appeared to sway and off in the distance, the Smoking Mountains belched out angry clouds of smoke. Littlefoot stared, frozen at the sight. This was unlike anything he had seen before. He'd never felt and earthshake like this before!

Struggling to his feet despite the rumbling ground, he took off at a sprint to find his grandparents in their cove. Grandma and Grandpa Longneck were slowly but steadily making their way there as well when Littlefoot ran into them, literally, as the ground shot up from beneath him and launched him into the air. He slid into his Grandpa's ankle and skidded to a stop, ducking his head down and waiting for it to cease. Grandma and Grandpa braced themselves as the earthshake reached its climax, roared and then...

... Stopped.

It was like a breath was held, a collective inhale from everyone in the valley, the tentative calm after a storm. Littlefoot cautiously poked his head out from behind his grandfather’s ankle, peering at his surroundings. Nothing was actively shaking or being crumbled or crushed, nothing was sliding down slopes and nothing was jouncing up and down like a bunch of nervous hoppers. The earthshake was over.

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck sighed in relief as they realized the danger was past. Littlefoot stepped out from under them and looked off in the direction of the Smoking Mountains. The smoke that had been spewing from the gurgling pits before had choked off, almost as if nothing had happened. Littlefoot didn’t like it.

“That was a close one,” Grandpa remarked gravely. “Thank goodness it’s over now.”

Grandma sounded worried. “But earthshakes in the Valley have never been that serious, dear.”

Grandpa agreed. “I know. We had better go and see if anyone needs our help. Come, Littlefoot.”

Littlefoot followed anxiously after his grandparents as they lumbered out of the cove. They met up first with Topps and Tria. Topps harrumphed in his characteristic manner as he shook off some debris that had settled on his back. “How’d you make out, Longneck?”

Grandpa nodded. “We go to safety just in time, but I’m worried that there may have been those less fortunate.”

Cera and Tricia in the meantime had run over to Littlefoot. Little Tricia was shaking with fear over what had just occurred and Cera was trying her best to calm her. “I didn’t think earthshakes were supposed to happen in the Great Valley!” She scowled as she tended to her little sister. "C'mon Tricia, it's okay. We're safe, now."

Tricia uttered in fervent disagreement, “No.” It was her current favorite word and it drove Cera absolutely crazy!

Littlefoot stepped up, smiling sympathetically. He knew how scary earthshakes could be – he was scared of them even now – and could only imagine how it felt for a little one like Tricia. “Cera’s right, Tricia. The earthshake is over and everything is back to normal.” He hoped he was convincing himself, too.

Tricia didn’t budge from her tiny resolve. Instead, she ducked behind Tria just as Topps and Grandpa Longneck went off to make sure everyone else made it safely through.

Littlefoot looked up at his grandmother. “Grandma? Can I go and look for my friends? I want to make sure they’re safe, too.”

Grandma nodded and smiled. “I think that’s an excellent idea, Littlefoot. I’ll come with you.”

Tria spoke up, nuzzling Tricia. “The girls and I'll tag along. Tricia sweetie, everything’s okay.” She cooed softly. Cera just grumbled. Littlefoot knew her well enough by now to see that the threehorn was as shaken up as the rest of them, but her famous stubbornness refused to let her show it.

Unbeknownst to the Great Valley inhabitants, the rock wall, which was used to block up the entrance to the Mysterious Beyond, had been severely weakened by the violent earthshake. In fact, it was already starting to slip from its foundation; not all at once, but pebbles and small rocks rolled down off the surface, followed by a large boulder, and then another and another. In a matter of minutes, a great deal of the wall had collapsed, leaving a pathetically-small pile of rubble. This event wouldn't have been so alarming had a large pack of fast biters not been stalking around the Valley’s borders. When the intoxicating smell of Leaf-Eater met their sniffers and overwhelmed their senses however, they made straight for the entryway, alert and hungry.

----------

The first stop Littlefoot, Cera, Tricia, Tria and Grandma Longneck made was Ducky's swimming hole. Mama Swimmer was already out, assessing the damage done around their cave and hole. She looked up at the approaching dinosaurs and smiled.

“Oh good, you're alright. Tyrone already went out with Topps and Mr. Longneck. I hope everyone else made it okay.”

Ducky, seeing her friends, skipped over. “I thought there were no earthshakes in the Great Valley, no no no.” She stated worriedly.

Littlefoot lowered his head for Ducky to climb on. “I thought so too, Ducky. But, well things happen. Right Grandma?”

Grandma Longneck nodded. “Littlefoot, why don't you and the children go and play? The grownups will take care of this. Just promise me you'll stay close by.”

The children promised and, waiting on Spike to catch up, took off at a run to Petrie's nest. Littlefoot hoped that the flyers hadn't suffered much damage to their new home. Only a few days before, during the Days of Rising Waters, Mama Flyer was forced to evacuate her family from their old nest when running mud destroyed it. Petrie's new home was situated in a little cave at the top of a cliff, and the gang knew how reluctant the little flyer was at first to have to move. Now it seemed he was quite attached to the cave, and no one was sure how he or his family would handle another move in less than a week if it came to that.

Upon reaching the cave, Petrie and his family were outside their nest, clearing the shelf where they lived of small pebbles and rocks that had scattered across it. No one was hurt and nothing was damaged. Littlefoot sighed in relief.

Petrie flapped up to his friends and squawked, “You feel that big earthshake? And see big cloud of smoke? Petrie think it never end, but it did!” He waved his little wings wildly.

Cera snorted. “Well, of course we felt it Petrie, we all live in the valley, don't we?”

Littlefoot turned his attention to Mama Flyer. “Would you like any help, Mrs. Flyer?”

Mama Flyer shook her head. “No, no. We're fine, Littlefoot, thank you. Why don't you take Petrie out to play?”

Petrie whooped and flapped to land on Cera's back. “Maybe we go see who else need help. Where Chomper and Ruby?”

“We're going to check on them right n-” Littlefoot froze in mid-sentence as he turned to leave. Petrie's home faced the Great Wall, where the main entrance was to the Mysterious Beyond, only now there was no wall. And as he watched in horror, he noticed several fast biters leaping over the pitiful remains of the rock wall and enter the Valley!

“Guys!” he shouted. “Fast biters in the Valley! We have to warn the grownups!” He dashed back down the hill, calling out. “Fast biters in the Valley! Grandma, Grandpa! Help!”

Cera was at his heels, bewildered. “What's the matter, Littlefoot? What fast biters? I don't see anything.”

Littlefoot kept his eyes straight ahead as he answered. “I saw them jump over the Rock Wall, and -”

“The Rock Wall?” Cera sputtered. “Littlefoot, no sharptooth - let alone a fastbiter - could cross over that Wall! It's too high!”

“It isn't now,” Littlefoot argued. “The earthshake must have knocked it down, and we have to warn the grownups before too many get in!” He put on an extra burst of speed and the gang followed suit, passing confused herds out in the fields, cleaning up debris that had fallen. Littlefoot looked earnestly for his grandparents' faces. Where had Grandpa gone? Was Grandma still back at the swimmer's hole. He was rewarded by the sight of his Grandfather, Topps, and Ducky's father, Tyrone, making their way towards them from the direction of the Fast Waters.

“Littlefoot, what is it?” Grandpa asked, concerned. Littlefoot and the gang skidded to a stop before they rammed into the grownups. Ducky, still riding atop Littlefoot's head, broke in to explain so Littlefoot and Cera could catch their breaths.

“Daddy, Littlefoot saw fast biters coming into the Valley, he did, he did,” But before he or anyone could put a word in edgewise, all at once, there came the sound of panicked screams and shouts of alarm.

Grandpa Longneck raised his head and squinted in the direction of the cries. “Oh no,” he breathed. “Children, get to safety. We'll handle this.”

The three grownups dashed over, running into several dinosaurs sprinting from the opposite direction. Littlefoot could soon hear the awful screeching cries of the fast biters. He backed up, nodding at his friends. “Come on, guys,” he said, nodding towards the direction of their secret place. “Let's go!”

The gang followed him, all except Petrie, who flapped up into the air and cried, “Wait, what about Chomper and Ruby? Where- where they at?”

All around them, dinosaurs were either running towards the direction of the fast biters to force them out or retreating to safety. The longneck dodged the running feet of various dinosaurs, but managed to take off in the direction of Ruby and Chomper's cave. “Follow me, guys!” he called.

Ironically, at that moment, a few fast biters appeared, leaping into the air, claws splayed and barking with glee. The Gang screamed as one landed in front of them, saliva dripping from its open jaws. Behind him, Littlefoot saw another one land. They were trapped.

Chapter Text

The fast biters gnashed their teeth and hissed as they moved in closer, forcing the Gang into a tight circle. Littlefoot's mind was racing. How could they escape? These sharpteeth would surely snap them up if they moved to run past them. Petrie, clinging onto Littlefoot's neck, whispered in a thin, frightened voice.

“W-what we do, now? Littlefoot, you have plan?”

Before Littlefoot could answer, a dark shadow passed over the quarried Gang and the next moment, both fast biters were knocked into the air by… Tria and Grandma Longneck!

“That’ll teach you to come near our children!” Grandma bellowed, louder than Littlefoot had ever heard. Tria shook her frilled head after bashing into the lead fast biter.

“Don’t hurry back!” She called after the dazed sharpteeth as they got to their feet and hobbled quickly away.

“Grandma!” Littlefoot rushed to his grandmother. “You saved us! That was amazing!”

Grandma Longneck smiled. “We heard about fast biters getting into the Valley and decided to come and find you children before things got too messy.”

“And I’d glad we did,” Tria mused, nuzzling Cera. “Looks like we arrived in the nick of time.”

“Oh, yes, you did, you did. You saved-ed us, Tria and Mrs. Longneck, thank you so-so much!” Ducky laughed happily. Spike burbled in agreement.

“But where are the rest of the fast biters?” Cera asked. Tria looked in the direction the sharpteeth had run off in with a frown.

“From the sound of things, I’d say that the grown-ups driving them off, but this really isn’t the safest place for you children to be right now.”

Grandma nodded. “Come with us, children.” She turned to lead the way farther into the valley, away from danger. Littlefoot stayed close beside his grandmother. He needed to tell her what he had seen.
“Grandma, that earthshake weakened the Main Entrance Wall. That’s how the fast biters got in,”

Grandma Longneck didn’t answer right away, but Littlefoot knew how her expression twisted into worry without directly seeing her. “Oh, my! If the earthshake was strong enough to collapse the Main Wall, then it would certainly have opened up new crevices for fast biters to come through.”

----------

“Littlefoot, why don’t you tell everyone what you saw?” Grandpa Longneck asked of Littlefoot. It was slightly later in the day and many of the grownups had assembled in the Stone Arch of the meeting place. Those that weren’t present were watching the remains of the Rock Wall and scouting out other problem areas to ensure no more sharpteeth came through.

Littlefoot took a deep breath. “Well, my friends and I went up to Petrie’s new home to see if they made out all right. I, well, I looked over at the Rock Wall and saw that it had collapsed and several fast biters had entered the Valley.”

Topps huffed, impatiently. “Well, if that’s it, then what are we waiting for? Let’s go and build it back up!”

"Wait, Mr. Threehorn," Grandma spoke up. “If the Rock Wall suffered that much damage, then that means other entrances to the Mysterious Beyond around the Valley fell as well. We should build those up before we work on the Main Entrance.”

Topps frowned, not pleased at having his plan of action put last. "Why would we do that? In all the time it would take for us to build up every nook and cranny made by that earthshake, the sharpteeth could just waltz on in here and no one'd be the wiser!" He pawed at the ground.

Grandpa Longneck stepped in to the aid of his mate. "Please, friends, let's not turn this into another debate." He looked at Topps. "I agree that the Main Entrance will have to be repaired, but Grandma has a point. A fastbiter could just as easily enter through one of those as it could the Rock Wall."

"But once they find they can't get through the Wall," Tyrone remarked, standing by Mama Swimmer. "They'll come looking for other places to get in by. Couldn't we set up scout parties to search for those smaller openings and close them up?"

"But how will we do that when we're trying to rebuild a wall?" Topps spat. Tyrone rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean, Tyrone?" Grandpa asked, patiently.

"What I'm trying to say is why not have the younger members of the valley search for those hidden entrances - as they'll be most likely to find them - while us grown-ups rebuild."

Grandpa thought for a moment and then turned to his grandson. "Littlefoot, do you think you and your friends would be able to find anything like that?"

Littlefoot answered cautiously, wondering if he should mention that Chomper and Ruby's cave was rife with such entrances. "I think so. We know about a lot of the tunnels leading there and we can close them up."

Grandma asked, worriedly. "Littlefoot, can you promise me you won't go off on another adventure during all this? It would be too dangerous."

The little longneck figured it would come to this, but since nothing was happening that required him to go into the Mysterious Beyond, he figured there was no harm in making a promise to stay safe. It would put his grandparents at ease while they dealt with the Wall. He nodded.

"Okay, I promise, Grandma."

----------

Chomper and Ruby’s cave was nestled into the northwest side of the Great Wall; in fact, quite near the Rock Wall Entrance to the Mysterious Beyond. It was partially obscured from view by tall fronds and the fact that the entrance was rather lopsided and didn’t really look like an entrance at all. Despite the unpredictable exterior, the inside of the cave was adjacent to numerous tunnels that all led to the Mysterious Beyond. Ruby and Chomper both agreed that a home like this would help them in their mission to find out more about Red-Claw, the tyrant sharptooth that was the new scourge of the Beyond; and how they would stop him.

When the earthshake hit, Ruby and Chomper dashed for the safety of their home, sliding through the entrance just in time before it was blocked off by a falling cave spike. Ruby shielded Chomper as she pushed him farther back into the cave where the cave spikes were fewer and the walls were sturdier; she knew that back here the cave could withhold immense force – force that would leave the front of their cave crumbling.

Upon reaching the rear of the cave, the two stopped, covering their ears from the terrific rumbling and trying to keep their balance on the unsteady, shaking ground. Before Ruby could tell Chomper to follow her to the absolute back corner to wait out, things ground to an eventual stop.

That was before the few cave spikes cracked above their heads and rained down in an angry torrent to the floor, trapping them off in this back cavern; from here, there was only one way to run before they came out to the Mysterious Beyond on the other side. But there was no time for second thoughts. Ruby and Chomper, pursued by the falling cave spikes and rolling boulders, scrambled to the final entryway at the west corner and hurriedly cleared away the stones set up to shield them from the roaming sharpteeth beyond.

With the obstacles cleared, and the debris not letting up, Ruby, caught between her better judgment and knowing there was no other way, shoved Chomper through the entry first before barreling out after him.

The two stood back as they waited for the dust to clear and the noise to settle. The roars and rumbles inside drew to a halt and there was silence from the inside of the cave. But there was a new problem – the rocks and boulders inside blocked Ruby and Chomper off from getting back inside their cave.

The pink fast runner sighed and hung her head. “Oh, we should not have done that. Now we are stuck because we cannot get back inside.” She looked up and around them. From far away, they could hear the strange cries of fast biters and other creatures that made this spooky place their home.

Chomper stared at the blocked-off entrance to their home and bit his lip. “Well,” he said, trying to cheer his friend up. “We can always find another way back in. There are ways all around the Great Valley that lead here.” He laid a claw on Ruby’s shoulder. “We’ll get back, you’ll see.”

Ruby looked at the little sharptooth, and then straightened and smiled. “You are right, Chomper – we’ll get back.” She looked up at the Bright Circle and her smile disappeared. “Soon, I hope.”

Chapter Text

Though the skyfire had stopped, the skywater hadn't. In fact, it turned into a steady deluge the longer Pterano and Taylen waited, which was both a blessing and a curse: for Pterano, who had all the time in the world, it mattered little that their journey was postponed, while Taylen was growing antsier by the minute, his foot tapping and little tail twitching. He glared at the curtain of rain outside their shelter, like a look alone would make it stop.

“Mr. Pterano, sir?” Taylen spoke a little louder, hoping his voice would carry over. “Do you know when the skywater will stop?”

“When it stops, lad. I’m sorry, but I don’t control the weather.”

Taylen sighed, not really knowing what else to expect. Maybe it was a silly question, but they were just sitting here, doing nothing! It was driving him crazy! He remembered one time when it had rained for several days, and on day two his father started pacing. Egg Stealers weren't exactly the best at staying put, not with their drive to be speedy. Taylen didn't know what impatience felt like until then, watching his family grow stir crazy as they waited out the storm. He just hoped this time didn't last as long as back then. He had a schedule to keep, Ozzy and Strut had to be found!

Pterano in the meantime felt the awkward silence settle. He wasn’t used to traveling with one barely two cold times in age, but he knew that was hardly a reasonable excuse. It wasn’t like he meant to be ornery, but one had to understand his position: going back to the Great Valley after being sentenced to five cold times from the Great Valley was practically like signing any hope he had for the future away. The flyer shook his head angrily. This wasn’t making him feel any better. Best not to think about it, remember? Just focus on getting the little one to his brothers in one piece. What happened to that? The sky water wasn’t helping in the slightest, either. He hadn't realized his claws were clenched into tight fists until he drew a sudden, deep breath to calm his racing thoughts. Tension ebbed but didn't flee, much to his chagrin.

Pterano's crested head tilted towards the sky much like Taylen was doing, though he wasn't exactly demanding it to stop. But sitting in his thoughts like this was slowly driving him crazy. He couldn't fly in this weather, even if there was no threat of skyfire. But maybe he didn't have to. Suppose he just got up?

Pterano steeled himself to say as professionally as possible. “I'll be right back, lad. Give me a moment.” He clambered to his feet before Taylen could reply and stepped into the shower, flinching as the chilly drops washed over him. He made it a good four or five paces out of the lean-to when he pivoted and stepped first to the right, and then to the left, slapping over the slick ground in his progress. Taylen was almost too surprised to comment as he watched form inside, but something about this behavior was both eerily similar and altogether new. Whatever it was was scaring the young dinosaur. Pterano was fuming, stalking through the rain like it personally offended him as his expression screwed into a scowl. At length, he stopped and slowly slumped to his knees, breathing deeply and letting the sky water course over him, trying to clear his jumbled, meaningless thoughts; trying not to scream.

Taylen gasped and called out. “Sir? Are you alright?”

Pterano squeezed his eyes shut, halting the sudden flow of hot, hopeless tears. He barely heard the timid question as once again his brain was practically overtaken by fearful ponderings running rampant and unchecked, adding to his admittedly fragile state as it was despite how much he tried to push back. You never listen and you never learn, they hissed. Nothing you do now will matter to anyone, no one will see this, this is solely for you to brag about later, but who will listen?

A small, comforting claw lightly rested on Pterano’s shoulder as a timid voice asked. “Are you okay?”

The stretch after Taylen's query was broken by Pterano’s choking breaths and the torrent still hailing from the sky. Taylen waited beside the flyer, claw still on his shoulder, biting the edge of his beak. He knew something was wrong, but wasn’t quite sure what. And he was also pretty sure Pterano was trying his hardest not to break down in front of him. With that thought in mind, Taylen frowned, stepped in front of the flyer and awkwardly moved in for a hug. Pterano was caught completely off guard as his head snapped up.

“What, what are you -?” He gruffed. Taylen didn’t answer; he just squeezed tighter, snout buried against Pterano’s neck ruff and over his chest where the big flyer's heart thrummed. Mind numbing with the shock, Pterano's thoughts finally silenced and he knelt there, little better than stunned. Hesitantly, he brought both arms up and placed them on Taylen’s back in a gentle return. The time he thought he had so much of seemed to altogether stop in the moment. The flyer found himself wondering when was the last time he'd been hugged, pleased to recall little Petrie's farewell embrace before he flew off for the last time.

No, not the last time. I will return. This will only be the last time I pay for my mistakes, I will be better! Hopeful, determined thoughts replaced the angry buzz from earlier and Pterano sighed softly, relieved to have found some respite in the unexpected actions of his odd little companion. At length, the sky water ceased to fall and the two were left drenched some meters from their shelter. Pterano released the little Egg-Stealer albeit a little reluctantly. “We’d best get a move on,” he remarked in a slightly husky tone.

Taylen lifted his long neck, staring at the big flyer with a mix of childlike scrutiny and care. “Do you feel better, sir? Did the hug help at all? It probably can't fix everything, but maybe it worked a little?”

Pterano smiled, a hint of bravado coming out as he replied. “It did, my boy. Thank you." He stood up, wincing as his joints popped back into place. The sky puffs had cleared up slightly to reveal a crisp midday. Pterano stretched his wings, shaking rain from them as he discerned their next move.

“Come along, Taylen, still have a ways to go.”

Taylen straightened with a business-like nod. “Righto. Sir? Pterano?”

Pterano glanced back down.

“Um, if… if you ever need another hug, just let me know.”

Pterano nodded graciously and turned his head forwards again before Taylen could see him smile.

----------

“Littlefoot, why are we running?” Ducky managed in-between the jounces caused by Spike’s lumbering gait. The Gang had broken away from the Meeting Arch before they could get caught up in another debate, although the grownups had wrapped matters up rather quickly this time.

Though he was in the lead, the longneck called back “We've got to see if Ruby and Chomper are okay!”

Petrie, flying alongside, had a chilling thought. “If they no meet up with us, maybe they trapped in cave and can’t get out. That what you think, Littlefoot?”

Littlefoot didn’t slow his pace any, but his expression told the flyer he had a similar fear. In fact, looking back at his friends, Petrie saw they'd all come to the same conclusion. His eyelids drooped suddenly, mid-flight, and he shook his head. He hadn’t gotten too much sleep the previous night, and in fact hadn’t had very many good sleeps since Pterano was banished, despite it nearly being the turn of the season. The little flyer was still sort of twisted up about it. On one hand, he fully understood why things had been done the way they were - Pterano had made a mistake and had hurt a lot of dinosaurs, but a big hole had opened up in Petrie’s heart that day, whether it was from his own sorrow at seeing the mysterious uncle he idolized so much be kicked out of the herd for the second time, or how Pterano tried to cheer him up as they shared a last hug goodbye.

The little flyer’s thoughts were interrupted as the Gang arrived at the blocked entrance of Ruby and Chomper’s cave. He hovered, thoughts of his uncle now turning towards thoughts of his friends' well-being. as he landed atop Littlefoot's back.

“Oh no,” the longneck breathed. He leaned against the large rock and shouted as loud as he could. “Ruby! Chomper? Are you guys okay?”

No reply. Cera huffed and pawed at the ground. “Hey,” she said flatly. “Move it,”

Littlefoot moved it. Cera snorted and dashed forward to hit the rock with successive force. A side of it splintered and crumbled, but it didn’t fall. The threehorn glared, backed up and charged again with a harsh squeal. This time, when her forehead connected with the stone, the whole rock shattered and the entrance opened up.

Cera shook her head to clear the dust off of it and turned back to her friends. “You coming?” Not waiting for a reply, she stepped in herself. Littlefoot followed, mentally cheering Cera’s literal hard-headedness. The threehorn was always one to take action, especially if it involved smashing things.

Inside, the Gang could barely see through the thin layer of dust that clouded the air. “Ruby? Chomper?” Littlefoot called again.

“Guys?” Cera chimed in, her tone dropping slightly to indicate her real worry.

Spike sent up a loud wordless shout and Ducky joined in. “Are you in here, Ruby and Chomper? Please, are you safe?”

Petrie didn’t say anything at first as he stared distractedly about the dusty cavern. Cera, noticing, asked. "You seeing something?"

Petrie quickly jumped back to reality to think of some convincing reassurance. He and Cera were close friends, but they were also pretty good at being rivals, and Petrie didn't exactly want to address what was troubling him right away for fear of teasing. He didn't think he could take it at this moment. “H-huh? What? Ohh… nothing. M-me fine. Really, honest!”

Cera gave one of her infamous squints. By now, Littlefoot had also stopped, and Spike sort of coasted to a halt behind him, blinking up at the little huddled flyer atop the longneck.

“What is the matter, Petrie?” Ducky asked, hopping off of Spike’s back and landing neatly on Littlefoot’s. She placed a gentle hand on Petrie’s back. “Do you need to talk to us? Do you?”

Spike made some sort of worried murmur as he nodded. Littlefoot turned his head around towards his passenger. “Is everything all right, Petrie?”

Petrie cleared his throat. “Me told you, me fine,”

Cera frowned speculatively. “What’s wrong, Petrie? You can tell us.”

Petrie looked up, a sad look on his beak. “No, me can’t. You all just laugh.”

Littlefoot was taken aback. “Petrie, you know we would never do that. You’re our friend and whatever you’ve got to say, I promise we'll listen.”

Ducky agreed. “You are my bestest friend, Petrie, and I don’t ever laugh at you, no, no, no. Only when you do something funny.”

Petrie looked out at the curious faces that surrounded him and sighed. “Okay,” he said slowly. “Me just… sad, that all.”

Even though the quiet part wasn't said out loud, Littlefoot had a feeling he knew what was eating the little flyer. “Is this about your uncle, Petrie?”

Cera rolled her eyes and snorted. “Petrie, he wasn’t sent away forever, you know!”

“You no know that!" Petrie argued in a thick voice. "He in the Mysterious Beyond where there sharptooths! He could no come back ever! You no know what it like. Me not see Uncle Pterano since me was a baby, and then he go away again, and me no know if me will ever see him again!” The flyer could feel hot tears well up and he broke off, huddling in his wings as he started to sob. “Me miss him, so much.”

The Gang was silent for a moment and then Ducky broke it with a quick and tight hug to her friend. “Petrie, it is okay. Your uncle will come back, he will, he will.”

Littlefoot replied in earnest. “That’s right, Petrie. Your uncle’s a pretty tough old flyer, and he can probably handle himself out there against any sharptooth he meets.”

“Yeah, Pterano will be back before you know it, Petrie.” Cera grumbled as she turned to resume the search for Ruby and Chomper.

Petrie snuffled as he wiped his tears away. He felt a little better, now finally getting that off his chest. He was glad he had friends like these. He managed a small smile and said quietly, “Thanks, me needed that.”

Cera’s voice came from farther back, from the back cavern. “Hello? Guys, we have a problem.” She had found the blocked-up back entrance, but still no sign of Ruby or Chomper.

Littlefoot frowned. “This only comes out one way,” he mused.

Ducky agreed with a slight shiver. “Yes, into the Mysterious Beyond,”

“And Redclaw,” Cera added with a sideways glance.

Littlefoot, face set, stared at the plug in the wall, but before he even took a step, he was aware of a little internal voice. Don’t forget your promise. Grandma's worried face flashed briefly in his mind.

Cera poked one of the rocks with her horn. “Well? What are we waiting for?” She eyed him expectantly.

The longneck inhaled deeply, conflicted but also leaning towards the obvious next step. “I know, but… I promised my Grandma we wouldn’t go off until we cover up all of the openings.” He looked back at Cera.

To her credit, the threehorn tilted her head in acknowledgement as she too was probably picturing what Topps and Tria would have to say. “We can worry about that when we get back. We’re just going to go out, find Ruby and Chomper, and then come back. We can explain everything later!”

Littlefoot agreed inwardly. If they told the grownups now, there would most likely be a huge debate over what should be done. The longneck didn’t want to admit it out loud or at least to any of the adults, but he knew they were all afraid of the Mysterious Beyond – the Gang was too – but the kids didn’t let that get in the way of doing what they knew they had to. Though Ruby and Chomper both knew the Mysterious Beyond pretty well, better than the rest of the Gang, they probably wouldn’t be able to survive for very long out there, especially if Redclaw, Screech and Thud were on the prowl.

Littlefoot let out his breath and nodded. “Let’s do it,”

Chapter Text

Ruby and Chomper steadily made their way through the Mysterious Beyond, keeping their ears and eyes alert and on the move. Both children were terribly nervous about treading this territory, but they know it would be necessary to keep moving until they found an opening in the Wall, or at least a point that they could easily access back into the safety of the Valley. But neither Ruby nor Chomper was comfortable moving farther and farther from their cave, even if it was blocked up. They knew if they had stayed for so long trying to remove the debris from the earthshake, a sharptooth could have easily come by at any moment to pick them off, and then they would have been in real trouble.

Ruby sighed to herself as they walked on. The Bright Circle still shone strong, but midday had already passed and it wouldn’t be long before the Night Circle took over. Ruby knew they would have to find shelter before then if they hadn’t managed to get back to the Valley.

She looked at Chomper, plodding despondently beside her and she patted his arm. “Cheer up, Chomper,” she tried. “We know the Mysterious Beyond well, so I am certain we will find our way out of it.” She nodded deliberately, trying to believe it herself. True, they both knew this area – nothing changed much out here amidst the scorched red rocks and sparse vegetation – but they could never tell where a sharptooth lurked and that was the reason they had to be so cautious now.

----------

Pterano flew steadily with Taylen secure on his back, their steady progress only holding up when they traveled as one. Taylen was quickly growing more accustomed to flying and was even looking forward to it this last time. Several miles on foot didn't even begin to compare to gliding overhead, cutting time in half if not more so. Below the land continued to change from grey cold-looking quarries to vast green plains, and ahead, much closer than they were the previous night, lay the mountain ranges. Taylen swiveled his head around, taking in the views as he flew and content to do so. Pterano recognized this route from his own travels; with luck, they would reach the red rock crags and cliffs by the time the Bright Circle sank.

“Pterano, sir?” Taylen spoke up, suddenly.

The great crested head remained fixated ahead, but there came a questioning sound from the flyer's throat. Taylen continued, regardless.

“What'll we do if my brothers aren't in the Valley?"

"We'll keep looking," Pterano gently replied after a moment of thought. "Maybe someone in the Valley saw them and we can follow their progress from there."

Taylen nodded to himself. He hadn't stopped to consider things like that before he left, or indeed, even on the road. He had been rather preoccupied with the singular thought of finding his brothers, but never about where they might have got to, or if they were lost... if they were even alive. To him, the whole thing had been rather simple: brothers missing, parents upset, worry and stress meant go get them and bring them home. "Someone must've, you're right. Thank you, sir."

"You're quite welcome, Taylen."

Taylen was just about to open his beak for another question when he felt his companion falter in the air, like he rolled over something, but what could they roll over in the air? Pterano bit back a groan, shoulders spasming. Taylen's heart dropped at this new rapid turn of events and he clutched the flyer's shoulders ever tighter. "S-sir!?"

"M-my wing! I must have pulled something, hang on!" With a grunt of exertion, Pterano managed to angle his flight downwards, the sore right wing tucking slowly inward as he fought the air currents rising up from the shifting land. Grass was quickly changing to sand and then to cracked stone. Red cracked stone. They had made it. Pterano touched down with a less than spectacular landing, stumbling forward to catch himself on his knees, panting as he grasped his pained shoulder with a hiss. "Great ditch, that smarts!"

His young passenger slid off and anxiously hurried around, little claws spread like he could wipe away the hurt. "Is it broken, sir?" His face paled with the possibility; how was he supposed to take care of a broken wing?!

Pterano shook his head and grit his beak as he answered. "N-no lad. Not broken. Must have... been laying against that rock...'s what did it." He had plenty of experience with both pulled muscles and broken bones as they came with the territory of being a flyer, but he'd rarely had the unpleasant experience of his back laying against rough stone after flying through the night. He uttered a growl of annoyance. You still don't know how to pace yourself.

"Gee, that must hurt. Is it really bad?" Taylen waited for the flyer's eyes to meet his, for them to open and look up with some level of reassurance.

Waiting for the momentary ache to subside, Pterano slowly relaxed and looked at his young charge, trying to put on a brave face even though this recent development had his thoughts racing. "I'll be fine, Taylen. Just need to let this work itself out. I've had this happen hundreds of times."

Taylen furrowed his brows, catching the strained note in Pterano's voice. "We can rest for a minute, can't we? Till it doesn't hurt so bad?"

Pterano shook his head and braced himself to stand. "Nonsense," he tried to keep his voice light. "It'll pass, but in the meantime we're on foot." The flyer was indeed no stranger to wing-related injuries and even though this one was particularly painful, he'd had worse and knew this would pass with some real sleep and a more comfortable roost. Unfortunately, that would have to come later. The red rock before them quickly turned treacherous due to the proximity of the Smoking Mountains, which while still a safe distance away, were nonetheless visible and foreboding. Pterano winced as he surveyed their path. It wouldn't be an easy road.

Taylen held out a claw for Pterano to hold, trying his best to be as stable as possible when the big flyer stood over him. He wasn't buying Pterano's forced nonchalance, but in his experience with grown-ups, they often acted contrary when they wanted to keep busy. His father and Ozzy did this a lot. But there wasn't anything for it because Pterano appeared quite determined to keep on for now. The flyer had a gentle hold on the Egg Stealer's claw and didn't let go when they started moving forward, trying to pick the optimal path.

Taylen couldn't help but gulp. Ditches and chasms opened up ahead of them, some wide and deep enough to swallow a whole herd of longnecks. He dearly hoped they wouldn't have to cross any of these, or be forced to use Pterano and his faulty wings. The little Egg Stealer actually did whine aloud when they were forced to stop along the way, where their path was literally severed, leaving a gap impossible to jump. Taylen itched the back of his neck. “It’s… a pretty long way over,” he helpfully surmised. He glanced up at Pterano, hoping the flyer would agree. "We can find another way."

Pterano didn’t answer right away. His eyes were narrowed, looking for any possible way across that wasn't translocation, jumping or flying. And then he saw it: some meters away a sturdy enough trunk leaned out over the canyon, easily the length they needed for a bridge. It didn’t appear rotten or weak. The flyer smiled to himself. “Taylen, follow me.” He started walking over to the edge of the precipice, over to the log, inspecting the base. "This should do."

Taylen stood by as the flyer planted his foot on it and shoved. The log creaked ominously. Pterano tried again, succeeding in making it sway. With a grunt, Pterano stepped back enough to gain momentum, jumping at the last second and slamming his heel down. The log cracked from its root support and toppled over with a thump and a scattering of dust. The flyer surveyed the bridge he made with not a little satisfaction. He grinned at his young companion, giving a slight bow.

Taylen was gobsmacked for lack of a better word, and couldn't help but give earnest applause. "Nicely done, Pterano sir!"

Some little inner voice was quick to admonish him for his theatrics, which he wasn't altogether familiar with. It left him feeling like he was doing something he shouldn't. He was just showing off, no harm in that, right? Somewhat ruffled, Pterano sniffed. “Come along, then. I’ll make sure it’s stable and then you follow, understood?” He stepped onto the makeshift bridge without much thought at first. Heights didn't bother him and if anything were to happen, he could still fly, albeit a bit wonky.

The log creaked and wobbled slightly under his weight. It had clearly been dead for a while, but hadn't rotted in the drier air. Hopefully that meant it was sturdy rather than brittle. Pterano assessed his situation carefully as he crouched, keeping low and moving slowly. He looked back once or twice to make sure Taylen hadn’t blindly bounded out onto the log to prance along behind, but both times the older flyer was reassured. The little Egg Stealer remained back, waiting patiently, eerie eyes alert. Pterano hopped neatly off once he reached the other side and turned. “All right, lad,” he called back. “Your turn!”

Taylen looked more than dubious as he carefully stepped up, mimicking Pterano's low crouch to the body of wood as he scooted along, his claws acting as anchor point. He deliberately didn't look down as he went. Just because he looked forward to flying with Pterano didn't mean he was suddenly jolly good with all manner of heights. He continued his way, slow as a snail. The log, however, wobbled in protest.

Pterano watched intently, raising his good claw as he directed his companion. "Steady there, lad. It's just the log, you're doing grand."

The Egg Stealer, pale eyes wide and focused, gave an absent nod as he inched forward. He froze at a hollow creaking sound from under his claws and snapped up towards Pterano in alarm.

"It's alright, it's an old log. You're nearly there," the flyer encouraged, beckoning. Not even a meter left...

Taylen inched forward and whimpered when the noise came again directly underneath him.

Pterano heard the same thing and stepped closer to the edge. “Taylen, keep going.” He said, voice hardening slightly. When the little dinosaur didn't, the flyer repeated himself, a chill settling in his stomach. For an agonizing moment, Taylen lay pressed to the log, his little arms hugging it as he shivered. The horrible hollow creaking sounded again, like something deep within was being wrenched apart. And then stopped. Taylen raised his head, but at the moment the support broke and the log gave a violent lurch. Taylen flopped and slipped slightly off to the side.

“Taylen!” Pterano shrilled. He was about to step onto the wood, but decided against it. Right now, with the log in this weakened state, adding more pressure would be sure to break it, sending Taylen all the way down to the bottom of the canyon. He held back, grimacing in annoyance.

Taylen squeaked. “I-I… I think it’s gonna go, sir.”

Pterano shook his head, even if the young one couldn't see it. “Not if I can help it. Try and reach for me, slowly. That's it.” Taylen's little claws quivered as he painstakingly lifted his right arm and moved closer and closer to Pterano’s waiting talons. The flyer approved. “Keep going; slowly, slowly.”

Within centimeters of the flyer’s grasp, Taylen made a minute shift on his perch and the log cracked beneath. Taylen screamed and clutched the support, making the log sway. The front part of the log broke and started slipping down the side of the canyon! Scrabbling for a foothold, Taylen leaned too far and slid off, claws slicing into the side as he fell. He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for his impact upon hitting the ground, but none came. Cautiously, he opened one yellow eye to see his claws had caught.

Pterano had stopped short of jumping forward into the chasm, his bad arm trembled as he dug his talons into the edge, steadying the log with his other before it fell too far. Taylen was within arm reach, but only if the Egg Stealer reached on his own. He gritted. "Taylen! Look at me! I need you to let go, lad!"

Taylen shrank back and shook his head, clenching his eyes shut again. His legs and tail dangled down; his whole body hanging by the slim hold he had managed with his flimsy foreclaws. The youngster concentrated every thought, every heartbeat, and every muscle he had into not letting go. The log moved slightly. Taylen was too scared to move, too scared to notice Pterano switching arms to reach for him. Until the flyer's talons grasped his own.

Taylen jerked in fright. “Ah! What are you doing?” The Egg-Stealer yanked his claws back. The log bucked like a spiketail battling a sharptooth. Taylen, jostled, lost his hold. After a moment of frantic scrambling, his claws slipped.

“NO!” Pterano’s arm shot out and nabbed hold of Taylen’s wrist. He grunted as he was very nearly yanked forward into the precipice. He tugged back, the log creaking ominously. “Grab onto me!” He nearly barked. Taylen did so without further comment, eyes glistening with terror. Panting due to the adrenaline rush, Pterano hauled Taylen up and promptly fell backwards onto the ledge as the log finally gave way. The little Stealer was pulled into flyer's arms, Pterano's wings wrapping almost double around him as the dust settled and he stared above at the orange-tinged sky, dizzy with overwhelming relief that no, history will not repeat itself! I will never let anyone else fall!

Taylen's little body shook with sobs as he buried his snout in Pterano's ruff, hearing the flyer's heart hammer in his chest. Bit by bit, Taylen realized two things: Pterano had caught him with his injured bad wing, and Pterano was terrified.

At length, sensing Pterano was little better than frozen with fright, spoke quietly. "Sir? Are you okay?" He lifted his head, only to find a beak tucked protectively over.

Pterano blinked back sudden tears, breaking from his catatonia to wheeze a sigh. "I'm alright, son. Are you?"

"You hurt your wing more, didn't you?"

The flyer gave a strained chuckle, realizing he probably made a fool out of himself acting out of his head like this. Now that the immediate danger was over, he saw they were safe, and he should probably let go of the little dinosaur already. As his wings fell open, Pterano sat up, rubbing a talon over his forehead to combat the lightheadedness while Taylen straightened at his side, watching anxiously. As he rose, Pterano accepted a helping claw with a rueful smile. "Taylen, I... I'm sorry."

The little dinosaur stared, taken aback. "For what, sir?"

"For rushing you. I-I shouldn't have insisted on the log, I should have found another way around. I put you in danger, lad. And I'm so sorry," he fought to keep his voice steady, to not break down again in front of his companion.

Taylen shook his head, adamantly. "You didn't put me in danger sir. You saved me, remember?"

Pterano regarded the youngster with his keen eyes and sincere face. He saved the youngster like he'd saved Ducky before, without a second thought for his own safety, just a leap. Maybe that's all getting better required, a literal leap of faith? What did he had faith in? Not his wings at the moment, certainly not his footspeed. His strength? Debatable. But what he saw in Taylen's eyes was unwavering trust. The little dinosaur had faith in him to find his brothers. If for no other reason that he had promised he would. He nodded before pointing the way with his beak. "Quite right, lad. Now what say we be off? We're close, on the outskirts of the Valley's borders now."

Chapter Text

“Oz!” Strut wailed. “Wh-where are we going?” he plodded on listlessly after his more determined brother. Strut couldn’t fathom how Ozzy could keep up such a brisk pace – he knew his brother was just as tired and hungry as he was, and yet Strut was the one struggling to keep up.

Ozzy grumbled back. “Come on! I’ll tell you later.”

Strut huffed as he stumbled forward a few running steps. “You said that, before! When will it, be ‘later’?” Temper flaring, Strut halted in the middle of the pathway, glaring after the pale Egg Stealer. He planted both feet firmly. “And- and I’m not going, until y-”

“Just get over here!” Ozzy interrupted with a snap.

Strut flinched, trying to sustain his resolve. He had rarely stood up to Ozzy before they were stranded out here, but those frequencies had become more common of late. Ozzy wasn’t the brave and cunning leader he had been, or thought he was. Strut was starting to assert himself, and the darker Egg Stealer really didn’t know how to properly react to this. On one claw it was terrifying, but on the other it was exhilarating. “N-no,” he stuttered, his knees knocking slightly.

“‘No’?” Ozzy was indignant. “Did you just say ‘no’ to me?”

“Y-yes…?”

Brother faced brother in a silent showdown. Yellow eyes stared into seething amber. “Strut,” Ozzy growled. “I won’t have this. Get over here! I’m the leader, and I say-!”

“You say what!” Strut blurted, leaving his beak to hang open in his own shock.

Ozzy’s eye twitched. “I say when to move, and when to stop. And right now, I-” he stiffened and the next second, a bone-chilling bellow emerged from the rocks nearby. Strut stifled a yelp and Ozzy whirled. A massive sharptooth rounded the bend and noticed the two Egg Stealers almost immediately, fixating on them with his one good eye – the other was stained blood-red. His limber, sinewy body halted in his tracks as he stared his potential prey down. Red Claw!

“Oh, dashed son of a ditch!” Ozzy sputtered. He turned to Strut - paralyzed – and latched hold of his arm. “Run!”

Red Claw roared as he started after them. Ozzy thanked his hide that Screech and Thud were nowhere to be found. He thought too soon, because who should appear on the trail ahead of them in an attempt at ambush.

“Jump!” Ozzy barked. Strut needed no prompting. Both Egg Stealers threw themselves off to the side as the two fastbiters sailed past and resumed their sprint. Red Claw was still hot on their trail, growling and gnashing his teeth. Ozzy and Strut had had rare dealings with the sharptooth, but none that precluded a chase. They would wander across the big brute and his henchmen at a kill or when they had the disadvantage of low ground, and thus couldn’t get at the brothers. But apparently, the luck had worn off and it was live or die now.

Fortunately for the Egg Stealers, they were natural sprinters – the main reason they had survived out here for so long – and it wasn’t terribly long before they lost sight of the massive meateater and his cronies, at least for the moment. Ozzy saw where they were headed – a narrow embankment leading up to high rocky shelves. It was inconspicuous, and from there they would have the high ground advantage. “Get to the edge, Strut!”

Strut lost nothing to hesitance. He gave a leap to settle on top of the ambankment and turned to see Ozzy land safely behind him. Then Red Claw thundered in.

“Climb! Get up the-!” Ozzy turned to see Strut already clambering up, and was holding out his tail for Ozzy to grab on to.

Red Claw roared as the Egg Stealers made their escape. Ozzy and Strut didn’t hesitate to look back as they sprinted in the opposite direction until the roars were mere talk-backs in the distance. Only then did they stop, in a cluster of rock on the high ground.

Ozzy cleared his throat in as business-like a manner as he could. “Well, that’s that. You alright, bro-?” the pale Egg Stealer paused, face twitching with rage.

Strut stopped short in his attempt at taking a bite out of a small, withered bush nearby. “Don’t make another move.” Ozzy hissed.

Strut didn’t listen, nor did he take a bite. It was an awkward position stance-wise, with him bending over like that, but also from this standpoint – disregarding his brother’s orders. A part of Strut wanted to obey, but another, stronger, stranger part of him was pushing him forward ever so slowly. All at once, his beak shot out to snag a mouthful of dry leaves.

Ozzy tensed, edge of his beak curling into horrible contempt. “So that’s what you think of me, then?” He asked quietly, just below a whisper. Strut finally looked up, finishing off the mouthful, his yellow eyes expressionless as he faced his older brother.

Ozzy stalked forward a couple steps, voice still painfully low. “After everything that's happened and all I did to keep us safe, all you had to do was keep to that original deal – no-green-food!” Ozzy struck quick as skyfire. Strut hardly had time to react before a foot made contact with his face, knocking his head back and throwing his balance off. He landed hard on the rough stones.

For a moment, there was silence. Strut moodily rubbed his stinging cheek and Ozzy stared with fury at his fallen sibling.

“You… you act like you have all the answers, Oz.” Strut quavered as he got to his shaky feet. “B-but you don’t. We’re back to square one: no food, and all you can do is boss me out of trying to find s-something to eat!” He shook his head. “I’m… I’m done with this whole thing. I’m… going home.”

----------

Ruby and Chomper found themselves in an awful predicament. Moments before, they had heard Red Claw's all-too-familiar roar in the distance.

“O-oh dear,” Ruby stiffened. “Chomper, can your sniffer find a way to where we need to go?”

Chomper nodded slightly. “I-I think so.” He took a long, deep breath and held it. This was followed by several smaller snorts as the little sharptooth wandered forward a few steps. “Um,” he straightened. “We-we can still go this way.” He pointed forwards. Ruby nodded and followed after him, keeping a wary eye out.

The two carried forward several more feet before Chomper halted. “It… it smells like he came by here. Not so long ago, either.” He sniffed the stone face and grimaced. “And… he was chasing something…” Chomper narrowed his eyes. Why was that one scent so familiar? The smell was heavy, almost musky. Runners in the Valley had a similar scent, but this one was far stronger.

“Chomper?” Ruby queried. “Are you alright?”

Chomper frowned. “I… know that smell, Ruby. It’s really familiar, but I can’t tell.” He sniffed in the direction the scent had disappeared to. “It goes this way.”

“And so does Red Claw,” Ruby surmised.

“But, but I know who that is, or at least I think I do. And they could be in trouble.” Chomper looked up at his friend.

Ruby sighed. “Very well, let’s go find what we will see.”

Chapter Text

“What home, Strut?” Ozzy grated. “We don’t have a home!”

“Well it was better than out here! And at least we had food!”

“I’m trying to get food for us, you ingrate!”

“You're trying to get us killed, more like!” Strut retorted.

“I’m the leader here, Strut!” Ozzy’s eyes flashed, indicating the discussion was at an end. Strut, however, ignored the signs of his brother losing patience.

“There you go with that whole stupid leader talk!” His claws twitched as he clenched them into fists. “You haven’t done a single thing right ever since we started on this dashed journey!” Strut’s voice cracked as it intensified.

“Shut up!!” Ozzy snapped. “Are you trying to alert every fastbiter in the area?”

Strut stood his ground. “I’m not gonna follow you anymore, Oz. This is it. I-I’m finished.” The dark Stealer had little to no idea how he had managed to say that; he was quaking terribly and not really thinking, but once those words were out there was no chance of snatching them back.

Ozzy’s sharp features darkened with a withering glare. “You don’t mean that,” his biting tone warned that Strut better not have meant it for his own good.

“I do,” the other hissed back.

After another pause, Ozzy drew himself up to his full height – a few inches taller than his sibling. “I didn’t want it to come to this, Strut, but you’re obviously unwell.” He spat the words contemptuously. “If you don't follow, then I'll drag you back if I have to.”

“I’m not going!”

Chomper went rigid. After the two had skirted around Red Claw and Screech and Thud, the scent had gotten stronger, and the sudden emergence of voices accompanied it. Very familiar voices, too, although Chomper couldn’t immediately say why.

Ruby picked her way along after him, curious. The voices sounded angry, even if she couldn’t tell what they were saying. “Are we closer to where we’re going, now?” She asked.

Chomper paused to sniff. “Just up there.” Rocky crags met their eyes, and below was a small embankment overhanging another path.

“—You’re a pitiful excuse for an Egg Stealer, you know that? All this rebellion, it’s unwanted!” A low voice suddenly cried around a boulder.

Chomper jerked to a stop. “No, it can’t be.” Without knowing why, Chomper broke into a full run, stopping just before he crossed into the midst of two very familiar Egg Stealers. On the other side, the two gasped, hearing the nearing footfalls, and the angry one demanded in a shaky voice. "Wh-who's there!"

Chomper’s heart raced. They had survived, after all this time? The small sharptooth frowned. Those no-good Egg Nappers! Everything that had happened the day of his hatching came flooding back. Taking a deep breath, Chomper stepped out from where he’d hid, eyes narrowed. The two Egg Stealers froze.

“Remember me?” Chomper showed his teeth.

----------

Ruby turned the corner and stopped short as she almost ran into Chomper. She looked up to behold two thin Egg Stealers, one dark and one light, staring back at them in bewilderment. Ruby raised a brow as she turned back to Chomper, and then back to the Stealers. “Are they the ones you were looking for to find?” She whispered.

Chomper nodded, not taking his eyes off. “Yeah, they’re the ones.”

“It’s… it’s that egg, Oz.” Strut quavered in disbelief.

Ozzy nodded slowly, face twisted into some sort of angry astonishment, like he couldn’t quite understand what was going on, but it made him mad. “What are you doing out here? You bring back those parents of yours to finish us off?”

“Well, right now I’m wondering how you two even escaped.” Chomper replied.

Ozzy guffawed. Strut really admired how unconcerned his older brother could act in times like this. “You honestly think we couldn’t get away from two brutes like those? We’re Struthiomimuses, my boy. Nothing catches us.” He sneered.

Chomper was reminded just how much he didn’t like these two. “How long have you two been out here?” He figured he should start from there.

Strut cleared his throat before Ozzy could answer with some stinging remark. After all, what happened when this sharptooth hatched was… in the past, right? There wasn’t any need to be so aggressive “Ahm, well uh, since then, I suppose. Wh-what d’you think, Oz?”

“‘Oz’?” Ruby asked, curiously.

“Oh, uh right, you probably don’t even know our names.” Strut laughed nervously. “Look, I’m Strut, and this one’s Ozzy. We’re brothers.” The darker Stealer tilted his head. “And-and might we know your names?”

Ruby smiled, oblivious to the Eggeaters’ and Chomper’s past dealings. “Sure, I’m Ruby because that’s my name.”

“Chomper,” the little sharptooth replied.

“Charmed.” Strut made a move forward, but Ozzy stuck out his foot to block him. “Yes, yes we’re quite charmed,” the corners of his beak lowered in a sneer. “So where are your little friends? Those buggers who were protecting you before? Are they around?”

Chomper paused to consider. Both of these Egg Stealers were bigger than he and Ruby put together, and though they looked harmless and quite starved right now, the sharptooth remembered all too well how these two had treated his friends. Maybe they were looking for an easy meal right now. Anyway, he wouldn’t give them the truth.

“Yeah, actually. We’re exploring not too far ahead.” He smiled. “Wanna come along? I’m sure they’d be happy to see you.” He tried not to notice how shocked Ruby looked as he said this. Chomper almost never lied.

Ozzy raised a skeptical brow. “Really,” he said.

“Yep, right over those rocks.” Chomper pointed. “Hey guys!” He called over, making both of the brothers jump. “Guess who I found back here?”

“Alright, alright!” Ozzy held his claws up. “Fine, we… we believe you.”

“You-you explore the Mysterious Beyond?” Strut asked, eyes widening.

Chomper shrugged. This time, he could tell the truth.“Yeah, sometimes.”

“Why?”

Ruby nudged Chomper, but he ignored her. “I’m actually supposed to find out more about Red Claw, and how to stop him.”
The two Egg Stealers glanced at one another, and then back at the children. Strut stifled a giggle but Ozzy wasn’t so courteous. His laugh boomed off the surrounding rocks. Chomper frowned as the brothers gave in to helpless mirth.

“What’s so funny?” He demanded.

“You… you can’t be serious!” Ozzy managed, holding his sides. Strut leaned onto the rock wall for support as he continued laughing.

“Why not?”

“A puny little thing like you is going to take on Red Claw?” The pale Stealer’s amber eyes narrowed with ridicule. “That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard!”

“Hah, oh, that was brilliant!” Strut whooped, not quite recovered.

“It’s the truth!” Chomper insisted. “Ruby and I are going to get rid of him!”

“Sure you are,” Ozzy, composure retrieved, stared the little sharptooth down. “Chomper, is it? Well Chomper, let me enlighten you. You won’t get far.”

“We will so!” Chomper folded his arms, glaring right back. Beside him, Ruby cleared her throat.

“Chomper,” she whispered. “We should go back because it’s dark.” She looked up with growing concern at the steadily darkening sky. They'd lost track of the time and now the first shadows of night were starting to creep over.

Strut broke off his hysterics with a hiccup as he noticed the gathering dusk as well. “Oz, we should get back.”

“Very well. Wonderful to see you again, Egg,” Ozzy declared, absently. He turned on his heel and strode smartly off. Strut hesitated behind, biting his beak, looking at the two children. They were so vulnerable out here. But didn’t they say they knew the Mysterious Beyond? That was no excuse, they were only children, and— “Strut!” Ozzy snapped.

The dark Stealer jumped. “Uh, right. But, um… Oz?”

Ozzy stopped, but didn’t turn. Strut saw this as a sign to continue. “Well, I mean, they’re alone out here, right now. Maybe they should… come with us? I mean, the Beyond is really no place for children, right?” he looked down at Chomper and Ruby, smiling awkwardly. “Do you need someplace to stay, tonight?”

Ruby and Chomper in the meantime had also turned to leave, but at the invitation they turned, surprised. Chomper frowned, warily.

“Absolutely no tricks this time! Heh, don’t need to tangle with a sharptooth, thank you!” Strut put up his claws in surrender. “But, um, you can… come with us, if-if you want to.”

Chomper considered. One the one claw, these two had tried to eat him, and had almost succeeded in doing away with Littlefoot. He frowned. But on the other claw, it was night, and now that he saw these Egg Stealers in a different light they seemed, well… far less threatening now that he had grown up some. And the dark one, Strut, seemed almost friendly.

The bright Circle had disappeared over the horizon. Chomper made his decision. “Okay.”

Chapter Text

“Great,” Cera muttered. “Still no sign of them, and now it’s dark.”

Littlefoot sighed, despondently. Grandma and the other grown-ups were probably so worried right now. So much for his promise.

Behind them , Spike plodded dutifully along with Ducky asleep on his back. Petrie sat atop Littlefoot’s head, his eyelids drooping. For awhile, the Gang continued on in silence until Petrie started shrieking.
“Sh-sharptooth!” He pointed a shaky digit in the distance. The Gang froze.

“Where?!” Littlefoot cried.

“There! M-me see it over there!” Petrie stuttered. Sure enough, a darkened figure rose up several meters away, almost indistinct against the blackened rocks.

Cera frowned. “Well great, he probably heard us so we’re in even bigger trouble now. Thanks, Petrie.”

“Cera!” Littlefoot admonished. “Everyone, follow me!” The longneck took off down a side trail with his friends close in pace behind him.

“Wh-where we going?” Petrie asked, jouncing up and down on the longneck’s head. Littlefoot didn’t answer, but he did know that this trail led to several caves, one of which they could probably hide in.

“Almost there!” He allowed. He strained to hear the excited bellow that usually accompanied a sharptooth sighting, but none came. Littlefoot decided not to worry about that, however. Just focus on getting everyone to safety!

At length, they reached the caves. It was really a high rock shelf filled with small crevices but on one of their ventures, the Gang had made note of it "just in case". Either they knew they'd be back, or it never hurt to be prepared. Littlefoot pinpointed one. “C’mon! In there!” he charged up the rocky face, followed by Cera, and then by the lumbering Spike. Once they had reached the safety of the crevice, they waited.

Painstakingly, for what seemed like hours. But there was nothing. Just the whistle of wind and a few far off strange cries.

Cera frowned. “Exactly what did you see out there, Petrie? Was it an actual sharptooth, or was it a rock?”

Petrie paused. “Um, me no remember.” He scratched his head. “It look like sharptooth at first, but me could be wrong,” he chuckled nervously.

Cera groaned. “We probably woke up every sharptooth around here scrambling for cover!”

“Cera, calm down. Maybe he did see something. And anyways, this is a good place to stop. We can continue in the morning.” Littlefoot curled up then, and the Gang followed his example. Ducky yawned, having been jostled awake in the Gang's momentary panic.

“I hope we find Chomper and Ruby tomorrow, I do, I do.”

“Me too,” Littlefoot sighed.

----------

Taylen looked up at the Night Circle and whistled. “Wo-ow, don’t think I’ve ever seen it that big, before.”

Walking beside him, Pterano grunted in reply. Despite being on foot - and at a grounder's pace no less - the two eventually entered the ranges of the Beyond, and from there they just had to snuff out Taylen’s brothers and this whole episode would be finished – Pterano wouldn’t be penalized, and Taylen would be reunited with his family. Happy endings for everyone.

Pterano winced as he nearly stumbled over a rock. His wing hadn't exactly gotten worse, but it hadn't improved. He would need to stretch before sleep, and find someplace where he wasn't leaning against anything. He remembered at one point in time he scoffed at the complaints of the elders around, until he became one himself.

Steady on, I am not that old. And a rocky bed is no one's idea of a comfortable resting place!

“You alright, sir?” Taylen whispered, noticing his companion's sour expression. “Oh right! How's the wing?”

"It's fine, Taylen. I should think some rest will put it to rights," nevermind the fact he was trying to convince himself of this, too. "We should stop for the night, however. We'll see what's over this next ridge.” Pterano wanted nothing more than to stop, but not around here. He'd been steadily keeping an eye out for a safe spot to roost - high up and inconspicuous. It would be easier if he could fly. Suddenly, Pterano tripped and sprawled forward on the ground, suppressing a grunt of surprise. Taylen yelped and flew to his assistance.

“Yipes! You alright, Pterano? Sir?”

“Fine, lad. M’fine. Keep it down, will you?” Pterano coughed as he struggled to his knees.

“Sorry,” The little Egg Stealer took hold of the older flyer's shoulder in an attempt to help him up, but he almost caused Pterano to topple sideways.

“A-alright, I’m getting up, then.” Pterano waved at the lad, but Taylen held fast. Suddenly, he was so tired and couldn't remember the last time he’d been like this, so much so he practically let the little dinosaur drag him up and start off.

"There's a cave up ahead, sir, and it looks safe! Up high, too!”

Caves? Snapping awake, Pterano pulled back on his arm, stopping Taylen. The little Stealer looked confused. “Quiet!” Pterano hushed. Turning his crested head this way and that, his eyes narrowed as he searched the cliffside they were now facing. “These could be sharpteeth nests, lad.” Dark openings peeked out here and there, left and right along the gap. It was easy for immediate shelter, but dangerous overall.

“Really?” Taylen’s pale eyes widened.

Pterano nodded. “We have to be careful, follow my lead.” The flyer stepped forward, forcing his eyes to remain open as he passed each opening. At last, he found the perfect spot – a location high-up, between two rock pinnacles, completely isolated. “That’s it, Taylen, right up--”

A roar shook the night. Pterano froze, talon pointed upwards, crested head snapping towards a distant ridge. “Taylen,” he whispered. “Get up there, now.”

Taylen lost nothing to hesitance. Latching onto the hard stone surface, he shimmied his way up towards the spot on top. Pterano stalled below, looking up and then back down again. He wouldn’t have preferred to fly, but since there was the pressing matter of surviving or being a midnight snack, there was no time to waste.

Groaning, Pterano spread his wings, almost getting thrown off balance at another sudden roar, though the speaker was still out of sight. The older flyer bit his tongue, gave a mighty rocketing flap, and caught a warm updraft, reaching the top before Taylen did. Not a moment too soon as his wing started throbbing. He caught the shelf and held out a weary claw to the youngster. “Come on, up with you lad.”

“That was some day, wasn't it?” Taylen giggled once he was settled, unsuccessfully hiding a yawn. Pterano smiled gently as he patted the little dinosaur's head.

“That it was, lad. That it was. Get some sleep, now.”

“Do you… think we’ll find my brothers, tomorrow?”

Pterano didn’t have the time to answer as Taylen slipped into a doze. As for him, he straightened in a roost and was asleep within moments.

Chapter Text

It had been a restless night for the Gang, amid the strange noises of the Mysterious Beyond but thankfully there were no late night visitors enticed by the smell of sleeping Leafeater. Just in case, the five had taken turns watching through the night, a little at a time. Now, with the Bright Circle's light streaming through the canyons and cliffs, it was time to go.

“Okay, it’s all clear.” Littlefoot motioned with his head for the others to follow him. The Gang slowly crept out into the early morning light, keeping their eyes and ears open, almost like muscle memory. For all their youth, the five really were among the most adept at traversing the Mysterious Beyond, save of course for Chomper and Ruby. They hadn’t gone far when they reached what appeared to be a flurry of footmarks of various sizes. Disturbingly enough, the most prominent mark was a massive, three-toed print… one they knew all too well; the faint stench given off was more than enough.

“Oh no, no, no.” Ducky quavered.

Littlefoot turned in the direction the footprints headed. “Well, we know where he went.” Something caught his peripherals: the same footmarks going the opposite way. The longneck frowned. That was odd. “-And there he went.”

“He just turned around and left?” Cera sounded puzzled. “What spooked him?”

“Didn’t know Red Claw get spooked,” Petrie flapped forward a couple meters, squinting into the narrow canyon.

“So, we going that way or what? Red Claw’s not there and my sniffer’s not picking anything up,” Cera trotted down a ways. “Let’s go!”

Littlefoot agreed, following after the threehorn. The Gang found themselves in the same canyon and shelf Ruby and Chomper had come down just the evening before. Of course, none of this was apparent as they plodded along; the scents were all mixed with one another, resulting in a hazy, muted experience that was overpowered by the dusty ground. For awhile, the Gang traveled in silence, not really daring to do anything else except breathe. Every corner they turned, every ridge they ascended had to be done slowly and carefully, even though the Beyond was abnormally quiet and still this morning and they never encountered another soul. Things looked to be going along smoothly until –-

“Chomper!” Petrie squawked, quickly cupping his beak in shock.

“Petrie!” Cera hissed, “We need to be quiet out here!”

“Me sorry,” Petrie whispered. “It just me found Chomper’s footmark down here!” He pointed, excitedly. “Look-ee!” The little flyer swooped down to the ground. “He right here, and then he walk off. This mark Ruby’s, too!”

Littlefoot’s hopes rose. “They can’t be that far, then! We’ll follow these tracks.” Keeping the tracks in his sight, Littlefoot started off with Petrie overhead, Cera behind, and Spike and Ducky bringing up the rear.

Ruby and Chomper were actually much closer than ‘not far’. They were a short ways downwind of the very place the Gang was departing, in a small inconspicuous outcropping of a cave. Chomper spent most of the night distrustfully awake in his new nest, keeping his eyes attuned towards the back where the two Stealers slept, but nothing came out of it. Ozzy, the lighter one had ignored them all last evening while the darker one, Strut, had gone out of his way to make sure the two were comfortable. Chomper wasn’t sure he liked to admit it, but Strut was coming off more likeable compared to his stony brother.

This morning however, Chomper woke with a start. The first place he looked was where Ruby was nestled on the other side of the cave. His friend remained undisturbed. The second place he turned to was towards the back. Strut was visible, but judging from the Egg Stealer’s loud snores, visibility was only an option. Ozzy on the other hand, was gone. Chomper tensed and slowly got to his feet, tingly all over. Where did he go?

“Looking for someone?” A gruff voice remarked at the head of the cave. Chomper promptly spun around, tripping backwards in the process and stared up into those narrowed amber eyes. Ozzy stepped back inside and over the startled shartooth, holding two oblong eggs under his arm.

“Where were you?” Chomper accused.

Ozzy didn’t cease his steps. “Out, why? Afraid I’d nab you in the middle of the night and try to eat you?”

Chomper tried not to show just how much he had considered the prospect by growling a little.

Ozzy turned then, sneering. “I went to get food, alright? And anyway, why are you still here? Aren’t your friends worried about you?” The Egg Stealer thoughtfully tapped the side of his beak. “That is, your friends who never showed up last night?”

Chomper folded his arms. “So what if I lied? You can’t blame me, the last time I saw you, you tried to eat me!”

“Like I’d be making that much progress now, without any teeth,” Ozzy opened his jaws to demonstrate. “I’d be left gnawing you boy, which wouldn’t be that hard to get out of.” The Stealer stopped then to dig messily into one of the eggs, yellow drips coursing down the corners of his beak and down his claws. Chomper grimaced.

Ruby woke up, then. “Is it morning out, yet?” She yawned. “Good morning Chomper, how did you –?” She stopped short upon catching sight of the large Egg Stealer. “Oh!” She quickly corrected. “Hello to you, Ozzy, good morning.”

Ozzy grunted in reply and tossed the remaining egg at Strut, who came to quickly after being knocked on the head.

Chomper got to his feet and Ruby did the same. “Well, we should probably be going. Thanks for letting us stay,”

“Don’t let the rocks hit you on the way out,” Ozzy muttered.

Strut gulped down the rest of his egg and practically vaulted across the cave. “W-wait!” He cried. “Don’t go, at least not, well… are you hungry at all?” He faced his brother. “Oz, you didn't get them anything?”

The pale Stealer glowered. “It’s not my job to feed them.”

Strut held back his retort and instead faced the children. “Well?”

Chomper paused. “Well, I am,” Ruby nodded as well.

Strut smiled. “Oh, okay! What do you, ahm, eat?” He glanced first nervously at Chomper, but the little sharptooth was quick to dispel his fears.

“Buzzers or crawlers, mostly. I won’t need to hunt until…” he paused, blushing. He didn’t like talking about the future, especially since his seemed so bleak at the moment. He'd often wondered about it himself. Would the Valleians let him stay as a full grown sharptooth, or would he have to leave to fend for himself in the Beyond? He couldn't bear leaving his friends behind.

Before his thoughts became too bleak, Ruby spoke up next, saving Chomper from the awkward silence. “Green food, mostly. I like crawlers sometimes.” She looked around. “I don’t see any green food right here, so maybe there isn’t any, right?”

“Well, not in the cave, but,” Strut glanced at Ozzy, this time with not a little anxiety. “There’s a small cluster of creepers and such, might be some sweet bubbles. I happened upon it the other day!” he blurted , startling both children. “You weren’t here and I just stepped out and I found it, okay? I didn't eat it!”

Chomper was confused. Why did Strut have to defend himself like that? He was an Egg Stealer, right? They didn’t eat green food, did they. “Why would you eat anything like that?” He queried, drawing a frightened hiccup from Strut.

Ozzy elaborated quite sourly. “Because he likes it."

Strut swallowed and looked like he wanted to protest further but ended up shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter. I’m taking them to get something to eat, and then we’ll be back, happy with that?” He turned smartly and almost collided with a young longneck who had just stepped into the cave’s entrance.

Chapter Text

Littlefoot hurriedly stepped back as something charged out of the cave at him. When he looked up, his jaw dropped. Never, never in his whole life had he ever expected…

“Whoa, watch it!” Cera protested, stepped out of the longneck’s way. “What’s the big--?” She too, stopped, but she was quicker to recover. “You’re still alive?” She snorted.

“Who’s still alive? Who?” Ducky asked. She and Spike appeared around the bend and reacted much the same.

Strut was taken completely off guard. He stumbled back a step, stammering furiously. “O-Oz, did you… did you-?"

Chomper broke the tension. “Hey guys!” He waved his claw, stepping up. “What took you so long?”

“Hi, Chomper, Ruby.” Littlefoot sent a dark glare in Strut’s direction. “Good to see you guys are safe.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Strut found his voice, indignantly folding his arms.

Cera answered that, pouring on the guilt. “Because you two are here, that’s why.”

Ozzy stepped forward and the Gang froze. He looked a lot meaner than they remembered, and the slightly emaciated appearance didn’t really help with the impression. “Ah, my least favorite group of sprout-crunchers,” he sneered.

Littlefoot returned the look with equal intensity. “Look, we didn’t come here to be insulted, least of all by you. We came for Ruby and Chomper.”

“So take ‘em, already!” Ozzy snapped. “We’re not planning on stopping you, we’ve got better things to do!”

“Like what, starve?” Cera didn’t miss a trick. These Stealers were obviously just barely getting by out here.

Ozzy’s expression was venomous. Beside him, Strut quavered. “We haven’t been doing that badly out here, y’know.”

Cera wasn’t convinced. “Oh, please! Both of you are as skinny as Petrie, there!” She gestured with a sharp nod towards the little flyer who was hovering in the air. Petrie gulped as attentions diverted to him and he fluttered down to hide behind Littlefoot’s neck.

Ozzy inclined his head sharply to the left, beak pursed in a hateful grimace. The connection was made, and unfortunately for the two brothers, it was quite close. Ozzy knew it, too. There was no use pretending to these sharp-eyed youngsters. But old habits die hard. “You’ve got until two moments ago to hightail yourselves out of this canyon or else!”

Chomper, caught between the cave entrance and outside, spoke up, sounding sympathetic. “You know, Ozzy, we can help you; my friends and me. You need food, and--”

“I-don’t-need-help-from-hatchlings!” Ozzy just about roared, making the little sharptooth jump back. Ruby spread a forearm out in front of her charge in defense.

“‘Hatchlings’?” Ducky piped up, on top of Spike. “We are not hatchlings, oh no, no, no. We are much bigger than hatchlings are.”

“Oh, whatever!” Ozzy waved a claw in exasperation, advancing out of the cave. "Either you lot scram or I make you! We came here to be left in peace, after all!” The Egg Stealer spread his foreclaws threateningly.

Chomper and Ruby slipped by an indisposed Strut and rejoined the Gang.

The dark Egg Stealer stared miserably after the youngsters, rubbing the back of his neck and feeling that upheaval boil in his gut again. But it was far more subtle, especially after last night. Ozzy’s just too proud to admit it. He’s going to get us killed, or starved, or worse!

Before he wasted another thought, Strut pounced upon his chance. “Ozzy, enough!” He planted himself between his furious sibling and the group. “This isn’t right! They’re only children after all! Stop bullying them!”

Littlefoot was perhaps the most surprised to see this change in Strut who had, on the one occasion that seemed so long ago now, insisted that the longneck be thrown off the Valley’s Great Wall!

Ozzy growled at this interruption. This new-found rebellion wasn't as surprising to him as it was to the children, but it was far more annoying. “Get out of my face, brother,” he grunted.

Strut bristled, flexing his own foreclaws as a challenge. “Make me!”

Ozzy was quite taken aback, and it didn't seem like quick wit could save him. As he stared into his lazy brother's suddenly fierce expression, a small part of Ozzy wondered when he had lost control, or if he even had it in the first place. He doubted Strut had either the nerve or ability to lash out - especially against him - but the look was almost convincing enough. And besides, they had an audience for their squabbles, which wasn't something Ozzy wanted to broadcast. Strut was family, something Ozzy was always harping on about, and family was united. So he did the gracious thing, despite the sour look he flashed at the children, and stood aside, folding his arms.

“Thank you,” Strut nodded. He looked over his shoulder then and attempted what he hoped was a friendly smile. This was lost on Cera and partly on Littlefoot, although the longneck had to admit that something had changed. Maybe not for the lighter Stealer, but definitely for his brother.

“I’m Strut, and that’s Ozzy. You may or may not have known that already,” Strut chuckled weakly. He turned to face the gang properly and his face turned serious as he gazed at Chomper. “So, you think you can help us?”

----------

“Careful now, lad, and tread softly. Sharpteeth are already awake at this hour.” Pterano kept a sharp lookout even while he cautioned. Never the brave one in regards to sharpteeth, Pterano’s fight-or-flight instinct was already stewing. But he was feeling much better this morning after a safe roost. He didn't think he even stirred once atop their hideout, and his shoulder was thanking him for it. He might have flown the rest of the way but didn't want to push himself. Pacing, after all...

Taylen bounced along happily beside his older companion. His features alert as he took in the sights along the precipice they followed. He heeded the flyer's warning best he could, but found the continuous silence rather cumbersome. “Sir?” He queried, hoping this was a safe question. “What does the Valley look like? Is it nice?”

Pterano turned slightly. “Nice? Well… yes, it is. It’s- quite beautiful, actually: fertile and welcoming, and just,” he sighed contentedly as he relaxed into the memory. “It’s a wonderful place, lad.”

Taylen smiled. “So how soon till we reach the wall?”

Right, back to business, then. “We’re close,” the flyer pointed arbitrarily. “Soon, we’ll see the tips of the Great Walls.”
Taylen’s head craned up, aiming straight to the sky. Pterano chuckled despite himself as he lightly rapped the youngster's shoulder. “Come on, you rapscallion.”

Taylen snickered as they continued. “Dad would always tell me stories ‘bout the Great Valley. He said there was just enough food for everyone, so that’s why he sent my brothers out to find it.”

"Well, he's not wrong." Before Taylen could let another word out, Pterano’s wing shot across his path, nearly smacking Taylen in the face as he urgently hissed. “Shh! There’s something up ahead.”

Taylen to his credit, snapped his beak shut and waited while Pterano advanced one step… two steps. They had arrived at a sort of crossroads where all these different paths converged and then split. He glanced down each pathway, trying to ignore the large, three-toed imprints of predators neatly imbedded in one such path. Fortunately, the tracks led away from their spot.

He listened again for the noises he had heard – it didn’t sound anything like a sharptooth.

Motioning with his talons in a 'keep quiet' gesture, Pterano chose the path that the footprints led away from. Obviously, whatever was down that way held no interest to a sharptooth so they could proceed as normal, right? Being careful never did any harm, Pterano thought. A pang of remembrance hit him in his chest like he’d been struck and he winced. How in the Beyond would he know anything about being careful, after never having been careful once in his entire life?

Chapter Text

“So… what we help with? What first?” Petrie chirped, peeking around Littlefoot's head.

“Well, with food, of course.” Chomper remarked. He ignored Ozzy’s grunt of aggravation as he turned back to face Strut.

“Well, I guess the first thing is, we need to find a better place for you. This isn’t close to food at all,"

“What d’you mean by that?” Strut squinted, not out of offense.

“It’s always best to stay near food, especially when there’s no food around, so you always know you’re close” Ruby advised with a sagely nod.

“So, we’re… moving?” Strut glanced back at his brother before offering a grimace of a smile and shrugging. “Ah, well uh… as they say,”

Ozzy grunted with a roll of his eyes. “Go along with them if you want, but I’m not following.”

Chomper winced. “Wait, I thought you said you wanted help!”
“I can help myself, thanks for asking, Egg.” Ozzy asserted in softer tones that were no less threatening. It seemed his inner ire had been spent, but that didn't mean his pride was necessarily just going to let him go along with this - it was degrading for one thing, taking orders from hatchlings! He was the leader around here, something Strut was all too eager to forget it seemed.

Strut frowned. “Oz, come off it. Look, why can’t we just, y’know, put the past behind us? They have, haven’t you?” He dropped the frown as he looked back at the children. Placated by their slight nods, he turned back. “Yes, they have! You’re… acting like an egg!”

Ozzy sputtered a dry laugh that echoed off the rocks. “An egg?!” he hooted. “Can’t speak the word any other time, can you!”

“Knock it off,” Strut muttered, heatedly. “I’m not afraid of you,”

Ozzy stopped laughing and sneered. “Yes, you are. I know you all too well, brother.”

Littlefoot cut in before too much noise attracted something bigger and more unpleasant. “C’mon you two, we didn’t ask for a fight. Let us help you and then we can go our separate ways, okay?” This was just getting silly. These Egg Stealers had to learn to work together and respect each other, like he and the Gang did. Or else there’d be more of this stupid arguing. “First off, you guys have to learn how to be a team, you know. You won’t get very far with squabbling. Apologize to each other, you're family, aren't you?”

Strut relaxed, even looked away in humiliation. Being told off by youngsters was beginning to grow into a gross habit. He mumbled an apology. Ozzy's face settled in a pout, but he didn’t stand down immediately.

Cera took care of that as she scratched the ground. “Do it,"

Ozzy gave her a withering look as he finally relented. “Fine, I'm sorry, can we get on with this?”

----------

Pterano’s pace had suddenly quickened and Taylen followed suit beside him. He was a little confused as to why they were suddenly trotting when moments before, the flyer was cautioning him about making too much noise. “Sir? What's the rush? Did you hear something?”

Pterano didn’t reply at first. His attention had been diverted and that's where it stayed. Those were no sharptooth voices… He stepped along quicker and with more energy than he had the day previous. He didn’t think there was there any hope of meeting a fellow flattooth out this way. That would be superb luck! Just what they needed! As the two rounded a bend and crested another incline, Pterano jerked to a stop so violent he almost toppled back onto Taylen. The young Egg Stealer stumbled backwards, quick reflexes saving him from a premature squashing.

“Hey!” He squeaked. “Why did you--?” He was silenced the next second as Pterano reached back with a deft claw and snapped his beak closed. There, along a small shelf outside a cave, they stood, quietly talking. What were they doing out here? And how could they possibly have slipped out? Were the rest of the adults out here, too? Pterano started shaking. What if they see me?
As Taylen struggled for release, the old flyer’s mind raced through the options he had: turn around and never look back and maybe they won’t notice, either. He took a step back; on the other hand, he technically wasn’t breaking any rules – he was still outside of the Valley and therefore the rules didn't apply. And furthermore, why did he need to run like a coward? They were only children after all - he had nothing to fear from them.

Despite all this, Pterano remained unmoved; his chest rose and fell with shallow breaths as he debated. Finally Taylen, annoyed at the fact they'd stalled for so long, shoved against Pterano’s back. He hadn’t meant it to be so hard, but the next moment Pterano tipped forward, slipping partway down the embankment with a loud cry of surprise!

The group broke off their conversation as nine pairs of eyes flitted to the flyer scrambling to his feet, and five mouths dropped open in total surprise.

Petrie was the first to break it with a loud and overjoyed, “Uncle Pterano!”

----------

Pterano hastily righted himself, brushing the dust off his hide and trying to compose himself amid his unexpected entrance. “Greetings… children.”

Petrie made off like a missile, flapping happily over to his relative and catching his beak in a hug. “Where you come from? How you get here? Me miss you so much!” The little flyer squealed.

Smiling fondly, Pterano cupped his talons around his nephew’s body. “I've missed you too, Petrie. Good to see you again so soon.”

“What are you doing here?” Cera stomped forward, not used to being surprised. “You’re not supposed to be here until--”

“I am well aware of the tenants of my banishment, Ms. Threehorn,” Pterano’s voice was terse. “There is no need to reiterate it. Anyways, the reason I am here is because of him,” he gestured back to the bend. Taylen stood there awkwardly, watching the scene play out. All eyes turned on him the next moment, and the little Stealer’s face lit up like the Bright Circle.

“Oz, Strut! There you are! We’ve done it!” In a flash, a little streak of dappled browns sprinted past Pterano and the Gang.

Caught completely off guard, Ozzy sputtered in absolute astonishment as the little Stealer hurled himself forward. “T-Taylen?! What the ditch?”

Strut wasted no time on the facts. He caught his younger brother in midair and enveloped him in a hug. “You little biter!” He laughed. “What you doing out here?”

Taylen squeezed harder, snuggling into his older brother's chest. “Looking for you, that’s what!”

Ozzy broke out of his reverie to lay a hesitant claw on Taylen’s dappled back. The youngster looked right up into that piercing amber gaze, unafraid. “Taylen,” the pale Egg Stealer began in a low voice. “It’s been a long time. You got big.”

Taylen smiled and clasped Ozzy’s claw in his own. “Right-o!” he declared. “Stealers alive! I’ve been looking everywhere, and now here you are! Right where Dad said you’d be!”

Strut’s smile dropped in an instant and was replaced with unease. “Oh… how is everyone back home?”

“Worried ‘bout you two, mostly. Mum’s always talking, and Dad – well, Dad’s kept pretty quiet ‘bout it, but I know he’s worried” Taylen smiled again. "But you're safe and sound! So they won’t have to worry anymore!”

Ozzy muttered. “They shouldn't stop because we haven’t found another home, yet!”

“Another home?” The shock and awe of the two simultaneous meetings finally caught up to Littlefoot in the moment. “Was that the reason you two were in the Valley in the first place?”

“When you stoled my baby brother-or-sister?” Ducky put her hands on her hips. Spike burbled in agreement as he fixed the Stealers with a stern look. The Gang still considered that to be their first official foray into grown-up hood, not counting the time they had to travel to the Great Valley in the first place.

Ozzy narrowed his eyes, haughtily. “No thanks to you lot, we went and got ourselves into a fine mess, didn’t we? You just had to get involved when all you had to do was--”

“Now, hold on.” Pterano stepped forward, claws on his hips as he eyed Ozzy critically. Petrie perched comfortably on his shoulder. “I don’t believe that’s any tone to take with children, especially not with children who happen to be friends of my nephew, so I’d carefully take your next words into account!”

Ozzy backed up slightly, startled at this rebuttal. He frowned right back at the large flyer that only beat him by a few centimeters. “Well, what I meant to say was,” he began slowly, “it was a terrible inconvenience for us.”

Chomper eventually found his voice and tapped Littlefoot’s shoulder. “I’m… confused. Who’s the flyer?”

“Petrie’s uncle Pterano,” Littlefoot replied, softly.

“I didn’t know he had an uncle.”

“Believe me,” Cera snorted. “Neither did we. He's nothing but trouble.”

“Why do you not want to know what you already know?” Ruby queried.

Littlefoot explained. “He was banished from the Valley after he led some of the herd into a sharptooth nest.” Even though it was in the past, and Littlefoot and the children had never witnessed it, it was still horrible to recount.

Chomper appeared visibly shaken. “He what?”

“He decided he wanted to be the leader,” Cera clarified, hotly.

Chomper glanced over at the large flyer. “But he looks so nice,” Petrie looked so happy in the company of his uncle that suggesting Pterano was a villain was simply too awful for the sharptooth to imagine.

Ducky piped up. “And he saved-ed me, so that makes him very nice!”

Pterano’s crested head turned in the Gang’s direction at that moment, no more than a meter away. Littlefoot noticed Spike and Cera move slightly closer to him. The Gang had never really felt comfortable in the presence of this big flyer, even after he'd helped save them from Threehorn Peak.

Undeterred, Ruby grinned. “Hello, Petrie’s uncle! To Petrie’s uncle, hello!”

Pterano hesitantly regarded the circle before he replied and his eyes passed over Chomper. The following reaction was instantaneous. He jumped back about four paces, eyes wide with fear as he pointed a shaky claw. “Sharptooth!”

Ducky waved her arms wildly. “Wait, Petrie’s uncle! Chomper is our friend, he is, he is!”

“Your friend?!”

“Yeah, he the friendly sharptooth!” Petrie agreed, from his uncle’s shoulder. Utterly flabbergasted, Pterano could only gawk. A sharptooth – a live sharptooth – was regarded by his nephew as their ‘friend’? This was… this was…

“Unbelievable,” the flyer murmured.

Chomper smiled shyly and waved a claw. “Nice to meet you. My name’s Chomper.”

Pterano deigned to take a step closer, but that was it. “Um, charmed.” He nodded, hoping to seem polite.

Chomper bit his lip, unsure of how to allay the flyer’s fears. A long moment passed before Taylen – forgotten until now – called over. “Pterano, sir! Should we be gettin' back?”

“Back?” Petrie asked, distressed. “No! You no leave now, Uncle! Me just see you! No leave now!” He latched onto his uncle’s shoulder as if his tiny strength could keep him there.

Before Pterano could break in with a word of comfort or before anyone else could think to blink or breathe, there came an unmistakable sound – muted thuds in the distance. Pterano felt his knees go weak and his fears were confirmed the next second by Littlefoot, crying. “Sharptooth!”

Chapter Text

Egg Stealers, flyer, and Gang was at full pelt in their hasty retreat, going anywhere away from the oncoming footfalls. No one could be sure what approached, but it was unanimously decided to get as far away as possible. Unfortunately that meant backtracking, Pterano realized. They were back along the trail he and Taylen had taken mere moments before and coming up fast on the crossroads.

Ozzy and Strut found themselves the reluctant leaders of this little group, indicating directions with smart turns of the head. Strut kept looking back to make sure the rest were keeping up. Chomper and Ruby were right on their tails, and Littlefoot and Cera plowed on right behind, with Ducky clinging onto Spike’s hardy hide as they hurried. Petrie flew alongside his uncle hop-jogging while tugging little Taylen with him. The idea of flying had occurred to him but he couldn’t risk just leaving his charge behind. Just like last time. You want to fly. Go on and fly! Get out! Memories flooded his brain. The panic, the confusion, the cries of pain, the very real threat… He steeled himself to press on, carry on, just keep moving, for Taylen, for his nephew, for the children...

He hadn't realized tunnel vision took over until he literally slammed into one of the Egg Stealers, the pale one, Ozzy was it? At the other's sour glare, Pterano recoiled, noticing that everyone had stopped after veering into a small gorge, fronted by a not-so-steep wall of rock, in fact. He cleared his throat with a murmured apology and Petrie alighted on his shoulder. "You okay, Uncle?"

"Fine, Petrie." He was now, whatever had taken hold was dissipating like smoke. He just hoped it wouldn't come back, he couldn't afford losing focus like that again.

Ozzy brushed himself off as he surveyed the small company. "Right. Danger's past, now I believe we still had some business to conclude, is that right? Moving and all?" He made a grand sweep with his arm. "Is this what you had in mind, Egg?"

To his credit, Chomper either chose not to take the bait, or didn't recognize the sarcasm. He looked this way and that, testing the air with his sniffer. "Well, this wouldn't be so bad. But there's only one way in and out, maybe we could look for someplace higher up?"

Taylen spoke up. "Wait, you're moving?"

"We were in the process is all," Ozzy offered, voice noticeably more gentle with his younger sibling. "Egg here was giving us advice."

For perhaps the first time, Taylen really took notice of their company: a fast runner, a sharptooth, a little flyer and swimmer, a spiketail, a threehorn and a longneck. "Oh..." at a rare loss for words, Taylen took a moment before giving a hearty wave and smiling. "Hullo there!"

Introductions were made and remade, with Taylen utterly fascinated by so many dinosaurs traveling as one - "Back where I'm from, I never played with anyone different! What's that like?" - and on friendly terms with a sharptooth of all things! - "Wait till Mom and Dad hear this! Does stuff like this happen all the time in the Great Valley? I can't wait to see it! Can we see it now? Oh!" His rambling brought him back to his present predicament with Pterano and he gave the older flyer a guilty look. "Well, maybe another time, then."

Pterano shook his head. "Don't worry about me, Taylen. We've found your brothers after all. Next thing we have to decide is where to go from here."

"That would be fine and dandy," Ozzy again, although his voice had taken on a harder edge. "But I'm not setting foot in that Valley if I can help it, it's nothing but trouble!"

"You're the trouble," Cera muttered. Littlefoot was inclined to agree, but seeing the Egg Stealers out here just barely getting by put them in a new light for him. Besides, they should be moving on. Staying in one place in the Mysterious Beyond was a surefire way to end up someone else’s lunch. Sure enough, one fateful glance upward saw three small fastclaws balanced on a ledge just barely out of sight. Their dull red hides camouflaged them perfectly.

Littlefoot’s eyes widened in terror. How had they snuck up on them? Had they been watching all this time? “Guys,” he croaked, not taking his eyes off. His second warning came louder. “Guys!”
Heads turned and mouths gawped, and quicker than Chomper could dissuade, they attacked.

The small carnivores slid neatly down the rock face, causing a pebble slide in their wake. The group barely had time to get away from their pursuers before clawed feet hit the red rocks. There were only three, but who knew how many more could follow at any moment? They had to run!

Littlfoot, Ozzy, and Pterano’s voices all mingled together. “Run!” “Steady now!” “Get back!” But all that did was add to the confusion! Right up until Ozzy planted himself at the front, between the group and the sharpteeth. Strut was quick to follow his brother’s lead, pitting two Egg Stealers against three fast claws. The silent standoff lasted until the lead sharptooth lunged, hoping to make the front line scatter. No such luck as the brothers demonstrated just why they’d been able to survive out here for so long. The bickering and arguing from earlier was seemingly forgotten as the Egg Stealers coordinated their defense. Ozzy went high and Strut went low, sweeping the hapless sharptooth off its sickle toes and clouting its head for good measure.

The Gang watched, fascinated, alongside Pterano and Taylen, who was being held back from prematurely joining the fight. Pterano literally had his talons full of his charge’s scrawny arms as little Taylen sent up cheer after cheer. “That’s it! Give ‘em the one-two! Yah!”

The other two fast claws hung back at first, warily observing both their fallen leader and the two skinny Egg Stealers blocking their progress. They had to be tactical about their next move, so they crouched low and— separated! One went right, ducking low while the other sailed left! Ozzy and Strut stepped out of their respective boundaries, attempting to intercept as red scales flashed by their claws, straight for the children!

Pterano was many things: a schemer, a braggart, and while he never paused to fully think things through, he always thought quick. And now he barely hesitated to fling Taylen out of harm’s way and block the incoming mouthful of sharp teeth with a hasty arm thrown in front!

The pressure was immediate, but not the pain. Pterano’s shock numbed just enough for him to pull back and sock his attacker on its sensitive nose. The children screamed behind him as the other fast claw gave chase, and they went pell-mell back out of the chasm. Strut and Ozzy shouted after in fright and consternation, already moving after. Dazed, Pterano’s sharptooth released his arm only to be hip-checked by Ozzy, which sent it crashing to the wall.

Pterano clutched his bleeding arm as he staggered back, finding Taylen at his side, pale eyes wide with fright. Before the flyer even collected the words, his crested head was swinging to look after the retreating Gang.

“Petrie,” he murmured under his breath. A new surge of terror gripped him, along with a flood of protectiveness. No way under the Bright Circle was he going to just stand by! He thrust his wings out, nearly clocking the Egg Stealers as he jumped into the air. “Quickly, now!” He snapped. “After them!”

----------

Pterano flew low after the fast claw and children, barely noticing his stinging forelimb as he flapped. Fabulous and fearsome he may be, but taking down a moving target called for precision. He turned his head slightly to see that indeed he was being tailed by the Egg Stealer brothers, Taylen encouraging them along. A brief smile flashed over his features before he noticed a very unwelcome sight behind them: the other two fast claws were in hot pursuit!

Back up front, the Gang was making good progress and keeping just ahead of the encroaching fast claw, but they were running blind, Pterano could see that. The sharpteeth all had to be dealt with, so they needed a good plan. In fact, they needed more eyes in the sky!

Pterano knew he was going to give away his position if he wasn’t careful, so he had to aim just right! With a mighty flap of his wings, the flyer spearheaded down, slamming into the fast claw and knocking it off its feet. When the children looked back, he was already taking to the air again. “Keep going! Petrie, I need you!”

The little flyer was at his uncle’s side in a heartbeat, flapping furiously to keep up. “What you need, Uncle?”

“I need your eyes, son. Fly ahead and try to find a safe path! No go!”

Petrie flew off just as Pterano’s heart sank at the awareness of his own words. He momentarily shut his eyes tight. This isn’t last time. You won’t abandon anyone. Stop thinking about it, stop thinking about it! Keep flying. Lead them to safety because you can!

Petrie’s little wings carried him back a few moments later. Now the group was being pursued by all three fast claws again, but this time they were all together. “Uncle! Me see big ditch up ahead! It got bridge! We can cross!”

“There’s a good lad!”

‘Big ditch’ was an understatement, but not one the group was willing to dwell on for long. There was a sheer drop in the middle of about nine meteres of space, with a natural rock bridge connecting the two sides. And all the way below was a river, just a trickle from the Gang’s perspective. It was Littlefoot who reached the bridge first stood aside. “Cera! You go first. And then Spike, Ruby, you go next, and then Chomper!” He glanced back, his breath hitching at the sight of the quickly approaching fast claws.

“Strut! You and Taylen—!” He hadn’t a chance to finish because Strut in the meantime swept little Taylen up into his arms to sprint across. “Oh-kay,” Littlefoot nodded approvingly as Ozzy approached next. The longneck and pale Egg Stealer made eye contact as he ran past, without any sort of retort or name calling. Littlefoot hoped things were on the up and up. As he was crossing himself, Littlefoot took notice of a few hairline cracks on the bridge. He suddenly had a very risky idea.

Despite every bone in his body screaming at him not to, Pterano had dropped back while the Gang and Egg Stealers made it to safety. Feinting and flapping here and there made him too good to resist for the fast claws. However, he very nearly swallowed his tongue when he looked up to see Littlefoot dashing back along the bridge towards him.

“L-Littlefoot! What are you doing?”

“I have an idea!” Littlefoot bobbed his head up and down, motioning with a forelimb. “Bring them this way!”

The flyer was at a loss. “Littlefoot, get across now! I’ll hold them off!” He had to! And then… what? What else could they do? How else could they keep the fast claws from pursuing them?

“Pterano! Lead them to the bridge!”

Bloody rot and bother! Pterano circled helpelessly in the air, trying not to get skewered. He couldn’t see what Littlefoot did, but then again, he knew the longneck was a clever sort – cleverer than most flatheads he’d come across. Sure, he could fly up high and see things others couldn’t, but maybe he was missing something on the ground.

With a heavy sigh, Pterano gave a curt nod. “Alright! Incoming!” He hoped he wouldn’t regret this.