Chapter 7
Confrontation
Without hesitation, everyone including Cera began following the path Ducky took. We had to locate her as quickly as we could before predators turned her into Sirloin Steak. Cera was being awfully quiet, not opening her mouth except when Littlefoot asked her if she had found Ducky, which she usually responded with a resounding "No" or "Nope". Finally some peace and quiet for me.
Per usual, I was leading the search effort. Using my experience gained over the years, I predicted a possible area of landing. Me being at the tip also served as a deterrent to predators since word was getting around that someone with "advanced weaponry" was killing predators left and right every day. There was however, one thing my "advanced weaponry" could not overcome. That would be the dense vegetation at the other end of the cave.
By god, you could barely walk through, much less navigate. I drew my OKC-3S bayonet and began hacking a path through. Should've been packing a machete now, shouldn't I? At any rate, we held our own despite the dense foliage and we were slowly making our way towards Ducky's predicted landing zone. A few minutes in, and Cera's mouth began blurting out words like an M240 machine gun.
"Finally you're doing something for the group." She berated me.
"Riiight…" I raised my bayonet and hacked away at yet more foliage. "Like you did anything for the group."
"You're in my way, Mister."
"Pardon the rather large body, Miss Cera. Why don't you walk a little to the left then."
"And what? Smash my way through?"
"Nope. Just open your mouth and eat your way through."
My smartass remarks were getting on Cera's nerves. She grumbled and rolled her eyes in dissatisfaction. Those remarks however, were earning me a few laughs from Littlefoot and his friends. In every argument I had with Cera, I always worked my way around her words with my smartass remarks. Unfortunately for me, I too had my moments of brain farts.
While I continued to hack a path through the dense undergrowth, I had a case of target fixation. I had been so focused on hacking the leaves that I forgot to check where I placed my leg. As expected, I tripped over something and fell, still gripping the bayonet in my hand. Behind me, Cera burst out laughing and the others were struggling to hold back their own giggles too. It wasn't funny to me in the least bit.
I wasn't worried about my ego but the safety of others. My right hand was gripping my bayonet at the time of my fall and right now my main concern was whether or not anyone had been unintentionally stabbed.
"Bryan!" Ducky shouted. "You just stepped on Spike!"
My eyes widened in horror as my worse fear seemed to have been realized. If I "stepped" on a living breathing dinosaur, there was a good chance my bayonet went six inches deep into the poor thing. Fortunately for me, no harm was done to "Spike", a mute hatchling Stegosaurus Ducky had found. The reason he wasn't harmed? My bayonet gripping position.
At the time of my fall, I was gripping the bayonet in a "Hammer Grip" and when I fell, the side of the blade smacked into Spike's back. If I had been holding the bayonet in an Icepick Grip, I would've stabbed him and killed him there and then.
"Oopsies I guess…" I placed the bayonet back in its scabbard. By now we were in the clear, and there was really no need for me to hack foliage. "How old is the young fella, Ducky?"
"He just hatched…" she answered. "And I told him he could come with us to the Great Valley."
"Oh no!" Cera exclaimed. "He isn't!"
"Excuse me?" I sarcastically cleared my throat. "Miss Cera, are you the leader of the group?"
"Not really."
"Then shut the fuck up, lest you want me to slice you up."
"Spiketails eat a whole lot more than we do. If we let Spike here follow us, he'll eat up all the food before we can even eat."
"He's coming with us whether you like it or not! Arrogant bitch!"
That was the first time I had said a swear word in front of the young dinosaurs. Cera was making my blood boil and it was about time I stop capping my temper. If she wants to see my true colors, then I'll give her my true colors. I will still be Mister Nice Guy to the others but no more nice treatment for Cera. The old cold treatment was the only thing I'll give Cera, and if she boils me further, you bet I'll stab her in the throat with my bayonet and cook her for dinner.
"What did you just call me?" she growled at me.
"Doesn't matter." I drew my OKC-3S bayonet to make a point. "Try mouthing me off again and you'll become Fillet-O-Triceratops."
Our argument ended after I finished my words. Neither of us wanted any bloodshed and Cera decided she'd much rather live than defend her ego. As for Spike coming with us, she had no choice but to let him come since I wasn't about to listen to her words any time soon.
