CHAPTER THIRTEEN: AGATHA'S ANGER
Agatha returned to their home, angered and empty-handed. She glared at her pack, as though all of this were somehow their fault. An Ichthyornis said to her This must be tough Agatha, losing your mate to Flatteeth and then your boy's disappearance. We are truly sorry and will do what we can to help.
I wish to be alone for a while. said Agatha. The others assumed that she was grieving and so didn't dare to challenge her. Anyway, she was the pack leader and those who questioned her always regretted it.
She flew off away from the others. She went, ironically enough, to the place where she had killed Sydo. She went in. She scowled. "I suppose this is your doing Sydo. Even death couldn't stop you from trying to mess with my plans." she said. She recalled what Sydo had said a few days before his death: "That boy has a mind of his own. I've gotten to know him enough to realize that. If he doesn't want to be a pack leader, you can't make him."
Yes, Ptero was strong-willed. She had gotten him to change from what Sydo would have wanted, yet she was alarmed at how much pity he took on those he hunted. While not all Sharpteeth were as indifferent to the suffering of those they hunted as her, indeed many felt it was a sad but necessary part of the Circle of Life, Ptero was too soft. She'd actually observed him talking to a non-saurian bird that he'd cornered about how sorry he was that he was going to have to kill him. The talk had lasted several minutes. Agatha, finally having had enough, went in and killed the creature herself. To try and make the boy see reason, she had not let him eat the creature. Ptero had angrily protested that he had chased the creature and spent all of that energy for nothing. Agatha had said that Sharpteeth that showed too much pity to their meals didn't get meals. As expected, her hungry son had gone and killed another creature, this time barely taking a minute to apologize to the creature. "Good boy dear. See, only by doing what must be done are you able to feed yourself." Agatha had said.
As for Sydo, she had truly loved him and indeed thought him handsome. She had been so fond of him in fact that she was willing to break the rules and marry a Flattooth, something practically unheard. Had she not been a pack leader, she might have been banished over it. But, as it was, she was the Sharp Beak Queen and could do whatever she wanted. However, she admitted, murder, no, it wasn't murder, at least in her eyes, it was a justified act to ensure that the pack could flourish best by having the leadership it needed most, someone in her family, that her pack might not be so thrilled if they found out. After all, they had kind of liked Sydo. He was good with Ptero and had been as good a mate as any. However, his habit of giving him Tree Stars had made the boy soft. If Sydo had let her turn Ptero into a hunter and shape him the way she wanted, he'd still be alive and would be very dear to her.
She resumed her conversation with Sydo. "I can make the boy go to my will. I can apply pressure. I haven't yet, but I will not let him become a disappointment to me." she said. She flew out of the cave and took a nap for a few hours. Around noon, she came to her pack. Ok, break's over. Let's start looking for him again! she commanded. The hunt for Ptero had resumed.