The Meeting of Halfteeth
An increasingly chilling wind swept through the dry plains as Ruby continued her trek towards the direction Stealth had said her family had gone. The fast runner was growing tired of all of the running she had gone through during these past few days but at least she had been able to extinguish her hunger with green food. The desert had soon given way to grassy fields which seemed to drag on forever. Ruby was covering good ground every day even if she knew her directions were more than vague. Stealth hadn't been of much help in locating the other fast runners but his advice was all the tired fast runner had. If she ever wanted to reunite with them again, she'd have to hope for good luck on this search.
Her own heavy breaths and the howling of the wind were the only things that could be heard as Ruby stopped for a moment of breather. She had run for hours on end and that took its toll on even her kind. She knew she was further east than she had ever been in her life and that her family could be just behind the next hill or many daytrips away. The choking pain of losing her friends was slowly wearing away even if momentary sobs and continuous sadness accompanied her lonely journey. The lingering guilt of all her deeds since the perilous chase of the egg stealers weighed on her shoulders, making her appearance look more wearied and tired. Still, the fast runner knew she had to push on. If she gave up, she could already say farewell to the last chances of ever finding her family.
As the fast runner's panting grew less profound, she started to investigate her surroundings. The sloping hills covered with slowly waning grass spread as far as eye could see, any sorts of landmarks highly vague in this sight of the waning Warm Time. The Cold Time was coming and from now on the weather would grow more hostile each day. Ruby realized that she'd have to find her family soon as the searching could become too difficult and dangerous in the height of the least hospitable of seasons. The fast runner was about to sprint off again when one small detail in her surroundings caught her eye. That… that looks almost like a tree! But there shouldn't be any of them here but… if there is, there might be many more! And that means many good things!
Even if that didn't help her search directly, there might be someone in a forest around here who Ruby could ask about her family. If they truly had come around here, it was likely that somebody had heard about them. Also, the cover of the woods would shelter the young dinosaur herself from the chilly winds of the plains. Ruby quickly took off and headed towards the distant tree and, to her relief, she could see she was right. The shadowy form of a forest's edge opened ahead of her, possibly offering her with something that could help her in this unsavory, lonely march.
The canopy of the trees rustled as the dry leaves rubbed slowly together. The entire forest was dying, its green food quickly being chilled by the dropping temperature. Ruby looked around herself in disappointment, saddened by the fact that the season was later than she had thought. It wouldn't be many weeks until the frozen sky stars would begin to fall from the sky again. That only increased the urgency of her quest. It was time to see if there was anyone in this forest that could be of any help.
However, it had to be done in silence. Any kind of yelling would draw each and every sharptooth nearby towards her and that wasn't something any omnivore would be willing to do. Ruby started to move forward, searching for the most shadowy of places to hide her presence as well as she only could. Avoiding the fallen leaves was the most challenging part of her efforts as the dry leaves would certainly give away her position if she wasn't careful. Also, she'd have to try to hide her position as well as she'd be able. If she ever met someone, Ruby had to make sure that she would be the first one to notice her counterpart.
Even if the Bright Circle was still high in the sky, the dying scenery of the forest chilled the fast runner deeply. Many of trees started to form threatening images in the eyes of the still-distressed dinosaur and the cold air didn't help any. Occasional sounds of the ground fuzzies or small buzzers often made her turn quickly around to check if any creature was trying to sneak up on her. To her relief, none ever came but this desolate scenery pulled her nerves to their breaking point. All of the recent events seemed to have made her more sensitive to any possible threats.
Ever since her parting with Stealth, Ruby realized that she was constantly alerted by even the slightest of voices or smells from the distance. She hadn't met any other dinosaurs since the sharptooth and she knew it was quickly beginning to burden her down. The fast runner knew that she'd have to conquer her own fears but it was easier said than done. She could never tell if she'd meet Chomper's parents or someone who knew about her last day in the Valley. The loss of her friends and the pact with Stealth had created a situation where she had too many enemies these days.
"Calm down, Ruby, there's nothing dangerous here! You cannot go around fearing everything because if you fear everything, you cannot do anything! Just take it easy!" The fast runner had developed a habit of speaking to herself as it brought at least some change into the endless silence. She had never been this alone before and it truly wasn't what she'd want to experience in the future again.
To Ruby's slight relief, the wind indeed started to die down but the weather was still raw and cold. She gulped and begun to move between the bare trees. The atmosphere of utter loneliness and impending death made a great impression to Ruby who had only wanted to come here to take shelter from the grim wind of the open plains. She was already beginning to give up trying to find any friendly faces around here until she noticed something highly interesting. A few broken branches in the ground and odd-looking formations of leaves around the spot. The fast runner was already ready to see it as a trick of the wind but after a moment, Ruby realized that today's wind wasn't strong enough to break branches. There was no doubting it: someone had walked from this incautiously. Even if Ruby knew that her sniffer wasn't quite strong enough for doing any great or exact conclusions from a waning smell trace, it was good enough to find out something. In the Mysterious Beyond, even those vague details could be the difference between life and death in the absolute worst-case scenario.
Hmm… it seems like it was… something quite close to my kind? Not quite but it definitely isn't a sharptooth and if it isn't a sharptooth, maybe I could ask it a few questions! It is maybe a female and it wasn't too long ago when she was here! I'll have to go find who it is!
The fast runner started to increase her pace as she sprinted towards the direction she thought the other dinosaur was headed. The traces were surprisingly fresh: with any luck, it wouldn't take many minutes until she'd catch the other dinosaur. Even then, she'd have to keep her cover in the case she wouldn't turn out to be friendly: a wrong judgement was always extremely dangerous in the Mysterious Beyond.
The sound of silent steps suddenly ended when Greentail stopped to catch her breath. She had ran for some time ever since her carelessness with the branches near the forest's edge, a mistake that could become costly if the wrong dinosaur ever found the scene and caught her trail. However, it seemed like she was safe for now as no dinosaur seemed to be coming her way. A lucky occasion on likes of which she simply couldn't trust in the future. Ever since her and her brother's separation from their family after the tragic day, both of their lives had been on razor's edge.
The young thinclaw sighed as she reflected on their situation. For now, they had food but that would change once the Cold Time would arrive in earnest. She and Yarel were both beginning to grow desperate in their struggle for life but they should find some place where there would be food even after the coming chill. Soon it would become a real problem to find either green or red food, especially for a duo of young adolescent thinclaws.
"It's almost time to tell Yarel that I've… What's that?" The omnivore asked herself as a sudden voice caught her ear. It sounded like a louder-than-usual thud of a footstep and the voice was coming right after her. The thinclaw cursed briefly as she realized that she had been followed after all. If nothing else, she'd have to hide quickly and hope that the chaser would give up soon. However, if all that failed, she'd simply have to run and hope for the best or fight.
The small clearing in the forest was completely empty as Ruby reached the spot. To her chagrin, she could see that that the scent trail suddenly stopped, seemingly stopping near the center of this small opening. Cold shivers flowed through the fast runner's back as she realized what that meant. Either she had a supernatural enemy around her or, in a more likely scenario, the dinosaur whom she had chased was near and most likely waiting for her to enter the glade in order to attack. Ruby felt her breathing grow forced as she slowly backed towards the woods and to safeguard her own position. The fast runner's eyes scoured each piece of vegetation around her and noticed nothing out of the ordinary.
With trembling feet, she rose up from her sitting position and begun to advance again. Ruby knew that her counterpart was waiting for her somewhere but on a bright side, she knew that it wasn't a sharptooth. It was most likely another halftooth like her but Ruby knew well that even another fast runner could attack her if he or she was hungry and desperate enough. With careful steps Ruby started to move towards in the shadows.
"Why did it have to stop? It seems like that beast is really up to something… Anyway, it won't sneak up on me!" Greentail thought as she waited impatiently for her chaser to show herself. The thinclaw had heard the other dinosaur to stop nearby but she hadn't caught a glance at her. The young dinosaur would have wanted to simply turn away and flee but she knew that nothing would prevent her chaser from following her, possibly endangering Yarel also if the other dinosaur should prove a threat. For better or worse, this situation had to be dealt now. One of the things Greentail hated the most was the prospect of unending threat lingering above her. Unfortunately, that had been her fate during these last few months.
The thinclaw climbed over a large rock next to her to see a bit further away. Soon enough, the Cold Time no one would use these bushes for hiding but for now, there was still enough leaves for a small dinosaur to use as a cover. Greentail's eyes scoured each of the possible hidfing places with care but none of them seemed to hide anything unusual. No extra wobbling nor any suspicious shades. A distinct fear started to rise in the thinclaw's mind as she slowly descended from the rock to once again search for her new nemesis.
Ruby twitched quickly as she heard a few napping of branches in a bush not far from her. It was just near a large rock that was no more than two longneck-lengths away from her. The fast runner's reactions to this development were highly conflicted: on one hand the enemy was drawing close to her without her notice but on the other hand, now Ruby knew that her counterpart couldn't be any older than she was due to her subtleness in moving through these woods. In the best-case scenario, she was only as confused as the fast runner was but counting on that would be a terrifying mistake. Her parents had always told her to remain as unseen as she could until she knew for sure that she was safe. After the recent events, she had finally realized the full wisdom of that advice. Ruby hoped beyond hope that she wouldn't have to resort to violence but that was a threat always hung upon her.
The two omnivores approached each other in silent anticipation, both of them knowing that the situation could turn even deadly at any moment. Greentail was hiding in a small hole in the middle of two trees, small insects running p and down her legs as she covered in respecting fear whereas Ruby was sitting atop a small rock, trying to get a glimpse of her counterpart. At this point, their advance halted as both wished the other one to do the next move. In case the other one would be hostile, both of the females understood that this could be the choice between life and death. Both of their gazes were locked on the positions where they expected the other one to be located. Greentail was slowly growing worried by her location and by the whole hiding game. She knew her chaser wasn't an adult and most likely not a sharptooth but that didn't mean she wasn't a threat. Her urge to run away from her unfavorable position grew by the minute as she realized her mistake at hiding at the lowest place in this place. All either of the omnivores could tell was that there was one adult longneck length between them at the very most.
Ruby felt the moments drag by as her frustration started to silently grow at the overall situation. No matter what, it seemed like the other dinosaur wasn't going to take the initiative and Ruby started to realize that it was now up to her to take matters into her own hands. The fast runner looked around herself and after a moment, she realized something that could give her an opening. A small boulder lied near the edge of a small slope heading towards the hideout of her opponent. With luck, it could cause a small rockslide which would force the other dinosaur to make her move. Ruby smiled in self-confidence as she slowly moved towards the rock, ready to break this mind-breaking impasse.
The thinclaw didn't know at first what was the reason for the ground starting to shake. She had seen some small movement on the hill overlooking her but she hadn't seen anything clearly. It was only when the form of the large boulder appeared from between the trees when she realized what was going on. Instinctually, the young omnivore jumped from the hole and started to run as far as she only could from her chase. She had given up her position and the other dinosaur had the advantage of terrain. Fleeing was her best chance at this point.
Ruby looked at the fleeing form in surprise and slight embarrassment. This wasn't any kind of deadly killer: it was a thinclaw who was probably even younger than she was. The fast runner had never before seen such an omnivore before but her parents had told her of them. They were a highly elusive, feathered kind who weren't often in good terms with the fast runners due to their similar lifestyles and consequently conflicting roads. Ruby could see that the other female had a similarly slender body to hers and thin but powerful legs, a testament to her great speed. The fast runner could see that the thinclaw resembled her own kind In many ways but it had longer feathers, no crest and a longer but thinner tail. No matter her kind, Ruby was slowly starting to appreciate the fact that she'd decided to chase this stranger. Here was someone who'd probably know what was happening in these lands and with whom she'd be able to exchange a few words. Immediately, the young fast runner sprang after her former adversary in a calmer way in order to drop the impression of threat.
The leaf-filled ground made Greentail's flight even more difficult that it would have otherwise been in these woods. They constantly threatened to trip her and they forced the thinclaw to decrease her speed in order to prevent herself from falling. The omnivore was alerted to see the other dinosaur beginning to follow her and it seemed like she was gaining on her quickly. With a panicked decision, Greentail decided to increase her running speed to lose her chaser. However, that proved to be a serious mistake.
The thinclaw quickly tripped on a thick mound of leaves which had seemed to be solid ground. One moment Greentail was running for her life and in the next she found herself in the ground breathing deeply in shock. At first, she waited the possible pain emanating from her leg but none ever came. With an overjoyed realization, she noticed that her body seemed relatively unscathed by the fall but the fast runner had nearly reached her already. She was about to continue her flight when she heard Ruby's frantic call.
"Stop! I don't mean you any harm, I just want to talk to you, talk to you I want!" The fast runner called to the thinclaw who seemed to be frozen by this declaration. After all this stalking, this dinosaur was telling her that everything was alright?
"If you mean that, stay there! After all this, I don't just believe that you never wished me harm!" Greentail snorted harshly, prompting Ruby to stop immediately. She could easily relate to her position and even the fast runner felt the lingering chill of the stalking in her bones. It was clear that the duo's instincts would have a hard time forgiving the other dinosaur.
"Al… alright. Even then, it is true, true it is! I simply followed you when I caught your scent because meeting someone here is better than not meeting anyone at all!" Ruby tried to sound lighthearted but it was clear that Greentail wasn't convinced. The fast runner's voice sounded too forced for her to believe it right away.
"Then why did you sneak up on me like a hungry sharptooth? First you followed me and then you stalked around me, searching for the best place to attack and after all this, you seemed to be willing to hunt me down? Do you think I'll just overlook that?" The thinclaw's voice stayed aggressive but it grew slightly less panicked by the moment. Perhaps this meeting didn't have to end in violence after all despite the initial tension between the two omnivores. Ruby looked at her in slight amusement, understanding what had just happened.
"I think you know what we were doing. I thought you were stalking me and possibly lead me to a trap! I tried to keep myself safe while you thought I was hunting you! We must have looked so stupid trying to save ourselves from each other even if neither of us wanted any harm! We must have looked so silly!" Ruby tried to hold back her chuckles but failed miserably. After many days of loneliness and internal conflict, any kind of humor was a reprieve to her taxed mind. Greentail looked at the fast runner oddly at first but she soon realized the situation they had been in. Despite her initial anger at Ruby, she couldn't help but see the same humor in all this as the fast runner did. The two laughed on for a moment as the initial mental barriers they had created for themselves started to break down. At this moment, it was clear for both of the assembled dinosaurs that there was no immediate threat in store for either of them.
"Alright, alright, I guess I have to believe that you weren't after me. What's your name, fast runner?" Greentail asked with some curiosity, eager to learn more about her new acquaintance. She wasn't too happy by this meeting but there were some things of value she could learn. Ruby smiled at her in approval and answered briefly.
"My name is Ruby, Ruby it is! What's yours and what are doing here alone?" The fast runner asked one of the most obvious questions to which Greentail frowned slightly. She hadn't expected the fast runner to ask her these questions so quickly but in a way, she understood the other female's line of thought.
"My name is Greentail but I'm not alone here. My brother Yarel was looking for any shelter for the night in the other part of this forest but he should return soon enough. Our reason for being here, however, is none of your or anybody else's business." Greentail cringed as she answered. She was taken aback by this strangers antics and not exactly in a good way. Still, she couldn't see the harm in being honest as it was highly unlikely that the two would meet ever again anyway. Ruby looked at the thinclaw in slight disappointment but decided to press on with the issue that she had initially searched out the other dinosaur for in the first place.
"I thought so. You don't have to tell anything you don't want to but I'm here to look for my family. Have you seen any other fast runners around here lately?" The young omnivore asked carefully in order to find out if her family had actually treaded around these lands lately. Ruby knew that the chance that this thinclaw knew anything about her family was extremely small but she'd have to take every possible chance at finding out more about their whereabouts. Greentail seemed to think for a moment before she answered.
"I haven't seen any of them but I've heard that there's a place further towards the Land of Sinking Grounds where they've often lived even if they haven't been seen in a while. I don't know it this has anything to do with you or your family but that's all I've been told about fast runners." The young thinclaw looked thoughtful as she spoke, apparently thinking about something she didn't want to talk about to her companion. Ruby, however, looked at her hopefully and her voice was thankful as she answered.
"I don't know anything about that but thank you for telling me! I'll go look in that…"
"Greentail! What are doing here? And who's that fast runner?" A male voice could be heard nearby as the adolescent thinclaw walked down a nearby slope. His expression wasn't exactly grim or accusing but he clearly wanted an explanation. The deep-red dinosaur looked at Ruby in puzzlement, clearly not sure if he approved about her presence. Even then, he waited for his sister's answer before he made any further conclusions.
"She's in the same situation as we are. It seems she's looking for her family that she says has passed around our forest in the past weeks but luckily for her, she didn't ask you as you've proved wouldn't have spotted them eveb if they were I front of you!" The female thinclaw answered in a dry, surprisingly serious voice. She was glad to see that her brother had joined them as the two had almost all their lives worked and planned their actions together with varying success. Yarel casted a grim look on her sister but he was interrupted before he could return the favor.
"And I guess you're Yarel as your sister already told me about you. It's great to meet you! I'm Ruby!" The fast runner answered in a slightly awkward voice, seeing that the newcomer wasn't quite as approving about her presence as his sister. Still, his voice was restrained and even kind as he answered.
"It's always a relief to see someone who doesn't try to kill me, Ruby. But as my sister very cleverly said, I haven't seen any of your kind around here." Yarel said oddly and glanced at his sister while Ruby cringed as she thought about her answer. She wasn't too familiar with the lands Greentail had described and there was a good chance that she wouldn't be able to find her family without the duo's help. However, she knew that the two thinclaws most likely would wish to get rid of her rather quickly but she wasn't quite done with the duo yet. After a moment of thinking, Ruby finally found something to say to Yarel's remark.
"I heard where my family has probably been going so thank you for telling me! But… I also heard that you two know this forest very well. Could you show me at least the direction where I'm supposed to go?" Ruby asked, glad to have come up with a way to combine help for her quest and the effort to getting to know the siblings better. An idea was slowly beginning to form in her head as she listened to their words and antics. Perhaps there was a chance she could ask them to accompany her on this journey? They didn't seem too happy about their situation and the prospect of two thinclaws surviving a Cold Time by themselves wasn't a likely one. The two siblings exchanged glances and Greentail answered shortly.
"Well, I guess we could. It isn't that far but it's easy for a stranger like yourself to get lost in these lands. Follow us, we'll show the way!" The female thinclaw answered in a slightly disappointed voice which disheartened Ruby somewhat. It seemed like she was receiving another chance to get to know these two dinosaurs better but she didn't know if she could use it as well as she could.. Greentail didn't seem too excited about her company and Yarel's approach seemed somewhat conflicted and there was something about him that puzzled the fast runner heavily. Despite that, the pink dinosaur thanked them quickly in a happy voice before starting to follow the two deeper into the realm of dying trees.
A few bothering minutes passed by as Ruby thought about any way to reopen the conversation she and Greentail had started before Yarel had arrived to the scene. The male's appearance seemed to have flattened his sister's spirits somewhat which seemed a bit worrying. He seemed to be as friendly as his sister but still it seemed that not everything was well between the two thinclaws. Yarel seemed highly thoughtful about the fast runner's presence in some way which was a highly unusual way to approach another dinosaur. He wasn't angry or hateful but he just seemed… bothered. Ruby wondered deeply what was going on in the male thinclaw's head.
Yarel could easily notice that Ruby had something in mind, something she hadn't let out just yet. Even then, he was conflicted about this meeting. For many years he had seen other omnivores as constantly plotting, even malevolent, and even if those sentiments had started to die down during his and his sister's new life, he still didn't know what to make of her. Thinclaws rarely dealt with other kinds, even less so than the fast runners, and the mere thought of cooperating with another omnivore was an odd one to him. He and his sister had gone through so much together and the deterioration of their relationship was another thing that weighed Yarel's mind. The life of constant struggle and danger had spread both siblings' nerves to their limits and the only growing arguments between the two weighed on him greatly. Even then, any new face was a small reprieve from his oppressing reality which made the young dinosaur had admit to himself that he welcomed the fast runner's company.
The three omnivores walked swiftly through the dying forest in silence as each of them thought what to make about this meeting, most of all Ruby. She had asked for the others to accompany her so she knew it should be her who should respark the conversation. The fast runner took a deep sigh before she broke the silence of the whispering woods.
"I've already told why I'm here but I'd also like to know what you are doing here. And it's difficult for me to know about it unless you tell me about it first!" Ruby asked in a soft voice, willing to make the two siblings to resume the conversation. It was Greentail's voice who first greeted the fast runner's ears. The female thinclaw felt slight annoyance at the fast runner's insistence and her voice was even unnecessarily grim. The voice was little more than a whisper in order to hide their position from all dangers. As a matter of fact, the three were moving in a straight line to stay as silent as possible.
"As I said, it's none of your business! We've been living in these lands for months and that's all you need to know!" The thinclaw's voice was surprisingly grim and Yarel quickly glanced at her in slight chagrin. It was clear that despite his reservations about this situation, he disapproved his sister's antics.
"Actually, we, too, have had a pretty rough time lately. Let's just say that we don't even know where our family is. We once tried to search for them but it has all been for nothing. We probably lost them when we tried to attack a spiketail herd because I was starving. Our kind isn't supposed to hunt other dinosaurs so we failed and in the midst of all that, we got separated from them between the charging beasts. By the time we got to safety, no trace of our parents could be seen and all we heard were the brainless snorts of those monsters! It all happened in the early Warm Time so it has been a long time since we two were forced to survive on our own." Yarel's voice was rather glum but it was clear that he had had a long time to handle his internal conflicts about the issue. Ruby looked at him in compassion when Greentail's voice answered to her brother.
"You don't have to tell everything, Yarel! You should remember that keeping your knowledge to yourself is always the best way to stay safe! That's what mom always said!" Greentail hissed to Yarel in a silent voice which Ruby couldn't hear. The male returned his sister's annoyed expression and answered in an equally frustrated voice.
"Who cares about that here? We've got much better things to worry about than some dumb wisdoms!" Yarel answered in an angry voice, his hands put on his hips to underline his determination. Ruby looked at the two in puzzlement, unsure what to make of the siblings' internal quarrel other than that it wouldn't help her in getting to them.
"I care and you should too if you wish to live! We can't trust any outsider at least right away and you know it!" The female said in a grim voice which only seemed to deepen Yarel's determination.
"Does she look like a threat? There's a place for this but…" The male's answer was interrupted by Ruby's slightly bothered remark.
"You don't need to fight about this! I'm sorry about what happened to you but this doesn't help!" Ruby said in a sterner voice than usual. She was seriously beginning to doubt whether these two were worth her time. It was clear that they weren't as receptive towards her as the fast runner had initially thought. Greentail sighed as she thought about her brother's words. She stood behind her points but she knew her brother wasn't a fool, either. Greentail often thought that his ideas were too hopeful and that he often didn't consider all possible risks associated with his ideas. His excitement would often have to reined in for his own safety. She looked at the fast runner in some compassion and walked towards her carefully.
"I'm sorry about that. Things have just been kinda rough in the past weeks. We've just found ourselves fighting about stupid things and we know it but this atmosphere gets really depressing before long." The thinclaw answered, her expression taking a slightly calmer tone. Ruby looked at her in puzzlement but decided against pushing the issue any further. Yarel followed his sister and continued from where she had stopped.
"You're right, Greentail. I still hope things were better but after we got separated from our parents, things haven't been too well. It is slowly beginning to bother both of us." Yarel sighed as he spoke and looked at Ruby in clear apology. The fast runner could easily see what he meant: she was already growing frustrated by her own search. Anyway, there was little she could say to comfort the two siblings. Ruby merely sighed and answered in the only way she could.
"That's no wonder. I'm already noticing the same thing with my own journey. I already feel anxious whenever I stop to think about my situation. Anyway, how much longer is it to our destination?" Ruby asked, knowing that the moment of truth was slowly falling upon the small group. The longer Ruby had spoken with the two siblings, the more she had gotten the impression that they thought that any change to their current reality would be heartily accepted. Ruby knew it was far too much to hope but a small if fleeting thought flowed in the fast runner's mind. Perhaps the two thinclaws would want to come with her? Before Ruby could advance her idea, Greentail answered first in a thoughtful voice.
"It shouldn't be too long from now on. Come, follow us! You'll be in your way in no time…" The two thinclaws waved Ruby to follow them and the fast runner happily obeyed. Ruby took a small sigh of relief: she had managed to get to know the two better and the chance that they'd come with her had just got better.
"There it is! The hills where the fast runners have been seen are in that direction. I don't know how far as that's all dad told me!" Greentail smiled as she pointed into the distance which looked pretty much like any other field in the Mysterious Beyond. Dry, inhospitable plains as far as eye could see but Ruby knew she didn't have much of a choice. This had been the only hint that she had ever since Stealth so if she ever wanted to find her family, she'd have to take this vague and unsure chance. She turned to look at her guides and spoke in a relieved and happy voice.
"Thank you both so much for showing me this! I would have never found the way if you hadn't made me find it!" Ruby said as she reflected her situation. Once again, she had a clear direction and her hopes of reuniting with her parents and siblings had grown once again. Even if the hole left by her friends would never heal, at least she'd be able to carry on their memory. All was not lost.
"I hope you'll find your family, Ruby. I just wish we had been of more help but we'we already told everything we know." Yarel said glumly as he shivered in the wind from the plain fields. He didn't know what to think about these events or the fast runner but he knew that his own life would stay unchanged even if he and sister were able to help Ruby. This knowledge alone brought the look of resignation to his face. Ruby looked at her new friends in slight hesitation, knowing that this was the time to speak or stay silent forever. She had already given it a lot of thought but she knew that any company was better than the overwhelming loneliness. Ruby hoped beyond hope the duo felt the same way.
"You've already helped me a lot but… I just wondered… would you be willing to come with me? My parents know a lot: they might even know where you'd be able to find your own folks!" Ruby knew her question was sudden and it was likely to be rejected but the fast runner wanted to try give the duo a way out from their situation and perhaps even a chance to rejoin their own kind. In addition, she knew that the coming Cold Time would be a true danger to two adolescent thinclaws to survive. However, the siblings' reactions were what Ruby had expected.
"Th… thank you, Ruby, but we cannot just go! It's the Mysterious Beyond!" Greentail answered in confusion and surprise but Ruby merely smiled as an answer. She had expected this answer and rebuffed immediately by another question.
"What about it? This forest isn't any safer than those fields as you've told me and we all have a better chance to survive if we stick together! And I already heard that you don't have any reason to stay here! I understand if you want to stay but you don't seem too happy with this place." The fast runner said in a completely calm voice, willing to let the two make their own decisions. Both Yarel and Greentail looked at each other in confused looks before the male answered to the fast runner.
"Uhh, just a moment, we have to talk about this with just two of us." Yarel said in an unreadable face while Greentail's glanced at him in clear anger and disappointment, prompting a puzzled expression from Ruby. Reinforced by Greentail's sudden hostility, the fast runner understood that the siblings needed some time alone so she only answered briefly.
"Okay but don't take too long! I want to get moving as soon as I can!" Ruby said as she looked at the two thinclaws move back into the forest. The fast runner didn't know what to expect from her companions but she truly wished they'd decide to come with her. So much had happened and Ruby simply didn't want to part with the first friendly faces she had met on her journey. Ruby looked around her and sat on a rock, burying her head in her hands in anticipation.
"Why did you take me here? Do you honestly think we have any reason to go with her? Even if she wishes no harm to us, we cannot simply go with anyone who asks it!" Greentail hissed in an angry voice, revealing her teeth to her brother in a show of anger and annoyance. It was clear that she was far from impressed by Ruby's proposition. Yarel returned a remarkably less aggressive look but it was clear that he wasn't ready to give up on the issue just yet.
"I know it's crazy but at least doing something and going somewhere is better than just sitting here! We know that this life isn't meant for us and I'd like to take any chance we can to get away from this!" The male said in frustration and pity at himself. The last months had been very tedious for him and the constant hiding from sharpteeth, the struggles against other omnivores for food as well as the recurring fights with his sister had taken much of the relief he had initially felt from finding this small sanctuary in the Mysterious Beyond. He knew that leaving with a complete stranger wasn't something he'd do in usual situations but this certainly wasn't one.
"We have everything we need and the hardships are nothing when we know what it could be out there! I agree that things might get boring and annoying sometimes but just try to see things from someone else's eyes than your own! We might be walking into the maw of some sharptooth the next day we leave!" The young thinclaw said as she tried to reason with her brother. At this point, she had to admit that her brother had a point but she also knew that she was right in her own way. At many points in the past months she, too, had hoped for a better future than this pitiful struggling against larger and more dangerous dinosaurs but if there was one thing she hated, it was risking her life without a good reason. No matter what, a silent life here would be a better option than mere running to a probable death. The gleam in Yarel's eyes brightened as he heard his sister's answer.
"And we might also be eaten or frozen do death if we're not lucky! You heard what Ruby said: we could even find out where our own kind lives: we don't know all of the wisdoms we need to and thee are still things we have to learn about survival! Even if we won't find our family, we might be able to learn something that we need to know to know when we're bigger!" Yarel said almost pleadingly to his sister who looked at him in an unsure expression. Sure, it was true that there had still been things they hadn't been taught yet but the two had managed to survive this long without them. A thinclaw's life was far from easy or simply but she was growing increasingly concerned by the risks of this venture. What if the fast runners knew nobody who could be of help?
"Like what? It isn't like any thinclaw would tell us, a pair of unknown kids, anything! You know as well as I do that it's not going to happen! Besides, we haven't done that badly as it is! We might have been lucky also but I don't see any reason why we should change the way we live!" The green thinclaw said in a calmer voice which forced a worried look to Yarel's face. It was true that no stranger would help them but if they could prove themselves useful to someone, things might become a bit different. Still, the male knew that his argument was highly being overshadowed by his true intentions: the mere will to find something more in his life than this agonizing subsisting.
"You might be right about that but are you truly willing to just wait and grow old in this small place while waiting for death? I know things might get rough out there but Ruby needs our help! Trying to help out a rare friend is reason enough for me to at least see if there's anything we can do for ourselves or for others! Maybe we can even find a new place where we might be able to live in safety! Also, just think about it: we have fought for stupid things five times this week and I admit it: seeing you has often spoiled my day. I really want that to change." Yarel tried to reason to her sister whose expression took an increasingly worried turn at his brother's honesty.. Her initial, stern rebuffing of his brother's arguments were slowly starting to melt as she couldn't question his line of thought. Even if she was offended by her brother's words at first, she felt the same way. Trying to salvage their once-close bond was a thing worth considering. There was a lot to lose but some other important things to gain. Truth be told, the female was slowly starting to question her own stance. She lowered her voce as she prepared to ask a question from her brother.
"Yeah… I know what you mean. But…are you sure you want to do this? Things might even grimmer and more dangerous out there and there is a chance we'll gain nothing from all of this. Many of our wisdoms speak against this kind of quick changes in our lives, especially if we can avoid it." At this point, Greentail's relaxed gestures told that she had dropped her complete opposition to her brother's proposal and it had turned into a genuine question. The two siblings looked at each other for a moment as they contemplated about this situation.
Yarel was slightly embarrassed by his insistence as he looked into his sister's eyes. This was the dinosaur with whom he had shared all his life and who had stood by his side and protected him for countless times during their childhoods. All of his early memories were filled with different games and acts of mischief and all of them contained the picture of this very same thinclaw. Even in this rough time, she had helped and comforted him and now he was almost forcing his point on her. Yarel felt a sting of guilt and self-doubt as he realized that he might be acting selfish at this point and perhaps luring his sister into an early death. Still, he knew he was genuinely saying what he truly thought was the right thing to do: to help him and his sister to survive even in the future.
Greentail's eyes looked like they were piercing her brother. She knew that she was right in many ways and it was highly possible that she should stand her ground for the sake of both of them. However, Yarel had seldom asked anything of her and she could see that he was truly willing to follow this strange fast runner into this adventure. The young dinosaur had always admired her brother's courage and his willingness to find the best course of action on hard times, even through the recent ordeals. The two had never overstepped on each other's hopes or ambitions and they had always shared everything from food to the decisions that had concerned both of them. Her own intuition told her to play things safe but at this point, she didn't know what to think. For as long she could remember, the two had always worked together and that bond had slowly been eroded during the past months of struggle. That had to change. She listened in deep interest as Yarel answered.
"That depends on the wisdom we are speaking about. One of them also says that we should try to always make ourselves more able to survive and to always create more help for ourselves in the coming days. This might be our chance to do that. I'm not saying you're wrong but I simply hope that what I'm saying is the right way to go." Yarel said in a more silent voice in order to be as convincing as he simply could. His own gestures were seemingly worried and his sister could see his nervousness. However, Greentail was slowly coming to the realization that there was some wisdom in her brother's words. Ruby had seemed to be genuinely willing to get to know the two better and even overlooking her friendliness, there could truly be some allies and knowledge to be gained on this journey. Greentail took a deep breath before she forced a slight smile to her face. Her voice was deep as she spoke.
"It can't be much worse than the other things we could do. We're far too smart for any sharpteeth to catch and it won't be too long a trip anyway, I think. I'm slowly beginning to think you're right, brother. We still have a lot to learn." Greesnout answered softly, prompting an equally eased expression from her brother. It was clear that the male was overjoyed by this development. After all these months of ordeals, finally the future promised something else. He merely nodded and smiled happily before he answered.
"Thanks, Greentail. I'm sure neither of us will regret this. Come on, let's go tell Ruby that we'll go with her." The two siblings then turned around and headed back to the opening where Ruby was waiting for them. For some reason, the atmosphere between them seemed a bit more lighter already.
Ruby was gazing far into the horizon, sitting on the same rock with her hands supporting her head which was lying on them. The higher elevation of the forest's edge provided the fast runner with a good view over the nearby plains and hills with a small stream flowing through the dry scene. Notwithstanding the barren sight, this place reminded her so much about her old Thinking Place in the Great Valley. She would have spent hours there thinking about different things in her life but they had always ended with another game or adventure with her friends. In this place, she could have almost expected Chomper's voice calling for another game of Hide and Seek. Ruby sighed as she tried to force her thoughts to some other subject which wasn't exactly a problem.
Dozens of conflicting things were running down on the pink dinosaur's head. First and foremost, had she done the right thing by offering the two siblings a chance to come with her? She hardly knew them and it seemed to have already brought a slight argument between them. Even if they decided to come, could she actually reward them in any way? Sure, her parents might know something about those two but would they be of any help to them? No matter how the fast runner looked at things, she realized she had only invited them for her own selfish hope of getting rid of her own loneliness. She knew her motivations was more than understandable but still a sting of guilt lingered in her mind.
For many Cold Times, her siblings had been all the company she had ever needed and even then she had been required to do shorter trips and journeys alone for her family. Even in her early childhood, she had spent a day or two alone without problems but it seemed like the Great Valley had taken that ability away from her. Even now, she could see Littlefoot's face whenever she was deep in thought or Ducky's small form run towards her from the corner of her eyes. At first, those hallucinations had nearly broken her but at this point, they only made her feel only more miserable. She knew that inviting the two to accompany her only as substitutes for her lost friends was the wrong thing to do but that couldn't be helped anymore. For better or worse, the die had been cast.
Also, would Greentail's advise be of any worth? Surely there could be other fast runners in these lands than her family and nothing pointed to the direction that the place they were going to was inhabited at all by now. Sure, it was possible that if they found any more dinosaurs around here that they could be of help. If Stealth had paid attention to a few small omnivores, so would many others. If her family still lived, Ruby knew there was a good chance that she'd find them eventually.
Ruby gazed at the distance with half-closed eyes as she waited for the thinclaws' decision. She had lost all sense of time by all the things going on in her head to even notice how long their conversation had been going on or even their sudden return. The young oviraptor continued to look at the horizon with dreamy eyes when she herd a now-familiar voice behind her. Ruby was slightly startled as she had completely forgotten to watch her surroundings.
"Uh… Ruby? Is something the matter?" Greentail asked as she looked at the thoughtful fast runner. She quickly jumped from the rock and turned around and answered in an even protective voice.
"Nope, I was just thinking about things and thinking about things is something I do a lot! Uhh… did you decide something already?" Ruby cocked her head slightly as she answered. There was a hopeful if bothered look on her face. Even after her misgivings, she still wanted to think her proposition had been the right one and she was somewhat heartened by her new friends' composures. They seemed somewhat relaxed, happy even and the fast runner could tell that this wasn't the face of someone who was about to deliver bad news. This impression was further reinforced by an approving nod Yarel gave his sister. The male's answer was relieved as he gave his answer.
"I guess you could say that. We're coming with you." Yarel said with a wide smile on his face. Even if their relationship with Ruby had been a brief one, he had a feeling that this was a dinosaur who would be able to help them as well as herself. If nothing else, she'd provide he and his sister with a great adventure. Ruby's eyes took a highly surprised and heartened look into them and the fast runner was about to stutter as she answered. This was the answer that would finally allow her to begin her new life.
"Th… thank you so much! I didn't know what to expect but I sure am happy to have you come with me, happy about it I am! I'm sure none of us will regret this!" Ruby was highly at a loss of words by this surprising display of trust and faith her new companions had just provided her with. She slowly walked closer to the two whose expressions were slightly more reserved but it was also clear that they, too, were happy about this development.
"Let's just stay away from any sharpteeth or spiketails, alright? I want to still be alive once we find your parents." Greentail said in a cheeky grin, even if the inclusion of spiketails puzzled Ruby somewhat until she remembered the story they'd told her earlier.
"That's what we do! No stupid sharptooth will be able to outsmart us again! I just hope we'll find your family before it gets any colder!" Slight chuckles accompanied Yarel's remark as he was highly sensitive to the cold. Once again, Ruby notified the mention about sharpteeth in his words and it was becoming apparent that there was more to these two than she had initially thought. Anyway, she was only happy at this point that the two had accepted her request.
"I'm sure we will, Yarel! They couldn't have gone too far as I heard it's been only a few weeks since they left! Also, my brother and sister are too young to go fast so we should reach find quickly. But don't speak about sharpteeth… I've had enough of them at this point…" Ruby turned to look to the ground for a moment, fighting to hold the painful memories of the fast biters in bay. After a moment, however, she realized that talking about it wouldn't help so she forced a smile to her voice and continued.
"But don't worry about that! I'm just happy to have you here! Come on, let's go before it gets dark!" Ruby said as she waved her new friends to follow her. The two thinclaws looked at her in slight excitement even if the lingering flicker of doubt could still be read in Greentail's eyes. However, it was she who answered to Ruby as the three prepared to enter the wide fields in the east.
"We have a long way to go before we can rest! We have no time to lose so let's see what's out there!" Greentail said as her two companions nodded. It was a lucky occasion that had brought the three dinosaurs together in the first place and their joining into a group was an even larger blessing for them to stick together. Even if the quest to find the missing fast runners held any meaning for only one of the three, the thinclaws also knew that there was a lot to gain in this journey. All of them only hoped this quest would be easier than their previous ordeals.
After all the hardships of the last chapters, Ruby has finally found two friendly faces on her journey. However, her original quest remains as elusive as ever and apparently her new companions, despite their genuine friendliness, don't share her goals on the journey which might complicate things soon. On a side note, Yarel and Greentail are Ornithomimuses which is another kind of omnivore dinosaur that hasn't been seen in the series yet. I hope you enjoyed these new characters as well as the developments in this chapter and see you next time!
The Rhombus: Indeed, I thought it would be necessary to further explain Petrie's thoughts as they and his character development will receive a more focal point as his story advances. I felt that the flier deserves more credit than most fanfics give him because despite his usual role, there are moments when even Petrie has done things that show his actual capabilities. Also, Petrie and Pterano's relationship will become a rather complex one but it will be only one of the things that will be happening in the flier herd but that's an issue best left for the next chapter! :)