CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Around late evening, the groups reaches the swampy area. It is, in fact, the same swampy area that Littlefoot and his friends traveled through on their way to the Crater. The pack is tired and rests, though Rusty makes sure to empty his bladder first.
Not in front of Tiny! Chomper moans. The pack, quite tired, goes to bed for the night. All except Chomper, Tiny, and Phyco, who just pretend to go to sleep. When they are sure the others are asleep, they sneak away from the others, tiptoeing so as not to make a sound.
Ok, do you think we can beat Shredder before the attack happens? asks Tiny.
Can't we get the help of the Flatteeth? asks Phyco.
I would prefer that Shredder not even make it alive to the Great Valley. Tiny says.
I'm not sure about this plan dear. It will be hard for the three of us to attack Shredder without being killed by the rest of the pack. We'll need more help. says Chomper skeptically.
We could always get Rusty to help us. On the way here, he was privately calling Shredder all sorts of names that made me ask if he kissed his wife with that mouth. Of course, that could just be because he needed to empty his bladder water but Shredder wouldn't let him. remarked Phyco.
24 minutes before the bright circle rises 79 Domeheads slowly and silently make their way into camp. They begin to take position where it would be hard for their enemy to have room or make it out, but easy for them to get out should they need to.
Rusty, who has finished hearing Chomper's story, and doesn't yet notice the Domeheads remarks Well, I admit Shredder is a nutcase. I have sympathy for your Flatteeth. However, on the flip side, you already cost us food for the whole day and really hurt my bladder with your save-the-Yellow-Bellies act. Also, you know what Shredder could do to my wife and I? We lost our eggs last time to Egg Stealers and our batch this time is close to hatching. You want them to end up orphans?
Tiny thinks over what to say. Finally, she says Rusty, I know it is risky, but I think it is necessary. I... she pauses, hearing the Domeheads. We've got company! The four of them head to go fight off the Domeheads, waking the pack as they go along.
A Domehead cried "The enemy is prepared, begin the attack, make those bastards pay for what they did at the Mountains that Burn!"
The Domeheads begin to charge, this time in a more competent formation then when they were the defenders.
Chomper moves along with his three friends to attack the Domeheads. The four do well. Chomper had never learned to hunt with a pack before but has quickly picked it up. He moves aside as a Domehead strikes at him. However, the Domehead is then struck down by Rusty. Another aims at Rusty but Tiny strikes it down. A third goes for Phyco, but Chomper kills it before it can hurt him. Phyco brings down another that was going to attack Chomper.
The Domeheads continue to draw attention to the four until they are well enough separated from the group to have 34 of them surround at once, then begin to ram at their knees.
Chomper lets out a loud T-rex roar. His other three friends copy him. They hope that it can intimidate the Domeheads. The four crouch lower, their claws out to attack, their feet moved outward so that the claws on their feet are in the way of the ramming Domeheads.
Hey Phyco, if we don't make it, would this be your preferred way to die or will you be disappointed? Chomper asks with a weak smile.
Phyco replies Better to die in the glory of combat then to die from getting old having done nothing but hide under a rock from the danger you know is out there.
One of the Domeheads charges then stops short, a second Domehead behind him jumps on top of him just as he thrusts upward, the Domhead jumps into it launching him self onto Chomper's head, then he begins to bite him below the ear. Tiny moves and bites into the Domehead, killing him. She throws the Domehead with her teeth, as her hands are busy fending off attacks. Nobody can bite Chomper on the ear but me! she snaps. A domehead strikes Tiny in the leg as she moves to defend Chomper, causing a second degree bruise.
The pack charges into the line of Domeheads, attacking them. Chomper and his three friends use the opportunity to go on the offensive against the Domeheads. After some hours of fighting, the Domeheads are all dead.
Hmm, Domehead steak! said Tiny, munching on a dead Domehead.
Phyco said That was enough to even make me exhausted. I got some breakfast. I need a good rest. I hope that is it for a while.
No, you have done well against the Domeheads. However, we still are going to be attacking the Swimmer and Spiketail herds today. It is good that the Domeheads came though. We got more practice in for fighting the Great Valley. We will attack the Swimmer and Spiketail herds in half an hour. I suggest you prepare now. said Shredder.
I don't mean to disagree with your leadership, I just wish to know, don't we have plenty to last the rest of the day? Meat spoils quickly, we might not be able to finish it all. Is it really wise to needlessly deplete our food source if we are already doing so well without attacking herds we don't need? None the less my king, if you feel we must, I won't go against your command. said Phyco.
We can eat the Domeheads now. However, the attack will still proceed on schedule. Now get ready. said Shredder.
Phyco shouted Sir yes sir!
Meanwhile, Tucompso finds a nest of stinging buzzers. He calmly carefully walks up to the nest without disturbing the colony. He then takes large amounts of the honey and cakes it all over himself. The stinging buzzers then come and land on him. He holds still as they begin to lick their honey back off of him. Their tiny legs and tongs tickle but he does his best to stand perfectly still. After a while of the buzzers licking the honey up and putting it back in their hive where it came from then returning and licking more off he is sparkling clean, his skin is all shinny. He then goes to the lake and looks at his reflection. He smiles.
The Two Egg Stealers are perched by their nest basking in the sun.
Mimus said "I'm going to go get something to snack on, be back soon."
Sapphire replied "Don't be gone too long, if something happens I don't want to have to defend the nest single handedly."
"Relax, just a quick snack, and I will be back. I won't let anything bad happen. Assuming I will have a say in the matter." Mimus reassured her.
He heads off to look for a snack, leaving his mate to guard the eggs.
"I hope they aren't going to get some eggs to snack on. You know, I don't think it was a good idea to bring Egg Stealers here." said Topps.
"I am keeping an eye on them Mr. Theehorn. Not to worry." said Littlefoot.
"I hope you know what you're doing Longneck." Topps said to him.
"Call me Littlefoot, please. My grandfather might have let you call him 'Longneck', but I'd prefer to be called by my actual name." said Littlefoot.
Mimus said "I like my protein but I kinda feel being alive is more important. Besides, like I said before, eggs aren't all we eat. Would you like me to show you my favorite kind of green? It has no protein, but, it smells better then anything else their is to sniff."
Meanwhile, Tiny says to Chomper I'm some how going to know? Until I met you I never did any of this, being reluctant to hunt. It sucks being a sharptooth doesn't it? But one thing I am sure of, do not get close to them.
Chomper, Tiny, Phyco, and Rusty moved ahead of the pack again. Shredder didn't mind. After all, he didn't know that the group had been responsible for the escape of the Yellow Bellies and believed them to be the ones who helped bring down the Clubtail herd. Chomper came across a Swimmer herd. He quickly learned, from overhearing what they were saying, that they were aware of the presence of the Sharptooth pack. They hadn't spotted him and his three friends yet.
"Snork, I want you to go distract the Two Claw pack." said a Swimmer, who, from the looks of it, appeared to be the leader of the herd.
"But won't they eat me?" asked the Swimmer, trembling.
"They might. But we need to distract them so the rest of us, most importantly me, can get away." said the Swimmer leader unfeelingly.
"Why don't you send one of your own kids? You really lord over us Auro! When the herd runs short on food, you and your family always get enough, even if it means others in our herd nearly starve to death!" snapped the kid's mother.
"I won't have any of your lip! Now, I'm sending both of your kids now! Let that be a lesson! Nobody challenges me!" snapped Auro. The herd started to try and move the two children away from the hiding spot. Chomper was horrified at what he was seeing!
Chomper came to the two trembling children. "Come with me quickly, before they spot you."
The Swimmer children stare at Chomper in horror. "Go, I'll hold it off!" the boy says to his sister. However, she doesn't move, unwilling to leave her brother to, as she thinks will happen, die.
"No, I can't leave you." his sister replies.
"Come on. I don't want the pack to find you." Chomper tells them.
"How the heck did you learn to talk? I thought all Sharpteeth cared about was eating us." said the boy.
"You are sadly misinformed. Sharpteeth only eat for food. We do lots of other things As it is, I am friendly toward Leaf Eaters like yourself. I eat Sharpteeth, Egg Stealers, and Domeheads." said Chomper.
"Should we trust it? It might eat us when we let our guard down." said the sister.
"Why is that guy so mean? He sent you to die like that." asked Tiny. She had learned more Leaf Eater from Chomper and could speak it better now.
"Another talking one!" gasped the sister.
"He's a terrible leader. He let some in our herd die due to his bad leadership. When my uncle questioned him, he banished him from the herd. My uncle got eaten by Sharpteeth two days later because he was all alone! That jerk has no conscience. We aren't the first ones that he's sent out to be sacrificed as distractions for Sharpteeth. I had a best friend. Really nice guy. Auro had him sent out to distract Sharpteeth when they were wandering too near our herd. He led the Sharpteeth away, but unfortunately got caught and eaten. He did out of spite against the kid's mother, who he never liked. When she whined about it, he banished her and the rest of the family." said the boy.
"Tell you what, perhaps I can deal with this creep." said Chomper.
"Deal with? As in what?" asked Tiny.
Chomper drew a claw across his throat. Tiny gasped "But I thought you didn't hunt Flatteeth!"
"Not any that have decency in them. I've never really encountered rotten ones. I had told you earlier that I wouldn't mind taking out a real putz." said Chomper.
"Be careful. There are a group in the herd that kiss his tush. They won't let you take him down without a fight." said the girl.
"Not to worry dear. This is one of those times when I am glad that I am born what I am." said Chomper, smiling.