A Friendship's Birth
The young flyer's eyes were a mask of pure fear and shock as she looked at Peak walking away from the field, leaving a group of confused flyers looking at each other around the murderer's body which was left to lie on the green meadow. This wasn't the first time when the herd had resorted to this kind of punishment but it hadn't usually been committed before the observant eyes of the others. For Glide, actually observing this bloody display was a shocking experience, one she wouldn't have wanted to see. Her observations were, however, ended by another voice from her right.
"Well, at least they found the killer. We're all much better off without such dinosaurs among us." The speaker was Brownbeak, another one of Glide's friends. He was a tall flyer and slightly older than Glide and the two enjoyed each other's company a lot. However, those words raised conflict within Glide as she couldn't, despite the fallen dinosaur's terrible crime, feel that he actually deserved to be killed like this. She didn't want to argue about this but she only sighed silently before she answered neutrally.
"I just wish we never have to go through something like that ever again. It's terrible to see someone killed in cold blood, no matter what they have done. It just isn't like how things should be. But I just hope that this mess is over now." The female wanted nothing more than to avoid these kinds of bigger disasters as she was far from content with her own life, namely her own family, at this point. Glide only wanted things to go smoothly within the herd and maybe her own personal issues would solve themselves in time. Brownbeak crossed his hands and nodded to Glide in a seemingly encouraging and relieving gesture.
"So do I. Peak is a strong leader and he will make sure no one will try anything like this ever again. I'm just sorry for your friend. Nobody wants these things to happen but at least we could get him some reprieve." He said, willing to once more relay his condolences to Ortin. Glide turned to look at her friend and formed a slight if melancholic smile as she answered.
"Poor Ortin. He of all flyers shouldn't be put through all this. I know he's strong enough to go through this and I'm sure he'd appreciate your words. But I wonder what…" Her words were suddenly interrupted by a loud shriek from the meadow and all eyes turned to look at its source in deep interest and concern. They knew this call meant that there was some kind of announcement and the fact that the speaker was one of Peak's deputies told them there was something important that he'd tell. That much was true but the message itself was far shorter and any of the flyers would have expected.
"Now that this mess has been dealt with, prepare for departure. We will leave for Streli's Hills once the Bright Circle touches the highest peak you can see in the north. Make sure you're ready by then." The flyer than took off and left the flyers in the surrounding forest look at each other in confusion. Brownbeak frowned at the briefness of those words and spoke quickly before he, too, prepared to head back to his family.
"Well, that was the most important thing, wasn't it? I'll go to see my folks before we leave but see you soon, Glide! It's a long flight se we better be ready!" Brownbeak forced a smile to his face before he took off. Glide was left looking after her friend, figuring she should follow his example. However, the mere thought of his tyrannical mother, indifferent father and unbearable siblings made her cringe in anger. Despite that, in the knowledge that she had no real choice at this point, Glide sighed and joined the quickly dispersing crowd of flyers which was quickly filling the blue morning sky.
Another young flyer was also left into a similar mental void after the brief announcement. Even when he wondered where his uncle lingered, another, more morbid thought flooded into the young boy's mind. Petrie still felt sick at the sight of Peak taking the life of the old flyer and it vividly returned his mind to the moment when Chomper's claws had brought the clubtail down back in the Valley. However, his old friend had done it only to save Ruby's life from the grief-blinded mother whereas nothing had forced Peak to act the way he did.
Yet, Petrie had heard that Ruby and Chomper had agreed that should either of them ever hurt a denizen of the Valley, they'd both pay the ultimate price. Back then, all of that had felt as a distant threat but now he was forced to face that terrible punishment face-to-face and he hoped to never see such a terrible act ever again. The brown dinosaur shuddered as he looked at the rest of the herd going their own ways. For a moment, he wondered what to do until he finally heard to his relief one very familiar voice, one that prompted Petrie to escape from his former thoughtful state.
"There you are, Petrie! I searched for you everywhere! I'm… I'm sorry you had to see that but Peak had his reasons." The older flyer suddenly lowered his voice as he saw Petrie's terrified expression and he could tell without asking what had caused this mood on his nephew. Petrie looked at his uncle, confused by the amount of things he wanted to tell his uncle. However, only one formed in his mouth, the voice wavering heavily.
"Why, uncle? Why do we kill each other? If… if that old dinosaur never attacked Ortin's dad, everything be well and they both would still be with us! Why?" His countless encounters with the sharpteeth were suddenly overshadowed by the thoughts of these two deaths as well as the whole chain of events concerning Ruby and Chomper. Pterano was completely taken aback by this question and he felt sorry for Petrie when he saw his head droop towards the ground in sadness. The older flyer had been too preoccupied with his own thoughts to be prepared to answer into something like this. He, however, did his best to give Petrie a satisfactory answer to his even childish and naïve question.
"Oh, nephew. There are countless reasons why these kinds of things happen. Sometimes two dinosaurs want two different things and they think killing the other will solve something. Some others envy another flyer and the third is simply wrong in the head and Peak only did what he had to return peace to the herd. I regret every day that it has to be like this but as long as we can't trust each other, these kinds of things cannot be avoided." Pterano said in a clearly apologizing voice, prompting Petrie to raise his head slightly. The young flyer was far from content, however. Petrie wanted to know the whole reason why it had to be like his uncle said.
"But it make no sense! All of us want to live in peace with each other and to have long and fun life! No one want to take it away from other and give up their own life because of it!" The boy said, completely lost in his thoughts. His encounter with Ortin had relieved him somewhat but that had been buried under the shock he had felt when he had seen the killer's blood color the ground red. Pterano frowned as he thought about the answer, the irony of the fact that he had caused great tragedy to others not escaping his notice.
"Most want that, yes, but there are others who always think they know best and think they are better than others. Take me for an example. Countless dinosaurs died because I led them astray and… and for a moment I thought that your swimmer friend's death was worth my eventual triumph and the recovery of the Stone of Cold Fire. I've never told you about this, nephew, as I've been too ashamed by that one, most disgusting moment in my life. I didn't try to kill Ducky myself but neither did I help her when she fell into the cave from where she apparently escaped from later. I was a monster and a fool, Petrie, but dinosaurs like my former self are the reason why the world isn't a paradise!" The older flyer's voice fell as he confessed the moment when he had left Ducky for death because of his former subordinates' pressure. On that moment, he genuinely believed that others paying for his success was something he was willing to accept and the memory of that horrifying thought had haunted him on many dark, lonely nights.
Petrie's eyes widened in shock as he heard his uncle's words, not willing to believe his ears. Ducky herself had thought him Pterano truly was sorry for her but it seems like there was another side to this story. However, those words didn't invoke the reaction that either of the flyers had initially expected. Petrie's face dropped even further but his voice wasn't angered in any way as he answered.
"I'm sorry about all that, uncle. Ducky told Petrie other things but me guess me just don't know what to think anymore. Me just happy you no longer be like that. But… but everything went well with you in the end, why not with the others?" The young flyer asked, knowing the answer inside him before even asked. The boy's thoughts were just a complete mess and he wanted to calm himself down somewhat. The older dinosaur looked back towards the meadow where the murderer's corpse was slowly being dragged away.
"I'd like to believe that also, Petrie, but things don't often go like they did with me. Answer me honestly, nephew. Could you have forgiven me if Ducky had actually met her end? And what about your other friends? If the Stone had really granted me the power I sought for, all of you would have been in danger. What if I had taken all of you down while I was overtaken by the glory of my newfound powers?" That was another question Petrie had never wanted to ask himself. He had never thought about the Stone again but what if it had actually been magical? The mere thought of what would have happened chilled the boy to the bone as he couldn't realize just how far his uncle could have gone. But the answer to his question was easy.
"No, Pterano. Petrie always looked up to you but you never really hurt me or me friends. But if you did… me not think me could forgive you for that. That just be too much." The flyer breathed heavily as he thought, feeling extremely uncomfortable with the conversation. However, Pterano seemed to make him understand why Peak had acted the way he did. The older dinosaur also took a serious expression, knowing his luck in avoiding actual bloodshed during the duo's first adventure together. To be honest, he didn't know even himself whether he would have been able to live with himself had those terrifying visions come to pass despite his newfound supernatural strength. He simply decided to let those thoughts be for now and to address another, important issue for now.
"I know that, Petrie. But that's enough of such things. It isn't long until it's our time to embark on a new journey, nephew. Are you ready?" The older flyer tried to sound encouraging after this morbid talk and Petrie, despite his internal conflict, decided to try to act like he was getting over it. The boy forced a more encouraged expression to his beak as he answered.
"Petrie is ready for that! Uhh… how long the flight take again? And how your meeting with Lenel go?" He asked, willing to also show interest in his uncle's whereabouts. Pterano looked somewhat happy with these questions even if he wasn't proud of his failure in trying to catch the killer. He decided to answer the questions in the order they were presented.
"It'll be a long trip, Petrie. It'll take at least half of a cycle of a Night Circle and it should get really cold near the end. But don't worry, we'll manage it. As for my meeting with Lenel, I don't have much to tell about it. He asked me to help in trying to find the culprit but my efforts weren't… as efficient as I would have liked. In the end, he was only happy that the justice was served and he hoped that we could live in peace from now on. But it would be best if we ate something before we left. It'll be a while before we're going to stop next time." Pterano said, hoping Lenel's opinion of him hadn't suffered by his lackluster help. Still, to his relief, the higher-ranked flyer seemed only concerned with finding the killer so maybe he hadn't paid attention to his failure so much.
Petrie looked at his uncle with slight chagrin, surprised by the length of the flight they were embarking on. Yet, it mattered little as his wing was almost completely recovered already. He was just slightly worried by the availability of food at this time as most of the areas he'd seen earlier were completely barren. Petrie was somewhat relieved that everything had gone well enough with Lenel as the boy still the four leaders' positions distasteful. However, he was more than happy to comply to the older flyer's last proposition and he nodded quickly as he grabbed a drying leaf from a branch near him.
"Alright! Me just hope things will be as Lenel say and no one else want to do bad things! Let's get ready uncle, it'll be a big journey!"
The moments passed slowly for Ortin whose earlier alarm had returned the moment he had returned to the only family he had left. Not even his grandmother seemed to pay him any heed as everyone seemed to be only looking after Peak's offspring. However, to his relief, he was able to return to his meeting with Petrie within his mind which seemed to save him from the worst mental anguish. The other young flyer had been extremely awkward and Ortin was still undecided whether he wanted to get to know him better. He was a member of one of the most prestigious flyer families there were and he was a mere, lowly outsider!
Yet, there was something within the boy's mind which revolted against that very thought. In the end, only Petrie had tried to help him in his darkest hour whereas his "family" hadn't paid him nearly any heed and even Glide was nowhere to be seen. Petrie hadn't been looking for him but in the end, that mattered little. Maybe, just maybe, the other flyer's small gesture had been more important than his "status" within the herd. No matter what, the boy knew he was in Petrie's debt and he'd be ill-advised to forget his friendliness, no matter his ridiculous speech pattern and misguided beliefs. Ortin's mind swirled around those thoughts when a large shadow suddenly formed around him. The flyer gasped as he turned around and saw someone he hadn't expected to see land next to him.
"P… Peak! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be giving orders to others or something?" Ortin was far from used to speaking to his distant if revered relative as he very seldom seemed to pay any heed to the young boy. Even now, a look of authority and superiority emanated from the tall flyer's eyes as he dropped his gaze to look at the younger male.
"Hush, Ortin. I apologize for overlooking you for this long but now I see that members of our family cannot remain this distant during times of great danger. I'm terribly sorry about your father." The older flyer tried to offer, knowing that it wouldn't be a miracle if the young flyer would be stunned by his sudden appearance but he knew it couldn't be helped. The grim situation called for him to do this conversation and he would see it through for the sake of Ortin and the rest of his followers. The former looked at Peak with eyes that communicated something between sadness and astonishment and he decided to see what the older dinosaur had to say.
"I know he was very close to you also, Peak. I like what you are doing for our herd and family but… but the danger is over! You got rid of the killer!" Ortin said, willing to know what Peak was after. He knew his words weren't probably what Peak wanted to hear but for a long time, he had seen the orange-colored flyer as a leader rather than as family and his more formal speech revealed that. Peak frowned slightly, surprised by the somewhat distant welcome the child had given him.
"Ortin… you must understand that I've always been busy with my duties but I also thought you were happy with how my cousin raised you. Now that he's gone, I'd… I'd like to make up for that at least to some degree. You are my flesh and blood and those are the ties that hold us closer than you could even imagine." At this point, Peak held a small pause, earning a conflicted look from Ortin. Those were the words he had waited all his life to hear but for some reason, this situation didn't seem to give them the same emphasis he had hoped for. Still, he knew far better than to question Peak further at this critical moment. If he had an opportunity to have some kind of family again, he'd take it.
"T… thank you, Peak. I… I never thought I'd hear you say that. Dad always told me about our eternal bonds with you and the others but I never understood them. I'm honored." Ortin felt awkward beyond words as he tried to accept the offer but Peak's imposing form and his delicate state of mind prevented him from finding better words. The older flyer turned to look elsewhere, somewhat relieved that Ortin at least didn't seem angry with him. He continued soon from a completely different issue as he looked at the Bright Circle approaching the mountain his deputy had spoken of earlier.
"About one other thing I wanted to speak about, don't think for a moment that we're safe. That old fool said he acted alone but that's all lies! I'm sure there is far more to this issue. It is most likely that someone wishes ill for all our family. Someone or some other family in this herd." Peak nearly whispered, willing to make sure that no one else would hear his words. Ortin gulped as he answered to his higher-ranked relative.
"Do you have any idea who? It's terrible to think someone here would really want to hurt us." Despite his age, Ortin realized the full implications of these kinds of things due to his father's teachings about the families' histories. Peak frowned deeply as he wondered for a moment whether or not to reveal his speculations to the boy but after a moment, he decided Ortin deserved to hear the truth. Even if his motivations to approaching him like this weren't completely unselfish, he still wanted to make a good impression on his long-overlooked relative. He put his hand on Ortin's shoulder as he spoke, barely audibly, to the younger flyer.
"Don't speak about this to anyone but I've got a feeling that Nira and her followers are behind all this. She has always opposed to me in our meetings for some reason and their behavior is highly suspicious. She might very well be trying to weaken me as a way to clear her worst rival away. But don't worry about this too much, Ortin. I'll take care of all this but now that you know about this, try to stay away from them and keep yourself safe, no matter what." The older flyer said, leaving Ortin stared at a narrow river in the distance. Nira ordered the murder of his father? The same Nira whom he had seen countless times in his life and even shared a few, short words? And her family which had seemed so much like this was behind her in this nightmarish deed? Ortin felt his breath grow heavy as he thought about those implications. He couldn't believe it but he also knew Peak was a wise and just flyer who wouldn't blame others without a good reason. He nearly hyperventilated as he answered to those stunning words.
"H… how could she do something like that? I know she's a bit cranky sometimes but I never thought that she'd…" His words were cut short as he spoke, overwhelmed by the situation heavily. Peak crossed his arms, knowing that the situation was a difficult one for Ortin. However, he could see that his time was quickly being spent as the Bright Circle continued its daily journey and he spoke one last time before he took off.
"As I said, just keep your eyes open and try to see if there's something suspicious going on in our herd. But remember the glory of our family's past and take pride you are one of us. We are all children of Warekli, the most graceful flyer who ever blessed the skies with his presence. Remember that his memory is the source of our strength and unity and all will go well. Don't linger for much longer, we're leaving in a few moments. It was a pleasant talk, Ortin!" Peak said as he rose to his winds to gather the rest of the herd together, leaving a very confused flyer in his wake. Ortin's mind was a complete flux as he thought about the words that had been exchanged. He was more than grateful for Peak's words but the fact that even he was in grave danger within his own herd sickened the boy without measure. Feeling the ground beginning to burn under his feet, Ortin quickly followed Peak to the rest of the herd, hoping beyond hoping beyond hope that Peak had been mistaken and that peace would reign supreme in the days to come.
Nimble's eyes scoured the still-confused herd around her as she prepared to initiate the long journey towards Streli's Hills. For her, the morning's terrible ordeal was a thing of the past and she seemed more than ready to move on from that one, isolated event. The Bright Circle would touch the distant mountain in a few moments, telling that the long wait was finally over. Nimble eyed at her fellow leaders who nodded to her in agreement, allowing her to move forward with her declaration. The yellowish flyer could see that something was wrong between Peak and Nira but she couldn't really figure out what. Lenel looked at them with a worried glance, deeply concerned by the lingering distrust between the two. Nimble, however, decided to shake that off for now and opened her beak to speak for the rest of the herd.
"My fellow flyers, the time has finally come! After one more Warm Time of wandering, it's time for us to return to our sacred grounds in Streli's Hills! It's much colder now than it should usually be at this time but it won't hold us back! In addition to this journey being an integral part of our lives' cycles, this journey will also offer us a chance to put today's terrible crime after us! We will honor the Hills' namesake by arriving there more united and resolute than never before, with the petty distrust between our families buried for good!" Slight cheers greeted her words as she took a short pause. Nimble herself, however, knew that it would take a wonder for her words to become the truth, at least among the most prestigious families of the herd. She felt sick at the situation but she hoped things would calm down from now on.
"We joined together to protect ourselves from sharpteeth and I beg of you, make sure we don't have to begin protecting ourselves from each other! So, embark on this flight knowing that you will be asked to cleanse the hate from yourselves before we reach the last resting place of Streli, one of the most courageous and kind-hearted flyers who ever lived! Follow us my friends on this flight and remember my words! Let us go now but we won't stop until the late evening! So be prepared for a long flight!" Nimble said as she took off, prompting the other leaders to follow her shortly. After their departure, the first lines of the gathered herd took top the skies, willing to once again follow the four on this long journey.
The mere thought of flying with over a hundred flyers made the unsavory memories from the Great Day of the Flyers return to his mind and despite his slight hopes, he was quite sure no one would approve of his innovations during that test. However, another kind of feeling awoke in Petrie's heart as he begun to flap his wings under the warmth of the midday sun. The thought of accompanying his uncle on a journey like this, surrounded by countless powerful and honorable flyers made a slight pride swell within the boy's mind. The faint wind whizzed in his beak as the ground grew ever more distant under him. Petrie was slightly sad to leave the beautiful meadow-like plateau behind him but from what he had heard, these Streli's Hills wouldn't lose much to them in their natural splendor. Petrie waited eagerly to see those famed mountains and he would certainly follow his uncle on this flight. He soon spoke to Pterano who was flying near him.
"It good to be back in the sky! Me kinda liked those mountains but a bit too much happened there! Petrie just glad those times behind now and Petrie even got a new friend! Me found Ortin in the forest and he seemed really nice this time!" Petrie said, earning a relieved smile from his uncle. The two had been earlier too preoccupied with Petrie's questions for the younger flyer to tell about his meeting with the broken flyer.
"Very good, Petrie! H… how was he? I can't imagine it was an easy thing to get to him now." The orange-colored flyer said with some relief but still careful as he couldn't imagine how the poor boy must be feeling today. Petrie's face turned into a slightly more serious one but it didn't completely fall as Pterano had expected.
"Yeah, it wasn't. But me found him alone in the forest far from the others. I know we shouldn't have been there but… both of us wanted to get away from the other flyers." Petrie still wasn't ready to speak about Hoist's terrible attack on him as he wanted to push those still-fresh memories as far back in his mind as he simply was able. Pterano nearly twitched as he heard those words as it had been his and his peers' charge to oversee the meeting and the duo's claimed departure casted yet another shadow on his vigilance. He snapped quickly back at Petrie, willing to make sure such things would never happen.
"When you're told to do something, that's what you do! My sister might have overlooked it but I won't have you getting yourself to trouble for failing to obey direct orders! I won't take this issue farther than this but never do something like that again! Is that clear?" Pterano said with an angry voice, immediately earning a stunned and hurt look from his nephew. The younger flyer knew he shouldn't have told about his and Ortin's meeting place but it only slipped from his beak. Petrie simply turned to look at his uncle and answered silently.
"Yes, uncle Pterano. Petrie never do something like that again." He said, at this moment honestly thinking he could hold that promise as his friends weren't around to get him join their adventures, a thought that still circled within his mind often. Pterano's expression softened as he knew that Petrie wasn't exactly the most obedient child there was. Still, he was content with his answer and let the issue go. He simply affirmed his support for Petrie's first successes in making new friends within his new herd.
"In any case, I'm glad you're doing better, Petrie. Things will get easier with time but you are already a different flyer than the one I found wandering alone in the Mysterious Beyond. But for now, take it a bit easier. We have a long while before we can do anything else than fly forward." Pterano said, willing to let Petrie calm down a little from all of his ordeals. As he said, today would mark a major leg on of this long flight and it would be better if he left Petrie gather his thoughts a bit further. His own mind wandered back to the situation within the herd, deeply wondering whether Lenel had been right to believe that the internal danger within the herd had been dealt once and for all.
The minutes slowly turned into hours as the large group of flyers covered more and more ground and endless plains of the same, monotonous landscapes were left behind of them. Only an occasional line of hills or rivers would ever break the wide wastelands that stretched so much of the Mysterious Beyond. There was very little gossiping within the dinosaur as they knew they'd be well advised to preserve their strength for the flight and there was also the threat that getting carried away in a conversation could make them forget the danger they, despite their natural gift, constantly were in. One, powerful gust in the wrong place and an unforgiving lack of air resistance could potential cause any of the flyers to drop all the way to the ground with lethal consequences. However, that wasn't the dominating thought within Petrie's mind during those long, surprisingly lonely hours.
The younger flyer's mind was still, to be sure, a complete mess but it slowly cleared itself from the worst shocks his encounter with Hoist and the old flyer's execution had brought upon him. As more and more time passed, Petrie felt his confidence return as he spent the time looking at the changing landscapes below him. Petrie was a curious soul who, despite everything that had happened, yearned to know more about the world around him and even this wasteland wasn't an exception. To the boy's endless surprise, however, something came to his view that reminded him of the long passed, better days. As the noon slowly passed by, his eyes were fixed on a faraway spot of green in the distant horizon. The sight felt slightly familiar to him and for many long minutes, the forest far to the herd's left bothered Petrie. He had seen it before but where had he possibly… oh wait, that's it! A nostalgic smile rose to the flyer's beak as the memory of his adventure in that place flooded back into his mind as if a ghost from another life time.
It was the same swamp that he, Cera, Ducky and Spike had passed through on their journey to find Littlefoot after he and his grandparents had embarked on their quest to find the meaning behind their odd sleep stories. Even if his short time there had been filled with danger and fear, the mere reminder of his adventures with his old friends raised a bitter smile to the flyer's face. Again he argued with Ducky about on which rock to step on, again he was confronting the gigantic bellydragger which almost got him and again he was falling asleep aside beside the boulder which proved to be a grey sharptooth later on. Those were some memories Petrie didn't ever expect to treasure but now the mere sight of the swamp caused an emotional flood fill his mind, hoping he could simply fly down there and join them once again in their journey to look for Littlefoot. Especially as that journey had introduced him with the longneck's brother and father as well as allowed him to witness something so spectacular even his mother had never even heard stories about. Yes, that was one of his most treasured adventures with his friends, one that he would remember no matter how long he would live.
But as all other passing landscapes, the distant swamp slowly approached the horizon behind the flyer herd and soon enough, it had been left behind him, a thought that immediately raised other thoughts within the boy's mind. Just as the swamp had been left behind him, so had his happy old life abruptly, without any warning, been simply taken away from him. There had been no goodbyes with mother, other denizens of the Valley or his friends… all of them had been with him and in the next, they were just… gone. Trying to fight the falling despair, Petrie turned his gaze forward, looking at a long gorge in front of him which had the rare privilege to bask in the Bright Circle's light at this time of the day.
However, no matter how hard it was for him to accept, he had another life now and even if he one day could return to the Valley, the old times would never return without his friends. The flyer forced a neutral look to his face as he decided to face the reality as it was without any extra longing for the past. His happiness might hide behind the curtain of change behind him but his future lied with these flyers and with his uncle and only a miracle could change any of those facts anymore. He would forge his own way again but he would still hold the memories of his beloved friends in his heart to help him create that new lot in life. Of that the young flyer was sure as he cast on final nod towards the direction where the swamp had once been.
The day aged gently and the weather stayed surprisingly calm but eventually, an ever-increasing fatigue had started to settle within Petrie's wings. It still wasn't anything serious but he had to wonder how much longer today's flight would be. In a way, the thought of weeks of these kinds of flights troubled Petrie but he knew he'd survive it somehow. He looked at the flyers around him and it was clear their flight wasn't as easy as it had been in the morning. Petrie wondered how…
"Alright, prepare for landing! We're going to rest on that flat mountain for the night!" The voice belonged to Lenel who pointed at a mesa-like hill far below the herd. It seemed extremely small and narrow for such a great herd but Petrie knew it would probably be wide enough for the flyers for one night. All of the dinosaurs complied to Lenel's words immediately but they knew better than to act brashly as any kinds of chaotic swoops held the risk of collisions during the way down.
A slightly younger Petrie would have probably forgotten that but for some reason, the boy felt for the first time in his life like he should really try to bend among the others and he had learned to looked what the others did in situations like these and follow their example. Most of the dinosaurs seemed to search for a downward spiral of air and then adjusted their wings to begin an effective but tightly controlled descent towards the dry landscape below them. The ground grew quickly closer to the flyers and before long the first of their feet hit the sand-covered rock, causing slight clouds of dust to rise from the cliff. Lenel looked at the rest of the herd slowly reach the mesa but he decided to give his followers the few orders he had at this point. He, too, was exhausted by the flight and wanted to fulfill his duties as a leader as quickly as possible. The others had agreed to let him deliver these announcements to the herd as a token of the others' trust towards his calm judgement.
"We covered a great distance today and you've more than earned your rest. Unfortunately, we're in the middle of one of the most desolate regions in the lands known to any flyer and there is nothing to eat or drink around here. However, we should reach a slightly more hospitable region by tomorrow evening and I ask you to simply swallow your hunger and thirst until then. But for now, use this night to rest and recover your strength. You may sleep on this mesa or the hills surrounding it, I don't care about that. But remember that we will leave when the first rays of the Bright Circle greet us in the morning." Lenel said, signaling that his briefing was over before he walked away. Sighs of relief could be heard among the herd as the dinosaurs slowly prepared for the deserved rest after the long and tiring flight.
However, there was also one flyer who wasn't just yet ready for such things. Ortin looked in slight disappointment as Peak, his grandmother and other relatives didn't seem to play him much heed despite the former's speech with him earlier. It was good enough for him to know he had a place among them, the young flyer figured, but there was one thing h wanted to do before joining them. Getting to know the one flyer who had shown him true friendship of this terrible day. A deep, overwhelming sadness of his father's loss festered within the boy's heart but one part of him still pressed him forward. Knowing one would try to hold him back, Ortin started to walk towards one of the lower hills he had seen Petrie and his uncle move soon after the landing.
Ortin had been preparing to also confront Petrie's uncle but the older flyer was nowhere to be seen. This puzzled Ortin somewhat but he wasn't too disappointed to see Petrie preparing for a good night's sleep. He seemed tired but it seemed like it would still take a while for him to calm down from the long day. Ortin knew Petrie would very likely welcome his arrival as he still seemed quite lonely within the herd. The flyer landed on the small hill Petrie was lying on and quickly spoke in a still heavy but friendly voice.
"Psst, Petrie! Do you have a moment?" Ortin whispered in a silent voice, willing to make sure he wasn't interfering and Petrie rose slowly to a sitting position, looking at the other boy with a surprised expression, surprised by his arrival.
"Petrie always have time b… but why? What do me need a moment for? Shouldn't you be preparing to sleep also?" Petrie frowned, not understanding Ortin's sudden appearance at all. However, he was still grateful for his earlier kind approach to him so he decided to listen what he had to say. Not that he had much better things to do as it would still take a long time before he could fall to sleep after all the drama that had happened on this day. Ortin took a sad smile as he answered to that question.
"I guess but I wanted to come to thank you for your words earlier. I… it'll take a long time for me to get better but at least you came for me and helped me through that the worst. In fact, you were the only one who tried to help me." Ortin said somewhat bitterly and Petrie took a slightly apologetic smile as he heard Ortin's answer. Where had Glide been and what was wrong with the rest of Ortin's family? Still, Petrie was somewhat surprised by Ortin's words and he answered in the only way he could.
"You welcome, Ortin but as Petrie said, me there only because of the bullies. Me never thought you'd be there." He said, confused by where this conversation was going. Ortin remembered that Petrie had already said that during the initial conversation but that didn't change the impact of his action. He took a slight smile as he answered to that remark.
"Maybe but you still helped me at terrible time. And because of that, I consider you my friend even if you said it all was a mistake. You seem like a decent flyer and I wanted to say make you know it." He said, finally voicing his reason for this talk. The boy's initial reservations at befriending with an outsider had long since passed and he wanted to tell it also to Petrie. The brown flyer looked at Ortin in astonishment, not realizing the impact he had made on the other dinosaur in the morning. Still, he was more than happy to hear Ortin's words, relieved to finally hear some genuinely friendly words after the recent events. The wind seemed to rise a bit on the nightly hill and a silent scream emanated from somewhere in the plains below.
"P… Petrie happy to hear that! M… most other flyers have only dismissed me or attacked me without reason! Thanks for those words, they mean a lot to Petrie!" He said silently, reveling in this breakthrough. He hadn't expected Ortin to approach him just yet but apparently he was in a better situation than he had thought at first. After that remark, the mood lightened up immediately. Both of them needed the reprieve of the moment but the day held still another surprise for the day.
Her conscience troubled Glide greatly as the girl flew over the empty, silent peaks. There were still a few flyers here and there on their duties and nobody paid her any heed. The long day with her family still bothered her greatly but for now, there was one thing she wanted to do before calling it a day. She hadn't met Ortin once since the terrifying news and she couldn't help but feel like she had betrayed her charge to him as a friend but she had spent the morning with Brownbeak and the rest of the day had been far too busy to meet him. Glide cringed heavily at her failure to relay her condolences to her tragedy-struck friend. Why didn't you see him earlier, Glide? He needs your support and he received none of it! Amazing thinking!
The female flyer beat herself mentally as her eyes scoured the mountains carefully, inspecting every dinosaur in great deal as her eyes couldn't see in the dark too well. She had already spotted most of Ortin's family but the boy himself was nowhere to be seen. She was already growing concerned about his whereabouts as there was always a chance that something had happened to him since the morning. However, her fears were soon proved wrong when she saw him talking to someone she couldn't recognize immediately. However, when she did, she frowned somewhat. What was he doing with Petrie? They had met only once and it hadn't seemed like a too friendly occasion. Also, the girl couldn't quite shake off her slight guilt of letting him go with Eleria to the woods as it would be a miracle if he had survived without a good beating from that meeting. Glide took a deep sigh as she started her swoop towards the hills below.
"Your uncle seems to know quite a lot about the world and other flyers especially as he joined us only two Cold Times ago. I've met him only few times before but it's too bad he isn't here now. Where is he, by the way?" Ortin asked as the duo's talk had moved from tragedy to slightly more normal topic and that was their remaining families. The talk was slightly uncomfortable for Petrie as it would take quite a bit of caution not to slip anything of his mother and siblings. No matter how unappetizing it seemed, he'd have to act like Pterano was his only living relative as he feared he couldn't lie well enough about his "lost" family of his official backstory. Nevertheless, Petrie liked overall how the talk was going and any signs of nervousness were hidden under the genuine mask of relief.
"He join some other flyers in making sure there be no anything dangerous around here but that shouldn't take too long. And yes, uncle Pterano be very wise! He's been to more places and heard much more than any other flyer me ever met! Me only meet him a few times before as he always be on his journeys, away from me or me family. But he use those times well!" Petrie said with genuine excitement, still appreciating all the experience and knowledge Pterano had gathered during his years of lonely journeys. For reasons that slowly dawned on Petrie, Ortin wasn't too eager to talk about the rest of his own family but the brown flyer still would have wanted to know more about it. Still, Ortin looked at the distance as he answered.
"It certainly sounds like it, Petrie. Sometimes I'd really want…" At this point, Ortin's words were suddenly interrupted by another voice from above. That particular voice surprised him slightly as he hadn't expected that flyer to show up this late. However, despite his and Glide's long friendship, he couldn't stop the sour expression that crept to his face as he turned to look at the newcomer.
"Hi, Ortin! I… I'm so sorry about your dad! I should have come to see you earlier but… but… I'm sorry." Glide crossed her arms, not knowing at this moment why she hadn't just told Brownbeak to wait for a moment when she's pay her respects to the fallen flyer. Back then the situation had seemed too sudden and terrifying for her to think clearly. She could only hope Ortin could forgive her. Petrie, too, looked in surprise at the girl but decided to let the two friends handle this issue.
"Well, you really took your time! I know it's not your problem but it certainly wasn't funny to sit alone when my family is too busy to argue and my friends are nowhere to be seen! It be bad enough when nobody cared about my dad but everyone seemed to have forgotten me also! This day has been a nightmare and the fact that you hid all the time certainly didn't help! Where were you?!" Tears formed into Ortin's eyes as they met Glide's gaze. The utter loneliness and his mental void returned to the boy's gaze as he remembered his earlier confusion about his future and loneliness. And now that she was here, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of explanation she would give.
"I'm sorry, Ortin, but another one of my friends needed me and besides, I thought that there would be someone in your family who would be with you. Of course I should have come to see you but for some reason, I never did. I guess I just felt like you would do better with your family." Glide knew Ortin's relations with the rest of his family weren't that close but still, she had figured they'd be able to share his loss better than she could. Even then, the two had been close friends since they were mere hatchlings and if they weren't together at moments of great strategy, when would they be? Ortin fought against his sobs, knowing it would have been a difficult situation for him too if it had been Glide's father that had been murdered. He knew he didn't have a right to judge Glide's personal decisions but it was easier to acknowledge it than to calm his raging, raw emotions.
"If you had come to see me, you would have known I didn't. But… but what's done is done. Thank you for coming at all." The boy knew there was no point in taking his accusations further, no matter how hard it was for him. In the end, the most important thing was that Glide hadn't forgotten him completely. The female seemed somewhat relieved by Ortin's latest reaction but she also lamented that her words could tear the deep and still open wounds within her friend's mind all open again. Also, she wondered what was the reason for Petrie's presence but it seemed like that question had to wait for a while longer.
"Of course I did, Ortin. At least it's all over now… I never met your dad but I heard many good things about him. We lost a great flyer on this day and we are all in his debt for his services to our common cause. I'm so sorry for all this, Ortin." Glide moved closer and hugged Ortin deeply, allowing him to let another release at least some of his internal pressure. Ortin's composure fell completely as the two friends embraced for a long time under the light of the stars, the wind felling during that time. Glide sighed deeply as she her friend go. Ortin looked away as he spoke in a broken voice.
"Thank you, Glide. I miss him so much… Nothing will be the same without him… Why did he have to go?" Ortin asked the night wind, leaving his wo friends stare at him in sympathy. One of the two knew how he felt but it helped little at this point. Glide looked at Ortin, her eyes saddened by the simple fact that there was no answer to such a question. She only spoke to him in a soft voice, trying to ease the situation.
"We'll never know that but at least he lived a good life. I don't know how you feel but I think you should be happy that you knew him at all. Remember him for the rest of your life and I know he'll be more than proud of you, Ortin." She took a small pause, allowing Ortin to once regain some of his composure. Willing to get the discussion to a more comfortable zone, she suddenly glanced at Petrie, willing to know what was going on here.
"But… what are you doing here? Your family was sleeping far away from here." The girl directed the question at Ortin but she looked more at Petrie, knowing he would be the more likely flyer to answer due to Ortin's mood. And indeed, her guess was proven correct.
"We meet at morning when the others were at meeting. We were… badly hurt by different things and we found another and we help each other get over it, or at least try! Ortin then come here to thank Petrie for that talk!" The brown flyer said, minding Ortin's despair and keeping his voice low because of that. Petrie's words caused a deeply uncomforting feeling to grow within Glide, having a good idea about what had hurt Petrie during the morning. At this delicate moment, most of her antagonism towards the boy was gone and she didn't mind Petrie's presence at all. Ortin fought back another sob as he turned around and continued from where Petrie had left off.
"He's right. I'm just glad he came there and I wanted to repay him now by telling him we're friends now. I… I know how you feel about Petrie after yesterday but he's a good flyer, Glide. I… I just wanted to tell him that." Ortin sighed as he spoke, hoping that Glide wouldn't begin to dwell within her hurt pride. The last thing he wanted to do now was to begin arguing with Glide simply because of her bitterness towards the boy. To his relief, Glide showed more understanding than he had initially expected.
"Well, at least someone came to you back then. I'm sorry for my earlier words to you, Petrie. I was just angry because I lost to an outsider. It isn't something that many in this herd appreciate but… but thanks for helping Ortin." Glide would have wanted to cringe as she had been an indirect cause of the beating Petrie had most likely received on the previous day but she didn't want to raise that issue up yet Petrie, on the other hand, couldn't begin to grasp what he was hearing. First Ortin had agreed to see him as his friend and then Glide simply forgave him despite the humiliation he had brought on her. Petrie's eyes widened and he stuttered slightly as he prepared to answer.
"Of course, Glide! Petrie happy me could help but… are you not mad at me anymore?" The boy wanted to confirm, earning a thoughtful look from the girl. Glide took a short pause, simply thinking how she would give her answer.
"Well… I'm still not happy about how things went but… I have enough problems without trying to see you as my enemy, Petrie. Let's just say that there is no reason for me to try to keep the rivalry up." She said matter-of-factly, earning a somewhat relieved look from Ortin. He hadn't expected things to go this smooth and he certainly didn't regret it. His earlier despair begun to ease somewhat but it was clear those were wounds that would never heal. Still, he took what little comfort he could from the new developments. He looked with some appreciation when Petrie answered to the girl.
"That great to hear, Glide! Me had actually feared things wouldn't go like this but… I'm happy to be wrong. Petrie never wanted things to get bad between us so… thanks for forgiving me." The brown flyer said, happy by the fact that the worst hadn't happened between him and Glide. Ortin took a few steps forward the two and said to them, trying his best to fight back his raw emotions as he spoke.
"I… I'm just glad things didn't go as bad as they could have. It's getting late, though, and I'm still not ready for it but… would you two want to play tomorrow, after our long flight? I just want something fun to do and I doubt neither do you two mind a little rest after the tiring day." He said, prompting Glide and Petrie look at each other with thoughtful looks. Petrie was more than happy to earn another new friend but Ortin's words prompted a moment of hesitation within Glide.
She really liked Ortin and she'd certainly wish to spend some time with him but Petrie on the other hand… She had just forgiven him for his victory over her and to be sure, he seemed much funnier and friendlier flyer than most within the herd but he was still an outsider and slightly younger than she was. But as she thought more about the issue, he couldn't find any real reasons to turn down Petrie's companionship. After all, he had proven himself to be a cunning flyer and he also seemed like someone who could be worth getting to know better also for his friendship. After a moment, she nodded to Ortin in agreement.
"Sounds good! I'm in at this same time tomorrow, wherever we happen to be!" The girl said with some relief, her eyes looking at her two companions in approval. Her comment was soon followed by Petrie whose answer was even more enthusiastic.
"So is Petrie! Me look forward to it really much! Petrie just hope you feel better by then, Ortin." Petrie said with some concern earning a slight shrug from the other boy. Ortin looked at the desolate landscape briefly before he answered to the two.
"So do I. However, have a good night you both. Let's see again tomorrow." He said, earning ordinary goodbyes from his two friends and he and Glide quickly headed into the dark night skies. Petrie looked at the duo disappearing into the darkness, not able to believe how this terrible day had finally come to its conclusion.
The previous day's fears had been replaced by two new friends, both of which had seemed more than happy to get to know him too. Even if he was still haunted by the morning and Ortin's father's terrifying end, things were much better than he had ever dreamed they would be after the loss of his old friends. Petrie turned to look towards a distant cry in the desert, a deep smile apparent in his face. That smile had a melancholic tone to it but the joy was still clear as the skies of the Great Valley. Yes, he would be able to ford through this broken time in his life and with Glide and Ortin's help, he fight his back into life. More than relieved by the latest developments, Petrie took a deep yawn and felt the drowsiness creep into his limbs. Knowing his uncle would return before long, Petrie put his head against a small stone and prepared for the next day's ordeals and possible glories.
The herd's journey has finally begun in full swing but there are signs that there is deep and dangerous mistrust among among the flyers. Those suspicions are unlikely to have good consequences for the herd as they move on on their long flight. On the positive side, Petrie has finally managed to forge a genuine friendship with Glide and Ortin but how will those bonds hold up in the storms to come? I truly hope you enjoyed the numerous developments in this offering and have a happy and delightful 2018 everyone!