Of Utter Loss and Yearning for Home
Increasingly violent shivers were making their way into the young flyer's limbs as he lied in the rocky ground. The wind was rising again and it carried small amounts of the ground sparkles with it, covering the night sky with a slight but clear white curtain. However, none of it mattered to Petrie as the flyer stared towards the woods to his left, every part of his mind screaming in fear. For a time which felt like an eternity, screams of pain and creeping death could be heard there as the air was filled with flyers attempting to tear each other to pieces.
A sickened look rose to Petrie's face as he stared at the ongoing battle. Somewhere out there, his uncle was giving his all for some cause of which Petrie knew nothing about, the flyer completely at a loss of what was transpiring. Just when he had hoped he'd seen enough death for one day, the flyers with whom he had lived for a week now suddenly attacked each other for no apparent reason! Had the whole world gone completely mad? And worst of all, not even Pterano had told him what was going on, other than making the boy promise to stay here, no matter how distasteful it seemed for him. Petrie could only stare at the battle with empty eyes, repeating his wishes for his beloved uncle over and over again.
That senseless bloodbath seemed to go on forever and Petrie felt more lonely than he could remember in all his life. Here he was standing in the darkness, waiting for his uncle to return to him with no one else here to keep him company or encourage him. He could as well forget everything around himself and to simply cease to be, with no one around him even noticing. That thought, however, was still drowned by his fear but eventually, the thing Petrie had waited all night long had waited came to pass.
Ever so slowly, the screams seemed to grow fainter and the dark forms of the flyers landed back into the white ground. The battle was over and if there were so many survivors, certainly uncle Pterano had to be one of them! A dinosaur with his experience and wisdom would certainly be one of the winners of any stupid fight! He had to be on his way back here right now, Petrie thought to himself. Most likely, his form would appear against the flying ground sparkles any moment now.
However, many moments passed by and only the black sky, along with the lesser lights and the Night Circle loomed over the herd of flyers. The only thing that changed was that the momentary silence was interrupted by Lenel's distant voice which made Petrie frown somewhat. It had been the pale flyer's mate who had invited Pterano to this bloodbath and she would have to know what had happened to him. Petrie still cringed as he thought about leaving his sleeping place but in the end, the danger his uncle had warned about seemed to have passed finally. Petrie had listened to his request faithfully but now was his time to get answers.
Only when Petrie prepared to spread his wings did he realize that he had unconsciously crossed his arms on his chest to shield himself from the cold while shuddering terribly. The night was colder than he could remember in all his life but even the frigid wind didn't stop him from swallowing his fears and taking off into the sky. His eyes were fixed on Lenel's form who, along with a few other flyers, stood in front of the rest of the herd. The boy felt his heartbeat quicken terribly as he saw the terribly ruined bodies of fallen flyers here and there but he was slightly relieved when he couldn't see his uncle among the fallen below him. The flyer's stomach suddenly seemed to turn upside down as he saw the savagely gutted and mutilated corpses below him but he attempted to only pay attention to their faces. And no matter how much he looked around himself, his uncle's remains weren't here but where was he then? The older flyer wasn't among the gathered members of the herd either. Suddenly, Petrie's thoughts were interrupted as Lenel suddenly cried in a loud voice.
"In due time, we'll make Deron and Peak pay for what they did but for now, we have to resume the journey we set ourselves on! We have to help the wounded but when the Bight Circle is highest on the sky, we will again head towards Streli's Hills! Use the rest of the night as you see fit but keep the peace. We earned it with a heavy price." Lenel said as he turned around to speak something to his mate and the younger male Petrie didn't recognize. Many of the herd members seemed beyond confused or heartbroken but none of them seemed to question Lenel's words right now.
Petrie landed near the others in order not to raise suspicions but his eyes bored into Lenel keenly. This flyer knew about his uncle's whereabouts and in one way or another, he would find out what happened to Pterano. However, even Petrie realized how volatile the situation was and there was a chance the pale flyer wouldn't answer to his questions but considering his uncle's position in the herd, maybe some hints could be found by old-fashioned eavesdropping. As the other flyer started to disperse, Petrie again took off and used the confusion and his small size to disappear into the woods above the spot where Lenel and the others were standing. Even from where he was sitting, he could see a triumphant but sadness-filled look on Lenel's face. Petrie jumped to a lower branch as he saw Lenel turn to his followers and spoke to them appreciatingly.
"Thank our ancestors' name you were successful, Sireia. I don't know if I could have carried on without you. Also, well done Taria and Kero. I guarantee none of you will regret taking part in what happened tonight." He said silently and Petrie struggled to hear what the fresh leader of the herd was saying. To the young flyer's relief, Sireia answered in a more powerful voice.
"I couldn't have left you to see the coming weeks through by yourself, Lenel. Nira was a fierce opponent but even she was no match for me and Haste. Well done, my love. We made the correct choice, after all." Sireia said as Taria, Haste and Kero nodded at her remark. The latter cringed at the antics of his companions but he knew more than well that dying with Nira would have hardly advanced the cause of Nimble's former herd. He could think about his future later but right now, Lenel offered him his best chance to move forward. He spoke to his new leader in a seemingly uninterested but revering voice.
"You have my gratitude for bringing our internal struggles to an end, Lenel. For once, we can hope to live in peace but at what a cost? How many flyers did we lose because of Peak and Nira's pride?" Kero said as he narrowed his eyes, just looking at the scores of dead dinosaurs around him. This question made Petrie's heart skip a beat as this was it. It had been probable from the beginning this kind of question would be asked sooner or later and it would be near impossible for Lenel to overlook the possible loss of his deputy. Petrie, too, knew this but those thoughts were buried under the resuming shudders of his hands and the quickening of his breaths. The entire world seemed to freeze still as he waited for Lenel to open his mouth. The pale flyer looked at Kero with regretting eyes and he took a deep sigh as he answered.
"Far too many, my honored deputy. At least forty or even fifty, most of them from either my or Peak's former herds. Many great flyers were lost and worst of all, that coward Peak managed to escape! I swear he'll pay for this soon enough." Lenel said but his words did little to improve Petrie's mood. If the light-colored flyer didn't tell of his uncle to the others, he would have to ask him soon enough and hope…
"How about Pterano? Did… did he make it?" Taria asked as she realized that Lenel's other deputy was nowhere to be seen. Petrie suddenly felt as if a cold grip had suddenly turned his innards upside down. This was truly it. This answer would be the one which would decide so much for the young flyer and his future.
Please, say that uncle Pterano still alive! Petrie no know what me do if… if…
The air around Petrie seemed suddenly frigid beyond words but the situation grew only worse when Lenel answered, his face a mask of regret and sorrow.
"He did not, Taria. Peak killed him in the most cowardly and disgusting of ways when we faced Bluegust in that forest. He… he is gone." Lenel said as he brought his hand to his face and shook it silently. However, everything that happened after that moment was lost to the lonely flyer above them. The boy's mind seemed to become petrified still as the realization started to slowly fight its way into his consciousness. It simply couldn't be! His uncle, who had done so much for him, couldn't be dead! Certainly Lenel was lying! There was no way that could be true! There just wasn't!
Before he even realized it himself, Petrie flew down from his branch, not even caring to hide his presence from the other flyers. For now, the only thing that mattered was to prove that Lenel was lying. Petrie flapped his wings furiously, tears starting to fall from his eyes as he started his search for his uncle, holding one last ray of hope that he might still find his uncle alive and well in this withered, dark forest.
However, the night didn't hold such terrifying surprises to everyone. Glide's breathing grew easier bit by bit as she reached the still-numerous group of flyers recovering from the fight. She, too, had been forced to follow the battle from the sidelines, fearing for the safety of her parents but there they were, discussing the recent events with a few other flyers, a fact that didn't sit well with the younger flyer. If they thought that informing her of their survival wasn't important, maybe showing she cared about them wasn't either. Glide suddenly turned to her right and spoke to her friend with whom she had shared this night's fears.
"Well, at least they made it, Brownbeak. But… why would anyone join a bloodbath like this? This… this is completely sick!" Glide said as she looked at the fallen, most of whom she had known at the very least by name. Most of them had been good flyers and herd members but here they were, slowly growing colder in this unhospitable, desolate land. Brownbeak moved from his friend's side to crouch and look at one of the dead closer, only to shake his hand.
"Blackclaw had taught me for many seasons on the more difficult wisdoms. I can't believe he's gone." He said as he raised to his full height, looking at his teacher with tearful eyes. Glide looked at him briefly, remembering how often Brownbeak had told her of Blackclaw and the ways the former had learned most of his most impressive tricks.
"I'm so sorry. He certainly sounded and seemed like a good flyer." That was all the comfort she could offer as she had never known the fallen flyer herself. Brownbeak stood still for a moment, looking at the older flyer's unseeing eyes without blinking even once. After a short while, he began to stutter with a wavering voice, trying to calm himself down.
"He certainly was, Glide. Our herd will never be the same without him and the others. And to think this was all because of Peak… I can't believe we followed him all this time." Brownbeak said with a clear tone of bitterness in his voice. He had heard Lenel's speech and the fact that both Nira's sister and Nimble's old deputy supported him had been enough for him to accept his new leader's explanation at what had happened. Glide couldn't really disagree with him and shortly, she began to think aloud, not meaning for the other flyer to hear her words.
"I'd just like to know if Ortin's alright. I hope he didn't have to get hurt because of Peak." She said, looking at the sky in slight worry. Brownbeak frowned at her words and turned to her almost unnecessarily aggressively.
"Didn't you hear what Lenel said? Peak escaped and it is more than likely he took all of his family with him! If he hadn't, at least some of them would have spoken against Lenel!" Brownbeak spoke, not feeling too much compassion against Ortin after all his family had done on this night. Glide, on the other hand, took a highly concerned look and rose to her wings, soon realizing that her friend was right. Ortin or any other member of his family was nowhere to be seen which could mean only one thing: her oldest friend was no longer a part of this herd.
Desperate sobs accompanied Petrie as he flew through the silent forest, feeling slight hope rise within him as he saw that there were far less corpses around here. Maybe, just maybe, Lenel was mistaken and Pterano had made it after all. The young flyer left no glade or cave unchecked as he tried to find his uncle on this most nightmarish of nights. Even giving up the search came to Petrie's mind… until he saw it.
In the middle of a small clearing surrounded by giant shadows of dead trees, Petrie saw a flash of the familiar hue of brown. Petrie almost felt his breath stopping as he turned towards that sad sight, soon realizing he had not been mistaken. Before him lay the unmoving form of his precious uncle who had symbolized unlimited wisdom, bitter betrayal and unselfish and limitless protection to the young flyer. Petrie stood still for a moment and as the long-denied emotion slowly started to overflow his mind, the flyer finally collapsed to his knees, starting to cry inconsolably.
"Please, get up uncle Pterano! Me know you can do it! Me cannot do this alone! Ohh, why this have to happen?" Only the dark ground met Petrie's gaze as his tears fell towards it, his eyes shortly rising back to Pterano. Petrie could see that his throat had been slashed open but it mattered little to him now. Of all flyers, his uncle had been the one who had deserved this the least! The times when Pterano had found him wandering the wastes, the way he had brought Petrie into the herd and how he had helped him through all the hardships… all those beautiful times were now only a memory. His mind dwelling in the past, Petrie moved to his uncle's side and hugged him for the last time, ignoring the countless wounds and the blood covering his body.
Pterano's shocked eyes seemed to bore into Petrie's mind and slowly, Petrie realized he was now completely alone. His only helper in the herd was gone and without him, Petrie knew there was little binding him to those cursed savages who would stop at nothing to just get each other killed! Without his uncle, even a life of loneliness would be preferable to living in this herd who had claimed the life of his uncle! The boy moved to his uncle's side, weeping horribly as he closed the older flyer's eyes and whispered to his ear weakly.
"Goodbye, uncle Pterano. Pe… Petrie hope you have a good flight where…. wherever you are! Th… thanks for doing everything you did for Petrie." He said as he forced his gaze away from the horrifying sight. He felt like every part of his body was getting crushed by the weight of this place and by his memories. He took one, last horrified look at his uncle before taking off from this episode in his life. He would fly to some place where he could try to rebuild his life and to at least attempt to find a way to return to the Valley. He owed it to his uncle to find a better life than what this nightmare offered him. In mere seconds, Petrie soared over the trees but he couldn't guess this would turn out to be a mistake.
The wind seemed to be in his favor and Petrie hoped that he'd be able to escape from the others soon enough. All coherent thoughts had long since left Petrie's mind and only a desperate plan to escape from his recent life and loss seemed to flicker in his mind. Even if he knew he was wrong, every second that passed seemed it seemed like he could escape further away from the recent tragedies. Petrie looked expectantly at the distant mountains, hoping he'd get some kind of hint about the Valley's whereabouts. With any luck, many of the Valley's residents had forgotten his part in the tragedy during the meeting on that day which seemed like it had happened so, so long ago, as if to a completely different flyer. Yet, those hopes were soon cut short as Petrie saw a larger flyer suddenly glide before him, effectively blocking off his escape path. The younger flyer twitched noticeably as the newcomer addressed him in a rough voice.
"Turn around now, kid! No one is to leave the herd while we still have to find out the depth of Peak's treachery!" The flyer said in a voice which brokered no disagreement but Petrie hardly listened to him. Everything but the memory of his uncle's dead face was wiped away from the boy's mind and he was in no way interested to speak with anyone right now. He quickly turned into a deep dive while giving the other flyer his answer.
"Me not care anymore! Just go away and leave Petrie at peace!" He spoke, earning a deep frown from the older flyer. However, the boy didn't waste any time looking behind himself nor did he really bother to even attempt to make much distance between himself and his chaser. Petrie fluttered through the powerful winds towards the night, not turning his head even once to look around himself. And in the end, Petrie didn't twitch a muscle when he felt his left wing being grabbed by the other dinosaur's claws.
"When I give an order, I expect you to obey! Do you really want me to report further about this?" He said as he turned Petrie around and forced him to land shortly. Petrie couldn't bring himself to raise his gaze at the other flyers: all he could do was weep without an end and to try to form some kind of answer.
"Me… me don't care about it anymore! Tell Lenel, kill me here or do whatever you want! Even if it would be better than to go on with your herd!" Petrie cried as he struggled to wipe his tears away with his wing. The older flyer tried to keep his face as grim and authoritative as possible but the depth of the boy's sorrow got to him quickly. He didn't know Petrie so he didn't have any idea what had happened.
"None of us, not especially a child, can survive out there by ourselves. Petrie or whatever you called yourself, I don't know what happened but…" He started but Petrie wouldn't let him finish. He suddenly wailed to the guard with his full force, not able to stay silent anymore.
"Of course you don't! Of course nobody knows how uncle Pterano was attacked from behind for nothing! None… none of this should have never happened!" Petrie said as he buried his head in his hands again. The guard looked at him with a frown, not approving of the boy's antics in the least but he could relate to his pain. Yet, he wasn't going to let the younger flyer think he was getting soft towards a potential deserter of the herd in its most vulnerable moment.
"They never should have but I'm sure your uncle died for the right cause, something many of my siblings couldn't claim. Petrie, you must understand that life is full losses and death but it is no reason to resign yourself to despair! Our herd has given us everything and our deeds for the sake of our companions are the reasons we have to go on with our lives as each flyer should know! Petrie, I have no option but to take you back." He said, knowing that he had to obey the orders he had been given, now more than ever. The younger flyer looked at the guard with teary eyes, not giving his words much heed. His uncle was gone and no words from his captor would change that solemn fact. However, he wanted nothing less than to follow this dinosaur back to the herd who had caused him so much sorrow.
"But you can just say that you never saw me leaving! Petrie promise me never tell anyone me ever met you! Me will never…" He started but again, the older flyer put a grimmer look on his face and bowed towards the younger male, this time clearly meaning what he said.
"I would let you go if that were up to me but this time it simply isn't. Peak and Nira might still have allies among us who might work against us or contact Deron without our knowledge. Follow me and know that I will notice it if you even think of trying to flee again. Let us waste no more time, we have a long day ahead of us still." The light-green colored adult said as he took off. For a few moments, Petrie thought of turning around again and trying to lose his chaser but that would only make things worse. With a sickening feeling in his stomach, Petrie took off and followed the guard, his mind too filled with regret to even mind being forced to return.
That flight progressed in complete silence as Petrie saw the faintest of glimmers in the eastern horizon. It wouldn't be long before the Bright Circle would rise to the sky after which a departure for another day's flight would be imminent. With heavy eyes, Petrie glanced at the ground below himself, realizing that most of the herd had dispersed to either mourn their fallen loved ones or rest for the challenges of another day. But at the very least, no visible tensions could be seen in the ground which at least brought the slightest of reliefs to Petrie's mind. He suddenly looked in regret as the other flyer suddenly turned downward, heading towards the still-darkened ground. Just as Petrie touched the ground, the guard looked at him and spoke to him in a silent but decisive voice.
"Be thankful that I won't relay the news of your attempt to escape forward. I'm sorry for your uncle but even then, make sure this will never happen again. Safe flights for you, Petrie." The guard said before turning around and heading back to see for his own duties. Petrie was left to stand alone in the darkness, not having even the briefest of chances to answer to the other flyer. The boy stood still, looking into the horizon before he sat down and started to weep again. However, to his misfortune, he would find soon that he was far from alone.
Complete nothingness filled Glide's head as she stood alone on a small branch of a tree overlooking the wide battlefield, trying to ignore the gory sight. Her eyes were fixed on the distant Night Circle, thinking of her own loss. No matter how difficult it was to believe, Ortin was gone, driven away simply by the fact that he was related to the wrong flyer! The mere thought revolted within Glide's mind but even worse, there was nothing she could do about it! She didn't have the slightest of ideas where he and his family had headed and even then, Glide realized it well enough that she couldn't head after him anyway. Peak was apparently a traitor to the herd and no matter how much she hated the idea, she knew Ortin was considered little better by her own family now.
Unconsciously, Glide shook her head and narrowed her eyes as she explored the skies as if she expected to see Ortin flying there. She had spoken with her parents already and they had told her to abandon her friendship with Ortin immediately and to forget she ever knew him. That thought infuriated her without an end and as so many times before, she hoped that the boy would be on her side right now instead of her self-righteous parents. Yet, she knew that was impossible and she wasn't ready to turn her back on everything she had known just yet. A longing look rose to her eyes as she whispered to the looming Night Circle.
"I will meet you again, Ortin. I promise it." That moment seemed to stretch on forever until she suddenly noticed something which caught her attention. Two flyers suddenly landed not far from her and she immediately recognized the other one of them. "Petrie? What is he doing here on a time like this? Well, why should I care about anything he does?" She asked, forcing her gaze away from the boy. She was still more than disappointed by his revelation as there was no place anywhere more pathetic than the Great Valley. They might think their the center of the world but in truth none of its residents could survive two seasons in the Mysterious Beyond anymore. Such was the price of losing one's most important wisdoms.
Yet, Glide suddenly realized how very alone she now was. Only a few days earlier, she had had three close friends but now she only had one and even Brownbeak had had the nerve to practically claim it was Ortin's fault that he had been banished from the herd! Now, Ortin was gone and Petrie had revealed his true home, one that could never be reconciled with the efforts surviving in the wide reaches of this world really took. Yet… he had beaten her in his test back when they first met and the sense of strategy and cunning had certainly impressed her greatly. And to think of the times when he had known her, Petrie had never shown the weakness many others in the valley had been told to possess.
Glide looked at Petrie who was left alone, not knowing of his woes. However, she suddenly felt more miserable herself than in ages as she thought about the fate Ortin had been forced to face and the coming, lonely days without her closest friend. On a time like this, the girl couldn't help but feel some compassion towards the other flyer even if her mind still rebelled against breaking the ice between the duo. Maybe someday but as things were, she simply couldn't forgive his dishonesty and lies this easily. The young flyer took another sigh as she looked at the slowly lightening sky. It would take a long time for the herd and its members to recover from this bloodbath but if Lenel acted as wisely as before, maybe someday this nightmare could be forgotten. Her moment of melancholy was suddenly interrupted as another form suddenly appeared to the clearing, one that wiped away Glide's sadness away immediately. She gritted her teeth together as she turned her gaze at Petrie again.
If you ever were worth anything, prove it now! Show Hoist that you are stronger than you've shown thus far!
All sense of time had disappeared from Petrie's mind as he sat still, tears falling to the ground all the time. It was as if the world itself had become one with the darkness now surrounding him, everything in it swallowed into the never-ending despair. His last conversation with his uncle returned again and again to the boy's mind and waves of guilt washed over him again and again. Had he decided against listening to Pterano's warning, he could still be alive! Why did he have to let his uncle face the danger completely alone? How could he ever allow this to pass? This was all his fault! He should have stayed by Pterano's side until the very end, not stay behind like some complete weakling! It… it was all just so very wrong. Why couldn't…
"Oh, Petrie. I can see that everything going the way you wanted. What a pity." Petrie twitched noticeably as he heard that voice and he turned his gaze to the speaker in complete shock. And the face that greeted his gaze was the one he had wanted to see the least now. For a moment he thought of leaving but where would he escape now? He only turned his gaze away from the slightly larger flyer and spoke in a voice that was barely a whisper.
"Get lost, Hoist. Me have nothing to say to you now." He said, hoping he could simply wish Hoist away but inside he knew that wouldn't be the case. But if he had to prepare for another beating, it would matter very little. Nothing mattered anymore to the young flyer. However, his fears about Hoist were proven right as he moved to Petrie's side and spoke in a more mocking voice than ever before.
"That wasn't nicely said to the only one who can show at least some sympathy, Petrie. Are you not going to thank me for using my time to come greet you in a time like this?" He asked, moving in front of Petrie, his face looking as offended as possible. Petrie, however, didn't pay those words any heed, only burying his head deeper into his legs. The silence seemed to reign for a few moments as Hoist stared at Petrie, his face growing increasingly angry towards the other boy. Petrie prayed for this meeting to end as he heard Hoist's footsteps growing ever closer. The older flyer knelt slightly before Petrie and cocked his head while forcing his face into a devilish smile.
"I know all about your uncle, Petrie. I know all the details about it. It's amazing how quickly these things spread, isn't it, Petrie?" Hoist said while watching Petrie's teary eyes growing more desperate by the second. Every part of Petrie's mind wailed in sorrow and outrage. As he heard those words, he finally turned to face Hoist who stared the younger boy in the eyes. Petrie soon tore his eyes off him and growled in a voice almost unrecognizable for the flyer.
"Get away from here, now! Petrie no want to hear any more of that!" He cried, knowing his torturer wasn't going to grant his wish. And indeed, Hoist moved to his side and spoke in a triumphant voice.
"And why would I do that, Petrie? Because you say so? It's much funnier to stay here and watch a complete idiot mourn for his weakling of an uncle! Pterano was never much of a flyer and anyone who allows himself to be ambushed from behind doesn't deserve a second chance. Admit it, Petrie. We're all much better off without him slowing us down." Hoist said with a confident smirk, circling Petrie ever so slowly. The latter, however, had had enough. He turned towards Hoist and cried with all his might.
"Uncle Pterano the best flyer ever and me not listen to anyone speak bad of him! Me…" At this point, Petrie was cut short by a heavy blow that landed right on his right cheek near the base of beak, sending the young flyer flying from his rock into the rocky ground. The brown-colored dinosaur gasped for air in shock as he heard Hoist speak to him again.
"Your uncle had his moments but most of all, he was unworthy of being anyone's deputy. And the fact that he thought bringing you into the herd… no flyer with even a hint of a brain would ever consider such a thing. Or don't you think that was one of his many mistakes?" Hoist asked as he kicked Petrie on his side as he struggled to regain his footing, sending him rolling into the ground again. The younger flyer cringed at the pain which was radiating all over his body now. However, he suddenly felt a part of his inner agony give way to a growing anger, one like which he had never felt below. He raised his head back at his foe and tried to let out a clear threat , one whose effect was largely lost by Petrie's voice.
"Take those words back, Hoist! Petrie will not be asking for a second time!" He said as he felt his hands seething with growing rage as he looked into Hoist's mocking eyes. The larger flyer didn't seem to pay his threat any heed as he pinned Petrie to the ground and smiled to him widely.
"You were a mistake from the beginning and one's relatives tell a lot about someone. Now that I've seen just how worthless you are, I must admit that I'm surprised how very, unbelievably pitiful your moron of an uncle must have been. It served him just right to be killed the same way he lived: without honor and without any…" This time, it was Hoist's turn to be interrupted as Petrie finally forced his hand free and hit at his torturer under his beak, breaking Hoist's hold on him completely. The older boy looked at his opponent in astonishment as he briefly wiped his hand at the spot which Petrie had hit before he again approached the other flyer.
"Now you've done it, weakling. I will show you what happens to those…" Hoist started but before he could finish, Petrie cut him short with a louder voice than before. The younger dinosaur's face had suddenly turned into a complete antithesis of his usual one, completely overtaken with rage towards Hoist. This monster dared to insult uncle Pterano's memory like this and think he'd get away with it? Gone were any fears about the larger boy's strength or obvious advantage, replaced by the will to defend the only thing that still remained.
"No, it you who has done it, Hoist. Me make sure you take back what you said before the end!" He cried while Hoist suddenly frowned at Petrie's answer. However, the former decided against further threats and suddenly charged towards Petrie, attempting to overwhelm him with his mere brute strength. However, something had awakened within the younger flyer and Petrie immediately stepped aside from the attack and then leaped towards his foe from his side. Hoist yelped in surprise as he felt Petrie's leg land a surprisingly heavy blow to his thigh but even then, he thought it mattered little. With a confident turn, he moved to finally exact his revenge but suddenly he felt something which took him completely off-guard.
With all his power, Petrie pushed Hoist forward, right towards a pile of loose rocks, knowing that nobody would be able to hold their footing on that spot. And indeed, after a few seconds of stumbling, Hoist felt himself falling to the ground, the loose earth around him making any attempts of quickly regaining his footing almost impossible. For the first time today, Hoist felt fear rise within him as Petrie moved above him, the younger flyer's teary eyes filled with a hint of triumph. Even if he couldn't bring his uncle back, he could at least make the flyer who had insulted uncle Pterano like that pay! However, just as he prepared to begin his attack, he heard Hoist whimper at him with an almost panicked voice.
"Petrie, stop! Don't you realize it was all a joke? There's no reason to get that mad!" He said as he looked at the haunted look in Petrie's eyes whose expression didn't twitch one inch at those words. Instead, he merely snorted at the larger flyer as he pinned him more tightly into the ground.
"It too late for that now, Hoist. Petrie said me not ask you again." He said in a voice none of those who knew him in the Valley would even recognize. Never before had Petrie been that broken, desperate and hateful at the same time and all those emotions molded together in this sickening moment. Pure horror emanated from Hoist's eyes as Petrie hit him right between the eyes and again in his chest, crying with a lost voice to his hated foe.
"This one is for uncle Pterano! And this one for the beating you gave me last time!" He cried while the memories of his last days with his uncle and the fear of his earlier meeting with Hoist encouraging him into an ever-blinder rage. He hardly noticed Hoist's efforts to begin his counterattack, the younger flyer using his advantageous position perfectly to maintain his decisive edge. He managed to inflict a cut or two on Petrie's sides but they were nothing to the hits he received one after another. However, after many attempts, Hoist finally managed to cause a deep wound to Petrie's belly which finally caused the younger flyer to screech in pain.
Yet, it wasn't long before the larger, dark-colored flyer would regret even his momentary success. Petrie glanced at his bleeding abdomen quickly before grabbing a large stone from beside him, not really realizing what he was doing. Only a flicker of fear had the time to flash before Hoist's eyes as the stone collided with his skull, causing him to almost to black out. It took him many seconds to realize that the tearful flyer had moved to batter his chest with the rock, causing him to bleed with an increasing intensity. In this moment, all reason and thinking had departed from Petrie's mind as the only thing he wanted anymore was to have some way of fighting off his own tearing pain. He hardly saw what he was doing, his thoughts locked within the fortress of despair.
Hoist, on the other hand, stared at his opponent in shock, the younger flyer's pure rage and hate completely overwhelming him. Even if he had wanted to avoid it until the very end, the dark-colored dinosaur realized within his fading consciousness that Petrie was not going to give up. His mind was battered terribly by Petrie's hits and Hoist slowly realized that without help, he would never make it away from the frenzied flyer's attack. With all his might, he suddenly cried to everyone who would hear him.
"HELP ME, ANYONE! GET THIS LUNATIC AWAY FROM ME, NOW!" He cried as he tried to twitch under Petrie's grasp. The younger flyer didn't even register his opponent's words but he decided that he didn't want to hear another word of him. Hoist let out another scream as he saw Petrie raising the stone again and when right after he saw it once again fall towards him, everything went utterly black.
The impact of his hit wasn't lost on Petrie who soon realized that Hoist's struggles disappeared slowly. For the first time since his attack, Petrie stopped for a moment to look at his handiwork, looking at the unmoving flyer below him. Even in the middle of his distress, he could see that Hoist breathed but that was where the good news stopped. He was utterly battered and there were several deep wounds within his head. Suddenly, Petrie's tears started to fall even more intensely as he realized what he had done. He looked at Hoist's blooded eyes which had closed after his savage hit but the mere sight of the wounded, unconscious flyer below him. He was about to collapse on his back in horror but those thoughts were soon ended as he felt another flyer grab his wing and tore him away from Hoist. The soon thing Petrie realized was a female voice cry to her in utter shock.
"What happened here? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" She cried as two other flyers moved to help Hoist. The whole scene felt unnatural to Petrie as he faced the furious newcomer in her eyes. He was surprised to see her to be the flyer he had seen with Lenel earlier tonight but what was her name… yes, Taria! However, that helped little in a moment like this and Petrie's answer was hardly intelligible as he spoke.
"Me never meant it to happen! He… he spoke bad things of uncle Pterano and… and me couldn't take it! Petrie so sorry!" He cried as he saw the two other flyers doing their best to halt Hoist's bleeding. He was in a far worse condition than anyone had realized at first and his whole life was on a wing's edge. Taria realized that immediately and she hit Petrie quickly before she answered to him.
"Out here, we simply don't beat each other to the brink of their final flight! Pray that Hoist will survive or because you don't want to know what will happen to you if he dies! Even now, whatever we will do, it's far too good for you, you cursed bastard!" She cried as she sent Petrie to the ground again, giving her another hit to his chest. Petrie didn't even bother to rise from the ground anymore, slowly starting to hope someone would simply end it all. In a matter of an hour, everything was ruined. His uncle was gone, he had nearly killed Hoist and there was no telling what would follow. As Petrie gazed at the rocky, dry ground, he suddenly noticed his left hand moving towards his throat, ready to escape from this hell once and for all.
Maybe it really is better if me just go to join uncle on his journey. Me have nothing left here. Goodbye, momma and sorry. Petrie so sorry for everything.
He thought as he prepared for his final act but just as he put his claw against his soft throat, he was interrupted by a now-familiar voice.
"Leave him be, Taria. I will speak with him myself." Petrie raised his gaze slowly to see Lenel walking towards him and the female. Almost immediately, Taria shot back at her leader in an unusually sharp rebuke of the light-colored flyer.'
"Just look at what he did! We all know that he has to be banished even if Hoist lives! There is no reason to prolong any of this!" Taria cried as she glanced at the terribly wounded boy being carried to a safer place. Lenel frowned at her before speaking in a low but calm voice.
"I know, Taria, I know. But… I have something I want to tell Petrie before we do anything else. Help the others in making sure Hoist lives." Lenel said, making clear he didn't want any more objections. Taria frowned at her leader and answered only briefly before turning around and leaving the scene.
"Very well but do it quickly. We don't need any more trouble with Hoist's parents or they might be the next one to leave if you get soft on him. He isn't Pterano and remember that you owe him nothing!" Taria said before moving to join the others in helping Hoist. Lenel narrowed his eyes, not willing to waste time on matters like these on this volatile hour but deep within himself, the pale flyer couldn't watch his honored deputy's only relative like this. He quickly spoke to the boy before rising to his wings again.
"Petrie, follow me without any second thoughts, now. Your situation is bad enough as it is." He simply said before taking to the air. Petrie felt his limbs grow heavier than tree trunks as the weight of all that had happened befell on him. Yet, something in Lenel's tone raised some interest in him as the newfound leader of the herd had no hate and above all, loathing in his voice. In the end, he had nothing to lose so why shouldn't he give his uncle's trusted leader a chance? With an exhausted sigh, Petrie began to flap his wing and the scene of the lowest point in his life.
An enraged frown had lingered on Glide's beak for many minutes as she looked in disgust at the aftermath of Petrie's frenzy. For the very first time, someone had found the courage to stand up to that son of a bellydragger and how he was treated as an enemy of the herd? Gone were the feelings of loathing towards Petrie and it had only been the fury and the quick progression of the events that had prevented her from joining the boy in finally showing Hoist his rightful place among the flyers.
How can the grown-ups be so blind to Hoist's acts all these seasons? I mean… he has been a total cancer upon all of us! Nothing of worth would be lost if he didn't recover at all!
Glide thought as she kicked at her branch in rage. The thought of Petrie's dishonesty still infuriated her but not nearly to the same degree as Hoist's words to the other boy. The girl quickly took off from the tree and headed after Petrie and Lenel, hoping that the former would survive from this without any major punishments. Deep inside herself, Glide realized that something important had changed in her approach towards the flyer she had already counted as her friend.
A brief sigh escaped his mouth as Lenel landed on the cliff overlooking the rest of the herd, looking as the edge of the Bright Circle started to appear into the sky. He frowned somewhat as the events of the night started to drift away from his mind, replaced by the hope of the new dawn. He was more than relieved by the lack of opposition towards him thus far but it mattered little if there were still significant groups who would want to see him dead. The time to reinforce his position would come very soon but first, Lenel knew he'd have to reconcile with his past to the best degree. Pterano's death had been a terrible tragedy and his loss was unlike anything he had felt in many, many seasons. And as a living testament of the tragedy was the completely broken boy before him who was now completely alone in this world. However, Lenel got some relief from the plan he had in mind as he spoke to Petrie.
"As Taria told you, we cannot allow single herd members to attack another like that. If Hoist dies because of you, many here would demand me to return the favor to you." Lenel said while looking downwards at the distressed flyer, trying to open the discussion in a way which would leave him in complete control of the situation. Petrie's head dropped, only now realizing that his crying had finally stopped. Most likely he had simply ran out of tears, the flyer supposed. Still, his voice was forced and distressed as he answered to his leader
"Petrie understand but Hoist ask for it! He attack uncle Pterano again and again and when Petrie tell him to go away, he hit me in the beak! Me know me should have not done it but… but me couldn't help it." He said, only carefully eying Lenel's reaction. The older flyer frowned somewhat, not finding reasons not to believe Petrie's tale. However, his new position didn't allow him to waste time solving the issues of children's fights. No, even if Petrie was his late deputy's nephew, he wouldn't have invited him here just to listen to his explanations. Lenel turned around to look at the rising Bright Circle as he spoke.
"I hope you speak the truth, Petrie. Mocking Pterano this morning is something I wouldn't stand either but without further proof than your word, I fear there's not much I can do about it. I'm extremely sorry about your uncle. He was one of the bravest and most loyal flyers I've ever met and… and I will regret my whole life that I was unable to save him." Lenel said as he narrowed his eyes to shield them from the increasingly powerful beams of pure light. He had crossed his hands behind his back and his head drooped slightly towards the ground.
Petrie, on the other hand, frowned slightly, not knowing whether or not he should trust anything Lenel said. On one hand, this was the flyer Pterano had spoken of so very fondly and respectfully but on the other, why would anyone in this heard care one bit about him? He had never really met Lenel before so why would the older male show any real kindness toward him? And even a dinosaur as young as him realized that Lenel would probably have more pressing duties than speaking to him. No, there was no way that Lenel was telling the whole truth right now.
"Well, it help little anymore. He gone forever… but why you want to tell Petrie anything? Me not my uncle… me just some worthless flyer who everybody hate now." He said, the guilt and fear suddenly overwhelming his courage again. Lenel turned his head to look at Petrie briefly, surprised by the answer. He had expected his audience to raise the boy's confidence but apparently he was mistaken. But it seemed like Petrie was brighter than he had thought but in the end, he should have expected as much from Pterano's relative. There was no reason to prolong this meeting if Petrie didn't want to and Lenel quickly moved to his real point.
"Petrie, it is true that I mainly look at you through Pterano but believe me when I say I don't want to see his nephew like this. I failed him miserably and there is nothing else I can do for him, true, but I know that neither would he want to leave you behind to drown in your own despair. Because of that, I have a proposition for you, one I think that you, too, find interesting." Lenel said, his voice hiding nothing from the other flyer. Lenel had turned to observing his herd which was waking up from its brief and troubled sleep. The hour of today's flight was slowly approaching but he wanted to finish his business with Petrie. The young flyer frowned slightly, slowly beginning to calm down from the many humiliations. Even if he couldn't trust Lenel fully after all that had happened, at least he wasn't attacking him whenever he got the chance. He hesitated for a while before he retook the eye contact with Lenel and answered.
"Well, me guess me should thank you even if it does nothing for uncle anymore. What is it you wish to ask of Petrie?" He asked simply, not willing to prolong the conversation any more than he'd have to. Yet, in the end, pretty much anything Lenel could propose would hardly make things worse. Lenel took an understanding smile on his face and nodded briefly before answering. He was still covered in in the countless wounds of his fight with Peak but if he felt any pain, he hid it masterfully.
"In fact, I need you to only do two of my followers a brief favor. Your uncle told me everything about himself, you and your histories in the Great Valley. I cannot even begin to imagine what drove you to join us in the first place but if even a part of what Pterano told me was true, you've built quite a reputation back there. I want you to speak the denizens of the Valley allow my followers into the Valley to gather some vital information from the flyers living in there." Lenel said, speaking slowly while looking into the far distance.
Petrie frowned deeply at his cryptic words, completely taken aback by this offer. How could he possibly show his face in the Valley again? Sure, he had thought of flying there on his own only an hour ago but it had been a panicked effort which in the end was never a serious thought! They couldn't have possibly forgiven him for the death of the clubtail and he would only bring further trouble and sorrow to his family if he returned! He was already considering declining Lenel's offer when the last thought returned to his mind.
His family… Petrie had tried to push them away from his mind in order to try to forget what he had lost. If the clubtails and domeheads would still oppose his return, he would only bring more pain for everyone Yet… Petrie knew he had no future here. Here he was alone and despised and on the verge of banishment or death for his crime. No matter how he tried to see things otherwise, he couldn't ignore how very much he wanted to meet his family again. After a long while, Petrie finally gave his answer.
"What information you wish to get from the Valley? Petrie no agree if it hurts me family or the families of me friends! Also, what happens to Petrie if me succeed in getting the others into the Valley? Must me return here to be banished from the herd or worse?" He asked, crossing his arms in a show of some distrust at Lenel's plans. The pale flyer looked for the first time disappointed by Petrie's answer, him being far more suspicious of his motives than Lenel had expected. However, it was becoming clear that Petrie would in the end agree to his proposition, especially after his next words.
"Petrie, I understand that you have a hard time trusting me after all but happened. But in this case, I only want to find out more about Deron, Peak and their plans and any additional threats that might be nearby. Even if I despise its residents as much as all of us, the Valley and the Farwalkers going through it know more than nearly anyone here in the Mysterious Beyond even realize. We need to make sure we won't be attacked or betrayed again. As for your question, I'm going to offer you more than merely delaying your banishment. If you succeed in getting my allies in, I will make an exception on your case and allow you to stay in the Valley for good. I know it is what Pterano would have wanted me to do." Lenel said in an unwavering voice, a slight smile rising to his face as he saw Petrie freeze completely still.
Petrie tried to form some words but the sudden influx of emotions suddenly washed over him. Was he really being offered a chance to escape from this nightmare? The thought of rejoining his family for good after these few days… Petrie hardly remembered the last day he had slept in peace alongside his brothers and sisters. And maybe… just maybe, they would know at least something about his friends which could offer him at least some reprieve but… would the Valley ever be the same without his friends? Could he ever feel himself at home in the land where he had once played days after days with his dear friends? Yet, no matter what, Petrie knew he owed it to his family and friends to keep going forward. There was absolutely nothing left for him here and after a moment, Petrie nearly found himself speaking to Lenel with a voice which even bordered on a bit of happiness.
"Well, me guess Petrie accept it. When should me and the others be on our way?" Petrie asked carefully, not truly even daring to hope that all could go the way he would dream. Lenel smiled at the boy carefully, happy to see his plan working perfectly. With any luck, he would find a way to locate Peak and secure his hold further over the herd. And what else would be a better place than to search for additional stories about Olres than the Valley? Lenel managed to keep those thoughts hidden from Petrie as he gave his answered.
"At the same time as the rest of us leave for Streli's Hills which will happen not a long time from now. I will inform your companions of their mission and I'll give you a short while to prepare for your journey. It will be a long flight to the Valley, after all. Return here when the Bright Circle reaches its highest spot in the sky. But remember not to raise any further fuss: there are many who would have wanted me to send you away immediately. I take quite a risk keeping you safe for now." Lenel said while turning his gaze away from Petrie once again, implying that the audience was over. Petrie, however, took a small step forward and spoke once more to Lenel.
"Petrie will, Lenel. Thank you again for giving me this chance." The young flyer said as he saw the pale flyer nodding at him for the last time, prompting Petrie to take off into the wide skies of the early morning. His flight was heavy with the lingering loss of his dear uncle but fighting for a spot in his mind was the hope that he'd see his family and even friends again. The mere thought of it made Petrie want to somersault in joy but he simply couldn't after this night of tragedy. Even after all that had happened, maybe his uncle had given a priceless gift to him for seeing after him during these long, fear-filled days and guided him towards the coming return to the Valley. Petrie turned his eyes to the skies, looking at the fading stars of the dawn, his eyes glimmering with tears and emotion. In a voice too silent for anyone to hear, Petrie whispered in a wavering voice.
Thank you for everything you did for Petrie, uncle Pterano. Me wish you have a great journey.
After the terrifying tragedy of the night, a new path has been opened for Petrie which seems to be able to solve all of his problems. Is this the last day Petrie will spend with the herd and how have things changed in the Valley since his departure from it? From now on, there's a chance that we'll see a slowdown in my writing pace but I still hope to get a chapter done (for either one of my stories) once in two weeks. Other than that, I hope you liked this chapter and please let me know what you think of it!
The Rhombus: As always, thank you for the thoughtful review. I'm especially relieved that you didn't think I took a step too far with Detras' plan as it was quite a recent idea I decided to try out. Of course considering killing Ruby seems too rough but I wanted to show the many complications of being an omnivore in the ancient world. I spent a lot of time in trying to create a balance between love and necessity here and I'm happy you found those efforts successful. As for the future, the family certainly is in a terrible situation but at this point, you'll just have to wait and see what happens. I'll just say that you're right in assuming there are no easy ways out of this mess.
