Into the Cave
Green Dragon
Littlefoot had never really had a nest mate before. He had huddled with his friends while sleeping out in the Mysterious Beyond on countless occasions, true enough. But either his nest wasn't big enough to accommodate two occupants properly, or Ali was an incredibly restless sleeper. That's what he assumed for the split second after he woke to being pushed and shoved rather roughly. The split second afterwards however, he opened his eyes and saw that it was actually Cera who was pushing and shoving him, which he felt was a touch unfair as he had not really done anything to deserve this treatment. Therefore, he decided to speak his mind.
"Ow! Cera, what is your problem?"
"You have to get up right now!" She snapped.
This outburst, coupled with the view of Ali standing next to Cera, irritably nursing a bruised shoulder, indicated that Cera was in one of her moods again. Naturally.
"Alright, alright, alright, I'm up!" He replied, groggily climbing to his feet. "Now what's going on?"
"No time to explain, we need to get Ducky and Spike!"
Without waiting for a response, Cera turned and ran off, heading in the direction of Ducky and Spike's nest. Years of being friend with Cera had taught Littlefoot that the path of least resistance tends to be the least stressful (and least painful), so with a roll of his eyes, he and Ali followed after her.
Littlefoot couldn't help but note Ducky's fortune. She had already been awake when the group arrived and, seeing Cera approaching with a clear look of absolute fury on her face, had had ample time to manoeuvre around behind Spike and maintain a safe distance. Having still been asleep, Spike had not been so lucky.
"Get up Spike!"
One rather sharp horn in an uncomfortable place later, the whole group was assembled and ready to hear what Cera had to say.
"Where's the entrance to the cave?" She immediately asked, looking at Ali.
"Um...which cave would that be?" Ali responded.
"The cave where those lost soul things are!"
"Wait, hang on!" Littlefoot spoke up. "I thought you didn't believe in that!"
"I don't, but do you know who does?" She kept silent for a moment for dramatic effect. "Pterano!" Not waiting for her surprised audience to ask questions, she continued. "I don't care if the legend is true or not, but he's up to something! And what's more, Petrie's helping him."
"What?" Littlefoot blurted out in surprise. "What makes you say that?"
Cera took a deep breath and told them in detail exactly what she had seen at the Smoking Mountain and then about her argument with Petrie.
"You are wrong Cera!" Ducky spoke up. "Petrie would not talk that way! No, no, no! He would not help Pterano do something mean!"
"Don't you remember when Pterano came to the valley the first time?" Cera replied. "He got Petrie to trick Littlefoot into telling him where the Stone of Cold Fire landed! And then he told Pterano! It's not like this is the first time he's betrayed us!"
"And it's not the first time you and Petrie have argued like this!" Littlefoot spoke up. "Look, you two are always arguing, isn't it possible that maybe you're overreacting?"
"You weren't there!" She rounded on him. "You didn't hear the things he said about my dad!"
"Yeah but-"
"No buts! If you don't believe, why don't you come and see for yourselves? Ali knows the way into the cave, let's go there and stop Pterano!"
"So which is it?" Ali asked. "Do you believe in the legend or not?"
"Of course not! What, you think I'm stupid or something?" Cera shot back. Ali scowled at this. "But Pterano caused a lot of harm when he thought the Stone of Cold Fire was real, so I just want to make sure he doesn't try anything now."
"And what exactly do you think Pterano is going to do?" Littlefoot cut in. "It's just an empty cave."
"You still think it's fake?" Ali spoke up, looking rather hurt. Littlefoot sighed.
"I...I don't know. I really don't. I still don't really know what happened with the Stone of Cold Fire. I saw it for myself, but then I saw Pterano try and use it back on Threehorn Peak. Maybe the legend is true, maybe it's not. And maybe Pterano wants to do something bad with it, or maybe he really has changed for the better now." He paused here to roll his eyes in response to Cera's snort of contempt. "But...maybe Cera's right about going into the cave. Maybe we should just go and find Pterano and Petrie and sort this all out right now. Or maybe just check out the cave for ourselves, maybe we can even figure out once and for all if the legend is real."
Each member of the group thought about this for a moment. Even though they each had their own opinions (save for Spike, who had no idea what was going on), this seemed like the best option.
"Should we tell our parents?" Ducky asked.
"No." Littlefoot replied. "Even if they did believe us, I don't think it's serious enough yet. Let's not worry them until we find something to worry about."
"This is it." Littlefoot said. The group were gathered at the river looking down into the tunnel. From what Cera had told them, it had sounded as though the tunnel through the Smoking Mountain had been blocked off somehow and that the Flyers were still digging through. Since Flyers are not best suited to swimming, it was unlikely that they might try the river, meaning the group now had a head start.
"Well what are we waiting for?" Cera asked. "Let's go!".
"Hang on!" Littlefoot replied. "We need to make sure it isn't dangerous. Ali, how exactly does this tunnel work?"
"From what my herd said, it sounds like the tunnel very quickly goes up. That's why the water doesn't drain from the river." She replied.
"How long would we be underwater for?"
"I don't know."
One by one, everybody turned their heads towards Ducky. Who puffed her chest out in pride.
"Do not worry." She chirped. "I will see how far it is, yep, yep, yep!"
With one deep breath, she dove off the bank and into the river. The others tried to watch her as she went, but she soon disappeared into the deep blue.
The minutes went by at an agonising pace. No one spoke, but they were all thinking the same thing. If it was taking too long. Swimmers by nature are capable of holding their breaths for several minutes at a time, but the same could not be said for Longnecks, Threehorns and Spiketails. But before anyone could bring themselves to voice their concerns, a figure broke through the surface of the water.
"I am back!" Ducky called, climbing out on to the bank again.
"So how is it?" Ali asked. "You were gone a long time."
There was an edge in her voice that told Ducky what everyone was worried about.
"It is alright." She said. "After I came out the other side, I just took a look up the tunnel to make sure it is big enough for all of you."
"So we won't have far to swim?"
"It should be fine."
No one was too happy with the word "should", but Littlefoot was not about to give up now. Talking to Cera and getting her to calm down about Petrie a little had made him feel a little more like his old self. And with that in mind, he decided it was time to take the lead once again. He took a moment to breathe in as deeply as possible and then jumped straight into the water.
The current was weak, so it was not difficult to reach the tunnel. Behind him, Littlefoot could hear and feel one of the others entering the water. Then another. And then one more. Ali, Cera and Spike. Ducky was far too small to be so easily detected, but she was the one he was least worried about.
Entering the tunnel, he was dismayed to see how far down it went. He began to doubt Ducky's reassurances. He couldn't help wondering if, as a Swimmer, she overestimated their ability to hold their breath for long. Or maybe she had misjudged the length of the tunnel. Or maybe she was just overly optimistic. All he knew was that more the these thoughts went through his head, the more aware of just how much his lungs were starting to crave air. He was also becoming more aware of just how narrow the tunnel was. Maybe there had been plenty of room for Ducky, but the further he went, the more he felt the walls brush against him. Whenever he stopped for a moment, he felt whoever it was immediately behind bump into him. Should he change his mind and try and turn back, he wouldn't be able to signal this to the others. He wasn't even should if he could swim backwards. By this point his lungs were truly burning. There was a part of him beginning to panic. What if it were too far? What if the tunnel narrowed to the point where he could get stuck? He let a small pocket of air go from his mouth to trick himself into thinking he could still breathe. It wouldn't last for long. Already the burning sensation had returned. He wondered briefly if he really had just doomed them all.
Suddenly he hit a rock wall. He could not go any further forward. Then someone bumped into him from behind and he knew he could not go back. For a moment, instinct kicked in and he panicked again. He was trapped. There was no way out. He let another gasp of air go, sure that it would be his last. Until he saw the bubbles travel up. Up. Of course, hadn't Ducky said the tunnel went up after a while? This had to be the moment. He only hadn't been able to see the wall because it was so dark.
He began moving upwards, hoping the others would know to follow. His brief elation at realising the way to go had distracted him from his lungs, but only for a moment. Even though the way seemed clear, it was still too dark to see where the surface was. It was no longer just is lungs, his whole body was crying out for air now. He could feel himself shaking uncontrollably. His head began to throb horribly. It was too far. There was no way he would make it out in-
All of a sudden he felt his head break the surface of the water and immediately he gasped in as much air as he possibly could. He heard a loud splash and gasping behind him and there was Ali, struggling to breathe too. Wordlessly, they moved to the edge of the pool they found themselves to give room for Cera and then Spike to surface as well. For a moment no one said anything and the cave was just filled with the sound of four dinosaurs breathing as hard as they could.
"See? I told you it was not far! I did!"
The tunnels were blazing hot. Sweat poured off them but they had to keep going. They couldn't stop now. They had come so far. They just had to go that little bit further. And then, they had finally done it. Strange in a way. After all that struggle, the final push had not taken so much effort. Almost a rather disappointing finale in a way, really. But Pterano did not care. He had moved the final rock and the way was clear.
"And now," he spoke, "destiny awaits."
He, Rax and Petrie silently made their way through the tunnel. There was nothing to say. Not now. Maybe once they had reached the cave and completed their task, but not now. Right now, Pterano was too overcome to speak. He kept his emotions to himself of course, there was no need to be...undignified about the matter. But there was still a surge of emotion at the thought that his months long struggle was finally at an end. At last, he would have the power, and with it, the respect that he so richly deserved. But he still kept his emotions under control. Until he entered the Cave of the Lost Souls. And found Petrie's friends waiting for him.
Nobody spoke for a moment. For Littlefoot, Ali, Ducky and Spike, it was too heartbreaking to see Petrie standing alongside his uncle. For Petrie, it was too nerve-wracking to face his friends. And for Pterano and Cera, there was simply too much rage. So it seemed that Rax would have to be the one to speak up.
"I thought you said your nephew would keep them distracted boss."
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." Pterano spoke at length. "They always did have a habit of making a nuisance of themselves." He sighed. "What are you doing here?"
"We wanted to talk to Petrie." Littlefoot spoke up. "Things kinda got out of hand and we just want to smooth things over."
"And to stop you from doing whatever it is you're up to!" Cera interjected.
"Not time right time Cera!" Littlefoot snapped back.
"I don't care!" She bellowed. "He was supposed to be our friend and he betrayed us! If you had heard the things he said to me, you wouldn't be defending him!"
"I'm not! I just think we need to calm down and-"
"You see Petrie?" Pterano's voice, though quiet, cut through Littlefoot and Cera's argument with ease. "Longnecks and Threehorns and every other dinosaur are so quick to believe that they know best. That they can decide what's right for you."
Pterano looked down at his nephew. Petrie seemed to be taking in what he was saying, but did not appear to quite understand.
"But..." he spoke in a voice that was timid and meek, "they my friends. They just trying to help." Pterano laughed softly.
"That is merely what they want you to believe. They don't trust you. They don't think you can decide for yourself. They always demand that you do as they say. Just as all walkers have done to Flyers since the dawn of time itself!"
"Do not listen to him Petrie!" Ducky called. "Do not! We are your friends, we are!"
"He's just trying to turn you against us to buy himself time!" Ali added.
"You can't trust him, he's lied to you before!" Littlefoot spoke.
Petrie turned all these thoughts over in his mind. They were right, weren't they? Hadn't Pterano deceived before? Made mistakes and then pretended he hadn't? But... No. No, Pterano was family. He had made mistakes, sure, but so has everyone. He had learned his lesson a long time ago, he was better now. But... Why had he not told Petrie about the lost souls sooner? Why no tell the truth immediately? Telling the truth was always the right thing to do. And his friends...his friends were good people and here Pterano was, telling him not to trust them. Why shouldn't he trust them? They were-
"He's evil!" Cera roared. "He only cares about himself and he'll step over anyone to get what he wants and the sooner you learn that, the better!"
Silence. Silence hung in the cave. And then...Petrie took a step. Towards his uncle. And another. And another. Until he was standing by his uncle's side. He turned and glared silently at Cera. It was clear now. He had made his choice.
"Well." Pterano spoke. "Beautifully argued my dear, but I believe this conversation is over. Now if you children would kindly step aside, I have matters to attend to."
As he stepped towards the wall, but soon realised the children were not moving.
"We're not letting you do this." Ali spoke.
Pterano sighed.
"Rax sort this out, will?" He asked.
Rax moved towards them, his massive wingspan forcing them backwards. Pterano searched the cave floor until he found a decent sized rock and picked it up.
"Uncle!" Petrie suddenly called out. He had concerns that he needed to get off his chest. "Why you no talk about lost souls as soon as you get back to valley? Why you lie so much? Why my friends and you not get along?"
Pterano sighed in irritation. This really was too much. He was fond of the boy naturally, but he could not keep stopping every five seconds to reassure his nephew about yet another doubt in his mind. Not right not anyway.
"Petrie, move out of the way." He said. "I have work to do."
"But me no understand why-"
"Of course you don't understand! You never understand! All you ever do is ask questions, but you don't understand and you never will until you learn your place and accept my word as the truth!"
"But..." Petrie was shocked, "But uncle..."
"Not now!"
He raised the rock up high above his head and prepared to bring it down against the cave wall and finally end this. But there was something in his way.
"I told you to stand aside." He said, keeping his voice as calm as possible.
"No." Petrie replied.
"What do you mean, no?" Pterano was barely keeping his anger under control. The boy dared to defy him?
"You said me friends try to control me! To tell me what to do! But now you doing the same!"
"Get out of my way!"
"Me not moving!"
He wasn't rough. He didn't want to hurt the boy after all, just get him out of the way. But when Petrie fell to the ground after he had pushed him, the pain in his eyes was...unsettling. Well, he would have to deal with that later. Right now, he had more important things to worry about. He raised the rock up again, held it there for a moment, then brought it crashing down against the cave wall...
TO BE CONCLUDED...