By the way, I decided to add a reference to the song 'Bestest Friends' to the last chapter, thanks to the guest who brought it to mind. Speaking of which, thanks for the review and idea (if you're reading this)! I can't believe I forgot that song! It's one of the better ones, in my opinion.
Anyway, enjoy!
"Some say that these stones can shine light without heat."
"Some believe they can give powers far beyond our comprehension, heal the sick and other miracles."
- the male and female Rainbow Face respectively.
Chapter 12
Red Claw's Masters
Heavy rain descended upon The Mysterious Beyond. Scarcely scent or sound travelled far, drowned out by the pattering water. However, if one stepped just close enough to Red Claw's cave, they might have heard the clamour of the two fast biters within it.
Screech and Thud darted about like manic hatchlings, licking everything that struck their fancy. Those unfamiliar with their species might have found the scene mind boggling and perhaps even hilarious, but with every lick they released territorial chemicals that marked the spot or item as their own. Hours had passed and Red Claw had yet to return. It seemed only logical that the tyrant had fallen to the paws of children of all things, which left his cave and all underneath it as theirs to claim, from his coveted assortment of gnawing bones and the spring water collected in multiple areas to the best spots for naps where the cold wind and eyes of a potential intruder were least likely to find them. The fast biters were somewhat respectful of each other's claims, even if said respect was teetering on the edge of an all-out feud, hissy fits and all. The final straw came when Screech's gaze fell on one thing in particular and his turf tizzy came to an abrupt pause.
Confused, Thud followed his gaze. He too stilled. Before the fast biters was Red Claw's giant nest. Its border was an ominous structure, forged from the broken trunks of the toughest trees only one so mighty as Red Claw could dismember. The interior was a mystery irrelevant to them. That nest was a statement, a symbol of power. In their haste, they hadn't considered the nest as fair game until then. It still emanated the overpowering scent that was Red Claw's, demanding that they never, ever, ever, lay a claw on it.
Thud exhaled. It didn't feel right, claiming Red Claw's most personal belonging so soon after his demise. Tempting as it was, his every instinct told him to steer clear of it. He was sure his hunting partner felt the same.
Screech shoved him to the ground before making good on his head start to rush the nest.
A snarling Thud raged to his feet and took off after Screech. Forget instincts! If anyone was to inherit the nest, it would be HIM!
Perched on the edge, Screech was frantically licking the border when Thud pounced him and the two tumbled into the ... soft ... sssoooofft ... bedding.
Momentarily forgetting their aggression, the fast biters rolled apart and lay on their backs as their muscles turned to jelly and jaws hung in shock.
After a few seconds, Screech voiced his thoughts: What. In. The. World? How, and furthermore why, had such an ill-tempered sharptooth made a nest this comfortable? If anything, he expected Red Claw to sleep on thorns, just because he could!
Thud gave no response.
Screech turned to see the other fast biter quietly, quickly, licking the edges of the nest.
NO, Screech roared! This was his territory! He'd already claimed it!
Between licks, Thud argued that it still smelled like Red Claw. It wouldn't belong to anyone until their scent had completely replaced the alpha's.
Without wasting a second, Screech got to work marking as much of the nest as possible.
In their hurry, neither fast biter noticed the massive form limping into the cave, his earth-shaking footfalls mitigated by the pouring sky water. Upon reaching the nest, he paused at the sight of what transpired within it.
Finally, Screech sensed the presence. He spun around to squawk in shock at the sight of a battered, tired but nonetheless very angry Red Claw.
The fast biters feet scarcely seemed to touch the ground as they practically flew out of the nest and deep into the cave without thinking. By the time they realised they had charged into a corner, Red Claw had ample time to block their exit. The fast biters cowered. Much to their surprise, Red Claw simply plopped himself into his nest, glaring at nothing in particular ... with what was left of his vision. He seemed content enough with his nest, but they wouldn't take their chances. It was not uncommon for Red Claw to play mind games with his victims.
As the fast biters stepped back further into the darkness, the shadows seemed to glide forth. Thud was first to notice. Was he seeing things? Screech's startled gasp confirmed the reality. The fast biters dropped into a hasty bow.
They had very important guests.
Red Claw caught movement at the side of his eye. He whirled to face it, snarling that those fast biters had some nerve to approach him after-!
He came to an abrupt stop as he laid eyes on the entity. Appearing to congeal from the shadows was a creature with the form of a fast biter, and a reputation bordering on the supernatural. Scales so dark that they seemed to soak up all light that reached them, the being didn't flinch at the giant's voice. Some called Red Claw 'King of the Sharpteeth'. He was nothing of the sort. At least, not in the presence of a being such as this.
Not in the presence of a hidden runner.
Red Claw's nostrils flared. He'd heard the legends. He'd glimpsed enough confirmation to know that many, if not all, could well be true. However, he refused to bow. This was his cave. They were not welcome, especially then.
The tyrant growled for them to leave. They could bother him some other time.
Screech and Thud drew sharp breaths. Had ... had Red Claw actually said that?
Ignoring Red Claw's disrespect, the hidden runner looked the tyrant up and down. Silently, he circled the giant, examining the injuries. Red Claw decided to behave himself for the moment. When the silence grew intolerable, he dared flick his tail at the being as though shooing a fly. Not a second later, he hissed as multiple unseen jaws with atypically sharp teeth stung his tail. A warning. The tyrant growled as the toothed shadows withdrew, inwardly chastising himself for letting a tremour reach his voice. Intuition told him that which sight failed to inform him.
They had him surrounded.
Finally, the hidden runner spoke: How. Could. Red. Claw. Jeopardise EVERYTHING, for some SILLY vendetta with Littlefoot and his friends?
Red Claw's heart pounded, though his gaze held fast. The hidden runner bore the menacing presence of a creature many times a fast biter's size. Never had he heard such a being raise their voice. Red Claw was glad he wasn't a feathered sharptooth. Otherwise, every plume would be standing on end.
Though the hidden runner's tone softened for a moment, it carried the palpable tension of a storm poised to unleash sky fire. There wasn't supposed to be a battle, explained the being. The prophesies foretold a 'Great Feast', not a 'Great War'. On the cusp of a new world, why would Red Claw blurt to the leafeaters THE SINGULAR, best kept secret of ALL SHARPTOOTH KIND? Did he think the hidden runners wouldn't find out? Did he forget that they had eyes everywhere, or was he so fixated on petty revenge that he completely lost his senses? Even so, they were THERE! They witnessed his humiliation firsthand! Those 'children' were infamous Life Circle Breakers! After that mistake, Littlefoot had been assigned the threat level of 'Smoky Mountain'! In a few years, they might have to reassign him as 'Burning Mountain'!
At that, Red Claw roared indignantly. That was the height of absurdity! Powerful though he was, one longneck could not amount to a natural disaster! What manner of stupidity would lead them to label him a threat even The Lone Dinosaur could never become!
The hidden runner exhaled, his anger turning to disappointment. Very well. He would educate him, starting with a question. Why did Red Claw think the hidden runner pack dubbed itself as such?
Why did they bear the name of 'Black Claw'?
Red Claw snorted, admitting that he had no idea but he couldn't care less. Perhaps they were unable to count.
The tyrant half roared, half shrieked as something crashed into his side. It had to be big: bigger than he was. Shock twisted his features as he turned to see a horde of black raptors latched onto him. With all their pounces colliding at once, it was enough to send him crashing to the stone floor.
He was quick to his feet, fear tainting his snarls as the creatures raced around him like a whirlwind of living shadows. Forget the hierarchy. He was fighting for his life!
The shadows parted as Red Claw charged into their midst. Then they converged around him in tsunamis of darkness, like the jaws of a beast far bigger than he could hope to overcome. The synchronised pounce forced the air from his aching body. Red Claw's legs faltered. He fought to rise, but their weight was tremendous, claws and teeth attacking every foot of his hide.
Screech and Thud watched in horror as Red Claw collapsed into a mass of raging shadows.
Just when the tyrant was sure he was moments from the end, the hidden runners withdrew in the blink of an eye. There he lay, panting and petrified
Standing before the giant's muzzle, the hidden runner alpha waited a moment for Red Claw to collect himself ... somewhat. Then he asserted the point: They weren't 'Black Claws'. They were 'Black Claw': many individuals acting as one entity. They had bonded and trained with each other to the point where working together wasn't second nature. It was first nature. Littlefoot understood that concept.
It was The Wisdom of Friends.
Ordinarily, Red Claw would have scoffed at the notion of 'friends', but he was in no state to take Black Claw lightly.
The alpha continued: The Lone Dinosaur was an isolated anomaly. He kept hunters on their toes so that their minds remained sharp as their teeth. The Lone Dinosaur was good for The Circle of Life, because there was only one Lone Dinosaur. Likewise was the Daybreaker. Littlefoot was something entirely different: a fledgling legend with a combination of intelligence and leadership seldom seen in a leafeater. At a tender age, he coordinated the demise of Sharptooth where all others failed. It wasn't dumb luck. Time and time again, that Circle Breaker and his friends had outwitted or eluded sharpteeth of every kind, including Red Claw. He was even mastering Sharp Mind!
Red Claw drew back in surprised. 'Sharp Mind', he thought? But ... only a sharptooth could learn Sharp Mind!
Easily anticipating his thoughts, the alpha asked: how else could Littlefoot have maneuvered Red Claw off the cliff the way he did? He'd been preempting Red Claw's moves for half the battle with split-second, strategic thought almost unprecedented among leafeaters! They called it 'Advanced Imagination', but make no mistake: it was Sharp Mind. That made Littlefoot a potentially unpredictable threat! Now, warriors were rising up around him. Word had already come that his friends were considering training of their own! Would it stop there? Red Claw had threatened the Circle Breaker's entire sphere of life! Could he picture a valley full of Circle Breakers, because that was EXACTLY what the worst case scenario looked like! It was like Hidden Valley all over again!
Red Claw's eyes briefly drifted to the ground. The weight of his mistake finally hit him, but he refused to admit the extent of the blow. Nonetheless, Red Claw ventured to ask why the hidden runners didn't deal with the kids? They were there during the battle, after all.
Most leafeaters thought hidden runners to be a myth, the alpha explained. It was tactically vital that they keep it that way, especially with The Great Feast on the horizon. They would only eliminate the children if, beyond the shadow of a doubt, there would be no survivors or witnesses to tell the tale. The two flyers could have escaped and warned The Great Valley. Littlefoot and his friends would surely be more careful after the fight. The hidden runners would keep a small party watching for an opportunity, but their presence was constantly in demand for other matters. It was Red Claw's job to monitor The Great Valley! They shouldn't be having this conversation!
The alpha's mane of feathers, risen like hackles, smoothed as his anger receded. Then again, why should The Hunter's Bond expect better from a rogue, asked the hidden runner?
Unexpectedly, that question struck a chord in Red Claw. The youngsters broke him. Pterano half-blinded him. There was no hope of a full recovery. He had failed. What use did they have for him, except to tie up loose ends?
Red Claw raised his head with one last shred of dignity and hardened his gaze, prepared to meet his fate.
The Black Claw alpha tilted his head before throbbing a chuckle.
When the teeth and claws never came, Red Claw cracked an eyelid to see two subordinate hidden runners stepping forward, gingerly carrying a black rock about half their size on their backs. Red Claw frowned in thought, leaning forward to sniff it. It looked like some form of volcanic rock - fairly unremarkable, albeit lacking the ashy scent ... or any scent, for that matter. However, it emanated a hum that sent tingles through his muzzle in response to his closeness.
The bemused sharptooth drew back, asking what this bizarre little rock could possibly be.
It was the power to rise from the brink of death time and time again, purred the alpha. It was the preternatural strength and speed his father once enjoyed. It was a gift from The Great Guardians: a Stone of Cold Fire, more specifically a 'Black Miracle'.
Red Claw's wide-eyed curiosity was almost akin to that of a hatchling.
Once again, the alpha throbbed. It recognised itself as destined for Red Claw, which was why it reacted to him. If it didn't react, well ... Black Claw knew what to do with a broken, uncooperative rogue with no future.
The implication sent a chill down Red Claw's spine, but his attention quickly returned to the object. So, what was the purpose of this 'Black Miracle', he inquired?
Why not touch it and find out, asked the alpha?
A moment's hesitation and Red Claw tentatively lowered himself to the stone. The hidden runners stepped back as it hummed to life. He was mere inches from contact when ...
... It happened.
The stone exploded into blue and white flames. Red Claw reared back with a frightened cry as the flames raged towards him. Hidden runners scattered when he crashed into a wall, engulfed by the inferno. With every frantic breath, fire poured down his throat, but it didn't burn. It was cold, colder than anything he could imagine. It was permeating his lungs, his blood, his bones, his every fiber. A new sensation quickly emerged from the abject pain. It felt ... it felt ...
It felt wonderful!
Red Claw boomed a roar that shook the cave as the process reached its crescendo. Even in his prime, never had his voice been so rich, so powerful!
Screech and Thud were rapt with wonder while the hidden runners watched in the most nuanced of awe.
The Cold Fire vanished into Red Claw's body. He flexed his muscles. There were no aches, no sign that he had been in a battle. The eyesight Pterano's claws had claimed was restored. No ... not simply restored. He couldn't recall his vision being this sharp. Had every aspect of his body been likewise improved? Red Claw shattered a stalagmite with his tail.
He felt as strong as he'd ever been, if not more!
Examining himself, Red Claw remarked on the lack of any visible injury! Wait ... did that mean his old scar had disappeared? He couldn't see it from that angle! That scar was his signature!
The Black Claw alpha rolled his eyes but nonetheless assured Red Claw that the scar was still there.
With a pleased snort, Red Claw commented that The Great Guardians truly knew what they were doing.
Yes, agreed the alpha, but it was clear that Red Claw did not. In any event, the Hunters' Bond was assigning him advanced retraining.
More training, Red Claw rumbled? He grew up a rogue! What more could they teach him that the wilds of The Mysterious beyond hadn't imparted!
Exhaling in annoyance, the alpha repeated that that was precisely the point. He was one of the mightiest rogues in all the land, but his father had fallen to children, even with a Black Miracle! Until he learnt The Wisdom of Friendship, chief among other things, he would never reach his full potential.
Red Claw's eyes snapped to Screech and Thud. The fast biters drew back. He hadn't forgiven them for abandoning him, but it seemed the ultimate punishment was no longer an option. What a pity.
What would they have him do, asked Red Claw? Scrounge up some of the lesser, smaller sharpteeth and frolic around The Mysterious Beyond, singing sweet, happy songs every five heartbeats?
Thud chuffed a snicker. Screech nudged him to be quiet, but there was no hiding the amusement on his face. Yup, that pretty much summed up Littlefoot and his friends ... before The Time of Great Growing, more so.
Ignoring the last part, the alpha replied that he wouldn't have to 'find' more sharpteeth. They had already done that. He called out to unseen ears.
Soon, four massive forms emerged from the veil of rain at the cave's entrance.
Red Claw's eyes widened. They were hardly the 'lesser' sharpteeth he imagined. Each was a rogue, and even the female, belonging to a usually smaller kind, was startlingly close to his eye level ... and rather fetching, he had to admit.
The tyrant purred. Well, well, well, what a day this turned out to be! The fangs of seven, at his command!
Brandishing her horns, the female snapped that he held no power over them. Not yet. He would have to earn the status of alpha.
The tyrant blinked, digesting her feisty retort before grinning. This was going to be fun.
Looks like Red Claw's ended up with his own Gang of Seven. How will The Gang of Five, two members short, fare against them? With no training to date, how will Ducky, Spike and Petrie hold a candle? What is 'The Great Feast'? What are 'The Great Guardians'? Review, share your thoughts, stay posted and find out.
Thanks for reading!