Chapter 3: Pterano

Later, the gang was seen in the tall trees playing. Except for Littlefoot and Chomper who were still upset about this morning.

"Hey. How come you no play?" Petrie asked them.

"We're still thinking about this morning." Said Littlefoot.

"Except for Father and Littlefoot's grandparents, nobody believes us." Said Chomper.

"I believe you." Said Ruby. "If it's something you've seen, then might be real. Because it wouldn't be real if you haven't seen it."

"Me and Spike believe you to. Yep yep yep." Said Ducky. "Only, um, Littlefoot. Chomper. There is a stone that is cold and a stone that is on fire. But how could a stone that is cold be on fire?"

"We don't know." Said Chomper. "Do you believe us Petrie?"

"Petrie no wanna think that. Story too spooky." Petrie said shivering.

"Give it a rest you two. Nobody is ever gonna believe this." Said Cera.

"Hmm. Say Chomper, remember what our mothers said to us?" Littlefoot asked.

"I do." Chomper said to him. "Some things we see with our eyes. Others, we see with our hearts."

"Wrong!" Cera shouted. "Everything can only be seen with your eyes. So I'm not gonna believe it until I see it."

"That's it." Said Chomper. "If we found that Stone Of Cold Fire, everyone can see it for themselves. That'll prove we were telling the truth."

"But you hear grown-ups Chomper. Smoking Mountains dangerous." Said Petrie.

"Nonsense!" A voice came.

A pare of legs showed up next to Petrie. Making him off of the three he was on. Those legs belonged to a brown Flyer that was waving his wings. The gang gasp as the Flyer has startled them.

By then, the Flyer went down and grabbed Petrie and said, "Did I startle you Petrie?"

"Yes. No. How you know me name?"

"Petrie. I'm heart broken. Don't you remember your dear old uncle?"

Now he remembers. The Flyer is Petrie's uncle,

"Pterano." He said, giving him a hug on the beak.

"What are you doing here?" Cera asked.

"Migrating natilly like the others out there in the field. Boldly searching in unforgiving waist land for a more hospital place to call home."

"Well you won't find it here." Cera said again.

"Ah. Don't tell me. You must be old Topps' daughter."

"How'd you know?" Cera asked in offince.

"Let's just say there's a strong family resemblense."

"Oh. Thank you."

After that, Pterano turned to Littlefoot and Chomper.

"Ah. And you two must be,"

"Littlefoot and Chomper." Said Petrie. "They good friends. So Cera and Ducky and Ruby and Spike too."

"Yes. But these two are the ones who clamed they saw a Stone Of Cold Fire."

"I guess you don't believe us eather." Said Chomper.

"Oh no young Two-claw. I believe you completely. I know how stubborn the other grown-ups can be. That's why I had to leave the herd you know. They simply had no vision."

"But me believe them." Said Petrie

"You do?" Littlefoot asked.

"So much for story too spooky." Cera teased him.

"Grand. Then we all agree." Said Pterano. "But the only way to convince everyone else is, as Chomper said, to go and find that stone."

"Uh. I wasn't searious." Said Chomper. "I was just, thinking out loud. Anyway. We were about to head home now."

"Yeah. Our parents might be worried about us. Worried about us, our parents might be." Said Ruby.

"Well now." A brown Flyer said as he flew by with a pink long tailed Flyer. "We don't want anybody getting worried now do we?"

"Oh no no." Said the pink Flyer. "They might think something awful has happened to you. Ha ha ha ha ha ha."

Until, Pterano slammed his arms on them and knocked them over as he kept his arms out.

"Who are they?" Ducky asked.

"Sierra and Rinkus? Never mind them. They're just tired from our long journey and not thinking clearly."

"I guess." Said Littlefoot. "We better go now."

"That alright." Said Petrie. "Me stay with Uncle Pterano."

However, Cera charged at him and slammed his back on one of the trees with her horn holding him.

"Petrie! It's time to go!"

"No worries Petrie. You'll see me later at your nest."

"Okay." Petrie said as Cera released him to catch up with the others.

"Oh and if you change your mind about finding that stone, just speak to me. I'll be happy to help. Ta ta."

Once the gang was out of ear sight, Pterano turned back to Sierra and Rinkus.

"Ow. You bent my beak." Said Rinkus.

"Then next time, keep it shut."

"Why should we?" Sierra asked. "Them brats weren't even falling for you little act. I say we go and find that cold fire thingy on our own."

"I repeat Mr. Sierra. We don't know where the stone landed."

"Then why not make the Longneck and Two-claw tell us what it is?" Rinkus sugested. "Or else,"

Before he could finish, Pterano slapped his beak.

"Mr. Rinkus." He said as he walked closer and made Rinkus back off. "If you threaten the young ones it will put the elders on alert. They will watch our every move and our cause will be lost! Is that what you want?!"

"N-n-n-n-n-no no no. Of course not." Rinkus said before he tripped over a fallen log.

"There for, we must be calm and patient. Littlefoot or Chomper will talk. And when they do. The Stone Of Cold Fire will be mine!"

Meanwhile, Grandma, Grandpa, Bowser, and even Topps were seen at the watering hole getting some lunch. Until Littlefoot and Chomper and Cera came rushing down the hill. Only to trip and fall into the water.

SPLASH!

"Ha ha ha. It's a little early for your bath dears." Grandma chuckled. "Why the rush?"

"Rush? Oh no rush." Littlefoot said as Chomper got onto his back.

"We just soddenly felt kind of dirty." Said Chomper.

"Were you kids splashing around in the bubbling goo again?" Bowser asked.

"Not really." Said Cera. "We were just sitting under the tall trees talking."

"Why that's perfect." Said Grandpa.

"Only then we had a visitter." Said Littlefoot.

"Who was it?" Topps asked.

"Nobody." Cera lied. "We didn't see anybody."

"Cera." Topps urged her.

"Fine." Cera sighed. "It was Petrie's uncle Pterano."

"WHAT?!" All of the grown-ups shouted.

"Here? In The Great Valley?" Grandma asked.

"And he was with some other Flyers." Said Littlefoot.

"We know he's Petrie's uncle." Said Chomper. "But there's something about him that's, well, we just don't like him. Is that bad?"

"Children. You have good instincks. And you should pay attention to them." Said Grandpa.

"Did Pterano tell you why he left the herd?" Bowser asked.

"Well, he said it was because you guys couldn't see very well." Said Littlefoot.

"WHAT NERVE!" Topps shouted, scaring the kids. "We can see just fine!"

"As a matter of fact, we saw right through him!" Grandpa shouted as he slammed his tail down.

"Grandpa. Mr. Three-horn." Grandma said to them.

"Niether one of you have seen him yet and he's already made you both upset." Said Bowser.

"Oh. We're sorry Mr. Two-claw." Said Grandpa. "It just sounds like Pterano might be up to his old tricks again."

"What old tricks?" Chomper asked.

"Well, if we haven't put a stop to Pterano, we might have never made it to The Great Valley." Said Bowser.

"That's awful." Said Cera. "What did he do?"

"I didn't want to tell you this until you were older." Said Topps. "But, I guess I have no other choice."

"I have to agree with you on this." Said Grandpa.

"It is time you kids knew the truth." Said Bowser. "Mr. Three-horn?"

"Very well." Said Topps. "It all started not very long after you kids were seperated from us in The Great Earthshake. We too set out to find The Great Valley."

"Then as of now, we made our desitions as a grope with no one opinion of out waying the others." Said Grandpa.

"But Pterano did not like being part of the herd. He wanted to be in charge of it." Said Bowser. "For some reason, he felt that he knew more than the rest of us."

"You see Cera." Topps said to her. "Your mother and I had an argument over who we should follow. In the end, she took your sisters with her and the other members of the herd that believed Pterano."

"Soon, Pterano led them away from the rest of us." Said Grandpa.

"There were sure he had all the answers." Said Bowser. "They were sure he would never lead them into trouble."

"They were wrong." Said Topps. "When Pterano led the herd into a canyon with a waterfall and some green-food. It happened."

"Somehow, rocks started to fall form the top of the canyon." Said Bowser. "The herd ran for their lives as Pterano flew to a stone piller and watched what happened."

"But there was a reason why the rocks fall." Said Grandpa. "It was a pack of Two-clawed Fast-biters. Roaring vishisly at them."

"The herd foght bravely." Said Bowser. "But even with their greater numbers, the Fast-biters were too powerful. They even knocked over just one Duck-bill off the cliff side. She tried to climb back up. Only to lose her grip and fall to her end."

"All that Pterano could do was fly away. And let the Fast-biters eat." Said Topps. "It wasn't until dark when he returned to tell us what happened. He never told us why it happened. Only that it wasn't his fault. And we never saw my mate or my other daughters or the rest of the herd, ever again."

"But it was his fault they got into danger." Said Littlefoot. "Real leaders should be willing to take the credit when things go good and the blame when things go bad."

"But not Pterano oh no." Said Topps. "He kept on changing his story and lying and sceaming and...never mind. Just know this. Pterano can sound as if he knows everything. Even when he knows nothing."

"So promise us you'll be careful." Said Grandma.

"We promise." The three of them said.

Authors note:

I know it's a little early for them to know what happened. But it felt like it was best to have them know anyway.

Like many Land Before Time fans believe, Pterano might be the reason why Cera's mother and sisters never made it to The Great Valley. But we don't know for sure.