Chapter 9: The Stone Of Cold Fire

The next morning, Ducky was the first one to wake. Or so she thought. Until, she saw Spike with a pile of Tree-stars.

"Spike? Where did you get food?" She asked.

And next to the tree-stars was a pile of ground-crawlers.

"Whoa! It's not a sleep-story!" Chomper and Cera shouted together.

Running to the piles, the gang dug in. They were happy to have their tummies filled up.

"How you find food Littlefoot?" Petrie asked.

"Don't ask me. Ruby?"

"Oh I don't know. I was sleeping to do anything. If I was finding food. Then I'd have to be awake to find food."

(SCREECH)

The moment they heard that, they turned to the path ahead of them. Revealing a shadow behind some rocks.

"Maybe it was him." Said Chomper.

Just then, the shadow began to run away.

"Wait! Come back! We won't hurt you." Littlefoot said as he and the others ran after him.

"Oh just once me wish we find cave with nobody in it." Said Petrie.

The gang chased the shadow to a path that revealed green fire-rivers. While they were amazed to see something like that, they didn't have the time to admier it and kept on chasing the shadow.

"Look. There he is." Chomper said as they got closer.

By then, the shadow had hit a rock and fell on his back. Revealing what he is.

"It's a Rainbow-Face." Said Cera.

"Hey. You don't have to be afraid." Said Littlefoot. "We just wanted to thank you for bringing us all that food."

"AHA!"

All of them turned to see another Rainbow-Face entering from behind. They knew who it was. It was Linda. Which means the other one is Hank.

"You helped them. Didn't you?"

"I couldn't control myself. They were hungry." Said Hank.

"Are you following us?" Cera asked.

"Life is always full of mysteries." Said Linda. "And you're giving away too much of it!"

"I couldn't help myself." Said Hank.

"You know helping them isn't aloud."

"Please. Let me,"

"It's always me me me. Self self self. And I'm sick if it. sick if it. sick if it."

"Guys." Littlefoot said to them. "I know both of you are upset with each other. But if don't help us find a way to the top quickly, Pterano and the other Flyers will get to The Stone Of Cold Fire."

Linda sighed before saying, "We might as well. Now that you know we're here."

Outside, Pterano watched as The Bright Circle began to rize to the sky. Just as Sierra and Rinkus woke up.

"Now let us fly to the top of Three-horn Peak and clam The Stone Of Cold Fire." He said to them.

"Lead the way Pterano. Lead the way." Sierra said smerking. "Tell me when Rinkus."

"Not now."

Later, the Rainbow Faces lead the gang to what looked like a wall.

"So. What is this?" Chomper asked.

"A short-cut to the top of the Smoking Mountain of course." Said Hank.

"I don't see anything." Said Cera.

"Maybe your eyes are getting in the way." Said Linda.

"Hey. I smell something." Said Littlefoot.

"Excillent." Both the Rainbow Faces said before they went and pushed a big rock and revealed a huge hole.

And as they did, something smelly came out of it.

"Whoh! It smells like Egg-stealer brath in there." Said Cera.

"Yuck. Why it smell so bad?" Petrie asked.

"Might be an underground river." Said Chomper. "Somewhere way down there."

"Very good." Said Hank. "Whenever the mountain heats up, the water...um...bubbles and shoots up this shaft. And if there was something solid in between you and the hot water,"

"It'll push us to the top." Chomper finished. "Tell us what to do."

After that, Littlefoot, Ruby, Cera, and Spike were seen pushing a large flat stone into the shaft with Ducky and Petrie and Chomper on top of it. Once it was in, the four stepped onto it with Ducky and Petrie climbing onto Spike's back.

"Alright everyone. We're on a very tight schedule." Said Hank.

"What's a schedule?" Littlefoot asked.

"Oops. Did I say that?"

"Don't worry about it." Said Linda. "And you won't have to worry. You'll be fine without us."

"How do you know all this stuff?" Ruby asked.

"Well that will be telling. But still, keep asking questions. It sharpens the mind." Said Linda.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. Please keep your paws and tails away from the sides of the shaft at all times." Said Hank. "And we hope you find what you're looking for."

"Thank you." Said Littlefoot.

And then, the two Rainbow Faces closed up the shaft. Once the rock slammed into place, the gang gasped as they all looked up.

"Now what will we do?" Ducky asked.

"We wait." Said Chomper.

Below them, the fire-water was starting to rise up. As it did that, the hot water above the liquid fire was begining to bubble. And the bubbling went higher. Until it got to the gangs platform.

They screamed as they felt it rumbling. Until it began to quickly move them up to the top as they kept on screaming. Until they made it to the top they jumped off of the rock.

However, the moment the hot water had stopped shooting, the rock fell. And it was about to hit Petrie. But, Cera quickly charged at him and pushed him away as the rock landed and smashed to bits.

The others gasped. But then sighed as Petrie was alright.

"Cera. You save me."

"No big deal." She said. Until Petrie hugged her. "Ah. What are friends for?"

"Look." Chomper said as he and Littlefoot ran to a trench that was created by The Stone Of Cold Fire.

"That way." Littlefoot said as he and Chomper lead the others along the trench.

As they went on, some white smoke was seen burting out of the trench as the mountain began to shake.

"The Smoking Mountain must be very angry. It must be." Said Ducky.

Until then, they had reached the end. And what was at the end?

"There it is." Said Chomper.

It was a huge blue stone. It was The Stone Of Cold Fire. As the gang aprotched it, Cera ended up stabding little too close. The stone was on fire. But,

"Is it just me or does this fire not feel warm?" She asked. "Wait. Cold fire?"

Then it hit her. She couldn't believe it. The Stone Of Cold Fire really is magic. She knew her dad was gonna fant when he sees this.

"It really is magic." She said as the blue flames around the stone stopped. "But look how big it is. How are we gonna show this to the grown-ups?"

"You an't showing anyone anything." Came Sierra's voice as he and the others flew in. "Because that stone is ours now."

"You lie to me Uncle." Petrie said upset. "You lie to everybody."

"Petrie believe me." Pterano said to him. "I'm doing this for the good of all Flyers. With the power of The Stone Of Cold Fire, I will restore us to our rightful place in the world."

"We already have place in world." Said Petrie.

"We all have our place." Said Ruby.

"And we like it just the way it is!" Chomper shouted.

"NO! You'll see! You'll all see! I was born to lead the herd! It is my right and my destiny!"

"Very close now." Rinkus whispered to Sierra.

"Hear me oh great Stone Of Cold Fire. It is I. Pterano. The Chosen One."

And then, the ground began to shake.

"Is the stone calling to him?" Littlefoot asked.

"Maybe." Said Ducky. "Or maybe the Smoking Mountain is just getting ready to blow up."

"Me like magic idea better." Said Petrie.

Pterano then slowly placed his finger on the stone. It didn't hurt.

"You see? I touch the stone yet I do not burn. It is a sign."

"Get on with it will you?" Sierra demaned.

"In the name of the dinosaurs that ruled the world so long ago, I beseerch you great Stone Of Cold Fire. Bestole upon me your gifts."

However, the stone flashed as a strong wing emerged from it and blew him back a bit. But Pterano didn't feel any changes. He didn't get any powers.

"I said bestole upon me your gifts."

Still, only wind had hit him. And still he didn't get any powers.

"You fool!" Rinkus shouted at Pterano. "You rock headed fool!"

"Where's your cold fire Pterano?" Sierra asked. "Where's your magic powers?"

"What is the meaning of this?"

"It means we're taking over! Now get out of here!" Sierra shouted as he and Rinkus shoved Pterano away.

"No. I should be the leader. Me."

"Come on you stupid slad. Show me the power!" Sierra shouted as he slammed another rock on it. Only for the stone to flash and knock him away.

"No! Me! Show it to me!" Rinkus shouted as he did the same. Still, the stone just knocked him away.

The two mean Flyers kept on hitting it and all it kept doing was knocking them away. Until both of them hit the stone together and it knocked them all the way to the craves where they reasted last light. Then Cera walked forward and somehow used its power to shrink itself and put right behind her horn for her to carry it.

"Don't you see?" She asked Pterano. "It refuses to be used for evil. So even if we did choose not to follow you, it still wouldn't have worked."

"But I was gonna make everything perfect. I was going to create a paradise."

"We already have Paradise at Great Valley." Said Petrie. "You need no fixing. Just no braking."

But then, the ground shook again.

"And speaking of brake." Said Chomper. "EARTHSHAKE!"

And right as he a shouted that, fire-rivers had bursted out from underneath the mountain. Making the gang run to the edge.

"We have to climb away from here." Said Ruby.

"How? We'll never get away from the fire-rivers in time." Said Littlefoot.

"Not if I can help it."

Turning to the sky, the gang saw Mama Flyer coming as she landed in front of them.

"Mama." Petrie said happily as he went and gave her a hug. Just as a huge Flyer had shown up.

"Hello everyone. I hope we're not too late." He said.

"Now that is one big Flyer." Said Cera.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine." Cera said smiling.

"Petrie. I'm so glad you're safe. And you too Ducky." Mama Flyer said as she hugged both of them before turning to Pterano. "As for you!"

"Honestly. I've never ment to harm anyone. Things just simply got out of control."

But then, the ground began to shake again. And then, white smoke had emerged in front of Ducky and Spike. Knocking them over to the ledge as the grabbed onto it in time.

However, only Spike managed to climb back on. Pterano watched in fear as Ducky began to lose her grip. Making him remember that horrible time he got hath herd killed by Fast-biters. What happened to that last Swimmer was now happening to Ducky.

And then, she slipped off the ledge.

"Ducky!" Chomper shouted.

She wasn't gonna land in the Fast-water this time. Pterano knew he had to do something. Without hesitating, he flew down to Ducky and, with great timing, he managed to catch her with his back and take her back to safety to the others.

"Uncle Pterano. You save Ducky." Petrie said to him.

"Petrie was right. Somewhere inside, you are good." Said Ducky.

"Yeah. That's great and whatever." Cera said as more fire-rivers shot out form the stone horns. "Now can we all get out of here?"

"Just climb on me kids and we'll go for a ride." The huge Flyer offered.

With that said, the rest of the gang climbed onto the Huge Flyer as Petrie and Ducky took a ride on Pterano. And then they all flew away as the fire-rivers had started to flow down the mountain.

"That is okay Petrie's Uncle. This ride is much better than the last one. Yep yep yep." Said Ducky.

"Alright. Let's head for home." Said Mama Flyer.

"Can you believe it? The Stone Of Cold Fire is magic." Cera said happily before dropping down in sadness. "This is gonna kill my dad."