Chapter XXI
Rescue operations
Petrie fetched deep breath; his heart seemed to beat like a hammer. "Hinder the sharptooth! I'll try to bring Ducky and Spike out there!" Cera had said. But how should he hinder this giant monster? And how Cera wanted to bring Ducky and Spike out there? A loud howling of the sharptooth startled Petrie from his thoughts. He had no time to consider any longer since in this moment the sharptooth threw his head back into his nape being about to start his meal with Ducky. Petrie pulled on his wing close to his body and swooped headlong and nearly vertically down towards the sharptooth. Shortly before he collided on it he spread his wings again to slow down the nosedive. Petrie had aimed his dive well. He was directly in front of one of the sharptooth's eyes and pecked at it with his nib and claws. The sharptooth howled in pain so loudly that it resounded from the mountains. It struck at Petrie with one of its slender arms, but this shunned ably and began to assault the sharptooth's eye anew. Ducky looked out between two of her fingers. She had waited for the sharptooth biting at her, but nothing had happened, instead the sharptooth had started to howl loudly. Ducky recognised Petrie immediately. "Peeetriiieee!" she shouted surprised. Spike had noticed too, that anything happened and pulled his head back out of the ground. When he comprehended that Petrie provided time for them, he lifted Ducky on his back and made ready for fleeing past the sharptooth out of the ravine. But he soon gave up this plan since the sharptooth trampled around fiercely during its chase on Petrie. It would have been nearly impossible to evade its feet by leaving the ravine. So Spike chose the other way and tried to climb over the boulder that blocked the ravine. But he didn't made it since the boulder was far too big, more than the twice of his own size. Suddenly a fierce shock ran through the block, so Spike rebounded and landed ungently on his back, nearly bruising Ducky under his body.
The reason for the shock was Cera. She lay on the other side of the boulder and rubbed her head. Small lighting points danced in front of her eyes and her head hurt awfully. She stared at the boulder furiously. It was more than the double of her own size and consisted of hard granite. But by exact contemplation some very thin flaws that passed through the rock were discernable now. A loud roaring on the other side of the boulder let Cera jump up. She ran a distance back into the ravine to take a new run.
Petrie could see what was going on, on the other side of the boulder from above. He had understood what Cera intended and he tried to provide her the time she needed. Spike and Ducky looked at each other at sea. They had no idea what was going on, on the other side of the boulder and since they knew that they wouldn't get an answer on this question for the moment they observed the fight between Petrie and the sharptooth like under a spell. Beyond the boulder Cera pawed with one of her hooves, snorted and stormed again against it. Petrie had to shun the sharptooth's claws and teeth more and more often, what he succeeded nearly effortless for the sharptooth's motions looked idle and sluggish compared with his own. But he took only care of his enemy's claws and teeth while he tried again and again to attack its eyes. A third danger emanated from the sharptooth, strictly spoke from its nostrils. Petrie had just succeeded to evade the sharptooth's teeth by swinging himself upwards with a strong flap. But thereby he had come directly in front of his adversary's big nostrils. And just in that moment the sharptooth snorted intensely angry to have missed to catch the tiny plaguer again. For the little Petrie was the air blast he found himself in now like a violently gale. He was whirled around and struck with his head hard against one of the ravine's sidewalls. He skidded downwards it benumbed and remained lying on the ground. Ducky and Spike cried full of horror. Just in this moment another firm shock let the boulder in their back quake. Petrie blinked numbed. He looked directly in the watering eye of the sharptooth who eyed his little opponent derogatory. Petrie wanted to jump up and fly away but he was like being paralysed and saw everything as if it was a dream. Also the shouts and call backs of Ducky and Spike, the growling of the sharptooth and all the other noises he perceived only distorted as a silent singsong and as if they were far, far away. Ducky had realized in what a hopeless situation Petrie was; the sharptooth opened his mouth for the killing bite and Petrie was unable to flee. She gathered all her courage, if Petrie was unable to place in safety himself, then she had to do it! With this thought in her mind she rushed forward. Spike howled up horrified. For a very short moment the sharptooth was diverted and starred at him. But this short moment had been enough for Ducky to snatch up Petrie and to jump back.
Rescue operations
Petrie fetched deep breath; his heart seemed to beat like a hammer. "Hinder the sharptooth! I'll try to bring Ducky and Spike out there!" Cera had said. But how should he hinder this giant monster? And how Cera wanted to bring Ducky and Spike out there? A loud howling of the sharptooth startled Petrie from his thoughts. He had no time to consider any longer since in this moment the sharptooth threw his head back into his nape being about to start his meal with Ducky. Petrie pulled on his wing close to his body and swooped headlong and nearly vertically down towards the sharptooth. Shortly before he collided on it he spread his wings again to slow down the nosedive. Petrie had aimed his dive well. He was directly in front of one of the sharptooth's eyes and pecked at it with his nib and claws. The sharptooth howled in pain so loudly that it resounded from the mountains. It struck at Petrie with one of its slender arms, but this shunned ably and began to assault the sharptooth's eye anew. Ducky looked out between two of her fingers. She had waited for the sharptooth biting at her, but nothing had happened, instead the sharptooth had started to howl loudly. Ducky recognised Petrie immediately. "Peeetriiieee!" she shouted surprised. Spike had noticed too, that anything happened and pulled his head back out of the ground. When he comprehended that Petrie provided time for them, he lifted Ducky on his back and made ready for fleeing past the sharptooth out of the ravine. But he soon gave up this plan since the sharptooth trampled around fiercely during its chase on Petrie. It would have been nearly impossible to evade its feet by leaving the ravine. So Spike chose the other way and tried to climb over the boulder that blocked the ravine. But he didn't made it since the boulder was far too big, more than the twice of his own size. Suddenly a fierce shock ran through the block, so Spike rebounded and landed ungently on his back, nearly bruising Ducky under his body.
The reason for the shock was Cera. She lay on the other side of the boulder and rubbed her head. Small lighting points danced in front of her eyes and her head hurt awfully. She stared at the boulder furiously. It was more than the double of her own size and consisted of hard granite. But by exact contemplation some very thin flaws that passed through the rock were discernable now. A loud roaring on the other side of the boulder let Cera jump up. She ran a distance back into the ravine to take a new run.
Petrie could see what was going on, on the other side of the boulder from above. He had understood what Cera intended and he tried to provide her the time she needed. Spike and Ducky looked at each other at sea. They had no idea what was going on, on the other side of the boulder and since they knew that they wouldn't get an answer on this question for the moment they observed the fight between Petrie and the sharptooth like under a spell. Beyond the boulder Cera pawed with one of her hooves, snorted and stormed again against it. Petrie had to shun the sharptooth's claws and teeth more and more often, what he succeeded nearly effortless for the sharptooth's motions looked idle and sluggish compared with his own. But he took only care of his enemy's claws and teeth while he tried again and again to attack its eyes. A third danger emanated from the sharptooth, strictly spoke from its nostrils. Petrie had just succeeded to evade the sharptooth's teeth by swinging himself upwards with a strong flap. But thereby he had come directly in front of his adversary's big nostrils. And just in that moment the sharptooth snorted intensely angry to have missed to catch the tiny plaguer again. For the little Petrie was the air blast he found himself in now like a violently gale. He was whirled around and struck with his head hard against one of the ravine's sidewalls. He skidded downwards it benumbed and remained lying on the ground. Ducky and Spike cried full of horror. Just in this moment another firm shock let the boulder in their back quake. Petrie blinked numbed. He looked directly in the watering eye of the sharptooth who eyed his little opponent derogatory. Petrie wanted to jump up and fly away but he was like being paralysed and saw everything as if it was a dream. Also the shouts and call backs of Ducky and Spike, the growling of the sharptooth and all the other noises he perceived only distorted as a silent singsong and as if they were far, far away. Ducky had realized in what a hopeless situation Petrie was; the sharptooth opened his mouth for the killing bite and Petrie was unable to flee. She gathered all her courage, if Petrie was unable to place in safety himself, then she had to do it! With this thought in her mind she rushed forward. Spike howled up horrified. For a very short moment the sharptooth was diverted and starred at him. But this short moment had been enough for Ducky to snatch up Petrie and to jump back.