Chapter XIII: Pterano Returns

I don't know if we could have handled any further adventures, and I am happy to say that there were none on our journey back to Longneck Rock.

"Look!" cried my friend Spikethumb. "There they are!"

The herd cheered, but their cheers quickly turned to groans as I told them about how the other runner met his death and how close we had come to getting the lifeleaf.

Threehorn could only groan for Agatha on hearing the news. Sean was fit as ever, but Tricia had also caught the disease.

Some of the herd members insisted on listening to my story. When I came to the bit about the boulder on Spikefrill Peak, Clubtail said, "Do you really expect us to believe that? You never came close to the lifeleaf plant in the first place, did you?"

"There is nothing more to do," sighed Grandpa, "so we must keep moving toward the Great Valley. We leave tomorrow when the Bright Circle rises."

But two very strange things happened during the night.

I thought I saw my friend, Altair Rainbowface, walking around handing lifeleaf leaves to the sick dinosaurs. I noticed that they glowed blue. I wasn't sure whether or not to believe it until the next morning, when I saw that they seemed to have recovered overnight.

The second thing, which was not so strange, was that I saw the form of Pterano Tallcreston come flapping through the night air, and a minute after, a longtail flyer. I thought the longtail was Ramfo, but I was later proven wrong.

Pterano landed near Threehorn and the Longnecks. I saw them open their eyes, look at Pterano who was covering his, and whisper to each other.

The next morning Vega appeared next to me. "Robert," she whispered, "Pterano's shortcut was a quick way to complete what you call the 'circle of life'." Then she told me how Pterano had led his herd to a cliff face overlooking a waterfall, how sickleclaws had attacked them, and how he had deserted them as they fought hard and either fell to the hunters or fell into the torrent below.

When I asked where Altair was, her eyes shifted as she replied, "He can't come right now."

I made my way to the front of the herd where Pterano was being verbally abused by Threehorn.

"You aren't worth your crest, Pterano," he snorted.

"Have respect when you talk to me!" screamed Pterano. "My name is Tallcreston!"

"Where are the others?" roared Threehorn.

"It wasn't my fault!" cried Pterano. "The fools were attacked by sharpteeth. How was I supposed to know they were there?"

"By scouting for them, of course," snorted Clubtail sarcastically from the herd.

"You coward!" roared Threehorn. "If you knew a shortcut to the Great Valley, why did you come back to us instead of going on?"

"Why, er, to warn you of course!" said Pterano.

"Warn us of what?" said Threehorn. "You know as well as anybody that we are going by the old way!"

"Silence!" shouted Mr. Longneck. He rarely shouted, but when he did, all the flyers in the trees fell out of their roosts.

"Pterano Tallcreston, you can tell us about it at the council. Mr. Threehorn, calm down."

"Calm down!" muttered Threehorn.

"Yes, Mr. Threehorn," said Grandma. "Calm down and go find your mate. I understand her sister was with those who followed Pterano."