Turio sat with Ducky and Spike with their brothers and sisters sat together watching the night sky waiting on word from the both their parents. Soon that wait ended and they saw the two swimmers walking towards them with Grandpa Longneck, they came to the kids with Littlefoot just behind his Grandpa.
"Ducky dear, we've been talking about the journey to the Great Lake. We only going for a as you Ducky put it, a advantage but…" Ducky's mum paused looking at her.
"What the matter mama?" Ducky asked her mother.
"Only swimmers are aloud to go. Spike won't be coming with us. But don't worry dear Grandpa Longneck has agreed to look after him while we go so he won't be alone" Ducky's mum said to Ducky explaining the problem and trying to make it feel better that Spike was going to be fine.
"But Spike family" Ducky said hugging Spike
"I know he is Ducky, he your little brother and my son but Zila has explained that the old swimmer that live there don't take kindly to other kinds going there. It against the beliefs of this beautiful place." Ducky's mum tried to explain.
"It will be fine Ducky, me and Grandma with Littlefoot will take good care of Spike" Grandpa ensured her.
"I understand" Ducky said sadly "When we leave?"
"Tomorrow when the great circle raises to the mid point in the sky" Zila answered.
"Then lets get some rest" Grandpa said turning for home with Littlefoot looking at Ducky
"Don't worry we will be fine with Spike, he'll be lots of fun" Littlefoot smiled then runs after his Grandpa.
Ducky's mum looked at Spike, Ducky and the other kids "Lets go to the nest"
Ducky took a thought then looked at Zila "Mama could I talk to Zila?" Ducky requested
"She dear. He be sleeping near by with his son, I said it was fine" Ducky's mum replied looking at Turio, "Come on I will show you to the nest"
"Ok Ducky's mum." Turio nods and follows them.
"So what is it you like to talk about?" Zila asked
"Could I listen to the story of getting to the Lake? Please. Oh please please please" Ducky asked with a flatter of the eyes.
"Alright if you insisted" Zila laughed. "Well here is the story I was told by my Grandparents"
Ducky listens to him as he begins to tell the story that he was told by his grandparents. "Travel to a wonderful place free from sharpteeth... then travel to a peak that looks like a threehorn. From there turn left just keeping walking till you find a river that flows very fast and very wide. Go left from that and travel up alongside it till you find the place with a large wall. There is an entrance that you will miss easy to see easy to miss. in the most simplest places with vines that hung low"
Zila finished telling her the story then said "The place free from sharpteeth is this place so we on the right track. Why did you like to know anyway?" Zila asked Ducky and said to Ducky part of the story that was right.
"I like to know because I like stories! Mama tell good stories about big lake place but no say name. But I know it now. Thank you Mr Zila" Ducky smiled with a look that showed she could not do wrong.
"Well alright, lead me to your nest ok?" Zila requested
Ducky giggled "Oh you do not know where it is, follow me. I know way. Yep yep yep" Ducky waved him on with Zila following the little swimmer back to the nest.
The next day came and around the same area Ducky was told by Zila of the route she sat on a rock looking at the others with them looking back and Cera giving a big yawn. "So we all here… what with the meeting?" Cera muttered
"Me and mama going to Great Lake but no other can go but swimmers" Ducky said a bit sadly to them
"Yeah I was there. Spike going to stay with me and my Grandparents" Littlefoot nods to back up what Ducky said
"Me want to see lake with friends" Petrie said putting his wings up in the air.
"I know… I do I do. So I tell where to go! Zila told me in story like way last night. I tell and you follow some time after we gone. Yep yep yep" Ducky said with a smile and the others cheered with happy faces.
"For once I can't disagree." Littlefoot smiled and Spike licked Ducky as she giggled from the lick.
"So tell us" Cera asked.
"Oh right. Here it is… travel to a peak that looks like a threehorn then turn left just keeping walking till you find a river that flows very fast and very wide. Then the other way to river flowing till you find big wall with river going around it. Go away from river, head away from river then find an entrance that you will miss easy to see easy to miss. In the simplest places with vines that hung low" Ducky told them the way to go to the Great Lake and they listened closely.
"With those directions we won't get lost. Right Littlefoot" Cera nudged him
"Hey it wasn't my fault last time there was icky smoke fog we couldn't even see anything through it" Littlefoot protested
"Oh Right I forgot" Cera frowned
"We will follow we will come to lake to see this special thing, me mama said that special thing happen in lake place that only swimmers seen. Me will be first Flyer!" Petrie smiled flying up in the air doing a few spins
"We will be a first of each kind, Longneck, Spiketail, Threehorn and Flyer. That will be neat" Littlefoot said walking to the water "Mother told me once that the first new thing you see is the most specialist moment of all" Littlefoot looked back at the gang. "Like seeing the Great Valley for a first time that was a special moment"
"I understand what you mean. I felt that seeing so many new things for my first time is special then seeing it again." Cera said walking up to him "How about a game of… NOT IT!" Cera tagged Littlefoot and they ran.
"Hey no Fair!" Littlefoot chased after them with laughing coming from them.
Zila and his son watched from just a bit away looking at the other swimmers, Ducky's mum and Grandpa longneck "We got a bit of time left before we go, is everyone clear about the formation?"
"Could you say it one more time ok?" Ducky's muim asked
"Alright. The strong will travel on the outside why the others will walk in the middle of the group on the outside it will protect us from any sharpteeth attack while we travel to the Great Lake. Is that understood?" Zila asked them all and they gave nods.
"Father the threehorn coming" Turio points to Mr Threehorn
"Can I help you?" Zila asked
"No nothing. Just one thing, when you come back this way tell me what this place is like? Cera would love to know since she friends with the swimmer Ducky" Mr Threehorn requested that was strange for Grandpa to hear.
"Mr Threehorn are you feeling ok?" Grandpa asked
"Yes, it a request from Tria. I couldn't say no to her" Mr Threehorn grunted "Bye"
Zila watched him leave and smirked "Well that was a first but don't matter." Zila looked at Ducky's mum.
"I'll get Ducky" Ducky's mum goes to the kids playing "Ducky it time"
"Oh already? Oh ok mama" Ducky runs to her mother and then join the others.
"I know good games to pass time" Turio smiled
"Oh I like that" Ducky said as they climbed on Ducky's mum head after she lowered it. She raised up then looked at Zila with a small nod.
"Lets go Swimmers the Great Lake awaits us" Zila said and they all start to move out to the exit of the Great Valley with the kids racing to Grandpa Longneck to watch them leave. Spike moans as he watch Ducky wave as she and the others of the swimmer herd that was just made up for the journey leave.
"They'll be fine" Grandpa said softly "Go play and I will call for you two when it time to come home to our nest" Grandpa said walking away.
"Alright Grandpa" Littlefoot called knowing in a way he wasn't going to be there long with Spike since he and the others will be heading after Ducky by night fall.