Chapter Twenty-Four: Battle between Blood
The bloodied, toothy maw smiled back at the remaining creatures watching her. She was a massive bone-crusher and was obviously not Chomped-Dragonfly's mother. As she stepped from the foliage, her scales were revealed to be the color of a brewing thunderstorm, and her eyes were as yellow as the midday sun. She approached the rock where Cicada-Shriek hid, her grin widening.
Littlefoot stared back at her, frozen once more where he stood. Memories flashed behind his eyes as the grey sharp-tooth slowly approached. His nightmares were walking again, just a different color. This time, those jaws would close around his neck and end his life just like they had done to his mother.
"Littlefoot!" Remy hissed, smacking her fist onto his shoulder. Her bow was gripped in her other hand. She strung an arrow as Littlefoot was pulled back to the present. Cicada-Shriek clung to Remy's leg, her teeth bared at the approaching sharp-tooth.
"Don't come any closer!" Remy shouted, nocking her arrow, the runes glowing with the Shard's magic.
"I don't want you, little thin-skin. I just want the hatchling. She's got bad blood running through her veins. Move aside, and I won't eat you and your long-neck friend."
Remy didn't move.
"Fine." Her jaws opened wide, and they drove down toward Remy. But her jaws didn't meet earth or flesh. She rose with an earth-shattering roar, electricity dancing across her scales. Staggering back, her head hung low as she gasped for air. Shane weaved between her legs, avoiding her jaws.
Before the female could raise her head, Chomped-Dragonfly slammed his entire weight into her side. She crashed to the ground. Chomped-Dragonfly circled her, his teeth bared as the female stared up at him, still trying to regain herself. Her eyes roved to Shane, and a soft laugh gurgled from her throat.
Remy relaxed her bow. She glanced to Cicada-Shriek, still clinging to her leg, then to where Strut had huddled into the foliage away from the staredown. His hands were clamped over his beak, trying to muffle his horrified whimpers. Even through the leaves, the tears could be seen streaming from his eyes. He had just witnessed his brother eaten alive. His last images of Oz were that of being thrashed to death by a bone-crusher, followed by the snapping and crunching of his bones as she swallowed him whole.
Remy's heart clenched. Strut hadn't deserved to see his brother devoured, even if Oz deserved to be eaten. But Strut wasn't the issue at hand. The grey bone-crusher had pushed herself to her hind feet but didn't stand.
"He must hate to know that his grandson is working with a thin-skin. One with a powerful Shard, but it's still a thin-skin. Might not be as bad as having a slice-fang for a father, though. Too bad you've got both."
"Who are you, and what are you doing on my parents' territory?" Chomped-Dragonfly shouted, his entire body trembling as he stepped back from the female. His foot nearly slipped in a boiling sulfur hot spring.
"You don't know me?" The female purred. "Your mama never talked about me? What a shame. I'm her dearest cousin, Tarnished-Spine. My daddy was Savage-Carnage's brother." Her smile grew, bloody teeth shining in the morning light. "My clutch-mate brother is Strange-Gaze. Heard of him?"
When Chomped-Dragonfly didn't answer, her yellow eyes locked onto Remy and Littlefoot. "Since my big bad uncle was killed, Strange-Gaze is going to take his title of Walking Terror of the Mysterious Beyond. He just has to make a name for himself. He's working on it, but I see he hasn't even told family. Pity. I was considering taking the title for myself. And I might just be able to…Killing Savage-Carnage's killers would be a perfect first step, don't you think?"
Shane turned around, staring at Remy and Littlefoot, but they had heard. Littlefoot was frozen in his spot, staring at Tarnished-Spine, who was still smiling at him. He hadn't understood a word she said, but her intentions were clear. But she made no move toward him.
"But…it might just be as good as killing Savage-Carnage's grandchildren."
Chomper stiffened. "Why?" he croaked, stumbling back a few paces. "We're family. Why would you want to kill me?"
"Cousin Gentle-Aurora didn't even tell you about the feud between my dad and her dad? Savage was the older, better brother, but my daddy wanted some of the territory after my grandparents died. Savage wasn't having any of it. Daddy may have been a better fighter, but dear old Savage knew how to play dirty. He slaughtered his own brother so that he could have all of our grandparents' territory. Strange-Gaze and I had to watch everything. Then Savage-Carnage chased us out and banished us and our mother from the territory. And it didn't even matter because he left it less than three moon-cycles later. He had killed his own brother to take all the territory he wanted but then left it as if it was nothing."
Tarnished-Spine paced around Chomped-Dragonfly, a low growl sounding from her chest. "So, my brother and I made a promise to kill every last one of his lineages until we are the only survivors of my grandparent's bloodline. It just so happens that bastard was rather prolific and strayed from his mates. His children have also already had children." Her eyes narrowed on Chomped-Dragonfly. "But they seem pretty weak and pathetic. I can't believe one of Savage-Carnage's children had a child with a non-bone-crusher."
Chomped-Dragonfly growled, but he was clearly shaking. "Don't talk about my mama like that."
"But your mama took a slice-fang as a mate, and she had you. What type of respecting bone-crusher takes a mate that is not of their own kind?" Tarnished-Spine stepped closer, her lips peeling back into another bloody smile. "But I could end you today. Then we won't have any more disgusting disrespect, would we?"
Pain exploded in her hind leg. She roared and turned on the creature that had caused the pain, but there was no one. Everyone was in the same spots as they had been, only Remy's arrow was no longer nocked. It was in her hindleg, imbedded deep into her flesh, runes glowing brightly as it burned her flesh from the inside out.
Tarnished-Spine reached with her jaws and pulled the arrow from her leg. Blood gushed from the wound, and she snapped the arrow in half with a simple chomp. "Maybe killing my uncle's killers would be a better deal. I know I told Strange-Gaze that I would let him have them but if they are going to be pests…" She approached, and Remy nocked another arrow.
Remy's arms were shaking too much, and she was struggling to aim. Shane stood beside her, the electricity crackling on his skin again. He had been breathing hard after he retreated behind the rock when he shocked Tarnished-Spine. The use of is Shard was taking a toll on him.
"Shoot her," Shane hissed.
Remy's fingers wouldn't move.
"Have you heard of my brother? Do you even understand me, stupid thin-skin?" Her yellow eyes shifted, locking onto Littlefoot. "How about you, long-neck? Have you heard of— what was his name among you leaf lickers? Redclaw?"
Littlefoot cowered. He didn't understand anything Tarnished-Spine said, but he knew her roars and growls were directed at him. His heart nearly stopped when she uttered another word, this time in ragged leaf-eater. Like rough rocks rubbing against each other, she spoke a name. Redclaw. Littlefoot shook his head.
"Pity. Well, his name should be circling soon. He has quite a distinctive—" She was knocked off her feet, Bitter-Path's jaws latched around the back of her neck.
"Oh, Bitter-Path. What a pleasure to meet you again. Too bad we couldn't have met in a more personal way," Tarnished-Spine purred.
The dark green male sunk his teeth in deeper. The female kicked out a hindfoot. Her claws scored the inside of Bitter-Path's ankle. His jaws loosened but did not release. Tarnished-Spine jolted, jamming her back into his chest. His teeth jostled from her neck. She twisted out of the male's bite and threw him off. Tarnished-Spine stood and shook out her bloodied neck and faced the male. "Why, don't you look handsome with my blood on your teeth. It makes my scales tingle."
Bitter-Path snarled, keeping himself in front of his stepson and his companions.
Tarnished-Spine charged, slamming her body into his. This time, the dark green carnivore was on the ground, and the female had her jaws latched around the back of his neck. A soft purr bubbled from her throat through her teeth sunk deep into the male's flesh. She pried her teeth from his neck and planted a foot onto his flank, digging her talons into his side.
"I really wish you had chosen me instead of Gentle-Aurora. I know you thought about me during courtship. I know you saw me. Why'd you choose her? There were so many other, much better choices. I was the best, but you chose the worst." Her claws dug deeper, drawing blood. "My cousin had already taken a slice-fang as her mate. A slice-fang, Bitter-Path. And she had a child with him. Do you know what that means?"
Bitter-Path's dark red eyes narrowed. "I don't care if another male had taken her. Even if he wasn't of my kind."
"Well, that's too bad." Tarnished-Spine ran her tongue across the wounds on Bitter-Path's neck. "We would have made a great pair, and we could have produced powerful children. Maybe after I kill your children, you'll think about it."
"Never." Bitter-Path pushed. His feet caught the earth, and he pushed the female off him. He shoved his shoulder into her, knocking her aside.
Tarnished-Spine nearly sunk her fangs into his shoulder when a set of yellow-green jaws clamped onto her back. Gentle-Aurora thrashed her head, tearing muscle from the other female's back. Tarnished-Spine roared and twisted her head to snap at Gentle-Aurora, but she couldn't reach. The yellow-green female released her and retreated to stand next to her mate.
"Hello, cousin," Tarnished-Spine panted, blood streaming from the ghastly bite wound. Through the pain, she smiled. "A little flyer told me that your last child has been returned to you. Isn't that wonderful? Your family's united. For now."
"Tarnished-Spine." Gentle-Aurora stepped forward. "What do you want?"
"You should know. Kill some dumb leaf-eaters. Maybe kill some of Savage-Carnage's bloodline. Steal my cousin's mate. You know, a good day for me. Strange-Gaze is working on earning the title of Walking Terror of the Mysterious Beyond. Wouldn't that be splendid? My clutch-mate taking the title from the uncle that hated him?"
Gentle-Aurora's eyes narrowed. "What my father has done has nothing to do with me or my children."
"That's what you say, but I want to rid this land of Savage-Carnage's blood. You and your children are part of it." Tarnished-Spine lunged, but Bitter-Path shoved her aside, her jaws snapping on nothing but air.
While the three adults tussled, the others could only watch. Remy didn't want to shoot Gentle-Aurora or Bitter-Path, and there was no way the others could dive into the fight without possibly getting injured. Remy just held Cicada-Shriek tight in her arms, standing close to Littlefoot. Shane's eyes were narrowed on the battle while Chomped-Dragonfly nervously watched from beside him. It was so painful to stand there, not able to do anything.
As Gentle-Aurora and Bitter-Path sunk their fangs into Tarnished-Spine's back, a quiet chirp sounded from behind the group. Remy turned. Little Cricket-Chirp was standing behind them, her bright red eyes wide as her parents battled Tarnished-Spine. Shane picked her up and held her close. During the chaos, her parents must have forgotten her at the nest, and she had followed. It was luck that she found the group huddled behind the rock rather than wandering into the middle of the fight.
Faced against two other bone-crushers driven by anger, Tarnished-Spine was beginning to tire. After another vicious bite to her back from Gentle-Aurora, Tarnished-Spine shook her off and began to retreat. Bloodied and beaten, she knew she couldn't take on the pair any longer. Her goal hadn't been to kill either of them but rather Gentle-Aurora's children. She had no hope of it now. With a loud roar, she slunk off into the foliage. Bitter-Path and Gentle-Aurora watched her retreating form. When they were satisfied she was gone, they turned to the group huddled behind the rock.
Gentle-Aurora was relieved to see both her infant hatchlings in the two humans' arms. The sharp-tooth family exchanged nuzzles.
"I think it's time that we leave," Remy said, patting Littlefoot's side. "We need to get back to the Great Valley. That was an exciting fight, but I'm not sure I'd want to be in this situation again." She smiled shakily.
"Yes. It would be best that you head back home. We don't know what other terrors might be walking around." Bitter-Path lifted his head as if searching for another carnivore, waiting to end him and his family.
"Goodbye, Cicada." Remy patted the dark green feather hatchling's head. "Maybe we'll see you again."
The hatchling cooed, rubbing her head against Remy's hand.
"Will I see you around?" Remy asked, looking up at Shane.
He cocked an eyebrow. "You want to see me around?"
"Well, it's kind of nice to know someone from your own realm. You're not as bad as everyone says. But you're still as mysterious as ever. I wouldn't mind knowing your story."
Shane snorted. "We'll see." He turned to the foliage Strut had been hiding, jerking his head in its direction. "Claw-hand's gone."
"I figured as much." Remy climbed onto Littlefoot's back. "Goodbye, everyone. Maybe we'll see each other again." Remy waved at the family, wishing them well.
Littlefoot and Remy made it safely back to the Great Valley just before nightfall. The pair told their story late into the night to the rest of the Gang. All but Cera were drawn in awe as the pair told them about their adventure. Cera was still clearly not happy that they hadn't gotten rid of Cicada, but something kept her rooted as she listened to their story.
Remy stayed until the following afternoon. She left the world of magic and dinosaurs; however, one small adventure was left for her, but she had to wait a few weeks.