CHAPTER SEVEN


So if your friends in the Great Valley valued your life as an egg, why did they try to kill Shredder? If you're indeed so honest, then they must have had a good reason. I'm fine with hanging out with the insane, but if Shredder is too insane, as I have been secretly suspecting, then their is always plan B. Now lets return, I could easily turn you in, but I will just use is as a new card in the fold and decide if its wise to play it later. For now, lets wait for a final decision. Tiny said to him.

How did you figure out it was me in the story? You are pretty bright then. As for why they tried to kill Shredder, there is this thing called self-defense. Shredder chased them across the Mysterious Beyond. He went after a bunch of kids merely because of a wounded eye that happened by accident. Longnecks who get caught in thorny plants with Two Claws right behind them tend to try and pull away any way they can. The thorn hit him in the eye by accident. Then Shredder attacked the Longneck's mother. I could have just attributed all of this to his Sharptooth nature. Trust me, if I didn't have an alternate outlet to eat like Fast Biters, Belly Draggers, Sharp Beaks, etc, and, sometimes, Egg Stealers, I'd be hunting Flatteeth now. As it is, Shredder's behavior made sense in terms of a Sharptooth when he fought the mother. The mother knocked Shredder off the Great Divide. Shredder was the only one who, during the deadly Great Earthshake, fell into the Great Divide and lived. What is more, he doesn't appear to have any lasting damage from the fall. So THAT is something to brag about. However, he didn't like to think that the Longneck got away. He never found the body of the mother Longneck. The Longneck, Littlefoot, told me she died from red water (blood) loss. So he didn't get to eat her. But, on the other hand, who knows how many lone Flatteeth were wondering around, possibly even injured by the Great Earthshake. Why bother going after some silly kids when you could make a meal of something much bigger and be on your way? Chomper said.

That is a good question. What you say makes sense in that it would be wiser to go after wounded Flatteeth that are fully grown than two children. remarked Tiny.

Yes, which leads me to my conclusion about Shredder. He's a psychopath. He cannot stand his ego being bruised. He wanted to make sure the Longneck who hurt his eye was dead. The other three Flatteeth, the Swimmer, the Flyer, and the Spiketail were not even there the day of the Great Earthshake. I could see him wanting the Longneck dead for damaging his eye and the Threehorn for foolishly ramming his head when he was out could after falling all that way, but the others had done nothing to him. Yet he seemed to want them ALL dead for being together. Chomper said.

That is awful. Chasing those kids across the Mysterious Beyond for weeks. That doesn't sound like a Sharptooth who is fully in his right mind. said Tiny in horror.

The kids were tired of him chasing them and just wanted him to stop. They realized he wouldn't stop until they were dead. So they decided to lure him into a trap. Even when they got him, he almost got Petrie the Flyer, whom he took with him just out of spite. Petrie would have died had not Shredder been hit by the rock they pushed onto him, forcing Shredder's mouth open. Chomper told her.

So, the Flatteeth weren't malicious? said Tiny.

No. The Longneck wasn't even trying to get revenge on Shredder for killing his mother. His mother had wanted him to get to the Great Valley. To find a better life. Shredder seemed determined to make sure that never happened. Littlefoot the Longneck had to act to make sure his mother's last act wasn't in vain. And, at any rate, Shredder live. He could have just kept it quiet. I don't know how the story got out, but it did. And, by the way, Shredder was known in the area around the Great Divide. His was a terror among the Flatteeth. Much like Red Claw, they knew his real name, or the grownups did anyway. I found this out from Littlefoot's grandfather some time ago. However, the Flatteeth were SO afraid of him that they just called him 'Sharptooth'. He didn't just hunt for food. I can understand killing for food (even if the Flatteeth can't.). However, Shredder sometimes killed but never ate. He just left the bodies. Perhaps it was a fear mechanism, to scare into surrendering the Flatteeth that he DID decide to eat, but it sounds very twisted to me. Sharpteeth can value life. They only kill what they and their families need, nothing more. I do not believe Shredder vlaues life at all. I believe he wouldn't give a Threehorn's tush if any of you died in the fight to take out the Great Valley.

So, in conclusion, if you decide to turn me in for sidiing with Shredder's enemies, remember, he doesn't care about you. He thinks only the best are meant to live and may even send you into a part of the herd where you won't survive, thus killing some of the Flatteeth but also causing the pack to lose someone he feels wasn't really worthy to be here. I know Shredder thinks litlte of those he feels are smaller than him. I mean, he was going to eat a shorty shaprtooth whole and remarked that he thought them annoying and not even worthy of exisitng. He actually eats all shorty sharpteeth whole. I actually came here to try and find information to help the Great Valley stop him for good.

If you know this and don't turn me in, then Shredder will kill you just for knowing it. Chomper said.

Meanwhile, Tria, who was in her sixties, and could still travel a good distance, came across Bron in the Mysterious Beyond. He was with his herd. "Hello Tria. What brings you here?" he asked her.

"It is about Shredder." said Tria.

"Sharptooth? But he's dead!" gasped Bron.

"I thought he was, just like all of us, but apparently he survived. He plans to attack the Great Valley. He wants to kill Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, Ali, Pato, and Emelia." said Tria.

"That son of a tarpit! Killed my beloved wife Louisa and now wants to kill my son and his wife and kids! I'll bring the herd there all right and we'll kick his tush. I'd love to be the one to finish him off for my wife's death!" Bron shouted.

Meanwhile, Tucompso rides on a Longneck's head as the Longneck walks up to a tree, the Longneck reaches for the tree stars while Tucompso gazes into the distance watching a group of children play. The Longneck fails to reach the tree stars, then tries getting them with his tongue.

The Longneck said "Hey, short guy, can you do me a favor please? I am going to reach up again and then I want you to jump and bring that branch down, ok?"

Tucompso speaks in Sharptooth.

The Longneck, annoyed, said "That branch, come on it's near the level of your nose, it's practically in your face, can you please help me reach?"

Tucompso speaks again in Sharptooth.

The Longneck, irate, says, slowly "Tree, Staaars."

Tucompso once more speaks in Sharptooth.

The Longneck sighs. "Forget it, you're useless." The Longneck gives up and begins to look for a different tree.

Meanwhile, Tiny said to Chomper You're not the only one to tell a story in third person. Yes, we all have our insanity, and we all have our backstory. You don't even want to know what Phyco's backstory is, but now I want to just get away from them all. What exactly are you doing here? Let's just run away together, hide until they have lost all care that we are gone and live somewhere they will never find us, even if just as acquaintances.

The two contnue to argue as Tiny leaves the cave. However, before both can get too far, they are met by none other than Shredder himself.

Chomper, Tiny. Where were you? I'm going to need all of you. Were you two trying to leave me? Did you forget that I said not to rest more than a few hours? You've been gone all day. The Night Circle has come out now. You weren't going to desert me, were you? You know I'd flay your cloacas and then rip you into millions of pieces if you tried. Now, get back to the pack. We are getting up early tomorrow to plan our attack on the Great Valley. he said angrily.

Chomper and Tiny go off to bed. Tiny whispers to him We've got to stop him. We'll have to do it from in here. We cannot run away now or the pack will kill us. Shredder is evil. I want to stop him.

Me too. However, we need to plan that in the morning. I'm really tired right now. said Chomper, yawning and laying down. Tiny lays next to him.

Lucky! Phyco grumbles.