Chapter 4: Of Mud and Stars
Fyn stopped in front of Saurus Rock, the first location he wanted to show Shael.
"This is Saurus Rock," he said. Shael looked on, slack-jawed, at the massive stone formation in front of them. Its sheer size dominated the smaller rock formations around it.
"Funny," she said, looking closer, "it kind of looks like a Longneck."
"You'd be right," Fyn said. "In fact, some say it just... appeared, out of nowhere one day, when the Lone Dinosaur defeated the Meanest Sharptooth in battle."
"Lone Dinosaur?" Shael said, "who's that?"
"Well," Fyn said, "he's-"
"Wait just a moment," Shael said, "what makes you so sure the Lone Dinosaur is a male?"
"Well, in all of the stories, he's-"
"Stories all told by males, I'm sure." Shael backed up, smiling and swinging her tail back and forth.
"Come on, Fyn, just one round. For fun."
Fyn gulped, remembering how Shael had taken on the Fast Biters in the Mountains that Burn. "Are you really sure this is a good idea?"
"No, but what's got you worried? Afraid, perhaps?"
Fyn sighed, "Alright, one round, then we're done. We've got a whole valley to explore."
"Fine," Shael said, "I don't think this'll take long, anyway."
Both Fin-Necks snapped into defensive positions and sized each other up, looking for a weak spot, something to end the battle early. Fyn faked lunging right, and instead went left. Initially, Shael fell for the trick, but she countered faster than Fyn had expected, using her tail to block his path. Fyn reared up and brought his front feet crashing into the ground, menacingly. Shael was unphased, opting instead to snap her tail in front of Fyn's face, causing him to retreat.
"Hey!" he said, "I'm not so sure tails are fair."
"Since when has a Sharptooth ever fought fairly?" Shael asked. Then, faster than Fyn could react, she darted forward and ran her tail under Fyn's front legs, swiping it forwards and tripping him.
"Oof," Fyn said, landing hard. Shael laughed.
"Sorry, Fyn," she said, "just teasing."
"No harm done," Fyn said, shaking himself free of dust and standing up, "I went easy on you, anyway."
"Sure," Shael said, as the two began walking again. "What's our next stop?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Well, while we're near the mountains, we might as well check out Threehorn Peak," Fyn said.
"Sounds interesting." Shael said, "it resembles a Threehorn, then?"
"Oh, you have no idea..." Fyn said, chuckling to himself.
…
Littlefoot was alert for most of the morning, constantly on the lookout for Taria. He knew he'd have to be ready to try to start a conversation quickly; she tended to keep her visits brief. He asked his grandparents if they'd seen her coming when they arrived with the plants. They shook their heads and said no. Littlefoot thanked them anyway, and resumed his wait. He decided to have a look at what he had in front of him: a few Treestars, some small red fruits, a large, dark green leaf that he'd never seen before, and a couple of small, slender shoots of grass. He sniffed them. They didn't smell great, but they weren't terrible either, and if they were going to help him heal, he was willing to try them.
"What are you doing?"
Littlefoot started, jumping back from the plants and hurting his chest again.
"Ow," he said, rather unnecessarily.
Taria was right next to him; she'd managed to arrive completely undetected.
"Whoa, let's just calm down. No need to make your injuries worse." Taria helped him back to a comfortable position, then she stood by the plants and fruit, making sure they were everything she needed. Satisfied, she lifted her foot up and crushed them together.
"My turn to ask," Littlefoot said, "what are you doing?"
"I'm mixing everything together. Some of these plants you wouldn't be able to eat alone. They taste terrible."
Littlefoot nodded. "Smart idea."
Once she finished her crushing, Taria offered the ground up food to Littlefoot. "Eat up."
Deciding that eating small amounts would just make things worse if the food wasn't good, Littlefoot ate everything at once, swallowing quickly. Initially, the taste wasn't bad, but the shoots of grass left a bad aftertaste in his mouth. Trying to ignore it, he decided now was the best time to try to strike up a conversation.
"So, you tended to the others today?"
Taria nodded. "What's it matter to you, though? I can't imagine healing is very interesting to you."
"Are you kidding?" Littlefoot said, "I've always wanted to know about healing."
This was actually true. Littlefoot did indeed have an interest in healing. He just didn't know where to start with the subject. Taria's eyes widened.
"Really? I've never met anyone who shared my interests before."
"My problem is, I've never met anyone who could teach me about healing," Littlefoot said.
"Well," Taria said, "perhaps when you're feeling better, I'll show you a bit about it." She turned and began to walk away again. "I'll be back tomorrow. If you can walk well enough by then, I've got something else for you to try."
"Sounds fine to me," Littlefoot said, watching Taria go, content that he'd made a step in the right direction. He wondered how Fyn and Shael were enjoying their walk.
…
Fyn stopped in a low part of the Valley, looking around.
"Yep, I think this is the place," he said.
Shael was confused. "I don't understand. There's nothing here." She glanced at their surroundings: nothing but short grass and the odd bush.
"Right," Fyn said, "there's nothing here now, but believe me, there was something here."
"I still don't follow."
"Let me put it this way," Fyn said, "imagine this whole area covered in water."
"Water?" Shael said, observing the surrounding terrain, "that's not possible. It would have to be deeper than I am tall."
"Well, then this should come as a surprise for you. This whole area really was underwater."
"No way."
Fyn nodded. "It's true. It happened a while before I came here, but Littlefoot and the gang told me about it. Skywater fell for days without stopping, and all the water just got trapped here. I'm guessing it made things pretty interesting in the Great Valley."
"I'm sure," Shael said, impressed.
"Back to the sightseeing," Fyn said, moving along. They headed towards some tall grass in the near distance. Suddenly, Fyn saw some of his friends approaching from the right: Ducky, Cera, Petrie, and Spike.
"Hey," Cera called out, "what's up?"
Fyn was surprised to see her. Only yesterday, she'd been fighting to stay conscious, and now she was up and moving around again. "Cera?" he asked, "how are you feeling?"
"Not bad," Cera answered, "that new healer is outstanding. She had me back on my feet in no time."
"She must be the one who went to see Littlefoot. I wonder how he's doing."
"Probably fine," Cera said.
"So what are you doing, Fyn?" Ducky asked, "and who's that?" She pointed to Shael.
"Well, introductions first," Fyn said. He gestured to the Fin-Neck beside him, "this is Shael. She's new here, and I'm giving her a look around at the Valley."
"Hello, Shael," everyone greeted her warmly.
"Shael," Fyn continued, "these are my friends: Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike."
"How do you do?" Shael asked.
"We're going over to the Sheltering Grass, if you want to come," Fyn said to his friends.
"Ooh," Petrie said, "that sound like fun! Let's go!"
They crossed over into the tall grass. Fyn felt its blades tickling his legs as he passed through it. Even though he and his friends were much older now than they'd been when they started playing in this area, Fyn still had to marvel at the height of the grass. He'd never seen its equal anywhere else. He walked on, leading the way in silence. Sometimes he felt that in this place, it was best to just not talk at all, and listen to the wind as it rustled through the grass. He was taking in the scene and enjoying the beauty when he stepped into something sticky. Instantly, he called out to the others.
"Hold up- bubbling goo. I just stepped in some."
He was trying to free his foot when Shael walked up to him. "Bubbling goo? I've never heard of it."
Fyn was surprised. "Really? Never? You mean you've been with a traveling herd for this long and never heard of it?"
"Nope," Shael shook her head. "What is it?"
Fyn racked his brain, trying to decide how to best describe it.
"It's a lot like Sinking Sand, I guess, but a lot more messy. It's usually pretty easy to spot because its always bubbling, and in the Great Valley, it's not deep enough to trap any of us. At least, not here, anyway." He tried wrenching his foot out of the muck. It was definitely stuck, however, and he was not meeting success.
"Trouble, Fyn?" Cera smirked."
"No," Fyn said, straining, "I've- just- about- got it!" He gave a tremendous tug, and his foot was free. Unfortunately, Fyn's momentum carried him backwards, into yet another pit of bubbling goo. This time, he was covered.
"Sharptooth feet!" he swore under his breath, struggling to stand. His friends were in hysterics, and even Shael was trying hard not to laugh. Finally, she couldn't contain her amusement any longer, and joined the rest of Fyn's friends. Fyn finally freed himself, shakily walking over to everyone.
"And that's... what not to do," he said, trying to clear away the goo that was now covering him.
"Phew," Shael said, "that stuff stinks, too."
"Tell me about it," Fyn said, "and it won't come off for a while."
"Well, this is all very interesting," Cera said, glancing at the Bright Circle, which was already setting, "but I'm heading back for food. Have fun finishing your sightseeing."
"Okay," Fyn said, turning back to Shael. "I apologize in advance for the smell."
Shael chuckled, "oh, it's not that bad, really." Her expression, however, told another story.
"Now, for food," Fyn said, "there's someplace else we need to go."
…
Fyn led Shael up the Great Wall, showing her where to step when the path became difficult, and keeping an eye out for the occasional Sharptooth; one could never be too cautious.
"How are you doing back there?" Fyn practically yelled. His voice had to compete with the howling wind, now.
"Not bad," Shael said, "this is really fun!"
"Great, we're almost there!" Fyn climbed on. They had to reach the spot before the Bright Circle set. It was just up ahead, but the Bright Circle would be leaving the sky soon.
"I think you might want to move faster," he called back.
"What? Why?"
"You'll see when we get there. Trust me."
Within a few more steps, Shael saw Fyn go over the rim of a ledge. She followed, pushing herself over the rocks. When she'd caught her breath, she very nearly lost it again. Fyn had led them to the most beautiful spot in the Great Valley. It was a ridge overlooking the Great Wall, with a single tree standing alone next to the edge. From here she could see the Bright Circle dipping below the horizon, staining the land orange: Fyn's color, she realized, looking at him. It was truly a beautiful scene, but for some reason, she couldn't take her eyes off of Fyn, framed by the glow of the fading afternoon. There had been something about him, some feeling that had been lingering in the back of Shael's mind since the moment she first saw him that she couldn't place. He was certainly a handsome Longneck, but she'd met many like him in that respect during her travels. No, it was something else, she decided. Perhaps it was the way he presented himself: humble, considerate, and occasionally joking. She wanted desperately to be his friend, but was that all she wanted? She didn't know, instead thinking back to a conversation that she and her father once had.
"Someday, Shael, you may even find a mate and have a family of your own."
"Oh please, Dad, I doubt it. I can do just fine on my own."
"I know you can, my daughter, but there may very well come a time in your life when you feel differently. Sooner or later, you feel a kind of hole, like something's missing. That missing piece is your mate."
"Really? Can we move on to something more interesting, like Sharpteeth?"
She remembered her father smiling and shaking his head in the way she'd noticed that fathers do. He'd ended up telling her about Sharpteeth after all, and she'd all but forgotten her previous conversation until today. It had been one of the last times they'd spoken before...
She felt something welling up in her left eye. A tear perhaps? She was glad Fyn couldn't see. As the Bright Circle went down, she began to think: at this point, it did seem like something about her life was incomplete. Was Fyn to be the one to complete her? She didn't know, and gave up her mental struggle, opting to lie down on the ridge's edge, next to Fyn. Fyn, seeing her, did the same.
"You know, watching the Bright Circle go down isn't even the best part about being up here," he said, grabbing onto a branch of the tree next to them and pulling it down to Shael. She took a few leaves off, nodding graciously.
"What is?"
"Fyn gestured to the darkening sky above. "Look."
Shael looked. Above was a sky full of stars materializing out of the blackness. They were so high above the Valley that looking at them felt like flying.
"My mother came up here once, right after we arrived at the Valley," Fyn said. "She told me that standing here was like walking among the clouds."
"I could definitely see why," Shael said, peering at the stars. Were her parents up there? She hoped so. Fyn saw her face, and its expression of longing.
"Something the matter?"
"No, I was just thinking," Shael sighed.
"What about?"
"My life before I came here."
Fyn settled back. "You know, I don't think you ever told me much about what happened before you came here. Care to tell me?"
"It's a lot to hear."
"We've got nothing but time," Fyn said.
"I was living a good life with my parents in the Mysterious Beyond," she began. "We lived in a place much like this, only smaller. There were other Fin Necks there, and everyone was happy and content." She closed her eyes, recalling the events. "One day, we were attacked by Sail Teeth. Are you familiar with them?"
Fyn nodded, recalling the vicious Sharpteeth that had invaded his home: the Grove in the Drylands.
"They drove most of us out, but in the confusion, I got separated from everyone. I never saw my parents again after that. To this day, I don't know if they are alive or not."
Fyn stirred uncomfortably. Something about her story made him uneasy, but he listened on.
"When the fighting had subsided, I escaped, fleeing into the Mysterious Beyond. I wandered for days, and I was on the verge of death before Bron found me. He was returning from a place Longnecks call the Deeplands, where he'd helped save the Bright Circle. He took me in, and I grew up in his herd, traveling from place to place."
"But if you were in Bron's herd," Fyn said, "then why haven't I seen you before? I met his herd out in the Mysterious Beyond, once."
Shael shrugged, "I didn't always travel with the herd. Sometimes I struck out on my own, but I always returned to Bron."
Fyn had one final question to ask, and he feared the answer. "This place where you lived- was it a grove, somewhere out in the Drylands?"
"Yes, it was."
"And did the Sail Teeth attack when the Bright Circle fell?"
Shael's face registered surprise. "Yes, but how do you know that?"
Fyn's head sunk "Because I was there, too."
Shael was speechless.
"The adults tried to send in someone after the attack, to find any survivors, but the Grove was too dangerous. I barely made it out."
"What about my parents?" Shael asked.
"I don't know," Fyn said, shaking his head.
"I was in there!" Shael suddenly burst out, "I was alive, and no one came to find me!"
"Shael, there was nothing we could have-"
"You could have sent someone in. Instead, everyone was a coward! No one wanted to go back, to try to save one more life!" She was crying forcefully, now. "I almost died, my parents probably did die, because no one had the courage to help!"
"That's not true!" Fyn yelled back, "my family did everything they could, as did everyone else!"
"They abandoned me, just like you'll abandon me, too!"
"What?" Fyn asked.
"I thought I could count on you as a friend, but now I see that you're just a self-serving coward who can't risk himself to help another, just like everyone else in that herd. My family is gone because of them- because of you!" She fled back down the path, crying beyond control, leaving Fyn alone on the ridge, the stars his only companions.
Finally, Chapter 4 is here, despite school finals and packing for a trip to NC. Of course, since this is a YF-23ace story, nothing can happen easily for the main characters. It will be interesting for me to see just how the rest of this plays out (I know, of course, but the characters seem to write an awful lot of the story without former planning).
Until next time,
-YF
