Hi, guys! I know that I haven't made an update since January (which is probably good since I was updating at least a chapter a day), but I got most of them out of the way. This chapter focuses on some new characters, if you read chapter three, you might remember them. :) Enjoy, and have a nice week!

The bright circle was high in the sky. The silvery swimmers glided through the winding streams of water, almost resembling bits of snow in a turbulent storm. The lush and green forest was home to all kinds of life — big and small.

Sana was beginning to tire of her mate's arrogance. "Andras," she said, her vibrant green eyes narrowing. "You're being completely unreasonable."

Andras felt his body stiffen as his eggplant purple color brightened, blood flushing into the huge sail on his back as a result of his anger.

"Me? Unreasonable? Oh, I'm sorry, Sana. I didn't know that not wanting to send our daughter, a sharptooth, to a place filled with a bunch of leaf eaters, who could possibly hurt her because they're so big, was unreasonable."

"We're doing it for her own good, to keep her safe." Sana had to use every ounce of willpower to keep from yelling. "Red Claw rules the mysterious beyond now. It's too dangerous. It's hard having to go out to hunt for food, being plagued with the fear that our daughter might be dead. It's just not safe," Sana reasoned.

As much as he loathed to admit it, she made several valid points. Every time the pair went hunting, Andras always so desperately wished to rush back in an instant to make sure his daughter was safe.

"But what if they try to chase her out? What do we do then?"

"She can hide," suggested Sana. "She knows how to hide."

"Still...Sana, she's so young. I'm not ready to let her go yet..."

Sana sighed, gently pushing her snout against that of her mate's. "We're not letting her go, Andras. We'll get her back. But for now, this is what we'll have to do."

"She's right, Andras." A voice intervened, preventing a possible escalation of the argument. The voice belonged to an olive green sharptooth with piercing red eyes. She appeared menacing, but her eyes were kind and understanding, with the wisdom of many years.

"Rana?" The two other sharpteeth questioned at the same time, a bit embarrassed that they had been caught in such a situation by their acquaintances.

"Taran and I sent our son to the Great Valley, and he's perfectly safe there." Rana said.

"You sent Chomper to the Great Valley? Wow, I wonder what the leaf eaters did when they saw a sharptooth in their beloved valley." There was a mocking tone in Andras's retort.

"He made friends with some of their little ones, actually."

"What?" Andras was in disbelief. "How?"

"Really? Maybe the same thing could happen to Eva. She's a really sweet girl." Sana smiled kindly before switching her attention to her mate. "So, what do you say? Are you okay with her going to the Great Valley now?"

Andras was quite honestly dreading the question. He winced for a moment before answering. "...Yes. I suppose I am."

As if to break the silence, Taran stomped over. "Rana," he growled, "you said you were coming a while ago."

Rana shook her head, the smallest of smiles on her face. "Alright, I'm coming." She turned to the pair of sailback sharpteeth. "Good night, you two." With that, she disappeared into the darkness of the trees.

"This will never work," Andras growled.

"Oh, sweetheart." Sana purred and nudged his chin. "You need to have a little hope."

Andras gratefully sunk in, returning the gesture, although his stance on the situation remained the same. "I can't believe we're doing this."

"Swallow your pride, Andras. We're doing it, and that's final."

Andras growled angrily, cursing under his breath as he stomped away.

"Mama! Papa!"

Sana glanced once more at Andras before tending to her daughter. She bent down to nuzzle the light purple sharptooth, purring happily. As she embraced her, Sana picked up an unmistakable scent.

"You smell like fish. Did you...?"

Eva gave a proud nod, sea green eyes gleaming with an innocence that only came with youth.

"I caught my first fish today! And I did it exactly how you showed me!"

Sana licked her daughter's cheek. "Oh darling, I'm so proud of you. I knew you'd get the hang of it eventually." She lifted her head, and called out to her husband. "Andras! Come here."

Andras stomped over, offering a questioning grunt.

"Eva caught her first fish today," said Sana. "I told you she'd be a natural."

Andras' mouth curved into a smile as he lowered his head. "Did you?"

"I did!" Eva replied with the utmost enthusiasm.

"Well, I'm very proud." He pressed his snout against hers and Sana's, whose eyes met his. As they held each other's gaze, they both knew exactly what the other was thinking.

"I'm going to miss this," Andras murmured.

Sana concurred with a nod. "I know. So am I."

Eva looked at her parents, blissfully unaware of their plight. However, she was beginning to get suspicious.

"You know we have to tell her sooner or later," Sana said in a soft voice.

"I know."

Eva looked to her mother, then to her father. "Tell me what?"

"You tell her," urged Andras. "You're better at this type of thing."

Sana nodded. "Eva?"

"Yes, mom?"

"We have something we need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Well...how should I put this? We might not be going fishing together for a while."

"Why not?"

"Because," Sana winced. "We're sending you to the Great Valley."

Eva tilted her head in curiosity. "The Great Valley...?"

"Yes. We hear it's a wonderful place. There's lots of water for you to drink, and lots of fish to catch."

"But there's water and fish to catch here, too. Why do I need to go?"

"Because of Red Claw," growled Andras. "It's not safe for you here, understand?"

"Andras," scolded Sana. "Please, calm down."

Andras sighed. "Eva, listen. Your mother and I...we will be fine. We know how to defend ourselves against that brute. You do not. It's only in your best interest that you go."

"But I don't want to go," protested Eva. "I want to stay here with you and mom."

"I know you do, sweetheart. But it's not safe. With Red Claw around, it's only a matter of when he catches your mother and I."

Sana added on. "If you are in the Great Valley, it would make your father and I feel better because we know you're safe. We know that Red Claw can't get to you, and we can rest easy. Do you understand?"

Eva stared at the ground for a moment before nodding. "I think so. But mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Can we go on one more fishing trip?"

Sana would have loved to take their daughter on a final fishing trip, but she wasn't certain if her mate would approve. When she met his eyes, he gave a grunt of approval.

"Of course we can."

With that, the family of sharpteeth headed towards the lake for one final hunt together.

When the bright circle rose the following morning, Andras lifted Eva onto his head and joined his wife on their journey to the Great Valley. They'd gotten instructions from Chomper's parents on how to reach there, and bided their time until they did.

Andras made bad jokes to pass the time, while Sana recited to her daughter stories of her and her husband. Soon, they were approaching the Great Wall.

"This is as far as we can go," announced Sana.

Andras lowered his head and helped Eva to the ground. He didn't raise his head again for almost a minute.

Eva looked to the magnificent and formidable wall of rocks, and then back at her parents.

"I'm going to miss you," she whimpered.

Sana and Andras both reached down to her level, embracing her and drying away her tears.

"We'll miss you too," said Sana. "More than you'll ever know."

"You be careful," Andras warned gently. "Try to make friends if you can, but don't let any adults catch you."

"Yes, dad."

"I'll miss you, darling." He nuzzled her, shedding his own tears.

"Take care of mom, okay?"

Andras' eyes fluttered open, moist and dampened. "Of course," he said with a smile. "You go on now. Go." He nudged her forward.

Slowly, Eva began to depart from the only form of love she'd ever known. She let out a few farewell squeaks, and then never looked back.

Sana and Andras watched her grow farther and farther away from them, their hearts heavy. Sending her away was the hardest thing they'd ever done, and they could only hope that it would prove to be the right decision.