Hey, everyone! Here's another chapter with some more flyers, which introduces a very important character. Enjoy!

"Sweetie, would you stay still?" Esperanza was at her wit's end trying to scoop the mud off the little flyer, who simply wouldn't remain put.

"Mind your mother, Faye." Aidan chided gently, swooping down and coming to Esperanza's rescue.

"But daddy," the young flyer pouted, "What's the point of getting myself clean if I'm only going to get dirty again?"

"Excellent point," replied Aidan. "What's the point of eating if you're just going to get hungry again?"

Faye went silent. "...Fine." She huffed, folding her arms across her chest.

Esperanza smiled at her husband. "Thank you, dear."

"Anything for you," he cooed, wrapping his forewings around her body and gently brushing his beak against hers.

"Gross...I'm going to take an actual bath now," Faye cringed, disgusted at the mushiness before her. She flew off, not wanting to remain there a second longer.

The other young flyers seemed to be getting along swimmingly, leaving Esperanza and Aidan with little to do.

Aidan grabbed his wife by the hand and flew her over to an isolated ledge by the big body of water in the center of their home, shielded from the sun by another outstretched ledge. He and Esperanza became lost in each other's eyes as Aidan gently pinned her down.

"Do you hear that?" He asked, a sly smile on his face.

"Peace and quiet?"

"Mhmm." He nodded, a dreamy expression crossing over his features. "Esperanza, we've been together a long time. And we've never had hatchlings of our own."

"You're not saying...?"

"I am." Aidan leaned in a bit closer. "Unless...you're not in the mood, which is completely fine—"

"Aidan." Esperanza's calm voice kept him from rambling on. "Trust me. After this long, I'm in the mood."

"What are you guys doing?"

Aidan dropped the leaf, and the two flyers immediately separated. Their visitors were none other than Littlefoot and his friends.

"A little more warning next time?" Aidan did not bother to hide his displeasure.

"If you'd been paying attention, you wouldn't need a warning," added Cera. "What were you doing anyway? Having a moment?"

Esperanza and Aidan exchanged glances, silently and unashamedly nodded their heads.

"We finally had some alone time, and we just wanted to spend some time together," explained Esperanza.

"Aww," cooed Ruby."That's so romantic."

"I think it's gross," said Cera, disgusted.

"You guys must really love each other," said Littlefoot.

"We do," said Esperanza, "We go way back."

Littlefoot gasped. "Can you tell us a story?"

"A story?" Esperanza gave the little ones a funny sort of look. "What about?"

"About you guys," chirped Ruby. "Like...how did you guys know that you guys were right for each other?"

Esperanza and Aidan both pondered on it, and then, their eyes met with a knowing glow.

"Oh, I remember it like it was yesterday," began Esperanza. "It actually started out with us being friends, and we weren't much older than you kids."

The smaller dinosaurs listened with open ears as Esperanza told the story of when her relationship with Aidan first blossomed.

"Enzo, please let me go," a younger Esperanza begged her brother. "I'm tired of being cooped up here, and all alone..."

"I know," said Enzo. "Don't worry, I'll be back shortly. I'll bring you something to eat."

"I'm more than capable of getting it myself," spat Esperanza.

"I know you are. But I don't want that goon Orri to approach you, and I know he will. He has eyes in the back of his head."

Esperanza understood her brother was only looking out for her, and had nothing but her best interest at heart, but she was beginning to suffocate under his tight grip.

Enzo affectionately gripped the crest on her chin, a slightly darker shade of mauve than his own.

"Call me if you're in trouble, and I'll be there right away. Okay?"

Esperanza somewhat enjoyed her brother being so protective of her; it made her feel loved and cared for. Still, she was not the type who could live out the rest of her life remaining dormant and still, and never leaving the nest.

When she didn't answer the first time, Enzo spoke again.

"Do you understand?"

"I understand, Enzo. I heard you the first time."

"Then you should respond," he retorted, spreading the dust that had collected on his wings. "I'll be back soon."

Esperanza watched him take off and join the other flyers at the lake below. Fishing was the one thing their new leader hadn't managed to utterly destroy yet, apart from the fact that he often times sent children to gather the small underwater creatures.

Up in another fir tree, two other flyers were watching Esperanza sulk miserably.

"Poor girl," remarked a golden brown flyer with a lighter beak and eyes as brown as the tree bark. "Her brother has her choking under his claws. You should go talk to her, Aidan."

Aidan huffed, keeping his posture straight. "Don't be stupid, Toadflax."

"I'm serious! She looks like she could use some company. This is your chance."

Aidan released the rigidness from his body. "What if I mess it up...?"

"I'm not asking you to confess your love for her," said Toadflax. "I'm just saying you should talk to her, be the friend she needs right now."

Aidan turned to his friend, who'd been with him through thick and thin.

Toadflax let out a snort. "How dense can you be? Just make small talk with her! It's not as difficult as you're making it out to be, I assure you."

"What if she doesn't want to talk to me...?"

"She will," assured Toadflax. "I know Esperanza. Her brother's an overbearing prick, but she's not the same way, you know that. She'll appreciate you making the effort. Now, go on."

Aidan still hesitated, refusing to lift his feet from the branch he was perched on.

"Go on, you stick in the mud!" He meant to give Aidan a gentle nudge forwards, but instead ended up pushing him off of the tree.

Aidan flapped his wings desperately, catching his fall. He looked towards Toadflax, who didn't seem the least bit sorry. It seemed that his friend would never let him live peacefully until he made an attempt at conversation with Esperanza.

Aidan slowly and cautiously flew to the tree the female flyer was perched on, flapping his wings to keep airborne.

"Did your brother leave you hanging again?"

"Huh?" Esperanza blinked, looking towards Aidan. She then offered her best smile. "Hey, Aidan. And I'm afraid so. He thinks I can't think for myself."

"I'm sure he doesn't think that," reasoned Aidan. "He just doesn't want you getting hurt."

"I know. It's just...annoying."

Aidan nodded slowly, his eyes drifting towards the river below. "Do you want to go fishing?"

"No...not really. I just don't want to stay cooped up in here."

Aidan flew up and perched on the branch beside her. "Well...what do you want to do?"

"...Nothing. I wanted to go down there and have fun earlier, but now, I don't know. I'm tired."

"So early in the morning?"

A disembodied voice echoed from the treetops, and a beige colored flyer landed on the branch above them. He was surrounded by an air of shrewdness and scrutiny. His dirt colored eyes looked down upon them in a similar way that the flyer himself looked down on everyone.

Toadflax watched from his spot in the tree branch as Orri landed in front of the pair. He motioned for Aidan to come back to avoid getting into trouble, but Aidan hardly even acknowledged the golden brown flyer.

Esperanza did not bother to hide her disdain. "Get out of here, Orri. Or I'll make you get out."

Orri clicked his tongue. "So rude. Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners?"

"My mother's dead. Both of my parents are."

Orri raised a brow and shuffled his wings. "Really? Mine too."

Esperanza groaned in disgust. "Please go away. Or I'll call my brother."

"If you do, I'll tell him what you really think about him."

"There's nothing to tell. I never mean any of what I said. I only say it because I'm angry at him."

"Well, anger is a dangerous water to tread. One slip of the tongue, and you could ruin your relationship with him forever."

"Get out of here," intervened Aidan.

"Hm?" Orri seemed wryly amused that such a lame looking flyer dared to stand up to him. "What was that?"

"I said get out," repeated Aidan. "Nobody here likes you."

"I know some higher ups who would beg to differ."

"I don't care. Esperanza, or any woman for that matter, is not an object for you to play with whenever you feel like it. Either learn to respect others, or get out."

"Hm. You certainly are very bold, I'll give you that." Orri began to spread his wings before looking at the female flyer. "Very well. I'll leave you be for today. See you tomorrow, my dear."

"Call me that again and I'll be eating your arms and legs for dinner." Esperanza snapped at him, barely missing him by an inch. Then, she looked at Aidan.

"You really think that?"

"Think what?"

"That I should be respected?"

Aidan looked at her strangely. "You don't?"

"No, I do, but...everyone in this herd acts like women aren't deserving of any respect."

"Well, you are. No matter what, you always deserve to be respected, and you have the right to tell someone off if they don't respect you. Don't forget that."

Esperanza nodded slightly. "I know. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Aidan choked out.

Esperanza giggled, and held him close. "Feel free to visit me anytime. I can't visit you because...you know."

Aidan's eyes widened slightly, caught a bit off guard. Within moments, he smiled and reciprocated the action. "Yeah. I know."

Enzo's greeting screech sounded through the air, signifying his prompt return. Aidan briefly looked behind him to make sure the coast was clear.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure."

Esperanza finished her story, feeling warmly nostalgic by the end of it.

"That's it?" Cera asked. "I thought it would be longer and more exciting."

"Well, that was the day we knew that we would never see each other in the same way we once did. We could have made the story longer, but there's a lot to it. We'd be here for days."

"Did you guys see each other the next day?" Littlefoot inquired.

"Mhm," answered Aidan. "And everyday after that."

"That's sweet," said Ruby.

"I have only one question," said Ducky. "Who is Orri?"

"We've told you children about him. He's the flyer that now rules over Ornith Valley."

Recognition flashed across Ducky's face. "Oh! I do not like him. No, no, no."

"Neither do we," remarked Esperanza. "Now...you children should be leaving. Your parents might be wondering where you are."

It took some convincing, but the pair finally managed to get them to leave. It was now dusk, and the Great Valley was settled in warm pink and orange light.

Esperanza yawned, outstretching her arms. "Well," she said slyly, "See you tomorrow."

Aidan knew her and her antics well. He grabbed her by the arm and nuzzled his snout with hers.

"I don't think so," he said, laughing. "Now, come on."

He led her over to a calm waterfall, helping her onto one of the slippery rocks. Taking in the sounds of the buzzers chirping and of the water gently pooling into the lake, the two flyers held each other close in the afterglow of dusk.