CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: AGATHA EXPOSED

"Who are they Ptero?" asked Agatha.

"My Flattooth friends. I want to stay with them." said Ptero.

"Come Ptero!" said Agatha firmly.

"But they are my friends!" protested Ptero. "I want to stay."

"Flatteeth don't have friends." replied Agatha coldly.

The kids looked at Agatha and her pack. Their eyes widened. They noticed with horror that her pack was looking at them and some were licking their lips.

"Mother, please tell the pack not to hurt them!" Ptero begged. Agatha smirked and held up a hand. Her pack backed off. She would be nice to the Flatteeth…for now.

"Hello children. Yes, I'm Ptero's mother. I'll be taking him away so he won't be bothering you anymore." she said kindly.

"He's no trouble." said Littlefoot.

"Silly Longneck! Don't you realize what Sharp Beaks eat? He's best going with us." said Agatha.

"Me want him to stay!" begged Petrie.

"No, I'm his mother and he's going with me. We cannot stay here! I cannot lose another family member to Flatteeth." said Agatha the Sharp Beak Queen.

"You can stay here if you want and eat fish. You don't have to go. You can all stay. We won't kill you." said Littlefoot.

"No, we're going. Sharpteeth can only eat meat. Your kind would never want us around. I must confess, I don't have much love for Flatteeth after what they did to my poor Sydo." said Agatha.

"But Ptero eat Tree Stars. Our friend Chomper never could eat Tree Stars. How that possible?" Petrie asked.

Ptero gasped too. It had never occurred to him. He knew that Agatha and her pack couldn't stand green food. How could he?

"Mother, how can I eat Tree Stars if I'm a Sharptooth? You've always said 'Sharpteeth eat meat, not this yucky green stuff.' Why do I eat green? How can I eat green but none of you can stand it?" Ptero asked.

Agatha was really nervous now and glared angrily at Petrie. "Ptero, dear, it's a really dumb habit of yours. You'll outgrow it." said Agatha.

"No, I don't think so. How can this be? How can I eat...?" said Ptero. He stared at Petrie. He'd caught images of his own reflection before. He knew that he looked differently from the other Sharp Beaks. He actually looked closer to Petrie's appearance. But then...

"I'm part Flattooth! I'm a Flyer!" Ptero gasped. "Dad was a Flattooth!" he said, excitement flowing through him. Littlefoot and the other Leaf Eaters cheered. Ptero turned to Agatha, aghast at her deception. Why didn't any of you guys tell me? he demanded.

Queen Agatha forbade us. said a Sharp Beak. Agatha glared at him. However, the damage was done.

Why were you keeping this from me? Unless...unless...Dad knew who killed him. Dad called whoever did it a traitor! What if it's one of the pack? said Ptero in alarm.

You said that Sydo was killed by Flatteeth Agatha! said a Sharp Beak, shaking her head.

I did. said Agatha the Sharp Beak Queen.

"Then why keep a secret?" asked Ptero.

"Never you mind. Listen to mother Ptero and come with." snapped Agatha, fear racing through her psychopathic mind.

"Leave him alone!" shouted Cera.

"Be quiet Threehorn!" shouted Agatha.

"Not this time. I'm not listening to mother this time! I'm not going back to be the pack leader. You've lied to me! You can kiss you plans to have me lead the pack after you goodbye! I'm staying here in the Great Valley with my friends! You can come with if you want but you're not running my whole life anymore." said Ptero defiantly.

Agatha seethed. She had hoped not to have to apply pressure to Ptero. However, he'd crossed the line. Nobody defied her. Not even him.

She moved her wing and pointed at Littlefoot and his friends. Too late, they realized what was going on. They were soon surrounded. They looked at the Sharp Beaks, fear in their eyes.

Petrie tried to fly off, but he was knocked back down by two Sharp Beaks. "I am afraid Littlefoot. I am. I am." said Ducky in fright.

"What are you doing?!" said Ptero in horror to his mother.

"Oh, I think you'll be going with me Ptero. They are in my way of you leading the pack, just like your father was." said Agatha.

"What are you talking about? You said that Dad..." said Ptero in complete shock.

"He wanted to take you away from me. I did what I had to." said Agatha.

"What did you do to him?" said Ptero angrily.

"I well, I unrestrained my nature." she said, snapping her beak and grinning evilly. All of the Leaf Eaters plus Ptero gasped.

She killed my Father! It was her! yelled Ptero to the pack. They gasped at this revelation.

Agatha, how could you?! gasped several in her pack.

I'm the Queen! I'm in charge here! The leadership of the pack will stay in my family! Sydo forced my hand! shouted Agatha, glaring at them.

"Murderer! I'll never go with you now! Somebody else can lead your pack! You killed my Father! You've really hurt me all of these cold times and lied to me!" said Ptero angrily, his eyes glaring angrily at Agatha.

He moved toward her, his talons stretched out. He felt an urge for revenge. He wanted to get the vengeance he'd waited many cold times for.

"Ah, Ptero, going to kill me now?" asked Agatha.

"Yes! I will!" Ptero said. He moved closer, ready to kill her.

"Yes, Ptero, do it. Become the new leader. You will make a great Sharptooth. I got what I wanted!" laughed Agatha. Ptero changed his mind.

"I'd like to kill you. But I've learned mercy from Littlefoot. I won't let you turn me into a monster too. And I won't kill family. Go and don't come back Mother!" said Ptero, lowering his talons away from her. I will let her go, but I'm going to banish her from the pack. Ptero proclaimed. The pack was astonished by the mercy of Ptero.

Agatha was furious at Ptero's actions. "This is all your fault Sydo! You turned him against me!" she shouted.

"No, you did that on your own!" shouted Ptero, his red eyes glaring into hers.

"Silly boy, I'm still the Queen. You cannot banish me!" she laughed coldly. She turned angrily to Ptero. "I think you will come with me." she said smugly. "I might not be able to make you come back. But I can hurt your Flattooth friends here and send them off to go join daddy!" said Agatha. "Let's see, which one of these five Flatteeth should we eat first? How about the Swimmer girl?" said Agatha, a look of glee on her face. Ducky turned pale white. "How about the Flyer boy? I think he'd taste great." said Agatha. Petrie shook in fright. "How about the Threehorn? She looks tasty." said Agatha. Cera's eyes widened in fright. "How about the Spiketail? There's enough meat on him to last quite a while." said Agatha. Spike shook now and buried his head in the ground, too nervous to look. "Or perhaps the Longneck. He will feed the pack quite well." said Agatha. Littlefoot shook in fright now.

"No, wait. Don't. Leave them alone and I'll come quietly." said Ptero in resignation.

"Very well Ptero. I'll leave these five stupid Flatteeth alone and you'll come with me." said Agatha smugly.

"They're not stupid! They're very nice!" shouted Ptero.

"Whatever!" said Agatha in annoyance. "So, will you come with me and then I'll leave the Flatteeth alone?" asked Agatha.

"Yes Mother." said Ptero glumly.

"Ptero no!" his four new friends all cried.

"If I don't go, you'll die." he said.

"Me'd rather die than leave you miserable." said Petrie.

Ptero was warmed by the kindness the Leaf Eaters, Leaf Eaters like himself, had shown him. However, he was willing to go with his wicked mother so that they could live.

Meanwhile, the Bright Circle went down. "Where could they be?" asked Grandpa Longneck.

"No idea. Haven't seen them in hours." said Topps.

"I'm getting worried." said Papa Swimmer.

"Look, Sharp Beaks on the Great Wall! And our kids are there too!" said Mama Flyer.

"We must go and save them!" said Pterano. They all took off toward the Great Wall.

Meanwhile, Ptero was about to leave. Suddenly, Littlefoot, who felt that he had to act for the best, threw himself at Agatha, knocking her over. "Go. Run guys! Go! Save yourselves!" he cried. The others all moved away.

Agatha broke free. She glared angrily at Littlefoot. "You'll die first!" she said. She summoned her pack. Though mad at her for committing murder, she was still their queen. They moved down toward Littlefoot.

Littlefoot turned to run, though he knew that he was outnumbered. Agatha knocked him over with her wings. She held him down with a talon.

"My late husband got in the way of my plans Longneck. He's no longer around. You're going to join him! Say bye bye Flattooth!" laughed Agatha. She began to sharpen her other talon on a rock. It sure looked bad!