Alright, this is officially the longest I've ever stayed dedicated to a creative writing project! Let's hope that all of my times imagining cool scenarios in my head whilst listening to hard techno or metal will pay off in the chapters to come! Thank's to all who've read this and reviewed (I haven't checked my email in a while to see, I know one did though, you're awesome! :D)
Chapter 3: The Face-off
Fireclaw was awakened by what sounded like shouting, and someone parading themselves around to others. Chomper was standing at the mouth of the cave they resided in while they stayed in the Great Valley, high above the trees for a good view of anything going on. Fireclaw could tell by the way Chomper was standing that something wasn't right. He had his hand reached over for a rifle stashed behind a small rock indentation, just big enough to hide the Winchester and the surprisingly large scope mounted to it. Fireclaw joined him, and was quite shocked to see Pterano drawing a crowd towards himself, attempting to con nearly anyone he could see into some antic he was trying to pull. Fireclaw could only make out some of his speech, and didn't like what he had heard.
"Chomper, grab that damn rifle, I'll bet you I know what he's trying to pull." Fireclaw said quietly, yet sternly.
Chomper pulled the rifle from it's hiding place, handing it over to Fireclaw. He had an idea of what Fireclaw was about to do, and was hoping to all things holy that he wouldn't do it. Fireclaw raised the rifle to one shoulder, looking through the scope. He then saw Fireclaw reaching his finger towards the laser sight's activation switch, mounted just behind the trigger guard so that the shooter wouldn't lose focus trying to turn on the sight. He pulled his finger away, having second thoughts about showing Pterano that he was in the sights of his soon-to-be executioner. Chomper began to set up a sonic ear to relay what he was saying to the crowd.
"How in the hell hasn't Grandpa Longneck stopped this yet? I thought he said there would be no more crowding!" Fireclaw said.
"I hope he's not turning a blind eye to this because of Pterano's position. I'm sure that's not the case though." Chomper replied.
"It damn well better not be. I could do the same thing around lavadome, but I choose not to because I'm not some heartless bastard who only cares about himself." Fireclaw said.
Suddenly he moved his finger quickly towards the safety, Pterano was now looking directly at him, but appeared to be completely oblivious to the glint of the rifle scope. Even at the angle that Fireclaw was prone in, he was worried that he would still be too visible. Now was the moment of truth, he held his breath, hoping that Pterano wouldn't cause a scene if he saw the rifle and suspected he was about to be killed. After what seemed like minutes, he turned his head. Fireclaw was in the clear, for now at least.
"Got it, and I don't think you're going to like what you're about to hear. Just don't go off and shoot anyone just yet when you hear it." Chomper said, choosing his words carefully.
"Let me hear it, he's pushing the line already just showing himself to me like that." Fireclaw replied.
Fireclaw put on the headset, and was about to empty his magazine into Pterano's head when he got in on the conversation.
"Longneck was a fool to think that we flyers weren't capable of leading a herd! He was a fool to think anything of us lower than what we are in this world! We are the TRUE leaders of our world, for we see what you cannot. We can hear what you cannot hear, we guide you from the sky, while you defend yourselves from the ground, from those dreaded sharpteeth!" Pterano ranted.
After Pterano emphasized his last word, he looked directly at Fireclaw again and winked. Fireclaw wasn't having any of it.
"That asshole! That scumbag asshole he knows that we're watching him! That's it! Okay Pterano, you want to play it that way then so be it, but you're going to wish that you never even considered that idea!" Fireclaw said sharply.
"Fireclaw, calm yourself down, this isn't going to work. He wants you to get pissed! He's going to frame you, don't you see? He's intentionally trying to make you angry so that he can get you to attack!" Chomper said while grabbing Fireclaw's arm so he didn't pull the trigger and kill Pterano.
"Chomper, he's going to betray the Great Valley! Propaganda like that just doesn't come from someone spewing random words! He's thought this one out! If he's trying to piss me off he's got that part down, but its' going to take a lot more to get me to attack him!" Fireclaw said back.
"Really? Because a second ago you were about to make him a smear with that rifle you're holding." Chomper said back in a sarcastic tone.
"Oh trust me Chomper, I won't shoot him. I want him to writhe!" Fireclaw said, the pitch in his voice dropping to a very low, almost demonic sounding tone towards the end of his sentence. Chomper stepped away when he heard it. He knew something was going on when he has the ability to change his voice that way at will.
"FIreclaw, what's wrong with you? Look at you! You've nearly beaten Xaero to death yesterday, you're about to off the leader of the Air Corps of the Great Valley with a rifle, and now you sound like you're possessed! Have you forgotten what you stand for as a Dinosaucer? You managed to keep your cool long before you forged that sword, and now you're turning into something that could commit a mass genocide because someone steals your last treestar!" Chomper yelled at Fireclaw while shaking him, completely forgetting that Pterano could hear it. Luckily he didn't when Chomper checked back to see if he'd looked again.
"Chomper, have you any idea what he nearly did to Ducky? He nearly killed her! Why, do you ask? He wanted the stone of Coldfire's power, and greed nearly drove him to murder! Especially of a child! A child, Chomper! Don't you think that's pushing the limits a bit? I'm sure putting him out of his misery would help a little, but still, you haven't even seen what I've seen with him!" Fireclaw growled back.
"Ok, you know what, I believe you, but listen, if you can't keep your cool, you're going to screw yourself in the end. I'm not going to argue or fight with you Fireclaw. Ever since you got me into the Dinosaucers and trained me personally I've known you almost as a brother, and I'm not willing to go as far as to fight you over something so stupid! Whatever you do, I'm right behind you, but I hope you can make the right decisions in the long run. You're growing more and more unstable, and I don't even know if I can help you at this point." Chomper said.
"You know what, I'll keep my cool with this, at least I'll try. Don't think I'm going to forget it though." Fireclaw said as he thrust the rifle back into the crevice in the rocks where it was originally stored. He grabbed his sword off of the makeshift mount made of tree branches and walked out. Chomper couldn't get away from the fact that he knew that Pterano was going to try something, but he couldn't try and stop Fireclaw and risk him doing something evil in the end. Impending doom was near, and he felt Fireclaw was going to lead it like a tank straight into an apocalyptic conflict, and he was powerless to stop it.
Meanwhile, down by the big pond, Littlefoot and his friends were playing kick the cone, a game like soccer. LIttlefoot's team, consisting of only Ducky, was in the lead by one point. Cera's team, with Spike as her partner, was getting ready for a defensive play.
"Alright guys, one point left and we win!" Littlefoot shouted.
"Yea, if you can make it." Cera said back.
Littlefoot swept the pine cone with his tail to the left, Spike diving unsuccessfully for it and getting a faceful of dirt and grass. Ducky ran to his right, allowing Littlefoot to pass it with ease. Ducky kicked it between Cera's legs, Littlefoot ran up the left again and delivered the kill shot. The Pinecone flew between the two sticks acting as a make-shift goalpost and nearly knocked out Petrie, who was perched on a branch playing ref.
"Good game guys!" Littlefoot said.
"That was fun! It was, it was!" Ducky said with the excitement of having won her first game of kick the cone in a long time.
Suddenly Fireclaw came out from behind a small thicket of bushes, looking visibly upset.
"Hey Fireclaw, what's up?" Cera said, getting no response.
"Sup Cera, hey Petrie, can I have a word with you, like now?" Fireclaw asked in a demanding tone.
"Umm, me no see why not, but- "
"Good, let's go. There's something you need to know about your dear old 'uncle'" Fireclaw interrupted.
"Oh no, not this whole deal again." Cera said to Littlefoot, rolling her eyes.
Fireclaw and Petrie walked down a small narrow path for privacy.
"You lie! My uncle Pterano no do any bad things anymore!" Petrie yelled in Fireclaw's face.
"Petrie, I've got the whole thing recorded! Your uncle is plotting something, and I don't mean to give you the ultimatum, but damnit it has to be done! You have to warn your mom and your siblings about this. I'm not going into detail, but I think Pterano's working with someone else on this, a sharptooth I pray you never meet!" Fireclaw said back. He knew who he was implying.
"But we already meet Redclaw! He biggest, meanest sharptooth that ever live!" Petrie said.
"That's where you're wrong Petrie. He's probably the biggest, or knowing who I'm about to tell you about may have other plans for that, but he's not the meanest. Have you ever heard the name Ghenghis Rex, by chance?" Fireclaw asked.
"Ghengis Rex? Who he?" Petrie asked back.
"Thought so. Ghengis Rex is a bit of a mastermind when it comes to plotting things. That's why I've been a Dinosaucer for so long, and I assume that Grandpa Longneck told you about that. He is the reason why I've moved weapons into the Great Valley. I said it was for protection against sharpteeth, which is partially true, but not exactly the whole truth either." Fireclaw explained.
"Why Ghenghis Rex so bad? What he do?" Petrie asked.
"Well, where I'm from originally, he's attempted to take over the entire planet by killing the leaders of my faction, which is like a herd, only a lot more advanced and complicated. I am an elite sent from there to ensure that he doesn't try to assasinate them again. If he's met Redclaw already, then we may have a huge problem then. He can speak perfect sharptooth and perfect leaf eater, as can myself and Chomper." Fireclaw explained.
Petrie was interrupted by a sound behind Fireclaw. Both he and Petrie froze at the sound, causing Fireclaw to put his hand on a revolver handle.
"Hm, can't someone have a conversation in private?" Fireclaw said as he spun around, revealing a .357 Smith and Wesson Magnum revolver he'd recieved as a gift from the secret scouts. He was greeted by the visibly unpleased Pterano, brandishing a makeshift spear carved crudely out of a tree branch.
"Oh please Pterano. Don't tell me you actually plan to stab me. Ha, that's cute, now how about you put that down and fly away, before I blow your brain into a pink mist." Fireclaw said, training his sights on Pterano's forehead.
"Attempting to sway my dear nephew about my past ways, I see. Go Petrie, Fireclaw and I have some things to discuss, alone." Pterano said in a very dark and angry tone.
Petrie flew away as fast as he could. Seeing Pterano that way suddenly brought back memories of a time when Pterano had come back to the Great Valley while banished, looking nearly the same way. The memory became very clear in his mind as he flew.
Petrie awoke from an uneasy sleep to be greeted by Pterano standing at the foot of the nest, glaring at his mother. He had the look of murder in his eye, and he would probably have done it had Petrie not have woken up. His mother was awakened by Petrie's screams as Pterano flew off, barely avoiding detection.
"Pterano, you sick bastard. It's easy to commit murder isn't it? Leading a herd straight to their untimely death, and all you can do as their leader is leave them to perish. Damn shame you are! And yet you actually have the nerve to show yourself to me, and even stand there as I am a high powered revolver at your face. You must be pretty determined to get something, perhaps, something powerful, am I correct?" Fireclaw said, staring into Pterano's eyes the whole time.
"This time, Fireclaw, I will forget all of my sins, because now this matter has become personal. Greed may have driven me to do terrible things, but this time it will drive me to do what's right!" Pterano growled, then finished in a shout before charging Fireclaw.
"Bring it on. I've been ready for a long time."
Pterano missed Fireclaw's foot easily when Fireclaw jumped straight into the air and rolled over him. He collided hard into a tree trunk and threw the wooden stave he was brandishing moments before. He flew at Fireclaw, attempting to grab him and take him into the air. Firecalw grabbed his left ankle and flipped him straight into the ground, slamming him hard as he began to spin in a ferris wheel formation, slamming Pterano against the ground, then rising him up half way through, then slamming him again. He did this three more times before hurling him by a broken ankle against another tree trunk. Pterano tried to move but was too injured to even lift an arm. Fireclaw grabbed him by his throat, lifted him straight into the air and stared him in the eye.
"Pterano, I nearly shot you this morning. You winked at my rifle barrel. Consider this being nice, because I could snap your neck right now and send you to the darkest pits of hell where you belong!" Fireclaw growled into Pterano's face.
"I don't care if anyone finds out about this. I've got evidence against you anyway, so this could be punishment before you're either banished yet again or executed, probably by me and to my discretion. Bet you feel mighty proud now, don't you?" Fireclaw spat at Pterano.
Fireclaw gimaced one last time, then threw Pterano through the trees and into a small clearing. He hit the ground and rolled into Topsy. Cera screamed at the sight of his broken body. Fireclaw walked out soon after, his right claw covered in blood from Pterano coughing up on it. Pterano was able to lift himself a little ways off the ground before collapsing.
"The last thing you will see before you die Pterano will be me, I gaurantee it." Fireclaw said before walking away, leaving Topsy to stare speechless at him while Cera cried uncontrollably.
Standing on the Great Wall was a figure watching everything. Fireclaw noticed from the cave after washing off his claw in a small spring and knew instantly who it was. Suspisions confirmed, he set off to warn the others. Ghenghis Rex was manipulating Pterano, and Fireclaw had just fallen for his trap. Fireclaw glared at Rex, and Rex returned the gesture. Hell was soon to follow.