Close one. Real close one. Do Fireclaw's feelings get in the way of his judgement, though?

Chapter 7: An Offer of Salvation

The trip back to Lavadome wasn't a comfortable one. The thoughts of what happened previously that day still clung to Fireclaw's mind. How could Pterano, the uncle of Petrie and well known (for many different reasons) name of the Great Valley almost kill Littlefoot's grandmother? Fireclaw knew that Redclaw would be executed for this, but no one was killed. At least no one important. Redclaw was always easy to convince. He was power hungry, yet also a coward. Its a little known fact about him that most don't ever get to actually know unless they know him personally, and being a sharptooth, it was a nonexistant number.

When Redclaw came to, he was lying on a cold bunk in Lavadome's prison unit. It was a small corridor consisting of four cells, each a small concrete room with heavy iron bars and heavy sliding doors. Redclaw sat up, trying to figure out where he was, when he saw Fireclaw sitting in the hallway watching. Fireclaw was sitting on the floor with his back to the wall waiting for him to wake up.

"No use in putting up a fight now Redclaw. You're in there whether you like it or not." Fireclaw said.

"Where am I? What's going on? What happened?" Redclaw kept asking.

"Calm down, Redclaw. You're at Lavadome right now, and I'm sure you can figure out the rest. I'm sure now you're starting to let the situation sink in." Fireclaw replied calmly.

"So, you've decided to let me live. What a gracious thing to do for an enemy!" Redclaw retorted.

"Well, actually you're up for execution in less than twelve hours. It's a rather unorthodox punishment given Allo's standards, but he hasn't been here in a while. It's also my choice as to how you die. I can change that, but only if you'll be willing to work with me." Fireclaw replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Work with you? Ha! I'd rather just rot here than work with a bastard sharptooth! You're not even full blood, how can you possibly even consider yourself anything at all!"

Fireclaw opened the cell door, walked in and grabbed Redclaw by the throat. He then slammed him up against the wall hard with one claw.

"Listen to me, I'm offering you a chance to redeem your sorry ass, I can walk out and let you rot until I decide to figure out how to dispose of your sad, disgrace of a corpse! Do you really want me to do that? Think about it Redclaw, you're a pawn! You're worthless! You're an experiment! Rex altered your genetics to turn you into a weapon!" Fireclaw growled in Redclaw's face. Redclaw gasped for air as Fireclaw dropped him to the floor.

"What? Ghenghis Rex would never-"

"What makes you so sure? He's done the exact same thing before, and failed. Wanna know who? Here's the kicker, Redclaw, it was YOUR OWN SON." Fireclaw nearly shouted.

"My son was killed by a rival sharptooth herd! I know how he died, and don't you bring him into this!" Redclaw shouted back.

"Sure, that's what you were told. He didn't just go missing under your nose, Redclaw. He was captured by Rex and a group of his finest troops to ensure that the capture was successful. You never heard about it because you were told that he was killed by a rival sharptooth. Your only son was used in an experiment the same way you're being used now, his genetics were altered to give him the same form you have now. This form is actually a half-way point in this experiment, because it opens up your genetic code to be easily altered. Unfortunately for him though, the next part was what killed him." Fireclaw explained coldly.

"The next part, what is the next part?" Redclaw asked curiously.

"The brain chip. Implanted at the base of the skull, it can't be removed and it can't be tampered without killing the one it's installed into. Your son wasn't able to handle the implant, and he died within five minutes. Aren't you curious as to what that small child's brain was to become?" Fireclaw continued.

"I don't think I really want to know, but tell me. That was my only son, and now he's dead for what purpose?" Redclaw shouted. He began to break down crying in front of Fireclaw.

"It was to render his brain completely void of all function other than what the implant told it to do. It would only sustain basic functions to keep the body alive, the rest was up to what Rex wanted him to do. Rex didn't install it correctly and it killed him quickly. He twitched and jumped a lot, then just laid still and stopped breathing, just like that. You pride yourself for being better, yet you don't even realize that Ghenghis Rex has already plotted your downfall, Tyranno-X."

"Tyranno-X?" Redclaw asked.

"That's your new name in his book. You're going to become Tyranno-X, a mindless tyrant under the whimsical control of his master. You'll piss on his command if he wants you to. You're ignorant enough to think he legitametely wants you as a Tyranno, which is cute, I'll admit, but you're still doomed to die either way. So, are you ready to hear my offer now?" Fireclaw said in a taunting tone.

"What choice do I have? I won't live to see tomorrow anyways." Redclaw replied sounding depressed.

"Well, like I said, I can change that. You'll have to be willing to work with me though. You didn't pull the trigger, or for that matter Pterano didn't either. Grandma Longneck lives, despite how sadistic it was of you to even command that she be executed. Especially in front of Littlefoot, her GRANDSON! I'm sure you're tired of hearing about that though, as most heartless bastards are. If it's revenge you want, it's revenge you'll definetely get. Ghenghis Rex is treading on dangerous territory, and with the bioweapon he's trying to create, especially since I'm sure now he knows about the stone of coldfire, he's aiming to create a super weapon. My offer is simple. You help me stop Rex, I don't butcher you and feed you to your own kind as a one course meal."

"And what if I refuse?"

"I'm surprised you're even asking that question. If you refuse..."

Fireclaw pulled his sword and put it to Redclaw's throat.

"Did you know after death, the brain still lives for seven minutes. That includes after its been removed from the spinal column. That's seven minutes of terror, agony, pretty much anything I want to do to your head in that window of time that you will endure. Is my point clear enough?" Fireclaw asked tauntingly.

"Yes..." Redclaw sheepishly replied.

Redclaw sat back on the bunk as Fireclaw walked out. He headed off down the hallway, leaving Redclaw in the small cell lit only by a small ceiling light. Redclaw knew that it was Fireclaw's sharptooth blood that was making him act with a little compassion, but it wasn't much. He knew he'd have to choose one way or the other, and hopefully didn't choose wrong. Fireclaw could murder him easily, knowing how powerful he truly is. Ghenghis Rex will inevetibally beat him or torture him for failing to kill Fireclaw, and now that he knows he's a test subject, he'll be lead down a road to cereberal slavery, and then he can just live out the death sentence of being completely eviscerated in the wrong fight that ultimately Rex will pick with him. Redclaw heard the hallway door open again, and moved towards the back wall out of fear that Fireclaw has come back to hurt him in some way. Fireclaw stopped in front of his cell.

"I don't think you need anymore time, do you?" He asked.

"How would redeeming myself to you help with relations with the Great Valley? They all want me dead either way, so it just doesn't make any sense at all!" Redclaw replied.

"You know, I've already worked things out with Grandpa Longneck, and trust me what I said I'm not proud of, but you've got one chance. If you chose what I think you chose, you better hope that you don't step out of line. One little agreement was that if you do, I shoot you where you stand. You're walking a fine line for someone who's killed more times in his life and is looked down upon now that you've been brought to their level. But like I said, I'm not forcing you to do anything you don't want." Fireclaw explained.

"Fireclaw, there's really only one thing I can do now. I've put my loyalty in the wrong place, and I ever since I've well, 'changed,' I've come to understand something. I acted only on instinct, and it's because of that that no one could ever really trust me. Plus, it's just wrong to trust a sharptooth at all really, but that's another topic. I'll take up your offer, and I hope at least then I can do something to make up for past sins. I won't let you down." Redclaw explained.

"Then I'm going to do something that most would find absolutely illogical."

Fireclaw unlocked the cell door, then backed away. Redclaw had a chance to run if he really wanted to. This was the first test of loyalty, if he ran, he would die. He could even attempt to kill Fireclaw, but again, it was a test. Redclaw opened the cell door slowly, then stood at attention in front of Fireclaw. Fireclaw looked him up and down, then looked him in the eye.

"You're doing good, Redclaw, but there's still something I need to try. It's easy to fake loyalty at this point because all you're doing is standing, but this is to see if you're telling me the truth or not."

Fireclaw took out his USP and handed it to Redclaw. Redclaw took it and held it at his side.

"Well, you're on your way to passing, seeing as you haven't attempted to shoot me yet. Follow me." Fireclaw said.

Fireclaw lead Redclaw down the hallway and into the firing range. There was a live feed with Ghenghis Rex on one line, looking rather displeased, yet amused at the same time. He eyed Redclaw down as Redclaw walked in behind Fireclaw.

"Ok Redclaw. Here's where I call your bluff. You've got two options. Assume I'm Rex right now, who's loyalty is stronger? Would you kill the savior, or the tyrant?" Fireclaw asked sternly.

Redclaw looked at the video feed. Rex waited. He looked back to Fireclaw, who stood with his arms crossed also waiting. He had to make a move.

"And here's where I leave you, Redclaw. It's your choice. Hope it's the right one. And be honest. Just because Rex isn't here physically doesn't mean he can't see what you're doing." Fireclaw reassured him.

Redclaw chambered one round and aimed at Fireclaw. After some reconsideration, he turned the gun toward the screen. Back and forth he aimed, pondering, deciding. He hoped that he wouldn't make a wrong move. If he shot Fireclaw, Rex would be proud of him. But remembering what Fireclaw said, he means nothing to Rex at all. If he shot Rex, he would keep his life, but Rex would surely not forget. Rex would not forgive betrayal.

Redclaw aimed at Fireclaw and put his finger on the trigger. Fireclaw stood silent. Redclaw's hand trembled as he gripped the pistol. He closed his eyes, put his head into his shoulder, then spun himself to face the video monitor and pulled the trigger. The bang of the cartridge fired and the recoil sealed his fate. His choice was made.

"You chose well." Fireclaw said calmly.

"You little bastard. You defiant little bastard. You think you can run? You think you have friends there? Just look at you. You're a worthless-"

"SCREW YOURSELF REX!" Redclaw screamed as he emptied the rest of the magazine into the monitor's bulletproof cage.

Fireclaw took his gun back and led Redclaw out. Redclaw was furious. He knew he'd made the right choice by shooting Rex, only now he has to do it for real.

Back at the Great Valley, everyone was asleep but Chomper. He was paranoid that something was going on after what happened with Redclaw earlier that day. He checked the time on his watch. Midnight, still sitting up and worrying. He decided to try and radio to Fireclaw to see when he was coming back when something caught his eye. Chomper saw something move quickly in a field, and grabbed a pair of binoculars to get a closer look. Someone was standing there, watching the nesting grounds closely. Suddenly out of the trees came a whole group of Tyrannos on an ambush, and this time they weren't taking any chances. Chomper grabbed a shotgun and wing-kit and dove down. He managed to get into a small bush to see what was going on better. He noticed that the Tyranno's were carrying Littlefoot and his friends out on their backs. Why weren't they screaming, he wondered. Then he noticed something sticking out of their legs, darts. They were tranquilized! Chomper pulled a knife and crouched down behind some of the shrubbery. There was one soldier that lagged behind, just far enough for Chomper to grab and pull him into the bushes. After a quick scuffle, Chomper punched the soldier in the back of head, knocking him out cold. He dragged him away carefully as to not attract any attention. Chomper tied him to a tree closeby and radioed to Fireclaw.

"Fireclaw, come in, It's Chomper. Listen, something's happened. I need your help, now."