Chapter Thirteen: A Secret Between Brothers
In the Great Valley, Ruby paced and thought over what she'd say, wanting to make sure it wasn't too harsh but wasn't too polite either. When Chomper entered, she took a breath and went to him. He still had that air about him, one that told her he was a bit uneasy.
"You're back." She started softly.
"Ruby, we're going to head out after a couple of days."
"I remember when we met, how you didn't have any friends. We vowed to save the Mysterious Beyond from Red Claw. You defeated him and are the Alpha, have the chance to make a real difference. We can still reach our dream, together." Ruby reached her hand out to him, wanting him to take it. "If you'll have me, I'd be more than happy to be by your side when we make that change. No matter what anyone says, or thinks, I care for you, all of you. So, do you want me by your side or not?"
Chomper swallowed hard, knowing Ruby had to stay in the Valley, otherwise Red Claw's predecessor might harm her. "I'm not sure about that."
Taking a sharp breath, Ruby drew back. "I see, so you just want me around when it's convenient for you, is that it?"
"No, I didn't mean it like that."
"You didn't have to, it's clear from your action you no longer want me around."
"I do care about you, Ruby, I just have to do this first."
"What, what is it you're trying to accomplish? What's so important that you turn your back on your friends, your family, on me?"
"The truth about why I'm so different!"
"It never mattered why you're different. Not to me, not to the gang! Don't you see, we're here, we've always been here."
"I never asked you to do that," Chomper said, stopping when he realized his mistake. "Darn it, I didn't, I shouldn't have-"
"No, I think you meant it." Ruby passed him, going to exit the caverns. "I love you Chomper, I only wish my love were enough for you."
"Ruby, please, hear me out." Chomper turned, only to find she was gone. "I'm sorry."
Ruby went for a nice long run, ending up at her thinking spot. Instead of going back to the caverns, she decided to settle in and prepare for nightfall. When the night circle rose and Ruby didn't come back, Chomper knew she was upset with him. Giving a deep sigh, Chomper rose and left the Secrets Caverns, walking along. He went and sat on a hill, gazing out, and feeling his stomach turn. With a sigh, the voice called again, stronger than ever, adding to his misery.
He was drawn from his thoughts when thunderous footsteps were heard. "Hey, Chomper, you, okay?" It was Littlefoot, coming to sit beside him.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Though it was a lie. "Why are you up?"
"Looking over the herd. Plus, Cera is a bit of a restless sleeper, and pocks me with her horns now and then."
"You're a good leader, Littlefoot. I missed you, this place, so much."
"Why are you up?"
Chomper rubbed his arm, exhaling slowly. "Nothing, it's nothing."
"Come on, you can't hold it in. I know something has been bothering you since you arrived here. You can fool the others but not me, I'm your papa, remember." Littlefoot joked, rubbing Chomper's head affectionately.
"Littlefoot, I think I'm going crazy," Chomper said, letting his guard down at long last. "For a while, I've been hearing this voice. It wants me to follow it, to cross the Big Water, into the Unknown."
"The Unknown?"
"Yeah, before my mother died, she told me to go there, to find the answers to the questions I had for her." With a deep sigh, he lowered his head. "How insane is that?"
Taking in Chomper's words, Littlefoot was moved by it. "When I was small, a mere hatchling, I lost my mother to a mighty sharptooth. Her dying breath was used to make sure I knew the way to the Great Valley, to encourage me to go on. You won't believe it, but it was she who guided me, and brought me here. I heard her voice, saw her in the shape of sky puffies." Littlefoot smiled, eyes growing moist. "When I grew older, I didn't hear her as much, guess I didn't need her like I did when I was small. If anything, Chomper, I understand."
"So, you think I should go?"
"If that's what your heart tells you, I'd follow it, for it whispers and you must listen closely to it."
Chomper was thoughtful, taking in what Littlefoot said. If anything, Littlefoot, out of all got it, for he lost his mother, and was very close to her. Such a bond couldn't easily be severed by death, right?
"Littlefoot, can you do something for me?"
"Sure, anything, my brother." Said Littlefoot in a warm voice.
"I need you to keep this between us, till the time is right." Rising to his feet, he took a shaky breath. "If the others ask where I've gone, tell them I went to fill up on food at the Big Water. And make sure Ruby remains here, where she will be safe."
"Did you say goodbye to her?"
"No, we had a big fight and she didn't return." Giving a nod, Chomper sniffed. "I really messed things up with her. Anyway, if you see her, tell her I'll be back."
"I promise, I'll keep this between us, and watch over Ruby."
Chomper smiled and got to his feet, knowing if there was a time to leave it had to be then. "Thank you, brother." Nodding to Littlefoot, Chomper took off, seeking out Screech and Thud. The pair were sleeping, waking when he stood over them.
"What do you want?"
"We need to go, now," Chomper answered.
Under the cover of the night, he went to leave, going to the back of the caverns. With moist eyes, he removed the rocks for him and the fast-bitters to leave. Once outside, he let the boulders hide the entrance.
Within the Valley, Littlefoot saw Chomper go, knowing he had to come up with a proper excuse, one that would satisfy Ruby. When the bright circle rose, Littlefoot left the hill to meet up with his friends. Of course, he noticed Ruby running around, going from place to place. When she saw him, she dashed his way in a hurry.
"Morning Ruby, something the matter?"
"Have you seen Chomper? I've looked everywhere for him and he's nowhere to be seen."
"Ugh." Groaned Cera, rolling her eyes. "Ruby calm down, he's not a hatchling for tree-star sake."
"She's right, Ruby, besides Chomper left to get some food at the Big Water. He told me he'd be back in no time. Till then, relax." Littlefoot encouraged, hoping to settle the flustered fastrunner.
"Maybe your right, right you are, Littlefoot." Ruby joined Littlefoot and went to catch up with some old friends.
After several days, Ruby remained calm, till the days kept going by. It reminded her of when Chomper and her were apart, the years that went by, and how lonely she felt. It was a time she never wanted to relive, but the pattern was clear, Chomper might not come back for her. If anything, she knew Ducky was right, it'd come down to them having to work it out, regretting taking Cera's advice. On one particular day, Ruby taking a long walk and thinking deeply. With Chomper gone, she tried not to let her worry show, knowing he was an adult and was capable of surviving without her. Still, she thought of him often, going to her thinking place and watching the bright circle rise. There she thought hard on what she should do, stay, or go after Chomper? Apologize and tell him to come back, so that they could work it out. Getting up, she went to the Secret Caverns, to find her parents.
"Mom, dad, I fear the worst for Chomper and feel I must go after him."
"While we wish you could stay, we understand."
"Indeed, you two love each other deeply and will find a way to get back to each other." Rodney hugged Ruby. "You're smart and will be fine out there. Just be careful."
"I will dad." Ruby stood back, embracing her mother last. "I love you both so much."
"Take care dear."
Ruby left the Caverns, going to climb up the wall to leave. From high up, she saw her friends, knowing she should've said goodbye, yet needed to cover a lot of ground to catch up and locate Chomper. Once she managed to climb out of the wall, she made her way down to enter the Mysterious Beyond. Going across the Mysterious Beyond, she saw a few herds had been taken out, moving even carefully, for if she were caught, she'd be killed. A few sharpteeth had gathered to eat the dead, not being the ones to take the herd out.
A few days passed and Ruby walked silently, moving along a rocky area. Some pebbles clattered downward; Ruby looked up to where they came from. "Who's there?" She froze, glancing around with a nervous expression.
From above her, a single fast-bitter leaped at her, attempting to grab her. Throwing a few punches, she kept him back, trying to think of how to escape. Knocking him away, she darted to flee, only for something to dive down from the sky and strike her on the back of the head, knocking her face first to the earth. Ruby's world grew gray, hearing the pair speak in a few growls. Going limp, Ruby was carried off, unable to keep her eyes open, she passed out completely.
When she came to, she was surprised by what she saw. There were five meat-eaters in total, a feathered sharptooth and a horned one, a fast-bitter, and a finned sharptooth, one larger than Chomper, along with a flying predator. The fast-biter spoke with a large finned sharptooth, gray skin, a long crocodile snout, and a set of yellow eyes. They locked onto Ruby, who was grabbed by the feathered sharptooth and yanked to her feet. Ruby was drug easily, led by the hungry-looking pack. Head held high, she didn't dare show her fear, keeping her eyes on the leader.
"Here boss, this is the one." Spoke the feathered one, holding Ruby tightly in his grasp.
"Indeed, the one we've been looking for." The leader walked over and studied Ruby, fingers reaching out to brush her cheek. Ruby tried to bite the fingers, seeing the hand draw back quickly. "My, my, fisty aren't we." The voice that spoke was that of a female, Ruby noticing she had long lashes and a leaner figure.
"What do you want with me?" Ruby asked in sharptooth, taking the group by surprise, all but her, the finned sharptooth, who seemed amused by the fact Ruby spoke in their language. "What do you plan to do?"
"Well, let's start with introductions, shall we? My name is Stephany, the feathered one is Frank, and the horned one is Stephen. The one flying over us is Talon and the fast-bitter is Blaze." With a smile, Stephany tapped her chin. "You are bait, for him, that whip of an alpha. You see, after the fall of Red Claw, some of us weren't too happy with the change in leadership, especially me, since it was I who was meant to step up and take Red Claw's place. You can't deny, we'd become the laughing stoke with such a freak for an Alpha."
"Chomper is not a freak. He's kind, pure of heart, better than any of you. You're killers, heartless murderers!" Ruby spoke bravely. "You simply fear what you don't understand."
"Correct, we hate what we don't understand. Soon enough, we'll put him in his place, force him to a fight. After all, I'm sure he'll want to keep his little fastrunner safe." Stephany laughed, biting her claw as though she were bored. "So, we're going make a trade, your life for a battle. Though I believe it is I who will get a good deal out of it."
"If you're meant to be the Alpha, where have you been this whole time?"
"Banished!" Stephany shouted, grabbing Ruby roughly and tossing her to the earth. "Red Claw banished all of us. With him gone, we're back and ready to rule."
"Chomper will stop you," Ruby said between gritted teeth.
"Stop me, he invited me. By hiding, by his mere presence. Now, keep an eye on her, we need to put our plan in motion."
Ruby was forced to keep up, and ordered to walk into the center of the group, so as not to escape them. They traveled in the direction of the Great Valley, the pack assuming Chomper was there, hiding out behind the massive wall of rock. By the time the bright circle set, they settled into rest, one staying awake to watch Ruby. While there, Ruby shook and was sacred, hearing a voice, and wondering who was out there in the night.
"Hello?" She whispered, peering around.
"Ruby!" It was Chomper's voice, yet he wasn't there. His voice was soft, a whisper that only she seemed to hear. "Ruby?" His voice called again, moving around her.
Eyes going left to right, she was unable to locate him, thinking it might be her mind playing tricks on her. Though somehow, she couldn't explain, she felt his presents, sensed he was coming to save them. With that, she tried to stay strong, knowing he'd come, and do what needed to be done. Clutching her legs, she lay down and went it sleep.
