We Will Hold On Forever

by

DaveTheAnalyzer

Chapter 10: Seeking Sanctuary Part 1

The bright circle was early in the sky, and Littlefoot was walking with his grandparents. Dinosaurs around them got up and stretched around them. He was still blinking away sleep from his eyes but a smile was on his face. They had fun with his friends yesterday, went to sleep closer together than usual, and were about to have breakfast as a family. With no ghost business to complicate things yesterday, his chest was filled with a bouncy warmth for the day ahead.

"Say Littlefoot," Grandpa Longneck said, "I think it's time for you to try to get some of your own water greens. What do you think?"

"Sounds like fun." Littlefoot said. "I'm a much better at swimming thanks to Ducky. I'm sure I can get them."

"Don't get too ahead of yourself." Grandma Longneck said, a twinkle in her eye. "Remember when you got tangled in some on the shallower end of the watering hole?"

"That was a long time ago. I'm much better now."

"We'll see," she said. "I expect this time you won't be tied up in water greens and struggling in a way that only gets yourself tangled up even more."

"Hey." Littlefoot chuckled.

"Yes." Grandpa Longneck smiled. "I remember it just like yesterday. After we freed you, you ate the water greens so proudly, like you caught them yourself."

"Aww, cut it out." Littlefoot laughed, rubbing his cheek bashfully. "Come on. I can – I –"

His grandparents chuckled and gave him playful nuzzles.

"In all seriousness, we have all the confidence you can pull it off." Grandpa Longneck said.

"I look forward to you standing proudly with your catch with mud all over you." Grandma Longneck said. "That is always a joy to see."

"I'll get mud all over you two if you keep this up." Littlefoot shot back.

"I wouldn't advice that." Grandpa Longneck chuckled. "You'd really regret getting grownups involved in a mud…"

He didn't finish his sentence. Looking up in confusion, Littlefoot saw his grandparents had stopped, their gazes fixed on a crowd gathered around a sweet bubble patch. Several of them stood still, as though staring at something on the ground, while others whispered amongst themselves and clicked their tongues. There were too many legs and bodies in the way to see what they were looking at but it caused a great gloom to fall over them indeed.

"Excuse me." Grandpa Longneck approached. "What seems to be the problem here?"

"Huh?" One person near the rear of the crowd turned. It was Mr. Threehorn, face tight and grim. "Oh, it's you two. Come here. This is much bigger than a problem and…I think it needs your attention."

"Why, what's happening?" Grandma Longneck said, confused.

"It's, ah…" Mr. Threehorn shook his head. "You're going to have to see for yourself." He waved for the grandparents to follow him into the crowd but stopped when he saw Littlefoot accompanying them. "Except for you, Littlefoot. Stay over there."

"What, why?" Littlefoot tottered forward. "What's going on?"

"I said stay over there!" Mr. Threehorn snapped. He softened. "You don't want to see this."

Littlefoot jerked away. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck gave Littlefoot a bemused look but seeing Mr. Threehorn's face, they offered no objections. Staring, Littlefoot walked back, covering some three longneck lengths before Mr. Threehorn nodded and led Grandpa and Grandma Longneck into squeezing here and there to the center of the crowd. As longnecks, his grandparents' heads towered over everyone else, so Littlefoot could still see them as they lowered their gazes to the object of grim fascination.

"Ah." Grandpa Longneck reeled back. "No."

Grandma Longneck shook her head. "Oh Mr. Clubtail. How?"

Littlefoot became uneased. What did Mr. Clubtail have to do with why everyone was so sad?

Then he became aware of a faint, sweet smell drifting in the air. Littlefoot gasped and staggered back, the implications hitting him like a sledgehammer.

*It can't be. Not him. This has got to be a misunderstanding.*

"Morning Littlefoot. What's with the crowd over there?"

Littlefoot turned to see his friends had arrived, Tria and Tricia accompanying them. Cera had spoken and was looking curiously at the crowd in question. Littlefoot opened his mouth, closed it. Yesterday had been a lot of fun. The day of rest and play had allowed them to recover from the ghost trauma and he could see on their relaxed faces that it had done their sleep good. Littlefoot couldn't bring himself to shatter their mood. Before he could say anything, Chomper's nose twitched.

"Hey, what's that smell?" Chomper frowned. "It's kind of familiar. What are they looking at that...?"

He stilled. Chomper turned to Littlefoot.

"Littlefoot," Chomper said tepidly, "why does Mr. Clubtail have that smell around him? It can't mean – he isn't…"

Cera and the others stared at Chomper. Then they all jerked. As a sharptooth, there would be only one reason why Chomper would be terrified about a certain smell on Mr. Clubtail. Ruby clapped hands her beak.

"No," she said. "No."

Littlefoot lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry. They aren't talking like he's alive and if Chomper's nose says it…"

Whatever energy that had been in everyone was sucked out. Tria glanced at the crowd and pushed Tricia to Cera.

"Look after your sister, Cera. You kids stay here." Tria rushed to the crowd and stopped to give them a stern look worthy of her husband. "Don't follow me."

She met Mr. Threehorn, nuzzling him before they vanished into the crowd. The gang stood there in silence.

"Mr. Clubtail, dead?" Ducky said slowly. "Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no. But he was happy!"

"Me just see him yesterday while flying with Mama." Petrie murmured. "He was eating treestars. It strange hearing he gone now."

"I – I was just joking." Cera said faintly. "Me and Dad were just having a laugh. We weren't really being – was that the last thing I said to him?"

Cera collapsed. Tricia ran up to her, warbling in concern, and Cera put a foreleg around her for comfort. Ducky slid off Spike's neck and accepted his one-arm embrace, sniffling. Petrie landed on Littlefoot's shoulder and leaned against his neck. Chomper only stood there, stunned, helpless. Littlefoot knew the feeling. They weren't close to Mr. Clubtail but that someone they frequently saw and traded words with was gone overnight was a horrible shock. Ruby was rubbing Chomper's back in slow, soothing strokes but she looked alertly at Littlefoot.

"What happened?" she asked. "What caused this?"

"I don't know." Littlefoot said. "I couldn't see him – I don't want to see him. I think the grownups are talking about it but I haven't caught much."

Ruby rubbed her chin. "You're right and Tria's right. We shouldn't try to see him. But we can try to hear what happened to him."

Tricia shuffled and mumbled nervously but Cera shushed her. Littlefoot and the others edged closer, keying their hearing to make out what the grownups were saying. At first it was difficult, since so many voices were overlapping with one another, but soon the worried tones of Tria became clear.

"…think he ate something wrong and got poisoned?"

"I don't think so." Grandpa Longneck answered. "See his back? This is something physical."

"He could have had a bad fall but crawled here and died later." Mr. Thicknose suggested. "There are no marks to indicate he landed here."

"That's possible." Grandma Longneck agreed. "But why didn't he call for help if he could at least move around?"

"What could we do?" Mr. Threehorn said. "We don't have anything that could fix someone after a big fall. We would have just dithered around as he faded. Maybe he wanted to spend his last moments around his precious sweet bubbles where no one would bother him. In some ways, I can understand him."

There were nods and murmurs of agreement. A new voice entered. "There's that possibility. There's also the possibility he was dragged here to make you think that."

Starting, everyone looked around and found Verter among their number. Littlefoot glimpsed him examining the out-of-view body with an air of sympathy.

"Poor clubtail." Verter said. "He didn't stand a chance."

"What do you mean, he was dragged here to make us think that?" Tria asked.

"Are you saying this wasn't an accident?" Grandma Longneck said.

"You could say that." Verter said casually.

"So a sharptooth did this?" Guido said fearfully.

Verter's lip curled. "He would have been stripped to the bone then. Besides...sharpteeth are far from the only ones who have a killing intent."

A burst of whispers followed. Dinosaurs in the crowd looked amongst themselves with concern and suspicion. A few looked back to take a visual sweep of the valley, as though they could spot potential suspects from here. Grandpa Longneck gazed around.

"Calm down. Calm down!" Once everyone fell silent, he made sure to meet their eyes. "Let's not jump to any conclusions. As we all remember, doing so in the past has only led to unnecessary conflict."

"It's not out of the realm of possibility that a leaf eater could have done this." Grandma Longneck hastened to add. "However, before we start making accusations, we need to make sure it's a reality."

"But what are we supposed to do in the meantime?" a male swimmer asked.

"Yes, what if whoever did this goes after someone else?" Mrs. Maia said.

"Then until we figure out this mystery, we should avoid being alone if we can help it." Tria said reasonably. "Travel in groups, or at least be in sight of others if some of us insist on being loners. That way, it would be harder for anyone to try anything. Also avoid any high places. I know that may be hard for some people, especially flyers but…"

"My sentiments exactly." Mr. Threehorn briefly smiled at her. "That especially goes for the children. If they're not within a parent's sight, they should be with a trusted adult or family member. They should be cautious."

"Prior warning will give everyone a tactical advantage." Verter agreed. "But what to do if you're the one confronted by this mysterious killer? Preventative measures can only go so far. Did Mr. Clubtail have any training to defend himself?"

"Not that I'm aware of." Grandpa Longneck said. "He has helped us in a few times of danger but, like many of us, he didn't make a habit of putting himself in combat situations."

Verter nodded. "Few do. But if Mr. Clubtail had no training, then he had nothing to work with when his life was threatened. I find that if you train, you build the skills and instincts necessary to live in this frightening world. And with this mysterious death in front of us…no time like the present. You do remember our talks yesterday, Topps?"

"Yes." Mr. Threehorn met his gaze, but it flickered a bit. "You already know our answer. Our daughters are too young for that level of training."

"Not Cera, though." Verter said. "From what you two said about her adventures, she sounds more than ready to begin training. Chomper too. For someone so young, he must manage himself well if he can keep up with Cera and their friends."

"Even so, this training can be quite dangerous. I wouldn't recommend it for children."

Tria nodded. "Even when I tried it as an older threehorn, it was quite taxing. I'm not so sure they're ready."

"Don't worry, I said I won't give them that kind of regiment." Verter said soothingly. "But with this threat lurking in the valley and how wide-ranging these kids are, wouldn't it be better if your daughter and her friend were better able to defend themselves?"

Mr. Threehorn faltered and even Tria showed a flicker of doubt at the concept of this threat being close to their daughter and their friends while they were alone. Frowning, Grandpa Longneck stepped closer.

"You shouldn't be pressuring them into making this sort of decision," he said.

"This is threehorn business." Verter said. "Please know your place."

"Cera's family and Chomper are part of the valley. Any concern of theirs is a concern of ours." Grandpa Longneck said. "Besides, even under that pronouncement, Chomper doesn't fit. He isn't a threehorn, and he's too young."

"But he is a special child. He and Cera are the only children among their friends who already have the greatest potential for combat. No matter how young he is, to protect his friends, wouldn't it be better to hone his skills and, while we still can, temper some of his…unique needs?"

There was silence. Some of the crowd shifted, averting their gazes from Chomper, more than a few not appearing to disagree with the assessment.

"That is a concern that will…need to be addressed." Grandpa Longneck said uncomfortably. "But Cera and Chomper are still children. They shouldn't be fighting grownups' battles."

"That isn't very smart." Verter said. "When I was young, threehorn kids had to train hard and be treated maturely to make it to adulthood. It wasn't fun but at least we survived."

"That might have been necessary in your time but not in the valley." Grandma Longneck said. "I agree children should learn to be cautious but they shouldn't go through the rigor of work adults must deal with. Here, it is safe enough they could relax and be allowed to enjoy their youth."

"With this killer around, the valley's no longer safe," he replied. "From what I heard, this place hasn't been much safe anyway. Fires, earthshakes, sharptooth incursion…I'm amazed no children seemed to have died. Cera's friends need to be prepared to know how to defend themselves while their luck still holds out. It's the only way to keep them safe."

"Even if your killer theory is right, the way to keep them safe is with family and trusted grownups," she said. "We'll make sure they don't wander off. We'll teach the kids to be responsible, like we always do."

Verter smiled. "You mustn't be doing a good job of teaching them to be responsible then, since Littlefoot keeps wandering off with his friends into danger."

"That's –" Grandma Longneck said but her mouth stayed open a second too long. She and her mate shifted uneasily under the gazes of the others, more than a few whom appeared doubtful.

Verter turned to Mr. Threehorn and Tria.

"So," Verter said, "does my proposition sound sensible?"

"I – I still have my doubts." Tria said, a bit overwhelmed after that public argument. "They should be the ones looked after. They shouldn't be doing it only by themselves."

"You can't guarantee they won't sneak off again. They're a naturally curious lot and who knows how long this crises will last. You can't be alert forever, Tria. Instead of trying to prevent the inevitable, why don't we give these kids the instincts they need to defend themselves against the current threat? It will benefit everyone."

Tria opened and closed her mouth. She glanced at her mate for assistance but his head were lowered with indecision. Almost glaring, Tria turned back to Verter.

"We can't force the kids to do this."

"Who said anything about force? Cera and Chomper did express interest, why not ask their opinions? They do matter, since they have an actual chance at passing."

Tria flinched. Verter turned and left the crowd, she and Mr. Threehorn hastily following. Verter stopped in front of the gang, gaze on Cera and Chomper.

"So," he said casually, "interested in becoming stronger?"

Cera slowly looked at her parents and then at Tricia, who was watching her with confused wonderment. That hardened her resolve.

"If it means if I can do something," she said, stepping forward.

The gang glanced at her, concern rising in them. Chomper gazed at his friends, lingering on each of them as though trying to remember their faces. He stood taller.

"If it's to protect my friends." he said.

"Good." Verter nodded firmly. "What say you, Topps, Tria?"

Mr. Threehorn was uncertain but a look at Verter's confident gaze and he sighed. "Very well. I'm not Chomper's parent anyway and it'd be a load off my mind if I knew Cera can take care of herself."

Tria stared, breaths a touch quicker, but shook her head. "I'm not Chomper's parent either but my warning to him is the same for Cera – be careful. Don't overextend yourselves."

"Great." Verter said. "Shall we get going? I know just the place."

Verter walked off and Chomper and Cera followed, the latter lingering long enough to nuzzle her sister. In the silence of their departure, the only sounds were Littlefoot's grandparents and Mr. Thicknose whispering in the crowd, heads low as they looked at something. Tricia watched Cera's distancing figure, concerned.

"Cera?" Tricia said.

"It's okay, Tricia." Tria pressed her face against Tricia's. "Cera will be back before we go to sleep. Your dad will even check on her."

"He will?" Mr. Threehorn said.

"Yes." Steeling herself, Tria turned to her mate. "Please Topsy, watch at least a bit of what they do. I want to be assured this training isn't something beyond their ability."

"Verter probably knows what he's doing," he said. "I mean, it's not like we exactly forget what it's like to be kids."

"Really? Didn't you say 'I was?' after I reminded you you were a child once?"

Mr. Threehorn had the grace to look sheepish. Closing her eyes briefly, Tria continued more gently.

"The two of us are parents," she said. "Raising our daughters has made me especially cognizant of the limits children have. Verter isn't a parent, so he mightn't remember that as well. Please, Topsy. You don't even need to be seen by him. Just watch in the shadows and when you get a good sense of his training style, come back to me. If it's nothing, it'll turn out to be nothing. Come on, you know it'll be a load off both our minds."

Mr. Threehorn seemed to have an inner battle before shaking his head. "Oh – you're right. But if he catches me, he'll know it was your idea."

"He can take it up with me if he has a problem." Tria said. "See you later."

Mr. Threehorn nodded and began his careful trek after Verter, Cera, and Chomper. Tricia took a step in his direction.

"Daddy?" she said.

"Don't worry, your dad will be back soon." Tria nudged her in another direction. "In the meantime, why don't we visit Dinah and Dana? You haven't seen your cousins in a while and it would be fun to play with them again.

Tricia perked up slightly. Sharing smiles, the pair walked off. Littlefoot and the others stared in the direction where their friends went, something in their instincts making a slight unease come in.

Before they could muse over it too closely, Grandpa and Grandma Longneck tread toward them, expressions troubled. They were careful to keep their bodies wide and tail's low to block Mr. Clubtail from view, in case any crowd member moved and exposed him. Littlefoot didn't want to see anything, so kept his eyes to his grandparents' faces. But he caught movement at the bottom of his vision. For a second, in spite of himself, he looked down between their legs and saw the bodies of the crowd, moving hither and tither. In between those shifting limbs, Littlefoot glimpsed a tail laying on the grass, battered and inert.

A clubtail's tail…

Littlefoot's eyes shot up but his heart pounded and the image lingered in his mind. The elder longnecks stopped, gazing at the children with sadness but none the wiser about their grandson's transgression.

"It seems you've guessed what happened." Grandpa Longneck sighed. "Please stay away, children. You shouldn't see Mr. Clubtail like this."

"But what will happen to him?" Ducky asked. "Will – will we be able to say goodbye?"

"We haven't discussed final arrangements yet." Grandma Longneck said. "Go back to your families. Word will spread about what happened and you shouldn't worry your parents."

"I guess I'll go with Petrie since Chomper is busy and my family..." Ruby's eyes flicked down briefly. "So, um…any clues to what happened to Mr. Clubtail?"

"We can't say at the moment. If there's anything the valley needs to watch out for, we'll be sure to inform you." Grandpa Longneck said. "In the meantime, be careful not to spread rumors. It's probably wise not to discuss this too much with others anyway, but if you must, wait for confirmed word from people like us, alright?"

The gang nodded. With slow steps, Ruby and Petrie went off in one direction while Ducky and Spike went off in the other. With a head wave, Grandpa and Grandma Longneck led Littlefoot away. Littlefoot felt the temptation to look back as he heard Mr. Thicknose direct the others in how to move Mr. Clubtail's body, but he didn't. For one, he didn't want to upset his grandparents. For another, that inert tail was still burned in his mind and he wasn't going to allow sick curiosity make him feel more horrible than he already was.

"How are you doing, Littlefoot?" Grandma Longneck asked.

"Fine. Maybe." Littlefoot looked away. "It's just – poor Mr. Clubtail."

"I know." Grandpa Longneck said. "Rest assured, we'll get to the bottom of this."

"He wasn't always the most cheery-tempered," Grandma Longneck said, "but he had a good heart. His contributions will be missed."

Their sad, accepting tone made something in Littlefoot wince. "I – I can't believe he's gone just like that," he mumbled. "It's like I can just go to a sweet bubble patch now and there he'd be, munching away and being grumpy. It seems so sudden."

"Yes." Grandpa Longneck nodded and closed his eyes. "Even in the Great Valley, life can be cruel. For some, death is something that can be prepared for. For others, it's something sudden that snatches you in the middle of the night and all of the words loved ones have for you are left unsaid. We find it difficult to deal with as well but when you live as long as we have, you learn to cope with it."

Littlefoot shuddered. "But that's terrible. What happens if any of my friends die like that? There's so much I want to tell them – so much I haven't even thought of yet. If they die before I could say those things, I don't know what I'd do with myself. Isn't there anything we can do to stop it?"

"How can we stop nature?" Grandma Longneck asked. "The best anyone can do is be cautious and not take unnecessary risks. However, as Mr. Clubtail sadly shows, we can't protect ourselves against whatever the circle of life has planned for us."

An ugly curdling came into Littlefoot's stomach. "The circle of life. I'm really beginning to hate that phrase."

"We understand your resentment." Grandpa Longneck said. "But please remember Littlefoot, there is good that comes with the circle. You and your friends demonstrate that with every good deed you do – like with Mr. Clubtail. You were very kind to him yesterday. I'm sure that made him very happy."

"But what good was it if he was still going to up and die the next day?" Littlefoot glared down, kicking at the grass. "I hate the circle. Someone should go drown it in a pond."

Grandpa Longneck glanced at him warningly. "Careful there. You don't want to go down the path those kind of thoughts take you."

"Why not? It took Mr. Clubtail suddenly. Maybe it'll take you two tomorrow. If that happens-" In his mind's eye, that battered clubbed tail was replaced by two lifeless longneck tails. Littlefoot shook his head. "No, no. I'm not going to live like this!"

"Littlefoot, sometimes you have to accept there's only so much you can do." Grandma Longneck said. "If you lose us like that, it will hurt – we won't deny that. But as the circle turns, you'll come to bare the pain and move-"

"Stop!" Littlefoot jerked his head down, closing his eyes. "Stop mentioning the circle of life! I hate it, I hate freaking it! You always do this, you always try to make me accept things that should change! It doesn't help anyone, it only hurts me even more. Just…leave me alone. Please."

Grandpa and Grandma Longneck jerked up, taken aback by Littlefoot's outburst. In the following silence, their muscles slackened and they turned their heads forward. Littlefoot didn't notice. A coolness lay heavy in his stomach. Mr. Clubtail was gone. Littlefoot would never speak to him again. That path was closed off, and it was going to be the beginning of more closed paths in his life.

Petrie flew with Ruby back to his nest. He tried to let the wind guide him to pleasant thoughts, but he felt hollow inside. Mr. Clubtail, dead. Mr. Clubtail, never coming back. In spite of himself, memories involving the clubtail came back to him. Mr. Clubtail's meal getting interrupted when Petrie bungled yet another Day of the Flyers practice run. The gang's exasperation as they tried to persuade Mr. Clubtail to part with a portion of his sweet bubbles for Ruby's Star Day. Petrie felt a twinge of guilt. He wondered if he and his friends bothered him too much. They have irritated other valley denizens, so maybe it was true for Mr. Clubtail. Petrie wasn't sure, and that they might never know or be able to make up for it made him sniffle.

And this death likely wasn't an accident. There was a killer on the loose in the Great Valley, who murdered Mr. Clubtail for unknown reasons. Any moment now, the killer might strike again. Fearfully, Petrie's eyes darted about, looking for anyone that might be looking at him and Ruby funny, ears pricked for any sounds of ominously rustling foliage. But he had no idea what to watch out far. What kind of dinosaur was the killer? How did he make Mr. Clubtail fall to his death? Petrie didn't know and the vagueness of this threat was nearly as frightening as the threat itself.

*What do we do? There got to be something to stop this.*

Desperately, he turned to Ruby. Sadness tinged her eyes and there was a slumped gait to her steps. Yet there was a focus to her gaze, the way she gripped her beak, that hinted at an energy. Mr. Clubtail's death made her sad but it also sprung her to action. She was thinking with a clear mind, attempting to figure out what happened. Petrie had seen her ability to find solutions in crises before, and that she was still able to do this now caused him some trace of envy.

*Me wish me can be that smart. Me try to come up with ideas but they don't work. Me keep missing big details even if they right in front of me…*

"Are you okay, Petrie?"

Keyed up as he was, Petrie wasn't prepared for the unfamiliar voice that pierced the silence. Yelping, Petrie nearly fell out of the sky. Righting himself with a few hasty wing beats, his head darted about but he was relieved to find it was only Guido gliding alongside him.

"Oops, sorry I startled you." Guido said sheepishly. "I guess I should have hailed you before I got close to you…or not got close at all, that is kind of creepy. Uh, not that I wanted to be creepy, it's just-"

"Hey, it fine, Guido." Petrie said, waving reassuringly.

"Yes, Guido." Ruby said. She pressed a hand to her heart but her smile bore relief. "You did startle us, but we hold no grudge for accidental startles especially if they come from a friend."

"So what you doing here?" he asked.

"Oh, um." Guido glanced away, tripping a bit as he landed to walk with them. "I couldn't stand being near that scene. I wasn't going to be much help there anyway. As I was gliding away, Littlefoot's grandparents called me over to ask me to watch over you. With that killer whoever on the loose, the least I can do is help keep an eye out until you get back with your folks."

"It seems like great minds think alike."

A shadow appeared above them. Swooper came in for a landing, staggering but righting himself with his usual genial chuckle.

"Swooper!" Petrie said. "Should you be flying alone? Me mean, you can't see where you going."

"Don't worry." Swooper gave a reassuring sweep of the wing. "The other old flyers gave me tips on how to fly and walk around well enough that I at least won't smack into a mountain before meeting someone that can help me along. Even at my age, you can still learn new things." More softly, he continued. "I heard about what happened to that clubtail fellow. Thought you kids might need some company."

"Thanks." Ruby smiled wanly at Guido and Swooper. "It's good to be watched by good friends while dealing with the loss of this friend."

Petrie nodded, eyes lowered. "Me sad. We not big friends but we still talked to him lots."

"I'm sad too." Ruby said. "I already miss him. I mean, that can't be right, I didn't know Mr. Clubtail anywhere near as long as Petrie knew him."

"Don't be like that." Petrie landed on her shoulder and touched her neck. "Me not know you and Chomper as long as me know Littlefoot and others but you two as much my friends. Same with how you feel about Mr. Clubtail. Time no matter on that."

Ruby smiled appreciatively. Guido lowered his gaze.

"Mr. Clubtail helped me with trying to figure out who I am," he said. "I mean, I wasn't a clubtail and being hit by his bopper wasn't fun, but at least he tried."

"I'm afraid I hadn't had met this Mr. Clubtail you keep referring to." Swooper said. "He was that fella who really liked sweet bubbles, right?"

Ruby chuckled. "That was him. We only found that out after my friends tried to find a sweet bubble gift for me. We talked about funny food tips a few times after that." She sobered up. "It…hurts we won't be able to have those funny talks again."

"Yeah." Petrie said. "He – he always around. That he not now…" he shook his head. "Why anyone do this?"

"I'm thinking the same thing," she said. "Staying with your parents and being escorted by good friends will keep us safe, but what will really keep us safe is finding the killer."

Petrie nodded quickly. "That good idea. Me like valley. Me don't want it to be sad place to live."

"Are you thinking of finding out who the killer is?" Guido asked nervously. "Ah, how about not? That doesn't sound safe at all."

"Don't worry, I'm just thinking of us looking at the clues and trying to put them together." Ruby assured. "We might poke around a bit for those clues, but we won't be poking around a lot."

"Still, that does carry risks." Swooper said. "The circle of life is already mighty cruel, taking young'uns like Mr. Clubtail ahead of old coots like me. I don't want to outlive you sweet kids."

"Me don't either." Petrie said. "Well, me want you to live long time too. But it better if someone find killer and it hard not to think about."

"Where to begin though?" Ruby murmured. "Mr. Clubtail was pushed from a very high place and there are many high places in the valley. Not to mention any kind of dinosaur might have done this for any reason."

"That's true." Swooper sighed. "If there's one downside to living as long as I have, it's seeing the many reasons people have to hurt others."

"But maybe it not for any reason." Petrie said. "Verter did say killer want to make Mr. Clubtail's death look like accident."

"Hmm." For some reason, Ruby frowned. "Well, he might be correct there. There were drag marks in the grass, so the killer wants everyone to think it's an accident or, if they don't think it's an accident, at least no one will know where the not-accident happened. Someone has something to hide and they've done a good job of hiding it."

"But why? Does someone have grudge with Mr. Clubtail?"

"Really?" Guido said. "I mean, he could be grouchy at times but who holds grudges for that?"

"It can be for more than that but I don't know." Ruby shook her head sadly. "Do you know much about his life?"

"Not really." Petrie admitted. "His family and friends might know."

"But with it being so close to his death, they likely aren't in the mood for interrogating." Swooper pointed out. "Leave that to the grownups. It mightn't be safe."

"You right. Killer might be among them." Petrie said nervously. "Asking weird questions might make them think we have to go next."

"You children have no idea how this killer works."

The four started. Looking up, they found a shape slowly flapping past. Don descended to fly low beside them, a bit of exasperation cracking his severe expression.

"For Wing Father's sake, this one wants to remain inconspicuous." Don continued. "They wouldn't do something as silly as kill everyone that attempts to sniff them out. That would only lead a trail of bodies right to them."

"Really? Phew." Petrie wiped his forehead. "Then we safe."

Ruby didn't appear convinced. "What would you know about killers?"

"I've only encountered a few myself," Don said loftily, "but I've observed enough nefarious types who couldn't gather the nerve to take the extra step that I was able to extrapolate how different kinds of killers work."

"That is a good way to observe," she admitted, "but people don't always act as you observe. If anyone gets too close to figuring out who killed Mr. Clubtail, the killer might panic and do something dangerous."

"It took a smart mind to consider placing the body elsewhere and making it look like an accident. For Wing Father's sake, they won't panic easily if they want to keep their identity secret."

"But, um…" Petrie said, trying to keep up. "Not all secret keepers and secrets same, right?"

"Yeah. Not to mention the Great Valley is different from the Mysterious Beyond." Ruby pointed out. "They might be able to keep their identity secret out there where you keep your head down or die, but that isn't going to fly in a peaceful valley like this. They would have a harder time keeping their identity secret if it was an act of passion."

"Have you seen the body to judge whether this was premeditated or not?" Don snorted. "For Wing Father's sake, most leaf eaters know enough of the valley's reputation that they would take that into account either way."

"You sure like slinging around Wing Father a lot." Swooper observed. "I don't think I've heard that parlance among flyers before."

"It's an ancient phrase, passed down within my family." Don said icily. "Only recently have I begun to appreciate it."

"We couldn't see the body, really." Ruby said, stroking her chin. "I admit, that does mean we don't have the information to make those guesses."

"You say something earlier about secret." Petrie said. "Maybe – maybe Mr. Clubtail find out something killer didn't like and had to go."

Don snorted. "Are you saying there is some grand conspiracy behind the killing? You are being absurd. Real life is rarely like that."

Petrie winced. Ruby's gaze was low and anxious. Seeing their reaction, Guido glared and even Swooper could read the silence well enough to give an unfocused but disapproving look.

"What are you trying to accomplish, Don?" Swooper said. "Petrie and Ruby are dealing with the loss of a dear friend. I think you can be a bit kinder in your disagreements."

"Facts do not care whether you're courteous or not." Don replied. "For Wing Father's sake, in order for your views not to be dismissed, you have to be forceful with them. This is especially true when dealing with the younger generation, who can't appreciate an elder's age means he know so much more than them."

"Now that isn't always right. Even if we have used our time wisely, the most well-learned among us might still get thrown if something new appears."

"That is true." Guido murmured. "I mean, I met some elders here and they had no idea what I was."

Don gave him a fixed look. "I suppose you disagree with my assessment too."

"No, I think you make some good points about this killer being smart. It's just, um, since we're all guessing, there's still a chance you might be wrong."

"These two are guessing with even more tenuous evidence." Don said. "They barely know anything about Mr. Clubtail and the basic facts of this murder."

Ruby bristled. "You don't know much either. For all we know, this killer mightn't be so smart after all."

Petrie nodded. "Even dim people have smart ideas once in while. They won't be smart all the time."

Don sniffed. "You don't have the experience and knowledge I have to make this kinds of speculation. You are on the right track in that the killer attempted to cover up the death as an accident but your thoughts about motive and intelligence aren't even circumstantial."

"Circum-what?" Petrie said blankly.

"You don't even have indirect proof about those matters. It's all flimsy guesswork."

"Well, we only just got started." Ruby said defensively. "Once we start hearing evidence, we can put it together and-"

"Your lack of experience will lead you to similar improper conclusions." Don finished. "I have heard about your children's exploits and they are admirable. But in this time of danger, you shouldn't complicate this delicate matter by getting involved. Any unconsidered actions might catch an innocent in this mess – either to defend you against the actual murderer or be accused of committing the murder himself."

Ruby opened her mouth but there was only silence. A sinking feeling came in. As much as she hated to admit it, through Don's bluster, there was a valid point. She was still reeling from Mr. Clubtail's death. Finding out foul play might be involved gave her a course to channel the ache inside her. If she could help uncover the killer's identity, then they could suffer the consequences for taking a beloved valley member away from her. But she hadn't been thinking fully about what this investigation might mean. Not only could even tentative snooping put her and her friends at risk, but it might tarnish the name of an innocent person. She and her friends might have solved mysterious before, but finding a murderer was a whole other level. Sighing, she looked down.

"You might be right." Ruby said. "Me and Petrie don't have the experience to handle this – but how should we handle this? It's not like we can stand back and do nothing."

"You'll have to be content with that course of action." Don said. "For Wing Father's sake, this isn't a job for children. Let adults handle this. Speculate if you want but at least have an adult companion who'll make sure your speculation won't spread wildly and can guide it in a sensible direction. The trouble is finding the right adult. As we all know, sensibility isn't what the valley is known for."

Rubbed his chest thoughtfully, Petrie said. "Why not you be our sensible adult?"

Don jerked. "I beg your pardon?"

"That's a good idea, Petrie." Ruby perked up. "You can help look for clues in a way that we can see the clues for what they really are."

"Don't mock me."

"We not." Petrie insisted. "You talk like you have sensible experience. Since you keep correcting us on what to do, why not help us think about killer?"

"You'll be our adult supervisor and supervise how we figure out the killer." Ruby said. "It's a good arrangement. What do you say, Don?"

Don hesitated but touched his beak, having not expected this turn of events. Petrie waited in anticipation. Despite his curmudgeon temperament, Don did seem to know a bit of what he was talking about. Like yesterday morning, with the herd arrival and Chomper being discovered. Petrie wasn't happy at the thought of more contact with Don but if he could help, that would be wonderful. Ruby crossed her arms and waited, expression a cross between intrigued and amused. At length, Don made sound of frustration.

"Oh, for Wing Father's sake…" he muttered. "I guess I should take it as a compliment you would choose me."

Petrie lit up. Ruby simply smiled. Guido and Swooper were staring, stunned.

"Kids," Swooper said, "erm, are you sure about this?"

"Yeah." Guido said. "No offense, but he's kind of a grouch."

"He grouchy but he know stuff." Petrie said. "He does seem to care enough to warn us away."

"His vast knowledge will help us well in speculating about what happened." Ruby clasped her hands together. "Glad to have your cooperation, Don."

Don grumbled.

"Where shall we have our…discussions?" he said at last.

"Where Mama and family live." Petrie said. "Don't worry, there plenty space on side of nest to sit and talk."

"Now shall we talk on the way there?" Ruby said. "We mustn't dawdle, there is much to talk about."

"Like what kind of killer this is. Me want to know about that."

"And what motive you can guess from what you know so far. I have a few guesses, but I want to know what you think."

"Excuse me," Guido cut in, "but um, are we still needed?"

"Yes, it sounds like we might be hangers-on to this fascinating conversation." Swooper said. "Will you kids be alright, with Don keeping the eye on you and all?"

Don raised himself. "I'm not going to just let anything happen to them. For Wing Father's sake, I can shout if there's trouble."

Swooper chuckled. "If there's one thing I heard about you, it's that you're good at making yourself heard. Despite the unhappy circumstances, it was good to be with you kids again. I hope you take care of yourselves."

"We will try." Ruby said. "Thank you, Swooper."

"Yeah, bye." Petrie said.

"Yeah, see you –" Guido walked up a rock and took off, only to stagger back onto the grass. "See you-" He climbed up a bigger rock, jumped out as a swirl of wind passed, and landed on his feet with a wince. "See-" He ran up a small hill up ahead and jumped, barely able to avoid landing flat on his face. He groaned. "Oh, looks like you're not getting a glide away goodbye from me after all."

"Me thought you could glide okay now?" Petrie said worriedly.

"Me thought – um, I thought I did." Guido sighed. "Guess I need more practice."

Petrie and Ruby stared with concern. Swooper walked over, nearly tripping over Guido but jerking the glider up to his shoulder all the same.

"C'mon Guido, you can ride on me again. I can't promise to fly you anywhere, need time to get energy back into these wings, but I can at least save you the walk. I might need your help anyway, I've learned to move around a bit blind, but it'd be so swell to have another pair of eyes making sure I don't smack into a tree or something, oho. Anyway, toodaloo kids."

There was a flicker of confusion in Guido's eyes as Swooper spoke but he shook his head and smiled appreciatively. Petrie and Ruby lingered as they watched the elderly flyer leave with his charge, a bounce to his gait. Even at his age, Swooper had so much life, was still eager to learn. If only he could have more time to learn all that there was he wanted to learn…

Don coughed. "Don't we have some place to be?"

"Right." Ruby tore her eyes from where Swooper and Guido disappeared off. "Let's get walking and talking."

"Can you explain more why you think killer smart?" Petrie asked. "Me would like to know how you guess that."

"As I said, I've observed many kinds of people in my life." Don replied. "If anyone cared to pay attention, there were drag marks in the grass that led to the body. That Mr. Clubtail was placed in that sweet bubble patch indicated the killer at least had passing knowledge about his favorite food, so…"

Don continued talking, and Petrie listened with rapt interest. In spite of herself, Ruby found herself being drawn in. Whatever his flaws, Don didn't sound totally like the know-nothing know-it-all she presumed he was. She had hoped with this sudden bargain they could annoy Don enough he would stop harassing others about their supposed ignorance and go away, but it seemed she and Petrie might get something out of this. Nodding and making encouraging noises, Ruby and Petrie led their new acquaintance to Mama Flyer's nest.

In a grove, Spike and Ducky returned to their nest at a slow pace. Normally, he wasn't the type to rush anywhere unless something amusing or interesting was happening. But with this morning's terrible news, he just barely had the energy to put one foot in front of the other. He felt like he wouldn't be enlivened enough to rush anywhere again.

He could hear three sets of footsteps pass by on the other side of the line of foliage.

"…see why you're so broken up about it." Hyp's voice was saying. "You barely knew the guy."

"Hey man." Nod said. "He went with the other dads to rescue us in the Mysterious Beyond when my parents couldn't be there. We owe him."

Hyp and his posse moved on. The murmur of dinosaur feet and subdued chatter remained clear all around them. Word was spreading about Mr. Clubtail's fate and it wouldn't be long before the whole valley knew what happened. He knew that demanding them not to talk about it wouldn't change anything but Spike wanted to shut his ears, to stop the terrible numbness spreading through him.

Drops of wetness fell on his neck. Ducky rode atop him, trying to stifle tears. Occasional breaths shook out, sharp and wet, and they drove sharp pain into Spike's heart. Of course, Ducky would be hurting too. She mightn't have been close to Mr. Clubtail but when she cared, she cared deeply. That Mr. Clubtail was murdered would hit her in a hard way. As her brother, he felt he couldn't leave her crying without at least trying to bring her some comfort.

His sniffer soon caught the song of berries ahead, a whimsical and good-natured jingle, like the yellow bellies who lived for them. A line of bushes dotted with those red orbs came up and Spike stopped by one orb closest to Ducky level. He shoved into the bush, rising her from her tears.

"Hmm?" Ducky reddened eyes blinked down. "What, Spike? Why are we squish-ed in a bush?"

"Eh." Spike swung his head toward the berries.

Ducky looked at the berry nearest to her, eyelids fluttering as she attempted to piece out his meaning.

"You want me to eat a berry?" she asked. "But I am too sad to eat."

"Eh! Ehu ehu eh." Spike insisted. He gave his best concerned face, making his voice dry and scratchy.

Ducky stirred. "So it is because I am sad I need to eat," she said slowly. "Crying does make you dry…and I need to eat something wet to not have a bad throat. You worried about that, Spike?"

He nodded, smiling sadly. Her own lips twitching, Ducky rubbed her eyes before she unhooked the nearby berry from its stem and bit into it, juice leaking from her mouth as she chewed.

"It is good," she said thickly. She swallowed. "I – I needed that. Thanks, Spike."

"Eeh," he said bashfully, pleased.

Spike waited until she finished with her berry before he started feasting himself. The two ate, occasionally looking at each other and smiling as they compared juice-smeared lips. This was how it should be, he thought. A smile suited Ducky better. He mightn't know how to deal with a loss this huge, but he could do what he could to comfort her. Her smile still remained when a quarter of the berries from the bushes filled their stomachs.

"I am glad you are here to make me feel better, Spike," she said. "I did not mean to make you worry. It is just…this hurts so much."

He nodded sympathetically. Ducky slowly slid down and lay on her stomach, hugging his neck.

"Poor Mr. Clubtail," she murmured. "It just seems so sudden. I cannot imagine going on without him…"

Ducky sounded so drained, so depressed that Spike bayed mournfully. He could understand his sister's feelings. Spike ached for Mr. Clubtail too. Mr. Clubtail had been here since the gang arrived at the valley, and they had seen him frequently on their way to other games and adventures. They had exchanged greetings, bickered, and conversed over various matters. Mr. Clubtail had always been around, and appeared like he would always be around.

Now Spike and his friends would no longer be able to meet him. Mr. Clubtail had been taken from them, murdered. Spike felt sick. Mr. Clubtail had only been enjoying life, consuming the valley's bounties, being with the company he preferred. These moments of joy might be small but to Spike they were what life was about. But life also had danger and sometimes – often, even – not everyone made it…

*Life shouldn't be this way.*

Spike's stomach twisted. Mr. Clubtail didn't deserve this. Why must living be filled with so much risk? Shouldn't everyone be able to live a simple life, taking value in the small joys and loving their fellows? What purpose did this danger that tore apart bonds serve? For a moment, anger made hotness sting his eyes and he wanted to lash out at everything in the world that brought unhappiness to those he loved…

"Oh, I wish I didn't have to see you kids like this."

Spike snapped his head up. A rumble of heavy steps approached from their left, a large figure coming into view between the trees. With the news of a killer on the loose, that would have put the siblings on edge but that humble voice made Ducky sit up. They felt great relief even before the owner's gentle visage peered between the treetops.

"Pat!" Ducky cried.

Pat smiled sadly. "I heard about the bad news with Mr. Clubtail. Since you were close to him, I thought I should keep you company while making sure this killer doesn't harm you. If you don't mind…"

"Of course we do not mind." Ducky said. "I wish you would come around more often. Oh, we like having you around."

"Well, I don't want to impose. I remember how you kids went out of your way to help a random old stranger when you should've been tracking down your friend. I didn't want you to complicate your games just to involve me in the occasions." More softly, Pat continued. "I see now I should've come around more before something like this happened."

/

Ducky nodded, eyes lowered. Unable to hold herself back, she hopped off Spike and Pat lowered his head as they ran over to embrace his muzzle. After several seconds, Ducky and Spike broke away in confusion.

"Hang on," she said, "how do you know Mr. Clubtail was a friend? Did we mention that to you?"

There was the rustle from their left. Someone small stepped into view.

"Oh, he might have heard about it before but I was the one to tell him."

Ducky turned. "Skip?"

Their furry friend stood on his hind legs and gave a wave. Overcome with emotion, Ducky ran over and hugged him too, Spike nuzzling his fuzzy face. Skip seemed surprised but smiled as they pulled back.

"I was nearby, so Grandpa and Grandma Longneck called me over and explained the situation before they asked me to watch over you." Skip said. "I thought to get a bigger dinosaur to help, since I'm not much use in a fight with whatever can take down a clubtail." He fidgeted. "I hope you're okay with this. I mean, you two might want to be alone and-"

"Do not worry, we want company." Ducky patted Skip's shoulder. "We are very sad, so it makes us happy that good friends will make sure we are not alone, oh yes, yes, yes."

"That is good." Skip said, shoulders slumping with relief. "It's good to have friends. I realized that after coming here."

Pat nodded. "They can be very important in going through tough times." He lowered his head. "You kids doing alright?"

"I do not know." Ducky looked down. "Maybe not good. I mean, he was our friend…"

Pat sighed. "I can understand. You do not live to my age without losing people, sometimes suddenly."

"He is lost..." Ducky raised her gaze. "What do we do, Pat? It hurts. I do not like the thought of him not being around anymore."

Pat sighed. "The only thing you can do is take it from day to day. Mourn and seek help from friends and family. Gradually, living with the pain will become easier and you can do your best to live on for him."

"Live on for him?" Ducky fidgeted. "But that does not bring them back. We are not Mr. Clubtail, oh no, no, no."

"That's the best we can do." Skip sighed. "Sadly, once someone is gone, they are gone. Not even their bodies stick around for long."

"That is cruel, that is just –" Ducky struggled for words. "This is not fair. He was not even old."

"The world is an unfair and dangerous place." Pat said. "Many don't make it to my age. If you want to do something nice for Mr. Clubtail, try to remember him."

"Remember him?" Ducky repeated. "But memories are not him. We did not spend that much time with him, so how can he live on in memories? It only makes me want to spend more time with him."

"I'm sorry, but that isn't possible." Skip said gently. "You have to value the memories that you have. It's kind of complicated with my parents but it's what I learned. It's just-"

"That is not good enough!" Ducky closed her eyes. "There must be something else! I want him around him more, I do, I do!"

"Ducky," Pat brought his head close, "he isn't coming back. The only way you can keep him around is-"

"Stop!" Ducky put hands on her eyes. "There is only one him, and nothing can replace him! Him being gone…" she trailed off. "I cannot imagine it."

Silence. She walked over and leaned against her brother, eyes downcast.

"Why does he have to be gone?" she murmured. "Sure he could be grouchy but I – I liked him. He was so brave when he faced down those fast biters back when the Thundering Falls got blocked up and he tried to help Guido figure out who he was. He should be out there enjoying his sweet bubbles and other favorite foods. But he will not be able to do those things anymore. He – he must have been so scared. I do not want this to happen again. But with this killer…oh, what are we going to do?"

The tears returned and she hugged Spike's neck. Spike sat down and gently embraced her, his foreleg gentle, but there was an extra firmness that was for more than her comfort. Pat and Skip could only watch, surprise melting into guilt. Spike didn't blame them, knew Ducky didn't either, but this wasn't about them.

The enormity of it all snuffed Spike's anger out. Danger was webbed into every part of this large world. There were so many ways to get hurt, so many ways to die, his head spun. Even if one danger was solved, it would only be so long before another took its place. In one way, it was only delaying the inevitable. The causes of these heartbreaks were just too pervasive. Spike felt powerless to do anything about this, to make sure his family and friends could live a simple, happy life. That this wouldn't be the only time their lives would be marred by threat started to break him, and he joined his sister in the tears as they mourned what was already lost and the losses to come.

"Who's making all that racket?"

Ducky and Spike stopped crying. There was an impatient shuffle nearby and Tega emerged out of some foliage ahead, eyes darting around before landing on them.

"Oh, it's you kids," she continued. She chewed her piece of grass. "Why are you making that noise?"

Ducky and Spike glared. In their current state, this was the last person they wanted to meet. Pat gaze became stern.

"Now, miss," he said. "You aren't being very neighborly. These two are going through a hard time, and need space to cope."

"What, I can't ask whose disturbing my morning meal?" Tega stepped closer, focusing on the siblings' eyes. "Are those…is that crying? What has got you two all blubbery?"

"Go away!" Ducky cried, burying her face into Spike's neck. "Have you not heard about what happened?"

"Heard about what?" Tega asked. She spat out a piece of her grass. "I keep to myself, you know. I don't keep an ear out for gossip."

Somewhere in Ducky's grief-stricken mind, logic came up. Mr. Clubtail's death had just been discovered. The news was still spreading. It would take all day for everyone in the valley to learn of the tragedy. Ducky pulled herself from Spike's neck. She supposed it was her duty to give the word. Skip stepped forward as though to speak but Ducky waved him back, the berry juice feeling dry in her throat.

"It – it is Mr. Clubtail," she said. "Someone…killed him."

Tega's expression blanked. "Oh." Her chewing slowed. "Were you close to him?"

"No – yes. Not super-close but we talked. And now…" Ducky closed her eyes. "We should have done something! If we made him not go out yesterday or been there somehow, maybe we could have saved him, could have stopped the killer from-"

"Enough. Enough." Tega cut in, voice surprisingly low. "Thinking such thoughts aren't going to help anybody."

"But I cannot not think them! We have helped so many people and if we could have helped him-"

"He's dead. No matter how much you what-if about it, you can't reverse it. The only thing you can do is move on."

"But – but Mr. Clubtail was our friend. We cannot just go and act like he was never here. That hurts too much to think about."

Tega sighed. "If it hurts that much, maybe you shouldn't have been close to him in the first place."

Spike and Ducky stared. The answer was so unexpected and outrageous they couldn't muster a response. Pat stepped forward, shaking his head.

"Now that isn't helping," he said. "You can't just say they shouldn't get close with someone. It's only natural for kids their age to make friends."

"It might hurt but it's the truth." Tega drawled. "Making connections brings pain. These two would've been better off if they didn't know the clubtail."

"How can you say that, Tega?" Ducky asked. "We could not not know him. When you meet someone a lot, you cannot help being friends with them, no you cannot."

"Then you shouldn't have kept meeting him. Just walk on by, like he's a part of the scenery."

"We could not do that." Ducky said, aghast. "You cannot just ignore someone who says hello or wants to talk. It would have hurt him to be treated like that."

"But if you hadn't engaged with him, you wouldn't be in the hurt you're in now. It'd be better if you don't engage with people anyway. Then you wouldn't have to deal with this pain."

"That sounds like a cold existence." Skip stepped forward. "Tega. I think a heard a bit about you when I settled in the valley. Not much of it good but, hey, I know from the Mysterious Beyond how rumors can spread. Um, anyway, I disagree with your assessment. Cutting yourself from others isn't a fun way to live. Bonds with others might bring pain but they also bring happiness. You get to care about someone to such an extent you would risk your lives for each other. It's one of the things that makes life good."

Tega snorted. "Huh, I thought you would be on my side. From what I hear, weren't you determined to survive on your own in the Mysterious Beyond? You might have helped some people but how many did you not save, either because it was a risk to yourself or because you didn't care?"

"That's – I – um…" Skip stammered. He could only look away uncertainly.

"See, I'm not the only one who values the single life." Tega said, spitting out another piece of grass.

"Now Tega, that's not what Skip believes." Pat said. "He values being with people now. Most of us do."

"Really. That's funny, coming from you. Don't you keep to yourself?"

"I just don't want to intrude onto anyone."

"Still, that means you get to be alone a lot. Even if it's to be nice, some part of you must be glad when some drama starts and you aren't a part of it."

Pat opened his mouth but frowned, a bit discomforted. Ducky stepped forward.

"Hey, do not bully Pat and Skip," she said. "They are not like what you say. They are nice. They even tried to make me feel better about Mr. Clubtail."

"Oh really." Tega glanced at her "Did it work?"

"Um." Ducky looked away. "They meant well, but the moving on talk only upsetted me and-"

"So that crying was from an attempt at comfort?" Tega looked at Pat and Skip. "Wow, you suck at this."

Was that disgust in her voice? Skip and Pat had the grace to look sheepish.

"Whatever they say, they are as selective about who they care about as anyone else." Tega continued. "If you treated Mr. Clubtail like a stranger, you wouldn't be suffering now. You might have been sad but would have otherwise shrugged and move on."

"But treating Mr. Clubtail like a stranger – that, that is selfish." Ducky said. "I could never do something so mean."

Tega chuckled. "There's no one around who isn't selfish. Do you think you're nice to others just out of the goodness of your heart?" More quietly, she added. "Being to yourself isn't so bad. You could've been happier that way. It makes things easier when people die in the end."

Tega turned and began to walk away. Ducky and Spike stared. There was something odd about Tega's last few sentences. It was…almost comforting. Spike didn't know what to make of it. He didn't object to Ducky walking tentatively forward and calling out.

"Wait!"

Tega stopped. A few seconds passed before she looked back with a widened eye.

"Not everyone is selfish." Ducky continued. "There are lots of nice people. What makes you think they are not?"

"Observation and common sense." Tega answered. "It might take a bit of time to explain. You mightn't be interested."

"But me and Spike will listen. Um…at least I want to. Spike?"

The last word was said as Ducky turned to Spike uncertainly. He froze, considering the matter. He wasn't fond of Tega. Her casual indifference held an edge that rubbed him the wrong way. But what she said about avoiding pain and drama…it stirred something in him. Even if he couldn't quite approve of Tega's words, he did want to listen so he could make a judgement of them. Spike nodded to Ducky, who brightened a bit. Sharing a similar expression of surprise with Skip, Pat gave the siblings an uncertain look.

"Kids, you don't have to do this," he said. "You don't need to humor someone with such grim views."

"We are not doing this for humoring." Ducky said. "We might not agree with everything she said but we are interested in what she has to say, we are, we are. We, um, hope she will be interested in what we have to say too."

As four pairs of eyes turned to her, Tega's gaze wavered and she sighed. "I guess that would be the…fair thing to do. At least I'll talk your ear off first before you do the same to me."

"Great. But we cannot stay here. Me and Spike need to go back to our family. Mama would be worried about us."

"So we'll be talking near a big and loud swimmer family. Wonderful." Tega turned her head to spit out a third piece of grass. "You do remember she's not my biggest fan, right?"

"Oh, right." Ducky said sheepishly. "Well, we will explain you did not hurt us and just want to talk. I am sure she will understand."

"She better, or you might not be hearing from me soon."

"Um, I guess that means you will be escorting Ducky and Spike to their family." Skip said hesitantly. "Do you two still need us around?"

Ducky shook her head. "You do not have to if you do not want to. Go back to what you were doing before. Me and Spike will be fine."

"You will keep an eye you these two, right Tega?" Pat gave a stern glance. "If any danger comes around, you will protect them? Not run off and leave them alone?"

Tega sighed. "These two look small enough that I can grab them and run. Besides, it'd be annoying to be haggled by everyone if something happened to them."

That wasn't the vote of confidence Pat and Skip were looking for, but they seemed resigned to settle with it.

"Well Ducky, Spike, it's been nice seeing ya. Watch out for yourselves." Pat said.

Skip nodded. "I wish we got together under better circumstances. Keep on your toes."

"Bye, Skip, Pat." Ducky waved. "Do not make yourselves strangers. We like being with you."

Spike bayed in agreement, making his eyes soulful to show he would like to see them soon. Pat and Skip smiled slightly, touched, before they departed. Spike and Ducky could still see the pair glancing back at them but the siblings' eyes were on Tega now. Tega bit down another piece of long grass, chewing as she watched them dully.

"Alright, let's get this over with. Where's your home again?"

Ducky waved. "Follow us. We know where to go."

With that, Ducky and Spike continued on their way with their third companion. Spike glanced at his sister. Ducky wore a look of concentration. It appeared Tega's words had stirred something in her and she was using them to channel her grief someplace where she could be steady. Spike wasn't a mind reader but they spent enough time together he could make a good guess to her thoughts.

Today proved enough there were people who could do terrible things. But if Ducky could prove to Tega things weren't that bad, that there were good and selfless individuals in the world, maybe something positive could come out of this. Spike didn't know if this was going to work, but if there was a chance this could get her bubbly smile back, he was determined to support her the whole way.

Next time…

Part 2…of 3

Note: Sorry for the long delay. School got in the way, and as I said, I wanted to write ahead enough to make sure certain things lined up. Hopefully, I can have the next three parts posted each Sunday in the remaining three weeks.

6/27 Note: So yeah, this four part bonanza became three. See next chapter's end note for details.