We Will Hold On Forever

by

DaveTheAnalyzer

Chapter 19: Take Your Time Part 1

In the cave that overlooked the Great Valley, four dinosaurs waited. Tega lay on the ground, chewing her piece of grass. Don perched on a stalagmite in the corner, rubbing his chin as watched the others. Verter stood near the cave entrance, eying the center circular stone impatiently. Patty stood near one of the cave holes that gave her a grand view of the valley. The bright circle was gradually setting in the west, obscuring the pinpricks of life moving down below in increasing darkness but her attention wasn't on them.

"This day has taken many turns." Patty said. "Littlefoot should be by our side, faithful to the cause. Instead, he turned against me. I admit, that's partly my fault. I shouldn't have got angry with him."

Don snorted. "He always was a righteous sort. I suspect he would have found something to be offended by even if no one breathed a word of our more nefarious actions."

"I surmise our plan isn't to wait until he calms into a more listening mood." Verter said.

"Of course not." Patty said. "The adults will only find ways to further dissuade him."

"There's more than one way to persuade even the most reluctant." Tega said. "We might have to take the – harsh approach."

"You are not hurting the kids or their loved ones!" Patty said, rising up. "They have been through enough. What you're suggesting is disgraceful."

"We are just checking all our options." Tega said. "For a better world, what do a few kids and their families matter?"

"It's because of those few kids that I'm doing this." Patty looked around. "I admit, I'm disappointed. I thought my fellow Anchors would be better people than this."

"Funny you should say that. It's not like you objected to the plan to kill the snooping threehorn and the longneck's grandparents."

"That's-" Patty winced.

There was silence. Verter smirked. When her uncertain gaze fell on Don, he started and looked away. Tega slid onto her side.

"What I'm thinking is more subtle anyway," she said. "Leading an all out brawl against a quarter of the valley would only throw further obstacles into our plans."

"I can't agree more, Tega," said an ethereal voice.

At once, the four got up and stood in front of the center stone. A green light rose from the middle, widening and rising like flame and yet calm as the bright circle. A figure became visible amid the light, with features so foreign that anyone who clapped eyes on him would be barely able to comprehend him. Eyes as vivid green as the surrounding glow surveyed the four dinosaurs before him. The Anchors didn't kneel, but their upright stance shown with a newfound reverence.

"Wing Father." Patty intoned.

The being known as Wing Father inclined his head in return. "It was wise to retreat. We can't simply clear out the obstacles and expect everything to fall into place. We just need to find another way to persuade them."

Tega closed her eyes, pleased with herself. Disgruntled, Don spoke up.

"That would be difficult. We have already revealed ourselves. Everyone would just dismiss anything we say as the words of the delusional faithful."

"Yes, a bit late for persuasion now." Verter said dryly.

"Persuasion has different meanings depending on the context." Wing Father said. "We just need to pace ourselves and reveal the right information at the right time, to show the options they have."

Verter grunted. "I understand the slow burn of a plan but there are people down there that have wounded me. I don't know how long I can wait."

"Let your experience override your pride, Verter." Patty replied. "As demonstrated today, hasty action only puts off desire."

"Hmm," he said. "Kind of like how your hasty action with Mr. Clubtail eventually led to panic in the Great Valley and Littlefoot rejecting you and the cause we stand for."

Patty's face contorted. "Don't compare my actions to your play, you –"

Wing Father raised a calming hand, and Patty fell silent. She looked uncomfortable.

"Our passions have made us all hasty," he said. "All we can do now is find a way to make good out of a bad situation. And yes, that includes some slow planning."

Verter didn't look pleased. To his surprise, Wing Father made an understanding expression.

"Please understand, I'm not unsympathetic to your plight. However…if you play this long game properly," an eerie smile played across those lips, "vengeance is just as, if not more, rewarding."

Evening fell over the Great Valley and yet not many were settling in for the night. By now, only the most reclusive haven't heard of the altercations that took place earlier in the day. A crowd had gathered at the meeting circle to hear what the fuss was about. In the dying light of the great circle, shocked and uneasy murmurs were traded after Grandpa Longneck's story. The reveal that Patty the teenage longneck was the culprit of Mr. Clubtail's death had many of them reeling. That someone so young could do this was horrifying, especially to a few parents. What really got more shocked looks and hushed whispers was not only that Verter had apparently come back to life but the other three so-called Anchors were formerly dead as well. There was amazement and horror in most present but there was more than a few who were skeptical.

"Are you sure that's what happened?" Hyp's father asked. "I understand it must have been frightening but that glow…it could have been a trick of the light."

Grandpa Longneck sighed. He and Grandma still had the scratches from the close call with the rockslide and combined with having done most of the recounting of what happened, the exhaustion made him look older than ever.

"I know after the ghosts, it is a lot to ask all of you to believe that more fantastic things are happening," he said. "But it happened. The air was clear and the bright circle bright. The cave was well lit and Littlefoot remembered it all too well. Besides, Verter was there – Mr. Threehorn and Tria saw him die. That couldn't be a trick of the light."

Hyp's father looked uncomfortable. "But everyone has been so stressed these past few days. I'm not passing judgement but with these betrayals, maybe you all thought you saw-"

"He is dead." The spikethumb leader interrupted. "I sent a flyer to check his spot recently. There was a crater there and a lot of blood. Since it was more than any threehorn could have survived from…what other explanations could it be?"

She slid her gaze away, unsettled. There was silence.

"I understand why some are a bit skeptical." Mama Swimmer said. "It's unsettling enough the dead come back without bodies…now they're coming back with them."

"And the only major clues we have is Wing Father and this cave they're so eager to protect." Mama Flyer said. "Mr. Thicknose, do you know anything about it?"

Mr. Thicknose coughed, stepping forward. "Mm. I have familiarized myself with many locales and places of interest in the Great Valley, and this hollow in that particular mountain is the first I have heard of it."

A young domehead nodded. "Over a night circle cycle back, I walked on a path near that mountain myself, to cool down from an argument with a friend. When I reached the peak, there was no cave there and the path didn't even touch the peak."

There were nods from a few dinosaurs who have been around that area. The spikethumb leader pursued her lips.

"The land is always changing." Grandma Longneck said. "Still, this is unsettling. The Anchors seem very invested in that cave."

"Patty and the others likely haven't left the valley." Grandpa Longneck said. "They still present a danger. They have attempted to kill twice connected to that cave, so I advise everyone not to approach it. With what they hint to be planning, we should be prepared for an attack. Big Daddy, Mr. Thicknose, would you be willing to lead the kids and adults to shelter?"

"Of course." Big Daddy smiled slightly. "Your children are always welcome there."

"For those of us who find those tunnels a bit stuffy, I can lead them to shelter in the caverns of the Great Valley walls." Mr. Thicknose said.

"But um, if I may say something, Littlefoot's grandpa, sir." Guido hesitantly raised a feathered arm. "I don't think those guys will attack us. They seem mostly interested in Littlefoot."

Most eyes turned to Littlefoot, who started and looked down. So far, he had been mostly silent, just passively observing all the talk going on around him. Now it came back to him this whole plot had him as a major target. Guido fidgeted.

"Oh, I knew I was going to ruin the mood with that comment," he muttered.

"No, someone was bound to bring it up." Grandma Longneck reassured.

"Of course," a spikeback sighed. "He always has to be the center of attention."

"Hey, it's not his fault they decided to target him, leave him alone," said a squareshield.

Littlefoot was encouraged to see more than a few nods of sympathy. Grandma Longneck stepped forward.

"Patty is the most fanatical about wanting to recruit Littlefoot," she said. "But the others are interested in him as well. Why do they see him as necessary for their plans?"

"Maybe it's because of the kid's reputation." Attention turned to Pat, who smiled humbly. "I hope I'm not speaking out of turn but ever since the Great Valley became my home, I've heard a lot about Littlefoot and his friends' exploits – keeping sharpteeth at bay, finding sources of food, helping the sick or endangered when there's no one else around…they have built a reputation as those who values life and doing good. If the Anchors' goal involves stopping death, well, whatever way they believe they can do it, Littlefoot is somehow necessary."

"But the world isn't bereft of good people." Swooper said. "Out of all of them, why recruit a boy?"

There were a few whispers, as some speculated about the motive. The spikethumb leader just stared around. Some of her herd were trading incredulous looks.

"I don't know." Mama Swimmer said. "How will they do it? Can they really stop death?"

"Verter is back and they are pretty strong if they could start a rockslide." Mama Flyer said. "That indicates some power."

"Then…if they can stop death, then maybe it's a good thing," a pebbleback said hopefully. "Maybe we should let them change the world."

"No!" Grandpa Longneck said. "Whatever we think of death, this Wing Father chose those were willing to do bad things and made promises that wouldn't be good for anyone."

There was silence. The pebbleback grimaced.

"How would you know?" he said. "These beings never lived or died – they might think differently."

"That's-" Grandpa Longneck hesitated. "We should learn more. But in the meantime, I don't trust them with Littlefoot. Whatever powers they might have, we must be cautious and-"

"I have had enough of this!"

They jumped. The spikethumb leader stood with her head lowered. She looked up to reveal fear and anger mixed in her eyes.

"Listen to yourselves, debating about stopping death and having powers," she continued. "How can you go on like this is normal?"

The rest of her herd nodded, looking at the meeting circle members with fear and amazement.

"You have dealt with the ghosts before." Tria said. "Why is this upsetting you?"

"I didn't see the ghosts. I don't understand them but at least they seemed like a phenomena, like flying rocks and the weather." The spikethumb leader replied. "This time, I see proof there are higher powers out there, with unknowable intents that could bring harm to us. I can't take it." She panted. "I thought the Great Valley was safe but it's not. People have died nearly more than once and two of my herd members have outed themselves as part of this cult. I'm done here. I can't leave my herd to experience whatever might happen. First thing in the morning, we are getting out of here. If anyone wants to, feel free to join us tomorrow."

She turned and left. The rest of her herd stared at valley dinosaurs before turning to follow her back to their sleeping area. The rest of the meeting circle members was silent as the rumble of the herd's feet disappeared into the distance.

"Erm." Grandpa Longneck said. "I hope no one leaves but I would understand if you want to. Perhaps we should adjourn for now. Follow the warnings we mentioned earlier. Don't approach the cave the Anchors lay claim to and be careful and stick in groups. If you see any of the Anchors, don't approach or confront them, especially if you're alone. Until then, let's all turn in for the night and get some sleep."

There were murmurs and nods, and everyone broke off into whispering groups. The grandparents went to where Littlefoot and his friends were standing.

"You understand, don't you Littlefoot?" Grandma Longneck said. "Until this issue is resolved, you must stay close to us, or a trusted grownup."

"Okay." Littlefoot said.

Mr. Thicknose called the grandparents over and they wandered off. Littlefoot saw them chat, his grandparents looking a bit puzzled as Mr. Thicknose spoke. His friends' parents lingered but he could tell from how their eyes darted they wanted to get back home quickly. Most didn't linger. Many meeting attendees disappeared into the darkness in groups, eyes darting about as they walked or flew along. Big Daddy waved for his children to follow him and they were almost jogging, looking around with practiced alertness before disappearing down a tunnel. Though there was nervousness and wariness among the departures, none had the fear and desperation the spikethumb leader's herd had in wanting to get out of the Great Valley. That was encouraging. People who settled in the Great Valley were resilient like that. They weren't going to abandon their home. Besides, even with all the dangers the Great Valley had, it was still safer in comparison to the Mysterious Beyond. Like with Big Daddy and his charges, most of the other families were especially quick in preparing to leave, wanting to get their children home safely. Among them, Littlefoot saw Hyp smirk at him.

"Need protection scaredy-egg?" he called. "I can give it to you – for a price!"

Hyp's father, in the process of picking up treestars he gathered, stood up and glared. "Hyp, be quiet. Littlefoot is in real danger. Don't make this any harder than it has to."

"What, it's a genuine offer." Hyp said innocently. "I can take anything those Anchor weirdos got."

Hyp's father grabbed his son's arm with his free hand. "Don't be smart with me. I'm not having you make the other adults' responsibilities harder."

Hyp's father dragged him off, making Hyp wince and stumble.

"Okay, okay, I get the message!" he snapped. "You can let go of me now!"

Hyp's father removed his hand but slowed to watch his son closely. "Honestly, why do you keep making life difficult for everyone?" he growled. "Whenever I turn my back, I hear you showing your behind to the whole world and I'm getting sick of it…"

The words faded as the pair vanished in the dark and foliage. Littlefoot stared after them.

"I thought he had gotten better," he said.

"Yes." Ruby said. "He forgot his lesson again. That is odd." She touched her chin. "Then again, change is easier said than done. Sometimes, some people find it hard to change at all."

"That would be sad." Ducky said. "I mean, I kind of like him and his friends when they are not being mean."

Spike made a noise of agreement, looking at where Hyp and his father disappeared off to morosely. Cera's lips thinned.

"Whatever it is, it probably can't be fixed," she muttered. "Not worth the trouble."

Littlefoot surveyed her sadly. "You were worth the trouble. You're now our friend. You changed so much since we first met."

Cera faltered and gazed down. "Yeah, well…did I really?" she muttered.

That pricked Littlefoot's curiosity. Before he could ask further, Mr. Threehorn and Tria called for Cera, and Mama Swimmer and Mama Flyer soon asked for the rest of his friends as well. That left Littlefoot to accompany his grandparents back to their sleeping spot. He noted how they turned their heads and surveyed their surroundings as they walked, on the lookout for anything dangerous. When they at last arrived at their nest, they lay down close on either side of him. Still, they had a hard day and Littlefoot soon heard their breaths take the soft rhythm of sleep.

Littlefoot closed his eyes but he couldn't rest. He tossed and turned, groaning. His mind was in a whirl. In spite of himself, he thought about the day's events. He had held it off in in the distraction of the meeting, but with only the insides of his eyelids to occupy himself, his mind couldn't help but shift to the subject of Patty's betrayal. Anger and grief combated in his chest. She had become his friend so she could help him with her goal. All their talks and games were to get him to cooperate with this Wing Father. She hid her murder of Mr. Clubtail and lied to him about what they were going to do in that tunnel. No matter her protestations, he had been a means to another end for her. It made Littlefoot's eyes sting, and it was enough to make mourn for what was never there.

But she wasn't gone. She and those other Anchors were in that cave, planning their next move. They had pretended to be friends to his friends and almost killed his grandparents and Mr. Threehorn, so they were willing to go far to make sure Littlefoot cooperated with them. He didn't know how he was going to deal with seeing Patty again, especially since they were desperate to get that deathless future.

*But…would that really be so bad?*

Littlefoot shifted uncertainly. A lot of what the Anchors were doing was awful but pushing for a world with no death sounded noble. That would end a lot of suffering. His grandparents might be opposed but Littlefoot didn't see a bad side to this. No more family separations, no more friends never seeing each other again. Everyone could just eat and play and explore in eternal contentment. It would be what Littlefoot wanted.

But does that excuse killing people to accomplish it? Mr. Clubtail would never live to experience this, and if the Anchors had their way today, neither his grandparents and Mr. Threehorn either. They worked so hard to keep this a secret – was it really because of fear that there would be pushback? Littlefoot could picture some people, particularly those like his grandparents who believe in the circle of life, would believe it's a violation of how things are. He doesn't like this but did that mean the Anchors had to kill in order to accomplish their goal? What further invalidated the apparent good will of that mission was that the likes of the cruel Tega and ruthless Verter were chosen as Anchors. Still, they weren't going to give up on their goals, which wasn't very good news for him.

*What if they go after my grandparents and friends?*

That was Littlefoot's great concern. Since they were at least powerful enough to start a rockslide, the Anchors might be able to hold their own against his grandparents and other grownups in a battle. Patty said they always had energy. Maybe they could fight forever and wear his and his friends' parents down. If the parents proved to be too much of a nuisance, the Anchors might kill them. That made his heart squelch.

*My grandparents are still recovering from the sharptooth's beating. I could see them wincing from some of the bumps they got from the rockslide. That might make it hard for them to fight. And if Patty and the others don't show mercy... What – what can I do?*

There seemed to be no good options – there was so much unknown about the Anchors. Could they be injured or tired out enough to surrender. Was there a way they could – Littlefoot's stomach clench– be killed again? He wished the world wasn't such that dinosaurs had to contemplate these thoughts. He wanted to protect those he loved but there was little he could do at his age. Maybe throw some rocks or lure people to dangerous cliffs but the majority of the fighting would be done by his delicate grandparents. Either Patty's group got what they wanted and ruled the world or they were defeated at the costs of the lives of those he loved. This wasn't like anything anyone dealt with before. Littlefoot just didn't know what to do.

Feeling so cornered, he hugged his chest and turned to his source of strength and comfort, the presence that had promised to be with him in his heart so many cold times ago.

*Mother, will everything be alright? Maybe we can all make it out of this. Will that happen? I'm tired of losing people after you and Mr. Clubtail. What must Patty's mother be thinking about what she is doing?*

Silence. Littlefoot never expected any verbal response but there had always been some sort of resonance to indicate he wasn't alone. Littlefoot waited but several seconds ticked by where he felt nothing but cold in his heart.

*Mother, can you hear me? Are you there?*

Nothing. Shifting nervously, Littlefoot gripped his chest, attempting to lock onto that familiar presence.

*You're not saying anything, Mother. It's scaring me. Please say something, anything.*

He tried to keep his breathing calm but all he could find was absence, a horrible absence. He looked everywhere in himself, became aware of every feeling thrumming through him, and encountered nothing, no sign that resembled her presence, only a deep cold in his chest. He attempted to rub warmth in but that coolness remained.

*Mother? Mother?*

Littlefoot felt himself shake. His breathing shuddered and he felt tears start gathering in his eyes. He told himself he was being silly, he shouldn't get emotional over something that was always conceptual, but he felt so alone and after everything he had been through, he couldn't stop himself from crying.

"Littlefoot? Oh…oh."

He became aware of a stirring on both sides and he felt his grandparents press their necks against him in comforting warmth. Guilty for waking them, he pressed his lips together but he could only settle for a few moments before more cries broke through.

"It's okay…it's okay." Grandpa Longneck continued.

"We're here." Grandma Longneck murmured. "We're here for you."

That did bring some comfort to Littlefoot. He allowed himself to be soothed by their touch and gentle words, inhaling and exhaling slowly. After a while, he calmed his tears into nose-clearing sniffs. His grandma and grandpa stayed with him for a moment before drawing back, eyes full of sympathy.

"Don't blame yourself." Grandpa Longneck said. "After a day like today, it's only natural to cry."

"What Patty did was terrible." Grandma Longneck said. "Even if it was only for a few days, you two were close. You have a right to be upset."

"I – I know." Littlefoot said, embarrassed his voice were still wet. "I don't like it. But that's not what's bothering me."

"Oh?" Grandma Longneck brought her head closer "What is it?"

"It…it's just…." he gulped. "I can't feel my mother anymore."

His grandparents gazed at each other, surprised. This was the last turn they expected.

"She said she would always be with me," Littlefoot continued. "And she was. But now…nothing. I just feel cold."

Grandpa Longneck smiled comfortingly. "This is probably stress. I'm sure it's temporary."

"No, something's different. I've…been feeling weird the past few days. When I looked for her after Mr. Clubtail died, she wasn't there either. Does that mean she'll…stay gone?"

"Your mother is not gone, Littlefoot." Grandpa Longneck said. "She's still with you, as she's with all of us. However…"

"However?" Littlefoot repeated. "What do you mean, however?"

Grandpa Longneck hesitated. Grandma Longneck looked nervous. Littlefoot breathing started to quicken.

"You mean that's what I have to look forward to?" he said. "Never even feeling her again."

"No, of course not." Grandma Longneck said quickly. "But your relationship with others don't always stay the same. As time passes, the feeling for some doesn't-" She stopped, looking unsure and uncomfortable.

"I lose that connection." Littlefoot said. "But she's my mother. How could that happen?"

"I – I don't know." Grandpa Longneck shook his head. "This is strange. But maybe this has something to do with you…not having been with her long."

Littlefoot looked down. "So she is gone."

"No, no." Grandma Longneck said. "She is with you in other ways. The ways she taught you, your memories with her. No matter how old you get, she will always be an influence and you-"

"How is that better?" Littlefoot demanded. "At least this way, she was still there in a way I can feel. It was almost like before. But it's gone, and I feel alone now. What good is it if I can't feel her anymore? Will this happen with other people I lose? Is this part of your circle of life?"

"Littlefoot-" Grandpa Longneck warned.

"Don't give me that! How is this fair? If my friends go, will it be like this? Where I feel them less and less until it was like they were never at all? I don't want that to happen. Is that happening with Mr. Clubtail now? Will – will it happen with you?"

The conversation was quickly spiraling out of his grandparents' control. They looked desperate to reassure him but they were scared over what to say, fearing messing up even further. Something in that expressions broke Littlefoot. He looked down.

"Of course. So that's how things are," he said. "When some people go, they go in all the way. You can't even fight it. Of course it's like this."

He settled down, glaring at the grass.

"I hate all of this." he said. "I hate the circle of life. I hate everything!"

He looked down, misery and bitterness pressed between his lips. All the fight went out of him. He sat there in resignation. He was barely aware of his grandparents watching him, expressions broken, wanting to help but him seeming just out of reach.

Ruby was darting about in front of the cave. She snatched treestars from branches, tree sweets from stems. If there was a bug crawling around, she bowed down or reached up to snatch it. Every once in a while, she paused and had a quick look-around, making sure no one else was around. When Ruby's arms became full, she walked back to the cave entrance where Chomper waited, dumping and rearranging the offerings between them.

"Here is what I could find." Ruby said. "Sorry I couldn't find more."

"That is okay." Chomper said. He grabbed a squirming black crawler and tossed it in his mouth. "You could have waited until Petrie's mother came to get food, you know. I was worried to see you out in the open like that."

"Well, eating is important," she said, snagging some sweet bubbles and putting them into her beak. "It makes you happy. Being happy is as important as eating, right?"

Chomper gave an "Mmm," chewing on the crawler remains. They sat together in silence, mouths occupied with eating. He found his gaze straying to Ruby. She chewing slowly, eyes tilted downward. Her mind appeared to be somewhere else, somewhere not happy. Chomper hesitated, but he didn't like seeing her this way and they had to start somewhere.

"I'm sorry about what happened with Don," he said.

"Oh. Thanks." Ruby said. "It has been hard. It's not the kind of hard thing you see coming."

"It's not your fault, you know."

"Isn't it? There were odd things about Don. If I paid attention to those odd things, then I could have stopped him and the others from almost killing Littlefoot's grandparents and Mr. Threehorn. Not seeing this trick coming only reminds me of how much I still don't know. I'm supposed to know more, and lookout for how the Great Valley works. It's all to stop Red Claw. I'm not learning fast enough about them and the Great Valley."

"Well," Chomper said, "maybe next time you could learn more with us. Together, I'm sure we can come up with something. We could always ask our friends' parents or Mr. Thicknose if we really need to know more about it."

Ruby slowly turned and looked at him, gaze confused. Then she smiled.

"All this time, I expected I would have to help you often," she said, "but just as often you help me. I'm glad you're my friend, Chomper."

Chomper grimaced and looked down. "Yeah, well, you still do a lot to help me. I don't see that changing anytime soon."

"Are you talking about Verter?"

"Yeah. It's a bit scary he's back. I don't know how to deal with this Anchor thing. He was strong and powerful before but with how he helped with that rockslide…I'm not sure. If he goes after us-" He thumped a foot into the ground, anger and fear in his voice. "Oh, why can't I do anything?"

"Hey, you are still useful, Chomper." Ruby said. "Remember what I showed you yesterday with that sniffer? You were able to get the Anchors to reveal themselves. That shows how helpful you can be."

"Mmm," he frowned, scratching his chest. "Sniffing's not very useful in a fight though. I hope the grownups can deal with this. I don't know if I'll ever be able to do much against Verter."

He looked so down that Ruby decided to change the subject

"Let's not talk about that now," she said. "With all our friends' parents focused on protecting them, Littlefoot's probably alone now. We should visit him."

"Can we really see Littlefoot?" Chomper asked.

"I don't think Petrie's mother or Littlefoot's grandparents will mind." Ruby replied. "Our parents aren't around and we must stay with someone. Why not Littlefoot to cheer him up? The only problem is thinking of a way to do the cheering."

He nodded, beginning to smile. "Maybe we can play some games. It feels like forever since we had fun."

"All that bad stuff has made it actually be forever." Ruby smiled. "This get together will be good for everyone. We make Littlefoot feel better and that makes us feel better too."

"Yeah!" Chomper said with a trace of his old cheer. "I want to play toss the seed or swimmer and splasher with him. I'm sure that'll put a smile on his face."

"If we can't find a seed, we can at least find a stone." Ruby said thoughtfully. "But it needs to be a soft stone, something that won't hurt if you kick it too hard. Something like a – a…"

"Ruby."

Ruby and Chomper froze, terror in their stomachs. Slowly, they peeked their heads out, Ruby scolding herself for letting them sit in view like this. Don walked over from the distance, smile genial as he got closer.

"I'm surprised to find you here," he said. "We have business to discuss."

Chomper's face contorted. "Get away from here, you monster!"

Faster than Ruby could react, Chomper got up and charged out of the cave, baring his teeth.

"Stop!" Don said, putting a hand out. "I'm not here to threaten. I just want to talk."

Chomper stumbled to a halt a few feet in front of Don, but stood tense, giving him a side-eye.

"A likely story." Chomper said. "You probably want to get us so you could lure Littlefoot."

"I want to find a way to change the world reasonably." Don replied. "I'm more intelligent than my fellow Anchors. They will become more aggressive. Violence isn't always the answer."

Ruby hesitated. She very much didn't want to go out there within Don's reach but Chomper was near him. Cautiously, she patted closer, touching Chomper's shoulder to remind him of her presence and to be careful.

"You didn't seem that bothered with violence when you tried to kill us," she said.

"That was more for Littlefoot's grandparents and the threehorn." Don said. "Didn't you notice how you were able to quickly get out of the rockslide's range? Besides, the hurt wouldn't have lasted long if we changed the world."

"It wouldn't last long?" Chomper repeated. "Are you saying Littlefoot and Cera would have forgot all about their parents in your world?"

"We are trying to stop death." Don replied. "That is a worthwhile cause."

"Not if we forget about those we love!" Ruby said. "Even if your world is noble, it's not so noble when you can't remember and share it with your family."

"I believe you misunderstand how this resurrection works." Don said. "We…have our reason for doing what we do." His gaze wavered a bit but he continued. "Greater good require sacrifice. That is why some people would have to be put out of the way for the moment."

"How can you say that?" Chomper demanded. He stepped closer "Then they wouldn't have be able to enjoy this deathless world either. I don't trust this. This is too weird."

"Come, come, you would also benefit from this. Wouldn't it be in your interest to not have to kill to eat, so you could stay with your friends and not worry about harming them?"

Chomper faltered. His gaze wavered, sharp teeth displayed in uncertainty. Don tried to keep his face sympathetic, but something like his old suspicion slid in, and he kicked Chomper away.

"Chomper!" Ruby cried.

Chomper cried out, rolling through the grass before stopping and curling in on his stomach. Ruby made to go after him but Don grabbed her arm. Glaring, she kicked at his legs but upon contact, pain thrummed through her foot and she fell to one knee with a cry. Don hadn't so much as flinched.

"That wasn't very wise," he hissed.

She took a breath and glared. "I – I knew we shouldn't have trusted you."

"It isn't wise to be lax around a sharptooth, even a young one." Don said. "In the flock, sometimes you have to use harsh discipline on the youth for everyone's survival."

"Even if that includes kicking kids?" she said.

Don glared. Still, he relaxed his hold on her, at least enough so her arm wasn't turning numb. He looked away.

"You misunderstand me," he muttered. "I'm here to warn you. This is nothing compared what some of my fellow Anchors are planning. It would be best if Littlefoot came along quietly."

"Is that your message of mercy?" Ruby asked. "To come along quietly, or else? This isn't making your cause look any more good."

"Do you not get it, girl? This is stopping death. Wouldn't it be worth it if you don't have to lose anybody while dealing with Red Claw or any other threat? You wouldn't have to rush to learn so you could finish him. We would get everything we want. I will finally regain the respect I-" Don stopped and took a deep breath. "This will be paradise. There is no downside."

"There is if you rob that opportunity for others by killing them. Others already lost loved ones, some from Verter. What about them?"

"Don't you get it? What makes you think this just stops future death?"

Ruby froze. She stared at Don, feeling a chill crawl up her spine.

"What?" she said.

"Why do you think these ghosts keep appearing?" Don said. "That is Wing Father's power. He is trying to spread his influence over the world but he doesn't have complete control yet. If he had full control…you know what that means."

There was silence. Ruby's skin tingled.

"All wounds from our 'violence,' mended." Don continued "All those 'murdered,' returned. And all families torn apart…reunited."

Ruby's mouth was dry. Chomper became still in a way that indicated he heard. The dread in her stomach was replaced by a chill.

"Isn't this a noble cause now?" Don whispered. "Please tell Littlefoot that. His reasons for being upset are because of our actions but now he can see they are not permanent. Don't worry, he won't be harmed. Littlefoot only needs to pop over to our cave for an afternoon and you all can have the world you really deserve. You and all his friends could even come and watch if you like."

She gulped. The cold spread to her chest. Don sounded mostly sincere. These details made a weird kind of sense. It was an explanation of where the ghosts came from and it cleared up Don and the others' ruthless behavior. A part of her suddenly thought if this was so bad. Still, why Littlefoot of all people? And when Don's last sentences took on an odd tone…

"You're not telling all the details." Ruby shook her head. "This is too big of a responsibility for a kid. What are you hiding from us?"

"I have to be careful with how much I can reveal." Don said. "Wing Father can fill everyone on all the details. There won't be much pressure – no more than what is expected of children with basic manners. You'll all be happy by the end. What do you say?"

Ruby's lips worked but no sound came out. Her first instincts screamed that this was very much a trap. But saying that to Don would only turn the flyer hostile. Ruby chanced a glance at Chomper, but he didn't appear in any immediate state to get up. The cool in her chest became gripping and painful. Some part of her thought it might be safer to go with him but that would only make things worse. She had to think of something. She could already see a look of impatience coming to Don's eyes. Before either could say anything, another voice interceded.

"Ruby! Chomper! Mornin – oh no!"

Petrie had been flying into view, his cheery greeting filling the air. Upon seeing Don, he nearly fell out of the sky. Flapping hastily, Petrie zipped down and put himself between Don and Ruby.

"What you doing?" Petrie squeaked. "Let go of my friend!"

"I'm merely having a conversation, Petrie." Don said. "Is that a problem?"

"If the conversation involves kicking Chomper and trying to drag me somewhere, yes." Ruby said.

"What?" Petrie yelped. "Why you so mean, Don? Everyone has some good and bad inside them, but you allowing too much bad to be in you."

"Necessity changes people, Petrie." Don replied. "To make the world a better place, you must chance hurting others to accomplish the greater good. Need I remind you of the numerous sharpteeth you hurt and killed?"

"But that self-defense." Though Petrie winced. "Sharpteeth need to eat but you no need to do this. Just stop. Live peacefully in valley with us."

"I won't."

"You…haven't really killed anyone right? Me sure you would be forgiven. It might be tough but-"

"I can't even if I want too." Don said. "You miss such obvious details. Wing Father brought us back. I must serve him, and I do so willingly. If we fail in this endeavor or walk away, do you know what will happen?"

There was silence. Don met their gaze, allowing a slight bit of desperation to slip in. A sinking feeling entered Ruby's stomach.

"I will die." Don continued. "Without Wing Father, all of us Anchors will die, again. Do you want that?"

Ruby and Petrie stared, eyes wide. For a moment, they tried to imagine being in Don's position, having died after being abandoned by a flock mate. Knowing his struggles they could guess why he would compromise anything to not go back to the unknown of death.

"N-no." Petrie said finally. "But there must be other way, like-"

"I have to do this. You are so unrealistic, Petrie. That naiveté still needs to be worked on. How about you accompany Ruby to talk with Wing Father. He could help you understand why he have been so harsh in our methods. He can help you learn and expand your mind more than it have ever been. You could be the one to persuade Littlefoot to cooperate with us."

Don stepped closer, and Petrie hastily flapped back. Petrie very much wanted to flee, but he couldn't abandon Ruby and Chomper. His chest felt funny. A part of him was tempted and learning to know more sounded nice but he shook those absurd thoughts off. He tried to come up with ideas to escape but there was nothing coming to mind…

The sound of more flapping came into hearing range and Mama Flyer flew into view, along with the rest of her children.

"Petrie, don't fly so far ahead, I don't want you to get – you!"

She jerked in midair. As her children cried out in dismay, she zoomed down to place herself between Don and the Petrie, Ruby, and Chomper.

"Let go of her!" she said, pushing Don back with enough force to jerk his hold off Ruby. "I knew I should have checked on Ruby and Chomper sooner. What are you doing here, Don?"

"I'm just conversing with a friend." Don sneered. "And what I say to a friend is no business of yours."

"Don was trying to get me to persuade Littlefoot to come with him." Ruby said immediately. "See Chomper over there? He kicked him. He was going to take us and Petrie to Wing Father."

"He did what?" One of Petrie's sisters exclaimed. "How dare he!"

The other brothers and sisters called out, making their displeasure known. Petrie looked at this, amazed. His siblings really had grown attached to his Chomper. Mama Flyer pressed her beak together.

"How dare you use children like this," she said. "I won't have it. Go on, get out! You're not welcome here!"

Her raised voice attracted attention. A few dinosaurs who had been passing by came to see what all the shouting was about. They stopped when they came across the scene of Mama Flyer standing against Don, the children scattered behind her in various positions of fear and defiance.

"Hey, it's Don. One of those Anchors."

"He's going after Littlefoot's friends already."

"How cruel."

Petrie flew over and perched on Ruby's shoulder as she went to pull Chomper up.

"Are you okay?" she murmured.

Chomper winced. "My tummy hurts…"

The observing dinosaurs turned at Don. Their expressions became a mix of anger and defiance.

"How could you…they haven't hurt anyone." Pat said quietly. "I'd advise you to leave."

"Look at yourself, bullying kids." A threehorn said. "Do you realize what you're doing?"

"Get back in the sky, or I'll show you what ankle biter really means!" Lizzie shouted.

A few others joined in, shouts overlapping each other. Don looked around, mutinous.

"The ignorance of the masses," he said. "Remember this, Petrie. And remember my words, Ruby. Until then…"

Don swept his wings out and flew into the sky, disappearing into the blue. Mama Flyer and the others stared up for several seconds before they relaxed.

"Are you children alright?" Mama Flyer asked.

Ruby nodded, distracted. "I don't think it'll be alright for us to sleep in the Secret Caverns though."

"You're right. I thought you two might be vulnerable but that they would go after you and Chomper so soon-" Mama Flyer gripped her beak. "This is more serious than I thought. I need to alert the other families. We might need to gather all of your friends together to protect you."

Chomper nodded, eyes down. "That's okay. Me and Ruby wanted to stay with Littlefoot anyway."

"Then in some ways, it might benefit everyone." Mama Flyer smiled briefly. "But this'll be complicated. This might mean I have to send the rest of my children to their Dad."

"What?" One of Petrie's sister yelped. "Oh Mama, do we have to?"

"I'm sorry, but this is dangerous. I want to keep you safe. Whatever those Anchors are planning, I want to keep you away from it."

The flyer children groaned. Petrie averted his gaze.

"Sorry, guys," he said.

"Hey, it not your fault those weird Anchor guys are after you." One of his brothers assured.

"Don't you worry about talking with the other families." Pat said. "I'll go and warn Ducky and Spike's mother."

"And I'll speak with Cera's dad and Tria." Lizzie said. "I know the tunnels to get there. I like visiting Cera and Tricia sometimes."

Mama Flyer smiled. "Thank you. This is a load off my mind."

"I can accompany you to Littlefoot and his grandparents, if you want," A whiptail longneck offered. "No one will go near us with my tail."

Mama Flyer thanked her, and they discussed the finer details of where they would go and what threats to look out for. Petrie saw Ruby lean down to quietly speak to Chomper.

"You heard everything, Chomper? Including the part about families?"

"Yes." Chomper looked disturbed. "I don't think I'll be able to help with that."

"Look, allow me do the talking. It's probably not a good idea to tell Littlefoot about these upsetting ideas until he's less upset."

Chomper blinked. "Wait, you are going to lie to him?"

"I am not going to lie." Ruby said. "I am just going to leave out some facts. With what we know of Littlefoot's past, would it be good idea to tell him about those facts?"

"What facts?" Petrie whispered.

Ruby winced. In her stress, she had forgot about Petrie's presence on her shoulder.

"You'll find out when we decide the others should find out," she said. "You care about Littlefoot, right? If you have something upsetting to say, wouldn't you wait for a better time to say it?"

"Um, me don't always." Petrie said nervously. "Would he be happy about this?"

Ruby paused. "I don't like it either. But let me talk to Littlefoot's grandparents first. Maybe they can help figure out when and if we should talk to him about it. I just don't want to bring Littlefoot's mood down any more than it already has."

Petrie nodded reluctantly. Chomper sighed.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Ruby," he said.

Ruby looked down. "Me too."

Mama Flyer turned and waved for them to follow. The threehorn parted with Petrie's brothers and sisters while Pat and Lizzie walked off. With that, Mama Flyer and the trio started moving in the direction of Littlefoot and his grandparents' nest, the whiptail longneck providing a guarding shadow. Ruby tried not to dwell on the anxieties Petrie and Chomper's questioning brought up. She was sure she was doing the right thing and would be consulting wiser grownups about it. But was it right? She tried to put those thoughts aside. Whatever the situation, at least the silver lining was they would be seeing and playing with Littlefoot again.

The bright circle was still to the east in the sky and the laughs and splashes of swimmer children playing were in the air, but Ducky wasn't among them. She sat on a rock not far from the river, eyes lowered to the grass. She could see her brothers and sisters playing dodge splash at the edge of her vision, but didn't pay attention to that. Normally with such a game, she would be the first to join and her siblings had waved and called out to her with insistence to do so.

But with what happened yesterday, she couldn't even bring herself to smile at such silly fun.

A shadow fell over. Ducky raised her head up to find Spike watching her. The cries and squeals of the splash fight went on behind him but his attention was solely focused on her.

"What is it, Spike?" she murmured. "It is okay. I want to be alone."

Spike shook his head, giving a "eh" with concern.

"I just do not feel like playing right now." Ducky replied. "You go, play with our brothers and sisters. You do not need to miss out on the fun for me."

He didn't comply. He sat down, expression resolute, making clear he wouldn't move with his sister in this current state. A small spark of annoyance came in Ducky but that was swiftly smothered by the lump in her throat.

"You really are that worried for me?" she asked. "Thanks, Spike. I guess I am bothered by something."

Spike nodded solemnly. He waited for Ducky to put words together

"It is about Tega," she sighed. "I am thinking about her."

There was silence.

"I thought she was a good person deep down," she continued. "She was kind of mean and I did not like her thoughts about selfishness but she showed some niceness. I thought we got through to her. But none of it was true…"

Spike nodded sadly.

"I never encountered this before." Ducky continued. "Pterano tricked us but at least he was not so bad. With Tega…she did not care at all. That hurt. And…"

She sniffled. Spike stepped closer, pressing into her cheek, and she rubbed her eyes. She noticed his eyes were wet as well and it took a moment for Ducky to realize that it was for more than her sake.

"That is right, she was pretending to be your friend too," she said. "I did not think of that. Sorry, that was self-interested – I mean, selfish –" She shook her head. "Oh, it is no use. Even saying selfish feels related to her."

He grunted in agreement, a hint of anger coming in. She felt silly for not noticing how her brother had been effected. Even with his leeriness of Tega's philosophy, he came to relax in her presence and related to their mutual disinterest in adventure. He tended to like most people. That Tega was doing this to manipulate them must have hurt him as well.

"That is probably what she wanted, to screw up how we think." Ducky continued. "Stupid Tega. She probably thinks we are being selfish somehow for helping each other but we are not! We are being nice…right?"

Spike made another noise of agreement, but this time it was traced with uncertainty. That didn't bring Ducky much comfort. For a few moments, they pressed together, comforting each other (and themselves?) in their sadness. Then Spike pulled back and gave a brave smile, waving his head at their mother and siblings playing in the water.

"What? You want to join the game?" she asked, confused.

He shook his head, then paused, thinking it over. He shook himself again to indicate it wasn't what he was talking about. He babbled, voice disdainful as he glared at the sky but then he smiled as he looked at their family and then waved his head in an expansive manner.

"Family still here," she said slowly. "Friends still here too?"

Spike nodded rapidly, smiling with relief he got the point across. Ducky found herself smiling too.

"You are right. What happened with Tega is bad, but we still have our friends, and our family. Not that we are with our family much…" She shook her head. "We can make up for that. We still have them. All of them. We do not need Tega. Come on, let's show our brothers and sisters how to have a good time!"

Spike nodded, baying with delight. Ducky slid off the rock and started rushing in the direction of the river. Spike moved beside her, also eager to join their siblings' game. Ducky was in a good mood. Spike reminded her of what was really important. They still had friends and family who cared about them and they were worth more than Tega ever knew. True, she wasn't with her siblings as much as she liked but she was going to make up for that. Now she looked forward to all the silliness they would get up to with the rest of their family.

Then she noticed her mother standing aside in the splash fight, whispering with Pat's looming figure. Strange, Ducky thought. Her mother and Pat had spoken before but Pat preferred to give the gang their space. What could bring him here now? The swimmer children continued their splash fight, not paying attention but as the grownups talked, Mama Swimmer threw a fearful glance at Ducky and Spike. Ducky and Spike slowed, a sinking feeling in their stomachs.

"Can you? Thanks." Mama Swimmer turned to her charges. "Kids, I'm sorry, but I have to take Ducky and Spike to Littlefoot and his grandparents now. Pat is going to take you to Papa."

Her children stopped splashing and moaned and cried out in disappointment.

"What?" Bitty asked. "Why? What happened, Mama?"

Ducky and Spike jogged up to the river, worried looks on their faces.

"Why does everyone need to leave?" Ducky asked.

"There has been an incident." Mama Swimmer said. "Don confronted Ruby, Petrie, and Chomper this morning." Ducky and Spike jerked in horror, and she quickly added. "They're okay, but Don almost took them away to manipulate Littlefoot."

"And since those three were threatened, it isn't a stretch they might go after the rest of you kids." Pat surveyed them with concern. "I came here to tell you about this."

"And so that means we can't be with Mama?" Eda asked.

"I'm sorry, children." Mama Swimmer said. "I'm sure it won't be forever. But Ducky, Spike, and their friends need all of the protection they can get."

Ducky put her hands on her mouth. "So we have to go away too. Oh, no, no, no. I did not think it would be like this."

Spike lowered his head, whimpering. Ducky could relate. She was looking forward to playing with her family – she didn't want them to be separated in a crises. A lot of their brothers and sisters also looked sad about the situation. But one became angry.

"Oh, it's always Ducky and Spike!" Norkel said. "You always have to save them or help them with something! Why can't you pay more attention to us!"

"Hey, it's not Ducky and Spike's fault." Mama Swimmer said sharply. "I do pay attention, I love all of you! It's just, sometimes, some of your brothers and sisters need more attention and..." She didn't appear to know how to finish that sentence.

"I am sorry." Ducky said. "We do not mean to keep Mama to ourselves. We just like to learn things and help people, but sometimes that leads to trouble and…" She sighed. "I would not blame you for hating me."

Some of her brothers and sisters looked at her, and Ducky's heart lurched upon seeing the uncertain mix of resentment and sympathy in their eyes.

"We do not hate you." Fussy said. "It is just we wish you would not to get in trouble so much so Mama wouldn't be away a lot."

"Children…" Mama Swimmer said, guilt in her gaze.

Ducky winced. Looking to the side. She saw that though Spike was upset, he didn't appear to reject the essence of what Fussy said.

"Maybe I should have my friends think more before we get in trouble." Ducky said. "I do not like this either. When this is all over, I hope we can spend more time together."

Loch rubbed her head and then smiled, brittle. "Y-yes. Count on it. You and Spike and Mama be safe out there."

Ducky attempted to return the smile, but she could barely pull up the corners of her lips. There was a miserable silence among the brothers and sisters. Watching sadly, Pat waved his neck.

"Well, come on, kids. Best not to linger here."

Reluctantly, the swimmer children turned and followed, walking by Pat's gigantic forefoot, backs slumped. Ducky stared after them until Mama Swimmer waved at her, and they and Spike walked in the opposition direction.

They moved in silence. Ducky walked close to Mama Swimmer, who looked downcast. Ducky was only faintly aware of this. Her mind lingered on the mental image of her brothers and sisters' mixed expressions, how some were sympathetic or resentful, and others didn't look like they knew how to feel. Was that how her siblings felt about her, that they didn't know whether to like her or not? Loch's response to if they can spend more time together was affirmative but her tone was shaky. Ducky feared what that could mean. Why couldn't everyone just be happy, and have fun like she and her friends do? She was in a low mood and she didn't know how to solve this situation.

She was distracted from these thoughts by Spike nudging her.

"No, Spike." she asked. "Do not bother me now."

She turned ahead and ignored him. After a moment, he nudged her again and smiled, indicating the bright side of seeing their friends again. Normally, that would improve Ducky's mood but she found herself annoyed.

"I am not happy now," she said. "Leave me alone, please."

Spike frowned, and they walked in silence. Ducky hugged herself, wondering if it was possible to get back into her brothers and sisters' good graces after all that had happened. Then she felt him nuzzle her in comfort and something in her snapped.

"I said stop, Spike!" she said, whirling around. Spike jumped. "I am sad, and you not leaving me alone only makes me mad! You always do this, bothering other people. Why are you always so bad at knowing when people want to be alone, it is annoying, why can't you just -"

"Ducky!" Mama Swimmer said, surprised.

Ducky started. Spike gazed at her, eyes wide. Then a shadow came over his gaze and he slowed, walking behind their mother. Ducky put a hand out but he didn't notice. Guilt settled in. He had only been trying to help her. He saw she had been worried about her conflict with their siblings, and her response to his kindness was to snap at him. It made her feel horrible. She rubbed her chest. When was she going to stop thinking of herself first?

Next time…

Part 2