Note: Surprise, jerks! Bet you didn't expect to see a new chapter so soon. To make up for my sparse posts this year, I'm posting this chapter and chapter 26 will go up next week. I won't be waiting until I write chapters 27 and 28 before doing so. Of course, that means chapter 27 and 28 might take a bit longer to post but I hope these chapters entertain you nicely in the meantime.
A warning again for dinosaur violence, though there isn't anything as extreme as the threehorn scenes in the last two chapters. Still, reader discretion advised.
We Will Hold On Forever
by
DaveTheAnalyzer
Chapter 25: The Great Step Part 1
At first, Littlefoot didn't see anything. The cavern was slightly brighter than outside but the change was still disconcerting and it took a moment for him to reorient himself. Even after all the strangeness he encountered, he was still thrown by the unnatural. He swept his gaze about nervously, not wanting to see what awaited him.
"Hello, Littlefoot."
Then he saw him. The figure hovering above the middle stone, in the column of green flames. Littlefoot stared, struggling to comprehend who or what he was looking at. The figure had two legs and no tail. Three feathery wings jutted out of his back, silver, slender and graceful. His arms terminated in smooth five-fingered hands. At first, Littlefoot thought the figure was just oddly colored, with the skin on his face and hands peach. Then he realized the figure wore strange plant-like coverings for some reason - with smooth foot casings, slim leg coverings, and a torso and arm obscuring material, all of it black except for the white part running down his chest. Neatly arranged reddish brown fur sat atop an oblong face with long squarish ears and smooth small nose. The figure watched Littlefoot with green eyes as vivid as the flames around him, a calm smile raising the corners of his lips. This person was a collection of traits Littlefoot never thought would go together. He was so foreign, so out of place in this world, it took a while for Littlefoot to accept the figure was really there.
"I've been looking forward to meeting you." The figure continued. His voice was calm and pleasant, with the timbre of a mild-mannered young adult. "Patty has told me so much about you. The compassion and conviction of someone so young is inspiring and I'm glad we can now speak face-to-face."
"I've brought him to you, Wing Father." Patty said, eagerness shaking through her voice. "There was conflict but I bore it and have succeeded in the task you gave me."
*Wing Father.* Littlefoot thought. So this was the person whose orders Patty had been following, who nurtured her to do those terrible things. Even in his most fearful wonderings, he never imagined someone like this could exist.
Wing Father inclined his head. "You've done well, Patty. I always knew you would. Now we're one step closer to accomplishing our goals."
There was a groan, and Littlefoot realized they weren't alone. Two enormous forms lay to his left, wrapped in silver tendrils that seemed to come from Wing Father's shadow. Littlefoot was startled – how could he have possibly overlooked them? He thought he remembered glimpsing them but they should have captured his attention as much as Wing Father. It was like hanging vines had been obscuring the forms until the vines had been pulled away and he could see them. The long necks of those forms turned and Littlefoot's heart stopped when he saw his grandparents' faces. Groggy, they opened their eyes and their unfocused gazes settled on their grandson.
"Littlefoot?" Grandpa Longneck murmured. His eyes widened. "Littlefoot, what are you doing here?"
"Get out of here!" Grandma Longneck said.
"It seems our guests are awake." Wing Father said. "Should we allow them to stay here?"
He spoke casually, but his gaze steeled on the grandparents. Littlefoot put a hasty step forward.
"Don't hurt them." Somewhere in him, he meant that to be a demand. Instead, it came out as a plea.
Wing Father smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. They'll remain unharmed. They can stay and watch, if that's your wish."
The sound of whooshing wings distracted Littlefoot. Don came flying in from the center right hole, depositing Ruby and Petrie on the ground. The pair lay there with shocked and resigned expressions before stirring, taking in Patty, Littlefoot, and Grandpa and Grandma Longneck. Eyes widening in concern, their gaze flicked back to Littlefoot and scrambled up, before looking toward the green flames and at Wing Father. Petrie and Ruby yelped. They stared frozen for several seconds before they slinked to Littlefoot.
"They got you too, Littlefoot?" Petrie whispered. "Who, who that guy?"
"I never seen anyone like him before." Ruby said.
Ignoring them, Don walked over and stood to attention. "I've retrieved Ruby and Petrie, Wing Father. Their parents put up a fight but they couldn't stand up to me for long."
"Excellent work, Don." Wing Father replied. "You were able to use your knowledge to adapt to the situation as it changed."
"Wing Father?" Petrie squeaked. "Oh, this bad, this bad."
""Wait, 'their parents?'" Littlefoot repeated. "As in, more than one? What is it, you two? Why – Why do you look so sad, Ruby…"
"Dad." Ruby's voice cracked, hand pressed to her chest. "Dad and Mom came to help fight Don. But when the fight was over and we thought Don was dead, Don attacked and as he took me and Petrie, he pushed Dad off…"
Littlefoot looked confused until cold shot through him.
"What happened to him, Ruby?" he asked. "He – he's okay, right? Please tell me he's fine."
"I don't know. I saw Swooper go after him but I didn't see – it's my fault, it's all my fault."
Ruby clung to Littlefoot, head lowered. Littlefoot didn't move, his chest cold like ice. Not only Swooper but even those outside the valley have got involved in the fight. Were they dead? They couldn't be. Who else got hurt? Had other lives been taken away today because they got entangled with him and his friends?
"Not to worry." Wing Father said. "Whatever may have happened, I'm sure we can fix this."
Ruby looked up at him and for a moment, hope slipped into her eyes. Then she shook her head and she looked angry.
"Why are you doing this?" she demanded. "What could make you do the terrible things that hurt my family!"
"Necessity." Wing Father said. "You should understand from surviving in the Mysterious Beyond and your adventures."
"That's not good enough!" she glared, hand on chest. "How does hurting people help change the world for the better?"
"You are the one hungry for knowledge," he said, staring unblinking at her. "You have heard and seen enough the past many days. I'm sure you can piece the answer together."
Petrie trembled but managed to speak up. "W-why should we listen to what answer is? Y-you and your friends hurting everyone in first place."
"That's only because you misunderstand our objectives." Wing Father waved a hand sideways and only faint concern crossed his face. "We're here to eliminate the burden of the endless struggle to survive. You're all so busy trying to avoid death you haven't considered there might be other ways to prevent it. If we approached you with our solution upfront, you would have believed us as powers with more frightening ways to kill or cause anguish. From how you reacted to Verter's revelations, I was sorry to discover my prediction was right. So for the betterment of the world, we had to take unfortunate action to make you more cooperative."
"Oh." Petrie said, overwhelmed by the flow of reasoning. "That…kind of makes sense?"
"Do these unfortunate actions include trying to kill our parents with that rockslide?" Littlefoot demanded.
"They were close to discovering our secrets." Wing Father said. "Through the initiative of Ruby, they had tracked down the location of Mr. Clubtail's death close to this cavern. If they decided to investigate the cavern, any misunderstandings might have further delayed our mission. You might consider these tactics ruthless but we're trying to spare the world from suffering. I know I'm far from the only person here who has resorted to ruthless actions for a greater good."
On the last sentence, his eyes focused on Littlefoot, whose mouth became dry. He remembered what he did to eliminate the first sharptooth. He remembered the countless fights he had against sharpteeth since. Though he might sympathize with the sharpteeth's need to eat meat to live, Littlefoot would unhesitantly starve, drown, trip, and do anything else to them every time so he and his loved ones could escape and live to another day. Wing Father's gaze was intimidating but it contained no malice, only understanding. Was…was he sincere? Littlefoot rubbed his chest and attempted not to meet anyone's eye.
"Don't compare your actions to Littlefoot's!" Grandpa Longneck said, jerking in his binds. "He was only doing what was necessary to survive. You're not doing this for your survival, you have some other purpose."
"Precisely." Wing Father agreed. "I'm trying to stop this game of survival. Where I come from, Littlefoot, there's no death, there's no danger of loss. We simply exist – if not in harmony then with no concern about threats to our wellbeing. Whereas you mortals – you have so much to fear. Food droughts, sharpteeth, dangerous weather, fatal grudges. Even if you do everything right, one by one you'll watch your loved ones die and you'll meet your end alone in a changed world. Don't you find this tiring? I'm only trying to release you from the binds of time and death the circle of life brings to you."
"He's right." Patty said softly. "Surviving one thing after another, always on the lookout for food… I'm tired of it."
"So much can change in a short amount of time." Don said bitterly. "One moment, your knowledgeable and valued by all…the next, you're upstarted by the next know-it-all and nobody remembers you. This has to change."
"We're sorry you all have suffered." Grandma Longneck said. "But there is good in the circle. So many become better from their experiences, tough or good – we wouldn't trade it for anything."
"Is that the truth, or is that a false comfort you say to cope with your losses." Wing Father returned his focus to Littlefoot and the others. "So many people go through so much. Even the many struggles you've experienced and witnessed are minute compared to all that occur in this world. Is it not right to correct this? Patty has told me you have a heart that can't stand injustice, Littlefoot. Would it not be right to act and bring salvation to all the good souls of this world?"
"I – that is, I – " A rushing sound came to Littlefoot's ears. His chest felt like a rock of ice occupied it. He shook his head, panic overcoming him. "I don't want to really – I can't think."
"This would be beneficial for you two as well." Wing Father told Petrie and Ruby. "You'll be able to learn with safety. You're families can truly be reunited. Ruby, you can have your family stay in the Mysterious Beyond or the Great Valley without worry. Petrie, you'll be able to reconcile the conflict among your parents and be a family again."
"What?" Petrie started. "How – how does solving family stuff relate to no more death?"
"Time is no longer relevant." Don said softly. "You gain some perspective. Personal squabbles might no longer seem important."
Petrie closed his eyes and pressed a hand into his chest, whimpering. "Me chest hurts. It – it sound really good but – no. This too big to force on everyone."
"It doesn't sound good." Ruby muttered to herself. "It doesn't. But how do we get out of this? And Dad – we can't do this, we can't – !"
"Stop it." Grandpa Longneck said sharply. "This is too heavy a responsibility for these children. Leave them out of this."
"Of course, there is more here than personal reasons to do this." Patty spoke. "You know what they are, Littlefoot. You went through loss and saw others lose loved ones. Wouldn't you want to see that corrected for them? All of it would be possible if you just agree."
"You can't just foist this on our children." Grandma Longneck said. "You're only pressuring them to agree."
"We're only giving these chosen children incentives so they wouldn't be so hesitant to help us." Wing Father said, turning a calm smile remaining to the grandparents. "Littlefoot is tired of these loses and wants to right these wrongs. As much you accept the world as is, you're also unhappy with it. This will help you too. Come now," his timbre changed completely, "don't you want to hear her voice again."
A lump appeared in Littlefoot's throat. That voice. It had been so many cold times since he heard Mother's voice. It had resurfaced in dreams and memories but he would have given anything to hear her for real again. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck stopped struggling. For a moment, they stared with a parent's longing too deep and complicated for Littlefoot to understand. Then their eyes widened and they struggled in the bindings more than ever.
"No. No!" Grandpa Longneck cried. "Don't you dare!"
"Sweet Littlefoot." Wing Father said with Mama Longneck's voice. "It has been so long, hasn't it? You have had to put with so much but your struggles can end now."
"Stop." Littlefoot said faintly. "Stop it."
"I've missed you so much. I've been with you in your heart but I understand that's a poor substitute for my actual presence. We can fix that, we can change everything."
Littlefoot shook. "No more. Please, no more."
"Though I didn't say anything, I was unhappy with the world." Wing Father continued, expression calculating. "The division among the herds, all the suffering and death…I didn't approve but I just accepted that's how things were. Now I know that isn't right. We can all correct this today. It would barely even hurt. Listen to your heart. You know this is the right thing to do."
"Stop!" Littlefoot collapsed, pressing his ears shut. "Stop using her voice!"
"What's wrong, Littlefoot?" His mother's voice echoed in his head. "Don't you want to be with me? I understand. You have gotten used to my absence. It might be hard to have me back. Once you complete this mission, I can give you space and even go away if that's what you want."
Littlefoot screamed, tortured and raw, beating his feet into the ground. He felt as though he was going to torn apart from the inside out. The cold in his chest was so intense, it felt like a sharp rock had been stabbed in there. Ruby and Petrie held onto him, horrified and disgusted, trying to comfort and make him aware of their presence. But Littlefoot didn't want to be aware of anything. He wanted to throw up, to black out, to avoid this situation. He wanted to wake up and find out the last many days were just a horrible sleep story. He didn't want to have to make this impossible choice between what was right and what he loved, because right now, he was terrified he knew what choice he would...
His grandparents had enough. Bellowing, they pushed themselves up, bulging their bodies outward before their binds exploded into tiny fragments. Wing Father turned, raising a slight eyebrow. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck stood radiating with fury like nothing Littlefoot ever seen, stormy and unforgiving, teeth ground together and gazes that should have killed anyone that met them. They charged, the earth quaking under them, toward Wing Father with nothing short of the intention to kill.
Before they could get close, Patty and Don slide in their way. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck nearly overbalanced as they stopped but their anger didn't cool.
"Stand aside." Grandpa Longneck said.
"No." Don said contemptuously.
"Stand aside!"
"You can say that or scream any threats you want." Patty said. "My skull was cracked and I fell from a great height and here I am, still alive. Don't be unreasonable. You'll do no better fighting against a mountain wall."
Being told they were the unreasonable ones was more than Grandpa and Grandma Longneck could take. Actually snarling, Grandpa Longneck slammed into Patty. She shoved back in turn. The pair soon parried blows with tail strikes that shook the air. Grandma Longneck used her tail and head to attack Don, who flew and dodged around, like he was an infuriating bug. One blow struck Don's back. Petrie cried out. Instead of being sent out of the air out or dying instantly, Don merely shook it off and resumed weaving in and out around her, sneaking in to deliver a stabbing peck or body slam that elicited a cry of pain. Despite the fierce opposition, Grandpa and Grandma Longneck didn't relent, determined and desperate.
"Get out of here, children!" Grandpa Longneck cried.
"You'll only upset your grandson and his friends further." Wing Father said.
"You're the ones upsetting them!" Grandma Longneck snapped. "Imitating our daughter's voice. You sick monster!"
Littlefoot lay on his stomach watching the fight. Petrie and Ruby tugged at him, looking distressed.
"What we do, Littlefoot?" Petrie asked. "Oh, what we do about this?"
"We can't have your grandparents die." Ruby said desperately. "We need a solution, please. Littlefoot? Please, say something."
But Littlefoot couldn't answer. His face was pale. What could be done to stop Wing Father and his seemingly immortal servants? He felt ill for what Wing Father did but he couldn't abandon his grandparents. He didn't want to lose anyone else but panic and that chest coldness kept his mind blank. At the moment, he could only watch helplessly as the fierce battle over him and his friends continued.
Ducky and Spike fled, leaves and foliage smacking into them. The siblings had to get help, they had to find someone who could defend them but they only saw green plants all around. The images of their mother and all their other valley friends unconscious and covered in wounds lingered in Ducky's mind's eye. Mama Swimmer, Mr. Thicknose, Pat, Skip…they had done all they could to defend Ducky and Spike, to give them an opportunity to escape. This was the only thing the siblings could do yet Ducky couldn't stop feeling they were abandoning their loved ones to save their own skin.
*We just need to find Grandpa and Grandma Longneck,* she told herself. *They can help and everything will be fine. But where are they? They must be rescuing Littlefoot. But we need to go to the Great Wall and-*
In his run, Spike had broke out of a patch of foliage and he stood near one part of the Great Wall. The mountains rose on high, some parts covered with greenery but otherwise bare rock. An incongruity caught her eye. Granted, mountain rock wasn't known for looking pretty or even up close but at a point not far above, the mountain looked a bit differently angled and distant. She looked down and saw-
"Look Spike, it is the path!"
The path came down not thirty feet from them. Spike saw it too and gave a sigh of relief. He raised his head, eyes tracing the path up high on the Great Wall. He ran over to the path, looking determined but a worried thought came to Ducky.
"Did they come over here, Spike?" Ducky asked. "It would be pretty bad if we went the wrong way, oh yes, yes, yes."
Spike gave another sniff but nodded emphatically. No matter how new he was at sniffing out fellow dinosaurs, he was sure Grandpa and Grandma Longneck went on this path. That didn't make Ducky less worried and as Spike climbed up the beginning of the path, he slowed as the thought occurred to him too. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck must have traveled pretty far ahead. If the siblings followed them all the way, it would probably lead them close to Wing Father's cavern. They might end up in the hands of the very enemies they were escaping. But Spike shook his head and continued up. With their friends' parents occupied elsewhere and the other grownups hiding, Littlefoot's grandparents were the only recourse they had. At least, that was what Ducky thought.
But halfway up the incline, the siblings heard the scuffle of lazy footsteps. Cold shot through Ducky's veins and Spike's eyes were wide. Gazing about wildly, he hugged closer to the Great Wall and slinked up as quietly as he could. Fortunately, they moved high enough they were invisible to those on the ground. The sound of rustled bushes followed and Tega's footsteps rumbled to where the siblings had stood thirty seconds ago. They heard a sigh of annoyance.
"Ah, those ungrateful brats really want to make me work," she said. "They could be anywhere by now."
Ducky looked down at Spike from his neck and could see he looked nervous. They heard her footsteps rumble this way and that as she surveyed her surroundings, while Spike ascended the path, dodging rocks and pebbles. It was hard, since the gravel seemed to hug the Great Wall. Spike had to step softly to avoid the merest crackle. It was slow going. All the while Ducky was mentally begging Tega to go somewhere else, to hear something more interesting and investigate it. The siblings were almost up the incline and could walk along the path. Less than ten feet. Then five…
Spike stepped on a part of the path steeper than most and he slid back ten feet. He scrambled to get better footing and in the process, kicked down a couple of pebbles that crackled down. Ducky and Spike froze.
"What was that?" said Tega's voice. "Wait, they can't be stupid enough to…"
They heard the thump of her slow footsteps. Ducky patting him to hurry, Spike hastily climbed up the incline, trying to remake ground. The time between each of Tega's steps seemed long but it got nearer awfully fast. A sniff could be heard. The siblings were almost up the incline when Ducky glanced back and saw Tega emerge into view, glancing at little imprints in the ground. She looked up. Ducky and Spike froze, the two parties staring at one another. Tega gave a frightening smile.
"Well, there you are," she said. "Fancy meeting you here."
Spike bolted. The distance between his feet became wide, running as fast as his legs would allow. Ducky held onto his neck folds for dear life. They passed the incline and ran across more level ground. The thump of those scuffling feet behind them became faster, closer. Ducky scanned the wall for any cracks she and Spike could dive into but she saw nothing and panic clouded her mind. Tega's pants came loud and clear, blowing onto Ducky's back. Spike dodged to the wall, barely avoiding Tega's forefoot. A grunt of consternation came out and they heard her crash into the wall. That feeling of breath on Ducky's back went away. Ducky and Spike continued forward, dodging from one side to the other. For a moment, she allowed herself to hope, to think that they were getting away…
The thump of feet rushed up behind them and a tail whipped in out of the corner of Ducky's eye. Spike gasped, jumped over the tail, and tripped. Spike spun upside down and Ducky screamed as one arm was ripped away, wavering in the air as she held on one-handed. Spike fell back onto his feet and skidded, wobbling his legs as he slowed down. The force of the stop threw Ducky off and she oophed when she fell stomach first onto the ground. Those precious seconds, Ducky was too dazed to move. Then Spike yelped and gave a call of panic as a shadow fell over Ducky. She pushed herself to her feet and whipped around to see Tega casually pushing a forefoot against Spike, pinning him against the Great Wall. He whimpered and struggled, but it was too tight for him to escape.
"You two really are idiots," she chuckled. "Thanks for making my job easier."
Her mouth went for Ducky. Ducky screamed but the left side of Tega's mouth snatched the lower part of her body and raised her up. She let off the pressure on Spike and nudged him. He walked with her, worried eyes darting at Ducky. Ducky realized she was Tega's hostage to keep Spike from running. Shaking, a sinking feeling in her now they were caught, Ducky spoke.
"Why – why are we stupid? Help was here and -"
"And so is Wing Father." Tega said. "It looks like your self-interest made my job of getting to him easier."
Spike continued moving, head lowered. Guilt creeped through Ducky's chest like ice. Ducky had been so worried about seeking protection that she looked for help where she knew it was most dangerous. She should have found some place for her and Spike to hide until they thought of a better plan. Now they were going to be used to hand over the world to some unfathomable enemy. Shaking with terror, Ducky and Spike were marched closer to a destiny they don't want.
Cera and Chomper slinked through bushes and stalky plants, trying their best not to allow the leaves to shake. They were aware of every sound in the area, every twig snapped, every rustle of a leaf. The lack of any footsteps or wing beats only heightened the tension. Cera attempted to block out the image of her parents and Chomper's lying cut up on the ground. They were tough, they would get back up, right? The pair stopped in a particularly big bush as Chomper got his bearings.
"He nearby?" she whispered.
He raised a finger to wait a moment and sniffed the air. He nodded reassuringly. "I don't smell him. He must be searching somewhere else. There's barely anyone around. They must have heard of the fights happening and went to the caves."
Cera looked grumpy. "Of course they're too scared to help. I saw no one coming to the rescue when our parents were being beaten down."
"I don't blame them." Chomper whispered. "Who would want to fight scary invincible dinosaurs? Besides, I don't want them to fight. They'd just get hurt."
She still looked grumpy but only asked. "Where are we going?"
"The Secret Caverns. It's hard for big dinosaurs to move in them, so we could hide there until help comes."
Cera eyed the grass contemptuously. "So all we can do is hide. That doesn't feel very threehorn. And you just said people are too scared to help."
"There must be some who'll help." Chomper shuffled. "I don't like it either. But what can we do?"
"I know, but…" she kicked a pebble. "I'm tired. I'm so tired. I just want this to be ove-"
There was the thump of steps. Cera and Chomper fell silent, instantly moving close to each other. Silence lingered for a second and the thumping footsteps continued, becoming louder, starting to shake the earth. A thrill of fear went through the pair when they heard a familiar singsong voice come near.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Verter said. "There's no reason to hide, Cera and Chomper. I'm just enjoying a little sport. No need to be scared."
The footsteps rumbled past Cera and Chomper's bush. From the other side of the clearing, a rustle of bushes became audible. Cera and Chomper shook, daring not peak and shake the leaves. They have hid from sharpteeth before but having someone hunt them down for "sport" was so much more terrifying. Chomper looked around, nostrils expanding and contracting to figure out an escape route.
"Of course," Verter continued, "you would be scared. I should have known you wouldn't be strong. You were always weak, no amount of training would have changed that. You'd have been useless if you hadn't shown me to Wing Father. Cowardice's in your bones. The way fear stiffens your muscles, clouds the mind…and you hide from me. Useless. Worthless. Filth."
Cera and Chomper remained still, the thumps circling the clearing. Cera felt ashamed that Verter's taunts barely stirred anger in her. Chomper appeared too terrified to be outraged. Every other thump, there was a pause, where they heard the rustle of bushes. Verter's footsteps grew closer. The pair held their breaths, the thumps louder, deeper, more predatory. They pushed into each other and couldn't stop from shaking as Verter passed close enough to cause their bush to flutter.
"Hmm." Verter said. The whoosh of his head turning about. "Seems like they aren't here."
Abruptly, the shuffling of Verter's feet became distant and then vanished. Cera and Chomper waited in the quiet and let out relieved breaths. A branch creaked and a buzz echoed out of a bug flying off. Exchanging glances, Chomper slid a foot closer to a small gap and peered out, causing a few leaves to shake.
A rush of footsteps thundered behind suddenly. The bush rocked and was torn into the air. Cera and Chomper screamed, looking up as the bush swayed in Verter's lips, dirt clumps falling from its roots. They scrambled forward. Verter tossed the bush aside and leapt after them, giant forepaws on their rear legs. The great pressure of those feet made them cry out and the dug their forelimbs fruitlessly into the grass, breaths short and panicked.
"No, no!" Cera cried. "Let go!"
"We don't want any part of this!" Chomper whimpered.
"Tough." Verter said, exhaling hot breath over them. "Your fear gave you away. I could see how that bush shook unnaturally. I'm experienced with hunting smaller dinosaurs when threehorns aren't around to entertain me. Count yourselves fortunate, Cera, Chomper. There won't be dying for you two. Though understand this…" he leaned over to whisper. "If you don't cooperate, I can hurt you in ways possible without actually killing you. By the time I'm done, you'll be begging for death. Do you want me to break out those vines again? If you want to avoid that pain, you'll follow me without question. Understand?"
Closing their eyes, Cera and Chomper nodded. Verter let go, standing up, head casting a shadow over the pair. He prodded them forward with his nose. Reluctantly, feeling sick at being so close to him, Cera and Chomper began the long march to the cavern, attempting not to think about what lay ahead.
The battle wasn't going well for Grandpa and Grandma Longneck. Though the grandparents gave as good as they got, Patty and Don had the advantage of unlimited energy and weren't afraid to play dirty. While Grandpa Longneck beat necks with Patty, Don flew over and slashed his head, causing Grandpa Longneck to bellow and step back. Patty raised her tail at his back feet and he tripped and toppled off. Grandma Longneck shouted in anger and lashed her tail at Don. Patty bit the top of her foreleg and in Grandma Longneck's surprise, Don zoomed down and struck a bruise on Grandma Longneck's neck that made her scream. The grandparents were becoming more visibly tired by the minute, soldiering on with anger and parental desperation. Already, Littlefoot knew the outcome, that his grandparents were going to lay defeated, with broken bones or worse. Watching desperately, Littlefoot wondered if he should interfere, feeling ill, when he heard a droning, grumbling voice.
It was Tega. She sounded grumpy and kept urging someone on. Her words were a bit muffled but Littlefoot thought he heard "Spike" at one point. Littlefoot's heart sank. No, they got another of his friends. The voices got closer and Spike's whimper could be heard. Littlefoot attempted to think positive, that at least Tega didn't get Ducky, when Tega came in, pushing Spike forward with Ducky hanging from her mouth
"Come on, go to your friends." Tega said. "You can whimper and cry with them. Oh great, there's fighting here too." She added, looking up at Grandma ramming Patty in the chest. "You're on your own, brats. I need to take care of this."
Tega tossed Ducky to Spike, Ducky hitting his back and almost sliding from the saliva that glinted off the bottom half of her. Their heads darted about, locking on to their friends briefly, going over to the fight and staring for several seconds with mouths opened in horror. Then they slowly turned to the green light and saw Wing Father. The siblings screamed, Spike kicking up pebbles as he staggered back, staring at Wing Father with uncomprehending eyes. Still staring, Spike sidestepped over to join Littlefoot, Petrie, and Ruby, the siblings shaking.
"Who – what is that?" Ducky's voice trembled. "I mean, who is that? How – how is he floating there with fire and not screaming?"
"That's Wing Father." Littlefoot said. "I don't know how he's not hurt by that fire. He's that person from beyond Patty and the others have been talking about."
"That is him," she whispered, putting a hand to her mouth. "That is really him? He is so scary. I should not be mean with looks but – oh, no, no, no."
Spike inhaled a dry breath, the fear in those violet eyes going up several levels. Wing Father smiled at the siblings, and Littlefoot thought it was an attempt at friendliness. Ducky and Spike continued staring for so many seconds, that Littlefoot felt he had to get their attention or else their eyes would be locked onto Wing Father forever.
"How is your mother?" Littlefoot asked. "Did Tega – did she hurt her?"
The question took a few moments to register in Ducky's brain. "She got beat up pretty bad," she said, looking away. "Last time me and Spike saw her, Tega knocked her out and she was covered in bruises but so were the others, Mr. Thicknose and Pat. Skip didn't fight but she hit him when he tried to help us get away. Me and Spike had to run, so we do not know if any of them are..."
Ducky couldn't finish the sentence. Littlefoot lowered his gaze. So…more of their friends had gotten involved in this fight. Because of Littlefoot and the others, Mr. Thicknose and Pat might have gotten injured in ways due to their age they mightn't recover from. And Skip…he was small. If Tega so much as tripped over him, Littlefoot wasn't sure if he would survive. Littlefoot closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. Their loved ones were making so many sacrifices and he was doing nothing but watching…
A call of pain drew him back to the present. Tega had sneaked in and slapped her spiked tail against Grandpa Longneck's rear foot. Grandpa Longneck called out, fresh slash marks vivid red on his foot. Patty took the opportunity to move forward, wrap her tail around his neck, causing him to gasp. Patty pressed a foot into his side and he collapsed, foot pinning him into the ground.
"Grandpa!" Grandma Longneck cried.
"Stand down." Patty said quietly. "I don't want to do anything more than this."
Grandma Longneck glared and surged toward Patty. Tega stepped in the way at the last second, Grandma Longneck tripping over Tega's back plates. Grandma Longneck cried out, forefoot with cuts from the plates. She lashed her tail out at Tega, who jumped back, appearing bored.
"Just give up, sheesh." Tega said. "This is annoying."
"Then don't bother us!" Grandma Longneck snapped. "Don't follow Wing Father, and everything will be fine."
"If we do that, we'd be dead again." Don replied.
Grandma Longneck shook her head and put her cut forefoot under herself, eyes grim. "At this point, I don't care what you want. Give my family back."
Don's expression became hard. He dived for the center of her back and struck it with his beak. Grandma Longneck threw her head up and screamed. Don flew back, beak pressed together in discomfort, as though suddenly aware of what he was doing. That cost him. Grandma Longneck's tail wheeled in and slapped him out of the air. Faster than Tega could react, Grandma Longneck crashed into her and the impact threw the spiketail aside. Grandma Longneck slid close and slapped Patty's head with her tail, wailing it on her until Patty winced with enough pain and let go of Grandpa Longneck's neck. He scrambled to his feet, moving to his mate's side.
"Thanks, Grandma," he said.
"Thank me when we get out of this." Grandma Longneck said.
Determined, they marched toward Patty, Don, and Tega side-by-side. Wary, Don flew side to side, circling the grandparents, and turning to zip down under their stomachs. They stuck their necks in the way and Don crashed into Grandpa's. Tega shuffled around the grandparents while they were distracted by Don and two slaps from the grandparents drove her away. Glaring, Patty charged and threw her head up high as though to ram her chest into Grandpa and Grandma Longneck's. The pair reared on their hind legs and Patty scrambled back to avoid getting crushed by their forefeet. One of Grandma's feet came down her shoulder with enough force to unbalance Patty, toppling her onto her side with a crash.
Patty and Don exchanged frustrated glances and Tega looked impatient. It was clear they were annoyed this fight was going on this long. The three regrouped and charged again but they were countered by snapping tails, swinging heads, and stomping feet. Though the attacks from the trio occasionally hit home, Grandpa and Grandma Longneck soon became less defensive, striking back with those same series of moves. The grandparents were becoming exhausted but it was driving the Anchors back. For a moment, it looked like Grandpa and Grandma Longneck might be able to give damage to the Anchors and help Littlefoot and the others escape.
Then a singsong voice rang out.
"Wing Father, I'm back with your chosen gifts!"
Verter walked into the cave, Cera and Chomper at his forefeet. The pair's heads were lowered, defeated and scared. Verter was sickeningly smug. When Verter took stock of the five other children nearby Wing Father, he almost pouted.
"Aw, I'm last? This is what happens when you take your time enjoying yourself." When he caught sight of the fight, Verter perked back up. "Hey now, is that a battle going on? I want me some of that. Get back to your friends, losers."
He kicked Cera and Chomper, who yelped and staggered as they hurried away. Their eyes slowly swerved left and right. When they saw Wing Father, they froze and Cera opened her mouth but she was too terrified to scream. Wing Father smiled at them much like he did with Ducky and Spike. Littlefoot was further confused. Was he trying to be friendly again? Was it sincere? Cera and Chomper stood still for several seconds before they all but ran to their friends.
"Littlefoot, that can't be Wing Father, right?" Cera whispered. "That person – he can't be real. I must be losing my mind."
"That is him." Littlefoot replied. "I know it's hard to believe, but he's real. He held my grandparents with his shadow until they broke out. He gave Patty and the others their immunity from death."
"His shadows – wait, did you just say - what?" she said.
"He smells weird." Chomper murmured. "His scent's not quite there, kind of like the ghosts but something bigger." He pressed a hand to his heart, wincing. "My chest hurts...we…we should leave."
"No one's guarding the entrance." Littlefoot said. "We can be quick – but my grandparents –"
The cries of pain interrupted him. Verter had slinked up on Grandpa and Grandma Longneck while they were wailing Patty and the others back, and his horns slashed at their rear feet. The grandparents shouted in agony. Now free of the tail strikes, Patty, Tega, and Don pressed to the grandparents' front, slashing and hitting at whatever they could reach. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck hit back but they were cornered in front and behind. Their attacks faltered as their pained yells increased.
"They've getting overwhelmed!" Littlefoot cried. "I don't know how much more they'll last-"
"You know there is one way to help them." Wing Father said.
Ducky, Spike, Cera, and Chomper flinched back. This was the first time Wing Father spoke in front of the four. Littlefoot straightened and glared, to smother the other emotions inside him.
"No!" he said. "I won't think it. There must be another way!"
"What other ways are there?" Wing Father asked. "I'll reiterate for those who weren't present. Consent to changing the world and then step onto-"
"There it is! I can see it!"
Wing Father turned to the voice, and Littlefoot and the others stirred with hope. Not long after, dinosaurs charged into the cavern. At the head of the group was the owner of the voice, Mr. Threehorn. Then there was Tria, Mama Swimmer, Mama Flyer, Mama Sharptooth and Papa Sharptooth (*They're here too?* Littlefoot thought, stunned. *Things must be really desperate!*), and Mama Fast Runner and Papa Fast Runner. Many of them were covered in scratches and recently closed wounds. Mr. Threehorn and Tria looked as though they rolled through a prickly thorn pit with some stone teeth thrown in. Mama Swimmer had bruises and Mama Sharptooth and Papa Sharptooth looked faintly ill but they all moved with great determination. Seeing Papa Fast Runner bring up the rear, Littlefoot collapsed with relief and Ruby surged to her tallest height, a smile stretching her beak.
"Dad, you're okay!"
"Ruby?" Papa Fast Runner wheeled around, expression relieved. "Everyone, the children are over there. They seem unharmed."
"I thought you were more than harmed when you fell!" she cried.
"Swooper was able to slow down my fall enough to steer me onto a cliff not too far down." Papa Fast Runner said. "He should rest for a few days but Guido's looking after him."
"And what about our friends?" Ducky said. "Mr. Thicknose? Skip? Pat?"
"Pat's groggy but seems like he'll be okay!" Mama Swimmer became nervous. "Skip and Pat aren't-"
Before she could go on further, she looked ahead and was distracted by the sight of Grandpa and Grandma Longneck attempting to fight four opponents at once. Grandpa Longneck yelled when Patty jerked her tail hard around his left foreleg. The parents gasped and looked angry. Mama Flyer swung her wings down in a furious gesture and Mr. Threehorn's mouth twisted in outrage.
"Hey, you can't do that!"
He led the rest of the parents into the fight. Mr. Threehorn and Tria intercepted Tega just as she swung her spiky tail at the grandparents' tails and bowled her over with their horns. Mama Swimmer and Papa and Mama Fast Runner grabbed Verter by the frill and pulled him away. He turned around, jabbing his horns but they used their lesser size to dodge around them. Mama Flyer slammed into Don just as he dived for the base of Grandma Longneck's neck and nearly made him fall out of the air. Mama and Papa Sharptooth ran between the grandparents and rammed Patty in the chest, forcing her to step back. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck backed away, jaws dropped at the unlikely allies. Upon noting the others present, they quickly made the deduction.
"So these are Chomper's parents." Grandma Longneck said.
"I never thought I'd be glad to see them." Grandpa Longneck admitted.
Mama and Papa Sharptooth bit into Patty's flank, eliciting screams. The grandparents winced but walked in to help and Littlefoot had to close his eyes. With the Anchors' immortality, the grownups couldn't afford to be merciful but it still hurt to see his former friend get attacked in such a manner. Peaking an eye out, Littlefoot noted Mama and Papa Sharptooth stumbled a bit and had to take steadying breaths every few seconds. What could have caused them to be slower?
With the odds flipped, the fighting became more of a free for all. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck had their tails wrapped around Patty's back end to help Chomper's parents keep her down. Wrenching herself side to side, Patty wrestled free and swept Mama and Sharptooth back with her neck. Tega backed passed them dealing with Mr. Threehorn and Tria, her spiky tail slashing at the sides of Chomper's parents while they were on the ground. Mama and Papa Sharptooth snarled and surged to their feet, biting after Tega with such ferocity that Mr. Threehorn and Tria had to back out of the way. Littlefoot and the others glimpsed Mama Swimmer's shoving Verter with hands on his horns, Mama and Papa Fast Runner on their backs and shaking their heads after avoiding a charge.
Mr. Threehorn and Tria charged at Verter, who gladly met the threehorn couple and in the clashing of horns, Mama Swimmer, Mama Fast Runner, and Papa Fast Runner were left awkward bystanders. Mama Flyer hastily swoop down beside them with Don in pursuit. Mama Swimmer and Mama and Papa Fast Runner grabbed Don, who yelped and jerked this way and that to get out from their grasp. Mama Flyer looked around and zoomed to Grandpa and Grandma Longneck, flying around and striking Patty's neck and back to distract Patty from her tail whips. Whenever one of them struggled with an Anchor, the other parents came in to assist. The gang watched with a mix of pride and wariness. That their parents were able to work together and hold off such powerful opponents made them proud but the Anchors got up and kept recovering from their injuries. This fight shouldn't last long, Littlefoot thought. He cast a judging eye of the distance to the cave entrance and glanced back at the fight.
"Um, we should run," he called to their parents. "Those Anchors are invincble. We should get out of here now."
"You kids go first." Mr. Threehorn said. "We'll make sure they can't catch you."
"What a pointless effort." Wing Father said.
"What was that?" Mr. Threehorn said angrily "Is that Wing Father? Wait until I get my horns into-"
The angry words died in his throat as soon as he looked at Wing Father. The other parents glanced out at what made Mr. Threehorn quiet and stopped mid fight to gawp at the incomprehensible figure hovering over the center stone. Mama and Papa Fast Runner had their fists frozen before a punch and Mama Flyer almost fell out of the air before remembering to fly. Littlefoot never saw sharpteeth so shocked as he did with Chomper's parents. Only Grandpa and Grandma Longneck still appeared alert of their surroundings. Patty and the other Anchors eyed their opponents, sliding a foot forward or flapping an inch closer but deciding to let the parents have their moment. Wing Father crossed his arms, unruffled by the many large dinosaurs staring at him.
"Horns into what, Mr. Threehorn?" Wing Father asked with a patient and slightly amused tone. "Are you going to finish what you said? Please, let us all hear what you'll do to me."
Mr. Threehorn opened and closed his mouth. "That – that's him? Wing Father?"
"That is the name you mortals chose for me." Wing Father agreed.
"My goodness." Tria appeared to have forgotten her horns were tangled with Verter's. "He's real. He's really real."
"I can't believe what I'm seeing." Mama Swimmer blinked hard. "That can't be a trick, can it? There's no way someone like him is real."
"No." Mama Flyer said. "That - that is the same voice I heard earlier today. If he's called Wing Father, that must be him."
Papa Sharptooth growled. "Are you the one after our kids? Have you been terrorizing them all this time?"
"Damn you." Mama Sharptooth snarled. "When we're done with you-"
"Would you be able to inflict any injury on me?" Wing Father asked.
Mama and Papa Sharptooth's eyes widened. Fury momentarily gave away to speechlessness.
"You – you can speak our tongue?" Mama Sharptooth whispered.
"You are near me. Where I am from, language is irrelevant." Wing Father replied, growls smooth and pleasant as his leaf eater speak. "You have no power here. If you want to live as a family again, you would allow the children to-"
There was a bellow of anger. While everyone was distracted by Wing Father speaking the sharptooth language, Mr. Threehorn's eyes had narrowed and he shoved Verter aside, stampeding toward Wing Father and lowering his horns.
"This is for what you put our children through!" Mr. Threehorn snarled.
"No, don't hit him!" Littlefoot said, panicked.
But Mr. Threehorn closed too much distance to react to Littlefoot's words. Within seconds, he rammed into Wing Father. A bang echoed out and Mr. Threehorn bellowed, sent flying backward. He toppled on his side, legs sprawled out. For a second, he lay still and Cera stepped closer, breath becoming harried. Then Mr. Threehorn groaned and moved tenderly.
"What – happened?" he murmured. "I feel like I hit a mountain wall."
"You shouldn't have done that, Topps old pal." Verter said. "Wing Father has the power to protect himself so that any attack either passes through him or gets blocked as though by a barrier. You're fortunate he didn't choose a protection that would've kill you."
Papa Sharptooth shook his head. "That was foolish of the threehorn."
"Why would you attack a creature you don't know anything about?" Mama Sharptooth said. "He has no idea what would have happened if he made contact. How has he survived so long?"
"Hey, I can hear you, you know!" Mr. Threehorn said, turning his head to glare. "Believe it or not, threehorns have a lot of ways to survive that –"
He stopped and all the adults fell silent, staring at either a stunned Mr. Threehorn or Mama and Papa Sharptooth. Chomper raised his head, gawping, and Littlefoot and the others were wide-eyed with shock.
"You can speak leaf eater?" Mr. Threehorn said.
"You can speak sharptooth?" Mama Sharptooth said. "No, you would have spoken it during the fight. How are we understanding each other?"
"I can understand you too." Tria said. "We all can. After you said, 'no idea,' we could hear you as clearly as any leaf eater."
"The same after your mate told us off." Papa Sharptooth said, looking shaken. "I don't understand. Why is it like we're speaking the same language?"
"And back to speaking sharptooth again." Tria said. "What?"
Papa Sharptooth spoke but the words returned to being growls, his eyes widening. The grownups looked at one another, uncertain.
"It makes no sense." Papa Fast Runner said. "I can understand sharptooth and while listening, it sounded like both of you were speaking leaf eater and sharptooth at the same time."
"Yeah." Chomper nodded shakily. "Hearing both should have made it hard to hear what people were saying but I understood it perfectly."
"Can someone please explain what's going on for once?" Mama Swimmer asked to the cave in general.
"That would be my power." Wing Father said. "You mightn't have understood in my brief exchange with the sharptooth but where I come from, language is irrelevant. I can influence an area so that everyone understands each other, where language differences don't matter."
"You can mess with language?" Mama Flyer asked, eyes wide.
"This is only one example of his powers." Patty said. "He can speak into the Anchors' minds and kept Littlefoot's grandparents tied up with his shadow until recently. When he comes into this world truly, you'll see his true reach. It will affect every corner of existence."
"And this person understands every language so he could affect every person." Mama Fast Runner said softly. "Someone with that much power is interested in our children?"
"That's right." Tega said. "They'll fulfill what Wing Father has chosen them to do. There's no stopping him."
A moment passed where all the parents comprehended what kind of being they were facing. Mama Sharptooth, Papa Sharptooth, and Chomper looked shaken, and Littlefoot suddenly wondered if all of that had been made understandable to them again. Slowly, the rest of the gang met one another's eyes. Gradually, the parents' confusion and wonderment gave way to panic. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck tackled Patty, Tria locked horns with Verter, and Mr. Threehorn scrambled to his feet. Mama and Papa Sharptooth ran back to the fight, Mama Flyer rammed Don to the ground with Mama and Papa Fast Runner piling on top of him, and Mama Swimmer wrenched Tega down by the tail. Littlefoot and the others started. Their parents resumed fighting with the Anchors with more ferocity than ever.
"Run, kids!" Grandpa Longneck cried. "We'll hold them off!"
Littlefoot and his friends turned to where the entrance was. The gang could make the short distance, he thought. Despite being exhausted and bruised, they had rested enough that they could flee the cave and down the path where they could hide somewhere in the valley. They could figure out their next course of action then. Beside Littlefoot, Cera, Chomper, Spike, and Ruby stepped closer to him while Ducky adjusted her grip on Spike and Petrie opened his wings. Littlefoot stepped toward the entrance, ready to leave this place of horror.
Only…there was a finality to Grandpa Longneck's tone that made Littlefoot's heart sink.
"A pointless sacrifice." Wing Father said. "This will only delay the duty set out before your children."
"Sacrifice." Cera repeated.
"Don't listen to him!" Tria shouted. "Just get out of here!"
That only made Cera more uncertain. She tore her gaze from the entrance and glanced at the fight, lip starting to quiver. The others' gazes switched between the entrance and their parents. Wing Father's words introduced a seed of doubt into the gang, made them hesitate.
"You know what they're trying to do." Wing Father continued. "Your parents want to escape with you, to be there and protect you. But they fear my Anchors will follow. So their plan is to keep the Anchors back while you run. They will give you as much time as they can with the energy they have left. This will lead my Anchors to take drastic action. You might not see your parents catch up with you."
"Ducky, Spike, don't look back!" Mama Swimmer said.
Ducky and Spike watched her try to punch Tega's spiked tail away before she cried out as it slashed her arm. The siblings glanced between each other, fearful, as understanding of Wing Father's words as the rest of the gang. If the parents kept fighting with the Anchors, then they might be killed. Their parents would protect their children with the last energy in their bodies, so the Anchors would have no choice but to put them down. Ducky and Spike shook their heads hard and Cera closed her eyes. They didn't want to be here. They had to escape. But if they did…
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Wing Father asked. "This means you'll never see your parents again, never feel their touch, share in laughter and joy. They'll become nothing more than fading memories. And all this to give you a chance to escape – when escape is only momentary."
"Hurry, Petrie!" Mama Flyer said. "Hurry!"
Don overpowered her hold on his hands and beat her back with his wings. Crying out, Petrie darted his head about, as though trying to find a tool to help. The gang watched, thinking there must be a way to assist their parents. Not even someone as powerful as Wing Father lacked a weakness, right? Yet the only thing around was a stalagmite on the other side of the cavern. There were the rock platforms they were supposed to stand on but Littlefoot feared the gang might somehow be stuck onto them if they tried to manipulate them. Their chests were so cold, it was hard to think…
"Even if you flee the valley and go to the far corners of the land, you can't elude us forever." Wing Father said. "My Anchors can follow, track down every clue of your whereabouts. The world is but a finite place and there's only so many places you can go – and my power over this realm remains."
"Stop listening and go!" Mama Fast Runner cried.
"You won't save us if you can't save yourselves!" Papa Fast Runner said.
Don dived down onto the pair. Papa Fast Runner managed to scramble out of the way but Mama Fast Runner shouted as she was slashed by Don' beak. Ruby's eyes wavered, glancing at the Anchors and at the ground as though going over all the knowledge she knew but she clapped her ears and screamed in frustration. The gang couldn't think of a way to help, each plan feebler than the last. Yes, they might have to hide, even flee from the Great Valley, to be able to escape Wing Father's Anchors. They would always have to be on the run, bereft of most of their parents. They could seek refuge with Bron or any other friends or family in the Mysterious Beyond but the Anchors would always follow and might inflict harm on them. The thought of having to be on run for a long time, possibly the rest of their lives, was too horrible for Littlefoot to take. He and his friends put their forepaws over their ears
"Even if a hundred cold times pass, we will find you." Wing Father's voice echoed in their minds. "Wherever you go, whatever you do, you will always remain the age you are now. Nothing will ever change. You will only learn so much before that knowledge disappears. The Anchors and I have all the time in the world and you can only hide for so long before you tire. Then my Anchors will return you to me, and your parents' efforts will be for naught."
"Flee, Chomper!" Mama Sharptooth said. "Don't you understand we're doing this for you?"
"Why are you all just standing there?" Papa Sharptooth snarled.
Verter battled Tria passing by and slammed his tail into their stomachs. Mama and Papa Sharptooth stumbled and gasped. Chomper rocked on his feet, trying to watch but ended up covering his eyes. Was it futile to flee and stop this? Was it braver to run or stand their ground? As long as Wing Father and his Anchors weren't taken care of, then the gang would remain children. They would never grow big or strong. They have already accomplished so much in their youth but was surviving on their own in the Mysterious Beyond and fighting against Wing Father's group within their power? They couldn't even help their parents. Either they must stay here and hand the world over, or leave their parents to die. It was an impossible choice to make but with the exit so free, they had to take their chance…!
The parents stopped calling to their children. They were absorbed in the fight with the Anchors. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck had Patty on the ground and whipped their tails furiously on her. Mr. Threehorn barely kept Verter back wracking horns with him, Tria ramming the side of her body into him. After a brief grapple, Don's stomach got slashed by Mama Flyer's feet and flew out of the way when a tired Mama and Papa Sharptooth whipped their tails at him. Mama and Papa Fast Runner kicked Tega on the rear side, barely avoiding a tail swipe so Mama Swimmer could jump in at the moment of distraction and get Tega in a headlock. The parents fought recklessly, Patty and the others getting some scratches but they were nothing compared to the bruises, scratches, and stab wounds gathering on the parents, slowing them down. Still, they didn't stop. They had to keep going, make sure their children could be as far away as possible and if they could kill the Anchors again…
Flashes of silver whipped at the parents. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck cried out as they found their movements suddenly constricted. Patty stopped herself from striking them with her tail. Those like Mr. Threehorn gasped and struggled in the bindings before they were toppled down. Tria and Mama Swimmer panted and looked down, finding over half of their bodies obscured by Wing Father's silver tendrils. Don relaxed from his fighting stance and watching a nearly covered Mama Swimmer groan on the ground. Mama and Papa Sharptooth had a brief burst of energy, struggling hard before starting to cough. Mama and Papa Fast Runner tensed as Tega's shadow fell over them but she stepped back. Verter appeared to want to strike at Mr. Threehorn, Tria, and Mama and Papa Sharptooth while they were down but sighed and relaxed. Groaning, catching their breath, as best as some of them could, the parents glanced back at where they last saw Littlefoot and the others, hoping find the children no longer present, to glimpse a displeased Wing Father glaring at the exit...
Littlefoot and the others barely moved where they stood. Terrible, heartbroken expressions broke across the parents' faces.
"No! No!" Mr. Threehorn said. "Why didn't you listen?"
"We fought so you could escape!" Mama Swimmer cried.
Next time…
Part 2