A.N: To artist seeking money from for their art, please leave the comment section open for discussions about the story only and don't private message me for I will most likely not respond. Thank you.
Chapter Thirteen:
Heart to Heart
The following day, Chomper called a family meeting. All gathered after their first meal, Chomper glancing around at them.
"Whether any of you noticed, I was different for a bit of time."
"Really?"
"Yeah, Claw, you were a baby when things changed, did you forget that too?" Fang signed as she smirked.
"It's time I tell you a tale of my time away." Chomper signed and spoke in sharptooth. "I visited the vale where the Alphas of the past were, to prove my worth, to claim the title as Alpha over all sharpteeth. Has Screech or Thud mentioned the Alphas to you?" Fang, Claw and Star nodded. "Good, then you know of Red Claw-"
"Stephany." Fang added.
"Right. Well, you know about the Sky-beings and its time I told you about my sharptooth parents, Charity and Chance. They were lovely, took care of me, till the very end of their lives."
"They're gone?" Star asked, still unsure about what death was.
"Yes, sweetie, they're gone. I only met my mother's parents once, twice at most. As for my father, I only recently learned who his father was." Ruby's face held interest as he spoke. "Do you know the name Sharptooth?"
"Yeah, he was the biggest, toughest, most awesome Alpha. Everyone feared him." Claw added with admiration.
"He was not someone to idolize, son." Chomper found Claw
s answer to be concerning yet shrugged it off.
"Why not, father?" Claw looked Chomper over, almost as though he looked down upon him.
"Claw." Ruby said sternly. "You listen when your father speaks."
"I'll tell you why, son. Sharptooth killed my friend, Littlefoot's mother. I want you to think about that, imagine the pain he felt and carried through his youth. Sharptooth wasn't even hunting, he was only slaughtering for spot, and took a life, the life of a mother, who only ever wanted to lead her son to the Great Valley. With her dying breath, she made sure he knew the way, all because of that monster. A true Alpha must abide by the Circle of Life."
"Poor Littlefoot." Star sniffed and nuzzled against Ruby.
"And this pains me even more, the fact, that Sharptooth is my grandfather."
Everyone gasped, Chomper noticing their shock held the slightest bit of fear, fear toward him. He knew revealing such a thing would lead to suspicion, yet the truth had to be said. If he were to repair the broken circle, they'd need to know his origin, his blood line. The only one, who wasn't worried, was Ruby, her expression was that of sorrow.
"Sharptooth had darkness in him, a darkness that consumed and led him down a destructive path. That same darkness is in me, yet I chose a life of peace, kindness."
Fang rose and went to take his clawed hand. "Dad, a wise Alpha once told me, we are one."
Chomper felt his eyes grow moist, taking and holding her close. "That's right, we're one."
"Why are you upset? Sharptooth may have gone about ruling wrong, but he was still pretty cool."
"A killer is not awesome."
"Whatever." Claw folded his arms over his chest, rolling his eyes.
"So, you're the grandson of Sharptooth." Trudy said softly, Ruby worried her mother's perspective on Chomper would change. She only shook her head. "Our daughter could always pick them."
"Hard to imagine someone as kindhearted was a descendent of Sharptooth."
"We all have darkness in us." Thud put in.
Despite Chomper being back, he got the sense things were a bit off. Fang was happy he came back, yet Claw seemed to be displeased by him. Chomper hoped to gain Claw's trust again, curious why the boy was uneasy around him.
"Okay, Claw and I need to talk."
The father and son left, Chomper looking at Claw. He was strange for a leafeater, wearing a set of wooden claws, trying to hold the appearance of a predator.
"So, are we okay?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, you seem offput by me."
"I don't understand the whole you being away thing. Why did you leave us? Didn't you love us?"
"I do love you, son-"
"No, not enough. You left and when the other guy was here, I knew we were safe. He was stern, yet protective and could shoot light from his mouth. What can you do? Have a diplomacy with our enemy? Talk them to death."
"You don't think I can protect you?"
"You may be the grandson of Sharptooth, but you're weak. Look at you, you're still in his form, yet your mannerisms are cool, collective, calm. He was strong, was who I wanted to aspire to. Now, I feel like there's no one to impress or make proud."
"Son, I'm still him, in a way, just not as visible. And no, I may not throw my weight around, but I will do whatever it takes to keep you and this family safe."
"Don't you feel embarrassed that mom is a better fighter than you?"
"You say I'm weak, yet you've never seen me in action. And you want me to be proud of you, yet how can I, when you behave like this, act disrespectful. If anything, I'm disappointed in you, Claw, because I think Ty-Rex rubbed off on you, not in the good way either. You think strength defies a leader, defies what a true male should be. My father tried to change me, yet I promised myself I wouldn't be like him. Though it seems, you need a bit of guidance. If you keep leading with this anger in your heart, chose this path, you will become Sharptooth, a loner. And you know what, Sharptooth died alone, and not one being shed a tear. After all, no one mourns the wicked."
Chomper rose and saw Claw glance away, trudging off to be alone. Instead of going after him, Chomper sighed and shook his head. When he walked off, he heard brush, hoping it was Claw, yet the scent said otherwise.
"Dad?"
"Yes, Fang."
"I'm sorry, he's such a jerk."
"I know he's mad I left. I won't lie, I felt a bit upset that my parents couldn't come into the Great Valley."
"Yeah, but you were a prick about it."
"Fang!"
"Tell me, I'm wrong."
Chomper leaned against a tree. "I thought coming back here would be easier than this."
"I'm sorry dad. But I'm happy you're back. I had to keep reminding Ty-Rex about the Circle of Life. I think Claw was closer to him than I, which is weird given he was prey and Ty-Rex felt uneasy about teaching him to hunt."
"I really messed up and I'm so sorry, Fang. I let you all down. I'm a worse father, then my father. Least he had good intentions."
"So, do you. You're dream to bring peace, is amazing."
"When did you get to be as smart as your mother?"
"Well, I'm told I'm like her. Except for the speech thing, the speech thing I didn't inherit."
Walking home, the pair shared a laugh. When Chomper saw Star, she held her hands up, moving a tiny rock. He gasped and slowly approached her, Star only smiling and sending the rock whizzing across the water.
"Star, that was, interesting." Chomper patted her head. "Seems, you take after me."
"Well, one out of three isn't bad, eh dad?"
"Smart mouth."
From where he stood, Claw saw them. He knew the male who stood there was different from the male he was before. In fact, Claw sensed, felt that the one he called father was never going to be the same. Even though their father took them hunting, Claw and Ty-Rex would walk side by side discussing more than the Circle of Life.
"Did you kill before pop?" Claw looked up at his father.
"Yes, and since your goodie-two-shoe-sister isn't here, I can be honest. You won't tell your mother about this." Ty-Rex held a sinister smile, being more open with the curious boy over the rest of his supposed family.
"Nope, it's our little secret."
"I enjoyed it. There is nothing that makes me feel more powerful than overtaking my enemy and killing him. One day, Claw, you will get the chance to prove your prowess in battle. When the time comes, will you be ready?"
"Yes, father, I will. Should we train?"
When Ty-Rex trained Claw, he saw potential in the prey child. If anything, he had the heart of a predator, the heart of a killer hidden behind a prey body. Claw ate up the attention, never getting much time with his father, barely remembering him before they left the Island. Now, Claw would do whatever he asked, wanting to be the favorite among the three, knowing he was the favorite.
The favorite, the title he fought for was being taken, by Fang, the perfect little follower of the Circle of Life nonsense. Star was cute and had his father wrapped around her little finger, plus, she was blood of his blood, bone of his bone. That left he, Claw, the middle guy out, the one who'd be less important, less worthy. No, Claw would prove his worth by any means necessary.
"Remember, son, never give up till your foe is down for good." His father's voice echoed.
Claw:
"Proud of your boy,
I'll make you proud of your boy,
Believe me bad as I've been, dad,
You're in for a pleasant surprise,
I've wasted time,
I've wasted me,
So say,
I'm slow for my age,
A late bloomer,
Okay, I agree,
That I've been one rotten kid,
Some son,
Some pride and some joy,
But I'll get over these lousing up,
Messing up,
Screwing up times,
You'll see, dad,
Now comes the better part,
Someone's gonna make good cross his stupid heart,
Make good,
And finally make you,
Proud of your boy,
Tell me that I've been a louse and loafer,
You won't get a fight here, no dad,
Say I'm a goldbrick, a good-off, no good,
But that couldn't be all that I am,
Water flows under the log,
Let it pass, let it go,
There's no good reason,
That you should believe in me,
Not yet,
I know, but someday and soon,
I'll make you proud of your boy,
Though I can make myself a predator,
With claws or sharp teeth,
I'll do my best, what else can I do?
Since I wasn't born perfect like Fang or Star,
Dad I will try to,
Try hard to make you,
Proud of your boy."
After practicing the moves his father taught him, Claw went home to find his family. They were happy, his father carrying Star on his back while Fang trailed him like a hatchling to its mother. She was always such a suck up, yet this father, was interested, enjoying her company instead of being annoyed.
"Claw, it's time for dinner." Ruby stirred the carved stick, which the Sky-being called a spoon, mixing the broth and veggies.
"I want meat in mine." Claw stated, seeing the meat cook on the side.
"Claw, you can't eat meat, meat dose not sit well with leafeaters."
"I want to try it anyway."
Chomper held a curious look, unsure what Claw was trying to prove. "It'll make you sick. Just as eating greens makes sharpteeth sick. Believe me, I tried eating tree stars once and threw up shortly after."
"That was you, not me."
"Oh, get over yourself, you'll always be prey, whether you like it or not." Fang added.
"Why are you such a know it all, butt out!"
"Okay, okay, Claw, you can have meat, just don't complain if it makes you sick."
Chomper helped fill the bowls, passing them to Fang, who gave them to her grandparents, who were silent through the conversation, not wanting to get mixed up in it. Chomper added the meat and passed them to Fang, who first gave some to her uncles, then held it before Claw.
"This should be interesting."
Snatching it away, Claw looked at the chucks of meat, finding they smelled bad, yet he frowned to prove a point and there was no turning back. He slowly ate, the family sharing some small talk. Star crawled into Chomper's lap, glad to see he was more affectionate, being more fun to her. Helping her eat, Chomper beamed with pride, seeing her get most of the stew on her face than in her mouth. All was calm, till Claw, gaged, rising suddenly as he cupped a hand to his mouth.
"Claw!" Ruby and Chomper asked.
He ran off into the brush, retching, yet he kept going. Fang only shook her head. "Why are boys so dumb? We told him that would happen."
"I should go talk to him."
"No, you stay, I'll go, go to him, I should."
Ruby rose and raced after Claw, leaping past the few piles where he stopped to throw up. Coming upon a clearing, she found him, sitting quietly, crying softly.
"Claw?"
"Here to say, 'I told you so.'"
"No, only here to listen and talk. What's this all about?"
"Dad's different."
"Yes, he is. I know it's hard, but over time, we'll all adjust."
"I don't know. How do you stand it, being prey among predators? Isn't it exhausting?"
"Because I don't see us as different. And with luck, you won't see a difference. All I'm asking is you give him a chance."
"I'll try."
"And don't eat meat again."
He nodded. "No, that stuff was horrible. Even worse coming up."
Ruby patted his back, helping him ups and wiping his tears away. "Your father loves you, Claw, please don't forget that."
Claw said nothing and only glanced away. Could he really call the male father? Only time would tell. Till then, Claw still missed the other dad, the one who taught him so much, was strong and brave. With luck, one day, he'd be strong, brave, would be worthy.
