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Meanwhile, at the home of the Sharp Beaks, Ptero wasn't having anywhere near as much fun. "Mother, can I please leave the nest and go exploring?" Ptero asked. It had been many cold times since his father's murder. "No dear. You know that I don't want anything to happen to you." answered Agatha. "But Mom, nothing at all will happen to me if I always stay...." protested Ptero. "Be quiet!" she said, interrupting him.

"Mom, I just want to explore and make some friends." he said. "You are staying here. You have all of the friends you need." said his mother. "I am not allowed to even play with the other children!" Ptero protested. It was true. "Yes, you are the future leader. You can't be with commoners or they will bring you down." said Agatha. This was a lie on her part. The real reason was that she didn't want one of the Sharp Beak children letting slip that Sydo was a Flattooth. She didn't even want him to hear the story she'd told her pack, that Sydo's Flattooth friends had done it, for she wanted nothing to come Ptero's way that would even cause him to suspect that he was part Flattooth.

If he had looked more like a Sharptooth, then he'd be rejected on sight by the Flatteeth and would never have suspected that he was part Flattooth himself and thus she wouldn't have had to worry. As it was, Ptero looked more like Sydo than her. Hence, there was a risk that Flatteeth, especially Flyers, for Agatha knew that most Flatteeth were segregated by kind and hence she feared him being around Flyers the most, might spend time with him and he'd realize that he was a Flattooth. If he found that out, he might refuse to be the Sharp Beak King. She couldn't have that.

"I need other friends besides you. I just want....." said Ptero.

"I don't want to hear it!" said Agatha.

"Oh, it's times like these that make me wish that I had died instead of Dad!" whined Ptero.

"Knock it off!" snapped Agatha back. The pack shook their heads. Ptero and Agatha seemed to be arguing a lot lately. They wondered how this would play out, for few dared challenge her and all that did regretted it.

The two flew next to each other and their red eyes glared at each other. Ptero stared her down. He's definitely got courage to stare her down like that. I think he'd make a great leader. whispered a Sharp Beak to another.

Poor boy. He has to deal with her the most. I'd hate to be in his shoes. whispered the second Sharp Beak to the first.

"So, what are we going to do today?" Ptero grumbled, frowning at her with a "I hate my life" look.

"Hunting." replied Agatha.

"I'm not very fond of...." complained Ptero, for he didn't like hunting.

"Cut it out! I won't have you questioning my will! Your father wanted you to be the best and that's what I'm going to make you!" snapped the Sharp Beak Queen at him. Agatha wanted him hunting so much that she could push the Flattooth out of him and make him into a full Sharptooth. She wanted to get rid of every last bit of Sydo in him and make him like her.

"Sor-ry!" Ptero snapped.

"Ptero, someday you will be leader of the pack. I cannot lose you." his mother said. "Some leader I'm going to be if I never get to go out." said Ptero dryly. "I find this very annoying Mother. I..." "I don't care! You'll understand what I'm doing someday." said Agatha the Sharp Beak Queen.

"I wish that I weren't going to be the Sharp Beak King. Then I could live a normal life!" lamented Ptero.

"That's enough!" snapped Agatha at Ptero.

"Mother please!" begged Ptero.

"Hush!" said Agatha. Ptero wanted to cry. Agatha saw this. She came to Ptero. "Ptero my boy, there are things you don't understand yet. You're so young." said Agatha.

"I grew up really fast the day Dad died." replied Ptero.

"You want to be the best hunter out there? You want to make the Flatteeth sorry about Daddy?" Agatha asked. Ptero nodded fiercely. "Then do as I say. Your father would have hated to have you become soft. He wanted me to raise you to be great. I can't take that from him." said Agatha, patting him on the back.

Ptero really didn't like hunting. There was something in him that made him dislike taking lives. He carried some Tree Stars that he'd found and set them down.

He went out of sight, or so he thought. "What has he got there?" Agatha asked herself quietly, noticing the green that Ptero had. Ptero, meanwhile, started to eat them. Suddenly, the leaves were snatched away from him, causing him to bite thin air.

"What?" said Ptero in shock. He turned around. Agatha glared at him.

"What were you doing with those things?" she demanded. "Eating lunch." he said innocently. "A Sharptooth eats meat, not this yucky green stuff!" said Agatha contemptuously. "I remember having them when I was younger. I always liked them. They don't have a pulse. Can I please have them back? I love them!" Ptero pleaded.

Agatha tore them into shreds and threw the shreds into the wind, where they blew away from Ptero. Ptero sighed. "No. You have always had that weak habit of wanting green food. You need to overcome it. Meat is what you're meant to have." said Agatha.

"I do eat meat! But can't I eat plants too?" begged Ptero.

"Absolutely not! I forbid it! You will be a greater hunter if you only get meat!" said Agatha.

"I already can hunt pretty well!" said Ptero.

"Can you hunt so well that you can get a meal before your dinner sees you and tries to run? The less effort you need to get your meal, the more strength you will have to do other things." said Agatha.

"I spend a lot of time hunting. I can get many things before they can even see me. Not everything yet." said Ptero.

"Well, you will soon my boy. We just have to keep you honing your skills." Agatha replied.

"Can I hunt a Flattooth? I'd love to hunt one of those?" asked Ptero, a hungry look in his eyes. Agatha wanted Ptero to get to this stage, but he wasn't ready yet. If Ptero realized what he was, it would be over for her. Hence, he had to be ready to get the Flatteeth by surprise. Once he was adapt enough at getting them, he'd never befriend them and hence would never be like Sydo.

"You are not ready yet son." replied Agatha gently.

"I can't wait!" said Ptero enthusiastically.

"You will need a lot of training before then. You know how dangerous Flatteeth can be. You have no time for playing with others." said Agatha.

"I wish I could just be me. It's what Dad would have wanted!" said Ptero. "Well young man, what would Daddy say if he saw how you are acting? He knew that if anything ever happened to him, that I could take care of you. He'd have wanted me in charge. Now listen to your mother!" said Agatha. Ptero frowned at her.

? Ptero my boy! You whine about everything! You forget that I am raising you to be the Sharp Beak King. You have no father, sister, or brother. All you have is me so listen to your mother! ? sang Agatha. ?Mother, goodness, can't I have a life? The way you control me, I'll never have time to even find a wife! ? sang Ptero. ?Ptero dear yes I'll let you when it comes the time! I want you to be such a pack leader that they'll think of you as divine! ? sang Agatha.

?Oh mother, why can't you see? I'll be the best leader if I get to be me! ? sang Ptero. ?One complaint after another! Stop questioning me boy and listen to your mother! ? sang Agatha. ?You will be the one issuing orders when you rise as our leader someday. But right now I'm in charge so do what I say! ? she continued to sing.

?Oh mother, I'd give that all away if I could get the chance to have some fun and play! ? sang Ptero. ?No boy, I don't want the leadership going to another. You must do as Daddy wanted and listen to your mother! ? sang Agatha.

?Mother, I don't think it would cause you woe. Please just give me a chance to go. ? sang Ptero. ?My answer is: no, no, no! You must listen to me because I say so! ? she sang. ?I wish you'd stop being a smother! I don't know how much longer I can keep listening to Mother! ? sang Ptero under his breath, finishing the song.

Ptero went back to their nest. He sighed. It looked like he was going to be trapped here forever. His mother loved him, no doubt, but she kept projecting her will onto him. He really missed his father.

He looked through the branches that the nest was made out of. He could see a river below from the nest, which was high up in a tree on a mountainside. The Sharp Beaks liked living up here as they could spot the poor creatures that they hunted below well before the creatures could spot them. Several Sharp Beaks had gone after something below. He saw them zoom past. Ptero sighed. Though used to this, something about it still made him sad. He heard a voice calling him.

"Get back here Ptero!" snapped Agatha. "It's time to go hunting!" she said.

"Please Mother. Can't I have a break from hunting?" he implored, hoping to get out of it this time.

"NOW!" she yelled.

"Please, can't I rest? I've already gone hunting last night." he inquired.

"No, it's time to go!" she replied.

"Yes, Your Highness." he said snarkily.

"You need to learn some manners Ptero. Your father would be most unhappy with you if he saw you now." She grabbed him. Though quite good at catching prey, Ptero hated hunting. But Agatha wouldn't be turned down. She moved him out of the nest by force. He tried to pull away, but her grip was too strong. He thought longingly of his father, wondering why he had to die and wishing that he too were dead.