Freeing and Bringing Back
#64 of Out of the Shadows: AnthroLover's Version
Here is part 64, for all my readers. Enjoy.
The big group was now walking around the land. Both leaf-eaters and sharpteeth walked side by side, following Littlefoot and Chomper. Who in turn were following the members of the order, who were being lead by Balcan.
The group was kinda awkward. The sharpteeth were still thinking strange of this sudden change of their General. The leaf-eaters had an eye for the sharpteeth, in case of them trying anything. Yu and Sandstorm gave glares to Red and Jackel each chance they got, still thinking that maybe trusting Chomper was a bad idea, and the sickleclaws gave back the looks with same ferocity. The alimons simple eyed Garick with mistrust as the "X" marked alimon walked forward with the jade fast runner by his side.
Chomper and Littlefoot tried to keep the pace. Chomper even took forward and reached Salen. He then asked the jade sickleclaw "How long have your order existed?" Salen turned to him, surprised by the big sharptooth suddenly becoming interested. He turned back forward and said "Well, even we don't know exactly. But our stories tell that the order was first created a few generations after the seven brothers. Though many think it might be just rumors."
Chomper nodded and asked again "And is truth that leaf-eaters and sharpteeth live in peace in your valley? As friends?" Salen turned to him again. In his question he saw some sincere interest. He could only smile at the former evil General. He answered "Since we can remember there was peaceful relationships between species in our valley. It was difficult to do it, but it has been peaceful since long ago, according to my grandfather, though that were still being inhabitants that wanted to make things difficult." He finished with a bitter tone.
Chomper nodded. "And is truth that there are many members of the order?" Salen eyed him "You're making many questions now, you know?" "Normally I did few; when I was going to have my next meal and when I was going to get my revenge." Chomper recognized with shame. Salen gave him a sympathetic look, and then answered "Many of our valley are effective members of the order. Of course, most are their familiars and friends. The spirits don't choose anyone to receive the amulets and held the spirit's blessing."
Chomper nodded. "And where are the other members?"
"There are some here in the Great Valley. We divided in teams, as Balcan told us to do. Others are on the way to the Great Valley, and will meet us in the meeting rock, were the council of the Great Valley meets. And there is even one team in Fortress Valley."
Chomper was taken back by this "In Fortress Valley!?" Salen only nodded "We had to send someone to rescue the leaf-eaters that were prisoners in there."
Well, that Chomper understood. But he was still worried about the members "And they will be fine?" Salen smiled at him "Did you saw what the members of the order can do?" Chomper remained silence, and Salen continued "They can take care of themselves. They will be here soon enough."
Back in Fortress Valley, inside a large cave, sealed shut with a great rock, there were many leaf eaters, from all species and ages. From elders to you hatchlings. They all seemed sad. For long they have been prisoners in there, knowing that sooner or later they would be sacrified as food. Many had long abandoned hope of being free. Many only waited for the end to came over them. They knew that were no hope of ever escaping alive.
Or so they thought.
They heard a rumbling noise. A noise they knew and often feared. The entrance of the cave was being opened. This could only meant that the sharpteeth were going to take some of them to be eaten in the Feeding Area. They retreated and pressed against the opposite wall. The children started to cry, to be comforted by the oldest. No one was daring to fight, for they knew it would only make things more difficult. They expected big sharptooth to be on the other side. But they were surprised.
What moved the boulder was indeed a relatively small dino. It was a domehead, one strange with a metallic color and shine, with a belt with the symbol of the Order of Leaf and Claw in his waist.
The leaf-eaters were amazed as the small dino could lift the great rock over his head, and then thrown it aside. He then looked at then and said with a metallic voice "Hi, I'm Tim, and came here with my friends to save you." As soon as he spoke those words, a sickleclaw appeared on his side. The leaf eaters backed away, but Tim assured him "Don't be afraid, this is Bruce, one of my friends."
The sickleclaw waved at them, who only stared in fear at him. Soon another dinos appeared; the crestless swimmer, Lena and Denise. The crestless swimmer, Izzie, was carrying the unconscious sharpteeth fliers in his arms.
The others just stared at them. Lena stepped forward. The childs recoiled in fear, afraid that the strange dinosaur might did something for them. Lena looked at them sympathetic, and then waved her hands to them. The children them stopped felling fear and sadness, those feelings were replaced with a feeling of comfort and slight happiness. The children then smiled weakly, and this made Lena smile too.
This was soon cut out by a booming voice that said in sharptooth "What is this?" It was a great bonecrusher sharptooth, with the company of three flyer sharpteeth. The order then took fighting poses. "Kill then!" roared the great sharptooth, and then the flyers attacked.
One tried to attack Bruce, but soon as he reached the sickleclaw, the same's body turned into black smoke. The flyer feel to the ground, coughing as the smoke reformed into Bruces body and he turned to face the flyer. He then raised his hand and a burst of fire came of it, knocking the flyer back and out.
The others went to Denise. She only stared back at them and a wall of stone appeared in front of her. The flyers were startled by this, one was able to dodge, but the other went straight to the wall. Instead of hitting it, he passed through the wall like it didn't existed. He missed Denise and was meet by a punch in the face from Tim, that made a few of his teeth fall off.
The flyer watch astonished, but soon he recovered and went to Lena, she narrowed her eyes at the flyer, and then suddenly his heart was taken by an incredible feeling of fear. He stopped in his tracks and was about to fly out, but Bruce turned into smoke and flew to him, and them materialized again to kick him in the face, making him go unconscious.
The bonecrusher roared in fury, and then charged to them. Lena took the first line and stared directly at the sharptooth. Suddenly the bonecrusher was assaulted by a feeling. A feeling of extreme sadness. At first he tried to sake it off, but Lena narrowed her eyes, and the feeling became more powerful. The sharptooth soon was starting to cry.
The leaf-eaters were shocked. One of the cruel and heartless sharpteeth was now crying like a child?
The sharptooth steps were starting to be dragged. Soon the sadness was just too much for him. He knelt in the ground and laid down there, crying his eyes out. He didn't cared that he was suppose to be cruel and inflexible as he learned in his youth, nor he cared what the others would think, he was far too sad to care. Bruce then turns into smoke again and flies to the sharptooth. He enters his nose and mouth, and soon the sharptooth starts choking, in less than one minute he falls unconscious, and the smoke came out by his mouth, allowing him to breathe pure air again, and then reforms into the sickleclaw.
Tim then turned back at the leaf-eaters, who were staring in awe at them, he then said "Come on, we gotta get out of here."
Back at the Great Valley, the group was still walking, they passed by the places and features. The group was very awkward. Ali and Ducky were looking to the sharpteeth, afraid. Loc, among others, were whispering among them, questioning if they really should simply change their ways so suddenly, he too was confused by this sudden change in their General behavior. Blueye and Sylvia were walking close to Chomper, once again Blueye had not noticed her daughter's expressions, that seemed very much relivied.
Chomper and Littlefoot were too side by side and awkward to one another. They gave one another glances when they got the chance. Littlefoot was unsure of what to think or say about this sudden change of Chomper. Part of him was still telling that the sharptooth may be lying. But, the truth was that part of him wanted to believe that he could be his friend again. Chomper was far too ashamed of his actions. He felt guilty for them, and didn't knew what to say to Littlefoot right now.
They both noticed that the group in front came to a stop. Soon the rest of the group was able to stop and see what was in front of them.
It was the body of a grey runner. Hyp's body to be more exact. His body was not in good shape. It was possible to see in some parts of his body were eaten away by maggots and death-teeth (sorry, don't remember how vultures were called at the beginning) allowing to see his organs and bones, but it was still possible to say that it was him, his face was almost untouched, and was still possible to see his black expression and the slice in his neck that caused his death.
Not too far from the runners body it was possible to see what was left from, for what was possible to say, the corpses of his friends, Mutt and Nod. Both in very much the same conditions of the runner.
Some of the leaf-eaters had problems to hold their stomachs. And even some of the sharpteeth flinched at those tainted images by the time and decomposition.
The members of the order could do nothing but have a moment of silence for those poor souls. Only Balcan wasn't all down because of this. Because he knew what was going to come now.
Sylvia don't paid any much attention for the ones around her. She was too busy staring at Hyp's corpse. She didn't knew what was up to that runner since she saw him. First she had those strange feelings when she first looked eyes with him, and he just stared at her. Then when she saw him being tackled by her mother, she first thought was to went to him, to save him, which surprised even her. Then when his frantic hand grabbed her clawed hand, she felt like a sudden electric bolt like sensation through it. And then, when he lay there dead, she felt a strange feeling of sadness, a strange pain in her chest, and she felt this again each time she remembered him.
And now, that she was facing his body again, this feeling was arising again. She slowly walked, passing by the ones in her way, including her mother and the members of the order, all who stared at her as she slowly walked to the corpse.
Some thought that maybe she was going to have a bite of the flesh, though even many sharpteeth would avoid eating something that was dead for that long and tainted by so many maggots. But Sylvia only walked to the corpse and just stood there staring at it. She then felt a tear escape her eye.
What was that? Why was she crying? She had always been the most hardcore of the sickleclaw in Fortress Valley! Why now she was like that in front of everyone? Why this runner made she feel vulnerable?
She didn't had time to think more about it, as her attention,along with the group's, was called by the sound of something running up to them. They turned to see an egg stealer of light-grey color and light brown eyes with a ring with the symbol of the order in his hand.
"Jim?" asked Salen, he knew that the egg stealer had been sent along with other teams to different parts of the valley, he didn't knew exactly why, but Balcan had said it was important. And now the young egg stealer was running to the corpses in there.
Jim reached out for the body of Mutt, winch was now in front of him, and touched it. His ring shone bright, startling the viewers that saw it from far. Soon the damage done in the body was all gone, and the bignose woke up in a startle. Looking around frantically at all sides, trying to understand what happened. The last thing he remembered was the sharptooth, and then... But now he was there, with an egg stealer close to him. He got up and heard many gasps. He turned around to see many dinosaurs, leaf eaters and sharpteeth, staring at him with shock.
And the dinos were in fact shocked. They had just saw a dead raising back to life! Littlefoot and Chomper were both shocked, along with all others. Even the members of the order were shocked. Only Balcan was not, due to him already knowing this.
Jimmy then ran up the small hill. He then reached out for Nod's body and healed him, making him open his eyes in very much the same way as Mutt. The bignose was surprised, and why don't say happy, to see his friend back to life. Then Jim ran again and went straight to Hyp's body.
Mutt and Nod followed, and in the way came face to face with Loc, who was staring at them with wide eyes. They both took fighting poses at the sharptooth, who stared a few more at them, then his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell in the ground fainted. Mutt and Nod blinked at him, and noticed that the others too were staring at them.
Jim then arrived in front of Hyp's remains, facing Sylvia, who stared at him with wide eyes. He then reached his hand and touched the body. Soon the body started to heal. The damage done by other sharpteeth who sneaked a bite and the damage done by vultures and maggots soon started to disappear. As soon as they disappeared, the cut in the throat started to close. Then the light returned to his eyes.
Hyp then screamed, having his fists frantically, almost hitting Jim and making him and Sylvia back away. Sylvia looked perplex at the former corpse, she felt shock, but yet, she felt a strange feeling in her stomach, she didn't knew what exactly it was.
Hyp looked around, he then spotted many sharpteeth staring at him wide-eyed, some with jaws dropped. He turned ready to fight, and his eyes meet Sylvia's. He remembered the sickleclaw when he saw her, the way she made him feel, and it was starting again: the sweat, the feeling in his stomach, and Sylvia was very much in the same way. Both wondering what was going on.
Salen was speechless "W-w-w-what...? How...?" Balcan said "Remember that the spirits could do miracles when it was a special occasion?" The others all stared at him "Well, this is one of that occasions. There was not the time for them to die. It wasn't the time of anyone by the way." Salen just stared at the old rainbow face, not knowing what to say.
Then they heard a voice "Hey, guys!". It was Heater. The sickleclaw ran to them "Did you saw that?" she asked animated. Mutt and Nod turned to her and took fighting poses. Hyp's only kept staring at Sylvia's eyes, like he hadn't even noticed. Soon everyone perceives that she is being followed by many other dinos, a familiar voice calls out "Littlefoot!"
The longneck's heart skip a beat. No, this couldn't be. Or could? "Cera?" He sees the threehorn, healthy and proud running in his direction, At her side is running Spike, and above then, among other flyers, are Petrie and Pterano. He was stunned but recovered and smiled saying "Guys!" he ran to meet with then. Ducky too sees it, and says "Spike!?" Not believing her own eyes, and running to the meet him too.
They all meet in the middle way. Cera nudging Littlefoot, at the same time Ducky hugs her brother and friend. Both the longneck and the swimmer had tears in their eyes, both wishing that when they open it they didn't discover that was all a dream. Soon their friends broke their embrace, and the three former dead looked over to see Chomper.
The sharptooth was staring wide-eyed at them. His heart and mind racing. Part of him felt good and relived for seeing his friends alive again. But the dinos were not happy to see him. Petrie and Spike remembered all the General had done, and shared this information with Cera, who was even more affected by the information that he killed both her and her all adopted angry expression, and they all charged for the horned sharptooth.
Chomper gave one step back scared. They were coming straight to him when Littlefoot and Ducky put in the way. The three were confused "Why you protect him?" asked Spike.
"He only bring problem and pain." said Petrie.
"He deserves to die for all he have done." Said Cera.
Chomper lowered his head in shame. Rex then stepped forward "It was not his fault."
"Like you could talk." said Petrie "You betrayed us too." And this time Littlefoot intervened "They both were being controled."
The others stared at Littlefoot, then he continued "Well, it is kinda hard to explain."
"We can do it in the way" said Balcan "Now we gotta go."
"Agree." said Heater, and then Nod stepped forward and said "Ha, like we will trust someone who is friends with sharpteeth." Heater turned to him. "Are you saying that you don't trust me?"
"This is exactly what I'm saying." was Nod's aggressive answer "I'll not trust in a sharptooth, and Hyp too, right?" he finished turning to Hyp. But he had no answer, the runner was still staring at the sickleclaw in front of him, like nothing else existed.
Heater looked at him defiant "Wanna put a fight?" In this moment one of the leaf-eaters that was following her said "You better not buddy, believe me." Nod ignored and said "Show me what you've got." He then took a fighting pose. Heater stared in his eyes, and her eyes shone. Nod's eyes widened as a strange feeling ran into his body. Almost immediately, his body all stopped, his blood and heart stopped in its tracks. And then his body started to harden and became rock like. Soon his whole body had turned into solid rock.
Many gasped at the sight of the shieldback turning into stone, Mutt cried in shock "NOD!" this made Hyp snap out of it and look at his friend, and he gasped along with the others. Littlefoot, Ducky and Chomper were shocked too. Littlefoot and Ducky remembered then what had happened in the cave.
Heater slowly walked to the dino and patted his head, then Balcan said "Okay Heater, you had fun, now turn him back." The sickleclaw nodded and stared into the eyes of the petrified dino. Soon his body started to turn back from stone to flesh and retrieved his movement.
Nod saw the sickleclaw in front of his face, and then cried and backed away. "What!?" Once again everyone gasped, Mutt and Hyp ran to him "Nod! Are you alright, buddy?"
The nodosaurus looked at his friends and said "Yeah, why?"
"Dude, you was turned into a rock!" said Mutt, making Nod look confuse at him "I was? When?" They stared at him, and Heater chuckled. "It's okay, it is normal to don't remember."
Spike nodded without noticing. He indeed don't remembered when the stoneglare, according to Petrie's declarations, turned him into stone. And when she turned a bonecrusher sharptooth who was brought back into stone and back, he seemed to not notice that he had been stone. His thoughts were interrupted by Balcan's voice
"Well, we have enough for now." everyone turned to him "We are still needing to go to the meeting rock, we can put you in pair of everything in the way, and we can explain to the others who will find us there." He said as he walked by. Many of the dinos shared looks. Some where confused, some shocked, but all of them surely started following the rainbow face, wanting answers.