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CHAPTER FIFTEEN: PTERO PLOTS REVENGE
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Ptero snuck around, trying not to attract attention. He noticed a few Iguanodon children wandering around. Ptero hid behind a large reddish orange boulder that blocked him completely from sight, but, due to the angle he was at, allowed him to spy on them perfectly. He sharpened his talons on the boulder.
“Let’s go to the Thundering Falls.” said one of them.
“Ok. Let’s race.” said the younger one to his older sister.
“Last one there is a rotten egg!” said the older sister, taking off. The younger brother followed. The older sister was able to get ahead. The boy tried to move faster. Ptero silently followed, his red eyes glaring with anger, planning to extract revenge personally, which he felt was long overdue, for his father’s death.
The young boy tripped. “Ouch!” said the boy. He had hurt himself.
“Well, well. A little Flattooth all alone. So delicious!” said Ptero.
The Iguanodon looked around. Ptero, who recalled his mother’s advice that it was best to not let your meal see you, and, being known to the Great Valley residents, this was an especially good idea, snuck away in time. The young Leaf Eater looked around in a panic.
Ptero didn’t want to make a scene, and knew that attacking the kid outright would likely draw attention to himself, especially if he could be seen. If he stayed out of sight, he could always take off out of the Great Valley if the grownups showed up.
He decided to scare the kid. He would use fear to weaken the kid’s defenses so that the kid wouldn’t fight back and would surrender, just like he’d done with the Tickly Fuzzy. Then he’d have his first ever Flattooth meal that he got for himself.
Ptero let out a Sharp Beak hunting cry, still hidden. KAW-TAW-RAHHH-RANNNH-RARRRR! “Sharp Beak, I’m going to die!” yelled the Leaf Eater in a fright. He took off at the speed of a Chicago career politician being confronted with the truth.
“Hmmm, breakfast to go. I didn’t order that.” commented Ptero, taking to the air after the kid, planning to kill.
Meanwhile, Littlefoot and his friends were standing on each other’s shoulders trying to get a bunch of Tree Sweets in a tree. Spike, who was at the bottom, noticed a yummy green plant growing on the ground and moved toward it to go eat it. The others started to wobble.
“Spike no!” yelled Cera.
Spike kept moving toward it. The others were really teetering.
“Spike, that’s really not a good idea. Wait till we are…” said Littlefoot nervously.
Spike went to the food and started eating it. The others toppled. Ducky and Petrie went flying and crashed into a hive of Stinging Buzzers, sending it flying through the air and out of sight.
Ducky landed next to Spike. She whacked him. “Spike, you thinkded with your stomach again! You did! You did!” she snapped. Spike smiled, trying to act innocent.
Ptero, meanwhile, was near the poor Flattooth, who still didn’t know Ptero was near, for Ptero kept moving to avoid being seen. Suddenly, the hive of Stinging Buzzers went flying at Ptero. Ptero moved aside as they charged at him. He killed some, got stung by a few, and was able to kick the hive flying away from him and out of sight. “Mmmm, Stinging Buzzers. Spicy!” Ptero commented, eating some of them.
Meanwhile, Topps was talking to Tria. “Lovely day, isn’t it dear?” he asked.
“Yes, Topsy, I think…” she replied pleasantly. She saw the hive coming “Oh no!” she cried.
“What, did something happ…” asked Topps in concern. SMACK! The hive hit him and he got stung many times. “Yow! Yow! Yow! Yow!” he yelled, stomping on the hive. He eventually was able to crush it. He’d gotten honey all over his legs. “Mmmm, Stinging Buzzer Juice.” said Topps, licking the honey off of his feet. Tria shook her head.
Ptero, meanwhile, had lost the Flattooth due to the flying hive incident. He was just about to go and try and look for the Flattooth again. However, before he could, Petrie came by.
“Me hear that there a talking Sharp Beak nearby.” said Petrie.
Ptero was really nervous. Had he been found out? “Er, I didn’t see one.” Ptero lied.
“Perhaps he mistaken.” suggested Petrie.
“Yeah, I don’t imagine that Talking Sharp Beaks are a regular occurrence around here.” replied Ptero, masking his guilt. “Young kids can sometimes have such wild imaginations.”
Ptero went back with Petrie, for it was clear that his plans had failed. Perhaps he’d try again later.
“Do nests of Stinging Buzzers normally come sailing through the air around here, or just every once in a while?” Ptero asked.
Petrie turned red. “Me sorry about that. We try to get Tree Sweets and we have little accident.” said Petrie.
“No big deal.” said Ptero calmly. He and Petrie returned to Petrie’s nest.
Ptero noticed Petrie’s snuggling stick. “What is that for?” he asked.
“That belong to me Father. He give it to me Mom but he never make it back.” said Petrie. Petrie shed a tear.
“I wish my Father had given me something to remember him by.” commented Ptero sadly.
“Me Father never get to see me fly.” said Petrie sadly.
“Mine didn’t either.” said Ptero.
The two were silent for a while. Finally, Ptero said “Petrie, Mother never really let me out much before. I’ve never gotten to have friends before. I see we have a lot in common. Er, could we be friends?” asked Ptero nervously.
“Me’d like that.” said Petrie, smiling. Ptero smiled too. His first friend ever was a Flattooth, yet, he liked this one.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: SHARP BEAKS IN THE GREAT VALLEY
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Luckily, nobody seemed to think much of the story of the talking Sharp Beak in the Great Valley. The kid had, apparently, told some fibs before. Ptero was relieved about this.
Ptero was with Petrie and the others in his family the next morning. They were in his nest. He was about to ask Pterano about himself when they heard somebody coming.
Petrie’s sibling Pip came flying to them. “What matter Pip?” Petrie asked.
“Petrie, there are Sharp Beaks flying around again!” said Pip in alarm.
“Oh, those accursed things. Guess we’ll have to call a meeting.” said Mama Flyer.
Ptero trembled. “What’s a matter?” asked Mama Flyer.
“I don’t want them to find me.” he said nervously.
“Don’t worry dear, you’ll be safe with us.” said Pterano.
“They chased me two days ago. All day.” said Ptero.
“Poor dear!” said Phyra in alarm.
“Don’t worry, we safe together.” said Petrie.
Ptero came out nervously. However, he decided that he needed a disguise. So he went and put a red Tree Star and a regular Tree Star on as a sort of cape. He then went to the meeting.
“Why you wear weird disguise?” asked Petrie.
“To hide from the Sharp Beaks.” replied Ptero.
“Sharp Beaks have good eyes. One find me even though me hide in trees. You need better disguise than that if they after you.” said Petrie.
Ptero was still nervous. If Agatha’s pack spotted him, they’d take him away, and he’d not get a Tree Star again. His stomach growled. He wanted to eat the Tree Stars that he was wearing, but he needed them.
He halted, letting Petrie fly past him. He went and jumped into mud. He attached more Tree Stars to it, which stuck to the mud. He now was behind Cera, though she was too busy focusing on other things to notice him too much.
He spotted some Ground Crawlers, picked them up, and put them in his mouth and hungrily ate them. He went behind Cera. He still felt a bit hungry. Perhaps it was something he had inherited from his mother that made him do it, but…SNAP! He bit her on the tail.
Cera turned around to glare. He had moved away many feet luckily. “What was that?!” she said angrily.
“Biting Buzzers.” replied Ptero innocently.
“Stupid things!” Cera grumbled.
Cera appeared to have fallen for his lie. Ptero felt relieved. That was too close.
He arrived at the meeting. “I think there is no huge cause for alarm.” said Grandpa Longneck.
“But the kids! What if one of those things gets near them?” asked Mama Swimmer.
“Not to worry Saru, we will watch them. No kid will be unattended until the danger is passed.” answered Grandma Longneck.
The adults eventually agreed on this move. Ptero sighed. It meant that all the kids, including himself, would be watched closely until the Sharp Beaks left.
“I wish we could play, but the grownups are keeping such an eye on us, that it seems hard.” grumbled Littlefoot.
Ptero wanted to play with the Flatteeth. He wanted to see what they were really like. If they were bad…then, he’d be alone and could deal with them.
Ptero snuck away from the others. He went into a tree. He let out a Sharp Beak growl.
“Sharp Beak!” yelled Mama Flyer. She and Pterano went toward the tree. Ptero, alarmed, moved away. He lost his balance, tumbled downward headfirst, falling out of the tree. He was falling, spinning. He stopped.
Mama Flyer had caught him. “Ptero, where is it?” asked Mama Flyer.
Ptero said nothing. The Flattooth had saved his life. “You saved me.” he finally said.
“I wasn’t going to let you become splattered on the ground.” said Mama Flyer.
“Now, where is the Sharp Beak? Surely you saw it.” asked Pterano.
“That way.” lied Ptero, pointing away to the south. Pterano and Mama Flyer, followed by Mama and Papa Swimmer, went off after the fake Sharp Beak.
Grandpa and Grandma Longneck were still with them. Littlefoot was still bored. Ptero decided to have another go. He started to move away.
“Where are you going small one?” asked Grandpa Longneck.
“I…er…hafta wee wee.” lied Ptero, hopping up and down. Grandpa Longneck nodded. Ptero went off into the bushes. Once deep enough in, he let out another Sharp Beak sound.
“Where is it?” asked Grandpa Longneck.
“That way.” lied Ptero, pointing to the west. Grandpa Longneck left. Grandma Longneck wanted to follow.
“We’ll be fine. We’re not little after all.” said Ptero.
“Well, I guess so. Just call if you need us.” said Grandma Longneck. She too left.
“Wow, we can play now. Those pesky Sharp Beaks sure were handy.” said Littlefoot. “I hope they’re gone though.”
“They are. They were fakes.” laughed Ptero.
“Fakes?” said Cera.
Ptero let out a Sharp Beak sound. “Good, eh?” he said.
“That sounded like a real Sharp Beak. It did! It did!” said Ducky, giggling.
“You good faker.” said Petrie.
“Come on, let’s play!” said Littlefoot.
They played Stop the Seed. Ptero was glad that he could have fun in his life for the first time since he was a small boy. He found it ironic that he was having fun, not with Sharpteeth, but with the evil Flatteeth. But were they evil?
Ptero’s team won. They all went to bed exhausted. The Sharp Beaks had left. Ptero feared they might come back. But they had left for now. Agatha must have gone elsewhere to look for him.
Ptero went to bed with the Leaf Eaters. Mama Flyer had saved him. He found that he couldn’t hate her. She had saved him when he would have watched her die without batting an eyelash had he met her only a day or two earlier. He felt guilt for his hatred of Leaf Eaters. They couldn’t all be bad.
But there were bad ones out there. Maybe these just happened to be nice ones. He wasn’t sure what to think anymore. He knew, though, that Mama Flyer seemed a far better mother than his own and wished that, Flattooth though she was, that she was his mother instead. He went to sleep, eager to play with his new friends again the next day.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: LITTLEFOOT’S NEW FRIEND
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Littlefoot had a new friend. He was always glad to make new friends. That was just who he was. He went to go explore the Great Valley with Ptero, who wanted to look around more. Ptero loved playing around in the Thundering Falls. Littlefoot sensed that something was troubling Ptero. “What’s bothering you my friend?” Littlefoot asked.
“My Father.” said Ptero.
“You miss him, don’t you?” said Littlefoot.
Ptero nodded. He started to cry. He didn’t want to get emotional around a Flattooth.
“Did you see it happen?” Littlefoot asked.
Ptero shook his head. “Didn’t see it happen. Mom did though.” said Ptero.
“I saw my Mother die. I couldn’t save her. It still bothers me, even now.” said Littlefoot.
“She wasn’t murdered was she?” asked Ptero.
“No.” answered Littlefoot.
Ptero, after a long pause, said “My Dad was.”
Littlefoot gasped. “What happened?” Littlefoot asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” replied Ptero. Especially with a Flattooth. he thought.
Littlefoot felt sorry for poor Ptero. He couldn’t blame him for not wanting to bring it up. He himself barely brought up his own mother’s death because of how sad it made him.
“He loved you, though, didn’t he?” Littlefoot asked.
“He loved me very much. His last words were about me.” said Ptero.
“That is odd.” said Ptero.
“What is odd?” asked Littlefoot.
“He was murdered, yet he mentioned me last. You’d think he’d have shouted out the name of his attackers.” said Ptero.
“Maybe he wanted you to help.” said Littlefoot.
“I don’t see how I could have helped. I don’t know whoever killed him.” said Ptero.
“Did you ever catch them?” asked Littlefoot.
No, but if I ever do, they are going to wish they’d never been born! Ptero thought angrily.
“Unlike your mother’s killer, my Dad’s killers are still free, off to do more wicked things.” said Ptero.
“When did it happen?” Littlefoot asked.
“When I was really young. I went to go try and save him. It was when I first learned to fly.” said Ptero. “In fact, my coming to him was the REASON I got flying down finally.” said Ptero.
“Ptero, if there is anything I can do to make you feel better, please let me know.” said Littlefoot.
“No, that’s ok. I don’t see how you could.” said Ptero. “And Littlefoot…” Ptero added.
“Yes Ptero.” replied Littlefoot.
“Please don’t mention this to the others. I don’t want it brought up and everyone asking me about Dad’s death.” said Ptero.
“But the others could help you. Some of them have lost…” said Littlefoot.
“I want your promise Littlefoot.” Ptero interrupted.
“I promise.” said Littlefoot. It was a promise he planned to keep.
Littlefoot and Ptero came to Petrie. He was with his siblings. They were going up, trying to fly through the clouds. Petrie didn’t like going through the Sky Puffies, as he sometimes got wet. However, they were practicing flying. They had completed the Great Day of the Flyers, but there were still other things that one had to do, especially if one wanted to be a Flyer leader. Petrie hoped to get that spot. However, his panickyness didn’t help matters.
The wind picked up. Petrie was nervous. “Me no sure about this.” said Petrie.
“I’m going to help him.” said Ptero to Littlefoot.
Ptero took off toward Petrie. “Petrie, come with me.” said Ptero.
“Me nervous. Me no like going through Sky Puffies.” said Petrie.
“You need to face your fears. I’ll go with you.” said Ptero.
“Me no sure about this.” said Petrie.
The wind continued to pick up. Petrie was even more nervous. “Just give it heart. That’s all you can do. My Father taught me that.” said Ptero.
Incredibly, Petrie agreed to go with Ptero. The wind was blowing quite hard now. However, Petrie kept going, though very nervous. Ptero, however, was fearless.
“Come on Petrie. Just follow me.” said Ptero reassuringly. Petrie flapped after him. Petrie seemed likely to get off course. Ptero dove, making some incredible flips midair. He’d had plenty of practice changing course rapidly while hunting. This was easy for him. He caught Petrie. He moved him up. “You need to finish what you started.” said Ptero.
Petrie flew through the Sky Puffies, following Ptero. They both went through. They landed, wet, but glad. “Told you that you could do it.” said Ptero. Petrie’s siblings cheered him on.
“You’re quite an impressive Flyer.” said a voice. It was Cera.
“I learned from my Mother and my Father.” said Ptero.
“That was incredible. It was. It was. You were a big help to Petrie. Yep, yep, yep, you were.” said Ducky.
Spike nodded and then reached out and hugged Ptero. Ptero felt glad to have friends. He’d never enjoyed life like this since before Sydo had died. However, he was starting to feel hungry. And not for green. What his mother had filled his head with hadn’t gone away so easily. He still wondered if the Flatteeth could be trusted. They might be nasty liars. He had to check the Great Valley. Littlefoot and his friends might be good, but there could easily be wicked Leaf Eaters, including, for all he knew, his father’s killers, residing here.
Right now though, Ptero needed meat, for he craved it. “I…er…need to pee.” lied Ptero. He took off. He went to a secluded spot near water, dove into the river, pulled out a fish, and hungrily ate it. He didn’t like this, but Agatha had started to put it into him. He just hoped that he didn’t snap one day and hurt Littlefoot.
Ptero came back. “Sorry, had to answer the call of nature.” Ptero lied. “I’m back now.” he said. He played for the rest of the day. He was enjoying being liked. The pack liked him, to be sure, but Agatha wanted them to fear him more than she wanted them to just like him. He had never liked that. This kind of being liked here, he liked better. He went to sleep with the Flyers. He felt more at home here than he had at home since he was a boy.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: PETRIE DISCOVERS PTERO’S SECRET
Petrie woke up in the middle of the night that night. He thought he heard someone crying. He went to go investigate. Much to his shock, it was Ptero. More to his shock, Ptero was eating something he hadn’t thought a Leaf Eater could, Ground Crawlers. Petrie blinked. It couldn’t be! “Ptero a Sharptooth!” he gasped before he could stop himself. Ptero heard this. Suddenly, he saw Ptero’s red eyes turn his direction. He wondered if he should flee back to his nest, which, unfortunately, was some distance away. Could he make it?
He tried to flap away, but Ptero moved at him, zooming very fast. He knocked Petrie over. Petrie looked at him, his black eyes widening in fright. “Please no eat Petrie!” he begged.
Ptero grabbed him, held his mouth shut, for he didn’t want Petrie getting the others, and took off with him. Ptero took him over the Great Wall and off into the Mysterious Beyond.
Petrie’s heart pounded. Ptero was a Sharptooth. He’d trusted him. He felt so betrayed. It seemed Ptero was going to finish him in secret so that he couldn’t tell.
Ptero was wondering what to do as well. Petrie was his friend, but, on the other hand, if Petrie blabbed, he’d have to leave, and he kind of liked the Great Valley. However, if he killed Petrie now, and got back unnoticed, he could pretend that Petrie went off and fell victim to the Sharp Beaks in his pack. There were enough around that the theory sounded plausible.
But, on the other hand, he had few friends in the world. Could he kill Petrie just for the sake of keeping him quiet? But then again, Petrie was a Flattooth. He had always hated Flatteeth and knew that, prior to coming to the Great Valley, he’d never have hesitated to kill one before, even a child. Now was his chance to do what he’d waited many cold times to do! If he killed Petrie, he could bring the body to his pack and his mother would be so pleased. Now she couldn’t say that he couldn’t handle it anymore. She’d have to admit that he could handle himself. This could mean more freedom.
But, on the other hand, he liked Petrie’s mom. She’d already lost her mate. To act now would be taking her son too. He’d be breaking her heart. And she had saved his life too. He would be dead now had it not been for her. He decided to think it over.
Ptero landed on one of the Smoking Mountains. He moved to the other side of the mountain that he had landed on, making sure to stay out of sight of the Great Valley. Now, he could deal with Petrie and nobody would be the wiser.
Petrie, meanwhile, continued to shake. He wondered if he would soon be seeing his father Don again. Don would have wanted his son to live past the Time of Great Growing and to have a family of his own. Did Ptero care? “Let Petrie go!” whined Petrie, squirming. “Why you kidnap Petrie?”
“I think you know the answer to that, Flattooth.” Ptero replied calmly yet dangerously.
Ptero held Petrie down. Petrie squirmed, but Ptero was too strong for him. Ptero’s red eyes stared into Petrie’s black ones.
“You no plan to eat Petrie, do you?” Petrie asked, trembling.
Ptero thought it over. Petrie was a liability. He raised his talons, preparing to silence the Flyer. Petrie whimpered and shut his eyes. “Oh, me done for!” he cried in despair. Ptero paused. Yes, Petrie could blab, but, Petrie was his friend. He really hadn’t had friends until lately. His mother had seen to that.
Ptero might have done it, as his hatred for Flatteeth and fear of Petrie blabbing were stronger than his friendship for Petrie. However, right before he struck Petrie, he recalled what Littlefoot had said about the death of the Sharptooth who had killed his mother. Yes, he was a monster. However, I wasn’t going to let my hatred of him turn me into a monster too. Ptero didn’t want to become what he despised in the Flatteeth that had killed his father. He couldn’t kill his friend Petrie just because Petrie knew that he was a Sharptooth and because Petrie was a Flattooth.
“No.” Ptero finally replied, moving his talons away from Petrie. Petrie sighed in relief and opened his eyes. “But we need to talk. You know I’m a Sharp Beak.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN: THE FLYER AND THE SHARP BEAK
“What you want talk about? Why you come to Great Valley? Did you plan to eat us?” Petrie asked, still skeptical of Ptero.
“No, I left my Mother. She kept making me hunt things. I’m not fond of that.” Ptero replied. Petrie was confused about this.
“Mother never lets me be me. She always runs my life. I had to get away.” Ptero continued. “I’m never good enough. I’ve always got to improve. I never got to play with the other children.”
“That why you cry?” asked Petrie. Ptero nodded.
“Me no know that Sharpteeth could cry.” Petrie said.
“Yes, we most certainly can.” replied Ptero.
“That pack looking for you?” Petrie asked. Ptero again nodded.
“Yes, Mother is extremely protective of me. She is the leader of that pack and expects me to be the new leader after her. My Dad was killed by Flatteeth because he was a Sharptooth. Mother says that I must be a great Sharp Beak King or I’ll let Dad down.” Ptero answered.
“That awful. Me know what it like to lose a dad.” Petrie said.
“I just want to be Ptero, but my mother wants me to be the Sharp Beak King. Every time I question her, it’s ‘Listen to mother!’ and ‘Don’t let your dad down!’. I never got to have fun.” Ptero lamented.
“Me here if you need to talk.” said Petrie.
“Thanks.” said Ptero.
♪Sometimes you no know what to do.
You know that you just want to be you.
To yourself you want to be true. ♪ sang Petrie.
♪I just want to be me.
What that is I don’t quite know exactly.
I wish Mother could see.
I wish she’d stop trying to control my destiny. ♪ sang Ptero.
♪When all you do is not enough.
When they make your life rough.
You realize that in end.
You are you own greatest friend. ♪ sang Petrie.
♪Oh wonderful horizons could spread out in front of me.
If only myself I were allowed to be.
I just want to be happy.
I just want to be free. ♪ sang Ptero.
♪Every expectation set before you feel like a pain.
All they expect of you is like big heavy chain. ♪ sang Petrie.
♪I just want to be me.
I just want to be free. ♪ sang Ptero.
♪You just need to be you. ♪ they both sang, finishing the song.
A short time after they finished singing, they heard a noise. “What that?” asked Petrie.
Ptero looked. With his great eyesight, he could see a bunch of flying figures getting nearer and nearer.
He realized with horror that it was his pack. Ptero grabbed Petrie and pulled him into a small hole in the side of the mountain.
“What you….?” asked Petrie in alarm, who didn’t yet realize the danger. Ptero grabbed Petrie’s mouth and held it shut.
“It’s my pack. Put this on us! Quick!” said Ptero. He grabbed leaves, which had been nearby, and threw them over himself and Petrie.
Agatha came nearby with her pack. “Who that?” Petrie whispered.
“My mother.” Ptero silently replied.
I thought I heard something. said Agatha to her second-in-command, Phil, a grey Ichthyornis with yellow eyes.
I don’t see anything. Perhaps it was just the wind. Phil replied.
It might be Ptero. We still haven’t found him. said Agatha.
The two searched and Ptero and Petrie were nervous, hoping that they wouldn’t be found.
There’s nothing here. said Phil, looking into the crevice and spotting the leaves, not realizing that Petrie and Ptero were behind them. The two Sharp Beaks left.
“That close!” said Petrie, wiping sweat from his forehead in relief.
“I’ll say.” said Ptero.
The two decided that they could trust each other. Petrie thought that Ptero didn’t seem like an evil Sharp Beak and Pero decided that Petrie didn’t seem like an evil Flattooth. “I’m going to go back with you Petrie, that is, if you still want me.” said Ptero. Petrie nodded.
“Me’d like to get back to bed.” commented Petrie.
“Petrie, could you please not tell anyone what I am?” Ptero asked.
“But me think they love you.” countered Petrie.
“They love Ptero the Flattooth, not Ptero the Sharptooth.” replied Ptero.
“You no try and hurt Petrie. Me think that be good enough for them.” countered Petrie.
“Petrie, please!” begged Ptero.
“All right. Me no tell.” promised Petrie.
“Good man.” said Ptero.
The two went back to the Great Valley and silently crept back into the nest and went to sleep. It had been an eventful night for both of them.
CHAPTER TWENTY: DUCKY AND THE SWIMMING SHARPTOOTH
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“Do you want to play tag?” Ducky asked Ptero the next day. They were with Spike. Ptero nodded. They went off while Ptero closed his eyes to give them a head start. He could still smell them, though they didn’t know this.
Ducky found what she thought was a good hiding place. She had hidden in green plants that matched her skin color. She put berries over herself. She just hoped that silly Spike wouldn’t come and eat the berries and accidentally take her with it. Spike didn’t always think before he acted.
Ptero took off into the air. He went and soon found Spike, who had been hiding behind a boulder that wasn’t quite big enough to hide him. He then took off back into the air. He spotted Ducky and went after her. She ran. He turned different directions, following after her. He’d stalked prey this way before and it felt good not to be hunting this time.
Ducky was able to dodge him. Had he actually been hunting a Swimmer like her, he’d have had to really work to get a meal. Ducky wasn’t paying attention to where she was going and ended up in the Mysterious Beyond. She looked frightened. She rested beside a pool of water. The water looked calm. However, Ptero recognized the place and knew that there was a Swimming Sharptooth in there.
“Ducky, look out. There’s a Sharptooth in there!” yelled Ptero.
“Nice try Ptero. You do not fool me. Oh no, no, no.” laughed Ducky, thinking it was a ploy to allow him to get her.
SPLASSSSH! A Swimming Sharptooth came out of the water. Ducky dodged her just in time.
“You were right Ptero. You were. You were.” she cried in alarm.
SNAP! The creature snapped at her and just barely missed. SNAP! It snapped again. Ducky was terrified.
Ptero dove and aimed at Ducky. Ducky was cornered and it looked like she was going to be candy for the Swimming Sharptooth.
Ptero grabbed her just in time and pulled her away. SNAP! The creature snapped at thin air, just barely missing both of them.
He carried her back to the Great Valley. “I came across that pest the night I came here.” said Ptero.
“I should have believed you Ptero. You saved me. You did. You did.” said Ducky gratefully.
“What are friends for?” said Ptero.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: PTERO AND CERA
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Ptero came with Petrie in the morning to meet with the others. Both were still yawning from having just woken up. They came to Cera first. Petrie was carrying some berries. Cera grabbed three of them.
“Cera, give that back!” Petrie grumbled.
“Why don’t you come and get them?” asked Cera smugly.
Petrie tried to grab them. Cera moved them out of the way.
“Hey!” he whined.
“You have to do better than that.” taunted Cera.
Petrie tried again but Cera moved it out of the way just like Lucy did with the football and Charlie Brown. Cera did this over and over.
“Come on Petrie, try again.” laughed Cera.
“Cera, let him have them back.” grumbled Littlefoot, coming upon them and seeing what was going on.
“Can I try?” asked Ptero, who had been with Littlefoot, Spike, and Ducky.
“Sure, go ahead.” replied Cera, looking smug.
She hoped to outwit Ptero just like she had done with Petrie. She held the berries out. WHAM! Ptero grabbed them fast. He held them safely in his talons. “Got them.” he said, grinning.
“Wow, you are good!’ said Cera in amazement.
“You have great reflexes!” said Littlefoot in awe.
“Well, you may have the best reflexes of our gang, but I’m still the strongest.” said Cera haughtily. She broke a rock with her head.
“Well, I cannot do that.” said Ptero. Cera smirked. “But I can do this.” Ptero added. He went and flew at a tree branch. He aimed at it with full force. SMASH! It broke free. It was a big branch too. The branch fell and conked Cera in the head.
“Ow!” moaned Cera. Ducky laughed, Spike chuckled, Littlefoot chortled, and Petrie snickered.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to hit you.” Ptero apologized.
“That’s ok. You are pretty strong, for a non-Threehorn.” Cera said.
Ptero sighed. He’d gotten these abilities from his mother’s training. She had said it would be useful for taking down Flatteeth. He’d always been so eager to use it for such. But now, as he looked at his friends, for the first time since he was a small boy, he was doubting whether he’d now use those abilities for such if bidden
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: GAMES WITH FRIENDS
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Petrie was with Ptero, Littlefoot, Spike, and Pip, Ducky, Cera, and Ducky’s aunt. “Now kids, what game are you going to play today? I can recall that when I was your age, we used to…” said Ducky’s aunt, beginning her usual ramble down memory lane.
“How about we play Sharptooth attack?” suggested Petrie’s brother Pip.
“Ah yes, loved that one as a kid. We used to play many versions of that. My favorite one was Swimming Sharptooth attack. I was the best one, of course, though my brother, your father Ducky, still won’t admit it. Indeed, I was great at many things. I played Stop the Seed, Trapped in the Sinking Sands, Take the Tree Star….” she rambled. The others were bored with her and fell asleep from her mundane yacking, but Ptero listened, as he knew nothing about Flattooth culture. Eventually, she finished yapping. The others woke up. Leslie hadn’t even known that they had been asleep.
“How about Ptero be Sharptooth?” suggested Petrie, who knew that, as a real Sharptooth, Ptero would be great. Littlefoot and the others had had the good sense never to ask Chomper to play that game, but the others weren’t to know about Ptero, as Petrie had promised not to tell anybody.
“Ptero is a great Flyer.” remarked Pip.
I’m not sure how this game goes, but I bet I’m going to be great at it. Ptero thought smugly. “I don’t know how this game goes.” Ptero said.
“What you need to do Ptero is to try and bring us to the ground. You can just trip some like Littlefoot and Cera. That’s what Ducky and Petrie do. It would be just like if you were a Sharptooth trying to get us.” Pip said. Interesting that Flatteeth pretend to be us as part of their games. Ptero thought.
“Do I get to eat anyone if I win?” asked Ptero. The group laughed hard.
“Good one Ptero!” laughed Cera, who liked his sense of humor.
“I think I got this.” said Ptero. He took to the air. He went flying after Cera first.
“You can’t get me!” laughed Cera. Ptero dove right at her. She tried to move aside, but he changed course to follow her. She moved again, but this time, he was ready. He wasn’t going to be made a fool of like when he had, for which he now felt glad he had, missed Ducky a while back. He guessed her movements and grabbed her and pushed her to the ground. “Wow, you are strong!” Cera remarked.
The group gasped. Not even Littlefoot could get her down so easily when playing Sharptooth attack.
“Beginner’s luck.” grumbled Cera.
“No, I think I have a knack for this.” said Ptero smugly.
“Try it again.” grumbled Cera.
Ptero did. She ran again. He flew after her. This time, she ran underneath the Roaring Falls. Ptero flew right through the deluge, tackled her, and got her down. “Not bad, eh?” he said.
“Beginner’s…” grumbled Cera.
“Sure!” said Ptero even more smugly. The others laughed.
Cera, who didn’t like being beaten, went “Hmmmmph!”, thumbing her nose in the air.
“What’s her problem?” asked Ptero.
“You hurt her brag bone.” replied Pip.
Ptero played with all of the others, beating them all.
“Wow, it’s good that you’re not a real Sharptooth. We’d all be dead meat if you were.” remarked Littlefoot.
Oh the irony! thought Ptero. “Yeah, that would, er, be bad.” said Ptero nervously, finally heading off to bed with the others.
“How’d you learn to fly so well?” asked Littlefoot.
“My Mother. Trains me like crazy. Wants me to be the best Flyer out there.” replied Ptero.
“I think she’s succeeded.” remarked Cera.
“She doesn’t think so.” grumbled Ptero.
“She’s nuts.” said Cera.
Petrie, Ptero, and Pip came to Petrie’s nest. “So, how was your day?” asked Mama Flyer.
“Ptero is the best at Sharptooth attack. He even got Cera on the first try.” said Pip.
“I must say, you’ve got some talent Ptero.” said Pterano.
“Well, goodnight.” said Ptero, snuggling against his wings and falling asleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: AGATHA’S SEARCH
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Agatha the Sharp Beak Queen still hadn’t found her son. She hoped that nothing had happened to him. She hadn’t exactly told him of the dangers of the world, other than Flatteeth. He had no idea, as far as she knew, that there were Sharpteeth that would eat him. Did you find him , Phil? she asked Phil.
Negative. His scent trail goes cold near that huge valley. Phil replied, pointing in the direction of the Great Valley.
What is in there? she asked him.
Flatteeth. Loads of them. said Phil. I hope they haven’t gotten him. Phil added.
Agatha was worried. Not so much that the Flatteeth would get him, for they weren’t as dangerous as she had led Ptero and her pack to believe. Her pack had little pity on Flatteeth now after what had happened to Sydo, or, at least what they thought had happened. They had respected him and considered his death an attack against the pack. No, her fear was that Ptero might find out he was part Flattooth. If the boy questioned her, it might bring trouble. Her pack had strictly been forbidden to tell him that Sydo had been a Flattooth. Agatha had said that the truth that Sydo had been murdered by his own kind for befriending Sharpteeth would freak poor Ptero out, and her pack had accepted that and agreed to spare the boy the horrible news. Not my boy. He is stronger than that. Agatha finally said.
We will continue the search. said Phil.
Good. I can’t have let poor Sydo down. Silly Ptero went and ran off and I must get him back or Sydo would never forgive me. said Agatha.
Meanwhile, Ptero heard his mother’s pack. He trembled. “What matter Ptero?” asked Petrie, who woke up too.
“It’s my Mom and her pack.” Ptero whispered very quietly to him. Petrie shuddered.
Ptero dreaded what would happen if his mom found him now. Would she hurt Petrie and his family? He was glad when he heard the pack heading away.
Continue on. I want that boy found. said Agatha, flying off into the night with her pack.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: PETRIE AND THE BULLIES
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Petrie flew around the Great Valley with his siblings. Ptero followed him. Petrie came across some Large Flyers (Quetzalcoatlus). Not all of them were bad, but these ones were.
“Hello Peewee!” said one of them in a voice that meant that he was up to no good.
“It Petrie actually.” said Petrie.
“Whatever Peewee!” said a female Large Flyer. She grabbed some Tree Stars that Petrie had been carrying.
“Hey, those Tree Stars are Petrie’s!” complained Petrie.
“Not anymore.” she laughed, putting them into her mouth and eating them.
“Hey, you ate Petrie’s Tree Stars. Those were not yours. Oh, no, no, no.” chided Ducky, wagging her fingers at the bullies.
“Shut up Swimmer!” snapped one of the bullies, knocking Ducky over.
“Don’t push Ducky over!” snapped Petrie. The bullies pushed Petrie over too.
“You mean like that?” laughed one of the Large Flyers. Ptero was angry at how the bullies were treating Ducky and Petrie. He decided to confront them.
“Leave them alone!” The others turned to stare at Ptero, who was glaring at them.
“Oh look, Peewee’s new friend is sticking up for him because he’s too wimpy to stand up for himself!” laughed a Large Flyer.
“It’s Petrie, you Beak Brains, not Peewee!” snapped Ptero.
“Who you calling Beak Brain?” said the leader of the Large Flyer bullies menacingly.
“I believe that would be you guys, Beak Brain!” said Ptero smugly.
“Somebody needs to teach you some manners!” said the Large Flyer leader angrily. He went at Ptero. Ptero, however, was far too quick for him. He moved aside and the bully flew into a tree, leaves flying everywhere as he collided with it. The bully angrily turned to stare at Ptero.
“Is that all you got? You call yourself a Flyer? You don’t impress me Wngbrain!” Ptero taunted, flexing his muscles.
“Get him!” yelled the Large Flyer leader to his group. They went for Ptero. Petrie swung a branch at two of the Large Flyers, knocking them out of the air. They landed in mud below. They got out, soaked in mud and really angry.
“Get Peewee!” shouted several of the Large Flyers.
“It Petrie, not Peewee! Can’t you bullies get it right?” Petrie grumbled.
They went for Petrie, who, being smaller than them, flapped off in fright. Meanwhile, others went for Ptero. They struggled with him. “Strong, aren’t you?” said one of them.
Ptero applied extra pressure and threw one of them against a tree. He’d had plenty of practice with Tickly Fuzzies that he’d killed. He’d never killed a Leaf Eater, though he thought of it now. He decided against it. Too many witnesses. Plus, it wouldn’t do for Petrie’s siblings to find out that he was a Sharp Beak.
“Ow, that guy is strong! Get him!” shouted the Large Flyer, winded from being thrown into a tree by Ptero.
SPLAT! Some Sweet Bubbles splattered on the bullies, leaving purple goo on them. They looked up, glaring, and saw Petrie. “Hey, Beak Brains, come get Petrie!” laughed Petrie, sticking his tongue out. They chased after Petrie. Some caught him and brought him to water. They started to dunk his head. “You going to admit that you’re a wimp and that we’re better than you?” asked one. Petrie didn’t answer. They dunked him again. “We have all day.” they said. Petrie kept struggling, but they kept dunking him, laughing. Ptero seethed.
Ptero snuck up behind some of them. He struck one with his talons. It wasn’t meant to harm greatly, as he could have greatly injured or even killed had he wanted to. However, it cut open one of the Large Flyers. He took off. Petrie was able to break free. “We’ll get you for that. You just wait!” they said.
“Tell you what guys. We’ll meet when the Night Circle is highest. No grownups around. Then we’ll see who’s so tough. Petrie and I will be happy to fight you tonight. Come…if you’ve got the guts.” said Ptero.
The Large Flyers laughed. Petrie started to sweat, staring at Ptero with horror over what he’d just said.
“Ptero, me no sure about…” said Petrie nervously. But it was too late.
“Be there, or you’ll regret it!” said the Large Flyer leader dangerously.
Petrie was nervous all day. “Ptero get me into confrontation with bullies tonight.” said Petrie.
“Ptero, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” said Littlefoot.
“I think these bullies will freak out when they come across a Sharp Beak. Especially at night.” whispered Ptero, winking. Littlefoot smiled and winked back.
At night, after Petrie’s family had gone to bed, Petrie and Ptero snuck out. Ptero halted at one point, though Petrie, who was very dreadfully nervous, kept going, not noticing. Petrie came and confronted the Large Flyers.
“Time for some pain!” said the Large Flyers to Petrie.
“Your buddy is gone.” they said.
Ptero looked around in a panic, and saw, with horror, that Ptero was gone. “Ptero, where you go?” asked Petrie in alarm.
“All alone Peewee!” they laughed.
They pushed Petrie over. The leader grabbed Petrie and threw him a few feet. “You’re gonna come into a world of hurt Peewee!” he laughed.
Suddenly, in the dark, they heard a screech. They all paused. They heard it again, coming closer. They were in a part of the Great Valley that didn’t have grownups nearby so they could fight without being told off.
The cry got closer. “What that?” asked Petrie, who didn’t know what it was either. He was wondering where Ptero was.
The cry got louder. Suddenly, a Sharp Beak hunting cry went out. KAW-TAW-RAHHH-RANNNH-RARRRR! KAW-TAW-RAHHH-RANNNH-RARRRR! KAW-TAW-RAHHH-RANNNH-RARRRR!
“There’s a Sharp Beak in the Great Valley!” cried all the Large Flyers.
“There’s no grown-ups around!” moaned the leader of the Large Flyers, realizing how vulnerable they were.
A shadow appeared on the rock walls nearby. It stretched out its talons and moved closer. The Large Flyers were so afraid that they almost wet themselves. “Sharp Beak! Take off!” they cried. They bolted into the air flying off as quickly as Sierra to lose his temper.
Petrie was about to go too, when he was grabbed by some talons. Petrie moaned, expecting to die. “Oh, this the end! Me can’t look!” he cried, shutting his eyes and whimpering. When nothing happened, he asked “What you waiting for?”
Ptero certainly had the opportunity, yet Petrie was his friend. Petrie opened his eyes when he heard a familiar voice. “Don’t worry Petrie, it’s me.” Petrie turned and saw Ptero holding him.
“Me glad you not bad Sharp Beak.” said Petrie in relief.
“I doubt they’ll want to talk about this. You sticking around to be near a Sharp Beak that they were too afraid of should help deal a blow to their ego. They’ll leave you alone now, I expect.” said Ptero. “At least they left. If they hadn’t, I would have had to have eaten them.” Ptero joked. The two laughed.
The next day, the bullies were indeed amazed to see Petrie alive. They thought that he might have become dinner for a Sharp Beak, and, not wanting to admit about having snuck out at night, were going to let the grownups find out that Petrie was missing. However, much to their shock, they’d found that Petrie was alive and well. They were too embarrassed to admit that he’d been braver than them. They thought he must be braver than they thought and so never bothered him again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: PTERO AND MAMA FLYER
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“Why exactly did you run away from home?” Mama Flyer asked Ptero.
“My Mother is so controlling of me. It’s always ‘listen to mother’. I never get to do what I want. Every time I try, she always brings up Dad, saying that I’m letting him down.” lamented Ptero. “She’s a vicious Sharptooth!” said Ptero. He again felt foolish for telling the truth. Petrie’s siblings laughed. Phyra, however, didn’t. However, she didn’t suspect Ptero of being a Sharp Beak either.
Phyra shook her head. “That is overbearing, though calling her a vicious Sharptooth is a bit too much.” she said. “What of your father? Was he controlling too?” she asked.
“No. He let me be me.” replied Ptero.
“I wonder why he’d be disappointed in you then for you being you.” Mama Flyer asked.
“Well, er, let’s just say that Dad didn’t die of natural causes. Mom doesn’t want me to end up like him.” said Ptero.
Mama Flyer gasped. “Oh, you poor dear! Petrie lost his father to a Sharptooth attack. His father never even got to see Petrie fly.” she said sadly.
“My Dad never got to see my fly either. I was close. I flew the very night he died. I tried to save him but I…..” and Ptero broke down into sobs “I wasn’t fast enough.” he said. “I first flew when I went to go save him in fact. If only I’d made it.” Ptero lamented.
“Ptero, you poor dear. Whatever happened?” she asked in a concerned tone.
“I don’t like to talk about it.” Ptero replied.
“I understand.” she said. “I let Petrie be himself. I correct him when he gets out of hand, but I’d never live his life for him. Ptero, I’ll tell you what, in two days, I’ll go with you back to your mother. I’ll talk some sense into her.” remarked Mama Flyer.
“That won’t be necessary; I can go back on my own.” Ptero quickly said.
“No, Ptero. I cannot risk you going into the Mysterious Beyond alone. Your mother would never forgive me if I let you go back out there all alone. What if I lost you? No, Pterano and I will go with you.” she said.
Ptero was worried now. However, he noticed Littlefoot coming to see him. He decided he wanted to talk to his friends. He’d have to leave soon as he knew his pack would kill Mama Flyer and Pterano the moment they flew into their territory and he couldn’t be the cause of that. This would likely be one of the last times he saw Littlefoot. He went out with Littlefoot.
“I want to go talk to you. Er, somewhere private.” said Ptero.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: AGATHA COMES TO THE GREAT VALLEY
________________________________________
“You don’t see what happened to your dad?” Littlefoot asked Ptero. Ptero shook his head.
“I didn’t see it happen. Mother did.” Ptero affirmed.
“I wonder if your dad knew who attacked him.” asked Littlefoot.
“I doubt it.” said Ptero. “Unless…unless…” he said. He paused, recalling something. He’d forgotten it all of these cold times. Sydo hadn’t just yelled for him. He now recalled one word that he’d overlooked all of this time, as his worry over his father and later his grief over his death had made him forget it. “Traitor!” Sydo had known who had killed him. “I think he did know who did it. He called them a traitor.” said Ptero.
Littlefoot gasped. It seemed awful that poor Ptero’s father had been murdered by someone that he had trusted. Ptero felt uneasy. This new revelation about his father had caused his grief, never fully gotten over, to come washing over him again. “I need to be alone for a while.” said Ptero. Littlefoot understood and left. Ptero wandered away from the others. He went into a sparsely occupied part of the Great Valley.
Meanwhile, Agatha flew into the Great Valley. Her search had been fruitless. This place kept drawing her eye. She was going to give it a more thorough search. She spotted a young Swimmer boy. He was wandering all alone. Agatha licked her lips. “Lucky for me. Unlucky for this poor sap.” she laughed. She moved downward. It looked like a young Swimmer wasn’t going to be going back home to his parents.
Ptero saw Agatha coming. He felt slightly conflicted on what to do. However, he soon acted. He dove at the Swimmer himself. He grabbed the creature and took off with him.
Hey, that’s mine! she cried angrily.
Agatha was at first annoyed to find that another Sharp Beak had beaten her to it. But then she recognized the Sharp Beak: Ptero. She grinned. Her boy was hunting Flatteeth. That meant that her plans were nearly complete. He wasn’t likely to find out what she’d done now. But then she saw something that made her want to yell. Ptero had released the Flattooth some distance away. “You’re safe now.” said Ptero. The Flattooth thanked Ptero and then went off on his way.
“Glad to have done good. I…” said Ptero. He paused as his mother landed next to him.
“Well, well, I’d never thought I’d see this!” said Agatha icily. She was very angry and also very frightened. Did Ptero’s new kindness toward Flatteeth mean that he knew the truth about Sydo’s species?
“Mother, please…” pleaded Ptero.
“You saved a Flattooth! Did you forget what they did to your father?” she asked, glaring at him.
“But Flatteeth are nice. You were wrong about all of them being evil. I’ve got Flattooth friends and they are really nice.” said Ptero. “I think Dad knew who killed him. He called them a traitor.” said Ptero.
Agatha was nervous. Ptero seemed to be really close to finding out her dark secret. However, she was wily. “Ptero, oh, this is going to break your heart. You have Flattooth friends? Oh, you poor dear. Poor, poor dear.” she said, hugging him.
“What is it Mother?” asked Ptero.
“Your father had Flattooth friends for many cold times. Your father, bless his soul, wanted to be friendly and even learned the Flattooth language so he could talk to them. Your father later taught us it too, which is why we speak it in addition to Sharptooth. Your father was such great friends with them. He got you to learn Flattooth as well as the Flatteeth could speak it. You still like to speak it so that is why you and I speak it so much in addition to your our language. But, alas, for your father, it was all in vain.
Eventually, your father decided to tell them the truth that he was a Sharptooth. He noticed a change in them and eventually realized that he was in danger. They murdered him. I tried to stop them, but they got away. I’d known this all along, but I thought the sad truth would be too much for you at your tender age.” lied Agatha, trying to talk in a sweet, but comforting tone to lure the boy to her will.
Ptero felt as though he’d just been dealt a blow to the stomach. Was that what his new friends were going to do to him? “But my friends are nice.” said Ptero.
“But they don’t know what you are. Your father’s friends were once ‘nice’ too.” she replied.
“I have a Flyer friend named Petrie who knows.” Ptero countered. Agatha was horrified by this, but, with difficulty, kept her shock from her son.
“Yes, the Flatteeth, who were Flyers, knew what you father was. They got him to let his guard down.” Agatha lied, hoping to get her son to doubt Petrie. “Besides, the others don’t know about you.” Agatha added.
Meanwhile, Littlefoot was growing worried about Ptero. “He’s not back yet.” he told the others.
“Where he go?” asked Petrie.
“He’s upset about his father’s death.” said Littlefoot. Spike shook his head.
“What happened to his dad? Did he ever say?” asked Cera.
“He did. But he told me not to tell you.” replied Littlefoot.
“Why not?” Cera inquired.
“I promised I wouldn’t tell. It’s kind of personal. I’m keeping my promise not to tell. If you want to know, you can ask Ptero, and, if he’s ready to tell you, then he will.” said Littlefoot.
“Poor Ptero. He has no dad and he does not get along with his mother. He just needs friends. He does. He does.” said Ducky.
“Yes, and we are his great friends.” Littlefoot said.
“Yes, Ptero me best friend!” said Petrie proudly.
Meanwhile, Ptero and Agatha continued to argue about Flatteeth. ♪ Ptero, you have no father, sister or brother. I’ve always told you to listen to mother. I’ve told you that Flatteeth are really bad. They went and murdered your dad. I’m not a smother Ptero. I’m your kind loving mother. Flatteeth are evil it’s true. I just want what’s best for you. ♪ sang Agatha.
♪ It can’t be so. These Flatteeth are different I just know. ♪ sang Ptero, hoping that his mother was wrong.
♪ Oh there’s only one reason they let you go this far. They don’t know what you are. I’ve lost your father and I won’t lose another. Listen to me Ptero. Listen to your mother. ♪ sang Agatha.
♪ I don’t know Mother. They seem to be good guys.
All of your claims about Flatteeth seem to have turned out to be lies. ♪ sang Ptero argumentatively.
♪ Very well I guess you’ll have to learn.
Tell them the truth and watch how fast they turn.
We hunt them because they are cruel and not nice.
Ptero my son listen to my advice!
Flatteeth are selfish creatures that don’t care for any other.
They could never replace your kind adoring, caring, amazing, fantastic, strong, loving mother! ♪ sang Agatha.
“Ptero, here’s a test. Tell them what you are. Once they figure it out, I trust they’ll turn mean. Then you can fly off. You can get my help if you need it.” said Agatha.
“All right.” said Ptero. He felt nervous. He’d have to tell his friends. He needed to know.
Agatha smirked as she watched him fly out of sight. Sydo’s friends had deserted him when he’d married her. These Flatteeth would do the same. Ptero would be crushed and he’d never question her again. Her secret, so dangerously close to be revealed, would be safe forever. Perhaps all of this would work out for the best for her.
♪ Oh Sydo you’re going to lose.
The boy is going to fall for my ruse.
I remember what your so-called friends did to you.
These Flatteeth will do that to Ptero too.
Then this will be the last time he defies me. There will never be another.
He will become just like his mother! ♪ sang Agatha, laughing and grinning.
Ptero, meanwhile, flew up to Littlefoot and his friends. They could all see that he was really nervous, as if something was really troubling him. “What the matter Ptero?” asked Petrie.
“I have something to tell you all.” said Ptero.
“What is it?” asked Ducky.
Ptero was nervous. Finally, he said “Remember how I can do a good Sharp Beak impression , can fly really well, have great reflexes, and am so good at Sharptooth Attack?” he said.
“Yeah. That Sharp Beak call was great!” said Cera.
“You’re the best at Sharptooth Attack!” said Littlefoot.
“You have really good reflexes. Yep, yep, yep, you sure do.” said Ducky.
“Well, there’s a reason for all of that.” said Ptero very nervously.
“What?” asked Littlefoot.
Ptero trembled. Finally, he said “I am a Sharp Beak.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: PTERO’S CONFESSION
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‘Yeah right!” laughed Cera.
“Good one Ptero.” giggled Petrie nervously, for he knew the truth about Ptero. Spike was laughing hard.
“But I’m serious. The reason that I can fly so well is that I’ve always needed to change paths quickly when hunting.” said Ptero.
“Real funny Ptero.” laughed Littlefoot.
“But my Mother is a Sharp Beak. It’s true. I’m a Sharptooth.” said Ptero.
“We all feel like our parents are Sharpteeth sometimes.” said Cera, still laughing.
“No, my Mother is the leader of the pack that keeps coming here. They’re after me. I’m supposed to take over the pack after her. “said Ptero rather loudly. The others, minus Petrie, just laughed.
“You cannot be a Sharptooth. Oh no, no, no. You do not have sharp teeth.” said Ducky.
“Actually I do. Put your hands in my mouth and you will find it to be true.” said Ptero.
“All right. I’ll play along.” said Littlefoot, who was still giggling. He put his right foreleg into Ptero’s open mouth. He suddenly bumped against something sharp and withdrew his hand. “Ow, that’s sharp!” he said. His eyes widened as realization hit him. “Wait, that’s sharp! Sharptooth!” gasped Littlefoot, his eyes widening in fright.
The others gasped too. Their eyes all widened. “You really are a Sharptooth!” said Cera.
Ptero went and dove into water, came out with a fish, and ate it. “Yes, I am.” he replied.
“Ut oh, secret out now!” moaned Petrie.
“Wait, you knew?” gasped Cera. Petrie nodded.
“Me find out a while back. Me keep Ptero’s secret.” Petrie replied.
“Why did you keep it a secret? We could have been in danger. We could. We could.” asked Ducky.
“Me no think Ptero dangerous.” replied Petrie.
“Well, he’s a Sharp Beak. What should we do with him? He might be planning to eat us when we turn our backs. Perhaps we should get rid of him. He caused that pack to come near here and we could have gotten hurt. Perhaps he’s planning to betray us to them.” said Cera.
Ptero began to shake. This was what he had been fearing. Was he about to die like his father, killed by the Flatteeth that he had once counted his friends but that betrayed and murdered him when they found out that he was a Sharptooth? Ptero began pleading “Please, please don’t kill me! I’m just a boy! Please! I don’t want to die like my Father! He was killed by Flatteeth who had been his friends but turned on him when they found out that he was a Sharptooth!”
“But you said that you didn’t know who had killed your father! Were you lying?” asked Littlefoot angrily, wondering if everything Ptero had told him was a lie.
“No, Mother told me today. I hadn’t known.” Ptero said quickly.
“You met your mother today? Here, in the Great Valley?” asked Littlefoot incredulously. Ptero nodded.
“Is she still here?” asked Littlefoot in alarm.
“I think she’s around here somewhere.” replied Ptero.
“Is that what really happened, or are you lying? You might be making up loads of stories just to get us to trust you, planning all along to get us alone with you and have us for dinner!” said Cera angrily.
The others just kept staring at him. Ptero spoke up again, still trembling. “Look, I promise I’ll go and never come back. Just let me leave. I’m just a boy! Please!” he pleaded, shaking, fear in his eyes.
“Well, you always were a weird looking Flyer. Now I get why.” said Cera. “You should know that Sharpteeth aren’t allowed in the Great Valley.” she added.
“I said I’d leave.” said Ptero nervously.
“How do we know you won’t come back at night and get us?” asked Cera skeptically.
The others began to whisper to each other. “What should we do?” whispered Littlefoot.
“Perhaps we should turn him in. He might hurt our families.” whispered Cera.
“He no hurt us though.” said Petrie.
“But he might still. He might. He might.” said Ducky.
Spike, as always, remained silent, but he nodded in agreement with Ducky.
“He’s just a kid like us though.” Littlefoot reminded them.
“Yeah, a kid with fangs!” Cera retorted.
“He is sweet though. He’s helped us a lot. He had his chance to eat Petrie.” Littlefoot commented.
“Yes, he could have eaten Petrie in me sleep.” Petrie added, nodding.
“He saveded me from a Swimming Sharptooth. He could have lefted me to die if he was a mean Sharptooth. He could. He could.” said Ducky.
“He help me with bullies. If he mean Sharp Beak, he could have eaten Petrie when me all alone with him.” Petrie added.
“Yes, but unlike Chomper, he’s been keeping quiet what he is and never told us. Petrie had to find out on his own. Why do you suppose that is?” whispered Cera.
“Perhaps he is afraid of Leaf Eaters.” suggested Littlefoot quietly. “He thought we were going to attack him when we first met him.”
“A Sharptooth afraid of Leaf Eaters? I have never hearded of such a thing. Oh no, no, no.” commented Ducky.
“Perhaps he has a goal of wanting to eat Leaf Eaters! Perhaps he’s being nice to us so that he can get us all off our guard and get a nice meal!” whispered Cera.
“Maybe he does plan to hurt us. But he’s just a kid. Would it be right to hurt him?” asked Littlefoot.
“Better him than us.” Cera snapped.
“But what should we do with him? If he is a mean Sharptooth, he cannot stay here. Oh, no, no, no, he cannot.” said Ducky.
“Me think he nice Sharptooth.” Petrie countered.
“How did you found out he was a Sharptooth?” asked Cera.
“Me hear him crying at night. Me see him eat Ground Crawler.” Petrie replied.
“And he just let you be?” asked Cera incredulously.
“Well, he….” said Petrie nervously.
“I kidnapped him. I was going to finish him to keep him silent. But I decided not to.” Ptero confessed. The group, minus Petrie, gasped.
“Well, there you have it. He’s a menace to the Great Valley. I think we should get the grownups!” Cera declared.
Ptero decided that it was time for him to leave. He turned to go, but Petrie grabbed him. His eyes widened in fright. “Please Petrie. I said that I’d leave! Let me live! I’m begging you!” he pleaded, shaking like a child who had been forbidden to have candy and been found with candy wrappers all around him.
“A little late for that, pal! You kidnap a member of the Gang and you pay the price!” Cera snapped.
“Please, I’ve changed. Don’t hurt me!” begged Ptero, shaking from head to foot.
Littlefoot had pity on him. “I think we should give him the same chance we gave Chomper. Let’s welcome him into our gang.” whispered Littlefoot. The others, minus Cera, nodded.
“I think this is a dumb…” Cera whispered. Littlefoot glared at her and she stopped whining. Ptero realized that they had decided what to do with him.
“Wait here.” said Littlefoot to Ptero. He and the others, minus Petrie, went off. Ptero was terrified. What would they do with him?
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: PTERO IS ACCEPTED
________________________________________
Ptero watched in dread as they came back. He wondered if this would be his last moment on earth. His life flashed before his eyes. Especially the little he could recall about his father. He might soon be seeing him again.
“What are you going to do with me? If you’re going to kill me, please get it over with. I hate waiting. Suspense kills me.” said Ptero. Littlefoot and his group laughed at Ptero’s comment.
Littlefoot gave him something. Ptero looked and saw that it was a leaf with some Ground Crawlers on it. “Huh?” said Ptero.
“Enjoy.” said Littlefoot.
Ptero ate both of them. When he was done, he wiped his mouth clean. “Thank you. That was delicious!” he said. Then he became more serious. “But what about me? Are you going to kill me? Is this my last meal?” asked Ptero.
“Kill you? What for?” asked Littlefoot.
“What for?!” replied Ptero incredulously. “I guess maybe you are too young or naive to get it, so let me spell it out for you. I’m a Sharptooth. You’re a Flattooth. I’m supposed to eat your kind. Your kind and my kind aren’t supposed to be friends!” said Ptero in exasperation. “I don’t know why I’m here. It’s clear that I don’t belong here.” sighed Ptero. He tried to leave, but Petrie still held onto him.
“Petrie, please!” begged Ptero.
“Me no want you to go!” cried Petrie.
“But I lied to you. I’ve been tricking you all along as to what I was.” said Ptero in amazement.
“Big deal.” said Littlefoot.
“Why are you doing this for me?” asked Ptero again, still amazed that they were so nice to him. “No Sharptooth would do this for you!” he added.
“You’re not our first Sharptooth friend.” said Littlefoot.
“I’m not?!” gasped Ptero.
“No, we have Sharptooth friend named Chomper. He one of our best friends.” said Petrie.
Ptero was amazed. “So you don’t hate me then?” he said.
“No, I don’t.” said Littlefoot.
“You are a nice Sharp Beak. You are. You are.” said Ducky.
“I don’t deserve your kindness. You don’t know what I’ve done. I tried to kill you. I was going to eat you. I thought that all Flatteeth were evil. I missed and flew into that rock. When I had said that I had lost my breakfast that morning, I was referring to you. I added that bit about the Tree Stars so that you wouldn’t suspect me.” said Ptero, hanging his head in shame for what he had almost done to Ducky. The others gasped. “And I did try and hurt that kid. It was me that did it. And I bit Cera in the tail and blamed it on Biting Buzzers.” Ptero added. The group gasped.
“Hmmmmmpppph, some friend you are!” said Cera, thumbing her nose into the air.
“That not very nice.” said Petrie to Ptero.
“Well, let’s see if we got this straight: you tried to eat Ducky and that kid, you bit me in the tail, you kidnapped Petrie and considering killing him too. Is there anything else you’re not telling us?” asked Cera grumpily.
“Truthfully, one of my goals in life was to hunt Flatteeth. I hated them so and wanted to hunt as many as I could. But I’ve since changed.” added Ptero.
“Well, I think with your record, you don’t belong in this Gang.” Cera said, glaring at Ptero with disgust.
“I agree. I am most ashamed of how I acted. Ducky is so sweet. I feel so sick now for wanting to eat her. I feel bad about that other kid too. And I’m sorry I bit you Cera. I am so sorry for tricking all of you. I’m sorry I kidnapped you Petrie and considering killing you. I see that Flatteeth are nice now. The few that killed my Father must just have been jerks. Oh, I’ve been such a fool! You guys don’t have to let me stay and I can’t even see you letting me live, but please forgive me.” said Ptero, hanging his head in shame, expecting no mercy.
“A little late for that. Perhaps we should get the grownups before your sweet tooth acts up again.” said Cera, glaring at Ptero.
“Whatever you do, don’t have me suffer too much.” begged Ptero, feeling it would serve him right if they killed him.
“We could always leave him in the Sinking Sands.” suggested Cera. Ptero shuddered.
“Please, not that! Can’t it at least be a Gurgly Pit or something so I can get it over with quickly?” Ptero begged.
“Well, that works too.” mused Cera. Littlefoot was outraged at Cera’s remarks.
“Cera, he was hurting earlier. He’s nicer now and he didn’t kill anyone here after all. It wouldn’t be right to kill him!” snapped Littlefoot. Ptero was shocked that Littlefoot wasn’t demanding his head for what he’d done.
“That’s just luck! Perhaps he still will!” snapped Cera.
“Cera!” snarled Littlefoot, glaring at her.
“No, Littlefoot, she’s right. I tried to hurt Ducky and that kid and kidnapped Petrie and thus deserve no mercy from you. If you’d tried to hurt my kind, we’d never give you mercy.” said Ptero.
“I’ve made it a habit to show mercy to others whether they or their kind show mercy to me or not. I’ve taken care of Chomper even though his kind killed my Mother.” said Littlefoot.
Ptero was totally stunned. “Everything I’ve believed about Flatteeth was a lie!” he gasped in utter astonishment.
“Yes, we can accept those who are different.” said Littlefoot.
♪ Oh we are all different in our way.
But that is still ok. ♪ sang Littlefoot.
♪ I’d never thought Flatteeth like you I’d ever be able to please
But then I never expected to have friends like these. ♪ sang Ptero.
♪ You may be different from me.
But there is more to us than what you see. ♪ sang Ducky.
♪ Ptero you no have to pretend.
Even if you a Sharp Beak, you can still be me friend. ♪ sang Petrie.
♪ Everyone here agrees. ♪ sang Cera.
♪ I’m so glad to have friends like these. ♪ sang Ptero.
♪ Oh I thought Flatteeth were evil and bad.
But friends like you make me so glad. ♪ sang Ptero.
♪ Oh we’re so glad to be your friend! ♪ sang the others.
♪ I’m going to be with you guys to the very end. ♪ sang Ptero.
Ptero and Petrie took to the air. ♪ Together we will fly. ♪ sang Petrie and Ptero together.
♪ Petrie is such a swell guy. ♪ sang Ptero.
♪ Ptero such a swell guy. ♪ sang Petrie at the same time as Ptero.
♪ Through mountains, across the skies, and into the trees. ♪ the two sang.
♪ I’m really glad to have friends like these. ♪ sang Ptero.
♪ Me really glad to have friends like these. ♪ sang Petrie at the same time as Ptero.
♪ Oh we are all at ease.
Because we all have friends like these. ♪ all of them sang, finishing the song.
Night soon fell. They were worn out and so went to bed. Ptero was thinking that maybe his mother was wrong after all. Maybe all Flatteeth weren’t like the bad ones that had killed his father.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: PETRIE AND PTERO
________________________________________
Ptero and Petrie got up the next morning. “Me never had Sharp Beak friend before.” Petrie said to Ptero when they were a safe distance away from the nest.
“Well, I never had any friends until lately.” said Ptero. “Watch this!” said Ptero. He snuck up behind Topps. “PHHHHHHHHBBBBBBTTTT!” Ptero went. Topps turned bright red. Ptero had flown off quickly.
“Sorry Tria, yellow flowers go right through me.” apologized Topps, red with embarrassment, as Tria and Tricia laughed. Petrie and Ptero laughed some distance away.
“You really funny Ptero!” laughed Petrie.
“Yes, well, I needed some way to keep my sanity while living with my Mother.” Ptero replied.
Ptero quickly went and snuck some eggs from a nest, moving them slightly. He replaced the spot where they’d been with Sweet Bubbles. The clueless mother came back and sat on the spot, trying to warm her eggs. She grimaced as the goo splattered her. Ptero and Petrie laughed again. The mother scowled at the two. “Children!” she grumbled.
They went off away from the others, for they didn’t want to let Ptero’s secret out. “What it like being a Sharptooth?” asked Petrie.
“It’s fine. However, I don’t like how Sharpteeth have to get food, and neither do most Sharpteeth.” replied Ptero. Petrie felt bad, as he had always assumed that Sharpteeth just attacked them out of malice.
“Me feel bad. Me really misjudge Sharpteeth.” said Petrie.
“That’s ok. I royally misjudged Flatteeth.” Ptero responded.
“Me glad you friendly and that you no here to eat Petrie.” Petrie said.
“Nah, I was gonna save that for next week.” Ptero replied devilishly. Petrie knew that he was kidding and the two looked at each other, grinned, and burst out laughing.
Ptero went and got a fish. He dropped it from the air onto Hyp, who was talking to his girlfriend. “I wanted to say that I find you to be really attractive and….FISH!” yelled Hyp. The fish flopped, slapping them both in the head. It flopped its way back to water. Ptero and Petrie laughed hard.
GRRRR RUNNNH! Ptero’s stomach growled. “You tummy making rumbley noises.” said Petrie.
“Yeah, I haven’t had breakfast yet. I’m deciding whether to have Flyer or Swimmer.” said Ptero, grinning. Petrie knew he was joking.
The two went to go get breakfast, berries for both of them, though Ptero had some Stinging Buzzers as well. The two were getting along great. Ptero had a best friend. Petrie finally had a Sharptooth close friend.
The two were merrily talking when they both thought they heard Sharp Beaks in the distance. It was then that Ptero suddenly remembered his mother. “I think it’s the pack.” Ptero said nervously.
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