Chapter 5-
As the sun set in the horizon on the following day, the Fortress Valley's spiked walls produced menacing shadows as the sun's light grew less and less intense. The face of the sharptooth jetting out from the valley's walls looked much scarier in the dark, the pointed teeth gleaming in the rising moonlight. Dim light shimmered off the water that was flowing through the mouth and into the river below.
The coming breeze, cool and refreshing from the hot day, caused the trees to sway back and forth, a few leaves ripped from the stem and flew alongside the wind. A dark cloud was rolling almost maliciously across the sky, but brough little more than mild rumblings, and the trickling of light run. Raindrops, barely half the size of a normal raindrop, splashed against the sides of the rockface, making it look like it was shining.
As a distant lightning flash temporary illuminated the valley, a shadow of a fast biter, aka sickleclaw, could be seen on the grassy plains that grew close to the sharptooth head waterfall. As darkness descended on the valley again, the sun no longer in sight, the moon now visible in the horizon, a light sigh could be heard, and then the sound of grass crumpling. A green foot stopped onto the ground, a large sickle claw raised in the air, almost to strike.
A head, with a long snout, looked upwards to the sky. The being opened its mouth, revealing rows of very sharp teeth. As the creature spoke, its voice revealed its gender. Male. "Oh Rex...why did you return now? Out of all times...why did it have to be now?"
The creature was Yu, the green raptor who had spotted the dracovol flying over the valley earlier. His face showed that he was feeling both distressed and concerned. He had hoped that Rex wouldn't show his face around here again...at least until Yu had gotten enough information to return to Crescent Valley that is. Yu had hoped to keeping Rex's fate a secret. He knew that Loc knew what Rex was capable of. Just prior to him becoming second-in-command, he had heard Loc announce that anyone who spotted Rex should report it immediately so he could gather up his best fighters to dispose of the dracovol.
Yu's initial plan was to learn enough about Loc's sharptooth pack and their ways, so he could analyze their weaknesses and give this valuable information back to Stone, so they could coordinate a resistance to wipe out Loc's groups. Without the Darkarians around, Loc was the next biggest threat. While the carnotaurus was not as ambitious as the Darkarians, the red dinosaur was still dangerous. Loc was planning on invading Crescent Valley and nabbing some of the dinosaurs to bring back to Fortress Valley.
When Yu first heard of this plan, he felt confused as first, and then relieved. This was before he knew the truth about Fortress Valley's treatment of leaf-eaters. When he arrived, there were few leaf-eaters around, and the carnivores looked like they were starving. Loc had planned to invade Crescent Valley and another, Valley of Mists, to bring some leaf-eaters back into Fortress Valley. Yu believed that Loc wanted to restore harmony, but he later found out how wrong he was.
Loc doesn't care about harmony. All he cares about is making sure there is enough to eat for the sharpteeth of his troups. He doesn't think leaf-eaters of nothing more than food. He refuses to believe they are capable of any thoughts or feelings. He doesn't even think they feel pain when he cuts into their skin with his sharp teeth. If Yu wasn't undercover, he would try to take Loc on right now! But alas, he has to abide by the rules. He was forbidden to engage in any attempt to overthrow Loc by himself, as that would ruin the plans the Rock Rangers had in mind.
As Yu sat down on the ground, in a manner very similar to modern day chickens and roosters, a shadow, darker than the rest, loomed over him. As Yu stared into the water, he could make out a reddish reflection. Avoiding the temptation to snap at him, Yu calmly turned around to face the large sharptooth. Loc stared at him, pondering what he was going to say. Yu had ran off a couple days ago without warning, when Rex was first spotted. The horned sharptooth was determined to find out exactly why he did so.
"Yu, I am demanding to know why you ran off like that." He said, putting his puny arms on his belly.
Yu tilted his head, pretending not to know what the leader meant. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't toy with me!" He snapped, making the sickleclaw back away, almost touching the water. "You know exactly what I meant! When Rex was spotted, why did you just walk off?!"
"Oh..that." Yu said, straightening his body dutifully. "I apologize for that. I thought you wanted me to leave so you could speak with Igo.."
"If I want you to leave, I would have said so!" Loc boomed, making Yu cringe a little bit, a mild ringing in his ears from hearing the shout in close proximity. Loc then spoke in a softer voice. "Now...Igo claims he doesn't remember. But, with your excellent memory, perhaps you could enlighten me..."
"Enlighten you on what?" The raptor inquired, almost dreading what the carnotaurus was going to ask him. If anything, if he knew Loc well enough now, it would be a question regarding the dracovol.
The red carnotaurus nodded, the evil grin returning to his maw. "Yes...exactly which direction was Rex flying when you spotted him?"
Yu gulped. He knew he couldn't lie in front of Loc. That dinosaur knew him well enough to know when he was blindly making up a lie to get out of trouble. He had gotten away before because he had rehearsed and planned lies in his mind for days, weeks, months even before Loc had confronted him about certain issues. But this time was different. With no way to make up a suitable answer, and no time to rehearse, the velociraptor had no choice but to speak the truth. He could only hope that Rex wouldn't be mad at him later on, when he finds out..or if he finds out.
"Yes..." He said, almost hesitantly. He knew Loc did not know the way to the Great Valley. All he knew about the valley were stories from sharpteeth who had travelled from there to the Fortress Valley. "The Great Valley lies in that direction..." he pointed in one direction, Loc's eyes travelling where the hooked claw was going. "..a tad bit to the left." Yu could feel his heart fill with guilt as he gave away Rex's location. He could only hope the scarred dracovol had left already.
"I somehow doubt he'd still be there...But where would he reside?" Loc pondered. "Where could he go that would be close enough to Desolate Valley that he could make an airborne trip and back? Where could he live that offered a suitable habitat, and plenty of food..." Suddenly the horned sharptooth's eyes widened with realization. "That's it..."
'Oh no..he's figured it out!' Yu thought with extreme worry. Dreading what Loc was going to say next, he opened his jaws. "What's it...?" He asked, trying to make his voice sound more curious than worried.
Loc glared him with an evil smile. "Yes...there's only one place I think he could exist..." He looked in a new direction, and to Yu's shock and relief, it wasn't towards Crescent Valley. "Valley of Mists! That place is full of edible things. Plus with all that ground puffies, he could easily hide! What a clever dracovol...Very clever." He chuckled. "But not clever enough..."
'He ain't the only one who isn't clever.' Yu thought, grinned as he laughed inside. "Yes, that would make sense." He lied with a convincing voice. "He would have wanted to choose a place that is both feared and well hidden. As far as I know, there is only one entrance to that valley, and that is through a waterfall. But for a dracovol, he could just fly in anytime he wants to. And as you said, ground puffies would make it hard to see him. Our sharptooth flyer troops could soar ahead all they want to, and they'd never see him. The only way to spot him would be to..."
"...send a skilled tracker, perhaps a fast biter." Loc said, turning around. "And I know just who."
"Who did you have in mind?" Yu asked.
"Red..." Loc said, grinning as Yu's eyes widened in shock.
"Red?!" Yu couldn't believe what he was hearing. Red was the most rebellious fast biter of the pack! Why would Loc be crazy enough to send him?! Knowing that dark red menace, he would do something to stab Loc right in the back. He would hold back information. He would lie and decieve. He..was in many ways like Yu. But unlike Yu, Red did it for selfish reasons, to gain power. His only good quality is that he had an exceptional nose that could sniff prey through thick well-scented foliage, something other sharpteeth had some trouble doing.
Loc nodded, giving a small glare to the sickleclaw. "Do you got a problem with that?"
"Yes! Are you insane?! Why would you send that rebellious sharptooth out and entrust him with recieving valuable date?!" Yu screamed, forgetting to keep his mouth shut. "Why don't you just send me instead?! I would do a better job!"
"Oh really now?" Loc interrupted, laughing slightly. "You think you could outsniff Red? You think you could outrun Red? Listen little one, as much as you hate it, Red is more experienced than you. You might be second-in-command, but he has more fighting experience."
"Yes but..."
"But nothing!" Loc snapped. "However, I did take into concern his rebellion issues, and have come up with a conclusion." He looked at Yu in the eye as he said this. "You will accompany him."
Yu opened up his mouth to protect, but Loc would hear nothing of it.
"I want you to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. The two of you are to go to Valley of Mists and bring back Rex at all costs! Do you understand me?" Loc demanded.
"Yes..but..."
"But what?!"
"What if..Rex isn't there?" Yu asked.
Loc's eyes widened. He hadn't thought of this before. What if Rex WASN'T at Valley of Mists. He narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Then proceed to Crescent Valley."