The Haunting Shadow

A slight shiver ran down the threehorn's spine as she slowly pushed the massive boulder up the dark mound. Most other dinosaurs would never have even dared to even think of moving such a rock but the orange female reveled in the fact that she had grown even more powerful than most other members of her kind. A slight smirk could be seen on her face even if every muscle within her body trembled heavily as she advanced ever so slowly, one inch at a time. Amidst her herculean endeavor, she heard a panting voice not far before her.

"Do you need help, Cera? That boulder's the last one we need to secure the dam." He said as he looked at the rock he had just pushed into its place. Even for a longneck, moving those giants to bloc the threatening rising waters was a true ordeal. However, he wasn't in the least surprised to hear his old friend's answer.

"No need for that, Littlefoot. I'll be damned on the day I can no longer do what… what the threehorns do best! At least close to the best anyway." She said while winking at the larger dinosaur confidently. Once, Littlefoot would have severely wondered whether to trust the female's judgement but those days had long passed. These days, he'd trust his life on Cera' decisions because as seasons had slowly passed, she had slowly learned more and more about responsibility and listening to others. And the longneck was more than honored to share his position as one of the most respected dinosaurs in the Valley with his first and probably closest friend.

"Alright. Just don't overdo it." He said while watching the threehorn move closer to the last spot where the water streamed towards the lower reaches of the Great Valley. He saw that Cera knew what she was doing so he decided to check again at the skies above him. The skywater had stopped a long time ago but this heavy, even unnatural gloom and darkness seemed to linger over the Valley, casting its shadow over the dinosaurs of the lands below. It wasn't even late afternoon yet but the Bright Circle was nowhere to be seen, blocked by an impenetrable wall of the sky puffies, causing the day to be hardly any less dark than the night. Considering that it was supposed to be the early Warm Time, Littlefoot couldn't help but feel worried. He was suddenly awakened from his thoughts when he suddenly heard Cera speak to him in an unsure, even worried voice.

"What's the problem with you? Don't you listen when I speak to you? The dam is now complete." She said, causing the longneck to shake his head as she looked at the threehorn. He was more than confused by her words but he could see that his friend had spoken the truth. The boulder was in its place and the flooding had practically ended. He quickly gave the smaller dinosaur a brief smile as he tried to explain himself.

"W… well done, Cera! We should be fine from now on. But you know, I'm really worried about this never-ending shade. There shouldn't even be a whole lot skywater in the early Warm Time. At least… there hasn't been before." He said, causing Cera to take a small sigh.

The threehorn looked around herself and she knew exactly what Littlefoot meant. She couldn't deny the truth of his words and inside, she was just as concerned as he was. Her father would have likely just cast it aside as a normal variation of weather but indeed, this felt odd, even scary. Not only did she struggle to see any of Littlefoot's features in the middle of a day but it was far too chilly for this season. This simply wasn't supposed to be and her voice was even scared as she answered.

"You're right, Littlefoot. B… but this isn't even the worst thing. Petrie and the others have told me that some of the forests outside have grown darker and more odd than before… they couldn't quite explain it. But also, the marshes have also seemed to be growing in the past weeks. I just hope this isn't the same what happened to Ali's old home." She cringed deeply, not caring too much about whether or not the longneck saw her concern. The greyish-brown male frowned even more as he heard those words, not having heard about that before.

"I don't know about that. After all, the skywater has ended now whereas Ali said it never stopped in the Land of Mists. But what you said certainly sounds more than odd. I wonder why Petrie never told me ab…" He said when he suddenly heard something that made his eyes widen in fear. It was a loud, long scream from somewhere far away, from somewhere over the mountains surrounding the Valley. He and Cera immediately moved to guard each other's backs when the threehorn spoke to him in shock.

"What was that? It certainly didn't sound like a sharptooth!" She asked as her eyes scoured the dark moors and rolling hills. Even if she still hated to admit, she couldn't deny that even the Great Valley was starting to feel scary and threatening, something she had never expected to see. Littlefoot gulped as he looked at the dark branches hitting each other around him. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, something that was rarely herd from him these days.

"I… I don't think it sounded like a dinosaur at all… or anything we've heard before." He said, his old curiosity trying to struggle with his worry and fear for dominance. He had always wanted to learn as much as he could about other kinds but this voice… it sounded like something he certainly didn't want to ever meet. Cera, on the other hand, had no such conflicts and slowly but surely, she regained her confidence and spoke to Littlefoot in a voice that sounded more like her ordinary comments.

"Well, as long as it stays out there where it is, I couldn't care less. But come on. We have to tell the others that at least around here, any threat of the Rising Waters has been stopped. We've done our work for today. I just hope Lighthide has done his as well." She said, knowing full well that she and her friends had only chosen one of the many tasks that had to be done in order to ensure the Valley's safety in a time like this. Littlefoot frowned slightly as he heard those words, not really disagreeing with the threehorn. It was just… this situation reminded him of his first meeting with Mo and back then, he had listened to his heart and things had ended well enough. But now, it was true he had more responsibilities to not doing anything reckless and with a neutral voice, he answered his friend.

"Let's do just that. Hopefully the others have done their part as well." He said as he started to walk beside the threehorn towards the central parts of the Valley, still believing that the events started today would have a happy ending.

The night was already falling before the last denizens of the Valley were finishing their tasks, many of the dams not able to stand the pressure of the water or the winds blowing more debris from the Mysterious Beyond into the Valley. Inside, Cera didn't mind all of that as it had been days before she had had a moment's rest and she welcomed this brief respite greatly. Many had asked her for help on all kinds of things but now, to her delight, she found herself in peace for a change. Even then, she couldn't deny that her mind was bothered by the gloom that had descended upon the Valley and especially the monstrous cry she had heard.

Her eyes narrowed as she thought of that sound, some part of her mind telling her to fear it even more than her conscious mind did. It sounded like a high wheeze but not even a sick hollowhorn could make such a sound. Of course, there were countless types of dinosaurs out there but as Littlefoot had said, the voice hadn't even sounded even distantly like any kind she had ever seen and as she thought about the past, she knew she had seen far more different kinds than the vast majority within the Valley. She tried to push her worries to the back of her mind when she finally saw something that caught her attention. It was another threehorn, a male, who was heading towards her with a slow, clearly tired pace. Cera's mood brightened immediately and she rose to her feet as she prepared to greet her mate.

"So you finally managed to clear everything around the Sinking Sand! I must say, I was already starting to give up on seeing you for a few days, Lighthide!" She said with a slight smirk as she looked at the light-yellow dinosaur walk towards her. She felt newfound warmth grow within her heart at the mere sight of him and it was only with a struggle that she could wait for him to reach her without running towards him.

"Says someone who picked a task that you know you can complete is only a few moments, especially with a longneck on your side! Clearly, you don't know just how full of trash those hills were? Do you?" He said with a grin, his voice filled with mock offense. Cera smiled at him as she poked at his side as she answered his comment.

"You may drop the act already! It may have taken time but it was an easier task than mine! Anyway, did you have any surprising troubles?" Cera's tone suddenly relaxed a bit as she looked at the other threehorn. Se loved bantering with him greatly but she also knew that she was one of the threehorns many others looked up to so she would have to know all she could about what was happening in the Valley. The male looked at her with a weary look as he answered.

"Apart from that cursed wind that brought more and more crap from the Mysterious Beyond, no. Unless you count the weather, of course. Why do you ask?" He asked, more than a little puzzled by his mate's answer. Cera looked at him oddly, knowing better than to lie to him.

"Well… When I and Littlefoot were finishing the dam, we heard a strange noise ringing over the mountains. I'm still terrified by it and you know that isn't too common." She said, looking in worry around herself. Lighthide's expression grew slightly puzzled as he could see that something worried the female greatly. He knew that Cera was no longer as worried of showing her emotions to others as some of their kind but she still tended to be willing to hide her worst fears from those around her. The yellowish dinosaur walked towards her and spoke to her comfortingly.

"There are still things for us to see in this world but if any of them is going to threaten you, Cera, we'll fight them off together. That is a promise." He said as he smiled warmly at the other threehorn. Cera knew well that his words didn't prevent anything bad from happening but even then, she had absolutely no doubts that he would keep that promise. Ever since she had found her future mate one bright day six Cold Times, the two had never lied or kept any secrets from each other. She returned Lighthide's smile as she answered his words.

"Of that, I am more than certain, my love. Even if you hadn't even said it to me." She said as she bowed her head towards the male who happily returned the gesture. The duo's heads touched slightly as they nuzzled each other's snouts. Cera felt her earlier fears disappear as she felt the closeness of the dinosaur she loved the most in the entire world. It was as if the darkness of the world started to disappear around them, a bubble of eternal light separating them from the darkness. At least, under a pained and horrified cry of pain rang over the Valley.

"For the Bright Circle's sake, someone come help me! Please!" That cry immediately opened Cera's eyes wide as she realized who the speaker was. She looked at the male briefly before she headed towards the call.

"That's Ducky! And she's in trouble!" Quickly now, follow me!" She cried as she ran with all her might, dark thoughts starting to form within her mind.

Cera cursed deeply as she saw that she wasn't nearly the first one to reach the swimmer. She felt her heart beat within her chest as she saw just how worried, even nauseous some of the dinosaurs were as they stood around the injured female. Cera felt herself starting to subconsciously slow her pace as she drew closer to the swimmer but she forced herself to move forward despite fearing what she'd see.

And indeed, the sight was something out from the threehorn's worst sleep stories. Ducky was lying in the ground, her body full of sickening wounds but even then, the swimmer was clearly still alive even if her consciousness had clearly faded. She could see a few dinosaurs help cover her wounds but Cera was far from sure about whether she'd live through this. She quickly turned at Petrie who was standing not far from her, asking him sternly.

"What happened out here? Will she live? Who did this?" The words left her mouth as if by themselves, causing the flyer to look at her in fear. His voice was far more afraid than that of Cera but he was far calmer than he would have during days long past.

"We no know, Cera. Nobody can say if Ducky survive but what me do know is that no one in the Valley do this. Just look at her wounds." He said, causing Cera to frown deeply. She hadn't wanted to pay them any extra attention but she did as told. It wasn't long before she realized just what the flyer had meant. The wounds didn't seem to be made by claws or teeth, being clearly far wider and even more torn than any dinosaur could have caused. Instead, they seemed like something massive hits by a stone could have caused… or even a tree's branch…

Cera blinked heavily as she forced her gaze up from the swimmer, only now realizing that the forest she was standing in was only a few longneck lengths away from one of the Valley's openings into the Mysterious Beyond and it took her only a few seconds to realize what direction that opening was facing. The exact direction that terrifying screech had come from. She shivered visibly as she heard familiar, heavy steps behind her. she didn't think for a second before she turned to look at Littlefoot and snapped at him with an outraged voice.

"So you were finally able to arrive, Littlefoot? Anyway, this must not continue! Whatever creature attacked Ducky, we must not allow it to strike ever again! We have to call everyone to decide what we should do!" She cried, knowing that her case was more than strong enough. The longneck's reaction wasn't unlike the threehorn's but before he answered his friend, he frowned while saying his prayers to the swimmer in his mind and asked the other dinosaurs around him.

"D… did anyone see what happened? Or at least hear something she said before she passed out?" He asked, all of the relevant questions about Ducky's health flashing before his mind. Cera clearly wasn't acting as if Ducky was dying and the overall atmosphere of anxiety told him everything he wanted to know. Even then, he was appalled by Ducky's wounds and his eyes widened as he looked at them. He then heard one of the other flyers speak to the longneck in a fearful voice.

"S… she said that… that the forest itself attacked her. She was beyond horrified but… but it must have been nothing than some sick jabbering." The male flyer said, causing Littlefoot too look at him with a confused look. His words sounded unbelievable but… if Ducky had really said them, then he'd have to take them seriously. Almost immediately, Cera snapped at the flyer inquisitively.

"Is that all? She must have said something else as well!" The threehorn said, causing the flyer to shake his head.

"She did but those words were too vague and unclear to understand. But me was the only one to reach her before she passed out." he said, knowing that some of the others might question his words but even then, he knew they were genuine. Cera immediately remembered her earlier observation of the wounds looking like they were made by some massive branch and that thought washed over her like a wave of disgust. She then turned at Littlefoot and spoke to him sharply.

"As I said, we have to call the others to speak about this! This must not happen to anyone again and to ensure that, we must find who… whatever did this!" She said, causing the longneck to finally look at her with a confused look. He looked at the starry sky for a few seconds before he finally took a brief sigh and answered his old friend.

"I agree. Our Valley has always been a place where all of us should feel safe and I will not watch my friends getting attacked like this! But we have to wait until the morning, Cera. It would difficult to gather everyone in this hour." He said, knowing that only a fraction of the Valley's dinosaurs had been alerted by Ducky's call and it would be a long process to try to alert the rest of them. However, the threehorn didn't seem to be completely satisfied by the male's answer.

"But we cannot do that! The attacker is still out there and we cannot give it a chance to attack us again! You know it as well as I do… and I want that bastard to pay for hurting Ducky as soon as possible." She said with a softer voice, causing the longneck to return that expression. Littlefoot bowed towards his oldest friend and spoke to her with an encouraging voice.

"So do I, Cera. And don't worry, we'll get to the bottom of all this. But indeed, we have to keep an eye on this opening until then. Petrie, could you and your siblings make sure that nobody enters the Valley undetected for tonight?" He asked, knowing the flyer wouldn't refuse his request. And indeed, Petrie nodded to him eagerly.

"Of course we can! Be at ease, Littlefoot, we'll tell if we see something bad." He said, causing Littlefoot to quickly glance at Cera who frowned slightly but gave a brief look of agreement. She then spoke to him briefly before turning around to leave.

"Very well but we'll see again in the morning. Lighthide, let's go home." She said, hearing the male starting to walk after her. Her mind cried out for vengeance for whatever creature had done that to Ducky and it would regret its deeds before the end. Cera's earlier fear had turned into determination, a feeling that hadn't made itself known with this intensity since the days of her childhood.

"Now that all of you know what has happened, I hope none of you disagree that this threat to our Valley cannot be ignored! To our utmost relief, Ducky will survive but who knows which one of us will be attacked next by this unseen killer? We have never allowed anyone to be threatened in the Valley and I for one am not going to give up on that principle now!" Cera cried, looking at the concerned and hesitating faces of the dinosaurs around her. The morning sky was even darker and more eerie than on the day before and in many ways, it felt like the morning wasn't starting at all. The threehorn's eyes flinched as she heard a comment from another dinosaur she had never expected to treat as her equal a long time ago.

"Certainly we could take one stupid sharptooth out before all this fuss? I mean, we have fought dozens of them before, haven't we?" Hyp asked, a slight hesitation starting to rise to his face as he looked at the threehorn's stern eyes. He had grown to respect Cera greatly and suddenly he felt like an idiot for bringing such a question up to her. The threehorn rolled her eyes and it was actually Lighthide who answered the question.

"As most of us know, this was not a sharptooth and it was exactly this monster's strangeness we even called you here. Some have even speculated that it is this exact creature who has turned our Warm Time into this gloom and it is another reason for us to move against it as you most likely agree. Petrie, did anything strange happen during the night?" He asked dryly, not keen to answer any basic questions right now. The flyer landed before the two threehorns and looked around himself with a clearly fearful look. He hadn't made any alerting sounds during the night but even then, it was clear something was bothering the smaller dinosaur.

"Well… me and me brothers and sisters see nothing clear but there were scary shadows moving here and there, as if waiting for us to land so it would get us. Petrie not tell of it because we not see it coming closer to the Valley… but something bad out there, Petrie sure of it." He said, immediately causing concerned banter break out among the gathered dinosaurs. It was clear that the flyer's words made them more than horrified but even then, the old elders of the Valley knew perfectly that such antics would solve nothing in a time like this.

"Now, now, calm down everyone! We don't know what to do just yet but we do know that simply fighting out here won't advance our safety. It never did before, as all of us know." Grandpa Longneck said with a low and forced voice, his age really starting to catch up with him. He and his mate were the most ancient dinosaurs in the Valley these days and even if they had long since given up on their positions, they were still respected and their advice was still more than valued whenever they chose to give it. His words were soon followed by another old voice that was more than familiar to Cera.

"Indeed! If I were still able, I'd show each of you what happens when you lose focus on what is really important! Silence!" Mr. Threehorn cried, earning an appreciating glance from Cera. Even after their many disagreements, she was still more than happy to have him by her side for as long as he still could remain in this world. She winked at him and spoke in a soft voice before continuing from his words.

"Thanks, dad. But as for you others, I cannot help but say to you that we have to take this villain out and we don't even know how powerful our enemy is. However, I am more than ready to face it and show what happens when you mess up with a threehorn or her friends!" She cried but before she even had finished, one hollowhorn cried at her in an annoyed voice.

"Bah! I've had enough of threehorns crying about attacking others too easily! With good luck this will turn out to be another chase for the tinysauryses and we all know how that ended!" The voice cried, widening Cera's eyes, reminding the dinosaur that the situation indeed seemed similar. However, there was one key difference and the hollowhorn's ignoring of that one detail made her see red. However, before she had the to speak, Littlefoot answered to the smaller dinosaur.

"In many ways, I would agree but unlike on that day, this mysterious attacker hurt one of us, something the tinysauruses never did. And for that, it would be unreasonable to assume that this creature is up to any good." He said, knowing just how much he had started to sound like his grandparents in meetings like these. However, he was in no ways ashamed by that as he knew more than anyone else how much their guidance had helped the Valley in the past. But even then, he was still more than determined to retain his old, more curious and understanding attitude while dealing with these kinds of issues. He looked in approval as Lighthide spoke next.

"He speaks the truth and we cannot waste more time here. I am going alongside Cera to see that we can sleep our nights in safety again." He said, feeling Cera nuzzle at his cheek while speaking to him warmly.

"I'd have it no other way, my love. I knew we'll do this together." She said, causing Littlefoot to smile warmly. He was fond of Lighthide himself and he was in many ways the perfect mate for Cera. He was as strong-willed as she was but he lacked the empty, pompous bravado of many other males of his kind. The two had been rather young when they first met but even then, the longneck himself was a little envious to Cera for finding a mate far earlier than he did. He still harbored hopes of one day being able to stay with Ali for good but for now, that hadn't been possible. However, those thoughts were far away from her mind as he spoke to the two threehorns.

"And of course, I couldn't even dream of letting you leave without me. Who knows when you'll need someone to knock some sense into you." He said but frowned as he saw Cera cringe at him slightly. After a few seconds, the threehorn finally managed to voice her concerns to the longneck.

"Littlefoot… don't get me wrong but I'm not sure you'd be of much help. That place is heavily forested and… well, longnecks can't move there too well. And even worse, judging by Ducky's wounds, that creature is far smaller than you." She said, getting slightly more optimistic as she didn't see a trace of offense on the male's face. Soon, he even gave a slight breath as he conceded that point.

"Well, you might be right, Cera, as much as I hate to admit it. But you two can't head out there alone. You'll need more help." He said, knowing he was right. Two threehorns alone wouldn't be enough to face whatever was out there and the duo knew it as well. However, it wasn't long before they heard a familiar grunt as Spike started to walk towards the two in a determined look. Cera looked at him in approval as he stopped at her side.

"You are more than welcome to join us, Spike. it's good to have you." She said without a trace of irony or dishonesty within her voice. She wanted to only have dinosaurs she knew she could trust beside her in a fight like this and she'd trust her life to Spike in a heartbeat. Besides, his kind was one of the most powerful ones after her own and she had no doubt her old friend would prove to be of much use today. She smiled as Spike gave her a warm and encouraging look as he stopped beside the slightly smaller dinosaur. However, the next voice widened Cera's voice immediately as that was one she had not expected to hear.

"You're not going anywhere without me, sis! But of course you knew it all along!" The threehorn turned to look at the speaker and she frowned as she saw her eyes confirm what she already knew. She saw the pink form of her younger sister run towards her and that was something she hadn't really wanted to see. She wasn't quite yet an adult and inside, Cera couldn't help but see her as the small, adorable hatching she had been so very long ago. The older threehorn took a slightly awkward look as she tried to give some kind of answer to the other dinosaur.

"Tricia… I'm sure you'd be of help but maybe… maybe this isn't something you should do." She said, knowing her words would mostly just insult the younger female as Tricia had grown to be rather touchy and easily annoyed young threehorn. Cera cared for her greatly even if she very seldom approved of her sister's antics. Tricia looked at her older sibling in clear disappointment before gathering herself again.

"Aww, don't start again, Cera! I know the only reason you're acting like that is that you believe I'm not good enough for anything! And really, that's starting to piss me off!" She said, causing both Spike and Lighthide move slightly farther away from the siblings, knowing this wasn't their business. Cera sighed deeply before answering to her sister.

"You know it's not something like that! But you saw Ducky's injuries and even I don't know if I'll be able to stay safe out there! And… and you're still growing and you have time to get stronger." She said, trying to reason with the younger dinosaur more than eager to prove herself in either her own or her sister's eyes. However, Tricia wasn't about to give up just yet.

"You say that every time and I'm not getting much bigger anymore! And I've nearly bested you many times before as you very well know!" She said, not raising Cera's mood any. She finally took a rather sharp snort and a more forceful voice as she spoke again.

"Trying to rush me down without a clear strategy isn't "nearly winning", Tricia! I'm doing this for your own s…" She started before she was soon interrupted by a new speaker, from whom she would have expected those words the very least. The voice was an aged one but even then, Cera could not have had more respect for the speaker.

"Do as your heart tells you, Tricia. A threehorn of your age is more than ready to make her own decisions." Cera turned to look at her stepmother in shock, not having even thought of her getting involved in this discussion. She tried to stutter some kind of answer but she couldn't even begin to realize how very awkward her situation was with all the other dinosaurs looking at her expectantly. Tricia grinned mischievously as she approached the older threehorn and spoke to her cheekily.

"Well, Cera? I did not need her support but it's nice that she at least trusts me this much." She said, looking in satisfaction as Cera's expression softened slightly before growing more annoyed again. She quickly snapped at her sister in a silent voice.

"Well, come along then! But if anything happens to you, then don't blame me! Petrie, we need you to scout before us and report if there's anything we need to know!" She cried but to her slight relief, the flyer at least wasn't bound on making her life any more difficult than it already was. He flew towards the forming group before nodding at his old friend in agreement.

"Petrie will help you even if me have a really bad feeling about all this. Please, say we will be okay." He said meekly to Cera's slight amusement. She quickly nodded at her group before speaking to the smaller dinosaur happily.

"Are you kidding, Petrie? Three threehorns and a spiketail can take out any sharptooth so we will be fine with whatever is out there!" She said, earning nods from everyone around them. Littlefoot smiled at the five dinosaurs, regretting he couldn't accompany them as far as he would have wanted. Still, he cast those thoughts aside and spoke softly at his oldest friend.

"I'm sure of it, Cera. I trust you will keep us all safe. I wish all of you the best of luck and I'm sure Ducky will be more than thankful to you when you return." He said as the shorter dinosaur returned his approving look. She then quickly looked at her companions and snapped at them quickly.

"Thanks for those words, Littlefoot. We'll leave within half an hour. And Lighthide… I'd like to talk to you before we go." She said more silently at her mate who frowned slightly at the female but he didn't question her motives. The other dinosaurs looked at Cera in surprise but none of them asked her anything. A dark look rose to Cera's face as she turned around to enjoy this last reprieve before whatever fight was coming.

"What was that about, my love? I mean, I know we're all nervous but… but we cannot fail! You know we cannot!" Lighthide asked with a puzzled look on his face, not really knowing what to make of his mate's behavior. Cera knew his question was more than obvious but inside, she felt a feeling as if something was literally gnawing at her intestines. She didn't hide this feeling from the other dinosaur as she spoke.

"At least we shouldn't. But Lighthide… I've gotten into trouble because of my pride too many times to be willing to do so again. Something makes me sick about this and I don't say it lightly. I… I just feel that we're facing something we cannot beat." She said in a low voice, knowing that a younger version of herself would never have admitted it but those days were long past. Cera had since learned that while her kind indeed was one of the most fierce and powerful ones, there were still countless things they couldn't face and live through. And for some reason, she felt this could very well be one of those cases.

The male could see that his mate was serious about her words and he had grown to respect her judgement greatly. However, he also knew the two couldn't back down from this mission anymore and even after Cera's words, he was more than willing to believe today wouldn't end in a disaster. He slowly raised one of his feet and touched Cera's chin with it and spoke soothingly.

"You've really changed, Cera. When we first met, you still did your all to prove to me you knew everything and that you didn't need help from anyone. I'm happy to see that those days are over but even if the Valley looks up to you now, it would still be good if you retained some more of your old confidence. I've lived long enough outside the Valley to see that appearances are almost as important as strength in fights and, as you well know, trying to get others to follow you." He said, more than happy with the fact he had to say them at all as with many other threehorns, they would never even admit their weakness to anyone and would instead head into whatever danger simply to save their face with the others. Cera looked at the male with a confused look and her voice wavered as she spoke.

"Of course I know that, Lighthide! That's what my father has told me all my life! But that is exactly what I've tried to cast away in order to get the others to really trust me!" She said with a loud voice, slightly annoyed as not once muscle twitched in the other threehorn's face. He waited for a few seconds before he gave his answer in a soft voice.

"And that's what all of us should do. But the thing is, most of the time we cannot know what's waiting for us and in those times, we have no choice but to take the leap of faith. I could see just how badly you tried to prevent Tricia from joining us and I could very well see that you're afraid of losing her. I'd never want to lose you either, my love, for a mission like this… but you know the answer to this problem, don't you?" He asked, willing to let Cera find the answer to her inner turmoil herself.

The female raised her eyes towards the dark skies, knowing that she could no longer argue with her mate's point. She had seen enough death and sorrow in her life to know it was simply a part of the Circle of Life but still… she had everything she had ever wanted and that was something she didn't want to lose. But… if she didn't stand up to defend it, all her dreams and joy would fade away for good and in the end, she would know she had never deserved them in the first place. She looked at her strong forelegs and caught a brief glimpse of her horns before taking a more decisive and firmer look as she spoke to her mate.

"I certainly do. Regardless of whether either of us wants it, we still have important roles in this Valley and if a threehorn cannot stand up to these threats, no one else will! Thank you for reminding me about that, dear. I really needed it." She said as she smiled at the male warmly. Lighthide returned that joyful smile before answering simply.

"Of course. That's one of the reasons why we're here. To encourage each other when we need it most." That moment seemed like a precious flicker of light in the seemingly endless gloom and Cera felt the warmth fight back the cold inside her. Somehow, Lighthide always managed to cheer her up and remind her of whom she really was. Despite her current position, she was still Cera and she would never run away from any danger or challenge if she could defend those dearest to her. She was just about to answer to her beloved mate before she heard a familiar call from far above herself.

"Well, are you coming or not? Petrie not sure how far the others want to wait for you two!" The flyer cried with teasing smile that he knew would get the larger dinosaurs to move immediately. Cera exhaled in annoyance as she snapped at the male.

"Alright, we're coming, Petrie! Even if we haven't taken any longer than we had agreed!" She cried, looking as the flyer turned around to head towards the spot where was attacked. The threehorns exchanged brief worried glances even if both of them knew they'd be able to do this. No regrets lingered in their eyes as they prepared for what was to come.

A deep frown formed on Cera's face as she looked at the sight around her. The lands north of the Valley had for a long time been covered by dark woods that were dotted with small bogs but today, all of that had changed completely and not for the better. As she looked before herself, many shivers crept up her spine as she looked at the gloom before herself.

It was as if the last lights penetrating the canopy had been sucked away and nearly the only thing she could see were the faint glimmers on the surface on the surface of the dark, unmoving waters that now covered much of the ground. The dark silhouettes of the trees towered over the new marsh and the faint but cold wind battered Cera's right side. She had no idea what she had expected but this… this was even more weird than what she had thought to see in her worst sleep stories.

"H… how is this possible? I… was here only a few cycles of the Night Circle ago and… back then, everything seemed completely normal! Places do not simply change like this this fast!" She exclaimed, earning unknowing looks from her companions. Yes, there had been a lot of skywater but the previous Days of the Rising Waters had never had this great an effect. Besides, even if Cera didn't want to admit it even to herself, the forest seemed far larger than it had before. Lighthide spoke to her mate in clear anxiety.

"I don't like this in the least. We don't even see what will attack us! It isn't difficult to believe that the forest itself could attack us as Ducky said!" He said with a frown, earning a look of agreement from Cera. She was just about to speak as she heard the voice she had hoped not to hear again after her return into the Valley.

"Aw, come on!" At this rate, we're going to attack each other's tails if we don't calm down!" She said, clearly disapproving the attitude of the older threehorns. Cera took a brief sigh as she answered even if she didn't look at her sister in order not to give any attacker a chance to strike.

"I'd gladly tear your tail into pieces, Tricia, if that prevents any of us from being killed by any unknown freak! If you don't have anything to say but to imply that we're not in a real danger, then stay silent!" The older threehorn snapped, causing a deep look of disapproval form on her sister's face. Tircia's voice was even more hostile as she spoke.

"You're getting far too bossy, Cera! Of course I'll take care but by the ancestors, nobody is going to attack three threehorns and a spiketail! Dad always said that even one threehorn can stand his ground against any sharptooth!" She cried, finally causing Cera to stop and sigh deeply. She turned at her mate and whispered to him softly.

"Guard us for a moment, Lighthide. I have some words for my dear sister." She said unusually warmly. Lighthide looked at her in worry but decided against questioning her. The female then turned at her sister, her seemingly calm face causing Tricia to take a few steps back in worry. Cera then cleared her throat before starting to speak in a completely kind and soft voice which nonetheless started to turn into a more vitriolic one over time.

"Tricia, there are a few things I'd like to discuss with you. Regardless of how he may act, daddy is not always right. In fact, he led himself and me into the heart of a forest fire that nearly killed both of us. Also, he has had his share of completely crappy ideas that I've hated most of my life. However, I am not going to blame you for listening to him. But I am blaming you for forcing yourself to accompany us and even after everything I told you back in the Valley, you still act you know everything simply because of some things daddy said. I hate to break it to you but threehorns can not beat any dinosaur and with an attitude like that, you would have already been eaten if you had lived in the Mysterious Beyond! So, Tricia, BE SILENT IF YOU REALLY HAVE NOTHING CLEVER TO SAY!" Cera cried, completely livid at her sister. If it had been up to her, the younger threehorn wouldn't even be here and she was only confirming her worst doubts about the younger threehorn's presence.

Tricia looked at her sister with wide eyes, not expecting her to act like this. Yes, she had been pessimistic about her before but she had never expected Cera to harbor this much resentment towards her little sister. However, she wasn't taken aback by the older dinosaur's rant and she wasted no time giving her equally hostile answer.

"Just listen to yourself, Cera! All you've ever done is to try to hold me back and tell I'm not even able to stand my ground against a cursed ground fuzzy! It is you who should stand back and stay silent while we others do something that might help us get through this mission! I, for one, am growing…" Suddenly, a low screech rang through the forest, causing all of the gathered dinosaurs to form a defensive ring. Her argument with the younger threehorn vanished from Cera's mind immediately as she realized that the voice was the very same she had heard the precious day. A clear look of fear rose to her face as she looked around herself. Immediately, mist started to engulf the forest in its embrace, giving the seemingly never-ending darkness a grey hue. Cera shivered as she looked at the mist grow ever thicker before she suddenly jumped slightly forward and hit the nothingness before her. Lighthide immediately asked his mate in worry.

"What is it, Cera? Why did you do that?" He asked, seeing as Cera looked around herself with a clearly confused look. The female stayed silent for a few moments longer before she finally answered.

"I thought I saw movement but… it seems I saw wrong. But it is here, everyone. I know it. Petrie, can you see anything else?" She said as she joined her companions, every form of the mist taking a menacing form in the eyes of the still-young threehorn. The flyer looked at the larger dinosaur in worry but didn't hesitate a moment when he gave his answer.

"Nope. Me can only see more and more of this mist but Petrie cannot get any lower or it can attack Petrie! But me try to make sure nothing attack you before you know of it!" He said, knowing just how sickening the situation was to his friends and companions. Cera cursed silently as she turned at the other dinosaurs and hissed to them in anger.

"Well, let's not waste any more time! Follow me and let's get this done!" She said as she headed forward, feeling as her legs sank ever deeper into the stinking waters of the new marsh. She knew that this situation was the horror of any leafeater as here she was, slowed down by the water while at the same time not able to see a trace of the possible attackers. Suddenly, she realized just how silent her surroundings had suddenly grown and she couldn't hear absolutely anything aside from her and her companions' footsteps. She knew just how unnatural that was but she didn't want to think about that just yet. All she had to do was to…

"Cera! Where in earth did you disappear? First, you were there and then… Aaah!" She heard Tricia call before she heard her distressed and pained cry. Immediately, Cera turned to run towards the sound, not able to understand just how she had lost the three other dinosaurs. After all, she had heard them walking right after here and now they were so very far from her… just what was happening?

"Tricia? Lighthide? Tell me you are alright!" She called, praying she'd receive a quick answer and to her relief, it was only a few seconds before she heard her mate's call.

"We're alright, Cera! That… monster already left us!" Lighthide called, causing Cera to frown even more than before. What creature was the male talking about? She exhaled again deeply and she took a stern look as she spoke slowly and clearly.

"Very well. Whatever you bastard are, step forward now! I've had enough of your hide and seek games! Face me and then I'll show you your place!" She said, not really knowing whether she expected anything to happen as she stared into the darkness, not really believing her enemy to be that eager to cooperate with her. However, her eyes widened as she heard the now-familiar voice again… right before her. And after a few seconds, she saw a shadow appear in front of her and the sight that followed was something she had never even seen in her worst sleep stories.

The first thing she saw was the creature's head which resembled that of a sharptooth's by its shape and form but one detail shattered each and every previous thought in the threehorn's mind. That monster's head was merely a naked skull which was somehow twisted into a wicked smile. Cera stared into her foe's empty sockets in terror, completely ignoring the mighty antlers that were sticking out from the creature's head. It raised its branch-like claws at the female, preparing to give her the treatment she had given all those that had trespassed in its forests.

Cera, on the other hand, was frozen in place, not able to move even one toe of her hindlegs. She could only stare at the monster's hellish face, before which loomed three trees that seemed to be growing ever taller while the threehorn felt like she was shrinking. Th… this simply wasn't possible! Dead dinosaurs simply didn't return to life and she couldn't come up with any other explanation for her foe's head. Absentmindedly, she realized that the creature had relatively normal-looking skin covering the rest of its body but that was a minor detail when compared to the horrifying sight of its head. The monster was on the verge of crushing its for good… before Cera finally forced herself awake! She wasn't a weakling who'd go down without a fight, damnit! Her friends, mate and the Valley depended on her and she'd give her all to take this abomination down.

"Not one step closer fiend! Lighthide, Tricia, join me, now!" She cried, hearing some answers from her companions even if she couldn't hear their words. Not willing to give any more openings to her enemy, Cera suddenly charged towards the monster, willing to take it out… but just as she was about to collide with it, the monsters seemed to disappear into thin air.

"Wh… what in the name of all th…" She started to ask in fear but before she could finish, she felt a stinging pain a sickening blow to her left side. She immediately turned to face the direction the hit had come from on and found that she was facing her enemy again. This time, the threehorn got a better look at her foe's body and it was something that didn't make her any calmer. It had a line of something like spikes as if a spiketail but in their stead, there seemed to grow only more pieces of wood, moss and some other kind of growth. Its hand seemed to turn into tree's branches as they got closer to its hands and just as sickeningly, Cera suddenly realized that it seemed like the creature's entire body seemed to be rotting which only deepened her shock. She prepared for her next attack as she heard her companions approach her which prompted her to postpone her plans in order to share her findings with the three other dinosaurs.

"It can disappear into the air and appear elsewhere afterwards! How can we even fight it?!" Cera cried in near-desperation, seeing that none of her companions were any more hopeful after this fight. Spike tried to say something but in the heat of the battle, none of the threehorns could understand his grunts. Tricia looked at her sister and cried in a loud voice.

"No matter what, we don't have any time to think about that! Let's try to get that… that monster in a bad enough situation so that it can no longer do its tricks! Come on, time is off the essence!" She cried, preparing for a charge on her enemy. However, the creature didn't signal any preparation for her or the other dinosaurs' attack, instead burying its hands into the ground while grinning deeply. Cera knew that this was most likely not a good sign for her or her companions but what followed was something even she hadn't expected. She suddenly felt vines sticking out from the water which immediately tied themselves around the threehorn, pulling her into the ground instantly. Simply a horrified gasp escaped Cera's mouth as she hit the bottom of the marsh, the water forcing its way into her nostrils and mouth. She looked in horror as more and more of the moss-like vines gathered around her head. It wouldn't take long now before she'd drown into this embarrassingly shallow water and her sister and mate would likely follow her soon enough…

Suddenly, the threehorn felt the vines around herself snapping quickly and without any further hesitation, she forced her way towards the surface, counting the seconds before she could breathe again. When she finally felt the sweet air fill her lungs, she also saw the ghastly dinosaur before her glancing at her in apparent surprise but it was clear that it was nowhere nearly defeated. Cera looked at Lighthide, who was standing beside her, and asked him while gasping for more air.

"Was… was it you who cut those cursed vines?" She asked to which the male only nodded quickly. Lighthide then cried at his mate while turning his gaze on their foe.

"Yes it was but now, let's continue the attack before that monster will be able to do any more of its tricks!" He cried, wasting no times following his own orders. Cera could see Spike and Tricia not far from her, the two already bringing the fight to the woodland spirit. It glanced at its foes briefly before it finally stepped towards the spiketail and dodged his powerful charge rather easily. It then attempted to open a gaping wound on his flank but before it could do anything like that, Spike turned at the creature and tackled it to the ground. The unknown dinosaur screeched as Spike fell upon its legs, his weight most likely being able to crush the limbs of any known species. The skull-headed monstrosity, however, hit right at the spiketail's back, cringing as the blood flowed on its lower body.

However, Spike wasn't about to give up his hard-won advantage but his position wasn't necessarily as strong as he had expected. Suddenly, he saw three rather small fastbiters ran right towards him and before he had the time to come up with any real plan, he rose back to his feet as he knew he would have been torn to pieces by the newcomers if he had put all his efforts on trying to take out their master. The treelike dinosaur slowly regained its footing and while pain emanated from its face, it was clear that the injuries caused by Spike weren't quite enough to seriously hamper its movement.

Tricia had seen all of this of course and she cursed deeply as she was unable to help Spike in time. However, she would be damned if she'd let these petty beasts hamper her and her companions' efforts to keep the Valley safe. She ran towards the three fastbiters and cried loudly as she took the first one of them out with one, powerful blow. She then proceeded to face another one as she heard an alarmed cry from Petrie.

"Tricia, look out! Bellydraggers are approaching!" He cried and the threehorn knew perfectly that bellydraggers were a foe to be reckoned with. However, she couldn't quite fight against them right now as long as she had the small predators attempting to attack her with all their might. She yelped with a loud voice, hoping that someone would do as she asked.

"Cera, Lighthide, take those bastards out! I'm in a bit of hurry!" She cried as she dodged another attack from the sharpteeth. Her little sister's call, however, made Cera frown deeply as this was the kind of situation she had dreaded all along. She looked at her foe who was standing not far from her and her mate and she knew she had the perfect chance to take the fight to it and try to take it out once and for all. On the other hand, she wanted nothing more than to turn out and help her sister in fending off the predators. She couldn't just leave Tricia out there as there was a real chance she'd fall before she could next help but…

The threehorn sighed as she looked at the horrifying beast before her, knowing what her duty was. She had come here in order to safeguard the Valley from whatever creature had attacked Ducky and now that she had found out just how dangerous it was, she knew she had to take this opportunity to decide this fight once and for all. If she wavered now, her enemy could be able to take back the initiative of the fight which meant that in the end, all of her companions could meet their ends here. Tricia had so badly wanted a chance to prove her worth and no matter how much Cera hated that thought, this was the perfect chance for her to prove it.

"Tricia, You'll have to hold them off for a few minutes while we will end this!" She cried, hearing that Tricia cried something with a shocked voice but Cera didn't even want to hear it. Her heart was already heavy enough without having to listen more of her sister's futile calls for help. She quickly turned at Spike and Lighthide and snapped at them in anger.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Attack and make sure the bastard won't be able to surprise you with its disappearing tricks!" She yelled, more than outraged at the whole situation. She didn't want to be forced to go through this but she wasn't really being given a choice. The two males nodded at their companion, knowing the situation as well as she did.

The mysterious spirit looked at its three foes expectantly, facing the three charging dinosaurs almost unnaturally calmly. Just as the three were about to hit it, it seemed like the mist was again swallowing the monstrous sight amongst itself but this time none of the three attackers were taken aback by it. Lighthide glanced around himself in fear, knowing that their foe wouldn't be too far away from him. He didn't hesitate fir a second when he saw some movement in the corner of his eyes and he smiled in relief when he felt his tail touch the treelike skin of his unnatural enemy. A loud splash could be heard as the latter fell into the water but even now, the creature wasn't showing any signs of being overpowered. It again dug its hands into the ground and again, vines appeared from the trees and ground that prevented the male threehorn from giving the final blow to the aberration.

However, that wasn't needed as Cera quickly charged towards it and hit the middle of its body with her horn with a terrifying force. The creature was thrown a long way further into the water, rolling for a few time before it finally stopped still. Such a hit would have killed most dinosaurs, especially those only marginally larger than the threehorn but even then, signs of life could be seen within the monster. Without even a flicker of mercy, Cera cried to her companions.

"Now, finish it! We have the upper hand!" She yelled as she, Spike and Lighthide ran towards their enemy as fast as they simply could, knowing the battle was over. The creature, on the other hand, looked around itself tiredly before it made the obvious judgement. It chuckled slightly, again becoming one with the mist in order to save itself from the incoming slaughter. Cera frowned at this even if she wasn't particularly surprised by it. She and the two other dinosaurs looked around them, preparing to attack their enemy again once it eventually came to their reach. However, seconds passed and nothing but the endless white mist could be seen around them. Cera was growing more than frustrated by that fact and she cried in a loud voice.

"Come face your defeat like a threehorn, coward! You won't get away from us!" She cried as she tried to see something, anything of worth around herself. Again, moments passed and nothing happened. However, she was torn quickly awake from her thoughts as she heard a cry she had hoped she'd never hear. It was the horrified call of her little sister but Cera couldn't hear any clear words in her cry of alarm. However, she would never forgive herself if she left something undone that could help her only sibling in her time of need.

"We have to help her! Don't waste any more time!"

The world around the threehorn had turned into a complete nightmare in only a few seconds. One moment, she was standing her ground while attempting to crush the two bellydraggers and she had even been surprised by her own success in turning the battle into her advantage. However, once the horrifying monstrosity suddenly appeared in the mist before her, it was in effect all over. Tricia suddenly felt herself being dragged into the ground by the vines that had already risen against her sister but this time, there was nowhere by her side to save her.

Yet, even in horrifying moment, Tricia wasn't ready to give up. She concentrated all of her strength in trying to break free from her enemy's grip and her muscles trembled heavily as she tried to force herself free. However, her foe's gaze was unfazed as more and more growth forced the threehorn into the ground. After a struggle that lasted for nearly a minute, the female finally realized that her efforts were for nothing. She fell on her belly, all strength drained from her body. From the corner of her eyes, she saw her foe drawing slowly closer to her, taking a look that bordered something of… approval? The young threehorn looked at the sight in fear, knowing she was completely in the spirit's mercy. From somewhere so very far away, she heard the sounds of her companions approaching her with all the speed they could muster.

The sight before Cera made her feel sicker than she could remember being in a long, long time. It seemed like an additional curtain of mist was gathering around the spot where her sister was lying, as if engulfing that particular spot in its embrace. She wouldn't allow this to happen! She would save her from the monster's grip, she would kill that bastard and return home with her sister and everything would be good again! Suddenly, the ghastly form appeared before the threehorn but this time, Cera wasn't going to give it any heed. She was preparing to simply ram it down it down and do anything in her power to simply save Tricia from this fate.

However, those hopes were dashed as a new row of trees rose between Cera and the monster, finally stopping the massive dinosaur's charge. She was just about to force her way through any of the bastard's tricks but she was simply too perplexed as the creature suddenly rose to the air, starting to float back towards the spot it had left Tricia in, giving Cera an encouraging, even a friendly nod. Something told Cera that the monster had just offered her some kind of peace for the fight she had fought… but she wouldn't let this happen! She simply wouldn't!

With all the remaining strength she had left, Cera started to tear through the trees, quickly joined by Spike and Lighthide in her efforts. Together, they WOULD get through this… they would make everything right… After surprisingly brief efforts, they finally broke through the newly-formed trees… just in time to see a pale light forming around the sphere of mist and before any of them could react in any way, one brief flash of light illuminated the forest… and immediately afterwards, it was all over. The creature was gone and along with it, also Tricia. The fact that for the first time in weeks the wall of clouds started to break was completely lost to Cera who was left staring forward… at the spot where her sister was supposed to be.

"Tricia! TRICIA! ANSWER ME IF YOU CAN! PLEASE, TELL ME YOU'RE HERE SOMEWHERE!" She cried at the top of her lungs as she looked around herself while the light of the early Warm Time started to force its way through the mists. The threehorn felt her breathing grow quicker and quicker as she realized her sister was nowhere to be seen. Even if she didn't quite realize it, all the memories from Tricia's birth and the duo's many games as children to their unfortunate competition as young adults.

Suddenly, she felt like a child again, teaching her baby sister to talk, walk and in her older days, also to fight. She had watched her grow and she had spent countless happy days playing with her during her life. She simply had to be here somewhere! Some cursed freak simply couldn't do this to her! If that coward was going to escape, then at least it had absolutely no right or reason to take Tricia from her! Suddenly, the threehorn started to tremble and pant as she thought about what had just happened. Tricia was still most likely alive and she would find her, no matter what. Her voice was a mix between a pained wail and an enraged roar when she next spoke.

"I will find that monster and I will make it pay for what it did! I swear this in the name of all the threehorns who ever lived and you are going to help me with that!" She suddenly yelled in a nearly manic manner but despite her clearly irrational state of mind, Lighthide did what any caring mate would have done. His eyes were moist but his voice was strong as he spoke.

"Cera… I am so sorry for what happened. I'd give my life if I could to bring her back but… this was the way it was supposed to go. We faced something we never should have and we survived. What I'm trying to say is that… our courage was acknowledged and even if we tried, we'd never be able to beat that creature because what it did in the end meant was that it was only playing with us all the time. And… and the Valley is safe again, thank the Bright Circle." He said as he looked at the quickly clearing sky. Cera could only stare at the male in disbelief, not able to believe what she was hearing. Was her love actually telling her to abandon Tricia for good because of simple fear? Her voice trembled as she spoke again.

"How can you say that? Tricia is my sister and I won't stand simply taking what some spirit or whatever that bastard is gives me! What if it comes next and takes me? Would you simply shrug it off and think all is well?" She asked, causing the male to frown deeply. He hated to hear such accusations but he decided against pushing his distressed mate any further.

"I wouldn't but on the other hand, the monster has already left us and something tells me it's not coming back. I'm sure of it." He said, thinking of his enemy's gestures right before it disappeared for good. It felt like the apparition was trying to bid farewell to the four dinosaurs while leaving as the ultimate victor of the confrontation.

Cera's panting grew slowly weaker as she thought about his mate's words. It was true that the world was returning to what it was supposed to be in this season and any traces of the monster's influence seemed to be fading away. However, inside Cera knew her chances of ever finding her sister was close to zero as she had no idea where the creature had left for while disappearing. And most likely, it wasn't willing to let anyone follow it if it didn't want to. But… if Tricia was still alive, Cera couldn't help but dread what she was going through right now. And if she wasn't… she felt a few tears fall down her cheek as she heard a relieved call from Petrie.

"There you are! Petrie tried to look for you after the mist prevented me from seeing you any longer! Did you beat it?" He asked optimistically, of course noticing the implications of the disappearing mist. Cera glanced at the flyer mournfully and she fought back at her tears as she answered her old friend.

"The threat is gone… but so is Tricia. I should have just stood my ground and tell Tria to be silent. It's all my fault." She said darkly before turning at Lighthide again.

"It's true that we might not be able to find her but… but if she still lives, she might one day return to us. Though… Mr. Thicknose has told many stories of monsters in the woods that take dinosaurs with them who are never seen again." Those tales suddenly returned to her mind and inside, she knew she'd never see her sister in this life. The male then spoke silently to his mate before turning back towards The Valley.

"I've heard of them too but we can still hope. Cera, let's go. The best we can do for her is to make sure our lives will be worth living." He said, causing Cera to sniff again while she tried to fight against letting her emotions flow free just yet. She'd have many nights to cry but for now, she'd have to tell of this victory to the Valley, even if that triumph felt more empty and crushing than anything she had ever felt before in her life before. The four dinosaurs slowly then left the forest of horror, each of them shivering at the thought that they'd faced something that no dinosaur before had fought and lived to tell of it.

And this is my entry to the Gang of Five's March prompt. It is a slightly different one due to the Gang being adults here but is also a return to somewhat more horror-leaning stories. I really like them but there seems to be a serious underrepresentation of them in this fandom so here you go. Some of you might recognize the monster as being inspired by the leshen in the Witcher series which in turn are inspired by the leshy, a mythical character in the Slavic folklore. I hope you like the way I utilized this creepiest of creatures as well as this story as a whole and see you again with another chapter of Separate Ways.