The next morning Red woke up on the hill to a beauteous dawn that shone upon his face, warm crimson skies that bled into orange as he sighed deeply to close his eyes again and briefly reminisce.  His belly rose and fell gently, muttering to himself as he drifted back to sleep for a few minutes more during which the brief snatches of dreams became more powerful in revisiting.  He smiled with soft smoke from his nostrils, whispering plumes that crept into the air as a breeze tickled across his skin.

        "Hey, wake up!"

        "Nnnnngh."  He flicked an eye open to see Angela and Oddie sputtering in panic.

        "Get up dammit you're burning the grass!"

        "Whuh, OH j-jeez!"

He felt a warmth licking his feet as he stood up quick to see a fire starting to grow from his tail and spread across the hill, stomping it out with his thick fireproof soles until nothing but a black smear was left.

        "PLEASE be careful!" cried the raptor.

        "Sorry, sorry I don't normally sleep on grass."

        "And a good morning to you," the policewoman bowed with hands behind her back, "you had a good sleep?"

        "Yeah," he rubbed his neck, "least I was.  How about you?"

        "Mmm pretty good."

        "I slept well too," the raptor nodded, "Firetail and Plainslash are not here yet."

        "So why'd you even wake me up?!" he snorted slumping back on his rear.  "I mean it's a nice morning yeah but if I got nothing to do."

        "Because we need food," Oddclaw pointed over to a cluster of shapes in the distance, "I need someone to help me hunt."

        "Wait, h-hunt?!  Like, for food?"

        "Yes.  Angela said no."

        "I didn't bring my weapons," she raised her hands, "not in my hunting mode today."

        "So you have to help me get food."

        "Ohhh jeez uhh listen," Red rubbed his neck, "I never...killed anything, especially not for food I just go grab a burger or something."

        "Well we have no burgers here, you have to hunt if you want to eat."

        "Hnnnnn alright."

Heading off to the southeast, Oddclaw and Red took a running start down the hill towards the group of parasaurolophus grazing off in the distance.  The scents of life freshly bloomed across the breeze as grass swayed effortlessly beneath their feet, the charizard keeping his tail above the reeds in a gentle swish of smoking flame as Oddclaw sniffed the air.

        "We have to move downwind so they do not smell your fire."

        "Uhhh sure," muttered Red, "sorry I can't turn that off."

        "It is fine, I hope you do not mind I speak like this, it is more comfortable to me."

        "No prob, it's just when she's around yanno.  So uhhh how do we do this?"

        "We find one to move away from its tribe, then you charge at it and catch it.  I will kill it if you do not want to."

        "Yyyyyeah just uh," Red gulped pulling his neck in close, "I'm not really comfortable with the whole killing part."

        "That is fine," the raptor nodded, "my youngest son struggled as well and I did too when I was young as him, it is always difficult learning to hunt."

        "Yeah, how bad were you at it?"

        "I cried, said my mother."

        "Awww."  The charizard patted him.  "Hey, I cried too when I first battled."

        "Really?" Odd looked up at him as they skirted south round the herd.  "I cried too when I learned to fight!"

        "Hahahaha, what was your first fight against?"

        "My brother Fishclaw.  He tried to teach me and bit my head but his jaws opened up and I looked down inside and thought he was going to eat me!  So I started crying haha."

        "Awwwhawhaw, yeah mine was I got pecked in the face by a pidgey, back when I was a charmander, bam, right in the snout here."  He tapped the end of his nostril.  "Stung like crazy, I was bawling for ages."

        "Hmmmm...but you have never killed?"

        "Nah, pokemon don't normally do that, got no reason to...usually."

        "What do you do then?"  He motioned Red to lay flat on a curving ditch just out of sight.  "How do you hunt for food?"

        "We don't?" muttered the charizard flattening his body with wings spread out.  "I never had to hunt for food, James always fed u-UH-us."

        "James?!"  The raptor shot up slightly peeking over the hill.

        "U-uhhh, yeah this, uhhh...this human guy yeaaaaah who looked after us, he was called James."

        "Huh!  I have a friend called James, he is not a hairless though."

        "Right!" Red smiled beaming a toothy grin.  "Well, he gave us food that he bought from places always, we never had to hunt for it."

        "Ahhh, then I must teach you."

        "Y-yeah sure."  He turned his head with a deep sigh of relief before looking up at the herd.  "Soooo uh which one we catching?"

        "That one," Oddclaw pointed at a young grunt shouting at one of the parents, "I will wait east of him, then when I show my claws, you chase him towards me and I kill it."

        "R-right."

The dragon pulled at his collar making the bell tingle before Oddclaw suddenly grabbed it.

        "Be quiet."

        "Wh-whuh?!"

        "Your stone makes a noise that frightens them."

        "Oh, s-sorry."  He clutched his bell when Oddclaw took his hand off it.  "It's my brother's bell, kinda like having it on me."

        "Your brother's?" asked Odd.

        "Yeah it was uh...he liked it."

        "I understand, my sisters love shiny stones."

        "Haha really?" the charizard leaned on his elbow.

        "They have children now so they are too busy to wander off and find them, but they would constantly find shiny things and pester my mother with them always hahaha!"

        "None of my friends were like that, we pretty much always knew what we were gonna do."

        "You do not have any family?" the raptor turned fully to him on his side.  "Besides your brother."

        "Well he wasn't like, a family-brother, more like a best-friend-brother yanno."

        "Aaaah, yes."

        "But no I had no family."  The dragon-beast swished his tail in flex.  "I was raised by a human, then he gave me up to another human he hoped could train me but he was kind of terrible, beat me around and called me useless."

        "He hurt you?"

        "Yeah.  Then this other guy James took him away from me, called my former trainer a punkass which he was and well he helped me a lot more than that punk ever did."

        "How did this James helps you?" Oddie asked looking up at the herd drifting through the grazing patch.

        "Helped me become strong," Red smiled looking up, "helped me grow up, taught me about fighting and how to stand up to bullies.  He was my best friend, even though we only spent like a month together, but thanks to him I got a new life, I got big and now most days I just spend hanging out in the Safari Zone living the good life and keeping the local pokemon safe."

        "OH, you are a guard!"

        "Basically!"

        "Is James a guard too?"

        "Nah he uh...he left."  The charizard rubbed behind his shoulder.  "He had to leave cuz he had uhhh, a sickness, but he got better and came back to see us after we got our jobs and settled ourselves in, he's still doing well."

        "That is good!" the raptor grinned wide.  "He sounds like a very good friend."

        "He is, I bet you'd love him.  Least I hope you would."

        "Why, is he here too?"

        "Hahaha naaah but I wish.  Right now I just hang with Claude at the zone keeping the peace, we used to have this other friend Deckard but she got big in the world of Battle Royals."

        "Are you the only guards?" asked Odd between glances over the hill.

        "Naaah we're just the toughest ones, but Deckard was like...hooo," he sucked through his teeth, "she was a powerhouse, I heard once she knocked down a freakin' HO-OH out of the sky with one PUNCH.  Buuut it's just me and Claude now."

        "Hmm...alright, let us go, wait for my claws."

        "Alright."

The raptor skittered off towards the east using the hills for cover, running along dips in the little valleys to keep out of sight as Red kept his focus on the teen parasaurolophus who was boasting off with his long-head bellowing insults, much to the chagrin of his parents who barked at him to keep quiet which made the charizard shake his head.  He turned towards Oddie who kept skirting round the herd.

        "Well, least I got to tell you SOMETHING about your dad.  Hhhnnnngh...should I tell him, I mean why shouldn't I, what's the worst that can happen?"

        "A lot of things."

        "WHU-JEEZ!"  Red clapped his mouth in fright seeing Angela suddenly appear beside him.  "Don't DO that what are you doing?!"

        "I hope you're not thinking what I think you're thinking."

        "UH...s-so what if I am!?"

        "Because I warned you before, don't tell him about his father."

        "Why NOT?!"

        "Because he has his reasons, trust me."

        "What you mean, just, u-ugh!"  He sputtered waving his hands.  "Can I at least just like, IMPLY or-"

        "No."  She clapped her hand on his snout.  "If you want to help him, then do not tell him."

        "Mmmmnnngh...what if I like, talk about a HUMAN called James that just really helped me out but in no way was his dad?"

        "You already told him didn't you?"

        "...n-nooo?" the charizard winced at her souring expression.  "I-i swear it just came out, I said NOTHING about him being his dad, just-"

        "Red."

        "There was a guy called James and he was my best friend-"

        "Red!"

        "And I just wanted to tell him at least in SOME way tha-"

        "RED!"

        "WHAT?!"

        "He's calling on you!"  She pointed over to Oddclaw in the distance waving his hand.

        "SHIT, right uhh we do this later!"

He lunged over the hill and started running, flapping his wings out with a sudden crick from stretching them too fast as he felt a cramp that made him spasm.

        "AH, d-dammit AAAGH shit s-stupid wings-GAH c-come on!"

Flying with a slow start, his legs tipped off the grass as his claws trailed over the green when a parasaurolophus saw him coming.  Scattering in fright the sounds of trumpeting bellows from their long heads warned the herd to flee as  Red honed in on the lone teenage saurian that he cut off from the rest of the pack.  The young beast panicked and ran straight to the east, hoofing as quick as he could towards the dip in the hills before a raptor suddenly came leaping out to crack his fist straight into the escaping prey's face.

        "A-AAAAAGH, SH-SHIT G-GET OFF ME!"

        "HOLD HIM DOWN, HIT HIS HEAD!"

Red jumped on top and quickly set up a flaming punch to slam into the saurian's face, scarring his cheek with a black pallour to stun him before holding his head still.  Oddclaw immediately dug his claws into the throat and hooked his thumbs into the larynx, pulling the skin and peeling it open to strangle the windpipe directly with a brutal twist-and-snap as blood spilled effortless from his claws.

        "O-OHHH JEEEZ!"

        "GH-GHRRRGHRRRRKH!"

        "Theeeere we are," said the raptor softly, "just...stop."

The teen parasaurolophus did eventually, stuttering with his last breaths as his eyes rolled up in a gentle flicker before he sighed and released his muscles.  Oddclaw took a deep breath and looked up smiling at Red who was stricken between disgust and horror at their fresh kill.

        "U-uuuugh smells like a muk taking a bath."

        "Well eat up!"  The raptor bent down at the prey's neck and started chewing at its throat muscles.  "Mmmph, you can have the belly."

        "Awww c-come on do I really gotta eat raw meat?!"

        "Mmmhh?  Well...glllk," he looked up licking his bloodied lips, "you have fire, you can burn it if you like?"

        "OH, yeah I could roast it, that'd be kinda better!"

        "Not TOO much alright?"

        "Yeah I got it don't worry."

The charizard heaved with a deep breath as Oddclaw stepped away to let Red torch the fresh body, setting it to flambe as the sound of crackling scale and bubbling blood could be heard as he roasted the parasaurolophus to a fine crispy brown.  Once he was satisfied with a more pleasing smell of food he stopped cooking, the raptor grabbing a leg and tearing it off with claws and teeth, whilst Red took a gentle bite from its back.  The taste was much better than he expected, gamey but no different from a coarse burger as he started eating more and more until he ripped a chunk of its flesh off from the back and sat with Oddclaw for their feast.  He looked up to see if Angela was around but she had disappeared presumably back to their starting hill.

        "MMmmph," whimpered Odd, "ohhh, I have forgotten how GOOD this tastes!"

        "Taste what?" asked Red between bites.

        "Burned meat, mmmskhrnuhn!"  He gripped the leg like a giant drumstick and flensed the skin off its thigh with his teeth.  "Sho tashty."

        "Wait, you like never roast your meat?!"

        "N-no, mother hates fire so I can only eat it at the hairless' shining mountain."

        "Right, so your whole family are uhhh..." the charizard licked his lips chewing back a thick meaty chunk, "they're uhhh pretty, kinda, living simple lives huh?"

        "We live like any other hunter," said Oddclaw ripping out a juicy muscle that stretched like taffy, "nnmmmph gluhh, we hunt, we play, we breed and have children and teach them to hunt."

        "Is that all you do?"

        "Yes, what else is there?"

        "Huhhh...I guess there's not much else but," the charizard scratched his head, "still is that really all you do these days?"

        "Well, yes."  Oddclaw pulled out a thicker chunk and savoured its sweet-roasted meat.  "What do you do in your home?"

        "Uhhh...wake up, have some food, sort out any fights going on, protect the zone, have some more food...maybe sometimes go out on a little training, go to a gym maybe-yeah okay I see watcha mean."

        "Well I mean I DO hunt starbeasts as well, that is something no other hunter in my tribe does, except for my brothers and my sister who have also done so, but only one hunt each."

        "Haha, so it's pretty regular huh?"

        "Every one-and-a-half cycles."  The raptor slowed down his chewing with a steady gulp.  "It is...exhausting some days."

        "I'm sorry," Red patted his shoulder with a gentle rub, "I know we're taking your time up with this dumb chase."

        "It is fine, we have thieves to catch and that is important."

        "Right."

Once they finished their breakfast having stripped most of the beast to its bones, the charizard and raptor headed back with fuller bellies and a rolling zest in their feet.  They found Angela once again sitting on the taller hill as they sat beside her, waiting another thirty minutes until two familiarly-strange beasts would join them again.

        "Morning!" Firetail hooted with a butt to the raptor's chest.  [i]"You guys sleep well?!"

        "Yes, did you?" smirked the raptor hugging round his waist.

        "Yeah we slept great," Plainslash scritched his belly.  "You catch those thieves?"

        "Yeah," said Red nodding, "we got the two that went north, you guys find out anything on the other two?"

        "The burning warmblood went southwest to the Skylands, she kept screaming off about all kinds of things and left a burning trail behind her.  She won't be hard to follow, apparently a couple waterjaws tried to eat her but she broke one of their faces like CRACK!"

The therizinosaurus emphasised with a hard twist of his claws against each other.

        "Snapped his whooooole face like it was nothing!"

        "A dangerous thief," muttered Odd rubbing his chin, "thank you for your help."

        "You uhhh, got a little something."  The stygimoloch gestured vaguely to his beak.

        "Oh sorry," the raptor swept up the last drops of red and sucked his claw clean, "I was on a hunt."

        "Oh jeez hope it's not anyone we know."

        "I'm not asking if you aren't," said Slash, "was it an adult or-"

        "I thought you weren't asking!"

        "Not like WHO it was just, well-"

        "Uuurrrgh," Red clutched his stomach with a cold weight in his gut, "th-think I'm gonna be sick please stop talking about it."

        "First blood went well then?" Angela slapped his back.

        "HRRKH, sh-shut up dammit!"

        "Well we oughta leave either way, you got the directions of our next two culprits?"

        "Y-yeah, southwest of here let's just go."

        "Alright," the raptor bowed hugging both herbivores who looked confused, "thank you again for your help."

        "Thank YOU for not eating us," said Slash with a tender rub on his back, "hope you catch those thieves soon!"

        "Yeah same here!" cried Firetail nuzzling him eagerly.  "Take care Odd, you're always welcome here."

        "The only hunter who would be."

        "Thank you friends, take care!"

He leapt onto Red with Angela in front as they took off to the sky, leaving behind a gust of wind that nearly made both saurians bowl over back down the hill when Plainslash nudged with a purr towards his friend who kept looking away ignoring him.  The sky turned blue over the hour that they flew across the Birthlands, the sounds of jubilation in life a warming distant feel as Oddclaw looked upon the beasts splashing in pools and drinking the waters rich with their children.  Red did not look at any of them, the feeling in his belly turning worse as he groaned.

        "Why'd you make me eat that guy?"

        "What do you mean?" asked Odd leaning past Angela.

        "Your friends back there talking about someone they might know, I-i just, how do you live like this?!"

        "It is the only way I can live, we hunt to survive."

        "Still feels kinda gross," he hung his head between flaps.

        "It's just how things are here," said the policewoman patting his neck, "different worlds call for different rules."

        "I'm not a hatchling I know that."

        "We're not gonna be here for long it's fine."

        "Thanks to you."

        "WAIT!"  She felt something lurch in her body and looked to the west.  "I'm getting something!"

        "Wait, what?!"

        "Turn right I'm picking something up!"

        "With your machine?" asked Odd cocking his head.

        "No with my-U-UH yeah, no, not I mean...no, my tracker right yeah of course!"  She pulled out it out her hoodie.  "Head right we got a reading Red!"

        "Fiiiine fine."

The red-orange beast took a turn slowly banking right, curving trails behind his feet as they stared towards a great darkened cloud that hung over an abysmal horizon.  Somewhere out west was a thin black line of cragged peaks that fed more of the fog above into a thickening soup.

        "What is that over there?" Angela asked.

        "The Firesea," said Odd leering with a squint, "it is a dangerous place but if our thief loves fire they might well be there."

        "Sounds like a perfect place to go, you alright heading there?"

        "I have gone into the Firesea before yes."

        "Yanno you DO have a fire-type right here," said Red turning his head, "I could go look whilst you stay away and not get burned."

        "Alright," Middleton nodded, "you go on in and look for the signal, I'll just wait with Oddie."

Taking a low swoop towards the border between grass and dirt, they landed just short of the Firesea where the ground became hardened stone and black tar pits seethed with bubbling menace.  Volcanoes lurched with blistering peaks, constantly burping lava in a neverending flow that drifted down towards the ocean where a steaming mist became thick beneath the pure odious smog that made the two of them cringe.  But to Red he slapped his chest and took a deep whiff with shuddering bliss.

        "H-hh-h-hhhhhh yeaaaaaaah you smell that shit?" he gasped stretching his wings.  "THAT is what I needed for today."

        "You LIKE this?!" gasped Oddie with eyes watering.

        "Yeah I love fire, everything about it's great it gives me LIFE, and this place is already the best just look at all that magma!"

        "Lava actually," said Angela raising a finger, "it's only magma when it's in the-"

        "You actually gonna pull facts on me about volcanoes, like ME?"

        "I'm just messing with ya," she patted his arm, "now go get 'em champ."

        "Right...you guys mind if I take a bath too, just I don't often get a chance like this."

        "Nah take your time, just don't leave us hanging all morning."

        "Awesome, later!"

Flapping off with a sulphurous gust, he left the two coughing in the dirt as Oddclaw rubbed his eyes frantically.

        "KHA-agh-aaagh...nnnngh, this place is awful."

        "Sooooo," the human turned to him stuffing hands in her hoodie, "we haven't had a chance to really talk much but whilst we're waiting, how'd you become an ambassador?"

        "Well," Oddclaw sat himself on a warm stone, "I was with the humen for three years and I learned how to speak like them.  When I returned home, I think it was a few months...after, that we found some humen wounded on a beach near my home and they were worried about them."

        "So you basically looked after them like they looked after you?"

        "Mmmmmmm," he leaned back with a slight cringe, "somewhat, there was a fight and I had to stop both the humen and raptors from killing each other haha, I was the only one that could un-derstand both."

        "Wow they weren't kidding," she smirked crossing her arms, "you really are just an actual ambassador."

        "Yes, well, they think so.  I am just Oddclaw, no matter what others would call me, I am not even the leader of my tribe."

        "You sound like you could be."

        "No."  He shook his head.  "I am a father and a hunter, not a leader."

        "Alright, fair enough."

        "Do you have children Angela?"

        "Nah not me," she shrugged leaning back, "I'm too old to have kids."

        "No you are not, you look young and smell wonderful."

        "HAH, hahahawww thank you."  She stroked her hand along his cheek making him flinch slightly.  "I appreciate it but I'm not interested."

        "I mean, my mate is much older than you and we still had children."

        "Really?  Huh, well I guess I can't hide behind my age anymore then, I'm just not the kinda girl to start a family."

        "Alright."  Oddclaw smiled bashfully.

        "Hey I need to um...use the facilities, you mind waiting here while I go?"

        "Um...use the-...OH, yes of course I will wait."

        "Thanks, won't be long."

She headed off as the raptor slumped down against the rock, taking time to relax as he stared up at the sky to ponder about things.

Why do hairless warmbloods get so embarrassed about marking?  They cannot even call it that, it is so silly.  Well, we caught two thieves and only two more remain.  I was really expecting a much worse enemy, but then if one of them can kill a waterjaw as Plainslash said...no, do not be arrogant, it is easy to think that, they are starbeasts regardless they are always dangerous.  I hope the hairless can return home soon, they are getting older with every cycle I worry that they will not live much longer.  But...I would miss them too.  Maybe they would like something to remember from us, a gift or-

        "Alrighty back," came Angela trudging up with a hike of her belt, "what'd I miss?"

        "Just thinking about things," murmured Oddclaw draping himself naked upon the stone.

        "Yanno the way you look right now, you'd be a great art subject."

        "Art...subject?" he looked up squinting.

        "Yeah like, yanno," she made a rectangle with her fingers like a film director, "guy like you could make a killing in a lotta movies."

        "Really, you think I could be in a movie?"

        "Oh yeah totally, I mean depending on the movie we'd have to cover you up or not bu-"

        "I never wear clothes," he sat up fully with hands between his legs, "not unless I am with the humen."

        "Well depending on the movie you'd be with a lotta humans."  She shrugged with a huge sweep.  "Wish I had my camera with me, typical the one time I have to get it fixed and then I get sucked into this amazing new world."

        "I'M BACK!"  Red slammed down with a hefty thud as he did a few stretches.  "Mmmnnnnghh, damn that sulphur tastes good."

        "Did you find them?" asked Oddie.

        "Nah I couldn't find that piece o' crap, someone musta took it."

        "Took it?"

        "UHH-y-yeah well uh-"

        "What he MEANT was," Angela butted in, "is that I might've picked up one of the machines that got stolen but it's not here."

        "Oh!"  The raptor cupped his snout.  "There are more machines here too?"

        "Somewhere for sure, Osborne set up a lab in a cave that Red an' me were infiltrating, but I got no idea where it's gone."

        "Let us hope we find it then.  Actually, we are not far from the Skylands, we should go there!"

        "The what now?"

        "I have friends there, flyers like Red, they hunt all over the land they must have seen our thieves!"

        "Alright let's do it then!"

Once the charizard had rested enough, they hopped back on and flew towards the Skylands.  The clouds circled around the skyscraping peaks as they saw pteranodons skim across the joyous blue as the air became thinner and colder, the raptor struggling to breathe with shorter breaths as Red took a slower ascent to help him adjust.  Oddclaw flagged down a passing pteranodon who swooped in close as a few others kept careful watch on the visitor.

        "HELLOOO!"  The raptor waved.

        "OH, hey it's you, the swiftclaw!"

        "How are your tribe today?!"

        "We're all good here thanks, just another day flying in the sky, you got a new friend?!"

        "This is Red!  We want to ask for your help, may we come to your nest?!"

        "Let's ask the prince first, he'll probably say yes but we have to have SOME rules you know?!  Just keep flying nearby and I'll get back to you!"

        "Alright!"

The scout swooped off heading upwards to the crater at the peak, the rest of the pterodactyls keeping abreast of Red.

        "That's some tail you got there!" shouted one.

        "Thanks it keeps me alive!" said the charizard.

        "I never seen a flyer with claws AND wings!"

        "Well now you have, you guys look like aerodactyls but prettier!"

        "Hahaha, hey now I have a mate!  Not that I wouldn't be interested."

        "Yeah?"  Red grinned with a soft lick of his snout.  "If I wasn't leaving I mighta taken you up on that."

        "Keep it in your pants Red," said Angela.

        "I don't wear any pants I can do whatever I like...and whoever I like if they like me too."

        "Ooooohohohooo!"  The pteranodons started cooing at each other.  "I think you got lucky Moonbeak!"

        "Sh-shut up don't tell my mate!"

        "Hey what happens in the sky stays in the sky, you know the rules!"

        "Now that's a rule I can live by," the charizard chuckled with a winking grin as he flew closer to a male, "sooooo would your mate mind?"

        "U-UHH, well, I never done anything with a male."

        "Maybe later I'll teach ya some things, if ya like."

        "I-if I'm not...busy."

        "How about tomorrow morning?  That sound good Ange?"

        "Yeah sure I guess," she shrugged leaning back, "you might as well have SOME fun."

        "I always wanted to do it with a fossil," Red widened his teeth and gave a teasing lick to the dactyl, "I mean if you're up for it."

        "L-let me tell you tomorrow then," whimpered the pteranodon with twitching wings, "y-you are pretty handsome and uh...unique."

        "And you got some real nice wings...nice and leathery."

        "Heyyyy!"  The scout returned in an arcing swoop upwards.  "The prince welcomes you in, just follow me and respect our rules."

        "Awesome."  The charizard gave a smooching tease to the other flyer.  "Later cutie."

        "U-uhhh, later!"

Leaving behind a gaggle of pteranodons teasing their friend, Red followed the scout towards the very top of the Skylands themselves, a widening caldera of what appeared to be a long-extinct volcano that rose above the earth to dominate the sea.  The raptor stared over the ocean with great widening eyes from the endless blue as he drifted slightly, keeping a hold of the body underneath when he felt the charizard slowly descend into the nesting grounds and land in the central pit.  The smell of the flyers was not one that Oddclaw missed, somewhat more sour than other species as well as the constant nattering and squawk of various hatchlings flapping their wings and trying to fly with their mothers and fathers watching over them.  Two pteranodons however they noticed first, one a more distinct-looking beast whose elevated position in front of a large cave mouth stood him out along with his blue-and-yellow wings, whilst the other was a sheer colossus reaching up to 10 feet tall with synthetic wings curled against his body.

        "ODDCLAW!"  The smaller beast barked at him.  "Hello there!"

        "Stonesea!  Suneater!"  He approached and bowed his head.  "How are you?!"

        "Oh come on no need for that, we are friends come up here!"

Smirking as he climbed up the small slope he hugged the prince of the flyers as Stonesea chittered with a croak from his crooked neck.  The giant beast bent down his large long head and tapped Oddclaw's skull before the raptor hugged him back in turn.

        "I have not seen you in cycles!"

        "Well I fly out much farther to sea," said the enormous flyer, "you are looking well!"

        "I am, I have a family now!"

        "OH how wonderful!" cried Stonesea barking up.  How many children?!"

        "Three, all of them wonderful and full of life.  My daughter loves to climb trees so much I almost think she wants to be a flyer."

        "Hahaha, well I would love to meet them!"

        "So you are the alpha now?"  The raptor turned to him.

        "Yes," he bowed his head gently, "my grandmother died four cycles before and she chose me to lead our flock."

        "Oh, I am sorry.  I did not know."

        "It is fine, she lived a good life.  But what about you, who are your friends?!" he flapped his wing towards the newcomers.

        "They are starbeasts searching for thieves," the raptor explained jumping down the slope, "come meet them, they will tell you all about it."

        "Thieves?!" snorted Suneater as he flapped to the lower ground with booming wings.  "They will not find any here I will tell you now."

        "No no, but, well, come."

Most of the pteranodons gave one look at the human and charizard before shifting back into their nests, with some of the smaller children coming up to eagerly peck and shout at the red winged beast who smirked and bent down to smile at them.

        "Woooow you got nice wings!"

        "Hahaha, thanks yours are pretty cool too."

        "Why's yer tail on fire?!"

        "Because it is, it doesn't hurt so don't worry about it."

        "Issat warmblood yer friiiiiend?"

        "She sure is, name's Angela, hey Ange say hi!"

        "Heyyyy there li'l dactyls," she petted their heads as they nipped and shrieked curiously at her, "you having a good day?"

        "Y-YEAH, wow yer kinda funny-looking!"

        "Well you look funny to me with that long beak."

        "Why don't YOU got a beak?" sputtered one at Red with a poke to his belly.

        "Cuz I'm not one of you guys," he shrugged stretching his wings, "I'm just a different flyer, that's all really."

        "OoooOOoooh."

        "Welcome!"  Stonesea bowed with a chirp.  "I am Stonesea, prince of the Skylands.  My friend Oddclaw tells me you are hunting thieves?"

        "Yeah," the charizard bowed clutching his hands, "thanks for letting us come up here sir."

        "Not at all it is always good to have new friends, and any friend of Oddclaw is a friend of us."

        "Well that is unfair," the raptor rubbed his arm with a wince, "I have not come to see you in cycles."

        "A friendship can last from birth to death, it does not matter when we meet, but what we DO when we meet."

        "Hmmm...that is true, no wonder you are the prince."

        "What about you big guy?" Red looked up to the towering quetzalcoatlus shadowing over him.  "What's your story?"

        "I am the Suneater," boomed the great beast, "I am the guardian of the Skylands and its prince."

        "Damn, no kidding you're as big as a freaking Lapras."

        "Hahahaha, you do not seem so little yourself from the strength in your wings!"

        "Yeah I bet, wonder which of us could win in a race?"

        "Ohhhhh a challenge!"  Suneater bowed looming with a wild grin in his eyes.  "I would not say no to that."

        "Red come on," Angela murmured, "we got stuff to do."

        "Nah nah I'm doing this if he is," the charizard pushed her away, "come on we gotta have SOME fun right?  I mean, if your highness is alright with it."

        "I would love to see a race!" cried Stonesea flapping his wings.  "If you have no urgency to hunt these thieves."

        "Welllll," Oddclaw scratched his cheek looking up to Red, "I would like to catch these thieves soon."

        "They're not going anywhere right?" shrugged Red.  "I'll do you one better, bet you I can beat you WITH this guy on my back."

        "Wh-what?!"

        "HahaHA!" the giant pterosaur croaked with cacklement.  "Are you serious, his weight will slow you down!"

        "I can take it," the charizard stretched his wings, "like you said I got a lotta muscle."

        "Very well, I accept!"

        "Whilst you do that," interrupted Stonesea, "may I ask you of your thieves so I can ask my scouts if they have seen any?"

        "Oh yes," Oddclaw turned to Angela asking in English, "those pik-churrs, can you show me the thieves we have to find?"

        "Yeah sure," she smirked showing the flaming ape and digi-shape, "I guess I have something to do whilst Red is screwing about like a chimchar."

        "Hey you said I should enjoy the sights," he noogied her head cheekily, "come on let me have this."

        "Alright alriiiight just try not to break a wing."

        "Come on Odd, let's beat this guy!"

        "Um," the raptor bit his lip, "a-are you sure I should come with?"

        "Sure get the front seat for once come on!"

Red lowered himself to let the raptor on, Oddclaw climbing onto his back and holding the neck carefully as Red turned himself round towards the north.  Suneater stood apart from him as the clamouring beasts waited and watched from their nests as Stonesea went to the side with Angela to spread his wings mightily.

        "The rules are as thus!  Both of you must fly across the Lake of the Longnecks and back as fast as you can.  Whoever lands first back in this nest shall be the winner!"

        "Hah, no problem."  The charizard tightened his wings with a flex of his shoulder muscles.  "Sure you're not too heavy yourself?"

        "For how great I am my beak will touch the nest before you," said Suneater with a flapping gust, "I will let you submit now if you wish not to embarrass yoursel-"

        "Yanno I could win this before you stopped talking, right?"

        "Hmph!  If you say so."

        "READY?!"  Stonesea stood prim as the racers bent into position.  "FLY!"

They took off as one with a mighty sweep, dust storms blasting across the crater as the pterosaurs shrieked with excitement from Suneater's tremendous vertical burst, his wings propelling in a surging leap as Red followed after almost immediate.  Oddclaw grabbed on tight as the wind shrieked past his ears, the highest he had ever flown as Red's tail screeched behind him with a thin sliver of red burning from the tip.  The clouds parted when their wings turned to blades that severed through the breeze as Suneater kept ahead with practiced effort, wings of synthetic fibre and steel lengths between that gleamed with the sun's kiss almost blinding the charizard behind him.  Red swooped lower to pick up speed as Oddclaw tightened his grip, gasping with the sudden fright all wingless beasts took upon the descent.

        "S-SLOW DOWN A-AAAAH!"

        "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!" cried Red.  "I DID THIS WITH JAMES YOU'RE FINE!"

        "WELL, DID HE LIKE THIS TOO?!"

        "HE SURE DID, HE'D WANT ME TO GO FASTER!"

        "NO, NO PLEASE NOT FASTER!"

        "NO PROMISES!"

Bracing hard the raptor dug his claws into Red's skin, the flaming pokemon gathering speed from the dive to swing upwards and zoom just ahead of his opponent.  The sea stretched on to the east and west, a small island in the distance breaking the horizon as they stared below at the endless loch of brachiosaurs and diplodoci trudging through the waters where giant walls of stone kept the inner freshwater sea separate from the outer saltwater ocean.  Tiny dark spots could be seen of ancient crocodilians swimming peacefully between the legs of the great beasts, the quetzalcoatlus roaring ahead with wings of 40 feet that cast a great shadow as the sun briefly eclipsed from their vision.  His wings were black as night, shimmering faux-leather that glistened like the stars were within his folds whilst the charizard's tail left smoke thinly in his wake.  A brief moment of peace for the raptor who gazed upon the world whilst the two racers slowed to pick up the breeze of currents from below.

        "Hohhhh...I forgot how beautiful this land is."

        "Yeah," sighed Red grinning up at him, "just thought it'd be nice for us to have some fun away from Angela, yanno beast to beast."

        "Why?" he leaned over slightly to face his eye.

        "Just easier, so you don't have to like, keep talking her language."

        "I do not mind, it is good for me to practice it."

        "Heh..." he flapped harder upwards as a current swept his wings, "well maybe I just wanted to show you something I could do, just since you took me hunting here's something I do you can join with."

        "Hahaha, you did not have to!"

        "Nah but, yanno, friends do right?!"

        "Yes."  Oddclaw nodded patting his back.  "I would like to be your friend."

        "Same here Oddie," Red gave a thumbs up, "even if we're not here for long."

        "Well, just like Stonesea said, it is not when you meet, but what you do when you meet."

        "Hah, yeah that's true."

        "ARE YOU EVEN TRYING?!" barked the Suneater like Thor's hammer from above.  "THIS RACE IS MAKING ME FALL ASLEEP!"

        "I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A BREAK!" shouted the charizard cackling.  "NOT FAIR IF YOU'RE OLD AND TIRED FLAPPING THOSE HUGE WINDSOCKS OF YOURS!"

        "WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE LAKE, THEN YOU SHALL SEE WHO IS OLD AND TIRED MY LITTLE FIREBUG!"

        "FIREBUG?!  OH THAT'S IT, HOLD ON ODDIE I'M GONNA GO SUPER MODE!"

        "W-WAIT NO, NOOOOOO!"

Squeezing his eyes shut he almost strangled Red in panic as the charizard pumped his wings hard with a forward stroke that almost clapped them against each other, with Suneater gliding ahead to turn gently just to catch the wind beneath his wings and flap up harder with renewed strength.  The longnecks stared simply for a few seconds in passing before they went back to grazing with other pterodactyls flying near to watch them race with a building excitement that laced the sky.  Screams of encouragement came in all directions as they made the turn at the end of the lake, brushing their shadows over the viridian beach where the Birthlands met.  Suneater turned west towards the great as Red followed, picking up on his drift to snatch the current from his feet and pick up the draft before grinning dirtily as he licked his lips.  Bending his neck down he belched a flame across his belly, roasting steam that licked and tempered over his smooth scales as he felt the wind increase from the extra vapours that shot him up, the raptor turning uncomfortably warm as he clutched his feet against the charizard's thick thighs.

A flock followed them from a distance with screeching caws and leathery wings rippling in the breeze, the quetzalcoatlus taking the sun from the sea whilst Red hugged close to his talons, dipping underneath to try and push the upper half of his body forwards with straight dives and half-circled loops, much to Oddclaw's distate when his stomach rolled with the G-force and he almost became sick with a lump in his throat.  The Skylands were soon approaching as both started to climb, Red bursting ahead with a spout of flame that surged over his front and licked his wings with thicker heat, spreading the folds like parachutes to shoot him faster and higher until he just tipped past Suneater's beak.  Through the clouds they breached with a tremendous climax, white cotton denseness thickening on their wings as Oddclaw started gasping from the sudden change in the air to become lightheaded, before Red swooped in a curve towards the craterous nest.  He landed fast in a skidding stomp and grinned panting.  But his opponent had already clacked his claws upon the stone and folded his wings by the time the charizard had made contact with Oddclaw jumping off to stumble and heave.

        "A-AWWWW WHAT!?"

        "HAH HAHAAAAH I WIN!" Suneater crowed to the jubilant screams of his people.  "Wow...what a rush, I have not raced like that in a cycle or three!"

        "Y-yeah," huffed Red feeling his wings sag, "y-you're...pretty good for a big guy."

        "You are a worthy flyer," the great beast bowed as Red grinned up at him, "your use of fire under your wings was impressive certainly!"

        "Yeah well...hhhhh, you clearly knew, where all the...guh-nnngh updrafts were to get you ahead.  Good, race."

        "Hhrrrrkh," Oddclaw shivered clutching his head, "ohhhh I need to sit down."

        "Dammit Red what did you do?" Angela walked up with hands on hips.

        "Just a race, come on chill Ange."

        "Not all of us got a head for heights you know that!"

        "He kept hanging on he's fine look!"

        "You alright over there Odd?!"

        "HRRRKH...hnnnnngh y-yes," he muttered rocking himself, "I just need to...sit, for a bit."

        "I have just the thing to help!" Stonesea cried.  "There is a flower that helps soothe stomachs.  You, scout bring me a sunflower!"

        "Yes your highness!"

A smaller pterodactly flew beneath the rim of the crater before returning a few minutes later with a pale yellow flower plucked between his talons.  Oddclaw took it and gingerly began to eat the head and leaves with a groan from its sour taste, struggling to swallow before he felt his stomach turn cool with a dulling sensation.

        "Haaaaah...thank you Stonesea."

        "It is fine," the chief bowed with a clack of his beak, "I hope that will help you when you leave us on your hunt.  Speaking of, I did ask my scouts concerning your thieves and one DID recall seeing a burning warmblood that appeared to be riding on some strange flyer that does not use its wings."

        "Did the flyer look like the one she showed you?" Odd pointed to Angela.

        "Exactly," Stonesea pointed his head towards the south, "the scout said he saw them heading southwest through the marsh, past the waterjaws' home and further west."

        "Good, thank you Stonesea!  Sadly we must leave soon."

        "I understand," the prince waddled up to nuzzle him with his crooked neck, "it was wonderful to see you again, I would love to come see your family."

        "Why not come over in a few days?!" the raptor smiled hiding his teeth.  "The thieves will be caught soon and then I return home."

        "I would love to, perhaps your daughter would enjoy the taste of flight!"

        "Ahahaaaa no, please do not she is bad enough as it is."

        "Hmhmhahaha."

He hugged the prince tightly as he crooned softly rubbing his beak against him.  The raptor then moved to Suneater with a hug round the thin waist as Red joined him with a wave to the quetzalcoatlus who bowed his head regal in turn.

        "Be safe on your journey," said Suneater swelling his chest, "you are always welcome here."

        "Thanks for the race," said the Charizard fistbumping the beast's belly, "maybe if I come back in a day or three I'll beat you for real."

        "Hmhmhahaha, I would like to see you try little firebug!"

        "Goodbye Suneater," Oddclaw bowed, "I am glad to see you well."

        "Farewell!"

Gently hopping back onto Red with Angela in front, they flew off straight towards the southwest to the sound of flyers sending them off, the scouts flapping past with goodbyes and well-wishes until a flock would join them briefly.  Cries and creaking leather sang in their ears as the human grinned at their congregation.

        "Wow these guys sure love you," she turned to Odd.

        "They are good friends," he said, "I helped them before a few times."

        "That's good......you're a good person Oddclaw."

        "Hmm?"

        "Don't ever forget, you'll always be good okay?"

        "I...I-i hope I am."

        "I know."

She turned back with a gentle sigh that Red felt as he hung his head, gazing underneath as he took a slow and careful descent to help his passenger acclimatise to the lower peaks.  The mountain rose behind them as they made their way to the swamp, the smell of water turning foetid with thick heat that drifted above the marsh as they witnessed waterjaws roaming within the mud, savouring the cool sludge that covered their backs as they groaned and trembled with wattling throats that vibrated deeply throughout the swamp where bubbling goo hissed and popped.

        "Uuugh Arceus this place stinks," Middleton wrinkled her nose, "better watch yourself Red, this place'll go off if you fart anywhere near."

        "Don't be gross jeez!" snorted Red.

        "Just saying is all, you're doing great by the way."

        "Hm, thanks.  You okay back there Odd?"

        "Yes thank you," said the raptor breathing through his mouth, "that sunflower helped me I feel better now."

        "Good.  So what's this place, tell me an' Ange both about it."

        "This is the land of the Waterjaws," Odd began in humanspeak, "they are not too friendly, but I know them well so they will not harm us."

        "You friends with everyone round here?" said Angela chuckling as she sat up.  "Cuz it sounds like you really went all-in with this ambassador schtick."

        "I made lots of friends, there are good beasts everywhere if you know them."

        "Is there a tribe you haven't helped by this point?"

        "Uhhhh...well, um, I have not met any of the greatfish."

        "Alright so the sea's not your thing but the land and sky are, gotcha."

        "I don't like water so I getcha," said Red with a flap, "can't stand any of that on me."

        "I had to learn to swim," said the raptor tightening his grip, "my son loves to swim but I do not like it."

        "Awww jeez sorry to hear, that must suck huh?"

        "Well, if he is happy then I am happy too.  So I will learn to swim with him, even if I do not like it."

        "Hah, spoken like a true dad, I dunno if I could do that."

        "Learn to swim?"

        "No being a dad, it looks like a lotta work."

        "You'd be a great dad!" said Angela patting his neck.  "You got straight answers, you don't care what other people think, you love kids-"

        "Yeah but I'm not really that patient."

        "You learned to hunt with me," said the raptor smiling, "I think you are, you just un...unnnnduress-timate, yourself."

        "Th-thanks."  Red gulped gingerly looking down to the peat marshes.  "That means a lot to me."

        "Wait, wait over there!"

On the edge of the marshland were two shapes circling each other, vague reptilian scents that filled the air as they flew in for a closer look.  Much to the raptor's shock it was a tall gangly iguana in a feathered cape, twirling his harpoon before a flat-bodied strong-legged sarcosuchus that snapped her jaws in anticipation.  The crocodilian lunged forwards with a sudden bullrush as the lizard swung himself sideways using the spear as leverage, hopping fast to thrust straight towards the gator's belly when she turned fast to swipe with her thick tail and fully deflect his strike.

        "PIZH, UFF!" she roared with tongueless throat.  "Or uhll kreck yer ugleh fayzh luhk un EGG!"

        //"YER NOT GETTIN' AWAY!"// shouted the upright lizard in a foreign tongue.  //"I won't let you take her, NOT WHILE I'M HERE!"//

        "Yer in MUH ZHWUMP, YER NOT WELKUM HEER!"

Charging through the mud with equine strength, Frozentongue waited for the beast to thrust his stick before she suddenly jumped right and surprised her opponent with a jumping bite that forced him back.  Lizanaich swung his spear in response to slash the side of her cheek whilst leaping back, flicking out his tongue of lurid colours that snapped against her eye and briefly blinded her.  In startlement she swung her body in a huge sweep, beating him across the head with her tail as he stumbled into the slop briefly with a splash.  The sarcosuchus winked her eye open and made a giant leap towards the lizalfos to crush him with a body slam, his eyes flicking to opposite sides when he saw the shadow loom over him before he rolled fast out of the way to be greeted by a tidal wave from her splashing force.  The lizard gasped pushing himself back up with sputtering coughs from the thick fluid as he swung his spear in a full circle round his body, building up momentum before he swung vertically in a leap to slice down on her head.

The sarcosuchus suddenly lifted her head and grabbed the tip of the spear within her teeth, twisting her neck hard to throw the lizalfos down but he resisted her strength, the pole of his spear creaking from the friction between until he slapped a dollop of mud over her face to briefly distract her and pull out his weapon from her teeth.  He followed immediately with a downwards slash she evaded and countered with a slamming headbutt into his chest that knocked him down, trapping him underneath her prodigious weight as she opened her jaws wide ready to crunch his face when he slammed his spear body between her teeth once again.  Her snout wrestled against his lance as he twisted the pole against both her jaws pushing her away whilst snapping teeth drooled upon his fingers, groaning with shaking limbs as he twisted her head back and forth.  Snarling breaths exchanged between them as the lizard curled up his body and wrapped his legs around her neck to throw her fully with the entire force of his body, crushing her throat or at least trying with a chokehold before she slammed her front feet into his belly to push him away with spear in hand.

        "Ugh...uhm gunna enjuy pickin yer shpine outta mah teef."

        //"Try that again I'll prop your corpse up on my WALL!"//

With a charging thrust he tricked Frozentongue to dodge and snap, when the moment she did he slapped the water and sprung up high using his staff like a polevault before stomping onto her ridged back.  With a croak in surprise she shook him off fast in a death roll, the lizalfos jumping to spin-slice in perfect timing and scar her soft belly with the edge of his speartip, forming a thin red line that she barely registered when she whapped his back with her tail to knock him down to earth.  He bounced back up quickly using his tail like a spring, whirling his javelin to slash at her eyes as she ducked and scooped up mud in her jaws before spitting it out towards him in one blasting gush that made him back up quickly.  She followed up with a full-on charge burying her head in the swamp-sludge and trudging it over her head like a shovel to throw an even thicker splotch of mud upon Lizanaich as he swerved and tried to slash through the sludge, but it was much thicker than he expected as his spear became trapped beneath its semi-solid weight.

Smirking with a cruel gleam the croc came stomping forwards with jaws slowly opening wide to devour him, the lizard forced to abandon his weapon briefly to leap back and avoid her crunching bite that snapped with a small shockwave around them.  In a stumble he almost fell, pushing his tail out behind him like a crutch to steady on as he quickly spun his body left to evade, whipping his tail across her eyes and following with a slapping flick of his tongue to further blind her briefly.  Snarling with frustration she shook her head as he grabbed his harpoon pulling it free from the muck after a mighty heave, twirling it fast in the air to spin-dry the mud off it before baring his teeth at the croco-beast.  She threw her front legs up before stomping a puddle with such force that it turned dry, slapping the thick black goo into the air before whipping it with her tail to splash straight towards the lizalfos.

Ducking underneath with a low sweep he swung his lance hard towards her legs as she leapt over his attack and headbutted him hard to throw him back, the lizard dodgerolling before she could crush him in a hard stomp when he spun his body back up and slammed his fist into her jaw which barely stunned her.  She glowered with a creeping sneer before a vicious bite, her jaws twisting vertical to try and crunch his whole body between her teeth as he jumped out of her reach and came down with driving spear like a harpoon upon her head.  Frozentongue spun her entire body to dodge his plummeting strike, setting him up for a tremendous slam of her tail from above that crushed his back and knocked him hard to the slop as he groaned from her clubbing weight.  Staggering on his feet quick as he could he stumbled away with feather-cape swishing out behind now sullied with sludge, the lizard goading her with his rubber-clad gloves beckoning her to come forward.  She took the bait and came marching with a gallop aiming to stampede him as he raised his staff up high with a glow emanating from his horn that tingled the breeze.  Something was off when she sensed a prick in the air running along her scales that forced her stop, halting with a trudging skid as his twisted horn shone with piercing golden hue.

        //"BY HYLIA'S BREATH I STRIKE THEE DOWWWN!"//

He slammed his spear into the mud the moment he felt energy run through his veins, burning along his arms as a thundering crack escaped his fingers and shot through his pole with the force of a cannon, conducting electrical bursts that shrieked with purest white as Frozentongue dodged desperately to evade most of his attack.  One of the sparks hit her leg as she shuddered with a burning tinge that came rumbling through her throat as a gargling roar that shook her from head to tail.  Stumbling from the pain that ripped through her tingling muscles, she closed her eyes tight and dove towards Lizanaich with a surprising speed, grabbing his tail when he tried to turn before tossing him like a hammer towards the edge of the swamp.  The Hylian beast screamed as he fell back to earth, crumpling against the hardened turf when he rolled back up and saw her stomping towards him like a tank.  He braced himself for a full-on sprint to meet her, charging over the plain as he gripped his spear for the full impaling thrust.

        "STOOOOOOOOP!"

A violent plume of dreaded flame burst between the two, stopping both beasts in their tracks from the frightening explosion as a shadow came in from above.  The first thing they saw was a dragon and his wings which to one of them was a terrifying vision as Lizanaich stepped back with his spear in both hands, whilst Frozentongue braced herself with a slow whip of her tail for her next attack until seeing the raptor leap off from its back.

        "STOP, STOP FIGHTING PLEASE!"

        "Whu, UH?!  Uddclaw?!"

        "Y-yes, yes please stop fighting, there is no need!"

        "Whuh-buh-NUH!  Zhat beazht trezhpazzhed in mah zhwump!"

        "PLEASE wait!"  Oddclaw put up his hands before her as Angela leapt off in turn.  "That beast is my friend, please do not hurt him!"

        "He izzh?!"  She cocked her head over to where Lizanaich stood.  "Uh nevurr zheen him befuhh."

        "Let me speak to him, I am sure this was a mistake."

        "Got zhat righ'."

Turning to the lizard Oddclaw kept his hands up still with caution, carefully smiling without showing teeth as the lizalfos kept his weapon trained upon the charizard between them.

        "Hello.  Please, put down your longstone."

        //"Um, h-hey Odd,"// Lizanaich murmured back in Hyrulian, //"you uh friends with this aeralfos or what?!"//

        "I am...oh, right um..."

The raptor quickly bent down into the dirt and started scribbling a few pictures.  One of a stick-figured raptor, the other a vague crocodilian as he made two claws wrap around each other.

        "She.  Is my friend."  He tried to gesture to her and tightened his claws together.  "Please, do NOT hurt her."

        //"Eh?"//  Lizanaich looked over to her past Red who kept his hands spread between them.  //"So, YOU know her?"//

        "Friend."  He pointed to her and made the claws again before pointing to him and himself with the same gesture.  "You, and I, are friends too."

        //"Ahhhh huh...okay I THINK you're trying to say that it's all cool and there's no need to fight, damn wish I had Ade or Bose here."//

He gently lowered his weapon indicating a ceasefire to which Oddclaw nodded.

        "Yes good, yes, thank you."  He bowed gratefully and motioned him to wait before moving back to the gator.  "He will not fight you now, he understand you are my friend."

        "Zho whut?" she snorted.  "Zhtill trezhpazzhing."

        "Yes alright I will make him leave, but please do not fight him."

        "Ehhhh...ulrigh', if yuu zhay zho."  She stepped back humbly bowing to which Lizanaich understood.  "Guud to zhee yuu Udd, how ya doin'?"

        "I am well thank you, how are you?!"

        "Do you like know EVERYONE here or what?!" barked Red.  "Also can I put my hands down I'm not a freaking traffic warden."

        "Oh yes sorry it is fine now."

The charizard breathed with relief as he let his arms droop much to Angela's smirk.

        "You'd look cute in a traffic cop outfit."

        "You're not making me wear the hat I told you," he rolled his eyes.

        "Awww come on!"

        "No they just fly off all the time!"

        "We can get one made to fit the horns!"

        "No dammit!"

        "Who'zh zhat?" murmured Frozentongue leaning to Odd.

        "A starbeast I am helping," said the raptor, "actually can I ask you, have you seen a burning warmblood in the days before?"

        "Uhhhh...mmmm nope, not luhk it'd liv lung if it wuzh burnin'."

        "Yes it is very odd, but I have to find it, it is a thief."

        "Well, uh nevuh zheen it, zhorry."

        "It is fine, thank you.  I heard you have children now, that is wonderful!"

        "Yeh ah luv 'em," she rumbled gleefully from her thick wattled throat, "got szheven of 'em, mah ulphuh'zh real happeh wizh zhem too, zhey even know how to hide in puddlezh, even fool me huhuh!"

        "I am very glad to hear, I have three children myself."

        "Awww guud, whut zhey luhk?"

        "One loves to climb trees too high for my liking, one is very clever with two teeth like this," he put out his front teeth cutely, "and one has the same body as me and loves to make friends."

        "Hmhmhuh, mebbe you zhould bring 'em to meet mah famuly."

        "If your alpha is alright with it."

        "Fer zhuh zhwiftclaw zhat killed zhuh Deep Hunger, yer ulwayszh welkum in awr home."

        "Thank you Frozentongue."  He hugged the beastly croc who rumbled with a gentle nip at his cheek.  "I have to hunt for this thief but I will see you again soon."

        "Ulrigh', zhee you uround, bai!"

She turned back to the thickened peat of the marsh and slowly sunk herself back into the water as he walked past Red to meet Lizanaich once again.  The tribal lizard chuckled shaking his head before picking up his spear to dangle it loosely from his claws.  Red and Angela simply stared confused at each other with a shrug as Lizanaich asked:

        //"Soooo uh you sort that out with your friend who was trying to kill me?"//

        "Can you take me to your nest?" he asked pointing towards the southwest then to himself.

        //"Wait, back to..."// he looked back and then gasped.  //"OH, you wanna come back with me?!  Sure I mean you just saved me from fighting a monster so uh, yeah!  But your buddy needs to watch that tail of his so come on, Ade and Bose are back at the village so we'll all talk easier with them."//

        "Yes, please lead us," the raptor nodded beckoning Red and Angela to follow, "he is taking us to his home please come with."

        "Can we trust this guy?" murmured Red.

        "Yeah course we can," said Middleton patting him, "if Oddclaw trusts him then we can too."

        "Mmmm yeah but...well, it's your call Oddie, you know this place."

They walked off to the village and left the swamp behind, feeling thankful for the fresher air that came sweeping through as they tread over hills of purest green with dips in valleys where puddles formed from the rain in previous days.  The closer they got towards the village the more nervous Red became, wringing his fingers when Angela put a hand to his shoulder.  They shared one look and then back to Oddie who went forwards with Lizanaich beside him in his muddy cape.