Primordial and Beyond: Prequel #3 (The Rising Within)

Chapter 6

Quinn flew up to Ebenezer's side. "Uncle Ebenezer? Are...are the Flesheater Assassins...an unpleasant group of dinos?"

Ebenezer snapped out of his melancholic trance. He turned to his nephew with a raised eyebrow. "Hmm? Whatever makes you ask that?"

"Er...you seem scared to be taking us to them. Perhaps they were mean to you?"

Ebenezer gave an offended scoff. "What? Of course not! Quinn, my dear nephew, I can assure you that I had...a good reputation among the Assassins. If you think I appear scared in any way, you must be projecting your own fears onto me.

Quinn gave a small gasp. "Oh dear....I suppose it's highly likely that an overthinker such as myself could end up doing such a subconscious act. I apologize, Uncle Ebenezer..."

"Oh, don't worry about it, dear nephew," Ebenezer gave him a smug smile. "Though you ought to rethink Obadiah's offer for the position as Pterosaur Herd Leader. I mean, a Herd Leader must have good influence over his followers— you wouldn't want your over-analytical nature to spread to the rest of the herd, would you?"

"No...of course not...."

As Quinn began to look more doubtful and ashamed, Ebenezer gave a devious smile.

But before either of them could say more, smoke burst in front of them. Ebenezer and Quinn flinched back.

Bronto, Celia, and Agnes gazed around, noticing how scorched the rocks around them were.

"Oh goodness..." murmured Celia. "Where are we?"

"Holy smokes!" Bronto exclaimed as he watched smoke burst from the cracks in front of him. "We must be close to the Ebony Mountains!"

Ebenezer spoke in a constrained tone as he gazed around. "Yes, yes, we are. Alright, follow me! I know of a shortcut. We should be at the Flesheater Assassins' Camp before dusk!"

Bronto, Celia, and Agnes took careful steps over the scorched rocks and steaming cracks. The air was thickening with more and more smoke.

Suddenly, another burst of smoke shot through the air, engulfing Quinn. Quinn coughed and flapped back, bumping against a rock and then plummeting to the ground.

Celia gazed up, her eyes wide. "Oh dear! Quinn!" She caught the white Quetzalcoatlus in her arms just in time, but lava burst beside her, splattering her right arm and foot. She let out a scream and limped forward, straining to hold a coughing Quinn.

Bronto and Agnes looked over their shoulders, eyes wide.

"Celia! Your foot!" Cried Bronto.

"I'm okay...I'm okay...." Celia limped up to them as she let Quinn hover beside her, looking exhausted and bedraggled. "Although...I think poor Quinn here could use some food and hydration. Ebenezer? How about we stop and rest for a bit?

Ebenezer stopped in midair and looked over his shoulder, glaring down at them. "Oh, come now! The two of you are about to become Herd Leaders, yet this is how you're behaving?" He rolled his eyes. "I say...any dinosaur with half a brain could see that this is not the proper place to stop for food. Just look around you! Does it look like we could find anything nourishing to consume here?"

Celia and Quinn looked ashamed as Ebenezer soared over them, head high as he scowled at the injuries on her arms and foot.

"Celia, just look at those burns," said Ebenezer. "Not only have you made a request for Quinn that would slow us down, but your own wounded state puts us at risk for delay! This is what you get for having too much compassion like that. And that makes you weak and unfit as a leader."