Disclaimer: I do not own Age of Reptiles or The Land Before Time.
A/N: Am I the only one who noticed that in LBT 1 the dinosaurs had a certain way of talking, holding themselves up, and this over all majestic sense to them, that they sorely lack in the song filled lightly colored, light headed sequels?
Littlefoot ran around in circles trying to figure out what to do next. He was waiting for Ducky, and Spike to show up. Cera and Petrie were late too.
"Hello Littlefoot!" Ducky cried. Ducky was a big mouth, and Spike was a spike tail.
"Ducky! Spike!" Littlefoot ran up to them.
"Where is Cera?" Ducky asked.
"She isn't here. Neither is Petrie." Littlefoot reported. "But they won't mind if we start now!"
"Nope! Nope!" Ducky said. "Uh . . . What are we going to do with out Cera and Petrie?"
Littlefoot had to think about that for a moment. He really had no idea, they always included Cera and Petrie in their games, and some how the games had evolved to the point where they could not be played with out them!
"I know!" Littlefoot said. "While were waiting, we can play hide and look! (Hide and seek) And when we finish our first game, Cera and Petrie will be here!"
"Yep yep yep!" Ducky said. "And maybe we will find them to!"
Littlefoot closed his eyes, and faced a tree full of tree stars, while Ducky and Spike went to hide. "One . . . Two . . . Three . . . Four . . . Five . . . Six . . . Seven . . ." He counted slowly so that Spike would have enough time to hide. It always took him a while to catch on.
"Eight . . . Nine . . . Ten! Ready or not! Here I come!" He shouted.
Grandpa watched Littlefoot play with his friends. "Life in the Great Valley is carefree for them." He thought. "Children, they have no idea how lucky they are to be so young." He laughed softly to himself, but being as large a long neck he was, his soft laugh, was a low rumble.
Littlefoot moved through the grass, he found one of his friends!
"I found you!" He cried, jumping out of the grass to the small dinosaur. But the dinosaur wasn't one of his friends.
"Who are you!" The small dinosaur demanded.
"I'm Littlefoot." Littlefoot said. "I'm sorry, I thought you were one of my friends."
"Oh yeah?" The dinosaur, a long neck, said. "Well, I'm not, I don't even know you!"
"I'm sorry." Littlefoot said. "But you don't have to get so mad!" He added, defending himself.
"Sorry." The long neck said. "My name is Stomp, because . . . well, I like to stomp." He said. "I was just looking for my mama, and I can't find her."
"Well, my friends and I can help you!" Littlefoot said. "Were really good at finding things!"
"Really?" Stomp asked. "You'd do that for me?"
"Sure!" Littlefoot said. "But uh . . . first we have to find my friends."
"Are they long necks like us?" Stomp asked.
"No, they're a . . . well, a three horn, a spike tail, a big mouth, and a flyer."
"A flyer?" Stomp asked. "Wow! No wonder your good at finding things!"
"Yeah." Littlefoot said. "C'mon!"
"Where do you think your going baby?"
Littlefoot bumped into something big and gray.
"Hi Hip." Littlefoot said wearily. For a little while Hip had become a nice guy, unfortunately it didn't take long for him to return to his bully state. His two friends had become nice guys permanently, but Hip was a different story.
"Well?" Hip asked. "Where do you think your going?"
"To find my friends." Littlefoot said. "So we can go look for his mom."
"Oh yeah?" Hip said. A look of pure evil came onto his face. "Well, if she's a stupid long neck like you two, and I know she is, than I bet . . ." Hip paused for affect, then shouted "She was eaten by the sharp tooth!" Hip began to laugh.
"Don't listen to him." Littlefoot said, leading Stomp away from Hip.
"But what if he's right?" Stomp asked.
"Don't worry, were in the great valley." Littlefoot said. "See that big wall of rocks? No sharp teeth can get into the valley from the Mysterious Beyond. Your mama will be fine."
"Are you sure?" Stomp asked. "Mama brought me here a few nights ago, if we could get in, why can't sharp teeth?"
Well, Littlefoot had never given that serious thought. "Uh . . . I . . . only plant eaters can get through, sharp teeth are to stupid." Little foot said finally.
"Are you sure?" Stomp asked.
"Of course! And your mama wont be in any danger, now lets look for my friends."
It had taken a while to find spike, as usual, he'd lost himself in the tall grass, and it'd taken Petrie's help to find him.
But now they were all assembled. Stomp included.
"What kind of name is Stomp anyway?" Cera asked.
"Cera!" Littlefoot said scolding.
"It's my name." Stomp said. He was about Littlefoot's size, and color, but rather than a dark brown strip on his back like Littlefoot's, Stomp had dark brown spots. "Papa named me Stomp because I'd always stomp on my food before I ate it."
"Where is papa?" Petrie asked.
"Uh . . . well he died."
"Oh." Petrie said.
"How?" Cera asked.
"Sh-sh-sharp tooth got him!" Stomp whined. "And now there gonna get mama!"
"That's' impossible." Cera said. "Sharp teeth can't get into the valley."
"Well, what if they followed mama and me?" Stomp asked.
"Then you and your mother would have to be pretty stupid not to notice." Cera said simply.
"Cera!" Littlefoot protested.
"That is not nice Cera, not nice at all." Ducky said.
"But it's true!" Cera said.
"Cera right." Petrie said. "Stupid not to notice sharp tooth, we notice sharp tooth when we come to great valley!"
Stomp just whimpered.
Littlefoot frowned. "Uh, hey, it's okay, I'll take you to my grandpa, he knows all the long necks in the valley, if your mother left the valley, he'd know."
"Okay." Stomp sniffed.
"C'mon! Lets go!" Cera said. Petrie flew off ahead.
Littlefoot approached his grandpa. "Grandpa!" He called out. The large Dinosaur's head slowly moved down towards him. Littlefoot's grandpa was aging, and none to slowly. "Grandpa." He said. "This is my new friend, Stomp."
His grandpa smiled. "Nice to meet you Stomp. I am Littlefoot's grandpa."
"Uh, nice to meet you sir." Stomp said. "But, uh, well . . . have you seen my mother?"
"What was her name?" Grandpa asked.
"Uh . . . well . . . mama."
Grandpa smiled. "Just a moment." He said. He looked towards Grandma.
Littlefoot's grandfather was terribly worried. He'd seen a long neck sneak out to the Mysterious Beyond this morning, but it hadn't looked like a female, it'd looked like a male. "Dear, Were there any new females at the lake today?"
"Yes, one."
"What was she like?"
"She was a small one, Maya's child, finally old enough to walk to the lake herself. She was so adorable."
"I mean adults."
"Oh . . . no. Not one."
"Oh dear."
"Yes?"
"No, I meant, oh "dear"." Grandpa said.
"Why?"
"There is a young one, about Littlefoot's age, I've never seen him before, so I'd assume his mother was a new comer but if you didn't see her . . ."
"Well . . ." Grandma said slowly. "I could check around."
"There's a heard of three horns!" Cera's father shouted. "Coming into the valley!"
Grandpa ran out to the entrance, perhaps one of the three horns would know about Stomp's mother.
When he got there, with Littlefoot and his friends in tow, the new three horns were indeed entering the valley. But they were not three horns like Cera's father.
They had large rectangular shields on their heads, with smaller horns all around. (Chasmosaurus) Their leader was youthful. He had two sharp horns on top, and a long powerful horn below those.
"Greetings." Grandpa said. "Welcome to the great valley!"
"I am Sharp Nose." The leader said. "We are glad to be here. To finally be safe from the sharp teeth."
"Indeed." Grandpa said. "I am sure you are. By any chance, did you see a female of my kind?" Grandpa asked. "She would possibly be in the Mysterious Beyond . . . I mean, the place you came from."
"No." Sharp nose said. "The only other dinosaur we saw was a sharp tooth with a long jaw, and dark green scales. But . . . his belly was fat, and his mouth was covered in blood."
"Mama!" Stomp cried.
"It's all right." Grandma assumed the baby long neck. "I am sure it wasn't your mama."
Weather it was or wasn't, We'll have to investigate." Cera's father said. "Who's with me?" A number of three horns, and spike tails decided they were. Grandpa knew, he'd have to see.
"I will go as well."
"As will I." Said Sharp Nose. "I am sorry that my first accomplishment in this valley was to cause a child to suffer, I must do something to remedy that."
"Good." Cera's father said. "But I'm in charge."
"Of course." Sharp Nose said.
Littlefoot stood next to Stomp, who was now crying, despite Ducky, Spike and Petrie trying to comfort him.
"Y'know Stomp," Littlefoot said. "I lost my mother when I was young. She got beaten by sharp tooth. I know what your going through, but I bet your mama is just fine."
"I want to go with you!" Stomp cried out to Cera's father.
"You'll just get in our way!" He snapped.
"Besides." Grandpa said. "The Mysterious Beyond is no place for youngsters. You stay here where it's safe."
"But . . . okay sir." Stomp said softly.
"It's okay Stomp." Littlefoot said. "We can play a game while there gone."
"Or." Cera interrupted. "Or we could follow them into the Mysterious Beyond."
"And then?" Asked Littlefoot. "Get lost?" He offered.
"Well . . . I guess that isn't a very good idea . . ."
"But you right!" Petrie protested. "We go to Mysterious Beyond, we follow grown ups we no get lost!"
"Hey! Yeah!" Littlefoot said. Wondering why he hadn't thought of it.
"Okay!" Ducky said. "We are going to the Mysterious Beyond! Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep!"
MYSTERIOUS BEYOND
Littlefoot followed his grandfather, careful not to get to close, but also not to fall to far behind.
"It is scary out here. It is." Ducky said.
"M-me thinking we go back now." Petrie said.
"No!" Stomp said. "I have to find my mama!"
"Help!" A female voice said.
Littlefoot turned towards the source of the voice. It was young, but not a child's. It was a whole new voice to Littlefoot.
"Is that your mama?" Cera asked Stomp.
"No." Stomp said.
"Who ever it is, we'd better help her." Littlefoot said.
"What if she a sharp tooth?" Petrie asked.
"Well, we could tell the grown ups." Stomp said.
"There may not be enough time." Littlefoot said. "Uh . . . okay, we'll split up, some of you can go tell the grown ups, and the rest of you can come with me."
"I want to go tell the grown ups." Stomp said.
"Me to." Petrie said.
"I had better tell my daddy." Cera said.
Spike motioned towards the grown ups.
"I will go to the grown ups, I will, I will." Ducky said.
"Then . . . I guess I'm on my own." Littlefoot said.
"Okay! Goodbye!" Cera said, and she ran off towards the grown ups. The others followed her. Stomp paused. "Go ahead." Littlefoot said. "I'm going on, but you should do what you feel is right."
Stomp nodded, and ran off. Littlefoot turned towards where they had heard the voice. He walked off into the rock terrain in search of the cries for help.
"Help me!" The voice called. "Please! Help me! Some one! Any one!"
Littlefoot knew better than to shout back, especially in the Mysterious Beyond. He moved carefully, trying not to make noise.
"It's okay Littlefoot." He thought to himself. "Nothing to worry about. You survived outside in the Mysterious Beyond once, and you were a lot smaller then . . . of course, Grandma and Grandpa helped, but . . . when you were all alone, you survived, don't worry." He thought.
"Please? Any one?"
Littlefoot continued, until he came to a small rocky area. There were some old dried out trees. One of which had snapped at the trunk, and fallen. Littlefoot had the feeling that he'd find the voice there. He cautiously moved towards the tree, keeping his eyes open for predators. It definitely wasn't Stomp's mother, because a small tree wouldn't trap her. Of course, it wasn't really a small tree. It was bigger than Grandpa's neck, but any full-grown long neck would be able to get free. Littlefoot came to the tree's branches. The voice was silenced. He looked around. There was no one here.
"Hello?" Littlefoot asked. "Is any one there?"
There was no answer. Littlefoot wondered around, looking for some one. Any one. He was getting worried that he'd walked into a trap of some sort.
"Help." The voice muttered weakly.
"Who's there?" Littlefoot asked.
"What are you?" The voice asked.
"I'm Littlefoot, I'm a long neck."
"Liar." The voice snapped. "You're not a long neck. Long necks are louder."
"We'll . . . I guess . . . I am sort of a baby."
"Oh, wonderful." The voice said. Littlefoot heard a sigh. "Well, can you move this tree?"
"Move the tree?" Littlefoot asked. "Are you under it?"
"The leaves and branches." The voice said.
"What are you?" Littlefoot said. "Are you a sharp tooth?"
"You won't know unless you let me out!" The voice said.
"What's your name?"
" . . ." The voice didn't answer.
"You can tell me your name cant you?" Littlefoot asked. "I told you mine."
"I forgot it." The voice said.
"I'm Littlefoot." Littlefoot said.
"That's an . . . unusual name for a long neck." The voice said.
"So tell me yours."
"I'll tell you once I'm free." The voice said. "Get me out! Please!"
Littlefoot decided maybe it would be better to wait for grandpa. It was impossible that a large sharp tooth would be under those leaves, but when the great valley had run out of water, Littlefoot and his friends saw smaller faster sharp teeth.
"I think I'd better wait for my grandpa." Littlefoot said.
"No! Your grandpa won't help me! You have to help me now! Quickly!"
"But, Grandpa and the others could move this tree faster than I could."
"No! Please!"
"Why not?" Littlefoot asked.
"Forget you!" The voice cried. "Help me! Some one! Help me NOW!"
Littlefoot sighed, and pushed the log as far as he could. He remembered when he was smaller, he couldn't do this sort of thing. But now, he was bigger, he was stronger.
He pushed the log, then after a while, is slid down a hill, revealing the person he'd just saved.
"SHARP TOOTH!" He shouted. He turned on his heels, and ran. He ran back the way he came, the Sharp tooth was not following him.
She got out of a small ditch. She was a sharp tooth. Not like any Littlefoot had seen before. She stood up and he could see her whole body. She had a long tail, an almost brownish gold color with dark brown, almost black stripes to a certain point, then she had dark striped on her back, leading all the way up to her head, a one that went over her eye. Her throat and underbelly were a soft yellow, she had legs that curved like a crooked Z and a long deadly claw on each foot, similar to the ones Littlefoot had seen on the small sharp teeth from the water adventure. She had yellow feathers on the top of her head. Littlefoot noticed, on her back, just above her legs were three deep pink gashes. She looked around. "Thank you!" She called. Then ran off.
Littlefoot emerged from his hiding place. He looked around, then went back to hiding, waiting for his grandpa to come.
But it was long after the bright circle in the sky disappeared before any one found him. It wasn't grandpa, it was Petrie's mother, and she led him back to the valley.
"Littlefoot." Grandpa said. "I'm very disappointed in you."
"Wondering off and getting lost in the Mysterious beyond is bad enough, that you were there at all is even worse!" His grand mother lectured.
"I'm sorry." Littlefoot said.
"No!" Grandpa shouted. He spoke again, this time with a softer voice. "Littlefoot, the other parents think that your grandma and I got to easy on you, and if we do it is because your so little and because we love you. But your not so little any more. Please Littlefoot, do as we tell you, the next time you disobey us . . . were going to have to be harder on you."
"We love you, and don't want to lose you to a sharp tooth the way we lost . . ." Grandma trailed off. But Littlefoot understood.
"You two don't want to lose me . . . to a sharp tooth the way you lost mother . . ."
"Yes." Grandpa said softly. "You're our herd's last hope for survival. Your grandmother and I are to old to have more babies, and . . . your mother is gone . . . all of your brothers and sisters were killed by egg napers . . . Littlefoot, you are all that we have left, besides each other. Please Littlefoot, please do not ever risk your life again." Grandpa said.
"Okay." Littlefoot said. Finally understanding how his grandparents felt. When he couldn't find his mother, it'd been terrible. He'd wanted to die, he'd felt so lost without her. But when he finally found her, and she was dying . . . he felt like his world had exploded, he felt so terrible. He knew that if he were to die, his grandma and grandpa would feel the same way, and they must have felt that way when his mother died. He began to cry at the memory of his mother. The way she'd fought for his, and Cera's lives that night, against impossible odds, against that terrible sharp tooth.
"Your mother will always be with you." Grandma said. "She said so herself. Littlefoot, you shouldn't be sad about her passing, she's in a better place, and one day, you'll meet her there."
"But, don't rush." Grandpa said. "Live your life to the fullest, your grandmother and I don't want you to stop having adventures, just be careful, don't get lost. And never explore the Mysterious Beyond alone. Never without a grownup."
"Okay." Littlefoot sniffed.
"Good night little one." His grandma said. She walked away. His grandpa followed. Littlefoot curled up in his nest, and went to sleep.
Zipolote flew high over the great valley. He saw a nest of eggs, and swooped down. He looked around. He had two minutes. He garbed an egg, and smashed into it with his beak. He ate the premature dinosaur inside.
Half way through growth, just the way he liked it. He moved to the next egg. He tore into it, in a minute he'd decimated the entire litter. He looked around, and took flight. He searched for another nest. But this time, he didn't want to find eggs.
Gullible baby dinosaurs. That's what he wanted. He landed next to a long neck's nest. He pecked at the dinosaur inside.
"Hey! Wake up!" He said.
The baby dinosaur woke up. "W-who are you?"
"My name is Zipolote." He said.
"You're a flyer, like my friend Petrie." The baby dinosaur said.
"Yeah, what ever." Zipolote said. He paused. He knew this dinosaur. He'd seen him in the outer plains! "Uh, I have some friends that would love to meet you. Let me take you to them." He said.
"Okay." The little dinosaur said. "By the way, my name is Littlefoot."
"That's great." Zipolote said, pretending to care.
Littlefoot followed Zipolote for a long time. But through out this time, he was never fully awake. When he finally was, he realized her was in the rocky terrain of the Mysterious Beyond!
"Zipolote!" He said. "Were in the Mysterious Beyond!"
"You don't say." Zipolote said. "Well, that's where my friend is. He's dying to meet a fleshy little long neck like you."
Littlefoot moved through the Mysterious Beyond, following Zipolote.
Zipolote led him to a deep, dark cave.
"Wait here." He said. "I'll get my friend." He flew off into the cave.
Littlefoot felt cold, and alone. Then there was a deep rumble from the cave. And out came a . . .
"SHARP TOOTH!" Littlefoot cried, he couldn't move, he was paralyzed with fear.
"Pretty scrawny little one you brought me." The sharp tooth said. "Zipolote, I am very disappointed."
"Sorry, you want I should bring you another?"
"Go." The Sharp tooth said. "As for you little one. Dinner. I am Long Jaw, the Great Long Jaw, and you are about to feed my belly. Knowing that you are to be dinned upon by the great Long Jaw, should be some consolation to you, as your days end after such a short time."
"W-what?" Littlefoot manage to ask.
"I am the great Long Jaw." Long Jaw said. "I am the master of the outside world. You live your life in the valley, over populated, wits dimming. While the real thunder lizards, the real masters of earth fight for their lives, and for survival out here. We hunt, we fight, we kill, and we eat. That is the way of my kind. I know my destiny, but weather or not you know yours, you'll never fulfill it."
Littlefoot didn't understand all that Long Jaw was saying, but he understood enough. "You're going to eat me?"
"Yep. Sorry kid." Long Jaw said.
"B-but, if you're so great, why don't you hunt down prey of your own?"
Long Jaw smiled. "Because. Thanks to my friend Zipolote, I don't have to. Besides, you're only a midnight snack. My real prey, can be anything from a snake, to an adult long neck. But nighttime snacks are just stupid children. Like you.
"Please don't eat me!" Littlefoot whined.
"I will eat you when I'm ready." Long jaw said. "I'd prefer to wait for the next piece of meat. But since you're so talkative . . . I guess I'll go right ahead and gobble you up my stupid little long neck." He lunged forward, and opened his jaws to snap.
"No!" Littlefoot cried.
"AAAHHHH!" Long Jaw cried out. His lower jaw was bloody, and his throat had a small nick.
Long Jaw roared loudly. "Blueback? No! Blueback would never move that fast, who's there?"
There was no answer. "Get in the cave." Long Jaw instructed Littlefoot.
"Why should I listen to you?" Littlefoot asked.
"Because now, I'm trying to save your life, so I can take it later!" Long Jaw snapped. "And because if you don't, I'm going to eat you now!"
Littlefoot ran into the cave, but stayed at the opening. He watched as Long Jaw paced back and forth. It seemed like an eternity before Long Jaw lunged for a quick movement behind a rock, he took the whole rock in his mouth, and smashed it to ruble with his jaw. He looked down, and there was a dinosaur just like the one Littlefoot had saved. It was a little bigger, with different markings. But it was definitely the same kind.
"You!" Long Jaw roared. He dove down on the smaller sharp tooth and took it in his mouth. He was about to bite down when came a loud screech.
"What?" Long Jaw asked, looking around, Littlefoot saw the four dinosaurs charging him.
One of them, was the one that he'd saved.
Then came two more from another side, and two more jumped onto Long Jaw's back from on the top of the cave.
Long Jaw let out a defining roar, and then he clamped down on the pack hunter still in his mouth. He held it in his mouth, then threw it to the ground, it exploded, literally exploded. Littlefoot had never seen anything like it, and he never wanted to see anything like it again.
Long Jaw threw himself backwards, this remedied him from two pack hunters on his back as they leapt off, but now his belly was exposed.
One of the four that'd come in from behind jumped onto Long Jaw's stomach, and began to bite, and claw fiercely.
"YOU!" Long Jaw cried, he took the pack hunter by the tail, and threw him into a broken tree. The tree exploded in a shower of splinters, but the pack hunter was a part of that explosion to. Another two pack hunters jumped onto Long Jaw's belly, he managed to get one of them onto his leg, and kick it away. It survived, but it was lucky, it'd flown pretty far.
"Leopard!" One of the Pack hunters shouted. It turned, and attacked Long Jaw. Long Jaw got up, and shook off his attackers. He had taken some major hits to his belly. He backed away, panting. He looked at the seven remaining pack hunters.
"Go on." He said. "Take him if you want him so badly."
One of the Pack hunters, the one called Leopard, came and reached out for Littlefoot. Leopard was large, very impressive. He had spikes on his nose, that looked a little bit like a three horn's only they were to small, and he had a brown spot over his nose. The rest of his head was devoid of those stripes, but neck had some, but again, none on his back instead on his sides were black circles, a few on his legs and arms. From almost the base, his tail was completely brown. Littlefoot charged him, and hit him in the belly. Leopard had just sustained being thrown about twenty feet by a large sharp tooth, Littlefoot's blow was all it took to bring him to his knees. But with his tail, he swiped out at Littlefoot, tripping him before he could run away.
"One Claw, get him!"
Another pack hunter, with only one of those long killing claws on it's toes, approached him. It grabbed his neck.
"That's not how you hold it." Another one said. This one was impressive. He was large, he had really dark, red eyes. He had a stripe, like a \\\ on his head, which went from the back of his head, over his eye, to the base of his chin, but not toughing his nostrils. He unlike all the others had a white underbelly, He had a few dark brown stripes on his back and neck. Three rings on his tail before it went all dark brown, and had some spikes growing on the back of his head. "You cant grab it like that, you'll choke it." He said.
"Right." One Claw said. "How do I hold him?"
"Uh . . . I don't know, I usually just kill them." The one with the white belly said.
"Maybe it'll follow us." Leopard said.
"I w-wana go home." Littlefoot whimpered.
"Holy Hunt it talks!" Leopard and One Claw jumped back.
"Of course I talk." Littlefoot said. Sharp teeth are the ones who arnt supposed to know how to talk!
"So then long neck, follow us, or we'll leave you here with tall dark and ugly." Leopard said.
Long Jaw grunted.
"Don't provoke the situation Leopard." One Claw said in a scolding tone.
Littlefoot slowly followed the seven pack hunters into the rocky terrain.
"I'll get you." Long Jaw said. He began to stalk after them.
Cera paced back and forth. "Where's Littlefoot?" She asked. Petrie shrugged.
"Me no find flat head anywhere!"
"When did you start calling him flat head again?" Cera asked.
"Me no know." Petrie said honestly.
"We'll, he'd better get here soon, or were gonna have to play without him." She said.
Littlefoot marched along with the pack hunters. The one with the white belly was always in the lead, the others took precautions to make sure they didn't pass him, he had to be the leader. Leopard and One Claw had gone up ahead too. Littlefoot was being followed by another one of the pack hunters. It hadn't said a word yet.
"Stop." The white belly announced. "We'll let it rest here." He said.
"Thank you." Littlefoot said. The pack hunter didn't seem to have heard him. "What's your name?" He asked. Again, no response. "Where are you taking me? Who are you all?"
"The three Ws." One Claw snickered. "The first of our prey to ask us all three."
"That's because they don't last long enough." Leopard chucked.
"Wh-what about me?" Littlefoot asked.
"You'll meet a much better fate." The female he'd saved said. "Than many of the other long necks we've encountered."
"I know you." Littlefoot said. "You were the one I pushed the tree off of. What's your name?"
The female smiled. "Well I did say I'd tell you once you let me out from under the tree. You did run off crying, but I suppose now's as good a time as any to keep my promise. My name is Quetzal."
Littlefoot looked around. "There sure are a lot of you."
"Yes." Leopard said.
"And many more where we live." One Claw added.
"What are all your names?"
"That's none of your business." The dinosaur behind him said. "Talk, talk, talk. If I were you, I'd be happy I still had a tong!"
"Neckbiter." Quetzal said, pointing to him. Neckbiter was large, almost the same size as the white bellied pack hunter. His hide was dark brown all over, with black stripes.
"Me." Quetzal continued to tell him the names of the other pack hunters, but Littlefoot couldn't take his eyes off Neckbiter. He was tough, he was definitely a tough guy.
"And finally, that's Dark Eye." Quetzal said, pointing one of her three clawed hands at the white-bellied pack hunter. "Any questions?"
"Where are you taking me?" Littlefoot asked.
"Well . . . home." Quetzal said. "Where did you think?"
Littlefoot didn't want to tell her what he'd thought, it might give her ideas.
"You've gone soft Quetzal." Neckbiter said. "Why don't you just settle down and start laying eggs? I can fill you up with a good litter." He added grinning.
Quetzal looked as if she were about to spring out at Neckbiter, but Dark Eye's voice stopped her.
"Quetzal, come here." He said.
Quetzal moved off towards him, Neckbiter snickered.
Littlefoot decided the current conversation was maybe a little mature for his ears, he didn't understand a word.
One Claw listened in on the conversation Dark Eye and Quetzal were having. He looked worried when they came back.
"Lets go." Quetzal said to Littlefoot.
"Okay." Littlefoot said. Neckbiter took a place in the lead next to Dark Eye There was tension between them. Littlefoot noticed that Quetzal wasn't exactly relaxed herself, neither was One Claw. The other three pack hunters just continued, oblivious to what was going on, so was Littlefoot.
They were near the great Valley wall when suddenly there was a loud roar, and a screech.
Littlefoot looked back, Long Jaw had one of the two pack hunters, who's name he didn't know, in his mouth.
He chomped down, killing it. Then threw it away.
The other Pack hunters ran, Littlefoot to. He could see the Great Valley! He could see the water falls! He could see home! He had to get home!
"Your mine!" Long Jaw cried, lunging forward, he hit the ground hard, and began to fall down a steep hill that led to the Valley entrance. Quetzal, Dark Eye, and One Claw jumped down over the hill, Littlefoot looked back, he could see them, they moved down with great speed, they were perfectly synchronized when they hit Long Jaw. Long Jaw took One Claw's claw in the side, Dark Eye's claws raked his left eye, and Quetzal jumped and landed on his stomach, she tore into the already damaged tissue, and began to eat him alive!
Littlefoot couldn't bare to watch, but he couldn't turn away, he was falling to fast.
Leopard, Neckbiter and the other pack hunter jumped down, with the same synchronization they attacked too. Long Jaw rolled over, Quetzal moved to safety, and Long Jaw pulled himself up the steep hill. While Littlefoot and the pack hunters slid down, down, down. Long Jaw let out a defining roar of triumph, then ran off into the mysterious beyond.
Littlefoot and the pack hunters slid down, however the slide of the hunters was controlled. Littlefoot was trying desperately to stop sliding.
"Help!" Littlefoot cried. He didn't have claws like they did.
Dark Eye dove down, and grabbed him, he dug his claws into the dirt, his toe claws were especially effective. Finally, they stopped, Littlefoot opened his eyes, and he was safe. Dark Eye let him go, and looked back at the Great Valley.
"We can take you as far as the entrance, but for every one's sake It'd be wise If we didn't go in." He said.
Littlefoot nodded. "Thanks for saving me, twice." He said. The other pack hunters were coming down to meet them. Dark Eye led Littlefoot to the valley entrance.
"Hey, wait." Littlefoot said. "I always thought sharp teeth couldn't get into the valley because they didn't know where the entrance was, or because they were to stupid. But, you know where the entrance is, and your not stupid. Why haven't you ever gone in?"
Dark Eye looked at him. He smiled. "Some times, it's better not to live the easy life." He said. "This is where we leave you little one. If your ever lost in, what you call, the Mysterious Beyond, do not fret, were watching over you."
"Forever." Quetzal added.
"And," Leopard.
"Ever." One Claw finished.
"What ever." Neckbiter said. "Just go on home kido."
Little foot took one last look at the sharp teeth that had sacrificed three of their own, to save him, and bring him home. He turned around, and ran into the great valley, his home.
"Remember, come back some time!" Quetzal called after him. "We'll have to show you our lair!"
Littlefoot looked back, he saw the six pack hunters run off into the Mysterious Beyond. "Some day." He said. "Some day I will!" He called after his new friends.
He went into the valley, Cera, Ducky, Spike, Stomp, Petrie, they were all waiting for him.
"Littlefoot!" They all said together. "Where were you?"
Littlefoot smiled. "That's a story, you wouldn't believe." He said.
To be continued . . .
A/N: How did I do? My first dinosaur fic EVER! What did you think?
A/N: Am I the only one who noticed that in LBT 1 the dinosaurs had a certain way of talking, holding themselves up, and this over all majestic sense to them, that they sorely lack in the song filled lightly colored, light headed sequels?
Littlefoot ran around in circles trying to figure out what to do next. He was waiting for Ducky, and Spike to show up. Cera and Petrie were late too.
"Hello Littlefoot!" Ducky cried. Ducky was a big mouth, and Spike was a spike tail.
"Ducky! Spike!" Littlefoot ran up to them.
"Where is Cera?" Ducky asked.
"She isn't here. Neither is Petrie." Littlefoot reported. "But they won't mind if we start now!"
"Nope! Nope!" Ducky said. "Uh . . . What are we going to do with out Cera and Petrie?"
Littlefoot had to think about that for a moment. He really had no idea, they always included Cera and Petrie in their games, and some how the games had evolved to the point where they could not be played with out them!
"I know!" Littlefoot said. "While were waiting, we can play hide and look! (Hide and seek) And when we finish our first game, Cera and Petrie will be here!"
"Yep yep yep!" Ducky said. "And maybe we will find them to!"
Littlefoot closed his eyes, and faced a tree full of tree stars, while Ducky and Spike went to hide. "One . . . Two . . . Three . . . Four . . . Five . . . Six . . . Seven . . ." He counted slowly so that Spike would have enough time to hide. It always took him a while to catch on.
"Eight . . . Nine . . . Ten! Ready or not! Here I come!" He shouted.
Grandpa watched Littlefoot play with his friends. "Life in the Great Valley is carefree for them." He thought. "Children, they have no idea how lucky they are to be so young." He laughed softly to himself, but being as large a long neck he was, his soft laugh, was a low rumble.
Littlefoot moved through the grass, he found one of his friends!
"I found you!" He cried, jumping out of the grass to the small dinosaur. But the dinosaur wasn't one of his friends.
"Who are you!" The small dinosaur demanded.
"I'm Littlefoot." Littlefoot said. "I'm sorry, I thought you were one of my friends."
"Oh yeah?" The dinosaur, a long neck, said. "Well, I'm not, I don't even know you!"
"I'm sorry." Littlefoot said. "But you don't have to get so mad!" He added, defending himself.
"Sorry." The long neck said. "My name is Stomp, because . . . well, I like to stomp." He said. "I was just looking for my mama, and I can't find her."
"Well, my friends and I can help you!" Littlefoot said. "Were really good at finding things!"
"Really?" Stomp asked. "You'd do that for me?"
"Sure!" Littlefoot said. "But uh . . . first we have to find my friends."
"Are they long necks like us?" Stomp asked.
"No, they're a . . . well, a three horn, a spike tail, a big mouth, and a flyer."
"A flyer?" Stomp asked. "Wow! No wonder your good at finding things!"
"Yeah." Littlefoot said. "C'mon!"
"Where do you think your going baby?"
Littlefoot bumped into something big and gray.
"Hi Hip." Littlefoot said wearily. For a little while Hip had become a nice guy, unfortunately it didn't take long for him to return to his bully state. His two friends had become nice guys permanently, but Hip was a different story.
"Well?" Hip asked. "Where do you think your going?"
"To find my friends." Littlefoot said. "So we can go look for his mom."
"Oh yeah?" Hip said. A look of pure evil came onto his face. "Well, if she's a stupid long neck like you two, and I know she is, than I bet . . ." Hip paused for affect, then shouted "She was eaten by the sharp tooth!" Hip began to laugh.
"Don't listen to him." Littlefoot said, leading Stomp away from Hip.
"But what if he's right?" Stomp asked.
"Don't worry, were in the great valley." Littlefoot said. "See that big wall of rocks? No sharp teeth can get into the valley from the Mysterious Beyond. Your mama will be fine."
"Are you sure?" Stomp asked. "Mama brought me here a few nights ago, if we could get in, why can't sharp teeth?"
Well, Littlefoot had never given that serious thought. "Uh . . . I . . . only plant eaters can get through, sharp teeth are to stupid." Little foot said finally.
"Are you sure?" Stomp asked.
"Of course! And your mama wont be in any danger, now lets look for my friends."
It had taken a while to find spike, as usual, he'd lost himself in the tall grass, and it'd taken Petrie's help to find him.
But now they were all assembled. Stomp included.
"What kind of name is Stomp anyway?" Cera asked.
"Cera!" Littlefoot said scolding.
"It's my name." Stomp said. He was about Littlefoot's size, and color, but rather than a dark brown strip on his back like Littlefoot's, Stomp had dark brown spots. "Papa named me Stomp because I'd always stomp on my food before I ate it."
"Where is papa?" Petrie asked.
"Uh . . . well he died."
"Oh." Petrie said.
"How?" Cera asked.
"Sh-sh-sharp tooth got him!" Stomp whined. "And now there gonna get mama!"
"That's' impossible." Cera said. "Sharp teeth can't get into the valley."
"Well, what if they followed mama and me?" Stomp asked.
"Then you and your mother would have to be pretty stupid not to notice." Cera said simply.
"Cera!" Littlefoot protested.
"That is not nice Cera, not nice at all." Ducky said.
"But it's true!" Cera said.
"Cera right." Petrie said. "Stupid not to notice sharp tooth, we notice sharp tooth when we come to great valley!"
Stomp just whimpered.
Littlefoot frowned. "Uh, hey, it's okay, I'll take you to my grandpa, he knows all the long necks in the valley, if your mother left the valley, he'd know."
"Okay." Stomp sniffed.
"C'mon! Lets go!" Cera said. Petrie flew off ahead.
Littlefoot approached his grandpa. "Grandpa!" He called out. The large Dinosaur's head slowly moved down towards him. Littlefoot's grandpa was aging, and none to slowly. "Grandpa." He said. "This is my new friend, Stomp."
His grandpa smiled. "Nice to meet you Stomp. I am Littlefoot's grandpa."
"Uh, nice to meet you sir." Stomp said. "But, uh, well . . . have you seen my mother?"
"What was her name?" Grandpa asked.
"Uh . . . well . . . mama."
Grandpa smiled. "Just a moment." He said. He looked towards Grandma.
Littlefoot's grandfather was terribly worried. He'd seen a long neck sneak out to the Mysterious Beyond this morning, but it hadn't looked like a female, it'd looked like a male. "Dear, Were there any new females at the lake today?"
"Yes, one."
"What was she like?"
"She was a small one, Maya's child, finally old enough to walk to the lake herself. She was so adorable."
"I mean adults."
"Oh . . . no. Not one."
"Oh dear."
"Yes?"
"No, I meant, oh "dear"." Grandpa said.
"Why?"
"There is a young one, about Littlefoot's age, I've never seen him before, so I'd assume his mother was a new comer but if you didn't see her . . ."
"Well . . ." Grandma said slowly. "I could check around."
"There's a heard of three horns!" Cera's father shouted. "Coming into the valley!"
Grandpa ran out to the entrance, perhaps one of the three horns would know about Stomp's mother.
When he got there, with Littlefoot and his friends in tow, the new three horns were indeed entering the valley. But they were not three horns like Cera's father.
They had large rectangular shields on their heads, with smaller horns all around. (Chasmosaurus) Their leader was youthful. He had two sharp horns on top, and a long powerful horn below those.
"Greetings." Grandpa said. "Welcome to the great valley!"
"I am Sharp Nose." The leader said. "We are glad to be here. To finally be safe from the sharp teeth."
"Indeed." Grandpa said. "I am sure you are. By any chance, did you see a female of my kind?" Grandpa asked. "She would possibly be in the Mysterious Beyond . . . I mean, the place you came from."
"No." Sharp nose said. "The only other dinosaur we saw was a sharp tooth with a long jaw, and dark green scales. But . . . his belly was fat, and his mouth was covered in blood."
"Mama!" Stomp cried.
"It's all right." Grandma assumed the baby long neck. "I am sure it wasn't your mama."
Weather it was or wasn't, We'll have to investigate." Cera's father said. "Who's with me?" A number of three horns, and spike tails decided they were. Grandpa knew, he'd have to see.
"I will go as well."
"As will I." Said Sharp Nose. "I am sorry that my first accomplishment in this valley was to cause a child to suffer, I must do something to remedy that."
"Good." Cera's father said. "But I'm in charge."
"Of course." Sharp Nose said.
Littlefoot stood next to Stomp, who was now crying, despite Ducky, Spike and Petrie trying to comfort him.
"Y'know Stomp," Littlefoot said. "I lost my mother when I was young. She got beaten by sharp tooth. I know what your going through, but I bet your mama is just fine."
"I want to go with you!" Stomp cried out to Cera's father.
"You'll just get in our way!" He snapped.
"Besides." Grandpa said. "The Mysterious Beyond is no place for youngsters. You stay here where it's safe."
"But . . . okay sir." Stomp said softly.
"It's okay Stomp." Littlefoot said. "We can play a game while there gone."
"Or." Cera interrupted. "Or we could follow them into the Mysterious Beyond."
"And then?" Asked Littlefoot. "Get lost?" He offered.
"Well . . . I guess that isn't a very good idea . . ."
"But you right!" Petrie protested. "We go to Mysterious Beyond, we follow grown ups we no get lost!"
"Hey! Yeah!" Littlefoot said. Wondering why he hadn't thought of it.
"Okay!" Ducky said. "We are going to the Mysterious Beyond! Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep!"
MYSTERIOUS BEYOND
Littlefoot followed his grandfather, careful not to get to close, but also not to fall to far behind.
"It is scary out here. It is." Ducky said.
"M-me thinking we go back now." Petrie said.
"No!" Stomp said. "I have to find my mama!"
"Help!" A female voice said.
Littlefoot turned towards the source of the voice. It was young, but not a child's. It was a whole new voice to Littlefoot.
"Is that your mama?" Cera asked Stomp.
"No." Stomp said.
"Who ever it is, we'd better help her." Littlefoot said.
"What if she a sharp tooth?" Petrie asked.
"Well, we could tell the grown ups." Stomp said.
"There may not be enough time." Littlefoot said. "Uh . . . okay, we'll split up, some of you can go tell the grown ups, and the rest of you can come with me."
"I want to go tell the grown ups." Stomp said.
"Me to." Petrie said.
"I had better tell my daddy." Cera said.
Spike motioned towards the grown ups.
"I will go to the grown ups, I will, I will." Ducky said.
"Then . . . I guess I'm on my own." Littlefoot said.
"Okay! Goodbye!" Cera said, and she ran off towards the grown ups. The others followed her. Stomp paused. "Go ahead." Littlefoot said. "I'm going on, but you should do what you feel is right."
Stomp nodded, and ran off. Littlefoot turned towards where they had heard the voice. He walked off into the rock terrain in search of the cries for help.
"Help me!" The voice called. "Please! Help me! Some one! Any one!"
Littlefoot knew better than to shout back, especially in the Mysterious Beyond. He moved carefully, trying not to make noise.
"It's okay Littlefoot." He thought to himself. "Nothing to worry about. You survived outside in the Mysterious Beyond once, and you were a lot smaller then . . . of course, Grandma and Grandpa helped, but . . . when you were all alone, you survived, don't worry." He thought.
"Please? Any one?"
Littlefoot continued, until he came to a small rocky area. There were some old dried out trees. One of which had snapped at the trunk, and fallen. Littlefoot had the feeling that he'd find the voice there. He cautiously moved towards the tree, keeping his eyes open for predators. It definitely wasn't Stomp's mother, because a small tree wouldn't trap her. Of course, it wasn't really a small tree. It was bigger than Grandpa's neck, but any full-grown long neck would be able to get free. Littlefoot came to the tree's branches. The voice was silenced. He looked around. There was no one here.
"Hello?" Littlefoot asked. "Is any one there?"
There was no answer. Littlefoot wondered around, looking for some one. Any one. He was getting worried that he'd walked into a trap of some sort.
"Help." The voice muttered weakly.
"Who's there?" Littlefoot asked.
"What are you?" The voice asked.
"I'm Littlefoot, I'm a long neck."
"Liar." The voice snapped. "You're not a long neck. Long necks are louder."
"We'll . . . I guess . . . I am sort of a baby."
"Oh, wonderful." The voice said. Littlefoot heard a sigh. "Well, can you move this tree?"
"Move the tree?" Littlefoot asked. "Are you under it?"
"The leaves and branches." The voice said.
"What are you?" Littlefoot said. "Are you a sharp tooth?"
"You won't know unless you let me out!" The voice said.
"What's your name?"
" . . ." The voice didn't answer.
"You can tell me your name cant you?" Littlefoot asked. "I told you mine."
"I forgot it." The voice said.
"I'm Littlefoot." Littlefoot said.
"That's an . . . unusual name for a long neck." The voice said.
"So tell me yours."
"I'll tell you once I'm free." The voice said. "Get me out! Please!"
Littlefoot decided maybe it would be better to wait for grandpa. It was impossible that a large sharp tooth would be under those leaves, but when the great valley had run out of water, Littlefoot and his friends saw smaller faster sharp teeth.
"I think I'd better wait for my grandpa." Littlefoot said.
"No! Your grandpa won't help me! You have to help me now! Quickly!"
"But, Grandpa and the others could move this tree faster than I could."
"No! Please!"
"Why not?" Littlefoot asked.
"Forget you!" The voice cried. "Help me! Some one! Help me NOW!"
Littlefoot sighed, and pushed the log as far as he could. He remembered when he was smaller, he couldn't do this sort of thing. But now, he was bigger, he was stronger.
He pushed the log, then after a while, is slid down a hill, revealing the person he'd just saved.
"SHARP TOOTH!" He shouted. He turned on his heels, and ran. He ran back the way he came, the Sharp tooth was not following him.
She got out of a small ditch. She was a sharp tooth. Not like any Littlefoot had seen before. She stood up and he could see her whole body. She had a long tail, an almost brownish gold color with dark brown, almost black stripes to a certain point, then she had dark striped on her back, leading all the way up to her head, a one that went over her eye. Her throat and underbelly were a soft yellow, she had legs that curved like a crooked Z and a long deadly claw on each foot, similar to the ones Littlefoot had seen on the small sharp teeth from the water adventure. She had yellow feathers on the top of her head. Littlefoot noticed, on her back, just above her legs were three deep pink gashes. She looked around. "Thank you!" She called. Then ran off.
Littlefoot emerged from his hiding place. He looked around, then went back to hiding, waiting for his grandpa to come.
But it was long after the bright circle in the sky disappeared before any one found him. It wasn't grandpa, it was Petrie's mother, and she led him back to the valley.
"Littlefoot." Grandpa said. "I'm very disappointed in you."
"Wondering off and getting lost in the Mysterious beyond is bad enough, that you were there at all is even worse!" His grand mother lectured.
"I'm sorry." Littlefoot said.
"No!" Grandpa shouted. He spoke again, this time with a softer voice. "Littlefoot, the other parents think that your grandma and I got to easy on you, and if we do it is because your so little and because we love you. But your not so little any more. Please Littlefoot, do as we tell you, the next time you disobey us . . . were going to have to be harder on you."
"We love you, and don't want to lose you to a sharp tooth the way we lost . . ." Grandma trailed off. But Littlefoot understood.
"You two don't want to lose me . . . to a sharp tooth the way you lost mother . . ."
"Yes." Grandpa said softly. "You're our herd's last hope for survival. Your grandmother and I are to old to have more babies, and . . . your mother is gone . . . all of your brothers and sisters were killed by egg napers . . . Littlefoot, you are all that we have left, besides each other. Please Littlefoot, please do not ever risk your life again." Grandpa said.
"Okay." Littlefoot said. Finally understanding how his grandparents felt. When he couldn't find his mother, it'd been terrible. He'd wanted to die, he'd felt so lost without her. But when he finally found her, and she was dying . . . he felt like his world had exploded, he felt so terrible. He knew that if he were to die, his grandma and grandpa would feel the same way, and they must have felt that way when his mother died. He began to cry at the memory of his mother. The way she'd fought for his, and Cera's lives that night, against impossible odds, against that terrible sharp tooth.
"Your mother will always be with you." Grandma said. "She said so herself. Littlefoot, you shouldn't be sad about her passing, she's in a better place, and one day, you'll meet her there."
"But, don't rush." Grandpa said. "Live your life to the fullest, your grandmother and I don't want you to stop having adventures, just be careful, don't get lost. And never explore the Mysterious Beyond alone. Never without a grownup."
"Okay." Littlefoot sniffed.
"Good night little one." His grandma said. She walked away. His grandpa followed. Littlefoot curled up in his nest, and went to sleep.
Zipolote flew high over the great valley. He saw a nest of eggs, and swooped down. He looked around. He had two minutes. He garbed an egg, and smashed into it with his beak. He ate the premature dinosaur inside.
Half way through growth, just the way he liked it. He moved to the next egg. He tore into it, in a minute he'd decimated the entire litter. He looked around, and took flight. He searched for another nest. But this time, he didn't want to find eggs.
Gullible baby dinosaurs. That's what he wanted. He landed next to a long neck's nest. He pecked at the dinosaur inside.
"Hey! Wake up!" He said.
The baby dinosaur woke up. "W-who are you?"
"My name is Zipolote." He said.
"You're a flyer, like my friend Petrie." The baby dinosaur said.
"Yeah, what ever." Zipolote said. He paused. He knew this dinosaur. He'd seen him in the outer plains! "Uh, I have some friends that would love to meet you. Let me take you to them." He said.
"Okay." The little dinosaur said. "By the way, my name is Littlefoot."
"That's great." Zipolote said, pretending to care.
Littlefoot followed Zipolote for a long time. But through out this time, he was never fully awake. When he finally was, he realized her was in the rocky terrain of the Mysterious Beyond!
"Zipolote!" He said. "Were in the Mysterious Beyond!"
"You don't say." Zipolote said. "Well, that's where my friend is. He's dying to meet a fleshy little long neck like you."
Littlefoot moved through the Mysterious Beyond, following Zipolote.
Zipolote led him to a deep, dark cave.
"Wait here." He said. "I'll get my friend." He flew off into the cave.
Littlefoot felt cold, and alone. Then there was a deep rumble from the cave. And out came a . . .
"SHARP TOOTH!" Littlefoot cried, he couldn't move, he was paralyzed with fear.
"Pretty scrawny little one you brought me." The sharp tooth said. "Zipolote, I am very disappointed."
"Sorry, you want I should bring you another?"
"Go." The Sharp tooth said. "As for you little one. Dinner. I am Long Jaw, the Great Long Jaw, and you are about to feed my belly. Knowing that you are to be dinned upon by the great Long Jaw, should be some consolation to you, as your days end after such a short time."
"W-what?" Littlefoot manage to ask.
"I am the great Long Jaw." Long Jaw said. "I am the master of the outside world. You live your life in the valley, over populated, wits dimming. While the real thunder lizards, the real masters of earth fight for their lives, and for survival out here. We hunt, we fight, we kill, and we eat. That is the way of my kind. I know my destiny, but weather or not you know yours, you'll never fulfill it."
Littlefoot didn't understand all that Long Jaw was saying, but he understood enough. "You're going to eat me?"
"Yep. Sorry kid." Long Jaw said.
"B-but, if you're so great, why don't you hunt down prey of your own?"
Long Jaw smiled. "Because. Thanks to my friend Zipolote, I don't have to. Besides, you're only a midnight snack. My real prey, can be anything from a snake, to an adult long neck. But nighttime snacks are just stupid children. Like you.
"Please don't eat me!" Littlefoot whined.
"I will eat you when I'm ready." Long jaw said. "I'd prefer to wait for the next piece of meat. But since you're so talkative . . . I guess I'll go right ahead and gobble you up my stupid little long neck." He lunged forward, and opened his jaws to snap.
"No!" Littlefoot cried.
"AAAHHHH!" Long Jaw cried out. His lower jaw was bloody, and his throat had a small nick.
Long Jaw roared loudly. "Blueback? No! Blueback would never move that fast, who's there?"
There was no answer. "Get in the cave." Long Jaw instructed Littlefoot.
"Why should I listen to you?" Littlefoot asked.
"Because now, I'm trying to save your life, so I can take it later!" Long Jaw snapped. "And because if you don't, I'm going to eat you now!"
Littlefoot ran into the cave, but stayed at the opening. He watched as Long Jaw paced back and forth. It seemed like an eternity before Long Jaw lunged for a quick movement behind a rock, he took the whole rock in his mouth, and smashed it to ruble with his jaw. He looked down, and there was a dinosaur just like the one Littlefoot had saved. It was a little bigger, with different markings. But it was definitely the same kind.
"You!" Long Jaw roared. He dove down on the smaller sharp tooth and took it in his mouth. He was about to bite down when came a loud screech.
"What?" Long Jaw asked, looking around, Littlefoot saw the four dinosaurs charging him.
One of them, was the one that he'd saved.
Then came two more from another side, and two more jumped onto Long Jaw's back from on the top of the cave.
Long Jaw let out a defining roar, and then he clamped down on the pack hunter still in his mouth. He held it in his mouth, then threw it to the ground, it exploded, literally exploded. Littlefoot had never seen anything like it, and he never wanted to see anything like it again.
Long Jaw threw himself backwards, this remedied him from two pack hunters on his back as they leapt off, but now his belly was exposed.
One of the four that'd come in from behind jumped onto Long Jaw's stomach, and began to bite, and claw fiercely.
"YOU!" Long Jaw cried, he took the pack hunter by the tail, and threw him into a broken tree. The tree exploded in a shower of splinters, but the pack hunter was a part of that explosion to. Another two pack hunters jumped onto Long Jaw's belly, he managed to get one of them onto his leg, and kick it away. It survived, but it was lucky, it'd flown pretty far.
"Leopard!" One of the Pack hunters shouted. It turned, and attacked Long Jaw. Long Jaw got up, and shook off his attackers. He had taken some major hits to his belly. He backed away, panting. He looked at the seven remaining pack hunters.
"Go on." He said. "Take him if you want him so badly."
One of the Pack hunters, the one called Leopard, came and reached out for Littlefoot. Leopard was large, very impressive. He had spikes on his nose, that looked a little bit like a three horn's only they were to small, and he had a brown spot over his nose. The rest of his head was devoid of those stripes, but neck had some, but again, none on his back instead on his sides were black circles, a few on his legs and arms. From almost the base, his tail was completely brown. Littlefoot charged him, and hit him in the belly. Leopard had just sustained being thrown about twenty feet by a large sharp tooth, Littlefoot's blow was all it took to bring him to his knees. But with his tail, he swiped out at Littlefoot, tripping him before he could run away.
"One Claw, get him!"
Another pack hunter, with only one of those long killing claws on it's toes, approached him. It grabbed his neck.
"That's not how you hold it." Another one said. This one was impressive. He was large, he had really dark, red eyes. He had a stripe, like a \\\ on his head, which went from the back of his head, over his eye, to the base of his chin, but not toughing his nostrils. He unlike all the others had a white underbelly, He had a few dark brown stripes on his back and neck. Three rings on his tail before it went all dark brown, and had some spikes growing on the back of his head. "You cant grab it like that, you'll choke it." He said.
"Right." One Claw said. "How do I hold him?"
"Uh . . . I don't know, I usually just kill them." The one with the white belly said.
"Maybe it'll follow us." Leopard said.
"I w-wana go home." Littlefoot whimpered.
"Holy Hunt it talks!" Leopard and One Claw jumped back.
"Of course I talk." Littlefoot said. Sharp teeth are the ones who arnt supposed to know how to talk!
"So then long neck, follow us, or we'll leave you here with tall dark and ugly." Leopard said.
Long Jaw grunted.
"Don't provoke the situation Leopard." One Claw said in a scolding tone.
Littlefoot slowly followed the seven pack hunters into the rocky terrain.
"I'll get you." Long Jaw said. He began to stalk after them.
Cera paced back and forth. "Where's Littlefoot?" She asked. Petrie shrugged.
"Me no find flat head anywhere!"
"When did you start calling him flat head again?" Cera asked.
"Me no know." Petrie said honestly.
"We'll, he'd better get here soon, or were gonna have to play without him." She said.
Littlefoot marched along with the pack hunters. The one with the white belly was always in the lead, the others took precautions to make sure they didn't pass him, he had to be the leader. Leopard and One Claw had gone up ahead too. Littlefoot was being followed by another one of the pack hunters. It hadn't said a word yet.
"Stop." The white belly announced. "We'll let it rest here." He said.
"Thank you." Littlefoot said. The pack hunter didn't seem to have heard him. "What's your name?" He asked. Again, no response. "Where are you taking me? Who are you all?"
"The three Ws." One Claw snickered. "The first of our prey to ask us all three."
"That's because they don't last long enough." Leopard chucked.
"Wh-what about me?" Littlefoot asked.
"You'll meet a much better fate." The female he'd saved said. "Than many of the other long necks we've encountered."
"I know you." Littlefoot said. "You were the one I pushed the tree off of. What's your name?"
The female smiled. "Well I did say I'd tell you once you let me out from under the tree. You did run off crying, but I suppose now's as good a time as any to keep my promise. My name is Quetzal."
Littlefoot looked around. "There sure are a lot of you."
"Yes." Leopard said.
"And many more where we live." One Claw added.
"What are all your names?"
"That's none of your business." The dinosaur behind him said. "Talk, talk, talk. If I were you, I'd be happy I still had a tong!"
"Neckbiter." Quetzal said, pointing to him. Neckbiter was large, almost the same size as the white bellied pack hunter. His hide was dark brown all over, with black stripes.
"Me." Quetzal continued to tell him the names of the other pack hunters, but Littlefoot couldn't take his eyes off Neckbiter. He was tough, he was definitely a tough guy.
"And finally, that's Dark Eye." Quetzal said, pointing one of her three clawed hands at the white-bellied pack hunter. "Any questions?"
"Where are you taking me?" Littlefoot asked.
"Well . . . home." Quetzal said. "Where did you think?"
Littlefoot didn't want to tell her what he'd thought, it might give her ideas.
"You've gone soft Quetzal." Neckbiter said. "Why don't you just settle down and start laying eggs? I can fill you up with a good litter." He added grinning.
Quetzal looked as if she were about to spring out at Neckbiter, but Dark Eye's voice stopped her.
"Quetzal, come here." He said.
Quetzal moved off towards him, Neckbiter snickered.
Littlefoot decided the current conversation was maybe a little mature for his ears, he didn't understand a word.
One Claw listened in on the conversation Dark Eye and Quetzal were having. He looked worried when they came back.
"Lets go." Quetzal said to Littlefoot.
"Okay." Littlefoot said. Neckbiter took a place in the lead next to Dark Eye There was tension between them. Littlefoot noticed that Quetzal wasn't exactly relaxed herself, neither was One Claw. The other three pack hunters just continued, oblivious to what was going on, so was Littlefoot.
They were near the great Valley wall when suddenly there was a loud roar, and a screech.
Littlefoot looked back, Long Jaw had one of the two pack hunters, who's name he didn't know, in his mouth.
He chomped down, killing it. Then threw it away.
The other Pack hunters ran, Littlefoot to. He could see the Great Valley! He could see the water falls! He could see home! He had to get home!
"Your mine!" Long Jaw cried, lunging forward, he hit the ground hard, and began to fall down a steep hill that led to the Valley entrance. Quetzal, Dark Eye, and One Claw jumped down over the hill, Littlefoot looked back, he could see them, they moved down with great speed, they were perfectly synchronized when they hit Long Jaw. Long Jaw took One Claw's claw in the side, Dark Eye's claws raked his left eye, and Quetzal jumped and landed on his stomach, she tore into the already damaged tissue, and began to eat him alive!
Littlefoot couldn't bare to watch, but he couldn't turn away, he was falling to fast.
Leopard, Neckbiter and the other pack hunter jumped down, with the same synchronization they attacked too. Long Jaw rolled over, Quetzal moved to safety, and Long Jaw pulled himself up the steep hill. While Littlefoot and the pack hunters slid down, down, down. Long Jaw let out a defining roar of triumph, then ran off into the mysterious beyond.
Littlefoot and the pack hunters slid down, however the slide of the hunters was controlled. Littlefoot was trying desperately to stop sliding.
"Help!" Littlefoot cried. He didn't have claws like they did.
Dark Eye dove down, and grabbed him, he dug his claws into the dirt, his toe claws were especially effective. Finally, they stopped, Littlefoot opened his eyes, and he was safe. Dark Eye let him go, and looked back at the Great Valley.
"We can take you as far as the entrance, but for every one's sake It'd be wise If we didn't go in." He said.
Littlefoot nodded. "Thanks for saving me, twice." He said. The other pack hunters were coming down to meet them. Dark Eye led Littlefoot to the valley entrance.
"Hey, wait." Littlefoot said. "I always thought sharp teeth couldn't get into the valley because they didn't know where the entrance was, or because they were to stupid. But, you know where the entrance is, and your not stupid. Why haven't you ever gone in?"
Dark Eye looked at him. He smiled. "Some times, it's better not to live the easy life." He said. "This is where we leave you little one. If your ever lost in, what you call, the Mysterious Beyond, do not fret, were watching over you."
"Forever." Quetzal added.
"And," Leopard.
"Ever." One Claw finished.
"What ever." Neckbiter said. "Just go on home kido."
Little foot took one last look at the sharp teeth that had sacrificed three of their own, to save him, and bring him home. He turned around, and ran into the great valley, his home.
"Remember, come back some time!" Quetzal called after him. "We'll have to show you our lair!"
Littlefoot looked back, he saw the six pack hunters run off into the Mysterious Beyond. "Some day." He said. "Some day I will!" He called after his new friends.
He went into the valley, Cera, Ducky, Spike, Stomp, Petrie, they were all waiting for him.
"Littlefoot!" They all said together. "Where were you?"
Littlefoot smiled. "That's a story, you wouldn't believe." He said.
To be continued . . .
A/N: How did I do? My first dinosaur fic EVER! What did you think?