Pteradactyl Pondering
by Martial Arts Master
The Land Before Time series copyrighted by Universal Cartoon Studios and Universal Studios. This story takes place after the seventh Land Before Time movie (The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire). Ok, on with the story!
***
It was nighttime, and Petrie was trying to get to sleep. He wasn't succeeding very well. He would close his eyes, and then restlessness would open them again. It was understandable that he couldn't sleep. He had a lot to think about after the stunt his uncle Pterano pulled trying to get what was supposed to be a stone of cold fire.
He got up and looked around him. His mother and siblings were still sleeping peacefully. Petrie envied them. They didn't have as much to think about as he did.
With an exasperated sigh, Petrie made a decision. He would put his mind at rest by having a stroll of sorts around the valley.
He spread his wings and was about to take off when he started having second thoughts. If he his family, and his mother found out, he might be punished. After all, he DID remember the time when he had to be pulled out of the Sinking Sands. His mother had given him a lecture about being too young to wander far. On the other hand, if he didn't get to sleep soon, he would be too tired in the morning to play with his friends like he usually did during the day.
He finally made up his mind and took off, making sure not to flap too much lest he wake up his family. He flew around the family for a bit, and then he decided to check up on Littlefoot and his family, just to see if they had as much to think about as he did.
After landing, it was clear Littlefoot and his family were sleeping peacefully. Petrie was surprised at this since Littlefoot had discovered the stone in the first place. Then he figured that Littlefoot managed to get to sleep because he now knew for certain the stone had no special powers.
Petrie admired Littlefoot a lot. In Petrie's opinion, Littlefoot could be almost always be counted on to be the voice of reason. After all, hadn't it been Littlefoot who picked the right way to go after Petrie and the others followed Cera shortly after they first met? Petrie also admired the fact that Littlefoot wouldn't desert his friends, an example being that Littlefoot went after his friends when, shortly after that same incident, they'd been about to fall into lava.
Littlefoot had his weaknessesses too, but they weren't many. Petrie envied Littlefoot in this respect. Petrie himself, in his opinion, had many weaknesses. He was too gullible, and had a speech impediment.
Petrie sighed. It was clear he wasn't going to get to sleep any more easily even though he knew Littlefoot was sleeping. He decided to check up on Cera and her dad.
Petrie took off again, and again he made sure he didn't flap so often he woke anybody up.
Petrie landed next to Cera and her dad. He looked over at Cera and saw that she, too, was sleeping. That came as no surprise to Petrie. Having no sympathy for Pterano like her father had none, and having not seen the stone, Cera had hardly anything to think about. So it was no surprise that she fell asleep easily.
One thing about Cera surprised Petrie. When Ducky had been captured by Pterano, Sierra, and Rinkus, Cera had been the first to blame Petrie. Petrie had gotten the impression that Cera had hated him. So WHY did Cera save his life when he was about to be crushed by that boulder? It made no sense to Petrie considering that most of the time Cera was mean to him.
Petrie supposed Cera had inherited her attitude from her father. Now her father Petrie didn't like at all. Cera's father was mean most of the time, and had been openly hostile to Pterano. Petrie felt sorry for Cera at having a father who, in Petrie's opinion, was a complete jerk. Of course, Petrie would never say that to his face unless he WANTED to get trampled or worse.
Now Petrie began to get worried about Pterano. Pterano had been banished to the Mysterious Beyond, and Pterano had been forbidden to return to the valley until five cold times had passed. Five cold times wouldn't pass until five YEARS had passed. Petrie didn't know whether his uncle could survive in the Mysterious Beyond for that long. Suppose some Sharpteeth found him?
Then Petrie remembered that the last time Pterano and some of the herd had met Sharpteeth, Pterano had been the only one to escape simply because he was a flier. Surely Pterano could fly away from them again if the time came.
But all that didn't change the fact that Petrie STILL couldn't get to sleep. He decided to check up on Ducky and Spike.
Petrie flew over to where Ducky and Spike were sleeping. Now he was beginning to get tired out. He had to check up on them quickly so he could get back to his family. Petrie walked over to Spike.
Spike was sleeping like a log, as Littlefoot and Cera had been. This didn't surprise Petrie. Spike slept often, and he slept like a log when he did. Sometimes Petrie envied Spike. Spike's brain hadn't developed as much as his friends' brains had, so Spike didn't have worries most of the time. Spike led the simple life.
Petrie had to remind himself that Spike did have some worries, such as for his sister Ducky. Petrie remembered the only time Spike ever said a word clearly was when he screamed Ducky's name and woke her up long enough so she could catch a branch out of the reach of Dil the belly-dragger. And Spike had been just as worried as everyone else about Ducky's safety when she had been captured by the other fliers.
Petrie walked over to Ducky. Ducky, too, was sleeping. Except Ducky was tossing and turning in her sleep. Petrie could understand that. She must be having a nightmare, and who wouldn't after the experience she'd gone through. Petrie was tempted to wake her up so she wouldn't have to dream about any bad things, but if he woke her up he'd call attention to his presence, and he was supposed to be asleep.
Wait a minute, Petrie thought. Young ones usually woke up from nightmares quickly. That meant she'd wake up any time now!
Petrie quickly spread his wings, but he was too slow. Ducky woke up and looked around her quickly. She seemed to be in a panic because of her nightmare.
Apparently Ducky didn't notice Petrie, because eventually she went back to sleep. Petrie breathed a sigh of relief, not because she hadn't noticed him but because her nightmare was over.
In truth, Petrie worried about Ducky a lot. She was probably the nicest of his friends, but her small size and easygoing nature made her a vulnerable target for those who were bad, like Dil and Ichy, for example. Petrie had been mad as heck when Ichy took Ducky up into the sky, and Petrie had felt guilty when Ducky had fallen into the river as a result of a tug-of-war between him and Ichy. Petrie had been relieved when the whole incident ended with Ducky being unharmed. There had been others Ducky was a target of, namely Sierra and Rinkus. During that whole incident, Petrie had been terrified that something would happen to Ducky. He had been relieved when he and his friends had come across an unharmed Ducky.
One reason Petrie liked Ducky more than his other friends was that Ducky was usually the first to see good in people, as Ducky had been the first to see good in Pterano. This was relatively incredible considering the incident that got Pterano kicked out of the herd. But Ducky was like that. She never truly hated anyone.
Petrie flew back to his family. He looked around and made sure none of them was awake. Sure enough, all of them were sleeping. Petrie tried to get to sleep and, having finally thought about all he wanted to think about, he was soon sleeping like a log.
The End
***
E-mail all questions and comments to bleifer@msn.com.
by Martial Arts Master
The Land Before Time series copyrighted by Universal Cartoon Studios and Universal Studios. This story takes place after the seventh Land Before Time movie (The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire). Ok, on with the story!
***
It was nighttime, and Petrie was trying to get to sleep. He wasn't succeeding very well. He would close his eyes, and then restlessness would open them again. It was understandable that he couldn't sleep. He had a lot to think about after the stunt his uncle Pterano pulled trying to get what was supposed to be a stone of cold fire.
He got up and looked around him. His mother and siblings were still sleeping peacefully. Petrie envied them. They didn't have as much to think about as he did.
With an exasperated sigh, Petrie made a decision. He would put his mind at rest by having a stroll of sorts around the valley.
He spread his wings and was about to take off when he started having second thoughts. If he his family, and his mother found out, he might be punished. After all, he DID remember the time when he had to be pulled out of the Sinking Sands. His mother had given him a lecture about being too young to wander far. On the other hand, if he didn't get to sleep soon, he would be too tired in the morning to play with his friends like he usually did during the day.
He finally made up his mind and took off, making sure not to flap too much lest he wake up his family. He flew around the family for a bit, and then he decided to check up on Littlefoot and his family, just to see if they had as much to think about as he did.
After landing, it was clear Littlefoot and his family were sleeping peacefully. Petrie was surprised at this since Littlefoot had discovered the stone in the first place. Then he figured that Littlefoot managed to get to sleep because he now knew for certain the stone had no special powers.
Petrie admired Littlefoot a lot. In Petrie's opinion, Littlefoot could be almost always be counted on to be the voice of reason. After all, hadn't it been Littlefoot who picked the right way to go after Petrie and the others followed Cera shortly after they first met? Petrie also admired the fact that Littlefoot wouldn't desert his friends, an example being that Littlefoot went after his friends when, shortly after that same incident, they'd been about to fall into lava.
Littlefoot had his weaknessesses too, but they weren't many. Petrie envied Littlefoot in this respect. Petrie himself, in his opinion, had many weaknesses. He was too gullible, and had a speech impediment.
Petrie sighed. It was clear he wasn't going to get to sleep any more easily even though he knew Littlefoot was sleeping. He decided to check up on Cera and her dad.
Petrie took off again, and again he made sure he didn't flap so often he woke anybody up.
Petrie landed next to Cera and her dad. He looked over at Cera and saw that she, too, was sleeping. That came as no surprise to Petrie. Having no sympathy for Pterano like her father had none, and having not seen the stone, Cera had hardly anything to think about. So it was no surprise that she fell asleep easily.
One thing about Cera surprised Petrie. When Ducky had been captured by Pterano, Sierra, and Rinkus, Cera had been the first to blame Petrie. Petrie had gotten the impression that Cera had hated him. So WHY did Cera save his life when he was about to be crushed by that boulder? It made no sense to Petrie considering that most of the time Cera was mean to him.
Petrie supposed Cera had inherited her attitude from her father. Now her father Petrie didn't like at all. Cera's father was mean most of the time, and had been openly hostile to Pterano. Petrie felt sorry for Cera at having a father who, in Petrie's opinion, was a complete jerk. Of course, Petrie would never say that to his face unless he WANTED to get trampled or worse.
Now Petrie began to get worried about Pterano. Pterano had been banished to the Mysterious Beyond, and Pterano had been forbidden to return to the valley until five cold times had passed. Five cold times wouldn't pass until five YEARS had passed. Petrie didn't know whether his uncle could survive in the Mysterious Beyond for that long. Suppose some Sharpteeth found him?
Then Petrie remembered that the last time Pterano and some of the herd had met Sharpteeth, Pterano had been the only one to escape simply because he was a flier. Surely Pterano could fly away from them again if the time came.
But all that didn't change the fact that Petrie STILL couldn't get to sleep. He decided to check up on Ducky and Spike.
Petrie flew over to where Ducky and Spike were sleeping. Now he was beginning to get tired out. He had to check up on them quickly so he could get back to his family. Petrie walked over to Spike.
Spike was sleeping like a log, as Littlefoot and Cera had been. This didn't surprise Petrie. Spike slept often, and he slept like a log when he did. Sometimes Petrie envied Spike. Spike's brain hadn't developed as much as his friends' brains had, so Spike didn't have worries most of the time. Spike led the simple life.
Petrie had to remind himself that Spike did have some worries, such as for his sister Ducky. Petrie remembered the only time Spike ever said a word clearly was when he screamed Ducky's name and woke her up long enough so she could catch a branch out of the reach of Dil the belly-dragger. And Spike had been just as worried as everyone else about Ducky's safety when she had been captured by the other fliers.
Petrie walked over to Ducky. Ducky, too, was sleeping. Except Ducky was tossing and turning in her sleep. Petrie could understand that. She must be having a nightmare, and who wouldn't after the experience she'd gone through. Petrie was tempted to wake her up so she wouldn't have to dream about any bad things, but if he woke her up he'd call attention to his presence, and he was supposed to be asleep.
Wait a minute, Petrie thought. Young ones usually woke up from nightmares quickly. That meant she'd wake up any time now!
Petrie quickly spread his wings, but he was too slow. Ducky woke up and looked around her quickly. She seemed to be in a panic because of her nightmare.
Apparently Ducky didn't notice Petrie, because eventually she went back to sleep. Petrie breathed a sigh of relief, not because she hadn't noticed him but because her nightmare was over.
In truth, Petrie worried about Ducky a lot. She was probably the nicest of his friends, but her small size and easygoing nature made her a vulnerable target for those who were bad, like Dil and Ichy, for example. Petrie had been mad as heck when Ichy took Ducky up into the sky, and Petrie had felt guilty when Ducky had fallen into the river as a result of a tug-of-war between him and Ichy. Petrie had been relieved when the whole incident ended with Ducky being unharmed. There had been others Ducky was a target of, namely Sierra and Rinkus. During that whole incident, Petrie had been terrified that something would happen to Ducky. He had been relieved when he and his friends had come across an unharmed Ducky.
One reason Petrie liked Ducky more than his other friends was that Ducky was usually the first to see good in people, as Ducky had been the first to see good in Pterano. This was relatively incredible considering the incident that got Pterano kicked out of the herd. But Ducky was like that. She never truly hated anyone.
Petrie flew back to his family. He looked around and made sure none of them was awake. Sure enough, all of them were sleeping. Petrie tried to get to sleep and, having finally thought about all he wanted to think about, he was soon sleeping like a log.
The End
***
E-mail all questions and comments to bleifer@msn.com.