Long ago, before houses or buildings or cars; before dogs or cats, or humans, long before the caveman and the mammoth, before the saber tooth and the bird,
Was the dinosaur.
They roamed the earth, for millions of years, each creating their own stories and pasts, much like we do today. In many places, living was dangerous, filled with peril and fear.
But in one place, surrounded by mountains, dinosaurs could live in peace with one another. It was known as the Great Valley, and it was home to many kinds of dinosaurs.
The longnecks, the spiketails, the three horns, and the swimmers, all lived in peace and harmony with each other.
Although most of these amazing creatures stayed within their own kinds, there was one generation where that wasn't so true.
A herd had been formed not long after hatchling-hood had ended, a herd of five younglings consisting of an orphaned longneck, a stubborn threehorn, a lost loudmouth swimmer, a flightless flyer, and a mute spiketail who would become best friends throughout their life, living many great adventures. Many of them took place outside their home, but today, within this Great Valley, is where this story begins.
"Littlefoot, Littlefoot, guess what guess what?"
Cera raced up, others bounding out of her way as her horns slashed though empty air in typical triceratops impatience. Ducky rose her head and was quick to follow, Spike bringing up the rear like always. Littlefoot, busy talking with his father, paused and looked up at his old friend. Shorty snorted at her unusual display of what could only be called glee, and Bron shook his head, backing up just in time as Cera skidded in front of him. Tricia chuckled at her sister and shook her head, her pink skin glistening in the Great Falls waters.
"What on earth is it Cera? I was kinda doing something important."
Those green eyes rolled and she nudged him, careful not to spear him with her sharp horns. "Ali's back. Thought you ought to know."
"A... Ali? She, she...did you see her? Where is she? Cera, tell me!"
"Hmm...no, I don't think I will. You gotta catch me if you want to know!"
She whirled around and started off, but Littlefoot simply flicked his tail, the tip of it grasping her back left foot and successfully tripping her. She clumped to the ground, letting out a groan. "Forgot you took those lessons from Doc. Uhmph...you're getting better with that tail trick. Lone Dinosaur number two, here you come, huh?"
He grinned and shook his head. "Nah, not if I have anything to do with it. You know how I feel about Ali. If I could get her folks to agree, well, let's just say I won't be alone much longer."
His cheeks heated and Bron laughed, and beside him Shorty dissolved into snorts of laughter. "OOOH, you're sweet on her, huh? Aww!"
"Oh, shut up, Shorty. When you see her, you'll get it. She's so...so beautiful. Or she was last I saw her. Years ago. Ya think she still remembers us, Cera?"
"Remember you? Into your ridiculously courageous journey in the Land of Mist? The trip we were put into almost more peril than anything else? No, I've forgotten all about you. Don't remember you one bit."
The soft voice fluttered into Littlefoot's ears and he gulped, looking up to see the soft frame of the adolescent Ali. Her colors had darkened, into a dark magenta purple, her eyes had brightened into a marvelous sky blue, and her body had trimmed down, all of that youngling fat having faded away. Still her muscles bulged as she walked and slowly wrapped her neck around the stock-still longneck. Oddly enough she smelled like the nightflowers they had collected so very long ago. Littlefoot suddenly grinned and tightened the embrace and politely kissed her on her cheek. "Nice to see you. How long are you and your herd staying?"
"Not sure. Old One died a few years ago. My pap took over, but he's not the best leader. There's talk of disbanding the herd. If it does...oh, I don't know what I'll do. I can be leader if I want, I've had the test, but I don't think I should. I want somewhere stable, somewhere safe. Maybe raise some hatchlings eventually." Her bright eyes searched Littlefoot and she smiled unsurely. "Somewhere like the Great Valley, perhaps?"
Littlefoot stumbled backwards and his tail and back end splashed into the water, spraying it everywhere. "I... if that is what you want. Whatever you think is be...be...best." His shaky words were interrupted by Bron giving a little rumble in the back of his throat and as Ali raised a brow and looked at him, Littlefoot smiled for the distraction. "Before I forget, this is my Dad, Bron. And my big brother, Shorty."
"Big brother? Where'd that come from?"
Shorty's shock didn't surpass Littlefoot and the brown longneck grinned. "Well, you are older, remember? Even though I am much more mature."
"Ah, put a rock in it. And I'm content being your little brother. Pleased to meet you, Ali."
The dark green longneck bent his head down in a sweeping gesture of kindness and she nodded to acknowledge it, turning to Littlefoot with a grin. "I'm glad to see your dad is here. What about your mother? Did you find her too?"
A strangled gasp erupted from Bron's throat and Littlefoot stared at her, not believing what she had asked. "Mother died years ago. When I was barely out of hatchling-hood."
She reeled back, shock and sadness emanating from her. "I didn't...didn't know. I'm so...I feel like an idiot. I'm so...so sorry." She shook then from her embarrassment and Littlefoot sighed.
"Come on, Ali. It isn't that bad. Don't cry. You don't need to be that upset."
"I just...just, can't imagine how it must have been for you. It hurts thinking of my Mother or Pap not being here, I can't imagine actually losing...I need to shut up."
"Having feelings is what keeps you alive. If it weren't for Mother, I'd have never reached the Great Valley. She was the one who told me how to get here."
"How to get here? We've always stumbled upon it by mistake, though we recognize it when we see it."
Littlefoot grinned and rose his head to the warm breeze. "Follow the Great Circle for many days, past the rock that looks like a longneck, and past the mountains that burn. Cera, Ducky, Spike, Petrie, and I thought we'd never get here. We were one strange herd let me tell you, a bunch of younglings against the Great Beyond. Anyways, you wanna get a tour by me, I mean, since it's been so long and all?"
She nodded, tears still searing her pretty cheeks and he grinned at her, throwing his head back to his dad. "Tell Granma and Grandpa that I'll be home soon. Love you!"
Weeks went by and Ali and Littlefoot grew closer, slowly seeming to everybody but the two longnecks to turn into love and not a tight friendship. As had become their custom, they took off mid-Circle-high and stayed until the Night circle was high in the sky. One such evening, however, sealed the fate of the two dinosaurs. Flashers had encircled Ali and made her glow with their on and off blinks, and Littlefoot got his foot caught in a hole, unaware as he stepped back to admire her beauty. He loved her, and somewhere inside him he knew that, but he didn't know how to tell her. He wasn't even sure what real love was, either. Opening his mouth, tasting the humid warmth of the night, his heart told him the time was right to speak his mind of his feelings for her. If they were meant to be, they would be. Lowering his head to stare at her feet, he cleared his throat, licking his lips.
"Ali, I-" Crackling branches interrupted him and he almost groaned. Of course something would interrupt him, didn't something always? Shaking his head at what he was sure was either one of his friends or his brother, he nudged Ali and grinned. Her blue eyes sparkled back at him and she jerked her head towards the moving bush with a soft giggle. She, too, obviously thought it was one of their friends come to spy. So both were shocked when the bush yielded to a lean-muscled medium size Sharptooth, who was a bright yellow color and bore light mint-green stripes on his back. All four of the stripes had a single black diamond ridge splitting them straight down the middle of his back.
It roared, spittle flying from its mouth and landing on Littlefoot's front left foot. He jerked it back as if it had been set afire, and beside him Ali whimpered. "It...it might have sensed it's my egging season. It must have. Otherwise, why come near the big dinosaurs? It would have gone to the little Swimmers and Flyers. Littlefoot, I... I'm afraid."
Littlefoot had been staring at the Sharptooth, gone back in time to thinking of his mother, but at her admission of fear he jolted back to the present and drew her behind him with his tail. "Stay behind me. And run when I say to. Don't look back, just keep going until you find my dad. Alright...when I say..." Bracing himself for an attack, Littlefoot clenched his jaw and swung his head at the Sharptooth, who roared menacingly and lunged for the longneck. Ali screeched and threw her body back, but Littlefoot met the Sharptooth in the middle, grumbling and wacking his head against the Sharptooth's stomach. Fury shone in his bright brown eyes and his tail hit against its head. The predator's sharp teeth snapped towards his back right foot but Littlefoot moved, stomping the Sharptooth's tail and knocking it back into a nearby tree.
Seizing the opportunity of the downed Sharptooth, Littlefoot turned to his best friend and butted her hindquarters hard enough to make her stumble. "RUN ALI!" She gulped in a big breath of air and raced off, her feet thumping across the Great Valley with all the strength she had. The Great Circle shone down on her hard, and soon she was panting as the roars of her best friend and worst enemy faded behind her. Before she could stop, she literally ran into a green longneck who groaned as they stopped tumbling, pain shooting up her neck as she jumped up and tried to shake it off. Shorty groaned even louder, his limbs sprawled everywhere. She gasped as she saw him and quickly helped him to his feet.
"Shorty, I need to find your father. Littlefoot's in trouble!"
His eyes widened and he turned around quickly, hitting her in the leg with his tail. She hurried after him, keeping away her fears of her best friend being torn apart. Finally, she and Shorty turned a corner and she caught sight of Bron. He grinned at them and then seemed to do a head count. "Where's Littlefoot? Where's my son?" His voice boomed across the Valley and Ali hesitated, then just spoke, not able to find a nice way to put it. At her look of distress, however, Granma and Grandpa Longneck took a few feeble steps forward. "Where's our grandson?"
"He...there was a Sharptooth...a small one. He told me to run. To find his dad. I don't...I don't know what happened to him. But he needs our help! Now, we gotta hurry. Come on!"
She took a few steps and then angrily stomped her foot as the others shook their heads, and Shorty outright laughed. "WHAT? What's so funny?"
"Sharpteeth can't get in the Valley, Ali. It's why we choose to reside here our entire lives. Don't be so very silly. Now, where is he really?"
Her eyes widened and then narrowed, trying to come up with a way to convince them she told the truth, when bushes ripped apart and Littlefoot crashed through them, landing on his back with the Sharptooth clutching his belly and its teeth poised to bite deep into his neck. Grunting, Littlefoot kicked the beast off of him and got up quickly, scrambling slightly in the thick mud. Littlefoot hissed angrily, fury flashing across his eyes. "Not! Ali! Back off!" Rushing forward, his tail grasped the foot of the Sharptooth and twisted hard, bringing the creature down into the dirt with a hard thump. Clenching his teeth, the young longneck bent his neck and hit the Sharptooth as hard as he could, and dizziness plaguing him for a few moments as a result. Shaking his head to clear it, he accidentally gave the Sharptooth an advantage, and the Sharptooth hissed, its split tongue tasting the air and leaping onto the brown longneck's back, claws digging in deep as it bit a chunk out of his neck and throat area, it's toes digging deep into his ribs, breaking skin. Blood ran down and Littlefoot backed up quickly, then twisted and threw himself down onto the grass, coming down hard onto the Sharptooth and putting nearly his entire weight on the creature. It screamed viciously but Littlefoot finished it off quickly with two blows to its back. Panting, he stayed still for a moment and shook with cold anger at the creature. Then, he realized there was a slight crowd.
Looking up, he found himself nose to nose with Ali, and he jerked his head back and smiled. "You okay?" He was quite unprepared for her reaction. She threw herself forward, crying and wrapping her neck around him tightly. He looked shocked and drew back. "What is it Ali? I'm fine. Look, see? I'm okay. Don't cry. Don't...don't..." He trailed off and started sobbing, his own tears drenching his cheeks and he nuzzled her head gently. She broke off her tears and stared at him, confused. The others looked on in both shock and acceptance, some of them realizing that now he would finally tell her how he felt.
"Why are you crying?"
"Because you are. You're so beautiful, Ali. It hurts to see you sad and upset. I... I was trying to tell you earlier, Ali. I love you. You're more precious to me than anything else, anyone else. All of my other friends, and my brother and dad and grandparents, would have had to deal with the Sharptooth by themselves. But I wanted to -had to- protect you. You're more perfect than the finest tree star in my eyes. I love you."
Her mouth dropped and then, just as Littlefoot began to feel as though he had made a mistake, she gently kissed him, her rough tongue moving against his cheek and she smiled, softly laughing and her tail wrapped around his. "I love you too, Littlefoot. Are you okay? That Sharptooth took quite a bite out of your neck..." Worriedly she looked at it and back at him, her blue eyes wavering timidly. "I think it will be fine. I'll get Ducky to wrap a leaf or two on it later. Don't worry so." She seemed to take him for his word and then nodded, back to her bouncy self again. "Oh. Okay then. Well, would you like to have breakfast with me and my family, since it's almost First Light? Your dad, grandparents, and brother are of course welcome. We can all get acquainted."
He smiled, his eyes brighter than they had been for some time. Then he frowned and shook his head. "Actually, I need to gather up some of the others and take a look around the borders. That Sharptooth got in somehow, I've got to make sure more don't follow. But I can join them later. The safety of the Valley is most important. Speaking of which, I think until I've determined whether more intruders are in the Valley or not, you should go to your herd and stay with them. It'll keep you safe if there's a bunch of you together. I'll come to you when it's safe, if I may have the pleasure of calling on you later in the day?"
She giggled as he bent his head down and she nodded, eyes dancing. Turning around, she left to go back to her herd at a rather fast pace. Littlefoot watched her go then turned to his family and friends who stood staring at him and his wounds in shock. "Cera, Spike, Shorty. You will go with me. Dad, you and Granma and Grandpa go to some of the other herds. Don't make a big fuss, but warn them there might be danger. One of us will send with word if there is. Alright everyone? Let's go!" He started off with a sharp jolt, and with a small amount of hesitance the three he had named to follow did so and the ones he had left behind stayed there. Cera kept up with Littlefoot splendidly, glancing at him every few seconds. She could tell he was slowing down gradually, and she knew he was losing a lot of blood, and had already lost a great deal before they began moving. Cera was not one to keep quiet, and finally Littlefoot stopped. She, too, abruptly ceased her movement on the green valley floor and Littlefoot glanced down at her, seeming to measure her. He smiled and shook his head. "I forget sometimes how very smart you are. I'm slowing down too quickly, I don't think I'll be able to make the perimeter check. Shorty! You'll have to do it for me. Go ahead now. I'll be fine, just a rest."
His brother nodded absentmindedly and turned, going off and fulfilling the orders of the injured longneck. Suddenly, to Cera's dismay, her friend groaned and leaned up against a tree, almost falling over. His sides were heaving and he shook as he got down to his feet. A tear slipped down his cheek and he rested his jaw atop his three horn friends' shoulder. Her green eyes flashed with fear and worry, but she didn't let anything else pass through. He chuckled hoarsely and a thin smile lit his face. "I've known you almost as long as your father has, Cera. I can see very well how scared you are. I'll be okay. I'll be okay." His voice had faded to a whisper and as his head drooped she let out a loud wail of the deepest anguish imaginable. It was heard throughout the Great Valley and many members came running to her call. Her father, stepmother, and half-sister were the first on the sad scene and quickly Tricia shoved her older sister away while Tria knelt down and gently nosed him. As she did so, Granma and Grandpa longneck ambled up, accompanied by Bron and Ducky. Several others unknown to Cera watched silently as Granma buried her face into her mate's and began to cry at how they had now lost their grandson to the same thing that took their daughter. But the sob was caught in her throat as Tria shook her head and turned to the much-respected couple.
"No, he's still alive, but only just. He's lost so much blood. The only thing I can think of is putting a few wraps on it and seeing if we can get the blood to dry. That may not work I'd suggest not getting your hopes up." Granma's eyes brightened a little, and Bron nodded, keeping his eyes on his son. "Bron, go get some moss. Topsy take a few others with out and go find some wet leaves. Hurry and return as soon as possible. Go!" Tria commanded, and both males fled away, and the light pink threehorn smiled and nosed her daughter and stepdaughter away from the unconscious longneck. Shorty returned and relief flooded the Valley at hearing no entrance was available. That's when Ali burst through, her eyes wide and panic stricken.
"No. NO, NO, NO, NO, oh, not my Littlefoot. Why didn't he wait, is he gonna be okay? Cera, tell me. He looks dead, is he dead? What's wrong?!"
That's when Cera could take no more, and she flew at Ali, rage burning in her soul. "YOU'RE what's wrong. He got hurt because you wouldn't stand and fight alongside him when the Sharptooth attacked. If you had, he wouldn't be hurt this badly. Traveling in a herd has made you weak, obviously. Why don't you just go? Leave! I mean it. Leave my Valley! You didn't belong here years ago, you don't now. Get out." Deep hurt shone in the young longneck's eyes and she looked down, nodding as tears began to spill.
"Alright, Cera. Alright. I'll leave and not come back. You do realize that won't make him get better, if I go, right? As for me fighting, I freeze up. I can't help it. I would have done anything to stop him from getting hurt so badly. That being said, I suppose I can accept the position as Herd Leader and be on my way. Goodbye, Cera."
"Go on now. You're-"
"Very...Much...Wanted. Ali...mmhphh."
Littlefoot's weak whisper jolted the angry threehorn and hurt longneck out of their anger, and she nudged his head gently. "Alright, I'll stay. Hush now, rest."
With that, he lost conscious and remained that way the entire day, though he was slowly moved to a shade filled spot nearby water inch by inch. Tria tended for him, doing it simply because she knew how much Cera loved the longneck. He was her best friend, and Cera had lost enough in her life. As day turned to night, and he remained asleep, she dripped water from a tree star into his mouth. Finally, the Nightcircle rose high in the sky and Granma relieved the exhausted threehorn. She and her husband spent the rest of the night and half the next day taking turns keeping their grandson hydrated with water from a leaf, and fed from munching up tree stars and then putting the chewed up leaves into his mouth. Then, it was Cera and Tricia who tended to him, and day by day, his friends and family stood by his side. When three weeks had passed of this same worrisome routine, he opened his eyes and flinched at the bright light that met his eyes.
Blinking quickly, as his eyes adjusted, he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. His grandfather was fast asleep beside him, exhaustion lining his old face in more age lines than ever. "Grandpa? What are you doing sleeping this time of day?" The familiar reddish-brown eyes shot open and the old longneck gasped as his head rose in shock. Grandpa's mouth hung open and he looked like he had lost the knowledge of how to speak. "Littlefoot! Gr... Granma, come here! Littlefoot is awake!"
Rumbling ground was heard, akin to an earthshake, and her worried head wrapped around the teenager in a very happy nuzzle. "Glad to see you're awake, Littlefoot. How are you feeling?"
"Really, really sore. I feel horrible. Like I got beat up or something. Yikes, do I hurt. But then, the last thing I remember clearly is tossing that little Sharptooth off me and finishing him. And I think I remember talking to Cera about perimeters, but after that it's all fuzzy. Did I collapse or something?"
"Sure did, Littlefoot. You lost so much blood you flat out stopped standing. You've been out of it for three weeks, friend." Cera came up wearing a strange look that was halfway between a smile and a frown. "Ali's been driving us all crazy. Be careful getting up, you've got quite the scar there. And if you rip into it and it starts bleeding, I'll hear it from both of my folks." At his curious look, she laughed and very gently nudged his hindquarters. "Mom will get on to me for having to fix you up again, and Dad will chase me all around the Mysterious Beyond because she'll send him out to gather the sticky stuff she used to make that binding. So, lose-lose for me if you aren't careful." Her eyes twinkled though, and Littlefoot grinned, raising to his feet. As he did so, however, he grunted and his legs trembled, giving out and forcing him back onto the ground with a heavy, painful-sounding thump.
"Ugh...guess standing's out of the question. Where's Ali?"
"Right here. And I'm staying here until you order me leave."
Littlefoot rose unsteadily and nudged his beloved girl, the stars in his eyes bright as the ones that would soon be above. "Don't ever leave. I love you so much."
Ali smiled and kissed his cheek, her eyes bright as her smile reached them.
Littlefoot smiled back and after some contented silence, Ali lay beside him until it got dark, then bid him goodbye and went back to her own herd, as she and Littlefoot were not mated yet and it would be improper. Lying beside his grandparents that night, Littlefoot's raspy breathing tore their hearts apart to hear him in such pain. As one day faded into the next, he began slowly improving, and he trained hard beside his father to improve his battle moves and evasive maneuvers. When Ali's herd had been there nearly four months, far longer than they had ever stayed in one place other than Hatching Time, Littlefoot was approached by Ali's mother and father.
"Mister and Misses Ali! How are you two doing today?"
"Please, Littlefoot, call me Pap. You've earned it, the night you earned that scar. My boy, we've been watching you, and we want to talk to you. Ali…I am sure she has spoken how I am unfit to lead the herd of the Old One."
Littlefoot dipped his head, embarrassment showing on his cheeks. "Well, Sir, she said something of the sort, but I'm sure that it just takes time."
"No. I am done trying, done throwing myself into a herd that I know I cannot lead and deserves more. However, Littlefoot, you love my daughter. I know you do. So, I was thinking…you both are young, but I've heard such great things of you, I know you'll turn into a fine young longneck. You already are. You've exhibited the courage and selflessness becoming a herd leader takes. Please, take over the herd, and become one with my daughter. We all will be under your command. I ask you, implore you, at least think it over. For me. Please?"
Littlefoot was speechless. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"I…I don't…I don't know. I've got my family to think about, and I've lived my entire life outside here. I'll need to think it over. How long do I have?"
"Four days. On the fifth day the herd will leave at Dawn. I hope with all my heart to see you then."
That night, Littlefoot was quiet as he took his evening bath and ate dinner. His grandparents and father and brother kept staring at him, and Cera and his other friends seemed worried about him.
"Are you okay? Is your throat hurting; you're awfully quiet."
"No, my throat is fine…I just…I've been thinking…what would you all say if I left the Great Valley?"
He had tried to state his thoughts tactfully, but by their expressions it was anything but. Stuttering, he hesitated and then spoke, avoiding their eyes.
"Pap…Ali's dad…invited me to become the new herd leader. I know I could…but what about you guys? I don't want to leave you and Granma…" he looked to his grandfather, who smiled warmly and nodded in appreciation. "Or my best friends, the best ones in the entire world. But Ali…she's going to leave with or without me, and I can't lose her. I love her, more than I ever thought I could. What should I do? Either way, I lose something important."
Grandpa walked slowly, nudging Littlefoot's shoulder with an encouraging smile. "You know, Littlefoot, we all do this eventually. We leave our homes to forge a new one with the one we love. I did it with Granma. We were very young, Littlefoot. Younger than you. We were only sixteen and fifteen when we left our herd. You…you are seventeen and Ali is, what, nearly seventeen? You've taught yourself well, and though you've been sheltered here, you also show great strength, determination, and love for others…all of which is needed for a herd and mateship. We will always be here Littlefoot. I know you will eventually return. I believe in you… and so does Granma."
Littlefoot smiled, on the verge of tears. "Alright, Grandpa. I love you, and I guess I will go and tell Pap my decision…"
Three mornings later, the group of five friends, two grandparents, one brother, and one father stood by the north exit of the Valley, trying to find words to say goodbye.
"P…Promise you won't forget us?"
Littlefoot smiled, bumping Ducky on the shoulder. "Never. I'll be back in a years' time, I'm sure of it. I'll come back, you all gotta know that. I couldn't leave forever."
Granma and Grandpa smiled at their grandson, pride and love shining from their eyes. "Stay safe, Little One. You may be Herd Leader now, but you will always be my baby."
"Yes, Granma. Grandpa…thanks. For everything…you've always been there for me."
"Of course. It was my pleasure, Littlefoot. I look forward to your next visit."
Littlefoot nodded, embracing both of them, and then his brother and father, gave one last look to his old life, and hugged Ali closely as they and the herd headed out of his homeland.
His family and friends watched him go, not knowing if -or when- they'd ever see him again.