The Land Before Time: Fyn
New Terms:
Fin-Necks (also referenced as Longnecks): Amargasaurus
Sail-Teeth (or Sharpteeth): Spinosaurus
Drylands: Desert
Deepland: Meteor Crater (featured in "The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration)
Millions of years ago, when the earth was young, the world was a much different place. Oceans were abundant, the land was constantly changing, and strange plants and animals could be found everywhere. The most magnificent of these animals were the dinosaurs. These graceful creatures called this alien world home. Unfortunately, their lives on this planet were anything but peaceful. Most dinosaurs in these times ate only plants. Some, however, preyed on the plant eaters. These dinosaurs were known as the Sharpteeth. While the Sharpteeth were a constant threat to the Leaf-Eaters, they still played a vital role in the circle of life. However, over time, things began to change. Slowly, more and more Sharpteeth began to appear. During this time, the continents were also undergoing a drastic change. Violent upheavals produced "Earthshakes," which claimed the lives of almost as many Leaf-Eaters as the increasing Sharptooth attacks. With their populations dwindling, and food beginning to run scarce due to drought, the Leaf-Eaters were seemingly faced with only one choice: to stand fast through the changing times and hope to survive. But there was another option. It was only spoken of in whispers among the most ancient of the dinosaurs. The Old Ones told of a paradise, called the Great Valley, where food was plenty, where the climate was fair, and most importantly, which was free of Sharpteeth. As the tales of this location spread, herds began to form, beginning migrations to find this legendary valley. At first, none were successful. One by one, the herds were either decimated by the Sharpteeth, or vanished all together. These fruitless migrations disheartened the Leaf-Eaters, and they began to lose hope. In the midst of these dark times, however, a ray of hope appeared. One small herd of three Longnecks was able to hatch a single egg. It was that small Longneck, named "Littlefoot," that finally gave the herd hope to try to find the Great Valley, despite the odds. During this time of cataclysmic upheaval, the four dinosaurs set out, followed by Leaf-Eaters of other kinds: Swimmers, Three-Horns, Spiketails, and Flyers (which were often looked down upon by the other Leaf-Eaters as not being "true" dinosaurs). Their migration proceeded well, coming closer to the Great Valley than any before, but the forces of nature had other plans. When the dinosaurs were within three days' distance of the Great Valley, tragedy struck. A single Sharptooth attacked the herd during an especially violent Earthshake. During the chaos, the herd was separated, and Littlefoot's mother, the herd's leader, sacrificed herself to save her son from the Sharptooth, as well as another young dinosaur; a Three-Horn called Cera. With no adults for guidance, it was up to Littlefoot and Cera to find the Great Valley on their own. Forced to cooperate, the two began the journey, meeting Spike, the Spiketail, Petrie the Flyer, and Ducky the Swimmer on the way. Together, they made it to the Valley, where they were united with the rest of the herd at last. There was, however, a second story, that began when Littlefoot was born. This story began farther away, in another sort of paradise, located deep in what the dwellers of the Great Valley called the Mysterious Beyond.
Part 1: Fyn
The storm had begun. Rain, hot as the desert sun beat down on the small, tropical grove, no doubt a by-product of the humidity earlier. It seemed a miracle at all that out here in the Drylands, life could flourish, yet life did. The grove was home to a small community of Fin-Necks, who lived peacefully and contently inside. So far, they had not been affected by the drastic changes occurring in the world outside, and on this day especially, thoughts of the outside world were far from their minds. One of the Fin-Necks had recently laid three eggs, and all of them had begun to hatch. This was Keva, the daughter of the herd's leader. As the storm built, she huddled over the eggs, sheltering them from the elements with her body and massive sail, which stretched from her head to her upper back. The sail was something that set Fin-Necks apart from the other Longnecks, and they were proud to have it. Standing protectively by was her mate, Labon. It was often whispered that Labon had once taken on three Sharpteeth alone, and that he was next in line to become the next herd leader. He looked every inch the part on most days, bearing a stoic and almost gruff demeanor, but today something about him had changed. The Old Ones, those who had already hatched young, knew, but few others did. He was becoming a father. They could see a glimmer of happiness in his eye, and a smile playing about the edges of his mouth. For what seemed like ages, the herd focused on the small nest, as they stood drenched by the pouring rain. Then, a crack. One of the eggs began to open. At this noise, Poldar, the herd leader, and Keva's father, took his place by Labon's side.
"Brave little one, isn't he?" he whispered as the cracks upon the egg's smooth surface expanded, finally breaking open. A small, orange Fin-Neck with a black stripe running from his head to his tail tumbled out. From the start, he seemed inquisitive, opening his small eyes for the first time and trying to walk towards his mother. Labon chuckled.
"Look," he whispered to Keva, "he's got your eyes."
Falling over again in his attempts to walk, the little dinosaur decided to start inching his way towards his mother instead.
"And your persistence," Keva countered, and she and her mate shared a smile.
"Pardon my interruption," Poldar said, "but what will you name him?"
Again, Keva shared a warm glance with Labon.
"Fyn," she said, "we'll call him Fyn".
Fyn, having now figured out how to use his legs, bounded over to the other eggs and sat down. As if on cue, they began to hatch as well. No one minded that the storm had reached its climax. They were too focused on the sight of new life blossoming in the herd.
...
Many seasons passed. With the help of their parents, Fyn and his sisters, Salde and Rya, became fine young Longnecks, eager to explore their world. A trait which, more often than not, got them into trouble. One of his favorite things to do with his sisters was explore the craggy hills which stood on the Sunset end of the grove. From there, they could look out over the vast desert, and, if they were lucky, find a small cave to explore. If anyone had found out that the children had been playing so close to the grove's edge, of course, they would have been scolded, but so far, no one had caught on to their game. This evening, Fyn and his sisters were once again skirting the rocks at the very peak of the hills, trying to race each other to the ledge which had been ominously named "the Rockfall". Being young, they often told of Longnecks who had slipped off of the rock and plunged to their doom in the trees below, in an effort to scare each other. Today, they had made up their minds to race to it, and finally stand on it once and for all.
"You'll never catch me!" Fyn called as he raced ahead.
"Wanna bet?" Salde called from behind, "I have the speed of a Fastrunner!"
"This is so stupid, can't we just walk this thing?" Rya panted from the back of the pack.
Fyn turned his head around and faced her. "Are you kidding? This is too much fun!"
He didn't get a verbal response from Rya. What he did get, though, was a sudden expression of surprise on Rya's face. He turned his head back around to see where he was going, and almost ran over the Rockfall. He gasped. He had never actually stood on it before. Salde stopped right behind him, and Rya, gasping for breath, followed, collapsing onto the ledge.
"My brother... is such... a leaf-brain."
Fyn shook off the insult, and glanced out over the desert. From this vantage point, he could see even farther than before.
"Wow, it's like I can see the entire... everything from here."
Salde walked over to his side. "It's beautiful," she agreed.
"Beautiful?" Fyn snorted in disgust, "I was thinking amazing. I will never understand girls."
"Just you wait!" Rya said, coming up from behind, "one of these days, you'll be begging for my help."
Just then, Salde's eye caught something in the distance. It was her grandfather, Poldar, returning with a group of scouts.
"Hey!" she said, "let's go hear what they have to say. Maybe they've seen something neat."
"Are you crazy?" Rya asked, "they'll never tell us grown-up things."
"Dummy!" Salde snapped back, "we'll hide. We're small enough. What do you say, Fyn?"
But Fyn hadn't been paying attention. As the last rays of the Bright Circle dipped below the horizon, he could see the dinosaurs in the scouting herd more clearly. What he saw frightened him. Some bore wounds, varying between long scrapes and small gashes, while others were limping or straining. Poldar, himself, had even been hurt. A slash covered his left flank.
"Guys," Fyn said, "I think something's wrong. Look."
Salde and Rya looked back at the herd and saw what Fyn had seen. Rya tried to stifle a gasp.
"That settles it," Salde said, recovering from the shock of what she'd seen, "we need to go down and find out what happened, otherwise no one will tell us. Agreed?"
The other two Longnecks nodded agreement and started back down the slope. They didn't speak a word; each was silenced by anxiety, and a sort of uncontrollable curiosity. Upon reaching the ground, they began to make their way through the underbrush as silently as possible. As they came closer to the edge of the grove, Fyn could feel the telltale shaking in the ground, and knew the scouts were close by. Behind him, Rya stepped on a twig, snapping it with a loud crack. The three Longnecks froze for what seemed a lifetime. With a scowl aimed at his sister, Fyn started the trio forward again. Now they could hear muffled voices. Fyn recognized his grandfather's voice.
"-they have become too bold. You saw what they did back at the pass."
Fyn and his sisters ducked into the undergrowth and listened.
"Why now? The Sail-Teeth never acted this way in the past."
"Yes, until now, I've never seen more than two together at the same time, and they always left us alone."
"Who can say? I've heard tell of some Longnecks living far from here whose nesting grounds suddenly became uninhabitable; too many Sharpteeth and Egg-Stealers, not to mention the Earthshakes. There's more, too. From what I can gather, they've begun to have the sleep stories about the Bright Circle again, and I think they're affecting our herd, too."
"You don't suppose it's... that time once again?"
"As I said before, I know nothing now. All I can say, is that if more of us start to have these sleep stories, we will need to travel to the Deepland again, to help our fellow Longnecks put the Bright Circle back in place, as is the custom."
"But the Sail-Teeth... they're attacking any time we set foot outside the grove, now."
"Right. If these dreams are real, then I'm afraid we will not be able to migrate to the Deepland. For now, go back to your families; tell nothing of this. We have enough on our hands without stirring up feelings of fear, but prepare them for the worst."
"Are you saying that we should expect an attack?"
"I am saying nothing yet, but I fear that if the Sail-Teeth continue to come closer to the grove, we may have to fight, and if they come in force, we may not be able to push them back. If we must, we'll have to break through their territory and migrate."
"Migrate? Migrate where?"
Fyn and his sisters listened on, their attention fully captured.
"I know where the Great Valley is."
"What! How?"
"That group of migrating dinosaurs I mentioned earlier, the ones who were having the Bright Circle dreams- I spoke to their leader, Bron. He'd made up his mind to waste no time in getting to the Deepland. He mentioned something about finding his son there. He also mentioned that before the dreams started, he had been planning on trying to find the Great Valley. He said that his son might have gone there, as well. He told me what he knew about the Valley's location before we parted."
"But if we migrate, what then? I've heard stories of Sharpteeth out there, much worse than the Sail-Teeth. Some say they hunt down herds for pleasure!"
"I know of these Sharpteeth; I've seen them. They are no threat, as long as we stay united as a herd. Now listen to me, it's altogether possible that none of this will even happen, but if it does, it's a matter of staying here and losing most of the herd, or leaving and taking our chances looking for the Great Valley. Now go, tend to your wounds and keep knowledge of this attack as confined as possible."
Fyn heard the scouts lumber off. His mind was abuzz with what he'd just heard. Sharpteeth? Here? He had only heard about them in stories. And the Great Valley- another story he'd heard- it was real? He turned around. His sisters seemed equally awestruck. Fyn spoke.
"We need to get back home, or mother and dad might be suspicious."
"Right," Salde agreed. Rya just silently nodded.
"Follow me," Fyn said, stepping forward, there's a shortcut right over-"
At that instant, Fyn stepped out of the underbrush, and tumbled down a small hill, right into his grandfather's leg. The old Fin-Neck was surprised to see Fyn and his sisters.
"Fyn, Salde, Rya, what are you three doing out here? Didn't your mother and father tell you not to venture this far from the nest?" Suddenly, he froze.
"Fyn," he said, his tone more serious, "did you hear what I was saying just now?" Ashamed, Fyn looked downward.
"Well, see, we were... playing around here, and I might have heard a word or two."
Poldar lowered his face down to Fyn's eye level.
"Grandson, look me in the eye and tell me the truth. How much of my conversation did you hear?"
Fyn gulped. "All of it."
Poldar lifted his head back up and sighed.
"I suppose it's natural that you three would hear of this sooner or later. Perhaps it's even best if you know. I never would have been able to explain this anyway." He turned, exposing the jagged wound on his flank. Salde spoke.
"Grandpa, what are the Sail-Teeth?"
As she uttered the name, a fire seemed to smolder in Poldar's eyes.
"My granddaughter, it would do you and your siblings best not to know of such things, but I know that you will never rest until you know the truth." He paused. "Many years ago, the grove was peaceful; no Sharptooth could brave the Drylands to get to it. We all lived without fear, and so became ignorant to the threats of the world. Only a few seasons ago, just before you were born, the skywater fell on the grove, and the Drylands around it. We thought nothing of this; skywater had fallen here before, but this time was different. It fell for much longer than it had before. Soon, the water completely covered parts of the Drylands. When the sky water stopped falling, we quickly realized that the water had brought with it new life. Strange creatures swam in its depths, and it was these creatures that first brought the Sail-Teeth to us. They came from beyond, no one knew exactly where, to feed on these swimming creatures, and they were Sharpteeth unlike any we had known before. They had long claws and fangs, and a sail on their backs. It was this sail that gave them their name. For a time, they were content to stay by the water, far away from us, but for reasons no one can explain, one of our kind was brought down by a Sail-Tooth when she strayed too far from the grove. Since then, they have begun to hunt us, attacking anyone outside the grove without warning, and without mercy. Tonight, we found out just how close the attacks are coming to the grove. I fear that if this pattern continues, this land will no longer be safe. For anyone."
The old Longneck's words were met with silence from the three children. Danger, to them, had always meant nothing more serious than slipping while climbing up rocks, or tripping while running through the forest. This was serious. This was a matter of life or death. Finally, Fyn spoke up.
"If you're so sure that the Sail-Teeth might attack us, then why did you tell the other scouts to keep quiet about the attack today?"
At this, Poldar hesitated. "Grandson," he said, "in time you will learn that the greatest danger to a herd is not Sharpteeth or Earthshakes, or even starvation. It's panic. Panic makes us lose all sense, and makes us do rash, often dangerous things. Imagine, for a moment, if someone assumed the Sharpteeth were attacking tonight. When panic sets in, that assumption could lead to a stampede, break up the herd, or even force some of us out past the grove's borders and into the Sail-Teeth. Panic spreads like fire. Do you see now, how dangerous it can be?"
Fyn nodded as his Poldar continued. "Only a few of us are gifted with the ability to look past the panic, and make clear decisions in a time of crisis. It is these dinosaurs who grow up to lead herds, and explore the Mysterious Beyond. In fact," he added "I could see you leading a herd some day."
Fyn was taken aback, not because he disagreed, but because his grandfather had guessed exactly what he wanted to do when he grew up. He'd never seriously considered the option, though, because he'd been told that very few dinosaurs could lead herds. He'd almost forgotten the entire idea, but his grandfather's words had inspired him. His sisters just rolled their eyes.
"Do you really think so?" he said.
"Without any doubt", Poldar said with a smile. "Now let's get moving. I'm so hungry I could eat every tree in the grove!"
"Not if I get them first!" Salde countered, and with that, they all set off for home.
…...
Upon entering the clearing his family called home, Fyn was pleasantly surprised to see that his mother had gathered branches of some of the most delicious green food the grove had to offer. His mouth began to water as he realized that he hadn't eaten all day. Keva looked up as Fyn and the others came closer.
"Well," she said, "thank goodness you arrived when you did, otherwise I would have had to eat all of this food by myself!"
Poldar chuckled. "What! And save none for your own father?" He and Keva touched muzzles in greeting. As they drew back, Poldar misstepped and winced. The expression was slight, but Keva saw it.
"What's wrong, dad?" She asked. Then she saw his flank, and the jagged scar across it. "That's a bad wound. Lie down in the shade and rest it. You shouldn't be walking around on with a scratch like that". Poldar complied and laid down to rest beneath a large tree.
"How did you manage to get hurt like that, anyway?" Keva asked.
"I... fell over by some rocks. I must have been cut on the way down." The story seemed plausible, but Fyn could tell his mother wasn't entirely convinced.
"Really? Must've been a pretty angry rock to make a wound like that.".
Before the conversation could go any farther, Labon walked into the clearing.
"Hey everyone," he said.
Keva greeted him. "Anything happen today?"
Labon lowered his head. And spoke in a low, grieving tone. "I guess you could say that. We lost another one of us to the Sail-Teeth. I don't know why, but we were on the edge of the grove, checking the borders as usual, when three of them came running out from behind a cluster of rocks. We had no time to defend ourselves. They hit us hard. When I regained my senses, I saw them leaving as quickly as they came, but they took one of our party with them."
At these words, Poldar froze. Two attacks in one day? Rya walked over to him and spoke.
"Grandpa, how much time do we have before they attack again? What if it's tonight, or tomorrow?"
Poldar considered this, then answered. "I'm afraid you may be right, Rya. If the herd isn't ready for an attack, then we don't stand a chance if those Sharpteeth decide to raid us." Poldar then addressed the family. "Everyone, I have news as well. My scouting party was also attacked by the Sail-Teeth today. My wound was no accident." He stood up and continued "If we leave the grove soon, we may stand a chance of survival, but if we don't, they may eventually come in force, and we will be overwhelmed without a doubt."
"Where will we go?" Keva asked.
"There's no telling how much territory the Sail-Teeth have claimed," added Labon. "We need to go somewhere where we can be absolutely sure they won't harm the herd."
Poldar nodded. "Exactly, which is why tomorrow I will announce to the herd that we will soon set out for the Great Valley."
"So it's real, then..." Keva marveled. "How do you know where it is?"
"I talked to the leader of a herd of passing Longnecks. He was confident of its location. I know that we're operating purely on trust in this matter, but it's the only option we have. We can't stay here. Within days the Sail-Teeth will move in, and we will lose any chance of survival."
"What about our migration to the Deepland?" Labon added. "Keva and I have been having the sleep stories again."
Poldar sighed. "As have I. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do. We will perform whatever actions we can from the safety of our grove. We must trust in the strength of our fellow Longnecks to save the Bright Circle."
Fyn was confused. "The Bright Circle is in danger? How? What dreams are you talking about?"
Keva leaned down toward her son. "I'll tell you and your sisters on one condition: that you go to sleep as soon as I'm done."
Fyn and his sisters nodded assent. It was getting late, after all. Keva told them an old Longneck tale of how the Night Circle became jealous of the Bright Circle and hurled it towards the ground below. The only animals that could save it were the Longnecks. The Longnecks stretched their necks out as far as they could to catch the Bright Circle and throw it back into the sky, which is why the Longnecks came to have such long necks. This event would happen again, from time to time, but the Longnecks always had sleep stories about it beforehand, and were always ready to put the Bright Circle back in place. At the conclusion of the story, Keva glanced at her children. All were fast asleep.
...
That night, the Bright Circle sleep story finally came to Fyn. In it, he was standing back on the Rockfall, looking out over the Mysterious Beyond. The Bright Circle was high overhead. As he looked into the distance, he could see a long, dark shape, like a crack, forming in the ground. The ground began to shake as Fyn realized it was an enormous crack being formed by the biggest Earthshake he'd ever known. He tried to run, but his legs couldn't move. He was forced to watch this great and terrible display of nature's force. As the crack in the earth widened, he saw something begin to move out of it. It looked like a cloud, but it was brown, and swirled and whipped around the ground at a tremendous speed. The grown-ups had a name for this: a sandstorm. As he watched, petrified, the sandstorm came closer, building in height and intensity like a thundercloud, until it engulfed him. He began to panic, looking for a way out, any break in this nightmarish cloud. His grandfather's words echoed in his head: "Only a few of us are gifted with the ability to look past the panic, and make clear decisions in a time of crisis". He shook his head, to try to clear his thoughts, and looked up. Slowly, a hole began to form in the blowing sand above his head. As the hole grew larger, he could see the Bright Circle again, but something was different. As he watched, a dark shape began to move over it, blocking it. When the Circle was completely covered, a great light suddenly flared from it. At the same time, it seemed to draw closer.
"It's falling". He thought. Fyn instinctively stretched out his neck in preparation, just as his mother had told him to do, but before he could finish, a sound behind him made him stop. It was a low growl. Fyn spun his head around. Emerging from the sandstorm was a dark shape. It walked towards him on two legs, and it was enormous. Fyn saw long claws on its fingers. Then, realization dawned on him. He was staring at a...
"Sharptooth!" Fyn awoke with a start, yelling the word. He was panting as he stood to check his surroundings. He was back in the clearing. Everyone was still asleep. The Night Circle was still in the sky, but color was forming on the horizon. Fyn knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, and his sleep story troubled him. It wasn't the same as the sleep story his mother had described the night before. He needed time to think. As he looked towards the horizon, he saw a Longneck silhouetted on the Rockfall. It was his father. Fyn decided to leave for the Rockfall, too. He needed someone to talk to.
After plunging through the thick undergrowth, he finally came to the rocks. As he made his way towards his father, Labon turned.
"Hey, Fyn. You couldn't sleep either?"
Fyn stood by his father. "Yeah. I had a nightmare."
"Oh? What sort of nightmare?"
Fyn told his father the details of his sleep story, everything from the Earthshake to the Sharptooth. He left out no details. When he was finished, Labon considered him for a moment.
"Fyn, I've never heard of any Longneck having a sleep story like that before. I wouldn't worry, though. You probably got the Bright Circle sleep story mixed up with everything we told you yesterday. It's definitely a lot to find out at one time."
Fyn nodded, not entirely reassured. He changed topics.
"So dad, what do you know about the Great Valley?"
Once again, Labon glanced towards the horizon with a distant look in his eyes.
"The Great Valley is the most wonderful place in the world to live. Sharpteeth don't live there, the food is always green, water never runs dry, and Leaf-Eaters of all sorts live there. In fact, our ancestors lived there, once."
This was new to Fyn. No one had mentioned this before.
"Why did they leave?"
"Well, no one really knows, although some say it was because we had a desire to move on, and to explore the Mysterious Beyond. You have to remember that in those days, the Great Valley was much different. For starters, the Mountains that Burn erupted constantly, particularly the Smoking Mountain, so much of it was uninhabitable."
Fyn looked puzzled. Labon chuckled.
"I'm sorry. I forgot that this is the first time anyone's really told you about the Great Valley in detail. On one side, the Great Valley is bordered by the Mountains that Burn. The largest of these is the Smoking Mountain. It's a big,black mountain that spits fire and dark smoke. When it erupted, fire covered much of the valley, or so I'm told. It's strange, though. The fire that came from the mountain flowed, much like water, and when this fire cooled down, it formed what is now called the Great Wall. The wall is what kept the Sharpteeth out after they were driven away by the eruption. The Fin-Necks left when this happened, but not long after, new plants began to grow. Not a single dinosaur even touched the Valley for many seasons. Around when you were born, though, most of the land was changing, and other dinosaurs needed somewhere safe to go, and a few found the Great Valley. We just never had a need to leave until now."
Fyn let this information sink in. "Did you ever see the Great Valley?"
"Oh no," said Labon. "That was long before my time. I only know because of the stories passed down from generations". He glanced back at the clearing. "We should probably get back before your mother wakes up, and I want to be there for your grandfather's announcement."
At this point, Fyn remembered his dream again.
"Do you think the Bright Circle will fall today?"
Labon considered this. "I think that there's a good chance it will, yes. If it does, we'll do all we can to help from here."
"Great," Fyn said, but as he walked away, he couldn't entirely suppress his feelings of unease.
...
Later that day, Poldar called a meeting near the Rockfall. Anxiety seemed to fill the air. The sky was taking on a strange hue, and everyone felt restless. As they gathered, they tried to keep these feelings private, so as not to upset anyone else. When all of the Longnecks were assembled, Poldar addressed them.
"Fellow Longnecks, friends, brothers and sisters, I have unfortunate news. Today is a sad day for all of us. Sail-Teeth have been attacking us, and these attacks have been coming closer everyday. I fear that we don't have much time before they enter the grove and attack us directly. To that end, we will leave this place before the Night Circle rises."
Whispers of confusion, and even discontent, could be heard.
"I know that this is short notice, but you have to trust me. Before we leave, however, we will perform our duties to save the Bright Circle from falling. Doubtless many of you have felt that it will fall today. I believe the same. I suggest, then, that once you are prepared to leave, meet at the Rockfall so we can be ready for it. You may leave now, to prepare for the journey".
Fyn turned to his sisters. Both Salde and Rya had been listening attentively.
"It's kind of exciting, isn't it? Leaving to find the Great Valley, I mean."
"Yes," Salde said. Her sister let out a "no" simultaneously.
Rya continued. "What I really want to see is how we're going to keep the Bright Circle from falling."
"Yeah, me too," Fyn said. He decided not to mention his dream for the time being. Then a thought crossed his mind.
"Well," he said, "since this is probably our last chance to do it, who wants to race me to the Rockfall?"
"Sure thing," Salde answered, "but don't count on beating me."
Rya groaned, but Fyn could tell she wanted to race as well.
"All right, then. Ready, set, go!"
And with that, the three took off into the trees for the last time.
...
Fyn and his sisters watched the Bright Circle reach its highest point in the sky. As they watched, more Longnecks joined them. The longer they watched, the more impatient they grew. Finally, Salde had just about had it.
"I'm fed up with this! When is the Bright Circle going to fall?"
"Well," Poldar said as he walked up behind them, "I can't really say that's a good question to ask. It would be better if it just stayed in its place."
"Well I'm bored."
Poldar grinned. "You will see it soon enough. Just give it time."
Just then, something at the grove's edge caught Fyn's eye. Movement? He couldn't say, but every sense in his body was on alert. Then the sky seemed to change colors. Fyn snapped his head back to look at it. Everything was turning a dark pinkish color.
"Whoa" he heard Rya say.
"Whoa" was probably an appropriate expression, Fyn agreed to himself. He could see a shadow, moving quickly across the land. When the shadow reached him, he looked up and saw that another shadow was moving over the Bright Circle. As he watched, all of the Longnecks near him began to stand as erect as they could, stretching their necks towards the sky. Fyn and his sisters caught on and quickly did the same. Then something occurred to Fyn: the Bright Circle did this in his sleep story, too. But something was missing. He racked his brain, trying to remember, when it dawned on him. This was the exact time when...
"The Sharptooth attacked," he finished aloud. He looked around. Everyone was still focusing on the Bright Circle, which was now almost entirely covered. Suddenly, he heard it: a low growling sound, coupled with heavy breathing and the almost imperceptible padding of feet upon the forest floor. He knew what would be coming next.
"Everyone!" he yelled, "stop now!"
"Hush Fyn" his grandfather said, "this needs to be done in silence."
"But grandpa, this is just like in my sleep story."
"What sleep story?"
"Last night I had the Bright Circle sleep story, but in it, we were attacked by Sharpteeth, and I think I heard one just now!"
"Fyn, just hold out through this, after we're done, we'll-"
He never finished the sentence, though, because at that point, the first of the unsuspecting Longnecks was violently pulled back through the brush.
"Sharpteeth!" Labon yelled, "everyone prepare to defend yourselves!"
They came out of the woods, six at least. The stood almost as tall as a Fin-Neck standing on its back feet, and they had nightmarish jaws, piercing yellow eyes, and sharp teeth and claws. The sail on their backs, studded with small spikes, only completed the fearsome picture. They charged forward and roared, a terrible screech that undulated between high and low pitches. Before anyone could react, another Longneck was down, a victim of the terrible claws. Then the Longnecks began to defend themselves, lashing their long, whip-like tails through the air. The Sharpteeth began to fall back, but three more came from behind and they moved forward again. Over the commotion, Fyn could hear his grandfather.
"Run, everyone! Meet at the jumping water field and try to stay together!"
Fyn knew where the jumping water field was. It was an escape plan that had been put in place just one season after he was born. The field was just outside of the grove, and had holes in it that shot hot water into the air. The Longnecks knew where they were, but the Sharpteeth didn't, and hopefully this would be enough to deter them. He nodded to his sisters.
"Come on, let's get to safety at the jumping water field."
His sisters took off running, following Keva. Fyn soon followed as well. When they reached the bottom of the rocks, Fyn could tell that the situation was much worse on the forest floor, and the eerie light conditions caused by the Bright Circle only made everything more frightening. Everywhere, he could hear Sail-Teeth. He would occasionally see one dash out from behind a clump of trees to attack a Longneck.
"Keep moving, children!" Keva cried. They moved swiftly, over logs, through streams, around rocks. Fyn could see that they were moving closer to the edge of the grove by the telltale sand that was lining the forest floor. They came to a sudden break in the trees. In this break was a steep, sandy slope, which led down to a river, and a few rocks. At the bottom were two Sail-Teeth.
"We'll have to find a way around." Keva said.
At that moment, a Sharptooth came out of the trees behind them. Keva was ready for it, and dispatched it with a crack of her tail. As the Sharptooth fell, however, its tail lashed out, catching Fyn and throwing him down the slope. The impact dizzied Fyn, and he regained his senses halfway down the slope. He realized that he was sliding directly towards the two Sharpteeth. As he slid, he saw something in the rocks below: a small cave, just big enough for a young Longneck. He made up his mind. When he hit the ground, he barely had enough time to get to his feet before the Sail-Teeth noticed him. They were on to him in seconds, and Fyn began to run as fast as he could for the cave. As he reached it, he noticed that the two Sharpteeth had begun to fight.
"Fighting over who gets me, no doubt," Fyn thought, as he scrambled for the back of the cave.
Meanwhile, Fyn's mother looked on, fighting off advancing Sail-Teeth. Salde and Rya had taken shelter underneath her. As she began to grow weary, she realized that she had to make a decision: leave Fyn to find his way out himself, or try to rescue him and almost certainly lose Salde and Rya. With tears in her eyes, she made her choice.
Fyn reached the back of the cave without a moment to spare. Long, toothy jaws shoved themselves into the opening of the cave, and snapped and thrashed. All Fyn could do was stay put. Suddenly, the jaws withdrew. Had the Sharptooth given up, or had it found another meal? Fyn was considering leaving the cave when he heard his mother's faint voice.
"Fyn, if you can hear me, stay where you are until this quiets down. I know you can find us. Be brave!"
Fyn heard, and complied. He laid down in the back of his cave, realizing that for the first time in his life, he was truly on his own. As he lay there, he could hear why the Sail-Teeth had abandoned him. Other Longnecks had come to the same slope. Some had stopped in time, but he could hear the sound of others sliding down, towards the jaws of the hungry Sharpteeth below. He could hear bellows, screeches, the unmistakable sound of Fin-Neck tails cracking through the air, but as time went on, the sounds of the Longnecks became fainter, until eventually they were gone altogether. The Sharpteeth, on the other hand, were still outside, and snapping their jaws in a manner which suggested they were pleased with something. Whether it was because of stress, the sounds of battle, or exhaustion, Fyn began to sob, and fell into a short, restless sleep.
...
When Fyn awoke, all was quiet. He cautiously moved toward the mouth of the cave and peered out. It was night. At the water's edge, a Sharptooth was bent over a dark shape, taking bites out of it. Fyn didn't need to guess what it was. Silently, he slipped away and headed upriver, in the direction of the jumping water field. When he was finally out of sight of the Sharptooth, he assessed his situation. Judging by the Night Circle's position, walking would take him until morning. He could follow the river and have a clear view ahead and behind him for the duration of the walk, or he could save time by walking through the forest. He chose the former idea, but as he rounded a corner, he knew that it would never work. Several Sail-Teeth had congregated near the river. He would never make it past undetected. Luckily, at this point, the slope into the forest was nowhere near as steep as the slope near his cave. He hurried into the forest.
Inside, the forest was cool, and the silence was only broken by the sound of insects. Fyn shuddered. This would be the ideal location for an ambush. He'd often heard how Sharpteeth could hide for long periods of time, in wait for prey. He hoped the prey wouldn't be him today. He walked on, gaining ground slowly but silently. Suddenly, he found himself in a tangle of vines and low-growing foliage. His vision was obscured, but Fyn felt a rush of delight. He knew this place. The border was close now! At that moment, he froze. He could hear something breathing heavily. He tensed, waiting to be snapped up by massive jaws, but the attack never came. Instead, he listened more closely. The breathing was heavy, yes, but it was also strained. As if whoever was breathing was hurt. Putting his fears aside, Fyn decided to help the source of the breathing, and he pushed through the scrub.
When he emerged, he was face-to-face with Enif, one of the Old Ones in his herd. She was lying on her side, and her eyes were shut. Fyn could see a large wound on her exposed side. As he approached, Enif opened her eyes.
"Fyn..." she whispered, "thank goodness, it's you."
"Come on, Enif," Fyn said, pushing her neck, "we need to keep moving. Those Sharpteeth will be back any moment."
"Fyn, it's too late for me. In a moment, my time in the great circle of life will be done."
Fyn started to cry. "But it's just a little farther... we could heal you." Even as he said these words, he knew it wasn't possible. There was no way to heal Enif outside of the grove, and even if there was, she was in no condition to move.
"No, Fyn. I'll stay here." She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. "Your family is alive. They all made it out of the grove safely. I saw them leave, and tried to distract the Sharpteeth to give them more time. Salde and Rya barely made it."
"Thank you," Fyn whispered, then added "I wish there was something I could do."
Enif smiled weakly. "You stayed with me to the end. There's nothing better I could ask for. Now go, before the Sail-Teeth come back." Slowly, the great Fin-Neck's eyes closed, and she lay still. Fyn, choking back sobs, turned away to leave. As he began to walk away, he heard the telltale breathing of a Sharptooth close by. He turned around just as a Sail-Tooth came lumbering out of a stand of trees behind him. It paid no attention to him, focusing on Enif. Fyn began to run. He was close now, he could see sunlight through the trees. The Bright Circle was rising. Just a little farther...
The second Sail-Tooth seemed to come from out of nowhere. It burst out of the trees next to Fyn. Without hesitation, Fyn called for help as loud as he could, while zigzagging between the trees to confuse the Sharptooth. Despite his efforts, the beast was learning his trick. He could feel its hot breath as he ran. He was so close now, just a fallen tree's length away. He burst out of the grove- and into the protection of Labon.
"Get behind me, son." Labon ordered.
Fyn complied, as Labon snarled at the oncoming Sail-Tooth. It charged forward, but Labon sidestepped, and it missed. As the Sail-Tooth crouched for another fast charge, Fyn saw his father perform something he'd never seen done before. Labon reared up on his back legs, and as the Sharptooth charged, he thrust his front legs into it, catching it just below the neck. The Sharptooth flew backwards, landing on its side, dazed. It clawed at the ground, trying to get up. When it finally succeeded, it dashed off into the grove.
Relaxing his stance, Labon turned to his son.
"Are you all right?"
Fyn, relieved, answered "I'm fine. How were you right outside the grove when the Sharptooth was chasing me?"
"I stayed out here all night, and I heard a commotion just now. I had a feeling it was you. I'm proud of you, son. Not many could have made it through the grove alone."
"Thanks, dad." Fyn was awestruck. "Do you think you could teach me that move sometime?"
Labon grinned. "Perhaps one day when you're older. And taller. What would you hit, a bush?" Turning more serious, he added "come on, we need to get back to the herd. The Bright Circle has started its path, and we need to start our journey. Your mother will want to see you, too. She's been worried all night."
The two began to walk toward the rocky ground that meant the jumping water field was close.
"Dad," Fyn said, "it's bad in there. How many got out?"
"Most of us, but there are others who didn't make it. We've been waiting for stragglers. You're the last one we know survived."
"I saw Enif. She- she-" Fyn couldn't finish his sentence.
"I know, son. She was brave in life, though. Remember her for that, and know that she's in a better place. They say that the stars you see in the sky are all dinosaurs that lived good and honorable lives, so Enif will never truly be gone. She'll always see you."
Fyn sniffed. "Well that helps, but I wish she could have come with us to the Great Valley."
"Well, Enif always loved the grove. It may even be the reason she stayed behind to help everyone else get out, but I guarantee you that she'll be watching us from above when we find the Great Valley."
Fyn nodded. His father's words made sense, and calmed him. He looked up just in time to see a natural rock wall ahead.
"Just behind that wall is the herd," said Labon, "are you ready to see the rest of your family again?"
Without answering, Fyn bolted ahead, rounding the corner. There, lying on the outside of the herd's circular sleeping arrangement, were his mother and sisters.
"Mother, Salde, Rya!" he yelled, rushing forwards. His family awakened, and with tears of joy, welcomed him back.
"Welcome back, you Leaf-Brain," Rya laughed as they touched muzzles.
The sounds of excitement awakened the rest of the herd. They all were glad to see Fyn back safe and sound. Poldar stepped forward from the crowd.
"Fyn, you never cease to impress me. I'm proud to have you as a grandson."
"And I'm proud to have you as a grandpa," Fyn said, "if it weren't for you, less of us would have gotten out."
"Still," Poldar said, "I only wish we could have rescued more of them."
Labon stepped forward. "We have a long journey ahead of us. I think it's time we left this place."
"Yes, it most certainly is," Poldar agreed. He summoned the attention of everyone with a trumpeting bellow.
"Everyone, today we leave our old home in search of a new life in the Great Valley. The path will not be easy, but each and every one of you has shown immense courage and fortitude in escaping the grove. I expect nothing less during this migration. We cannot fully prepare for what we may face, but no matter the challenge, we will stand united as a herd and face it. No one will be left to brave these perils alone. The only thing that will get us to the Great Valley is teamwork, and I know we can all count on each other to get through this. Now, we move. Forward, to a new life!'
With Poldar's closing words, the Fin-Necks began their long trek, not knowing what perils awaited them in the Mysterious Beyond.