Metempsychosis

(Disclaimer: 'The Land Before Time' belongs to Universal, Don Bluth, and every other original owner. My characters belong to me. This is for show, not dough.)

Chapter Two: Foraging Herds

Character Guide:

(Opal and her hatclings all have a darker splotch on their backs and necks and a lighter snout, neck, and underside.)

Pip: Mauve-hided with a sky blue sail and blue eyes

Pop: Mauve-hided with sky blue sail and green eyes

Nia: Lilac-hided with a turquoise sail and violet eyes

Sabin: Purple-hided with a violet sail and teal eyes

Nambi: Lavender-hided with a violet sail and cobalt eyes

Opal: Deep violet-hided with a mauve sail and indigo eyes

Wayward: Cerulean-feathered with a teal beak with a violet part in between nostrils, an indigo crest and quills lining back of head, neck, as fans on forelimbs, back of hindlimbs, as a fan-like plume on tail tip, and a large tuft on back with brown pupils and green corneas. Also has a cobalt band over eyes and a lighter neck, chest, belly, and under of tail (Also refer to fanfic cover pic)

"Wayward!"

I was caught by the scruff of my neck by Opal, my adoptive amargasaurus mother. What had I been doing to be caught? Well, I had always enjoyed climbing trees… and now since I had claws and a lighter body, I thought I'd make use of it. Mama wasn't so happy about that. I was nearing the top of an ancient oak-like tree when I sorta slipped in the midst of my anticipation to reach the peak.

Some time had passed since me and my adoptive siblings' hatching, and we had all grown a bit. We weren't close to adolescence, but we weren't that young either. I'd say about in between, but it's kinda hard to tell with siblings that grow taller than you every other day and you yourself only seem to grow every few months. Nambi proved to be largest of the clutch and apparently being the "responsible one". Nia came in second, Pip and Pop tying for third, and Sabin only a few inches taller than me

As for me, I was dwarfed by everybody in my small family.

Currently, we were foraging for food. Mama had told us that the land had been dying, which was the dead-honest truth. Water seemed to be harder to find and the ground was always barren. More and more vegetation and plant life was becoming more and more scarce. Mama had also told us that predators were becoming more competitive and selective with their prey, so we had to remain within Mama's eyesight.

Bugs weren't entirely hard to find, but what WAS hard was trying to catch them. They actually aren't that disgusting to eat when you're low on food and don't have many other options other than small mammals or reptiles, which was even more scarce. Fish was completely out of the picture too, and I wasn't sure I'd wanna hunt my own siblings who love me.

Leaves and such were okay, but it was so weird from what I was used to in my former life. I doubt we'd ever find any berries or fruit, so that makes the choices even slimmer, especially for herbivores such as six hungry sauropods such as my herd. As Mama set me down, I immediately began scurrying off again to climb another tree. I heard her sigh faintly as I began my ascent up a trunk.

"Out of all my children, they're the one who climbs trees like an insect," Opal groaned. "Then again, they are a theropod, not an sauropod."

Hanging from a limb with all four of my limbs bound around it. With the world upside down, I saw the twins and Nia frolicking around at the roots of the trees. Nambi was settled down under the tree I was clinging from, munching on some roots she had dug up. I smirked at the lavender-and-violet-sailed amargasaurus.

"Hey, Nambi!" I called, swinging side to side slightly. "Look at what I can do!"

Nambi slowly looked up with her cobalt eyes, which narrowed in annoyance.

"Wayward, get down before you get hurt." Nambi chided. "You don't see me or the others climbing trees."

I simply scoffed, "You're only jealous because—"

SSSSNAP.

The limb severed in two.

The irony.

"Wayward!" Nambi shouted as I came plunging earthward.

Wind whistled in my ears as I pratically viciously plummeted in twists and circles. My heart raced as my mind bogged from any possible ideas on solutions, since my limbs and body were basically stiff and immobile. The drop wasn't that long or high, but it felt as if it was going on forever, yet gradual at the same time. Through my brown eyes, I could see the lavender form of Nambi steadying herself to catch me. That only ended in her tipping backwards and collapsing onto her back. I tensed as I belly flopped onto her soft underside. She let out a grunt as the breath was taken out of both of us upon contact. Groaning, she shifted onto her side, causing me to slightly flump onto the barren ground.

Her cobalt eyes bore into my brown-and-green schemed ones as rebuke filled the narrowed orbs.

"I told you to get down, not fall down, Wayward," Nambi scolded. "You're supposed to be helping us find food, not falling from every tree as you please."

I felt a bit uncomfortable under her gaze, but I simply nodded, no longer meeting her eyes. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see her expression soften. I knew she didn't mean to reprimand or harp on me, instead to remind me.

Nambi sighed, "Look, we both know that we need to be careful, especially with the situation and environments we're in. I'd rather have you alive and acknowledged than dead and ignorant." She nuzzled me as she lifted me onto her back. "And we wouldn't want that the happen, huh, sib?"

I shook my head, "Nope."

The lavender amargasaurus youngling smiled softly, "Good. Now, how about we keep moving along and scout out some edibles?"

"Sure, whatever works."

"I'll ask Mother if I can go with you and keep a close eye out when you hunt for insects or whatever you omnivores eat."

"You don't have to do that, y'know, Nambi."

"We're siblings, of course I will."

"Okay then… Thanks."

"No problem."

Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention that I'm sexless. I have no idea how that's biologically possible, but if a creature is able to be both female or male or have mixed characteristics, might as well accept it. I was formerly female in my past life, but somehow I'm intersex. My brothers and sisters refer to me as their sibling and use "they/them" when talking about me indirectly. It just seemed natural to, though unusual at first. Mama had taught us to be accepting to how everyone was, like how she didn't agree with the different species of dinosaurs keeping to themselves and not aiding each other. I speculated that that was why she took me under her care and made me one of her children.

With that, the lavender youngling began following Mama as she called for us to follow her. Pip and Pop seemed discouraged, but came with us anyway. Nia and Sabin were close behind. I sighed through my nares as I bobbed along with Nambi's lumbering gait. I wondered if we would ever find any trees or bushes with lush leaves on them. Pip and Pop nipped and giggled as they trekked. Nia, being reserved, quietly fell just behind Nambi. Sabin gazed in wonder at then scenery around us, taking in the features. I leaned forward, settling into Nambi's split sails that sported from her neck. It was just a casual morning as usual, hardly any food to spare for any of us. Not a bug, leaf, rodent, or reptile around. Just bare trees, barren ground, dying plants, and…

Wait, what the heck was that?

I sat up as I gazed past the vast form of Mama into the distance toward a large gathering of trees. I smelt something a bit different than than the usual scents of the dead land and my family. I thought I heard speech, but I simply was snapped out of my trance as Nambi flicked her head upwards slightly.

"What? You see something, Ward?" Nambi questioned.

"Mm. Nah, I just think there might sorta be some other dinosaurs around. Possibly herbivores." I explained.

"I don't hear, smell, or…" the amargasaurus youngling suddenly trailed off as her pace slowed.

I cocked my head to the side as I soon noticed Mama halting. Pip and Pop soon skidded to a stop. Nia simply seized herself, Sabin poking her head out from behind the lilac amargasaurus youngling. Mama glanced slightly behind her, motioning for us with her tail to stay under her. I slipped off of Nambi as the six of us padded under the humongous amargasaurus. Poking my head around Mama's columnar foreleg, I arched an eyebrow on inquiry.

"Why did we stop, Mama?" I asked.

The deep violet mother craned her dark mauve-sailed neck to face me, uncertainty in her indigo eyes. My brown pupils gleamed. Something was up.

Her expression clearly gave it away.

"Wayward, honey, stay low," she warned softly. "There's a large herd of apatosaurs up ahead near some trees. They might not be the most friendly."

"But aren't they sauropods just like you and the others?" I cocked my head.

"Yes, but even sauropods are divided. The same applies to other dinosaurs like the ceratopsians, hadrosaurs, stegosaurs, ankylosaurs, ornithopods, pachycephalosaurs… even pterosaurs. I'm sure theorpods such as tyrannosaurs, albeilsaurs, and dromaeosaurs are also split up among their own kind."

"Hm…" I glanced into the distance.

Then why would a sauropod take in an omnivorous theropod like me? I knew from my past life that sauropods and theropods were both saurischian dinosaurs, but they were the complete opposite in evoluntion terms. Maybe Mama just wasn't like the other dinosaurs. I simply nodded to the amargasaurus as she nuzzled me slightly, then returning her gaze to the apatosaurus herd up ahead.

As I sauntered behind her forelimb as she began gradually inching forward, Nambi joined beside me.

We exchanged looks as our four other siblings trailed behind us, still sheltered by Mama's broad body. As we traveled, Mama was sure to be as cautious as possible. I could tell by the way she walked. The closer we got towards the herd, the slower Mama got. I made sure to keep from being stepped on or bumping into Nambi. Mama soon stopped as she let out a small gasp.

"Mister Pato? Miss Apa?" Mama questioned.

Looking from the tall tree they ate from along with some others, two much larger and slender legged sauropods with blue-gray hides and wrinkly faces turned to face Mama. They had wise, kind brown eyes. I could tell the female apart from the male due to her greenish underside.

"Oh my stars, if it isn't Opal herself," the female spoke with a gravely tone.

"How have you been, hm?" the male chipped in.

Mama chuckled, "Quite fine. You two look great. How's the herd been? Is Lotus's clutch doing fine?"

The couple exchanged looks as another, quite younger blue-gray apatosaurus approached. She was female with navy-blue eyes.

"Opal?" she inquired.

"Lotus, long time no see," Mama greeted her.

The two nuzzled each other.

Lotus soon asked, "How are you?"

"Great. I had just greeted your parents."

"Ah, and when was that?"

"Not too long until you showed up. How are your hatchlings?"

"Well… Only… one survived. My son… Littlefoot."

"Oh, I'm so sorry… Where is Bron?"

"… We've gone our seperate ways, even took some of our herd members with him, but we're doing fine. Littlefoot is growing into a young adolescent now. Hazel's only daughter, Ali, is also Littlefoot's age."

"That sounds great, Lotus, my sincerest apologies for asking."

"No, no, it's fine. It has been hard.… Still living alone?"

"Not entirely…"

Mama soon revealed her own young clutch. Pip and Pop giggled as they ran up to greet the grand female.

"These are my twin boys, Pip and Pop." She then gestured to Nia. "My quiet girl, Nia." Then Sabin as she pratically hid behind Nia. "My smallest and most bashful, Sabin." Then she showed her Nambi. "And my largest: Nambi."

Lotus grinned in surprise, "My, how you've come to be. Congradulations, Opal. Are these all of your hatlchings?"

Mama hesitated for a bit, "Yes, well…"

"Something the matter, dear?" Lotus asked in concern.

"You know how I've always felt about other dinosaurs… especially orphans."

"Opal… you didn't."

"I did, Lotus," Mama stated firmly. "Their egg washed up near my nesting ground from a gully when it was raining. I couldn't have just left the unborn child there, so I took them in."

Lotus craned her neck to see under Mama, "Well… where are they?"

Mama gently shifted her forelimb that hid me, now exposing me to the grand female.

Lotus gasped, "… A theropod?" She squinted her navy blue eyes in uncertainty. "I've... never seen one quite like them."

"I was surprised when they first hatched as well. But if observe them closely, especially due to the shape of their snout and their size, I can tell that they're part troodontid and oviraptorid... a troodon and an oviraptor hybrid."

"What's… their name?"

"Wayward. Their name is Wayward."

Lotus straightened, "I have something to confess. You aren't the only one to adopt… another kind of dinosaur."

Mama gawked.

"Ducky? Ducky, come here!" Lotus called from behind her.

"Yes, Mother, huh, huh?" came a feminine voice.

I peered into the gathering of trees as a rather light green figure soon approached. As she came into view, she was revealed to be a pale green parasaurolophus with a lighter underside, a darker back and tail, a developing horn-like crest, a strange fuzzy ring of thread-like feathers all around her chest and neck, and baby blue eyes. She was a bit taller than me and was just peaking into adolescence.

"Ducky, this is an old friend of mine," Lotus explained. "She has some children of her own… even not one of her kind."

Ducky gaped, "She adopted another child like you?"

Lotus nodded, "Yes, Ducky. Just like me."

"Wow...!" the parasaurolophus gawked. "I did not think there were other dinosaurs like your friend, oh, no, no, no."

"Well, Ducky, those are just harder to come by," Mama insisted.

"I see, I see," Ducky nodded.

Mama then spoke up, "Well, Lotus, where is your son?"

Lotus glanced over her shoulder, "The last I saw him was with Ali and Hazel."

Mama smiled, "May I see the boy myself?"

"Might as well," Lotus admitted. "It isn't often you happen to be around."

I watched as Mama's lips formed into a genuine smile, her snout soon coming in contact with Lotus's as they nuzzled. As the two females separated, Lotus gestured for the seven of us to follow her. Ducky also joined in. Mama quickly nuzzled Lotus's parents, telling the two it was nice to meet them again. The vast blue-gray apatosaur led us through the grove of trees, past a few differently-hued apatosaurs until we reached a cream-colored female apatosaur with cerulean eyes. She was busily munching on the leaves provided by a tall tree. Just below her were two apatosaurs that almost reached up to her knees. One was a taupe-colored male with a darker backside, a lighter underside, and russet-colored eyes. Next to him was an ever-so slightly gray-mauve female with sky blue eyes, a darker backside, and a lighter underside. The adolescent male soon took notice to Lotus and found himself smiling, lumbering over to the female. The two briefly nuzzled before the male noticed Mama.

"Mother… who is that?" he questioned.

Lotus smiled, "Littlefoot, this is an old friend of mine. Her name is Opal. We had met before you were even layed as an egg. You see, she had helped us with a slight skirmish with a pack of utahraptors and saved the herd."

Littlefoot gaped, "Wow, that's cool!" He glanced to the young female beside him. "Huh, Ali?"

Ali nodded, "Yes… it was very brave of you, Miss Opal. Thank you."

Mama chuckled, "Well, I'm pretty sure I've been thanked enough by your entire herd. I was really nothing. I was just in the same place as they were and just happened to feel the urge to aid them."

"Yes, it's great to see you again, darling," the blue-eyed, cream-colored apatosaur nuzzled with Mama.

"You too, Hazel," Mama smiled.

Ducky suddenly leaped in between all of us. She caught me off gaurd, causing me to accidentally bump into Mama's foreleg. The amargasaur simply balanced me as the perky pale green parasaurolophus bubbled on.

"Yes, and that isn't all of what she did either, no, no, no!" Ducky yammered excitedly. "Miss Opal even took in an oviraptorid and troodontid crossbreed! She is so kindly and generous, yep, yep, yep! Yes, that is what she is!" She began searching for me as she locked onto me like a predator and began scuttling over to me. Tugging on my feathered foreleg, the young hadrosaur yanked me along with her, forelegs hooked. "C'mon, c'mon, come meet my brother Littlefoot and our friend Ali and Miss Hazel! Yes, yes, do please!"

My bicolored gaze met with my adopted siblings' gazes as I shot them a cheeky grin whilst being drug by the eager parasaurolophus. Nambi simply rolled her eyes, shaking her head in amusement. Pip and Pop shared a few laughs. Nia gave me a funny, yet humored look while Sabin blinked with wide, puzzled eyes. As we shambled over to the trio of apatosaurs, Ducky began gesturing for them to lean their heads down.

"See? See? They're an oviraptorid!" Ducky chirped. She ran a fore-clawed digit across the top of my crest. "See their crest?" The parasaurolophus yanked open my feathery fanned foreleg. "And their handsome feathers?" She proceeded in propping up a hindlimb to display one of my sickle claws. "And their retractable sickle claws?" She then pried open my teal snout. "You can also tell by their snout and serrated teeth, yep, yep, yep!"

Littlefoot and Ali exchanged amused looks as Hazel leaned in, "Yes, Ducky, we see and understand that your friend is an... interesting saurischian and theropod."

Ducky beamed, shutting my beak, "Yes, yes, that is what…" the hadrosaur paused, "Uh… what is your name, huh, huh?"

"Wayward," I replied simply, a bit uncomfortable with the closeness of the two of us.

"Oh, hee-hee… Oops," Ducky grinned sheepishly. "I am sorry, Wayward."

I simply rested my forepaw on her shoulder, shaking my head, "Nah, it's fine, everyone gets caught up in the moment now and them, amiright?"

The pale green hadrosaur simply nodded, giggling. I smirked cheekily. Littlefoot then bowed his head by us

"Uh, well… it's nice to meet you and your mother, Wayward." the male stated.

"Well, I have five other siblings too," I noted. I glanced behind me as Nambi and the other four began tredding closer to the apatosaurs.

Hazel teased impishly, "Oh my, you've been busy, haven't you?"

I gazed up to see Mama began to flush, "Hazel, not in front of all these children… !"

The cream female simply chortled. My siblings all exchanged looks of puzzlement with each other and Littlefoot, Ducky, and Ali. I found my face go hot as I caught onto Hazel's joke, recalling things from my past life. I simply shook myself out of the thoughts and was halted from any further thinking when Hazel spoke once more.

"I've been meaning to ask anyway… Where is their father?" the cream apatosaur inquired.

I could tell Mama had tensed when that question slipped out of Hazel's lips. Lotus looked alarmed, Littlefoot, Ducky, and Ali confused. I tried reading my siblings eyes, but they were too blank or distorted to read. The deep violet amargasaurus cleared her throat.

"He is no longer… here," Mama deadpanned.

Lotus readily nuzzled Mama, Hazel giving an apologetic look.

Hazel shied, "I-I'm sorry… Opal."

"It's fine… really."

An awkward silence filled the air. I caught onto what she meant. I couldn't help but think about it, even though it wasn't really my business at the time. I kicked a pebble absentmindedly as the time passed.

"Kids… how about you run along and get to know Littlefoot, Ali, and Ducky?" Mama insisted softly. "I think it'd be for the best that us adults talk in private for now."

The twins groaned in disappointment, soon agreeing. Nia and Sabin simply nodded as Nambi said a "Yes ma'am". I exchanged glances with Mama, trying so hard to read her indigo gaze. I soon found myself sighing through my nares and began padding off with the group, who had already been walking away. I gave once last look before trotting off after the bunch of sauropods and a hadrosaur.

Who was the father? What had happened to him?

A while had passed as the nine of us bantered and feasting on leaves that the taller, older apatosaurs provided us with when they shook the limbs as they dined too. It was rather comforting to be surrounded by "non-speciestic" dinosaurs, especially with how comfortable Littlefoot and Ali were around Ducky. Despite the age gap, we found ways to break the boundaries of stereotypical age-groups. We even ended up playing childish games such as tag and hide-and-seek. I felt my spirits lifting, having never felt like this before in my past life. Though I yearned to see my close friends and family back when I was still a fourteen-year-old human… I found guilty pleasure in my new adopted family and these new friends.

Things change… right?

I crept along some dead bracken and thickets as it was my hiding spot. Even though my blueish and purplish schemed feathers and quills stuck out from the earthy colors of the dying land, there was enough cover for me to conceal myself in. I began backing up more against the trunk of the tree that sat next to the thicket, I felt my heart do a leap when my backside bumped against something rather warm. Whipping around in the prickly vegatation, I found myself beak to beak with Ducky. Before she could let a squeal, I swiftly clamped my fore-digits around the tip of her beak and put a single fore claw up to my mandible tip. She seemed to cope and let out a breath through her nares, nodding. I gave a brisk nod as I kept my senses open, scenting and listening for any incoming signs of Littlefoot, who was the current seeker.

Peering through the dead foliage, my bicolored gaze skanned the surroundings northward of me. My attention was suddenly caught when I saw Mama standing before a large crowd of apatosaurs. I thought at first that she was just catching up with the herd, but some form of significance rang through the air. Not entirely interested in the game anymore, I began peeking out of the thicket to get a better view and earshot on what was going on. That was also when I was pinned clean to the dusty, cracked ground, the thicket pricking against my feathers. My mind reeling, I glanced up to be met with the russet gaze of Littlefoot, as I was pinned in between his forelimbs.

"Gotcha, Wayward," he procalimed.

I only glanced beyond into the distance towards Mama and the crowd. Littlefoot soon followed when I heard Ducky peed around us. In the center toward an opening in the grove of trees was a grand taupe elder apatosaurus with wrinkly, aged features. Beside her were Pato and Apa. Next to Apa was her daughter, Lotus. Hazel had a place next to the gray-blue female. A few other unrecognizable apatosaurs were gathered on either side. A few stray, possibly younger apatosaurs of the herd were beginning to gather near them. Littlefoot stooped his head under me and lifted me up to get a better view as Ducky clambered onto his shoulders, craning her head around his neck. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ali followed by Nambi and the other four take place beside Littlefoot as he stood clear of the thicket.

I began straining my ears to pick up what was going on.

"… Yes, it has come to my attention that you have began a family on your own without a herd," rumbled the grand elder with a gravely, feminine voice. "Quite the bold feat, if you asked me. But that is besides the point, Opal."

Mama nodded, "I see what you're getting at, Old One."

Old One grumbled on, "Ah, yes. So, we have come to the decision of allowing you and your clutch to join our herd. It seems like the most reasonable thing, esepecially with the timing of your most recent encounter with us. Please, consider this an opportunity to have greater security and more sociable paths open for your children. It is our greatest gratitude we have come to agree on to offer you, Opal." She straightened, "So… what is your final decision? Reject the offer and simply go on your way… or join us to prosper towards the Great Valley?"

Mama seemed to be in a trance between the crowd before her. Small whispers and mutters could be heard amongst the bystanders. The amargasaurus soon cleared her throat, seizing any further vocalization within the crowd.

"Old One… I have come to agree with your offer and will wholeheartedly be honored to joinf your heard, Great Matriach," Mama gave a bow with her head.

Old One's lips crept into a smile, "So be it, Miss Opal." She then declared to her herd, "Let it be known that from now own, Opal and all of her children are official members are our herd and are accepted as equal companions amongst us warmingly and happily. Any objections?" The elder glanced around, finding no traces of denial. "Then so be it. Welcome Opal and her family!"

Mama smiled, "Thank you dearly, Old One."

"Of course, Opal," Old One replied. "It's the best we could give you in these dire times."

The crowd errupted into cheers as us younglings began exchanging bewildered looks. I was soon yanked by my tail as I was wrapped into a warm embrace by none other than Ducky.

"Welcome to our herd, Wayward, yep, yep, yep!" She bubbled.

I found a small beam playing on my strange snout.