Category: Land before Time

Rating: T

Couples: Tria/Threehorn

Warnings: AU, Hints of Character Death and Blood

Chapter: 2

Copyright: © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me

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Never before had the five disobeyed their parents, but the pain of their mother was simply too profound for them to miss.

And they were smart enough to realize that it had something to do with the black Threehorn male that had confronted their mother. There was only one that would do such a thing and could provoke such a reaction from their normally kind-hearted kin: her first mate.

Regardless, it was downright terrible for them to watch their mother's heart freeze over as time progressed. It was just not right for her to be like that.

"We're gonna play a bit!" They announced one early morning after breakfast, knowing that their parents would stay with their great-aunt the entire day.

The next moment one could find them on a search for the light-pink female named Tricia and barring her, her older sister Cera.

They found both and more: Cera's friends all seemed to be there as well, including the Sharptooth.

"Weren't you forbidden from playing with us?" Tricia asked softly, her face sad as she regarded them.

"Are we playing?" Zaron, the oldest of the nest, asked smugly. "It's just... mom's so hurt and we want to help her, but you know... we don't even really know what's wrong... Except for the part where everyone of our herd blames your father for Mom's pain."

"Yeah, no one really knows what happened between them." Cera muttered, walking up to them. Having been forced into a mother-role to her younger sister the Threehorn had mellowed, her temper having long ago fizzled out. "But why would you want it to be fixed? She'd be leaving your father if things go back to the old times between her and Dad."

"So? There is no love between them." One of his sisters spoke up. "Her heart is still with your father, but we see fear in her eyes: fear of being hurt... again."

"We do not know what he did, but he did it well." Her other brother took over. "She whimpers his name at night."

"They say she nearly starved herself to death when joining our herd." Zaron interrupted his brother, looking at the other two Threehorns evenly. "Your father nearly cost her her live by his actions."

It disturbed the older children how calmly they spoke of this. As if it had been known to them for Cold Times.

"And what can we do?" Littlefoot finally spoke up. "They are avoiding each other like the other is a Sharptooth. Not to mention I doubt Tria would be willing to talk to him even if they encounter one another."

"We know." All five of them said in unison.

"It's the only thing you do, isn't it?" The voice was a deep rumble, a massive form appearing between the trees nearby. "Truly the children of your father."

The male walking up to them looked ancient, the once rich and vibrant purple of his skin having faded to purplish-grey by age. But his face... None of them had ever realized that one could suffer wounds that would remain for the rest of one's life. Half of his face was smashed in, malformed and twisted. His surviving eye was clouded over, leaving the old Threehorn completely blind.

Despite this his step was sure as he walked up to them.

"Grandfather." Zaron whispered. "Weren't you supposed to be with Grandpa and the rest of the herd?"

"Perhaps." He answered. "I wanted to hear how everyone was doing. And here I am, with you five running off to the young ones you're not supposed to be with. My grandson will be furious should I tell him."

His blind eyes swept over the children in front of him. Littlefoot felt as if the old male could still see him, despite one lost and one blind eye.

"But I shan't. For now." He turned away. "A word of advice to you, youngsters: parents go far for their children, whether they hate the other parent or not. Tria and Tops have a common ground in young Tricia and even if she does not wish to admit it openly, Tria would still die for her daughter. Consider this. It might help."

"He is our father's grandpa." Zaron's sister stated at their questioning looks.

"He has to be even older than Mr. Thicknose then." Ducky nodded her head. "Yep, yep, yep, he has to be."

"You know what happened to his face?" Tricia looked over at her half-siblings.

"He once said he 'paid dearly for a terrible mistake'. But no one in our herd knows what mistake that is." The youngest of the five looked after the old male as she said that. "He won't tell anyone."