"Littlefoot"
"Mmmm" Littlefoot mumbled and opened his eyes,Jenna was looking down in him,
"Time to wake up little one,the bright circle has rose into the sky" Jenna said nudging him "Come and get some some breakfast,since you missed dinner last night"
Littlefoot looked up to the sky,sure enough the bright circle was high and shining. So much for his 'little nap'"Why didn't you wake me up?" he questioned.
"Because,we wanted to just let you sleep. We were going to wake you,but you looked so peaceful and adorable" Jenna chuckled.
"Pffft 'adorable'" Littlefoot muttered and stood up slowly,clumps off grass stuck to him.
"Good morning Littlefoot" Grandma greeted her grandson warmly "How is your leg?"
"It is fine,it doesn't hurt anymore..well it hurts a tiny bit if I press down too hard" he admitted "But I'm fine,really"
"Good" Grandma smiled and nudged him towards a pile of treestars "Eat up,then you're going to meet someone"
"Who?" Littlefoot asked with a mouth full of treestar.
"Littlefoot,don't talk with your mouth full,it's rude" Jenna scolded gently,but answered his question anyway "Some children,around your age. I talked to their mother this morning,they'll be waiting for us"
"Right" Littlefoot said,he was excited. Kids his age? Thats what he needed,he had Shorty but he wanted playmates his age. You know...real friends.
"I saw him again last night" Nahla admitted quietly as shared a pile of green with Tara "I'm scared Tara,I don't know if I should trust him"
Tara glanced at her "No need to be scared,Nahla but if you really are scared you got to ask him to stop coming to you"
"Will that work?" Nahla asked tilting her head,Teetonka already seemed to her like a stubborn old guy,too set in his ways to change. She knew he really wanted his family to go back to the mountains,Nahla was just wishing it didn't have to all relied on her.
"Well..I don't know" Tara admitted "You're the one who can contact him,not me. But I don't think you should need to be scared of him..or is he doing something that is scaring you on purpose?" Tara's eyes flashed with anger.
"Oh no" Nahla said calmly "It's nothing like that,he is really nice...if not old and stubborn" she added.
"Then what is scaring you,sis?" her big sister asked wrapping her neck around Nahla.
"It just being around a stranger,even if he is my great great great...umm I forget how many great's there is meant to be-grandfather. It scares me,I don't know why,it just does..is there something wrong with me?"
"Oooh,I get it" Tara chuckled "No there is nothing wrong with you,you're just a bit shy I think"
"Shy?"
"Yeah,shy. You only ever knew mum,dad and me since the day you hatched. You never met or talked to anyone else,when I was just a little bit younger then you and before you were even an egg,our parents and me lived in a big herd,so I got to meet and talk to lots of different dinosaurs"
"Where is the herd then? Why is it just us now?" Nahla asked,she always wondered why her herd was so small.
"Well,our family got...isolated from the rest" Tara explained with a sigh "We have no idea where they are,we spent many moths searching but...we never found them. Then you came along...and by then we had given up" she sighed "And as you know we been hiding away ever since,but now we are headed to the Great Valley which will hopefully become our new home..."
"Until...we need to return to the mountains...right?" Nahla's voice quivered.
"Right..." Tara sighed heavily "The bottom line is,you're just unsocialized. You never been around others besides your family,and you knew us since day one. So it makes sense to be a bit scared around someone new,after you are what? 7 years old? Thats a long time to go without any socialization"
"Oh" Nahla muttered quietly
"So don't worry,all you need is to meet new dinosaurs more often,and soon enough your shyness around strangers will go away because then it won't be so scary when someone new comes into your life,because you'll be used to it" Tara smiled and nuzzled her sister "Don't worry,once we reach the Great Valley,you'll get to meet many,many different dinosaurs".
"You think they'll like me in the Great Valley?"
"Nahla..they'll love you"
"What do I do about Teetonka though?" Nahla's eyes darted up to the sky and back again,though she sore she saw Teetonka looking down on her. And she didn't plan on checking on that,that would just be too creepy in her books.
"Just keep talking with him,let our ancestors show you our family's past. Don't be scared of him,Nahla..trust him" Tara tapped the pink longneck on the head and walked off to go get a drink.
"Your sister is right,do not fear"
Nahla whipped around,nearly screaming when she saw Teetonka,looks like she was right when she thought she saw him. She glanced to her family,none were reacting so she knew,she was the only one who could see or hear him..it gave her the creeps.
"You are hearing this voice in your head,and the form of me in front of you is one you formed in your own mind. You are a true mountain longneck Nahla,and it shall be you and Littlefoot who will reunite the tribe of the Mountain longnecks once more"
"Who is Littlefoot?" Nahla asked "I don't know anyone by that name"
"You will meet him in the place,your family currently seeks"
"The Great Valley?"
"Yes,you will meet him there. It's been set as fate by me and Littlefoot's own ancestors,you two will build a great friendship-a team. Littlefoot does yet not know about being mountain blood,but he shall know-when the time is right. Stay strong,young one. I shall be guiding you"
The voice faded and so did the form.
"Well...so much for a normal life" Nahla muttered
"Jenna!" a voice made Littlefoot look up,a swimmer walked towards his mother.
"Hello,Laila. Is Ducky and Spike ready to meet Littlefoot?" Jenna asked nodded to her son who was behind her front leg looking at the swimmer in wonder,he never met someone who wasn't a longneck before.
"They sure are" the mother swimmer smiled,she turned her head and beckoned two other youngsters over. A small swimmer riding on the back of a smallspike-tail came up to her smiling at the longnecks.
"Hello!" Ducky cried.
Spike just made a werid grunting noise.
"Spike can't talk" Laila whispered to the longnecks.
"Oh,I see" Jenna replied,she looked down at Littlefoot who still hadn't spoken "Don't be rude,say hello back".
"Hello" Littlefoot said slowly walking out from under his mother.
"My name is Ducky!" Ducky said in an over enthusiastic way "And this is my new little brother Spike,I found him all alone. I did I did"
Spike nodded licking Littlefoot on the face.
"I'm Littlefoot" the little longneck introduced himself.
"Hi,Littlefoot! Do you want to play with us?"
"Umm..." Littlefoot glanced up at his mother who nodded.
"Go ahead Littlefoot,make some friends" she nudged him towards Ducky and Spike.
"Sure...what do you want to play?" Littlefoot asked
"Hmmm,how about we just play...ummm..tag?" Ducky asked the smile never leaving her face
"Errr...sure" Littlefoot replied after a pause. It was not like he was scared or anything,he was just a bit confused,when his mother told him she found him playmates his age,he didn't think they were a different species,he just thought they were longnecks like he was. But these two seemed friendly and clearly wanted to be his friends.
"Yay" Ducky cheered "Come on Littlefoot! We going to have soooo much fun,we are we are. Yep yep yep!".
Spike began walking off,Ducky on his back who was chatting excitedly.
Littlefoot,watched them then looking up at his Mother.
Jenna sighed and nuzzled him "You go and have fun,I'll come get you later."
"Yes,mother" Littlefoot smiled and began to bounce after them,excitement starting to build.
"WAIT!" Jenna called stepping in front of him.
Littlefoot skidded to a stop "Yes,Mother?"
"Remember to stay in the valley don't go into nesting areas that belong to someone else some families can be really picky with that,don't talk to strangers,don't eat anything that you are not sure what it is,don't go jumping into water without checking it out first-you never know how deep it is or if it has rocks on the bottom...actually don't go jumping into water at all.. and don't-"
"Mother,I'l be fine" Littlefoot interrupted his mother's 'remembers' and 'don'ts'.
Jenna sighed "I know I know,I'm sorry. Go on,just remember-"
"Mother!" Littlefoot interrupted.
"Remember-I love you" she lowered her head and nuzzled him "Now go on,go cause some mischief that you're gonna end up denying doing" she chuckled.
Littlefoot grinned and began to follow his new friends but stopped and looked back at his Mother "Are you coming with us?"
Jenna shook her head "No,I'm letting you do this all by yourself,no me,no dad,no Grandma and Grandpa,no Shorty-all by yourself like a big longneck. I have to let you do something by yourself one day,why not now?" she chuckled "Now go on,your friends are waiting"
"Really? Thanks,Mother! See you later!" he ran out of sight rejoining Ducky and Spike.
Jenna sighed as she watched him leave "Why do you have to grow up so quickly?" she whispered.
"This is sooo boring" Nahla complained as she followed the rest of her family through the Mysterious Beyond. The family was once again on the move now completely sure Nahla was fully recovered from her little tummy sickness episode.
"Nothing we can do about that,little one" Nani said glancing back at her daughter from her place at the front of the group.
"Also are we going in circles? I swear we've been past here" Nahla asked looking around.
"It's a wasteland in the Mysterious Beyond,sis" Tara chuckled "It all looks the same".
"Well,thats stupid" Nahla snapped back "Whats the point of having a place that looks completely the same?"
"I don't know" Tara chuckled,she realized the tone in her sisters voice but she also knew she was just getting moody from so much constant traveling lately.
Nahla huff and looked around.
"Why don't you place a game?" Kai suggested.
"What game,daddy?" Nahla asked curious.
"Well,look around. Tell us any landmarks you see"
"Ok" Nahla cheered excitedly,but that excitment soon faded "Ok..so we have a rock,a rock,a rock,a rock,a rock,another rock... Oh guess what? I found a rock! Thats new. Oh look theres a rock..never seen one of those before. WOW! A ROCK!. Woah...no way is that a rock?!"
Tara was trying hard to not burst into laughter,she loved her sisters attitude at times.
"I'm surprised you haven't seen a rock yet" Nani joked,snorting with laughter.
"Yeah me too" Nahla agreed jokingly "I would of thought this place would be full of rocks".
Her parents chuckled,they were hoping to be out of this area before nightfall. They were not keen of being in prime sharptooth territory with two little ones in the dark. Out here and in the dark,Nahla would make easy prey for a hungry predator.
"Look!" Nahla's cry made them look back.
"Nahla,what is it?" Nani asked worriedly"
"It's a rock" Nahla smirked.
Nani shook her head but was smiling.
The family walked on,stopping for a quick break when they found a small pool of water.
"Can't wait until we get to the Great Valley" Nani sighed "Then we can all relax without keeping an eye for predators every second of the day".
"I can't exactly relax at it is" Nahla commented "You don't have some creepy dead longneck visiting you and giving you an ancient history lesson".
Kai turned around "Nahla,you should be honored with what you been chosen to do. We'll let you take us to these mountains,we'll do it together-as a family". Families stick together,no matter what. And then we shall decide if we stay there or not,after all our family has grown away from mountain life. Time will tell though"
"Teetonka will be mad at me if we don't end up staying there" Nahla commented.
"Well,Teetonka is not your father,I am" Kai replied "And I just want to make the best choice for my family,the Great Valley will be perfect place for us. But I promise,for the sake and the honor of our ancestors we'll go to the mountains,and you will guide us" he nudged his youngest daughter "And if you feel the mountains really are where we belong..then who am I to argue with a dinosaur from a legend?" he chuckled.
"I don't get why they need us back so bad though" Tara commented "I mean,they have survived with just three for generations now,havne't they?"
"They have,but since the beginning there was five" said Nani quietly "We will at least visit the mountains,but if we just can't take it there. We will leave. The survival of our own family is more important then some ancient story"
"However,we won't go there right now" Kai added "We'll spend some time in the Great Valley,I think we all deserve to live in a place of peace and safety even if it will only be for a little while...who knows whats in those mountains"
"We can't go right now anyway..first I need to find and make friends with Littlefoot" Nahla told them.
"Littlefoot?' Tara asked frowning.
"Yeah,his family is the missing second one from the Mountains. He can also contact his ancestors like I can contact Teetonka. But he does not know it yet"
"And you were told where to find him?" Nani asked confused.
"Yes...he lives in...The Great Valley..though who he is exactly I do not know"
"So..you just go around to every longneck there and ask 'Hi! Are you Littlefoot? A ghost told me to find you,our families are the missing two from the mountains'" Tara joked.
"Haha...no" Nahla glared at her sister "I'll just act normal...and I'll meet him,Teetonka said it has been made fate already. And I'll wait until he trusts me and we are friends before I tell him..if I tell him right off the bat he'll probably just think I'm crazy" she sighed "Besides,us having a real friendship will make it easier for us to work together rather then if we were pretty much strangers"
"Do as you must" Nani said and began walking again "Well,if we are ever going to get to the Great Valley in the first place,we better get a move on".
"Right" Nahla said following her family but lagging behind.
Tara turned her head to see Nahla a fair distance behind "What's the matter Nahla?" she asked when she reached them.
Nahla looked to the ground "My feet are kinda sore and tired from walking so long and on this hard ground" she admitted.
Instantly Tara lowered her head and grabbed her sister,placing her on her back she chuckled "Well,we can't have that can we?" she smiled "I'll carry you for a while,you rest your little feet" she chuckled and began moving forward again quickly reaching her parents who both stopped when they realized their daughters were no longer following them..
"Everything okay?" asked a concerned Nani.
"Just too long a journey on hard terrain for her" Tara explained "She's got sore and tired feet,so I'll just carry her for a while,she can just relax her feet" she smiled at her sister "'Spoilt little squirt" she joked.
Nahla poked her tongue out but was thankful "Thanks,Tara"
"You're welcome"
The family slowly began moving again,the bright circle was beginning to set. They needed to find a hidden and safe place to spend the night,hopefully one with food and water sources. Kai and Nani didn't care if there wasn't enough for them,they just wanted to make sure the little ones got fed each day. So far luck had been in their favour and always found enough food to fill all of them plus have some extra.
"Just think...when we get to the Great Valley we don't have to go scouting around for food it'll all be right there" Kai said dreamily.
"I can't wait!" Nahla exclaimed "Though I think with all that food Tara will get fat" she joked.
"Excuse me?!" Tara whipped her head around to face her sister,she glared at her for a moment before she saw the look on her sisters face,she was joking "You are a little pest you know that?" she chuckled facing forward again.
"I know,but thats why you love me!" Nahla said proudly.
"You're right,we do love you for that. Because it is who you are,and we love you for who you are..though you drive me crazy at times" Tara mumbled.
"Hey,thats also what I'm meant to do-little sisters are meant to drive their big sisters crazy".
Tara just rolled her eyes jokingly in response.
Meanwhile...
Laughter filled the Great Valley air.
Littlefoot,Ducky and Spike were having the time of their lives.
They played tag,sharptooth attack,kick the seed and were now in the middle of hide and go seek.
"Ready or not here I come,yep yep yep!" Ducky called out,she looked around trying to locate Spike and Littlefoot. "Ah ha" she giggled when she saw Spike behind a bare bush.
Spike,lay behind the bush (that he ate) and covered his eyes,thinking he would not be found. He was surprised when he uncovered his eyes to see Ducky standing there smiling at him.
"Found you Spike!" she giggled "You're not supposed to eat the hiding place,Spike no no no" she jumped on her brothers back "Now lets go find Littlefoot. Yep yep yep".
Only,Littlefoot was. nowhere to be found-well to Ducky and Spike anyway. He had found some sort of an underground cave,hidden by tall grass. Littlefoot sat on the slope leading down into it near the gap out,so Ducky would find him easier and not have to go right into the that and so he had some light. He yawned,he was getting kinda tired and he knew his mother would be coming for him soon,he just hoped Ducky would find him first so they can finish the game.
"Littlefoot!" an adult voice called.
Or not...
"Littlefoot!" his mothers voice called again.
"Ooooh,Littlefoot!" Ducky called "Your mama is here,she is she is."
Sighing Littlefoot came from his hiding spot.
"Littlefoot,what were you doing down a hole?" Jenna asked watching Little emerge and going over to him and licking dirt off his face.
"It not really a hole..it's like this underground cave" Littlefoot explained.
"So thats why I could not find you!" Ducky cried.
Jenna chuckled "Well,you can tell me about it later. Right now it's time to go home,you'll be getting a bath,having dinner and going to bed" she raised her tail "And no 'buts' thats is what is going to happen mister"
Littlefoot nodded and turned to Ducky and Spike "Bye,guys" he smiled.
"Bye,Littlefoot!" Ducky hugged him around the leg as Spike licked him "We need to go home too now,yep yep yep! C'mon Spike" the two set off,both tired but happy.
Jenna picked up her son and began to carry him back home.
Bron was the one to greet them first "I suppose it went well?" he asked.
"Went perfectly from what I could tell" Jenna replied putting Littlefoot down "You did have fun,didn't you?" she asked her son.
"Yeah!" Littlefoot replied "Ducky and Spike are really nice,we talked and played fun games. It was so much fun"
"Glad you had a good time,bro" Shorty looked over to him "I would of came too but...I don't think I would of been much fun" he sighed "Besides,I liked having today to just relax"
Littlefoot opened his mouth to reply but his mother began to nudge him towards the water.
"Bath time,you're covered in dirt" she said as she did so.
Littlefoot slipped into the water and thought for a moment "Mother?"
"Hmm?" she asked as she began to clean her ffilthy son.
"Can I play with Ducky and Spike again?"
Jenna paused with her cleaning for a moment and smiled "Sure,of course you can" she was glad her plan worked out "I can take you over there again tomorrow if you want"
"That'll be great! Thanks,Mother"
"No problem Littlefoot" Jenna nuzzled him "Now,stay still so I can get this dirt off you before Grandma sees you..."
Not sure what to think of this chapter..meh...