LAND BEFORE TIME
The Dinosaur Named Thorn
Disclaimer: I do not own the original storyline of ''LAND BEFORE TIME'' or its original characters
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Chapter 4 Family Squabbles
Days, possibly months had passed since my Hatch- Day.
I really couldn't be completely sure how long ago it had been.
But time had passed and I'd grown a lot, as well as sprouted all my blunt herbivore teeth. It had been a rather uncomfortable and painful ordeal;possibly a recollection of the time when I'd been a human baby. Anyhow, it wasn't something worth repeating ever again.
The upside of the teething was that I was able to feed myself, and now I was packing up weight and musculature at the same rate as my slightly elder siblings who'd been a lot bigger than I'd been on my Hatch Day.
And I'd finally gained my sight by the end of the first three days since the hatching.
It had taken that time for my sight to form and I'd finally been able to look straight up at my parents as they'd woken me up that morning.
I'd been a little startled at the sight of the huge creatures that were my parents.
Especially when they'd been leaning over me the way they'd done with their formidable horns jutting out of their skulls.
The first sight of their massive forms had made me squeak out slightly and flinch away from their heads, but mama's gentle croons had soon made me return to them with an awed look on my face.
To think, if I survived to adulthood, I'd be as big as mama or papa.
Papa had several long scars running down his sides which looked to have come from large predators. Mommy had fewer scars on her skin but she didn't lack them, either.
This was evidence that living outside of the Great Valley was hazardous for ones health.
And that Valley was the place we were heading towards, according to mother, but we needed to find the rest of our herd along the way.
Mama and papa had told us that only the family members with hatchlings on the way had stayed behind until the hatching times. And certainly not all of the members of our herd had been in the process of family extension.
As for my age sisters, they were as scar free as me. Tiny, innocent and vulnerable compared to our parents.
When they'd realized my sight was possibly now a reality they had all charged at me as one and proceeded to nuzzle and gently poke me with their noses until I showed I could see them by charging at Cera who's pokes had become a bit too rough for my liking.
She'd given a delighted squeal and had taken the impact with my skull with grace.
I'd been surprised to have known what to do the first time I'd charged Cera on our Hatch Day, but perhaps it was instinct programmed into some small spot in our brains so that we would avoid injuring ourselves.
We'd kept to the play-fighting until daddy interrupted our sisterly bonding by lifting me up by the nape of my neck and carried me over to a small watering hole nearby.
Well to be truthful it was more like a deep puddle than a true watering-hole.
He'd set me down on the edge of the watering-hole where I'd been able to look down in the water and see my reflection for the first time.
I'd been stunned to silence at the rippling reflection of myself in the cool water.
I was a hatchling Threehorn, no doubt, with the smooth and slightly rough skin and missing horns but with skin the shade of fresh snow in winter and eyes the color of beautiful, very lightly pinkish color.
My sisters eyes were either dark jade green or hazel like our mother's.
I was a very rare 'Albino Dinosaur', or 'Colorless' in the Dinosaur language.
Having a 'colorless' be born into any family, my father had explained, was a cause for joy as usually it was 'our kind' who grew up to become the most adamant survivalists in a herd.
And if a 'colorless' did grew up to full adulthood it usually was a Threehorn as we were known as one of the toughest, most stubborn of the dinosaurs living on land.
But we albinos kind of had to become tough in the first place, I'd deemed, as our skin was so noticeable among the plantation and in the darkness of the night. I would need to find a way to make myself unnoticeable to predators but at the same time I needed to grow stronger like daddy and mama were; so I could one day be capable of protecting myself and my siblings.
Thera, though a little quiet some times, did have 'back-bone' and was usually the one to step in to stop the fights between Cera and I when things 'heated up' between us.
Tessa was quiet most of the times and avoided confrontations. She did play with us but always bailed out when the games became to rough for her liking. She was quite smart, though, and always curious about her surroundings. She always listened very enthusiastically whenever our parents educated us on how to survive in the wild.
'' Siblings sure aren't so bothersome once you get to know them better.'' I thought warmly as I grabbed a chewy plant with my blunt teeth and beak like lip and pulled it free from the ground,
Said siblings were moving around like tiny shadows behind our father who was pointing out edible plants for us to eat as we kept walking towards the valley mamma and papa had said would be a safe place for us all to grow up in; without fear of sharptooth attacks.
But while my sisters may have been almost glued to papa's massive form, I on the other hand...
'' THORN? THORN WHERE ARE YOU?!''
Liked to keep to myself sometimes!
I stifled a giggle when I spotted my mother just above me. And she sounded worried because she couldn't spot me where I was hidden amongst a large bush and a grey rock twice my size.
'' Mama, over here!'' I called out calmly, poking my head out from the bush and giggling slightly at the frustrated snort she uttered when she realized just how close by I'd been after all.
'' Oh, Thorn,'' mama sighed as she lowered her head down to nudge me away from the rock and bush,'' how many times have I told you to keep within my sight at all times? Its dangerous...!''
'' To wander far! I know, mother.'' I cut in before she could continue her lecture. I swallowed the food I still had in my mouth.
'' Then why is it that you keep doing this to me? You keep wandering into these places where I can't see you.'' mother asked with a frown as she nudged me forward to walk alongside her feet.
'' I'm practicing hiding, mother.'' I answered with a small smile.'' I'm so white of skin that I need to learn how to keep out of sight of sharpteeth because they'd spot me first. I look so different from Cera, Tessa and Thera.''
Mother paused for a moment as if in thought, her crossed expression softening remarkably at my words as she turned to look at me.
'' You are a smart little thing.'' she said proudly.'' But Thorn, try to remember what I've lectured you about. Keep yourself close to me or your papa. You are very good at hiding but when on open ground you need to stay within a group. Once we reach the Great Valley you can do as much hiding as you want, but I'm sure your father would like you to also participate in becoming tough like a Threehorn should grow up into.''
'' I will do that, mama.'' I answered with a smile, nuzzling her front leg for a moment.
I loved her protective nature and slightly more docile temper that was the opposite of daddy's more brash character. Truly loved her like a daughter should love the parent whom had given birth to her.
And while I still sometimes thought of my past life as an adult human I was slowly getting over the grief of never seeing any of my human-family again. And who knew, maybe one day I'd be granted the change to be reunited with them when it was my time to join others as a spirit without a physical body.
I was determined to take the best of this new life I'd been given and not squander it by refusing to see myself as part of the 'Circle of Life' with these amazing creatures I'd only seen as fossils, or reconstructed in Animal Documentary Films.
'' YUCK, OWWW!''
I turned to glance back at my siblings as Thera gave a disgusted cry and loudly spat out a piece of vegetation that had a hole in it through the middle.
I watched, intrigued, as a large blue beetle crawled out of the branch and frantically skittered away from the bigger creature attempting to stomp it dead in her disgust.
Thera looked furious over being pinched and I could see a slight redness on her lip from where the pincers had gotten her.
I stifled a giggle as the rest of my siblings burst out tittering at Thera's misfortune.
Honestly, my eldest sister had the worst luck of any infant our age. Why yesterday she'd been bitten by a small fuzzy rat like creature when her head had invaded it's nest.
The creature I'd seen was the likes of which I'd seen in the 'Land Before Time movies'; which proved to me that like in the films all dinosaurs were in the same timeline. Which, of course, made our lives ever more dangerous because there would be more apex predators lurking around somewhere. And not just on the land we walked on, but lurking in the depths of deep water, too.
'' Hah haa, Thera! Its always you who gets bitten by something!'' Cera burst out between giggles. She certainly had no qualms about laughing at her sister's annoyed expression.
'' Be quiet Cera! Its not funny at all!'' Thera growled out as she charged the second youngest of our company in frustrated anger.
'' It is a little bit funny.'' I thought, turning away to hide my amused face as the sound of heads clashing against each other reached my ears.
'' Alright you two break it up. We must keep moving on so we can meet up with the rest of our herd.'' Daddy Topps said almost fondly as he took hold of Cera's tail and pulled her back from her elder sister.
'' I hate this place! Is there anything better to eat here? I'm tired of getting bitten by creepy crawlers that have their nests in things I eat!'' Thera growled out with a glare in Cera's direction.
Mama and papa looked at each other with wistful filled eyes and I tucked food into my mouth to avoid biting my own lip as I recalled Littlefoot's mother's words to her son when he'd asked a similar sort of question as Thera had asked just now.
'' Well, dears,'' mama said as she moved to fondle her eldest on the side of her head,'' long before you were born the climate in our former valley began to drastically change around us. The green food began to die out and our herd was left struggling to find enough food for our survival. I was... with eggs by the time we decided to abandon the familiar valley to seek a better place. I struggled to sustain enough nourishment to provide you all life.''
She looked so pained that I did bite down on my lip as I struggled with the tears stinging my eyes.
'' Sometimes I wonder if I'd done more you would all have been healthier.'' mama continued tearfully.'' You were all smaller than when Dema and Dora, your eldest siblings who are with the rest of the herd, were born; and especially you, Thorn, were so tiny that I feared you wouldn't survive the first days of your lives.''
I looked shamefully at the ground. I'd probably really scared mamma and Papa when I'd not hatched at the same time as my three sisters. But I was fine, now.
'' Don't cry, momma. I'm here now aren't I?! And I was quite strong, too, even when I couldn't see very well.'' I said softly and looked up at my parents.
'' Oh, yeah, you knocked me over. I need to get you back for that someday.'' Cera broke in with laughter in her voice.
'' Don't you dare! You poked me hard in places that were scratched by thorns, so we are totally square!'' I retorted, suddenly getting into Cera's face at her words.
'' Are we now?!'' Cera drawled out in a challenging tone and pawed at the ground with her front feet.
I copied her with a growl but was startled at the 'thud' of a massive leg slamming down near us before either of us could begin butting heads.
'' As your mother was saying the climate began to change and take away our lifeline. Then violent earth shakes appeared to change our valley and the land around it even further. We had to leave.'' Topps continued, giving the two of us a scolding look.
'' Is it like this everywhere, daddy?'' Tessa asked nervously as she peered around us at the looming, almost bare land with faded vegetation and bare hills surrounding our small herd.
'' Well little ones,'' our mother spoke as she peered up at the sky above us,'' there is hope that a land of lush green and water still exists. Someone in the past named it the Great Valley. It is a place where all our herd is trying to find our way.''
'' But how are we to find the way to the Great Valley?'' Thera asked with a frown.
'' And how do we know its even a real land?'' Cera scoffed out with a snort.'' Papa has always said to trust in only what you can see in front of your eyes.''
Papa uttered a slight cough as mother shot him a scathing look and hissed out: '' As a leader of the herd you would expect him to believe in something that is beneficial for the survival of our herd. But if he doesn't he certainly has a mate who adamantly believes in it. And she will try to make him LISTEN to her advice!''
'' Alright! ALRIGHT, Rome! I will try to believe in something that I've never seen before with my own eyes just this once.'''' Daddy Topps cut in before mom could get into one of her long tirades.
He gave a tired sigh whilst Cera uttered another disbelieving snort. Tessa and Thera just looked mildly amused whilst I could only roll my eyes up at the sky over the ridiculous hardheadedness of some of my family.
Honestly, Cera was like a miniature copy of father in both looks and manner.
Having a little faith in something you haven't seen with your own eyes could sometimes be rather soothing to the heart.
'' Look up little ones.'' mamma continued, lifting her head up again to peer up at the sun.'' When you see the hot, bright circle above us you know you must follow it to wherever it touches the ground. Wherever there is warmth and light, there is also water and green food.''
I looked up at the sky and the horizon, hoping against hope that I'd live to see the valley for myself; and to see my whole family survive the arduous journey there.
Still, from what I knew from the films it hurt to know that mother and most of my siblings would likely perish somewhere along the way before we were to reach the Great Valley.
But for whatever reason, I really didn't know.
THUMP!
''Cera, don't do that all the time!'' I exclaimed indignantly when my sister crashed headlong into me from behind. She hadn't hurt me, but heavens, had she made me annoyed with her actions.
She only grinned and rebutted:'' Why shouldn't I? Your so fun to get riled up, Thorn!''
I uttered a snort through my nostrils and rolled my light pink eyes skyward.'' That's not the point, you brat!'' I sighed and head-butted her for good measure.
It was all true enough, though. Cera and I had inherited our dad's looks and characteristic short fuse.
The reason I couldn't fathom as I never was like that during a normal day of my human life; though at the very end of my life, when the the cancer had taken full hold, I'd become more and more irritable because of the agony and discomfort ravaging me from the inside.
It had taken my family becoming upset at my fluctuating moods to bring me out of the funk each time.
Unlike then, perhaps the short fuse came from inheritance that mirrored all Threehorns, or maybe just from our father who was notoriously bad tempered most of the time.
'' Come now you two, we need to move forward now that the Bright circle is still high up in the sky for us to follow.'' mother said as she dragged me away from her and daddy nudged Cera forward in front of him.
'' Hmph, alright mom.'' Cera mumbled sullenly fell back to fall into step beside me like my very own personal shadow.
It made me grin. We'd gone a long way, Cera and I, from our 'Hatch day'. We were getting along better than we'd done during the first days of our lives. And for that I was grateful for as now we were almost inseparable.
But it wasn't like I wasn't close to my other siblings. No, I loved them just as much as I loved Cera, but the brash threehorn and I had something so much in common that I felt I could relate to her the most.
I giggled slightly as Thera naughtily bumped her horn against Cera's behind. The loud yelp that came out of Cera's mouth had me and Tessa giggling even louder.
Of course our reaction was another cause for her to get mad.
Thera and Cera growled at each other and pawed the ground underneath their feet but before they could so much as charge at one another mother had once again taken hold of one of her irate children's tail and lifted her up high in the air before depositing the hatchling down on her own back.
'' Goodness me, if you lot don't stop with the antagonizing we won't be getting very far by the time the Bright Circle disappears from the sky. Honestly Topps, Cera is too much like you for my comfort. Even at this age.''
Thera, Tessa and I giggled at the expressions on the aforementioned family members faces but a stern glance from our father made us quickly quiet down and turn our attention to the path in front of us.
There it was, the hot, bright circle that shined down at the almost completely barren wasteland in front of us. The air around us seemed to shimmer and form images that weren't real.
You really needed to keep your wits when it happened or you would have been driven off course.
I sighed, and groaned when I felt sweat appear and slide down my face to hit the ground where it immediately disappeared with a soft sizzling sound.
It was hot here. So hot that I was constantly perspiring!
…
END OF CHAPTER 4 Family Squabbles