Category: Land before Time
Rating: T
Couples: Tria/Threehorn
Warnings: AU, Hints of Character Death and Blood
Chapter: 3
Copyright: © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me
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While their great-grandfather had certainly given them something to work with, the question remained as to how they would use it. Tricia would need to get into 'danger' in such a way that both Tria and Mr. Threehorn had to join for her to be saved, but any danger they could relatively get her into themselves would merely be enough for one of them.
They were also not helped by the acting the five younger Threehorns had to do to keep from alerting their herd to their dealings with the Gang.
They did not see the old male Threehorn again, him having returned to the herd out in the Mysterious Beyond. Tria kept evading her former mate, though she did take up talking to some of her friends in the Valley again.
Littlefoot watched from afar as Tria talked to his grandmother, the Longneck more than a little reluctant to revive their old friendship. She had never fully recovered from the fever she had suffered after the Threehorn-attack. The healer doubted she would ever return to the state she had been beforehand.
For the first time in many Cold Times, Grandpa Longneck was cold towards someone, not at all as forgiving as his mate was towards the female Threehorn for what she had done.
Tria staid well away from him in answer, only visiting the female Longneck when he was elsewhere.
Littlefoot was nearby when a... difference of opinion happened between the two. He hid himself, cowering under the bushes he had been eating from when it began and crept forward.
Neither was yet screaming, but he could clearly make out the hard edge in his grandmother's words.
"How long will this last, Tria?" She demanded, turning to face the younger female more fully. "This cannot continue. By all accounts the old female that is supposed to die here is recovering: your stay is prolonged. Sooner or later you must have a confrontation with old Threehorn."
"I refuse." An hardness like he had rarely seen came upon the pink female. "He will get nothing from me but hate."
"Says your head." The Longneck stated, her face now close to the other's. "Yet your eyes betray your heart. You are still in love with him. You suffer from this separation between you."
"You don't..."
"I don't what? Understand? Oh believe me, I do." Grandma Longneck looked up to the few Sky Puffies passing overhead. "I know of hate mixed with other emotions only too well, Tria, more than you can understand." The old female looked down again. "My life was never perfect, not even before I lost my last child – last of many, mind you – to The Sharptooth all those Cold Times ago during the Great Earthshake. I suffered pains you are far from suffering in equal measure."
With a shock he realized she was referring to his mother here. But it was true, he had never even heard rumour of aunts or uncles, despite both of his grandparents having survived until now. The closest he had come to meeting family outside of his parents and grandparents was the Old One's herd, cousins to his grandparents.
"I think someone was lying. Though certainly grieved at her mate's loss, your new mate's aunt looked not like she was dying to me. Not to mention I doubt you just so happened to be near here when finding out she 'was dying of grief'." Grandma softly continued. "Makes me wonder in what kind of relationship you are when even your new mate wants you to talk to your previous one. You might want to think about that."
She left then, walking slowly into the distance, leaving behind a Threehorn who was reasonable certain that this was not what she expected when she woke that morning.
Littlefoot considered sneaking away then, but Tria turned and walked right past him, though she gave no indication she had noticed the little Longneck cowering on the ground.
It was quite a while until he dared come out, rushing off into the opposite direction. He just hoped neither would notice he had been eaves-dropping!
In the distance he saw his grandparents together, talking softly over a nice Treestar-meal. What made him do a double-take was something he saw over at the water-hole: Tria and Mr. Threehorn, obviously uncomfortable with each other, but together nonetheless.
He gasped when he saw who was approaching them: Tria's new mate, children following in his wake. It seemed he was not the only one noticing the coming confrontation, more dinosaurs now moving in their direction, his grandparents among them.