(The Land Before Time belongs completely to Don Bluth and Universal Studios. This is for show, not dough.)

Chapter Nine: The Gang Unites

As I stepped over root after root, I suddenly found myself face-to-face with the ground. Disgruntled, I heaved myself up again, shaking out my cerulean and indigo down.

"Hey, you okay?" I heard Roxy ask.

"Yeah... Just... uh... lying here," I replied.

"More like kissing," the russet pachycephalosaurus remarked.

"Ah, just help me up, will ya?" I tensed.

Roxy bent over and wrapped her forelimbs around me, heaving me back up to my paws. I thanked her as I saw Zino, Fray, and Twine catch up. They all had longer legs than me, so it was a breeze for them, but I had been determined to be the leader and go faster. That only landed me into collapsing to the ground. So much for that. Avian was on Fray's back, curled up and fast asleep on her peachy quills. It had been a week since we had assembled together. We had come across copse of more trees, roots lining the ground and making it either low, steep, or uneven. I suddenly perked up as I heard a low hiss. I motioned for the others to follow as we all hid behind a large root of a bare tree. I felt my chest tighten as I saw the spinosaurus pass, the quadrupedal aquatic dinosaur slinking across the ground, eyes intent on finding a source of prey. I didn't want that to happen, of course. As the silver theropod passed, I peered around the root to see if it were out of sight and earshot, soon gesturing for the others to follow.

As we proceeded along the copse floor, I nearly leaped out of my feathers when I heard a terrified shriek followed by Zino's iconic crow. Whirling around, I saw an adolescent pteranodon with a brown backside, a lighter torso, a peachy plumage around his wrinkly orange, an awkwardly long beak, a slender horn-crest, and startled brown eyes. He trembled against Zino's faun neck as the therizinosaurus let out an aggravated caw.

"Owww!" he complained. "What's with random creatures falling on top of me from above!?"

"I-I sorry! I just try to fly from up there!" he stammered.

"Why?" Zino scowled. "You're big enough to fly from the ground, so why aren't you?"

"I... I no fly! I can't! I try, I do!" the skittish pteranodon insisted.

"Pff, what?" Roxy piped in. "An adolescent pterosaur that can't fly?" She laughed, "That's hilarious!"

"Oh... Others laugh too..." he whined mournfully. "I try to fly all life, but just... no fly!"

"Others?" I titled my head as I approached the pterosaur. "Do you mean... your family and flock... or do you mean that you aren't alone?"

"Oh! I no alone!" he perked up. "I have friends! I found them!"

"Wh-where are they?" Twine asked softly.

"They over there!" he pointed with a digit, his membranous wing flapping at the movement.

He hopped off of Zino and gripped me by my tail plumage, fluttering off with me.

"H-Hey!" I squawked. "I'm not made for going backwards like this!"

"Guys! Guys!" he chirped. "I find more friends!"

The other four followed me in confusion as I simply drew an irritated expression as I staggered and wobbled over roots. The pteranodon soon released my tail tip, in which my heel hit a root, unbalancing me. I was sent tumbling backwards as my world went round and round until I bumped into something. Disoriented, I waited until my head and vision cleared as I heard the others catch up. As objects came back into focus, I squinted my eyes into what morphed into two surprised russet orbs. Arching a brow in confusion, I nearly felt my heart stop when I heard a familiar voice ring in my ears.

"Hey... You okay there?"

As the eyes lifted, revealing a narrow taupe snout of a sauropod. Hopping back up to my paws, I stared into the apatosaurus's face as I sniffed at him and studied his adolescent features closely. My heart did leaps as tears of joy begin beading at the rims of my bicolored eyes.

"Littlefoot!"

The male sauropod jumped at my outburst as I readily clung onto his neck, nuzzling into the familiar folds. I let some tears fall as I felt Littlefoot peer down with his narrow head.

"W-Wayward?" he gasped. "Is... is that really you?"

"In the flesh!" I chirped as I tightened my grip on him.

I felt the apatosaurus fall to the ground as I heard him sniffle. He lowered me to the ground, burying me in his forelimbs as he nuzzled my teal snout.

"I missed you so much," he whispered as I felt his tears roll down onto me. "I couldn't see you past all that dirt and grime... and your scent was muffled by all those other ones... I... I thought you were..."

"I know, Littlefoot..." I smiled, closing my eyes. "I know... I did too... "

"Wayward!?"

"Wayward!"

Two more cries emitted as footfalls came pounding towards our way, collapsing into a heap to either side. The lavender-gray form of Ali buried her narrow snout into my crusty, dried gash as Ducky nuzzled her billed muzzle into my cheek.

"You are alive, yep, yep yep!" Ducky cheered softly. "You are, Wayward!"

"Where have you been all this time...!?" Ali inquired, sniffling.

"I've been traveling alone... until..." I slipped out of their holds, looking towards Roxy and the others. "I met them. They've been so nice to me... and we've been traveling together. They're all headed to where we are."

My three herd-mates looked at the four other dinosaurs, Avian suddenly popping his head around Fray's peachy neck. He chirruped as he glided clumsily over to me, clinging to me willingly.

"This is Avian... I found his egg abandoned," I explained the archaeptyrex to them. Roxy walked up, smiling, "And this is Roxy. She and I sorta met each other over... a meal." the pachycephalosaurus rolled her eyes amusingly. Zino strutted up next, "This is Zino. Me and him met each other when I fell out of a tree hunting a lizard." Then came Fray and Twine, "And this is Twine and Fray... We helped them with a siats encounter."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Ali nodded to them, smiling. "It seems our little friend Wayward here has been quite the busy friend."

Littlefoot smirked, "Yeah, who would've guessed that they would have made so many friends along the way."

Ducky giggled, "Yes, it is indeed surprising to see new faces, it is!"

Roxy snorted, "Same goes for you. You're pal Wayward is a tough nut, they even countered my headbutt."

The three glanced at me, in which I responded with a cheeky grin.

"It was... quite the shock when they sort off fell onto me," Zino piped in. "I was trying to rest... and then... Wayward was there."

Littlefoot tried to hold back a smile as Ali rolled her eyes, Ducky beaming to herself. Soon, the three dinosaurs allowed me to stand once more. I clambered onto Littlefoot's back, digging into his familiar ridges lining his spine. Avian settled on top of Littlefoot's head, fluffing out his navy blue pinfeathers. Ducky hoisted herself on top of Ali's shoulder blades as she made herself comfortable.

Littlefoot gestured with his narrow head, "Come along. We should go now."

As Ali and Littlefoot led the way, I suddenly felt something sharp digging into my sides. I squawked in irritation as I screwed my head around to see the brown pteranodon digging his foreclaws into my sides.

"Ow!" I glared at him. "Hey, knock it off!"

"Heh, you got nice feather fuzz, Featherfuzz," the pteranodon laughed.

I scowled, "My name is not 'Featheruzz', it's Way-ward."

" 'Wayward'?" he began twiddling with the ends of my indigo feahers lining a majority of my back until reaching my tail feathers.

"Who are you anyway, Pterosaur?" I scoffed.

"My name Petrie," he replied as he began tugging at my indigo plumage jutting from my tail tip.

"Are you just gonna keep doing that?" I demanded.

"Hmm... Yes," Petrie affirmed, causing me to wince as he began untying the stem to my Ginkgo Leaf. He rumbled incoherently to himself as I tensed, causing me to bristle my feathers.

"Well you can't!" I shook out my down, trying to unlatch the pesky adolescent pteranodon from me. I leered back at him, wriggling my tail, "You're tearing my Ginkgo Leaf!"

He mumbled inaudibly as I began teetering my backside right and left, trying to rid of him. He then glanced down at his handywork as he suddenly whimpered guiltily. Littlefoot craned is neck to peek at us.

"Uh... Petrie... You mind?" the apatosaurus titled his head, causing Avian to tilt as well as the archaeoptyrex hatchling to chirrup in surprise.

"Uh..." the brown pteranodon looked to the side.

Grabbing my tail back from the annoying pterosaur, fastening the stem of the fan-shaped around the base of my tail once more, "You're a flying reptile, right?" I turned around and opened up one of his fleshy wings. "So why are you hitching a ride on Littlefoot?" I opened up his other wing, "Go on... Fly!"

Littlefoot chimed in, "Uh, Wayward... I don't think he's in the right situation to learn how to go flying."

"No way, Littlefoot. This guy needs to learn how to spread his wings and soar," I objected.

"What are you doing, Wayward- Hey, stop that!" the sauropod snapped as I had sauntered near his tail and began pecking at his backside, trying to spur him to go faster. I continued my pecking the more he ordered me to stop. "Wayward, cut it out! I'm not your servant!"

"Wayward!" Ali called. "What are you doing!?"

"Hey, Trooraptor, you just reunite with the guy and then you start pecking him like an insect?" Roxy jeered.

"Wayward, do not hurt my brother, oh no, no no!" Ducky trumpeted on the back of Ali.

"Wayward, quit it!" Zino crowed. "What are you aiming at!?"

"Y-Yes please! I cannot keep up!" Twine stammered, stumbling over roots.

"Uh... Theropod, it isn't your job to force a pterosaur you just met to start flying," Fray added rather collectively. "Especially in this case."

"I'm just trying..." I grumbled between pecks. "to... get... the guy... to start flying so he can't annoy me!"

Littlefoot gawked, "What!? Is that what this is about- Hey! I was talking!" I pecked him harder, causing the sauropod to lumber faster.

"Open your skinny wings, Petrie!" I urged. "Be the flying reptile you are!"

The pteranodon yelped in protest as I began shoving him forward towards Littlefoot's neck, "N-No! No can do this!"

"Yes you can!" I countered, shoving him up the wrinkly neck. "Now, open up and fly!" I squawked as I hoisted the scrawny adolescent higher where he could peer over Littlefoot and Avian's head.

Avian twittered and glided clumsily over into Ducky's embrace as I kept shoving the pterosaur skyward, my hind claws digging into Littlefoot's scaly taupe hide.

"Yow! Wayward, stop doing that!" the apatosaurus cried. "You're digging your claws too hard into my back!"

"Just... a little... mooooorrreee... " I muttered as Petrie now clung to the top of Littlefoot's dark head.

The others called and ordered for me to stop this nonsense all at once in different breaths as I shoved the pteranodon higher, now digging my hind claws into Littlefoot's shoulder blade, the other, higher set in the back of his neck to keep him mobile.

"Wayward!" Littlefoot growled.

"Slow down!" Ali, Ducky, and Roxy called.

"Stop!" Zino, Twine, and Fray shouted. "Stop!"

"Aaaaannnd... GOT IT!" I cheered as I successfully got Petrie to lean almost cleanly off of Littlefoot's scalp. I clung to the apatosaurus's wrinkly folds as I suddenly gaped from the speed, "Whoa!"

I nearly fell off when I heard Petrie screech out, "D-D-Dangeeeerrr!"

"Huh?" I gawked. "Where?"

"Th-There!" the pteranodon cried. "Ahead!"

Littlefoot, Petrie, and I cried out as Littlefoot spun around in a muddy puddle, skidding to a halt just to be entangled in a legless hadrosaur skeleton that was being hung up by some vines. The dusty skeleton broke apart from its bindings, it's wide ribs digging into Littlefoot's flanks as he suddenly pelted past all the others in a startled state. I clung tightly onto Littlefoot's neck as he panted, Petrie clinging desperately onto the apatosaurus's flat head. The others bolted right after us as Littlefoot leapt down a slope as another squeal was emitted. I gasped as I saw a yellow figure come charging towards us, causing Littlefoot to slam his paws against the dirty ground, launching the hadrosaur skeleton onto the onto what seemed to be a surprised triceratops. I nearly fainted when I was also flung head over heels from the recoil of the stop, sending me flying after the skeleton. The bones shattered apart as the skull planted itself on top of my head, pinning me to the ground as I tumbled over a root. I squawked as I was sent upwards right onto a squishy texture, cushioning my fall. Others parts of the skeleton scattered around in an explosion, rattling against the ground and roots. I groaned as I shook my disoriented head, clearing my vision. As my sight came back into focus, I was suddenly met with a surprised set of jade eyes. With each ragged breath, I rose and fell with the triceratops's belly. She suddenly glared, snorting. She bucked me off of her stomach as I collapsed to the ground, only for Littlefoot to prop me up with his snout.

I shook the skull off as the apatosaurus stared down at me in concern, "Are you all right, Wayward?"

I panted, "Y-Yeah... Sorry about that Petrie... I just got a bit aggravated and got caught up in the moment..."

"It fine," the pteranodon leaned on Littlefoot's head.

Ali came up beside me with Ducky hanging off of her neck, "That was quite a spill... sure you didn't spill any blood or anything?"

I shook my head, assuring, "No, I'm fine. Just a bit... shaken."

Ducky sighed, "That is good, it is, it is. I am glad you are okay, I am."

Roxy soon came to my other side, helping me to my paws for the second time today, "Yeesh, quit scaring us like that, Trooraptor. I might just pass out knowing you fell and horribly caught yourself in a freak accident."

I peered up at her backwards as I saw Zino, Fray, Twine, and Avian appear behind me as well.

"Please stop falling, okay?" Zino asked softly. "I just met you... and I don't want to have you badly hurt."

"Nah, I'm fine, Therizinosaurus," I reassured the theropod.

Twine began fussing over me, "Yes, but are there any feathers out of place? O-Or disks that were slipped? How about a sprain or fracture?"

Fray gently shoved her companion, "Uh, I'm pretty sure the kid needs their breathing space more than you up in their face."

Twine sighed, "I know... I-I'm sorry... I just get so flustered when one of my friends or close ones get in harm's way like this."

I looked at them all calmly, "Guys, guys, no really... I'm fine! Really! I am!" I stood, shaking out my cerulean and indigo down. "I'm pretty sure I'd tell you if I was losing a limb or a few claws or something."

A few of them laughed and smiled, but Twine and Avian seemed to grimace. Sighing, I glanced at the now agitated triceratops.

"Hey... Why were you so scared?" I suddenly asked the adolescent. "What happened?"

She huffed, "'Scared'!? Puh! Me? Scared? No way!" She laughed as she stomped proudly over me and up towards the slope. "Why are you lot so scared?"

I glared, "We're not scared!" I glanced behind me at the others. "Are we...?"

"Nope, nope," Ducky chirped.

"Not really..." Zino mused, putting a claw to his chin.

The adolescent triceratops slid back down, her hair-like bronze bristles whipping like blades of grass on her backside and tail, "Well you should be!" She stuck a horn in the air, parading back towards us all high and mighty like she owned the place, "I could be with the other triceratops in my herd, but I chose to come back to warn you." She smirked.

I suddenly gaped as I realized the tone of the yellowish ceratopsian, "Cera."

"Oh... it's you, Crossbreed," she scowled, glaring down at me. I only glared back at her, "Too bad Tricia's not around to see you," she mocked, "She would've been just glad to see her old carnivorous 'friend' again. Too bad she's else where."

"Uh, what is she talking about, Wayward?" Littlefoot asked.

"... I wandered off one day and met a triceratops youngling named Tricia... who's part of this sack of sin with horns and legs's herd." I explained solemnly.

Cera scoffed, "Hmph, that's right, Theropod. I can't believe you convinced her to like a thing like you, since my mother didn't seem to convince her that triceratops aren't supposed to hang around such threats."

Littlefoot hissed as he suddenly stood over me, "That's enough, Hornface."

Cera lit up, "Oh! So now's it's a name calling game, Flathead!"

"Hey, leave him alone, punk!" I cawed.

She peered down at me, "Hmph, you don't intimidate me, Featherbrain."

Littlefoot lowered his head, butting Cera's face to get away from me.

She simply stuck her horn in the air egoistically again, "Whatever. While you guys were bumbling about, I... met... " she whirled around, smirking with her teeth, a wicked light in her jade eyes.

"The Great Sharptooth!"

Petrie, Twine, and Ducky all gasped as Petrie squeaked, clinging to me cowardly, "SHARPTOOTH!"

I scowled at the paranoid pterosaur as I shoved the shivering mess off from me. I simply clambered back up onto Littlefoot's neck, wrapping my limbs around it.

I heard him huff, "Come on, Cera. Sharptooth's dead. He fell into the abyss when my mother knocked him in the head with her tail."

My bicolored eyes widened as memories flooded over me.

I cawed at her in response as we neared Ducky and Rhett just as I saw Pip, Pop, Nia, and Sabin under a rocky arch where the herd was. The ground became muddy and soupy as we entered the swampy basins again. I slipped as Nambi nudged me up once more, muck caking our paws as we splashed and stumbled in the pond. As we waded out of the basin, another humongous tremor rattled the ground around us. Under the arch, the structure began to molder from the movements. Nia and Sabin took note to this and hurried out from under the arch. I looked past Rhett, Ducky, and Nambi as I saw the twins stumble against each other, uncertain where to go. My eyes widened as I wanted to scream at the twins. The two males tripped as small rocks and pebbles began to shower all over their mauve hides and sky blue sails.

"Pip! Pop! GET OUTTA THERE NOW!" I trilled at them.

"Wayward! Nambi!" Pip wailed.

A large boulder crashed beside them.

"Nia, Sabin!" Pop shouted.

More fell. Pip barely evaded being smashed by another.

"Help!" they pled. "MAMA!"

A torrent of rocks buried them, causing a landslide that blocked a way back to the herd. I faintly heard their muffled cries as cracking of bones emitted from under the rubble.

"Pip! Pop! NO! NO!" I cried.

As the landslide settled, the earth began to deteriorated with each quake. Nia and Sabin teetered as they pressed against each other, fighting to keep balance. I shot a determined look at Nambi as we rushed over to our sisters' sides. We just had made it when a loud shriek emitted from not too far. Turning around, I gasped as I saw Opaque lumbering in our direction, intent on snagging a snack. The ebony monolophosaurus sneered at us as she snapped, only to be scalded by a rising vapor of steam shooting from a deep vent. The crumbling ground rose with such a magnitude that we were bucked forward. I cawed as Ducky barreled me over, causing us to collide into Rhett. The three of us all screamed as Nambi tumbled over into Nia and Sabin. Opaque trilled as she skidded backwards on the trembling earth. We all gasped as the tenturan theropod fell behind us, leaning forward to flourish her teeth. The six of us untangled ourselves as we clawed forcefully at the weakening ground, the looming theropod just a ways behind us.

My mind swam as the Opaque suddenly roared in despair. The ground shattered beneath the six of us lost our footing. Rhett screamed as we plummeted after the flailing carnivore. Something clamped against my tail as I was yanked forcefully upwards. I squawked, screwing my head around in fear. My heart did leaps when I caught a glimpse of a very labored Mama as she frettfully yanked the lot of us away from the dangerous fall. I winced as I suddenly was met with a wail full of dismay. Glancing earthward, I trilled as I witnessed Nia plummet down the rift after Opaque as she mournfully called for us to save her from her ultimate demise. I found nothing escape my throat as my sister plunged into the bowels of darkness. I watched as the lilac and turquoise form of Nia vanish in the depths of the rift as I officially had lost sight of her. My heart wrenched. As I was set down, I noticed that Ducky, who had been clutching her forepaws onto my feathery tail for the time of being yanked back in, released her grip on the limb as she checked to see if I was okay. Nambi and Sabin were placed down back on their paws as Mama motioned for them to follow. Out the corner of my eye, I could see Rhett begin to scurry away towards another direction, presumably his own herd.

I saugntered over to the edge of the cliff, trying my best to find Nia safe somehow… SOMEHOW—!

I was woken from my trance when I was nudged by my mother's big snout, alerting me to run towards safety. To my side was Ducky, who looked terrified. My gaze lingered over my shoulder as I saw my exhausted adoptive mother. I let out a small chirp of concern, but was prodded by Nambi's muzzle to keep moving. I staggered into a shallow stream along beside the foursome as I ignored the searing pain shooting from my neck where that gash resided. As the five of us traversed the unmoving stream, harsh shreiks and screeches sounded off behind us. I heard another forlorn wail as it reminded me of my siblings, teasing my yearning heart into thinking they were still fine. Whirling around, more wails sounded off from my family.

There Sabin was, in the lethal claws of the russet quilled neovenator Incisor as he sneered at us with those green eyes of his, mockery clearly in their depths. I saw Sabin's horrified teal eyes as the talons dug into her soft purple hide and a part of her violet sail, puncture wounds leaking crimson blood rapidly. The shy amargasaurus screamed as Incisor tightened his grip on her. Mama bellowed at the theropod as she began lumbering out of the stream back onto the shaking ground towards her daughter. I watched as I saw the purple form of Slant come dashing from behind the deep violet sauropod.

Mama had fallen right into their trap, having taken the tempting bait.

"Mama, behind you!" I trilled, bristling as I stumbled in the dirty stream water.

Mama whipped around just for Slant to dig his jaws into her hind leg, piercing the skin. The amargasaurus wailed as she was met again with agony, blood gushing from the wound. Ducky trumpeted for her mother and brother. Nambi gaped in horror. I cawed at them as I took action, head butting Slant with my indigo crest. The dilophosaurus screeched as he was unbalanced. Mama flung him away with a sweep of her tail, causing the theropod to roll out of sight under fissured and rubble. A sharp scream hit my ears as I witnessed yet another casualty. Sabin hang limp in Incisor's grasp as he sunk his jaws into her neck. Mama roared and hissed depressingly as the theropod took off with his prey. My body filled with depression as I suddenly stumbled from another fierce quake. The land began crumbling apart as ridges rose and rifts formed. I witnessed several kinds of hadrosaurs, stegosaurs, sauropods, ceratopsians, theropod dinosaurs, mammals, ornithopods, and other creatures flee, some rolling over waves of earth. A large mountain of land erupted as several vents opened, causing lava and steam to come forth. Nambi and Ducky screamed as they were carried away by a piece of crippling clast. I called fretfully as a landslide raged in my direction. I felt Mama eclose her maws over me as she carried me in the security of her concealed mouth.

My world around me was dark and aotic as Mama lumbered through the ruined lands. I rung my claws around Mama's peg-like teeth for balance as I sat on her slick tongue, her hot breath hitting my back as she panted. I suddenly trilled as Mama's mouth gaped open, sending me plunging down a fissure as I heard Mama cry after me.

I hardly noticed Cera jaunting as I felt my throat tighten and my heart sink, "That's where he met me!"

"Oh, dear brave Cera," Petrie praised.

"Yes, I am brave," the triceratops smirked boastfully.

"Sharptooth is dead, Cera!" Littlefoot rebuked. "You saw him because you were there too with me, Ali, and Shorty!"

"Yeah! What gives you the right to say that he's alive," Ali agreed. "I don't see him breathing and blinking and moving in front of us, so how can you prove anything about that?"

"Yes, yes, you have no evidence," Ducky chimed us. "Nope, nope, nope."

I tensed as I heard the cutting voice of the snarky ceratopsian, "My father told me that saurischians have really small brains."

"He's dead, you bastard!" I screeched as unwanted emotions washed over me, "Why can't you accept that!?"

Cera glared, "Of course you all didn't let me finish."

I only glared back, skittering over to a fallen strip of bark.

Cera dogged after me, teasing me with a mocking tone, "I was all alone with him in the dark. I could hear him breathing." The cocky triceratops imitated heavy breathing, soon taking a sharp inhale and exhaling quite exaggeratedly. I backed up on the strip of bark as Cera crept towards me, "I could see his one, big ugly blood-red eye looking for me! I walked right up to him and roared," she turned around and crouched to leap. "RAAAAAAARGH!" I was catapulted as Cera stomped on the lower end of the bark, causing me to go reeling into the distance.

I heard the others calling fretfully out for me as I went flying through the bare trees until I came upon a knot of dead limbs, rolling into a dead vine until I was dropped onto the back of something soft. I gaped as I heard a startled grunt and was forced to latch onto whatever was moving, in which I was currently sitting on. I let out a squawk as the thing suddenly stopped moving and skidded to a halt. I went tumbling forward, soon crashing to a stop as I was sprawled out on a somewhat flat, wrinkly surface. Opening my eyes, I stared down to see curious maroon eyes. I gasped I was suddenly slid off and was unexpectedly bathed in slobbery laps and drubs of a slick tongue. I cawed and tried to shove the maw away from me as the creature suddenly flumped onto the ground on its belly. Once I rubbed the dribble from my gaze, I found my heart doing leaps as I set my eyes upon someone I thought I would never see again in my life.

"Spike, it's you!" I beamed, hugging his beaked snout. "It really is!"

The leaf-green stegosaurus nodded, making small happy grunts, giving me a rewarding lap up my teal mandible once more.

I titled my head, "What... what happened to Tippy?"

His expression morphed into a somber mask as he stared sadly at me. I frowned, nodding.

"It's okay... I understand," I patted his snout.

He soon chinned up as he smiled once more, offering to let me clamber up onto his small head. I smiled as I mounted his head, turning around and getting situated.

"Hey, Spike, what was that-" a nasally voice suddenly appeared, a somewhat familiar scent hitting my nares. "No...way."

"Shorty!" I gaped at the hazel prepubescent apatosaurus-brachiosaurus hybrid.

"You!?" he gawked, sky blue eyes puzzled.

"You know Spike?" I questioned him.

"No, I just randomly spout out strangers names correctly," Shorty deadpanned. He scowled, "Of course we know each other! He saved my hide back during the Great Earthquake and the big galoot and I have been traveling together ever since."

"Oh..." I nodded. "I see."

"And I suppose you somehow know him too?" the hybrid arched a brow.

I nodded, "We played together a long time ago, along with his herdmate Tippy. I thought I'd never see him ever again."

"So... Are you alone out here or what?" Shorty inquired. "Because it seems you're pretty busy causing a ruckus around here." He then arched a brow, "And what exactly are you?"

"Oviraptor and Troodon hybrid," I snorted. "And c'mon! We're both saurichians and hybrids here! We gotta stick together!"

"Hmph, please, like I'd want to," Shorty huffed. "And plus, you still haven't answered my question from before. Are you alone or with others?"

I shook my head, "Nah, I'm with six others, and just reunited with three of my herdmates. There's also a new guy... a Pterosaur. And then there's that yellow brute named Cera... Pompous ceratopsian."

"Wait, wait, wait," Shorty cut me off. "Did you say 'Cera'?"

"Yeah, why?" I glared to the side.

"She nearly got me and two apatosaurs killed!" he snapped. "Sharptooth nearly took off our tails with her guidance."

"Why did you trust a stranger?" I arched a feathery brow.

"Why not?" he huffed. "It seemed like my only option when I had set out to find my bumbling herdmate Rhett. The other two sauropods seemed pretty down with it as I was, so why not?"

"That must've of been Littlefoot and Ali you're talking about," I clawed at my neck with my hind claws to relieve an itch. "I heard them going on about Cera not having any proof for finding the giganotosaurus alive in an abyss after Littlefoot insisted that he fell to his doom after his mother whipped him down there. You were there, right?"

He rolled his sky blue eyes, "No, I was away in the Great Valley frolicking with butterflies. Of course I was, halfwit."

I snorted, "Whatever."

Spike suddenly bobbed his head up once, alerting me to look at him, "Huh?"

He glanced over to where I had came from.

"Oh... You want to bring me back to my friends?" I asked.

He nodded happily.

"Okay, sure," I smiled down at the ornithischian. "Lead the way, pal."

"Uh, I didn't agree to this," Shorty droned.

I was met with a surprise as Spike suddenly shot the sauropod a disapproving expression. The preteen's eyes widened at the sudden look from his companion before scowling.

"Fine, whatever floats your leaf in the water, Spike," he rolled his eyes.

Spike seemed to be satisfied with his sudden change in demeanor and turned, motioning for the hazel hybrid to hop onto his back in between his dark green plates. Shorty reluctantly boarded the steogosaurus as he suddenly began walking with us both in tow. I exchanged looks with Shorty as we both stuck our tongues out at each other grudgingly. As the stegosaurus led us through the dense, bare copse I suddenly saw Littlefoot and the others come running towards us. The first to reach me was Avian, who clung to me, twittering and chirruping in concern. I only patted his head, reassuring the little theropod that I was unscathed. Littlefoot sniffed at me, checking for wounds or blood as Ali observed me from beside. Roxy appeared latched to the neck of Littlefoot.

"Wow, Trooraptor," the pachycephalosaurus joked. "Three times in a day. That's a new record."

I blew a raspberry at her as Zino, Twine, and Fray came into view.

"Why do you keep scaring us!?" Zino crowed. "You give us enough trouble as it is!"

"U-Uh... who are they?" Twine gestured towards Spike and Shorty.

Littlefoot, Ducky, and Ali gapsed, "Shorty!?"

"Yeah?" the hybrid stood on Spike. "What about me?"

Ducky gaped, "You are alive! You are, you are!"

He scoffed, "Course I am, Saurolophus."

"Parasaurolophus," the pale green hadrosaur corrected the younger dinosaur. "I am a parasaurolophus."

He shrugged as Spike suddenly slid me off his head. I got to my paws as I turned back to him, receiving yet another lick from his pointed tongue.

"Uh... This is Spike," I introduced him. "I sorta met him a while back before I came into contact with Tricia and Cera's herd. Me, him, and a younger stegosaurus named Tippy sorta played a while until they had to go back to their herd. He doesn't really talk either, but his face speaks for him."

The green stegosaurus nodded.

"Uh, nice to meet you, Spike," Ali gave a smile.

"Oh boy, a stegosaurus!" Ducky beamed, dashing over to him. "Just look at his plates! They are are cool, they are!"

Spike guffawed in appreciation as he nuzzled the smaller ornithischian.

I cackled, "Looks like he likes you, Ducky."

"It seems he does, yep, yep, yep!" the parasaurolphus giggled.

Avian chirruped as he rested on my back.

"Nope, nope, nope!" Cera came bombarding in. "What makes you expect that we're letting even more dinosaurs go with us!?"

I glared at the triceratops, "Who said you were with us at all?"

The ceratopsian gawked at first before simply sticking her horned nose in the air once more, "I might as well now that the whole party's here."

I exchanged glances with the others as Shorty suddenly spoke up.

"Yeah, who said we were coming with you?" the hybrid challenged.

Spike shot him an displeased look.

"Uh... I guess Spike does," he grinned sheepishly. "Then that settles it, we're going with you guys now."

Spike hummed in approval.

"I say that they don't!" Cera huffed.

"Well, it's one against twelve, so the odds seem fair," I affirmed.

The others mumbled in agreement.

The triceratops shot me a look, "And just who made you the leader?"

"No one," I simply answered. "I just stepped in."

"Yeah, even if they aren't, we still think Wayward would be a better leader than you, Hornhead," Roxy stood beside me.

Zino nodded, "Yeah!"

Twine nodded in agreement. So did Ali, Littlefoot, Ducky, and Petrie.

"Yeah, the kid may be a bit scatterbrained and headstrong, but they can make some pretty good decisions," Fray folded her forelimbs.

"And at least they don't get us killed," Shorty added.

Spike huffed, bobbing his head in agreement.

The yellow triceratops looked from one to another as she suddenly transfixed her jade eyes into a glare. She stomped a forepaw, "Fine! Whatever! It's not like I need anyone anyway!"

Just as the adolescent ceratopsian turned away, a low hiss emitted from afar. The female triceratops squeaked and ran behind the cover of Littlefoot.

I gave her an amused look, "Sure ya do, Ceratopsian."

She only rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue.

And so the thirteen of us set off for the Great Valley. I don't think there had ever been a herd like us before. Two apatosaurs, an apatosaurus-brachiosaurus crossbreed, a parasaurolophus, a pteranodon, a therizinosaurus, a thescelosaurus, a dryosaurus, a pachycephalosaurus, a stegosaurus, an archaeoptyrex, a triceratops, and finally me, an oviraptor-troodon crossbreed all together. All of us knowing we would were to lose our way, we would starve. Or find ourselves in carnivores' shadows.

We could only hope for the best and hold on together from now on.

But it wouldn't be easy. Not by a margin.