Chapter 14:
The next few days, Ali and Shorty mainly spent together. They became close friends and as soon as Ali was capable of moving at her own strength, they played games in every break they had.
The walk across the mountains was less dangerous than Bron had expected though the Longnecks were pretty sourced up from their long migration.
Eventually, they left the mountains. They were now wandering through rather dry grassland but there were watering holes here and there.
During one of the many breaks, Shorty and Ali came to talk about their destination. Shorty and Ali knew each other fairly well already.
"Hey Ali!" Shorty called upon seeing his friend getting herself a drink.
"Hey, how's it going, Shorty?" the pink Longneck replied.
"Had this sleep-story again last night..."
"Yeah, I had this sleep-story as well. It scares me every night..."
"Yeah, nothing to be ashamed of. They ARE kinda scary."
"Our leader didn't allow us to follow our instinct..."
"Really?"
"Yep, she said it would be too dangerous."
"Ugh! Don't tell Bron! He's an adventurer by heart."
"Really?"
"Quite, he'd rather die in a fight or during an adventure than of old age."
"Hehe, I believe you."
"He once battled four Sharpteeth all alone and won without getting injured much."
"Four fully grown Sharpteeth?!"
"Well, they were some strange kind of Sharpteeth, not the size of the real badasses, but they were bloody fast."
"Still proof of true skill and bravery.." Ali awed.
"Bron is skilled in fighting, and brave too. He'd take on any Sharptooth or even a whole pack of 'em..."
"Impressive!"
"Would your Old One have done that?"
"I don't know... See, I've never seen her in combat before since the sheer size of the herd was always enough to make them back off. Still, the Old One feared Sharpteeth more than everything else."
"How cowardly!" Shorty snorted.
"Well, she isn't too wrong at that point if you ask me."
"How come?"
"Well, why fight them if you don't have to?"
"Why not? The only thing they do is cause grief among the leafeating kinds..."
"I guess, being the girl I am, I'll never understand your motivation." Ali chuckled.
"Possibly..." Shorty poked his tongue out.
"Do you feel that, Shorty?"
"Huh?!"
"We're getting closer to where it'll happen, Shorty."
"Yeah, I can feel it too. Heck, I SEE it!"
"Where, Shorty?"
"Over there!" He pointed to what seemed to be a lone mountain in the plain area.
"Ah, that ought to be the place."
"What oughtta be the place?" Bron, who just walked by, called.
"Shorty spotted the place where it will happen," Ali explained.
"That's right! I found it," Shorty exclaimed proudly. Together, the two young ones pointed at the mountain in the distance.
"Nice catch!" Bron awed. "I was feeling we'd be rather close by now..."
"What will we get to see there, Bron?" Ali questioned.
"Well, I can't tell you, little one," Bron replied. "But the fact that it'll be a surprise is what makes it special."
"Well, then tell me what you expect to happen, please?" Ali questioned again.
"I'm sorry, kids, I haven't spent this thought any attention yet," Bron replied. "What do you two expect?"
"Well... it oughtta be something big!" Shorty exclaimed.
"Or something wonderful..." Ali said dreamily.
"Hey, maybe we're all gonna die like in the sleep-story.." Shorty whispered evilly.
"Or those not daring the journey to that place," Bron said at a guess.
"All possible..." Ali muttered.
"Well, whatever it is, we might see long-lost relatives..." Shorty said.
"Y'all are thinking about Littlefoot, eh?" Bron asked.
"Yeah..." Ali sighed. Feelings she hadn't had in a fair while were established in her mind and not leaving her in peace. She would be deeply depressed if Littlefoot wasn't there.
"Yeah, but it's not only him I'm thinking about," Shorty replied thoughtfully.
"I get'cha," Bron said. "Have you told Ali about it already?"
"Why yes, what's the matter?" Shorty retorted.
"Well, I didn't want to say things in front of her that you might not like her to know," Bron explained.
"Ah alright," Shorty said, easing. "So yeah... y'know I've never met my mother before..." he explained. "Well, I wonder if I'll meet my mother... or even that jerk I ran off from."
"Do you know how your mother might have looked like, Shorty?" Ali questioned, interested.
"Kinda... I know that she was really tall... and that jerk said she was pretty which I can't judge anyway."
"Hehe, good luck anyway," Ali said, smiling.
"Thanks!" Shorty responded, bowing down in front of his friend.
"Anyway, let's get going again," Bron called loudly.
"Aww, we haven't played any games yet, Bron!" Shorty protested.
"Don't discuss this again, Shorty!" Bron ordered.
"Aaaaaaaaaalright, come on, my little flower," he replied.
"Hehehe, coming!" Ali chuckled.
Bron's herd moved towards the place where it would happen though they wouldn't arrive there before the next day.