A Successive Aptitude

The sandstorm was upon the herd within seconds, impairing their vision most definitely. Hardly anyone could see a foot in front of them. Mr. Thicknose and the other Seers were not going anywhere with the herd if the storm kept blowing sand in their eyes like this. It is then than Mr. Thicknose sees a gap between the high walls of the desert cliffs despite how little he could see, and a herd of Spiketails that seemed to be coming their way at quite a rush.

"Bron!" Mr. Thicknose called. "There are Spiketails heading this way! I could make out a gap between the high cliffs! And then they started showing up!"

"We must try to head their way!" As he started to move, the sandstorm increased and buffeted him back into a stand with his eyes closed. He could not see, let alone move even a foot forward. Keeping his head down he waited for the Spiketails to reach them. As they appear in front of them, they begin to direct the herd to the safety of the cliff walls, keeping the sand out of their faces as best they could.

"Keep your heads down Longnecks! Sand clouds can be blinding! They can choke and dehydrate you!" With the formation of this Stegosaurus herd causing the sandstorm to blow over as it buffets their sides, air holes begin forming between the dinosaurs, giving the others their much needed breaths without swallowing any sand. Within minutes the whole herd were safely under the cover of the high cliffs, as the bad weather continued raging. With everyone accounted for, they carried on towards their destination in light that they will make it without any more interruptions.

As much as he had wished, Shorty still did not find any clues that would tell him they were on the right track where Bron had headed with the rest of his small herd. No matter where he looked, there was nothing.

"Hoh!" Shorty moaned in a depressing way. He is just about to give up when he finally notices something he has wanted to find for the last hour. He runs towards them, much to the surprise of the others before calling them over.

"Hey guys! Over here!" Shorty looks to them as they approached him.

"What have you found?" Littlefoot happily questioned.

"The tracks of the herd we are looking for." He looks over them to his right, and sees that they pass by a canyon. As he looks to his left, he notices that the footprints have come from the red spires. This instantly reminds Shorty about the tracks he saw before Red Claw and the two Fast Biter brothers appeared and messed up their original direction.

"Where have they come from?" Ducky asked in curiosity.

"The red spires where we were chased. If Red Claw and the two Fast Biters hadn't showed, we could've followed these foot holes here."

"Do you know where they lead, if they lead in the way you know?" Ruby simply enquired.

"They pass by that canyon down there." Shorty answered directing his gaze down to the right. He starts to run off in the direction of the prints joyous to know they are back on the right track. His friends follow him closely behind, not wanting to get lost in this unknown area of the Mysterious Beyond.

Shorty stops outside the canyon, as the others start wondering why. They then follow his gaze down to the ground, where large Sharpteeth tracks could be seen. They were prominent and much more recent than the others, like they were made there that morning. Studying the area, Shorty had the understanding that these Sharpteeth were fleeing from something else in the canyon, but was not sure what or when. He thought to check inside the canyon, just to be on the sure side but knew this was a bad idea.

"Shorty?" Littlefoot asked, breaking the silence.

"I'm not sure why these Sharpteeth fled, but I think it is wise we go around."

"Go around? Shorty that will take ages!" Cera complained.

"I know it will take a while, but it is the safer option Cera."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Bron went around, probably due to these Sharpteeth yesterday. If we go inside now, whatever these Sharpteeth were fleeing from will find us."

"Shorty does have a point Cera. It would be very bad if we are found out. It would. It would."

"Me go with others on this one Cera."

"But!" Cera seemed a little surprised and annoyed.

"Please Cera! We've trusted Shorty this far." Chomper pleaded, awaiting Cera's decision. "Please don't let it all go to waste." Cera had to think for a while, until her final decision meant going with Shorty and the others around the canyon.

I shouldn't let long journeys get to me like this. Shorty could be right. Who knows what Sharpteeth could be in there? I shouldn't put myself in danger just because I want to walk less. Cera thought to herself. The pause her friends received, particularly Chomper was confusing. "Okay! I will stay on the safer route."

"That's great!" Chomper replied quickly with maybe a jump of joyous intent. Well he wanted to, but that would be quite strange in anyone's eyes, so he concealed it with a turn as the others headed on forward. Cera follows under certainty that Shorty knows where the safest routes are.

The heat in the prairie has become completely unbearable to a certain extent. Petrie is fanning himself as best he could while flying through the air, and Ducky droopingly hangs over Spike's thick neck, her tongue hanging out. Littlefoot is sweating quite profusely as well as Cera, Spike and Shorty, and they are gradually slowing down to a sluggish stride. Never have they been so long walking through very hot regions like this one. Of course, they have before at the time they were helping Mo return to the sea where he belongs, but they had a river beside them the entire time. Out here, they have not seen even a single watering hole since they left the coolness of the cave at the red spires. Petrie suddenly falls out of the sky, crashing frontwards onto Littlefoot's back utterly exhausted. He too had his tongue hanging out, but was salivating due to lack of hydration. Littlefoot looks to him, quite worried about how dehydrated he must feel.

"Petrie! Are you alright?"

"Hoh! Me too, tired! When we, gonna get there?"

"I don't know!" Littlefoot answered breathlessly.

"All I want is, water right now! I cannot even, move with all this, heat!" Ducky complained. Both Petrie and Ducky were breathing rapidly, and their lips start drying up.

"There, has to be, a watering hole, somewhere round here." Shorty began aspiring, having no clue if Bron and the others found water at this point.

"Hoh! I regret, even agreeing, to this! The canyon, was so much, cooler!" Cera paused trying to catch her breath and reserve her energy, not exactly a good idea but she had no choice.

"Cera! We have to keep moving!" Chomper urged as he walked to her. "If a Sharptooth comes here, he would pick his teeth with you without hesitation!"

"Oh! I don't care! I can't move until I've had a rest! The Bright Circle is making this place so hot!" She collapses on her front in exhaustion, causing Ruby to head back and help as best she could with the others slowly heading to them.

"Cera! You can't lay here or you'll never get up from laying here. The heat in the air will keep you down, and you'll dehydrate because the heat is keeping you down." She starts helping Cera back up to her feet. "I know it is hard work, but hard work will always pay off if you let the hard work pay off." She has now successfully got Cera back to her feet and helps her walk back to her friends.

"Thanks, Ruby." Cera then starts to wonder how both Ruby and Chomper are inexhaustible in the heat. They do not even seem to be flustered at all, and Cera wanted to know why. "But how can, both you and, Chomper, not feel this heat?"

"Oh we feel it alright.!" Chomper began. "But as we have both lived out here, Ruby especially, we are used to this kind of temperature!"

"I, see!" It is then that Ducky smells something quite near.

"Em! I smell, something. I do. I do." Spike sniffs next, and clarifies with noises of conversion that the others hear, making them stop and do the same.

"Hey! You're right!" Littlefoot concurred.

"It smells like, water." Shorty concluded before running on ahead.

"Shorty wait!" Littlefoot shouted before running after him to try and stop him in case there is danger. Spike runs next and then Chomper, but Ruby still stays by Cera's side, helping her down the ridge until Cera says otherwise.

"Thanks Ruby, but I feel fine now!"

"Are you sure, 'cause you don't look like you are sure?"

"I'm fine!" She heads on slowly and carefully, but Ruby notices that she is walking funny. Not wanting to make Cera feel helpless, she follows close behind in case she fell again. It did not take them long to reach the watering hole, where they finally managed to drink their much needed fluids. Cera is very relieved that the watering hole had been quite close, as she started feeling dizzy not long back. Ducky and Petrie both dragged themselves across the arid earth toward the oasis, their tongues out and ready to lap up as much water as they could gulp down. Unable to get to drinking even a single drop, they both slide in with a light scream and eventually float on the surface very eased to have actually made it there.

Their time there had actually been quite enjoyable, that is until the Fast Biters arrived to drink. They started eyeing the young dinosaurs as they lapped up their fill, causing Littlefoot and his friends to freeze with fright just staring at them back. Shorty counted seven in total and thought it wise to leave as soon as they had the chance, but none of them had ever witnessed this before. At first they were curious as to why a hunting frenzy was not imminent, Chomper and Ruby in thought at the sudden scene, but this quickly turned tables before things were back to being in a frightened state at the glares. I understand this all too well from my parents. Ruby and Chomper both considered in their minds, before going back to drinking much to the confusion of their friends.

"Em!" Cera exclaimed.

"This is very weird. Very, very weird. Why do they not attack?" Ducky queried.

"Me no know. Me too scared to think." Petrie seemed to be the only one terrified about sharing with their enemies.

"I don't like this!" Both Littlefoot and Shorty replied at the same time, before turning to Ruby and Chomper in much need of a clarification. Spike soon realised that there was no threat, and also went back to drinking. Finding some water greens under the water, he began to eat out of concern. None of them though, have ever seen this type of Fast Biter before. They have feathers, some more prominent than others; they were larger than Screech and Thud; they seem to be very dangerous in hunting, and they look very agile. Not a carnivore to be hunted by, by any means. With one final glance from the Fast Biters, the watering hole was silent again as they returned to their previous territory. Shorty seems to understand that they may have come from the canyon Cera previously wanted to walk through. Searching for food, the young dinosaur friends agreed to leave within a short while after they have gained enough energy for the rest of their journey until the night falls again.

Reader's notes: If anyone remembers seeing savannah in this chapter, I have replaced it with prairie as the location is more suited to this environment.