Category: Land before Time
Rating: T
Couples: hints of Canon-ones
Warnings: BIG AU, Blood, Character Death, Heavy Sci-fi
Chapter: 26
Copyright: © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
They both knew Pterano had worked him into a corner there. Either he refuted Littlefoot's opinion and risked offending the two Longnecks beside him, or he accepted his opinion and be forced to allow those 'humans' in here.
"It probably wouldn't help if I said something, would it?" Mary whisper-asked the Swimmer that had come to stand beside her.
"No, trust me, the best thing is to let him rage it out." Hadria answered equally softly as she watched his inner battle in the Threehorn's eyes. "At one point you learn how to deal with him."
"Which is 'let Tria deal with him', most of the time." Littlefoot whispered, ignoring the slightly peeved expression one of his friends had. "Don't worry. We got Chomper in, we'll get you in too."
"I think even he had a better track-record than I do." Mary looked away into the direction from where the others had to come. She wished they would be here already.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"What do the readings say?" Cian followed Grandma with a firm step, Lewis maintaining a hologram beside him.
"Agitation, high adrenaline, but no battle." The younger male assured him. "It seems Hadria and Pterano are being successful at the moment."
"They won't be able to keep Threehorn back for long." Grandma wove through the massive trees with practiced ease, the human on her back only needing to duck lightly once in a while. "He does have an unmatched temper. Tyra, do you hear anything yet?"
"A bit." The Sharptooth faded in and out of the gloom of the trees. "They are arguing, I think. Hadria is angry. I think they are reaching the limit."
"Oh Topsy…" Tria moved gracefully around the bushes she could not trample. "You think Hadria could handle him?"
"I am not sure how the web affects her, but she was never a fighter." Grandma's eyes briefly clouded over. "Tyra, just in case?"
"Sure." The Sharptooth picked up the pace, disappearing from view as she seemed to merge with the green surrounding her.
"That is just creepy." A young male whispered, unable to follow the path of the Cretaceous Behemoth. Just a simple Military upgrade and she seemed to outclass them by far.
"Such is the way of the beast." The old man on Grandma's back stated. "Why do you think we destroyed them all? They inspired fear in our ancestors because they could kill. We made technology to destroy nature, boy."
"Or enslave it." Grandma turned her head, her red-brown eyes took an angry glint as they met those of her rider. "I feel this was not the first time."
The humans said nothing, and she turned to watch where she was walking again.
The forest-floor started to decline, leading down into the valley. The canopy was still as thick and impenetrable as it had been before. The only hint for the humans that they were still heading for where they needed to go was the occasional foot-print of a T-rex in the decaying leaves. The dinosaurs seemed to know exactly where to head.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
She knew battle was inevitable. She could tell from his eyes.
"Go." She turned to the children. "Go."
"But…" Littlefoot wanted to object, wanted to stay, but she was firm.
"Go." She repeated, pointing at the elders. "Don't put yourself in harm's way."
"Then they better duck." A female's voice said, purringly coming from the foliage behind them. The sounds faintly heard through her words were those of a Sharptooth.
Tyra had arrived, appearing in between the trees as if she had just come from thin air. Her red eyes were fastened on the Threehorn, calculating and cold. She kept herself horizontally, head passing over the children well before her feet became first visible.
She made no sound, but calmly broke free from the forest. "So…" She purred. "I see he's being unreasonable. Chomper, tell those Longnecks to move a bit. I don't have… the okay to hurt them." The T-rex female approached slowly, her steps soft on the grassy ground. With some fascination Mary watched her toes splay as she put weight on the foot, marveling at the movement of muscle underneath the scaly skin. The thin lines of her web sparkled in the sun.
One of the children beside her squeaked and only now she realized that the T-rex' face was red with blood. Even now her teeth still carried a hint of red, testimony to how fresh the kill must have been.
She half-turned, looking at the herd behind her. They had seen it too, and realized that her blood must still run hot from her previous hunt. They had backed away, even Hadria and Pterano having moved into a more defensive position. The little Sharptooth seemed not to say anything despite his mother's request.
"So be it." Tyra tilted her head, briefly glancing at the Swimmer and Human in her path. "Move."
She hardly left them time, shooting forward faster than one would expect. She cleared the cluster of children in one massive step, the ground shaking as she moved straight at her target, eyes burning and mouth poised for more.