Chapter XIII
Evening in the Valley
Meanwhile Littlefoot and the others had arrived on the ledge from which Cera had surveyed the valley hours before. "How lovely!" Ducky shouted enthusiastically when she saw the three lakes that reflected the last sunlight. Littlefoot nodded absent minded and looked up to the bright circle that seemed to touch the ground behind the mountains in the west. "No use to start seeking Cera today", he sighed. "It will be dark soon" "Petrie is hungry, thirsty and tired!" the small flyer proclaimed. Spike nodded so fiercely that Ducky who was still absorbed in looking at the lakes nearly fall down from his head. "So let's take a meal and sleep then", Littlefoot suggested. "Maybe it will be a strenuous day tomorrow" Everyone agreed.
Meantime Cera had told Ali everything. She had neither palliated anything nor she had omitted anything. Now she observed Ali out of the angle of her eye and tried to interpret her lineaments. Ali looked very affected, but besides she seemed to try to suppress a great joyfulness, of which Cera couldn't imagine wherefrom it arose. Ali's next words made Cera understand. "That means Littlefoot will come too, and Ducky, Petrie and Spike!" Ali looked as if she would have liked dearest to exult. But Cera shook her head silently and very sadly shaking her head again. "Not this time." Ali's face changed promptly, she seemed to become angrily and answered rather violently:
"Of course they will!" Ali saw Cera jerking with her words she noticed her fear that a quarrel was about to break out between them too. Ali continued immediately in a far more gentle voice: "Sorry Cera", Cera looked up very relieved. "But the others will definitely come! They won't forsake you!" Cera was very obligated thankful with Ali for her consolatory words, but she didn't believe in it. "No Ali!" she nearly whispered it, but Ali understood her clearly. "They won't come! I've affronted Littlefoot's mother. Littlefoot would forgive me everything, but not that!" Cera had to take deep breath before could speak further: "And Ducky, Petrie and Spike won't come on their own too. Besides they have no idea where I am." They were both quiet for a moment. Ali considered if Cera could be right yet. At any rate, she knew Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie and Spike far, far longer. But nevertheless Ali couldn't imagine that Littlefoot and the others wouldn't try to find Cera. Very few knew as good as Ali how meanly Cera could be, but nearly as few knew what a diamond was behind her tough exterior. And if there was one who knew this as good as she self, then it was Littlefoot. Once more she repeated: "They will come, Cera!" Cera didn't answer and they looked at each other for a moment. Suddenly Ali noticed that the sun had already set behind the mountains. She had to hurry up if she didn't want to get into trouble. The setting in darkness was not the only reason that would make her mother and the other grownups fretting about her. "Cera, I must home! My mum will be worried. We've found a trail yesterday that comes, possibly, from a sharptooth." "A sharptooth? Here?" Cera jumped. "Possibly", Ali answered calming while she turned already to go. "Thanks!" Cera shouted after her. Ali stopped and turned her head back. "What for?" she asked slightly puzzled. "For everything!" Ali smiled and Cera returned it. "I'll come back tomorrow", Ali said still than she disappeared in the darkness. Cera noticed just how tired she was. She wrapped up below a small tree and fell asleep immediately.
Evening in the Valley
Meanwhile Littlefoot and the others had arrived on the ledge from which Cera had surveyed the valley hours before. "How lovely!" Ducky shouted enthusiastically when she saw the three lakes that reflected the last sunlight. Littlefoot nodded absent minded and looked up to the bright circle that seemed to touch the ground behind the mountains in the west. "No use to start seeking Cera today", he sighed. "It will be dark soon" "Petrie is hungry, thirsty and tired!" the small flyer proclaimed. Spike nodded so fiercely that Ducky who was still absorbed in looking at the lakes nearly fall down from his head. "So let's take a meal and sleep then", Littlefoot suggested. "Maybe it will be a strenuous day tomorrow" Everyone agreed.
Meantime Cera had told Ali everything. She had neither palliated anything nor she had omitted anything. Now she observed Ali out of the angle of her eye and tried to interpret her lineaments. Ali looked very affected, but besides she seemed to try to suppress a great joyfulness, of which Cera couldn't imagine wherefrom it arose. Ali's next words made Cera understand. "That means Littlefoot will come too, and Ducky, Petrie and Spike!" Ali looked as if she would have liked dearest to exult. But Cera shook her head silently and very sadly shaking her head again. "Not this time." Ali's face changed promptly, she seemed to become angrily and answered rather violently:
"Of course they will!" Ali saw Cera jerking with her words she noticed her fear that a quarrel was about to break out between them too. Ali continued immediately in a far more gentle voice: "Sorry Cera", Cera looked up very relieved. "But the others will definitely come! They won't forsake you!" Cera was very obligated thankful with Ali for her consolatory words, but she didn't believe in it. "No Ali!" she nearly whispered it, but Ali understood her clearly. "They won't come! I've affronted Littlefoot's mother. Littlefoot would forgive me everything, but not that!" Cera had to take deep breath before could speak further: "And Ducky, Petrie and Spike won't come on their own too. Besides they have no idea where I am." They were both quiet for a moment. Ali considered if Cera could be right yet. At any rate, she knew Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie and Spike far, far longer. But nevertheless Ali couldn't imagine that Littlefoot and the others wouldn't try to find Cera. Very few knew as good as Ali how meanly Cera could be, but nearly as few knew what a diamond was behind her tough exterior. And if there was one who knew this as good as she self, then it was Littlefoot. Once more she repeated: "They will come, Cera!" Cera didn't answer and they looked at each other for a moment. Suddenly Ali noticed that the sun had already set behind the mountains. She had to hurry up if she didn't want to get into trouble. The setting in darkness was not the only reason that would make her mother and the other grownups fretting about her. "Cera, I must home! My mum will be worried. We've found a trail yesterday that comes, possibly, from a sharptooth." "A sharptooth? Here?" Cera jumped. "Possibly", Ali answered calming while she turned already to go. "Thanks!" Cera shouted after her. Ali stopped and turned her head back. "What for?" she asked slightly puzzled. "For everything!" Ali smiled and Cera returned it. "I'll come back tomorrow", Ali said still than she disappeared in the darkness. Cera noticed just how tired she was. She wrapped up below a small tree and fell asleep immediately.