I wrote this fanfic after Malte suggested Mr. Thicknose tried to commit sucide by letting snow bury him in episode VIII after Cera's father robbed him of his dignity. These are his thoughts from the time he's told to leave the children alone to when Littlefoot and the others find him buried alive in the snow.

SOUND THE BUGLE

Sound the Bugle now Play it just for Me

Mr. Thicknose slowly lumbered off after Cera's father had told him he wasn't to teach the children anymore. All this time he'd been lying and finally someone saw through his lies. He had nothing left his dignity was gone robbed from him. His family was dead and he was a loner.

As The Seasons Change Remember how I used to be

He remembered as a youngster hearing the tales of the Far Walkers about a valley that had been formed by the bright circle falling out of the sky and the longnecks saving the world by pushing it back into it's place in the heavens, about the cold lands where some dinosaurs were covered in soft downy fuzzies ( feathers) to keep them warm if they couldn't migrate. Now the cold had come to the Great Valley and everyone blaimed him for not knowing. How could he have known he made those stories up so he would be respected as a child he had been an orphan and the other children had bullied him.

He remembered his mate Pachyna killed by an earthshake which had destroyed all but one egg. He'd raised his daughter but she'd left the valley long ago to find a mate of her own and he had never taken another mate.

Now I can't go on, I can't even start I got nothin' left just and Empty heart.

" What do I have to live for?" He asked himself. He realised nothing his life was over he was useless and useless dinosaurs died it was the way of the Circle of Life. Too old to be any help to the others and not as wise as everyone thought. He had nothing.

I'm a soilder wounded so I must give up the fight Lay right down deside not to go on.

He lay there in the snow letting it cover him it would be a slow death but if memory served him right he would soon become so cold he'd just get tired and fall asleep and his body would shut down. He lay there letting the snow cover him completely.

Then from on high somewhere in the distance there's a voice that calls Remember who you are.

"We have to find Ducky." He heard Littlefoot saying He stood up. " Mr. Thicknose what are you doing?" Littlefoot asked. "Please no more questions Littlefoot." He said. The 4 young dinosaurs shrugged and went to the pass out of the valley. "Well here we go." Littlefoot said. Mr. Thicknose realised they were leaving the valley on one of their adventures he'd heard of. If memory served him the never told the adults before leaving. Then Mr. Thicknose had an Idea.

" Children am I correct in understanding you are going. Without your parent's permission into the Mysterious Beyond?" He asked sternly. They fell for it. "We have to Ducky and Spike are out there!" Littlefoot explained. "If something happened to you out there your parents would never forgive me. So therefore I'm coming with you." Mr. Thicknose said. "Allright you can come." Littlefoot said. The old Pachyrhinosaur smiled. Maybe he still did have something to live for if it was only to protect these children from a sharptooth with his own life at least he'd die with some dignity.

You're a soilder now fighting in a battle. To be free once more yeah...

That's worth fighting for.