Chapter XVI: The Dead Forest
"We'll starve!" cried a runner. "It'll take us days to reach the part of the forest that's still green!"
"We must try," said Mr. Longneck. "It is no use to sit up here complaining."
"But the fire-water has not hardened yet," pointed out a widebeak swimmer.
"We'll be stuck up here for days!" cried yet another dismayed voice.
We were, indeed, stuck up there for days. Many starved to death. Flyers tried to help by searching among the dead trees for green bits and bringing them back. Some even flew to the green parts and returned a few days later with tree-stars.
One day I woke up to see a most welcome sight: the fire-water was no longer red, but ashy black. A spikefrill saw this and went down the rock. He fell through and was burned in the still-hot fire-water beneath. Mr. Longneck announced that we would wait three more days before continuing our journey. So we did.
On the third day, those of us who were still alive climbed down our big rock and marched across the black rock-field. Some of us were so hungry that we even ate the bark of the dead trees.
Another day, and we were closer, but our numbers were lower, and predatory flyers snatched some of the children who were with us.
The next day, I collapsed, thinking I could go no farther, but Shieldback and Spikethumb stayed with me and transported me across the ground, Spikethumb pulling from the front, Shieldback pushing from behind. It was uncomfortable, but I did not complain. After all, it is not pleasant to die of starvation when you can see acres of green in front of you.
Two days more and we reached the still-green part of the forest. We all cheered and tore into the green food with relish. We ate our way through the forest like swarming leaf gobblers.
Our health and spirits were wonderfully restored, and we moved on through a small valley between several tall mountains, happy and secure in the knowledge that the Great Valley was very, very close.
"Well, fellow dinosaurs, it looks like our luck has finally changed," announced Grandma from the front of the herd. She had barely finished speaking when a sickleclaw dropped down behind her.