Someone had asked as a guest what kind of sauropod/longneck Whiplash was.

Well, I can't exactly answer what kind he is, but I can tell you that he is mostly a Diplodocus.

As River Song in Doctor Who said… SPOILERS… -winks-

This was one of the hardest chapters I ever had to write. It was a real pain in the ass because of all the action was involved and I hated it. I'm not exactly happy with the way it turned out, but I suppose it was better than nothing. Doing dinosaur battles is not very easy, but the next chapter is going to be even harder for me…

You will see why.

Brothers Under the Bright Circle

Chapter 4

Monster Shaking Nightmares

Littlefoot hadn't expected to spot a hopper so far from the water, and he certainly wasn't going to let it get away that easily. To see dinosaurs of different species was interesting to say the least, spotting a creature unlike his own kind let alone something with back legs longer than its body presented an opportunity to learn more about this strange world he lived in. He'd snuck away from the sleeping form of Whiplash and had made a dash for the hopper, hoping to catch it before it got away back into the water. He heaved himself over a rock as the hopper made its way to the water and ducked beneath large branches and brambles. He barely managed to avoid scraping his skin against a thorn that protruded above him like a black shadow.

The croaking of the hopper alerted his attention when he thought he had lost sight of it and he quickly raced after it. It had gone down to the water to escape him, and he wasn't going to lose his chance of learning what it was.

"Hey, hopper, come back!" he urged with a smile, hoping to persuade the hopper to stay, but it kept on hopping, croaking as it went along. "Hey!"

As he climbed up the rocks that led to the swamp, he suddenly jumped when a voice spoke with absolute authority, "You again?!" To his surprise, the very same threehorn (Cera was it?) came from out of nowhere and charged directly at him. He stepped back as she glared up at him and stuck her horn into his face. "Go away!" she snapped. She then turned and stuck her tail in the air. "That's MY hopper!" With that said, she turned and marched toward the slope.

Littlefoot scowled at her from behind, pouting, "I saw him first."

He slowly followed her, determined to catch the hopper first, but she looked back at him with an annoyed huff, steam escaping her nostrils. "Well," she snapped, "he's in my pond."

With that said, she proceeded to slide down the slope in front of her, disappearing from sight. Littlefoot's frown deepened and he raced after her. He slid on his belly down the rocky slope, only to gasp with surprise when he ran into her, his weight combined with her slightly smaller size resulted in her dunking her head beneath the surface of the water. Quickly, he pulled back to give her some space and she sat back to shake the water off her face. She turned and scowled venomously at him. Littlefoot just grinned playfully and shrugged his shoulders, but the moment was short-lived when the unmistakable sounds of croaking caught their attention. It suddenly occurred to Littlefoot that the hopper had not been alone and had been joined with many others, all of them hiding in the bubbles of the swamp.

Seizing her chance, Cera leapt for a nearby bubble with a hopper inside and it quickly let off a loud popping sound, but there was no sign of the hopper. It had vanished back into the water! Frustrated, she pounced onto another, but was met with the same results. Littlefoot quickly jumped back to get out the threehorn's way when another bubble had formed underneath him and she squashed it flat. He laughed as he too repeated the action of jumping on another bubble, and soon Cera was also having a good time playing this new game.

They were, unfortunately, completely oblivious to a looming shadow that was taking the Night Circle's glow away. It wasn't until the shadow had engulfed them entirely did the two young dinosaurs become aware of thundering footsteps that shook the ground. Gasping, the two of them glanced around in panic as a deep growling noise came from behind. Immediately, Cera whirled around and her eyes widened with absolute terror.

"SHARPTOOTH!" she screamed.

Quickly, Littlefoot pushed Cera away as the monster closed in on them, stomping slowly through the water. The growls of the creature, followed by the snarling and snapping of jaws caused the two of them to make a mad dash for safety. They barely managed to dodge an incoming foot as he tried to stomp on them, the water splashing against their skin. As they ran for their lives, Littlefoot finally managed to spot a bunch of huge black brambles and thorns. He nudged Cera in the side and they dashed toward it.

Sharptooth snarled with impatience, revealing sharp yellow teeth as he continued to pursue them. The moment they hid themselves amongst the thorns, he lost sight of them. He growled angrily to himself, searching for his prey. He was not about to let his chase go to waste. He needed the food and he needed it now.

The two children shivered as they pushed deeper into the brambles, trying to use their environment to their advantage. With the thorns creating a barricade between themselves and Sharptooth, they were safe for the moment until help arrived.

But the relief would not last as Sharptooth deliberately pushed his snout through the brambles, eager to reach for them, but a thick branch stopped him from getting any closer. Littlefoot and Cera ducked down as low as they could and he pulled his teeth back in frustration, snorting his hot stinky breath on them. He pulled his head back to find another way to reach his targets.

Seizing the opportunity, Littlefoot nudged Cera. "Go!" he commanded quietly and they snuck away as quietly as they could. After a few minutes, they came to a crossroad. The one to the left was brighter and more exposed, but the one to the left was darker and thicker than the rest of the brambles. Littlefoot inched toward the right side, but Cera stubbornly moved to the left. "This way," he urged impatiently.

Cera made a sour face and shook her head defiantly. She leapt forward and ran to the left.

"Come back, Cera!" Littlefoot shouted. "You're going the wrong way!"

But Cera ignored his warning and Littlefoot was forced to give chase. To his utter fear, the increased stomping of the two-footed predator immediately told him that Sharptooth had heard them move. He ran even faster than before, trying desperately to keep up with the threehorn.

Sharptooth spotted them for a split second and he made a leap forward, his jaws open wide to make a grab for the fleeing longneck. The moment his snout pierced through the brambles, he became entangled and his snout was stopped dead in its tracks, held back by a strong branch. But the hatchling longneck had also became ensnared by the thorny branches as well, holding him in place firmly. Terrified, he struggled and pulled even harder to try and get away from the behemoth, but the brambles on Sharptooth was loosening as well and it would not be long before he had him in his jaws.

With more determination than ever, Littlefoot mustered all the strength he could and pulled even harder. Suddenly, the branch that had been holding snapped back and came loose. The release of the tension was so great, that the backlash resulted in a huge black thorn stabbing itself directly into Sharptooth's right eye.

Sharptooth pulled his head back and howled in agony. White hot pain burned through his head as his tears mixed with his own blood, causing it to sting even more. Using a claw, he scratched the thorn out and blood seeped onto his hand, staining it dark red. He shook his head to clear some of the blood away, but the damage had been done and he was forced to close it shut.

He opened his mouth and roared with fury just as the two hatchlings raced out from under the safety of the brambles. He spotted them with his one good eye and his rage burned deeply. They would pay dearly for what they had done to him!

He gathered his legs beneath him and jumped over the brambles, landing just a few feet from them, knocking them to the ground. He snarled in absolute hatred and moved in to finish his vengeance.

But before he had a chance, a long whip-like tail cut through the air and sent him hurtling backward. His head slammed into a rock, dazing him.

Littlefoot got to his feet and his eyes beamed with relief.

It was Whiplash!

The large longneck towered over him and Cera like a shining beacon of hope. He glanced over at Cera and nodded at her with utmost urgency. She seemed to understand the silent message and the two raced underneath their saviour. Now Whiplash stood between them and the furious monster.

Sharptooth shook his head to clear his dizziness, struggling to get back up on his feet. Whiplash took notice of this and widened his stance, his tail curled in preparation to strike if Sharptooth tried anything that would endanger his little brother and threehorn companion.

Roaring, Sharptooth managed to recover enough and he charged directly for the longneck. How dare he get in the way of his vendetta! He leapt in front of him and tried to make a snap for his vulnerable neck. But Whiplash was ready, and he stepped backward on his hind legs, with Sharptooth's jaws closing on thin air. Whiplash took the opportunity to pivot on his front legs and his thin tail whirled toward the blind spot of his enemy, but Sharptooth's keen sense of hearing picked up on sound and he ducked with ease. Whiplash turned his body again and his tail came back around to make up for the miss.

The blow from the counterattack was not what Sharptooth was expecting and it connected with the side of his head, sending him flying until his head was buried in dirt and rock. Whiplash cautiously walked up to the downed opponent, his cold yellow eyes watching for any signs of movement.

But there was none.

Whiplash's shoulders relaxed somewhat, but his guard was still up. He had heard stories of predators playing dead to make a final blow that their prey would never see coming. Still keeping his eye on Sharptooth, he addressed Littlefoot and Cera.

"Both of you, run!" Whiplash commanded.

"But Sharptooth is dead," Cera insisted pompously. "Besides, I don't take orders from a longneck!"

Forgetting the possibility that Sharptooth was playing dead, Whiplash's head snapped toward her and Cera flinched when she saw the seriousness in his expression. "I'm not playing around, threehorn!" he snapped. "Creatures like these have a habit of playing dead, so I suggest that you listen to me for once in your short young life!"

He had taken his eyes off Sharptooth for a split second, and only for a second, but it was more than enough for the furious monster.

A split second was all he needed from the distracted longneck.

Sharptooth's eyes snapped open and he lifted a clawed foot, brutally kicking Whiplash in the side and his claws raked his soft underbelly.

In all the horror that Littlefoot had seen in one day, this… was the most horrifying.

Whiplash screamed with agony, blood oozing from three large slash marks on his right side. Quickly, Sharptooth got back to his feet and he charged, butting his head into Whiplash's chest. Winded from the blow Whiplash stumbled backward, completely unbalanced. And then, to Littlefoot's utter horror, Sharptooth whirled around, slapping his thick tail in the larger longneck's injured side. Sharptooth charged again, pushing him dangerously closer to a nearby ravine. Whiplash tried to regain his footing, but Sharptooth was quicker, pushing even harder. One of Whiplash's feet dangled over the edge, but it was more than enough for Sharptooth to make the finishing move.

He headbutted him in the chest again and Whiplash toppled over the edge.

"Whiplash!" Littlefoot screamed in terror, but it was too late, Whiplash had disappeared, and all he could hear was the deafening bellows of helpless terror from his brother. "NO!"

"We've got to get out of here!" Cera shouted, just as Sharptooth turned to see them bolting. Saliva dripped from his bloody fangs and he leapt toward them with unnatural speed. He landed right behind them, knocking them off their feet. Snarling with anger and vengeance, he prepared to take them both into his mouth. Screaming, Littlefoot curled into a tight ball, waiting for the end.

But it never came.

An all too familiar roar of fury rang in his ears and an enormous shadow loomed over them, followed by a powerful shockwave and the crumbling of rocks. He looked up in time to see his mother bearing down over him and Cera, glaring at Sharptooth while she stood over them protectively. Her tail curled back around and her stance became wider.

"Mother!" he cried, relieved. He and Cera dashed beneath his mother's legs as she continued to glare at Sharptooth. "Mother, Whiplash, he's…" he tried to say as tears threatened to fall, but the words were lost as Sharptooth got back on his feet again after constantly bashing his head against the rock formation. He snarled in anger and charged murderously at the female longneck.

Quickly, she pushed her son and Cera away urgently. "Run! Run!" she ordered.

"Mother, Whiplash is gone!" Littlefoot shouted over the thundering footsteps of Sharptooth.

Despite the shock of the news reaching her ears, his mother was forced to block it all out as Sharptooth leapt in front of her and tried to bite at her forelegs. Immediately she reared up on her back legs, dodging his snapping jaws. She came back down on all four feet, but Sharptooth took a simple step back from the incoming blow. The ground shook violently, but she would not be so easily deterred as her neck swung down upon the biter with the force of a speeding truck. Sharptooth flew backward and slammed into a rock with a crash, rocks pelting down on his thick hide. He shook his head to clear some of the dust away and roared in anger.

Quickly, she ushered the children away in an urgent manner, trying to keep them away from her feet and putting herself between her son and Sharptooth. Angered at the retreating enemy and determined to not let his prey get away, Sharptooth roared again and leapt high into the air. Littlefoot and Cera watched in horror as the monster dug his thick claws deeply into his mother's back and sunk his bloody fangs into her spine, eager to cause as much pain to her as he wanted.

The mother longneck screamed and bellowed with agony as Sharptooth dug his teeth deeper and deeper into her flesh, snapping and biting while she thrashed wildly to dislodge him from her back. With a vicious shake of his head, he tore a huge chunk of flesh from her back and released his hold on her. Despite the blood dripping dangerously from the open wound, she kept on running with Littlefoot and Cera just beneath her feet. Littlefoot looked back in time to see Sharptooth throw his head back and swallow the flesh whole before he came back again. He charged right at his mother's legs, now more determined than ever to cease the two hatchlings in his jaws.

Sensing the approaching danger, the mother just barely managed to keep her back legs away from his sharp teeth and they snapped at thin air, missing them by a mere inch. Before Sharptooth even realised what was happening, as he attempted to make a grab for the children again, a blow from the thick tail of the protective mother longneck slammed into his face and sent him hurtling down a rocky slope. He skidded and slid down until he came to a halt at the bottom.

All the while, the three leaf eaters kept on running to safety, but the damage to Littlefoot's mother had been done. As she staggered with the children just a few feet in front of her, Littlefoot tearfully looked back as he realised they were getting further and further away from where Whiplash had fallen.

"Mother, what about Whiplash!" he urged, but she did not pay him any heed. Right now, her mind was far more focused on getting her son and the threehorn to safety as quickly as she could, despite her horrible injuries. The moment they stopped to catch their breath, the battle with Sharptooth was soon forgotten as a new and far more powerful danger began beneath their feet.

The ground started to tremble, shaking until it grew stronger and stronger until it started to split the ground in half. Confused, Littlefoot and Cera peered at the crack, but it soon turned to rear fear as the earth beneath them suddenly rose up and tossed them to the ground, separating them from the elder longneck.

"Littlefoot!" his mother shouted with alarm.

She stretched her neck as far as it would let her, but she was too far away, and the threat of the earth-shaking land grew stronger than before. In that moment, she collapsed, weakened from the loss of blood that Sharptooth had inflicted upon her, and completely unbalanced by the increasing destructive power of the earthshake.

Littlefoot could only watch in horror as he became further separated from his mother. There was no way he and Cera were going to reach her without her aid. A roar from behind him and Cera forced them to look over their shoulders and their eyes widened in fear.

Sharptooth was back up on his feet again, but he was no longer focused on the hatchlings. Instead, in his haste to escape the danger of the earthshake, he had no idea he was making his way toward them. His feet pounded the ground heavily as he raced to safety, but unbeknownst to him, his feet had picked up a pair of passengers and they were forced to ride along. Littlefoot and Cera clutched each other tightly, trying to hold onto the fast moving two-footed predator.

Sharptooth stopped near the edge of a cliff, his broad red eyes glancing around fearfully. But by stopping, he had created a chain reaction. Littlefoot and Cera looked down and saw that one of his feet had stopped on a crack. Suddenly, steam erupted from the ground below, burning his foot and he roared in agony. As he staggered backwards as the ground beneath them continued to rise from the ongoing shaking, Littlefoot and Cera fell off and found themselves sliding down to the edge.

Quickly Littlefoot dug his paws into the ground to try and slow himself down, only to find himself stopped by a rock, but the moment of relief was short-lived as Cera slid into him, breaking the rock. The shaking continued to grow and Sharptooth lost his balance, sliding onward until his tail caught itself between the children's legs. They tried to cry for help as Sharptooth could no longer prevent himself from continuing down to the gorge below.

"Mother!" Littlefoot cried as tears of fear fell down his eyes, hoping that she still had the strength to hear him.

Unable to hold on any longer, the threehorn and longneck bolted up Sharptooth's back and over his head, trying desperately to get back to the ledge. But Sharptooth was not so easily deterred and if he was going to die, he was going to take the children with him. He opened his mouth wide as they lost their grip and fell.

THWAMP!

An enormous tail slammed into Sharptooth's face and he plummeted to his doom.

Littlefoot and Cera began to fall as well, but something managed to grab hold of their tails and they looked up to see Littlefoot's mother lifting them to safety. Gently she set the two of them back down onto the ground and she began to nudge Littlefoot away to safety and back toward his waiting grandmother and grandfather.

Only the terrified screams from Cera caused Littlefoot to look back, but his mother kept on pushing him onward, determined to keep her son safe. They ran onward until they finally neared the two concerned elders, but before Littlefoot knew what was happening, his grandparents suddenly shot up into the air.

As he tumbled down a rocky slope, completely separated from his family, the last thing he heard was the cracking of the world splitting in half and the bellows of fear and agony from dinosaurs of many kinds. He skidded to a halt, slamming his head against something solid, pain erupted in his head and his whole world went dark.