Chapter 2: Stranger in the valley

A Horned Sharptooth had broken into the valley and chased the resitents everywhere. However, a young Longneck ended up falling over as his mother went to retreave him. But the Horned Sharptooth was now about to to take a bite of them.

However, a rock was then seen hitting his face. Making everyone turn to The Great Wall to see who it was. It was Cera.

"There she is. The Lone Dinosaur."

Cera leaped from her spot and charged at the Horned Sharptooth at full speed and then rammed it on its left leg. And she hurt it hard enough to scare it away as it hopped away.

"Hump."

Everyone chared for her as the mother of the young Longneck then lifted her up into the air.

But then, Cera opened her eyes to find herself back at her own nest.

"That's odd. Three-horns don't have Sleep Stories much offten." She said to herself. "But could it really be true? Could the Lone Dinosaur really exist?"

Without another word, Cera went back to sleep.

However, neither she or anyone else were aware of a shadowed figure entering the valley once the Night Circle reached its setting point.

"So Leaf-eaters and Sharpteeth really are getting along." Said the figure.

The next morning, the gang was playing a game of Hide and Seek. And of course, Cera was it.

"Ready or not, Here comes the Three-horn."

Cera looked around. No one was around yet. She looked behind a bush. Still no one. Until,

"Aha." She shouted as she saw Spike eating another bush. "Spike. It's not really hiding if you eat your hiding spot up."

Spike growned sadly.

"Well, I found you. Now where are,"

"HEY! What are you kids doing?"

Turning around, the two saw Topps looking at them.

"Hi Dad. We're just playing Had And Seek."

"Really? It looked to me like you kids were wasting food. Don't you realize it's the time of the changing tree-stars? We can't waste those haven't changed yet. They must be eaten before they dry out. Do you want us to run out of food entierly."

"Now Mr. Three-horn." Came the voice of Bowser. "There's no need to frighten the young ones."

Topps sighed. "Anyway Cera, there's no time for games with you. You need to be watching the twins."

"That's why they're playing our game to."

"Really? Then where are they?"

The were hiding up in a tree that Spike helped them climb up on. However, they fell and landed on Topps's head and then onto a fallen Tree-star pile.

"And that's why you should never leave them out of your sight. That's your second strike Cera. One more and it's over."

Without another word, the two grown-ups walked away. Cera was upset. Three days ago she almost let the twins drown in one of the watering holes and that was her first strike.

"Where ever the rest of you are hiding, the game's over! I don't want my dad to get mad again!"

Right on cew, the others came out of hiding.

"Why does your dad always ruin the fun?" Chomper asked.

"I don't know." Cera answered.

"Then you pick a safe game for us to play." Said Ruby. "Because if it's safer, then your dad won't ruin the fun if it's safer."

"I know." Cera said quickly. "We can play Lone Dinosaur."

"How do you play?" Littlefoot asked.

"Well, one of us is The Lone Dinosaur. Another one of us is a dangerous Sharptooth. And the rest are the ones who get chased and saved."

"Who will be the Lone Dinosaur?" Ducky asked.

"Well it was my idea." Cera answered.

"Then who be mean dangerous Sahrptooth?" Petrie asked.

"Well," Cera started.

However, she looked at Petrie closely. And the others did as well. And then it hit him.

"Me?!" He shouted.

"Petrie. Petrie." Dinah and Dana said as they danced around him.

"How come Petrie have to play bad guy?"

"Well," Cera started again. "You never play the bad guy in any of our games before."

"That because me too scared to be bad guy."

"Then think about it. You could get braver if you play the bad guy."

Petrie thought for a moment. And then,

"Roar!"

Petrie began to roar at the others as they ran away from him.

"Never fear! I'm coming!" Cera said in a deep voice. "Hmm. I gotta make a big entrince."

Meanwhile, the others were running from Petrie into a canyon as they reached a dead end.

"Now me have you!" He said.

"No. Please do not eat us mean old Sharptooth." Said Ducky.

"Yeah. I can't be eaten by my own kind." Said Chomper.

"Stand back you Sharptooth!" Came in Cera who was on top of a log at the top of the canyon. "Never fear! The Lone Dinosaur is here!"

Soddenly, the log snapped and Cera fell down. Making the others scream. However, someone managed to catch her and place her down safely.

"Thanks. For a second I thought I was," But as she turned around, she saw who it was. It was a Longneck that looked like the one Grandpa described. "It's you. I mean uh...who are you?"

"The name's Doc." Said the Longneck.

"What's going on here?!" Came Topps' voice as he walked over. "Who are you?! Are you bothering our children!"

"No!" Cera shouted. "He saved my life."

"Saved your life?" Came in Grandpa as he, Bowser, and Grandma walked over.

"Goodness. Are you alright?" Grandma asked.

"Yeah. I was climbing on that rotten old log and I fell."

"She fell really fast cause she no flyer like me." Said Petrie.

"And this this really nice Longneck came and cought her." Said Ruby.

"Well, that was very nice of you to save Cera." Said Bowser.

"Welcome to The Great Valley." Said Grandma.

"Just passing through."

"Well you are welcome to stay here as long as you want to." Said Bowser.

"Hold on!" Topps shouted. "We don't know anything about this guy! Who is he?! Where's his herd?!"

"Kind of a loner." Said Doc.

"Mighty subspishes you ask me! I say send him on his way!"

"You sure you feel up to it friend?" Doc asked in anger.

"Our life here is a sheltered one." Said Grandpa. "Sometimes we forget how to treat unexpected guests. As Mr. Two-claw said, you're welcome here."

"No! He must leave!" Topps protested. "It's the time of the changing tree-stars. Everyday there's less food to go around! And Longnecks eat a lot!"

"But there's plenty for everyone." Said Grandma.

"Longnecks! Always sticking together instead of protecting everything importent!" Topps said as he walked away.

"Don't mind him." Said Bowser. "He's a good sort once you get to know him."

"Don't know if I wanna stay that long." Said Doc. "I just came to see how Leaf-eaters and Sharpteeth were getting along."

"Well it's going quite well." Bowser said again. "Come along kids. Let's give our guest some time alone."

Without saying another word, the gang followed the grown-ups away from Doc. However, Cera couldn't keep her eyes off of him.

Merry Christmas everyone.