Chapter 7: Thinking place
Old One was overlooking the deserted clearing, grunting dismissively. The decision her herd had just cast was highly infuriating. Or, more precisely, the feeling that would surely cease to haunt her during her waking and sleeping hours if only she'd given in on her instincts.
"Hrrmmmphh," the old female snorted in a manner that suggested disgust more than anything. Regardless, it had been the better decision for the herd. A decision that would surely bring more grief over her fellow longnecks but they would be safe and that was all that mattered. Safety was always the priority. Always. What good would a journey do them after all? A journey that would exonerate her herd from the terror of the nightmare. A terrible terror indeed but a terror one could arrange oneself with. A terror that didn't kill. If they'd go out into the unknown, chances were fate would lead them into a massive desert until the whole herd would die of thirst and hunger. No, it was simply impossible to take such a risk.
Her thoughts soon shifted to a slightly different yet just as annoying matter. One face had been missing from the meeting. She knew every member by name and appearance but one of the youngest hadn't attended...
"That little bratty girl, what was she thinking?!" She would have to put her through a disciplinary trial again - as if there weren't more urgent matters to devote her attention to! Why couldn't that girl behave? Why couldn't she see the importance that attendance held? Old One grunted once more as she too left the clearing. The trial could wait until tomorrow.
"Ali will be pleased to hear the result..."
Ali's mother lumbered back to her nest feeling terrible. She had noticed the stern look on their leader's face for sure and even though it wasn't her fault that Ali had been absent she knew she'd be partly held responsible as well.
"That girl better be home before the dark..." she muttered, angry and disappointed. At least she could get some pleasure from Ali when the girl'd realize that they'd be staying. Or perhaps...
"Yes, I should withhold that information from her. It's the least punishment I can put her through!" With a grim expression, she returned to her nest, anticipating the moment she'd get back at her insufferable girl for her misbehavior.
"I hate her!"
Ali's words echoed through the empty forest. She had stormed along a narrow path she had forged through the undergrowth over time which lead to a place only a child could reach. Ali had found the small pond by accident, nobody else knew about it, and had been using it as a hideout and thinking place ever since. The extremely thick underbrush and the tight trees prevented any bigger dinosaur to pass through so she was safe from annoying mothers and the like.
"Ugh why can't she understand me?! Why can't she acknowledge my feelings?!" Once again the girl's agitated voice rang through the thick air. As Ali arrived at the small pond, her anger quickly dissipated like a puddle of water on a warm summer day, turning into melancholy and sadness instead. With a heavy sigh, she sat down on a small ledge that was overlooking the water. The pond was roughly circular and about 5 longneck lengths in diameter. Various sorts of reed were growing along the muddy area where water met solid ground, much higher than her long neck could reach, obscuring it from view nicely. Some water plants could be recognized below the shallow, murky floor. It was a quiet, secluded place and it had a strangely comforting effect on Ali. Just like on this day, her anger never lasted long while she was here, however...
"It makes me so so depressed being here..."
Yet Ali would rather be depressed alone at her special place where she could do as she pleased, where no one would tease her, where no one could bother her... where she could simply be. Reflecting, dreaming, thinking, suffering.
"What's the point of all this?" the girl interrogated her reflection which was dancing across the calm surface. Slightly annoyed, she noted that it merely shrugged.
"Yeah, right..." she grunted dismissively. "What's the point if you have no one to play with and no one right in their head to talk to? Mother is so stupid. You hear me? Stuuuuuupid!" Ali could almost hear her reflection adding that the whole bloody herd was stupid but there was no point saying that too. After living in this herd her entire life, it was like common knowledge and didn't need further mention.
"What should I do?" Ali lamented quietly. "If mother doesn't roast me for this then stupid Old One will! I can't stand it anymore! You hear me? I CAN'T STAND IT!" Some leaves shook as the girl screamed out in a desperate rage. Her whole body was in heavy unrest, her mind in a turmoil of thoughts and desires. Every ounce of her body was yearning to leave, to follow her instincts, to follow her sleepstories. Every part of her small body, from her ears to her stomach to the tip of her tail, was longing for adventure, uprising and change… and for one particular longneck.
"Littlefoot..."
Immedialy as her crush entered her mind, big, salty tears began falling quickly from the little longneck's face, impacting the water surface and blurring the reflection. Occasional sobs broke the silence as Ali's thoughts spiralled around the brown longneck. His goofy smile, his infectious laugh and his tender touch, not to mention the handsome look. Oh what would she give to see him right here, right now. Immediately, she sobbed a little harder. As she wept mostly quietly, memories of the time she spent with him kept resurfacing. How she'd met him in the Great Valley, playing a prank on him and ending up falling from a rotten tree trunk, how they'd played together, became friends, met Littlefoot's friends Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike, ran away together in order to save Littlefoot's grandfather from severe illness... how much fun they had regardless of the danger they had faced. Oh what would she give to do that again.
If only they'd go on that bloody journey.
The thought improved her situation a little though the tears still fell just as frequently. If only she could go on that adventure. Ali just knew that this mysterious phenomenon was affecting all longnecks, some observations among the herd giving enough proof to believe in it firmly. Littlefoot was much braver than she'd ever been, than she could ever be. If he didn't set off into the unknown, then who would?
"Certainly not stupid fat frail annoying Old One!" her mind shouted indignantly and, in a way, it helped shake off the sadness. Ali hadn't been to the meeting but something told her that it must have been about the sleepstory problem and its consequences. Old One was the biggest coward Ali knew (and the biggest idiot, her reflection added angrily) so the outcome was more than obvious. She'd still be stuck here facing another trial for non-attendance and everything would be terrible. TERRIBLE. (Your whole life is terrible, her reflection yelled).
"What would you do?" she asked to no one in particular. "I cannot stay where I am right now... it'd drive me mad! But I cannot leave unless they do..." Infuriating, wasn't it? To be caught like that with no real option which could improve her current situation? Without the freedom and power to make your own decision? Restricted by the chains of her mother; restricted by the laws of the herd...
"What would you do, Littlefoot?" she mumbled quietly, looking up into the slightly cloudy sky. "Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike? I need your help." But none came. Obviously. Her friends were who knows how far away after all. But that was when he reflection, stronger and sharper than ever, piped up encouragingly.
"Run away, run away and chase your dreams, Ali!"
"I can't do that!" Ali replied with shock. "I can't leave the herd... and mother!"
"A herd you despise? A mother who you hate? Who opposes you? Ali, wake up dear!"
"I am awake," Ali protested before realizing that she hadn't caught the figurative meaning at all.
"Then run! You cry because of them, you're angry, sad, disappointed and a brat. You're not your true self unless you get away!"
Ali couldn't argue with that. All the shouting, all the arguing and crying... that wasn't her. Not really anyway. The real Ali was a very kind and compassionate nature who wouldn't dare tease her mother like some bratty kid with no manners and education. She could be quite lady-like if she wanted, mother and Old One had made sure to that. Ali couldn't argue either that those morons (yes, she was pissed enough to use such a word) were effectively ruining her already poor life even more. Maybe it really was about time that she broke ties and did what she wanted to do, what she considered right? However...
"I'm just a child though, any sharptooth would get me if I wander around on my own..."
"Yes, but that didn't stop you last time, didn't it?"
Indeed, Ali hadn't been the least worried about sharpteeth and other dangers when she lead Littlefoot into the Land of Mists. Which she'd regretted. She'd almost died a few times along that journey if it hadn't been for sheer luck. Both of them had, in fact, and Ducky had barely escaped being eaten. Could she really expect that kind of luck again? She'd have to find water, have to find food and shelter... and she'd have to find the way - though that was the least of her worries since some part of her could sense what way to go, and she'd have to avoid anything with malicious intent. Not exactly an easy task and even more so for a little child who'd never had to care for herself before.
"I'm not sure..." Ali lamented and new tears burned in the corner of her eyes. "I don't know what's wrong and what's right! I don't want to stay and I'm too scared to go!" Now she really did tear up, fresh tears tattering the surface of the pond, blurring her reflection up to the point of being unrecognizable as her reflection, as Ali. Though her reflection had teeth, it'd take more than a few disturbances for it to go away. In a way, Ali mused, it was the only existence that never truly left her. Whether appearing to her as a reflection on water or as her shadow under the light of the Bright Circle, it was always there, a mostly mute companion but a companion all the same. A companion one could rely on and ask for advice. Right now it was telling her to leave her previous life away in order to follow her heart blindly to escape her crappy life with her mother in Old One's herd and hunt after her distant friend whose presence she desired more than anything in the whole world. Could she trust that voice? Perhaps it had just had enough of her childish whining and crying trying to get rid of her? Or perhaps it simply didn't care whether she'd die halfway through her trek.
"Littlefoot, what do you say? What should I do? Please help me!" Of course Littlefoot didn't hear her but Ali tried imagining his goofy face until her reflection instead displayed that of Littlefoot. Littlefoot gave her a smile.
"If you want to see me, you've gotta follow the sleepstories. They will guide you to me."
"But!" Ali protested. "It's extremely dangerous!"
"Of course it is but it wouldn't be an adventure otherwise, Ali. Be brave and follow your heart for it will never lead you astray." And as soon as he had appeared, the reflection of the boy was gone again. It had been the version of Littlefoot that lived in her memories that she had just spoken to but she supposed the real Littlefoot would have told her to do the same.
"Follow my heart he said. Follow the sleepstories too. In other words, go wherever it feels right to go? Sounds fishy to me but Littlefoot wants to meet me! I HAVE to go! Reflection, are you listening?"
The blurry mirrored image of Ali grunted.
"Tonight I will run away to find Littlefoot! I don't care if it means having to leave mother; she is not acting like a mother anymore and I hate her, from the bottom of my heart I do!" Ali panted as she shouted all of this out loud. She would escape tonight and no one, yes, NOBODY would keep her from carrying out her plan! NOBODY would stop her from seeing Littlefoot!
"Littlefoot, you can't hear this but know that I will come to meet you, definitely! I will come to meet you, it's a promise, see?" Ali felt slightly stupid for talking to plain air like that but it helped her stay sane. She still had several hours before nightfall and, against all odds, she wanted to check first what decision the herd had made in the morning. It would be easier sneaking away at night after all (her hideout was in the heart of the forest so she was bound to be seen by someone at day). Moreover...
"I need to prepare and eat and drink a lot and sleep some!"
The girl needed no further prompting. Ali had probably never eaten this much food before. By the time she was done, her belly ached and her eyes fell shut almost with no effort as she fell into an uneasy afternoon nap which was characterized by snippet-like dreams that made no sense. At the break of dawn, she ate some more regardless of her stomach ache as she slowly headed back home, dreading the coming encounter. All the green food inside her belly annoyed her greatly but, in hindsight, it had probably saved her life.
Oh, it's been too awfully long, hasn't it? My apologies for disappearing again without a trace for a good while but I was too busy to keep my writing updated. I'm not saying that I haven't been writing at all, thankfully I have worked on things here and there, but I couldn't be bothered to provide random updates until I had a little bit of writing done to get back into somewhat of a schedule or whatever you wanna call it lol. There will be one update per week for now on any of my stories (and I also have a short story related to this story coming soon) until I run out of ammo. It's winter break atm so I'm working hard to create a bit of a headstart in case I fall behind so terribly again.
Anyway, now concerning the actual chapter. I've written this like 3 months ago already and it was already done before I had finished chapter 6 haha. I just picked it up and changed a few things, some wording etc. The old version of this scene was considerably shorter. I did like it more than most of my early chapters back then but I still felt I had to take a different approach. Ali ending up at the border of sanity having conversations with her reflection and imaginary Littlefoot certainly hadn't been planned but rather occurred to me spontaneously as I was working myself into Ali's mental turmoil. Please do let me know if it feels out of place but I think Ali's gone through a lot and it's not too unlikely for someone to end up like this.
Secondly (and this was the main reason I gave this chapter another revamp), I wanted to point out that even though Ali is terribly blinded by her feelings, she still has enough sense in her to be aware of the dangers that such a journey would obviously entail and be hesitant about it. If it hadn't been for imaginary Littlefoot, she mightn't have come to the decision after all. A decision she is still conflicted about but still she made up her mind, no longer willing to bear the chains of her mother and her herd.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter :)
OwlsCantRead chapter 7 . Oct 23, 2018
"That sleep story is such a tease, hinting for things to come. The whiplash in it was nicely done too."
Thank you very much, a bit of foreshadowing seemed like a nice idea :D
Guest chapter 7 . Oct 25, 2018
"This is by far the best dream sequence you've ever written. Your new style lends it a surreal quality in which you've managed to make the tonal whiplash of Littlefoot fearing his own death immediately contrasted with fantasizing about his crush actually coherent. His nightmare about the cave was legitimately terrifying given the integration of what he believes are his final thoughts along with limited but provocative detail. When creating suspense the minds of readers will often imagine far worse scenarios than the author can describe. By providing enough detail to establish tone but not over explaining it, you use this to your advantage. As for his fantasy about Ali, it was also handled very well. Littlefoot's heart beat upon seeing her, the way he describes her eyes and scales (probably the stare) along with the way he wistfully recounts meeting her in Journey Through the Mists perfectly incapsulates his feelings for Ali without him directly realizing what those feelings mean.
Excellent use of the new style. It certainly adds to your already brilliant work."
We've already talked plenty about it in private so I'll just cut it short by thanking you again for your in-depth reviews and your critical and inspiring ideas. You've given me some guidance which helped me create this chapter and also the one I just uploaded and make them better, yep yep yep. Thanks man :D
The Rhombus chapter 7 . Oct 31, 2018
"The sleep story, and Littlefoot's confusion during it, nicely encapsulates the conflicting emotions that he is going through when contemplating the coming journey. Though the dream sequences are a bit of a tease, as OwlsCantRead has tested, it is a tease that makes us readers consider the possibilities of what Littlefoot's coming journey will entail. As such the dreams are not only foreshadowing possibilities to our favorite flathead, but also to ourselves as well. Though both Ali and Shorty have had more eventful occurrences thus far, Littlefoot's slow buildup has me curious for what is to come."
Thank you very much! :)
Littlefoot's arc is just as exciting for me because unlike the rest of the story which has the first draft to reference (both as a good and a bad example at times :P) this is written completely from scratch and has only very little guidance from the movie as his journey is reduced to very few short events with little screentime safe for meeting Sue. And of course I can't wait for the three arcs to merge eventually. :)
The next chapter I upload is probably going to be from my Novellization project. :)