Hello, everyone.
Feels like it's been quite awhile hasn't it? I've even heard some concerns from some that I've discontinued this story. Well rest assured, that has not happened and I intend to see it through until it's finished. I really do enjoy writing this a lot. However, sometimes I get stuck (as all writers do) or real life gets in the way.
This was one the hardest chapters to write, simply because there's a lot of filler. It's also nearly 10,000 words, which is easily the longest for a single chapter I've ever had.
I did say this chapter would be up by March and I apologize for its lateness. However, I will try to stick to the chapter per month plan, if possible. Next one should be up by May at some point.
Anyway, I also have another fic going with Rhombus, 'Wish Granted: Tears of a Sharptooth' so feel free to check that out as well.
Anyway, enjoy! And any reviews/feedback are greatly appreciated!
Chapter 12. Out of Sight, Within Mind
Ducky awoke one morning to find that the rest of her resting area was empty, save her and Spike. Though it was not unusual for her spiketail brother to be the last one up, she noticed that the bright circle had barely rise above the skyline.
If I did not sleep in late, then where are the rest of my siblings? she thought.
Just then, the sound of her mother's footsteps could be heard approaching as she came into view. This had the unfortunate effect of putting the teenage swimmer on instant alert and a bad feeling entered her stomach.
This can't be good.
When she reached the nest, she took on a heavy but stern posture.
"Ducky, wake your brother. I called your siblings away because I didn't want to discuss this in front of them."
"I knew there was a reason everyone was gone," Ducky muttered under breath. She turned around, pulled a bushel of grass out of the ground and held it up to Spike's nose.
"Wake up, Spike. Yummy green food awaits you," she said in a soft but bored tone. She had long since given up trying to rouse him in the conventional manner.
Soon enough, Spike started to chomp at the grass with his beak, and while Ducky backed away, he slowly arose to his feet until he was wide awake, mind set on taking his first bite of food of the day.
"Yes, thank you, dear," said Susa, as Spike munched happily on the snack. "Anyway, we need to talk about your recent behavior."
Ducky rolled her eyes, while Spike remained relatively oblivious, but he perked up his head just the same.
"I've discussed it with your father and he and I both agree that you need to be disciplined. Therefore, you both are grounded for a week."
"WHAT?!"
"No playing with Littlefoot, Cera, or Petrie until that week is up," Susa continued, raising her voice slightly to emphasize the point.
"We don't 'play' mom, we hang out."
"Whatever it is you all do nowadays, I will ensure that you remain around here. You can help me organize the nest and collect tree stars for dinner."
Ducky felt like she was going to explode. Anger like she had never felt before surged through her and threatened to override her reason.
"This is so unfair! It is! It is!"
Spike, thought not seemingly as pissed off as his sister, nodded in agreement.
"I don't care whether or not it's 'fair', Ducky," her mother replied sternly. "The fact is, you and Spike both need to learn that there are consequences for your actions. You're not hatchlings anymore, and you need to start acting like it."
"If I'm not a hatchling anymore, why do you insist on treating me like one?" Ducky argued back.
"I will treat you according to your behavior, which has not been that of your age," Susa countered. She paused and sighed, resting her fingers on the tip of her bill.
"Ducky, Spike, the reason why we're doing this is because we care..."
But the teenage swimmer had heard enough.
"You don't care at all! No, no, no! I've had it up to here with you trying to boss me around all the time!"
"I repeat young lady, you are grounded and you will heed that," Susa said, her own anger starting to get the best of her.
Meanwhile, Spike could only look on sadly. He did not think he deserved to be punished simply because of his appetite, but he still hated it when Ducky and his mom fought like this. Lately, it only seemed to be getting worse.
"If I have to listen to your stupid rules any longer, then I will not live here any longer!" Ducky yelled, catching her mother off guard.
"Don't be ridiculous, Ducky. You can't leave the Great Valley..."
"I did not mean the Great Valley," Ducky shot back. "I'll find somewhere else around here where you cannot bother me!"
"Ducky, I'm warning you..."
"I've had it! I am going now! And you cannot stop me!"
With that, Ducky stomped off and beckoned towards her brother.
"Come on, Spiketail. We are leaving! We are, we are!"
Reluctantly, Spike acquiesced to his sister's request. The way he saw it, it was better to try and console his sister to prevent her from doing anything else rash. Together, they made their way away from the nest.
Their mother, on the other was in shock. Her kindly face could only watch in horror as her daughter and son walked off without even so much as a backwards glance.
"Ducky, Spike.." she called softly to no avail. She thought the threat had been an empty one, but her eyes did not deceive her. As of just a few moments ago, her family was now at minus two.
Tears forming in her eyes, she laid down on the grass.
"Ancestors, forgive me," she said to herself, silently weeping. "Where did I go wrong? What has happened to my sweet daughter and wonderful little boy?"
The Ancestors had no answer.
A young flyer soared through the air, mostly just for fun, but also on the lookout for those he called his friends.
Although come to think of it, Petrie was losing track of just what was going on with the gang lately. Ever since the beginning of the Great Growing, they all had been so preoccupied with the changes and all the drama that came with it, they hadn't had as much time to hang out together.
This 'Great Change' enough to drive me crazy, Petrie thought irritably. He himself was still dealing with his ever changing voice, expanding wings, increased appetite, and on top of that, his siblings had become as insufferable as ever. Though they weren't teasing him as much anymore, quite a few had hit their 'Great Growing' as well, and the results weren't exactly ideal. A few of his brothers had began exhibiting some of the same behavior his uncle had warned him about and it was slightly unnerving. Was this what he could expect out of life once he became a grown up?
Me overthink too much
Shaking his head, he continued to soar through the air, embracing the wind and soaking the rays from the Bright Circle. Very few things in life felt as liberating.
Soon, he spotted two familiar figures below. Some quality time with his friends would certainly help get his mind off things.
Slowly, he began to descend into a steady dive, passing through some light clouds on his way down, and proceeded to land in front of Ducky and Spike.
Upon arrival, however, he immediately noticed all was not well. Both had rather downcast looks on their faces, and Ducky's eyes were quite red and puffy.
"Guys, is everything okay?" he inquired.
Ducky wiped her beak, while Spike gazed down on the grass in front of him.
"I am far from okay. I am, I am," Ducky said sadly. Spike grunted in agreement.
"What's wrong?"
"It's my momma. We got into another fight and..."
Tears started to fall again from the swimmer's eyes, and the sight broke Petrie's heart. Deep inside, Ducky was his favorite person and best friend and he never wanted to see her hurt.
He placed a wing on her shoulder and before he knew it, she had enveloped him in a giant hug.
"There, there. Petrie help," he said quietly. "It be alright."
He patted her on the back as she sniffed and breathed heavily.
"We don't need to talk about it now if you don't want to. Let go find Littlefoot and Cera and do something together."
They broke their embrace, and Petrie could see Ducky give a small smile and a nod.
"And Spike, I fly to trees and find you best tree stars, okay?"
The Spiketail smiled and gave an affirmed nod that he agreed with that proposition.
"We should go find everyone else," Petrie said. "Where Cera and Littlefoot?"
"I do not know," Ducky said. "Spike and I went to the usual meeting place to see if they were there. But they were not."
"Hmmm..."
Petrie flapped his wings and put some distance between him and the ground. He scanned his eyes around the surrounding grasses and hills. Then, he could see a figure moving towards them. As it got closer, he could see it more clearly.
"Littlefoot headed this way!" he cried.
Ducky, facing the opposite direction exclaimed,
"And look! Cera is coming as well!"
Sure enough, an orange threehorn was headed their way at the same time. Of course, the rest of the gang didn't realize the potential disaster in the making.
Littlefoot was only about 20 yards away from them when he spotted Cera and she likewise. They made full eye contact with each other, and suddenly the air gained a significant weight. So thick was the tension, one could cut it with a knife.
This was not lost on Ducky, Petrie, or Spike. The fact that two of their best friends had noticed each other and not bothered to say a word, not even to start an argument, was disturbing to say the least.
Littlefoot's guilt from the other night returned with a vengeance but so did his anger. Cera also felt the same emotions. Both gave the other something that could only be described as a hardened stare, however deep down turmoil raged inside of them like a bubbling volcano. Neither could bring themselves to say something hurtful, but nor could they apologize and admit the truth.
In the end, the tense stand off ended without incident. Littlefoot glanced at his friends, and then at Cera and simply walked off in the other direction. The threehorn did likewise, leaving the other three dinosaurs completely confounded.
"Littlefoot! Cera!"
"Where are you going?"
There was no reply as both disappeared into the directions from whence they came.
Petrie, Ducky, and Spike could only look at each other as each held the same thought.
What had happened between their two friends that now caused them to not even speak to one another? (*rephrase)
"I am worried, I am," Ducky said aloud.
"Me too," agreed Petrie.
To Spike, not even all the tree stars in the world could make him feel better. As of now, it looked as though the bonds of friendship they had cherished for so many years were falling apart.
"Damn it all!" Littlefoot muttered angrily. "Why did she have to be there?"
He had been looking forward to spending some time with his other friends. But the presence of Cera had ruined that prospect. Between facing another possible fight and just going back to his grandparents' place, he'd choose the latter. He'd wasted too much emotional energy thinking about her already.
I just can't catch a break, can I?
The past few days he had not done much of anything except hang around his resting site, only getting up for the occasional meal, drink, and casual solitary walk. Though his grandparents constantly inquired as to what was troubling him, he would only say that it was nothing and ignore any other incursion.
Truth be told, he couldn't remember being this sulky. But ever since he had found about his father's decision to keep news of the outside world from him and the fight with 'she-who must-not-be-named', he found himself in a constant state of mild anger, sadness, and general unhappiness.
Is this what Mr. Thicknose meant by 'mood swings'? Am I just going through the motions, or have I officially lost it? he thought grimly.
Whatever this was- the Great Growing, the consequences of falling for a threehorn, or just life deliberately fucking with him- he hated every single moment of it.
As he walked casually, neck hunched over, he suddenly felt a shadow fall over his body. Arching back, he saw a concerned face hovering over him.
"What do you want, dad?"
Bron sighed. He knew his son wasn't happy with him at the moment, but at the very least he had to try to explain the situation.
"Littlefoot, you've been avoiding me."
"Don't take it personally. You're not the only one."
"Yes, your brother and cousin mentioned they haven't seen you in days."
Them too, Littlefoot thought bitterly as he turned his back on Bron, flicking a rock with this tail, trying not to think of a pretty threehorn and bright green eyes.
"Nice shot," Bron observed.
"I learned from the best. Practiced it every day."
Bron took an awkward step forward, rummaging his thoughts for the best way to approach his teenage son. It was moments like this where he wished his late wife were here to assist him.
She'd know what to do he thought sadly. Better than I ever could
"Littlefoot, I told you, I had every intention of filling you in on what happened to our herd out there. But the timing wasn't particularly good..."
"Timing isn't exactly your strong suit, is it?"
"Son, hear me out," Bron almost pleaded. "The valley couldn't and can't know about the dangers outside these walls. They are free to live lives of peace and I don't want to interrupt that. We only came here to seek a temporary refuge. Red Claw has been ruthlessly attacking and killing any herd that comes near a feeding ground."
"Dad," Littlefoot finally turned around to look at his father. "It's not that you didn't tell me, it's that you deliberately kept it from me when I knew full well something was up. You've always trusted me with this stuff before. Hell, I saved you from being burned to death! Remember?"
"I am well aware," replied Bron evenly. "But as I said, it wasn't you specifically I had in mind when I made that decision. The valley enjoys the protections of walls and mountains and Red Claw is only a serious threat to those who live in the beyond..."
"Don't you think they have the right to know? Why keep it from them? From us? We've had just as many run ins with Red Claw, he's always trying to find a way in here. A lot is at stake for us too."
Bron took a deep breath and then spoke in a deep, slow tone.
"Littlefoot, as a leader, making these kinds of decisions isn't easy. Not by a long shot. I had to take into account what was best for the herd and the valley. I thought that by not telling the full reasons for our arrival and numbers, I could buy those under my charge some time before I decided our next move, while not needlessly worrying the valley residents.
"However, you also may be right. I would never lie to you, son. And right now, the Mysterious Beyond is as perilous as it's ever been. These are difficult times."
Littlefoot gazed at his father, and for the first time noticed he seemed tired, overworked and even a bit unsure. No, he was not lying.
"Do you think you'll tell the rest of the valley at some point?" he asked.
"I don't know. I would have to consult some of the other senior members of the herd and see what they think as well. For now, only you and your grandparents know the truth about the situation. I must ask that you keep it quiet for now."
Littlefoot gave a small nod, but it didn't change the fact that he disagreed with his father's reasoning.
"And speaking of your grandparents, they're worried sick about you, you know. Shorty and Ali as well. You've barely said or done anything the past few days. And any time one of us tries to talk to you, you either ignore the question or go on one of your solitary walks."
He didn't answer. This was not a topic he wanted to delve into right now.
"Littlefoot, I know you well enough by now that something like this wouldn't cause you to avoid others. No matter how mad you were. Please, tell me what's wrong."
"It's nothing. Nothing important anyway," he lied. Littlefoot knew his dad wouldn't believe him but that hardly mattered. He could guess what Bron would say next.
"Well, alright. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But I'm your father and you can tell me anything."
For the first time in awhile, Littlefoot gave something of a smile.
"Thanks, dad. But I don't think this is something you or grandma and grandpa could help me with."
"Try me," Bron laughed. "You'd be surprised what I've seen over the years."
And how many times have you been nearly impaled by a threehorn girl you have romantic feelings for?
"Anyway, there's another reason I wanted to talk, which is why I'm glad I caught you. Shorty and Ali are currently with some of the other longnecks in the herd. They thought you might like to join them."
Littlefoot was at first inclined to flatly refuse that offer, but after giving it some further consideration he supposed it was time to reconcile with his brother and cousin. After all, this mess wasn't their fault.
"Alright," he finally answered.
Bron smiled and gave his son a small nudge.
"That's the Littlefoot I know. Let's walk there together. They're playing right beside the Thundering Falls."
"Dad, we don't 'play' anymore, we 'hang out'."
"I can't keep track of today's lingo," Bron said with a wink. "Shorty says the same thing to me all the time."
"I can imagine, knowing Shorty."
Bron gave a hearty laugh. Then he stopped and lowered his head close to Littlefoot.
"Listen, Littlefoot. I know there's a lot of talk about my first born potentially joining my herd and assisting me in the responsibilities of leading it. Of joining your kind in the annual migration patterns that we undertake."
"Yeah, I overheard."
"Well I want you to know two things," Bron said calmly. "First, you've only just begun your Great Growing, and there's still much you have to learn. Second, in order to take rank as a leader among a herd, you must take a mate."
"Grandma told me that part. And I'm really not looking to..."
"Which is why I'm telling you not to worry about it just yet," his father interrupted with a small, reassuring smile. "I know there's a lot of pressure on kids your age to start being adults overnight. There certainly was by my own parents when I was growing up. But you have enough on your mind as it is. When the right time comes, you will make the necessary choices on your own."
Littefoot peered up at his dad, and felt his heart warm a tiny bit. The fact that his father was not pushing him to make any sort of decision were welcome words to him. And despite his bitterness the past few days, it reminded him why Bron was such an important figure in his life.
"You know I would love to have you with me. But above all, I want you to be happy. Whether that's with me, or here in the valley."
"Thanks, dad."
"You're welcome, kiddo. Now let's get a move on, Shorty and Ali are waiting for you."
And together they lumbered off towards the Thundering Falls, with Littlefoot feeling much better than he had in days. But questions still lurked in his mind. His dad wanted him to be happy, but what did that entail? Should he stick by his father, who was clearly stressed in this dangerous time? What about his friends? What about the safety of the valley? And as for a wife...
Littlefoot flicked that thought away. It didn't do to dwell on matters of the heart at the moment. Not when those matters were all but finished.
Tops Threehorn knew his daughter better than anyone. After all he had raised her from the day she had hatched. He had seen to her care and made sure she knew all the things a proper threehorn should. With the loss of her mother and sisters, Cera was all he had left of his original family, and that fact weighed heavily in his mind. True he had adopted Ann as his surrogate daughter, but she was not his flesh and blood.
Which is why it was imperative that the line continue in his only remaining child. He wanted to ensure that when he left this world, leadership passed to Cera and her husband. The two would have children of their own and their heirs would continue that leadership.
There was also the fact that he would not be around forever. And though he was still quite young for a parent, life was a precious thing in the dinosaur world, and could end abruptly. If Cera was not properly taken care of, she would not only end up alone, but lose her position among the herd. That could not be allowed to happen.
It all seemed so simple.
Yet the past few months had been anything but simple. Cera had resisted all his attempts to even approach the subject, and when she had met Blackhorn and his family, her reception had been less than enthusiastic.
Then there had been the incident a few nights previously where she had come home so distraught, she wouldn't even look at him or Tria. It wasn't often that Cera shed tears, but when she did, it was a sign something was not well. Except that she wouldn't tell him what it was.
"Cera, you're crying. Can you...please tell me what is troubling you?"
"Like you would understand," she growled, not bothering to turn around.
He looked at Tria, who could only look back at him sadly. His wife was typically better at talking to Cera when she was upset than he was. But she was intent on keeping her problems inward.
"Honey...I...you..."
He lamented that he had never been very good at this. But he needn't have tried further, for at that moment, Cera turned around, her eyes practically blazing with fury.
"I told you once, I told you a thousand times...I DON''T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT! GOOD NIGHT!"
And with that she turned around again and slumped against the grass, leaving him, Tria and Tricia to wonder just what was causing the emotional turmoil within the young teen.
Topps sighed. It wasn't unusual for Cera to get angry sometimes, but even the Great Growing couldn't fully explain this recent bout of angst behavior she had been exhibiting. Whatever was bothering her, she clearly didn't trust anyone enough to confide in.
"I wonder where she gets it from?" he wondered aloud.
"I think we both know the answer to that," said a familiar voice. Tria stepped into view, Tricia following in behind her.
"I see you've returned from giving Tricia her bath."
"Don't change the subject Topsy. Cera has always taken after you. She's her father's daughter with a doubt."
Topps gave a small grunt and lightly knocked some dirt aside from the nest.
"I know," he said somberly. "I did the best I could to teach her how to be a proper threehorn and follow the footsteps of the ancestors. Though sometimes I do wonder if the absence of her mother..."
He shook his head. It wasn't fair to bring her up in front of Tria. That part of his life was over. What mattered was the future.
"It's almost that time for her you know. Pretty soon she'll be off on her own and later she will take her place as leader of our herd."
"Yes, Topsy..."
"And finding her a husband is the first step in that-"
"Yes, Topsy but-"
"Which is why I have arranged a get together today with the rest of the threehorn families, including Blackhorn. To further bonding and help the kids get to know each other a little more."
"Topsy!"
He paused as his wife had cut him off rather deliberately. He stayed silent, questioning as to what Tria had to say.
"Honey, are you sure that's a good idea right now? In case you hadn't noticed, Cera isn't exactly in the mood to mingle with bulls at the moment."
"Tria, that's exactly why I planned this little meeting. Not only so she can find a potential partner but so she can get her mind off whatever is making her so upset."
"Do you really think she wants to see Blackhorn of all dinosaurs? I think we might be better off just-"
"Better off doing what?" cut in a rather sour voice.
Both parents turned and saw that Cera standing there, an inquisitive gaze on her face.
"Doing what?" she repeated.
"Um, nothing, hun," Tria replied a little too sweetly. "Are you back from your friends already?"
"They didn't show," Cera said briskly.
"Oh, well that's too bad."
Cera shrugged and gave a small smile, her first in days as Tricia ran up to her to give her a big hug.
"Hi, sissy!"
"Hey there, munchkin,"
Topps took the opportunity to clear his throat and capitalized on the opening within the conversation.
"That actually works out perfectly," he said calmly. "Because as it so happens, there's a gathering among the threehorns today at the edge of the western forest. Blackhorn and his family will be there as well as many others. I thought it might be a good way to cheer you up."
At the mention of Blackhorn, Cera visibly reddened, and not from embarrassment. Little by little, she calmed but that did not change the extreme apprehension she felt.
"Yeah, that's not happening," she stated in a bored monotone that betrayed some of her anger. "Count me out."
"Well that's alright, hun," Tria said diplomatically. She shook her frill at her husband in order to convey the message to leave the subject be, but Topps had other ideas.
"That's not for you to decide, young lady," he said, his tone going from even to rather stern in a heartbeat.
"Oh yeah? Since when can you tell me what I can and can't do?"
Topps had not expected this level of hostility but it was pushing his temper to a boiling point.
"Since the day you hatched," he growled menacingly. "You may be older, Cera. And you may think that gives the right to do anything you want. But I am still your father and you will do as I say!"
"But-"
"Enough! Now then. We are going to meet Blackhorn, his family, and other threehorns today at the western forest. As herd leader, I will not lose face nor show our guests any sort of disrespect. Is that clear?"
Cera may not have been in the best mood, but she knew when to challenge her dad and this was not one of those times. Very reluctantly, she complied.
"Yes, daddy."
"Good," he huffed. "You, like the rest of this family, are a reflection of me and you need to be on your best behavior. Stand tall, look tough, and be proud. Let's go, everyone."
Without another word, the rest of threehorn quartet followed in behind Topps as they started their walk towards the threehorn gathering.
However, the atmosphere among them was hardly unified.
Littlefoot soon arrived at the Thundering Falls and there was more than just a few longnecks there. It seemed that quite a few of their kind had gathered together, and many were conversing contently with each other.
"Many haven't had the chance to clean themselves or rest in quite a while," Bron said as they approached the congregation. "We've had little time to rest."
Bron didn't need to explain further as Littlefoot could easily guess why. Red Claw's increased attacks had pushed many to the point of forgo usual routine, even basic necessities like water, to avoid becoming his next meal. The scene before them was happy and peaceful, but could it last?
"Never mind about Red Claw, Littlefoot," his dad said as if he read his mind. "There is ample time to discuss what needs to be done about him. I'll call together my herd, along with your grandparents to discuss the situation further to see if anything needs to be changed. You go along and try to have fun, alright kiddo?" And he gave Littlefoot a small wink.
The teenage longneck couldn't help but smile at his dad's goofy parenting behavior, and appreciated it immensely in this uncertain period of his life.
"Thanks, dad."
Before he could jump into the pool, however, his dad called out to him once more.
"Oh, Littlefoot. I hope you'll talk to your grandparents again. They're very worried and it would ease their minds considerably to see you in better spirits."
Littlefoot nodded and proceeded to enter the water and wade towards the other longnecks. His dad was right, it wasn't fair to ignore his grandparents for events they had no knowledge of (and he was half thankful for that).
He soon spotted them munching on water plants by a crowd of about three or four from Ali's former herd and approached them.
"Grandma, Grandpa?"
The massive sauropods turned around slowly, each of their gazes quickly brightening once they saw the expression on their grandson's face.
"Littlefoot?" Grandpa Longneck began cautiously, remembering the manner in which his grandson had acted towards them three days earlier.
"How are you feeling, Dear?" Grandma Longneck added, daring to broach the subject, "We were worried sick."
"I'm much better, Grandma," Littlefoot replied, forcing a smile on his face. "There's no need to worry. I'm fine."
An audible sigh of relief could be heard from the two elderly longnecks as they gave one another a knowing look. That was when Grandpa Longneck spoke, "That is good to hear, Littlefoot. The Time of Great Growing can be hard and confusing, but remember that you can always talk to us. We were your age once, you know?"
"When many of the trees around us were saplings," Grandma Longneck teased.
The elder longneck laughed lightly, "Yes. Though it is nice to know that the trees have tried to keep up with us."
Littlefoot rolled his eyes ever so slightly. His grandparents had never truly embarrassed him, but even they could get a little dorky sometimes. He gave a small laugh.
"I know. I trust you guys. But I promise, I'm doing fine." His face was smiling, but his posture was quite defensive and indicated he was hiding something beneath the surface. Nevertheless, his grandparents decided to let the issue go for now, as the two elders shared a knowing glance. Any attempt to dislodge their grandson from his evasiveness was soon interrupted however from a common source.
Splash!
"What the heck, Shorty?"
The green longneck emerged from the water with a wide grin on his face. To add insult to injury he shook himself off, further splashing Littlefoot and some of the nearby dinosaurs in a torrent of water.
"What has Dad always said about situational awareness, Littlefoot?" Shorty pestered as he dodged a retaliatory splash from his step-brother, "If I had been a sharptooth then I would have bit ya!"
Littlefoot finished sneezing the water out of his snout, "If you were a sharptooth then you would probably have better manners."
"You wound me to the quick!" the green brachiosaurus said, with a mock pained expression. "Anyway, get your tail over here. I got some other longnecks I want you to meet."
"Are you sure I haven't already seen them? It is hard for us longnecks to hide you know," Littlefoot mocked as Shorty rolled his eyes.
"Well with your observation skills, it'd be easy for you to miss. Now come on, I think you're gonna like em too," he finished with a sly smile.
Sighing, Littlefoot knew this could very well be another prank, but reluctantly stepped out of the water and onto the bank, following Shorty's path.
"Bye Grandma, bye Grandpa!"
Grandpa Longneck could only chuckle as his grandson and Shorty walked off into the distance. "Oh to be young again. Rushing everywhere and looking at every crisis as if it is the end of the world… I bet it was probably related to a female."
"I think you can drop the 'probably' dear," Grandma answered as she walked beside her mate and watched the two younger longnecks walk towards the horizon, "I would know that kind of look from anywhere. Isn't this exciting? He will soon take his place in the herd."
Grandpa nodded, remembering his antics from his younger days. A minor disagreement between them would leave him sulking for days. "Just don't rush him, dear. No need to fret. But I do wonder who the lucky lady is…"
Cera really wished she were anywhere than the edge of the western forest, but her dad's aggressive insistence had forced her here.
It was quite a gathering. There were at least two dozen threehorns or more, most of them valley residents, but many were among the far walkers that were currently visiting. Unfortunately, Blackhorn and his family were still among that number.
If I have to deal with his idiot sons again… she thought angrily, but was cut off by her father.
"Horn up, Cera. Remember eyes straight ahead and show proper deference for a fellow herd leader."
The orange threehorn gritted her teeth, but managed to push down her overwhelming frustration.
"Yes, daddy."
Within a few minutes they had arrived at the thick of the gathering, with many among the threehorn herds conversing, and a few other young males practicing their fighting skills. Threehorns were not quite as chatty as swimmers nor as easy going as longnecks but they were straight forward and never beat around the bush if they could help it. Years of experience had taught Cera this. Even Tria wasn't one to mince words.
"Ah Topps," said a familiar voice. Sure enough, Blackhorn had arrived, his wife not far behind. "It is a pleasure to see you."
"The pleasure is all mine, Blackhorn." Topps said respectfully, but his voice registered none of the exaggerated pleasantness that one would hear from a swimmer or a longneck. Such a tone would have conveyed insincerity, "You have already met my wife and eldest daughter."
"I have," Blackhorn nodded amicably. "As you have met my own. Hello, Tria, Cera."
Cera, as per custom, lowered her head in deference but did not break eye contact.
"Hello, Blackhorn. I hope this day finds you well."
"As a matter of fact it does, young one," Blackhorn replied evenly. "I see you also brought your youngest as well."
Tricia, who at this point had been largely unaware of what was going around her, picked up her head and attempted the same bow Cera had just performed, only to stumble and trip over herself trying to do so.
Under normal circumstances, this would have met severe disapproval from the elder but Tricia was still young enough (and cute enough) to get away with the faux paus. Instead, the adults just laughed at the pink threehorn's antics, and even Cera cracked a smile.
"She is just beginning to enter such occasions," Topps said with some amusement as he smiled at her encouragingly before going back to his formal gruffness, "As you know, anything worth doing takes practice."
"I quite agree. My youngest has still not mastered such ceremony either. Although for him, the transgressions are quite inexcusable at his age," Blackhorn added with some measure of disdain.
"Speaking of which, where are your sons?" Tria asked.
"Yes," Topps added, "We were hoping that they would make an appearance."
It took Cera all of her efforts to not snort loudly. As far as she was concerned, the farther away Frank was from her, the better.
"They are currently practicing their fighting skills with some of the other young males," Blackhorn replied. "I do hope your valley bulls can go head to head with my Frank."
"The valley is made of sterner stuff than you might believe," Topps countered. "We are not idle simply because we live in one place year round."
"We shall see. In fact, the competition should be starting right about now."
Cera had almost forgotten about that. Typically during these gatherings, the young males competed amongst themselves for potential alpha status. Not only that, but the winner had the right to make his acquaintance with the females.
Shit, was all Cera could think. Girls were not allowed in this particular competition, and she was also old enough to be counted amongst those eligible to be courted.
"Well, shall we join the others?" Blackhorn asked.
"Indeed, it would be my privilege." Topps said, although as herd leader he made sure he was out in front, "Let us see who is worthy of the first choosing."
He then turned his head ever so slightly towards his family, not daring to break the necessary formality or to show any weakness, "Come, everyone. And Cera, I want you to pay close attention to the competition."
Cera could only nod once more as Tria gave her a sympathetic look. Tricia bumped against her leg as a sign of affection, which caused her to smile. But there was no two ways about it, Cera had no desire to engage with threehorn males at this moment. And the only male she did trust, well she tried not to think about what he was doing at the moment…
Littlefoot had no idea that when Shorty said "other longnecks" he meant girl longnecks. True, he knew Ali and had no problems being around her, but this was something else altogether.
These ones appeared to be flirting with him.
They were in a shady, vegetation-rich area by the falls, in full view of the herd but also left to their own devices. Longneck courtship tended to be more lax than those of other herds. Although at the moment, Littlefoot wished one of the adults had an excuse to call him over for something.
"Well who is this cutie?" asked one of the female longnecks, who batted her eyelashes rather heavily at him.
Shorty gave her a sly smile, "Oh, this is my brother, Littlefoot. Don't let his reserved manner fool you, ladies, he is the sort of longneck that if you request a single treestar he would give you the entire tree. If you know what I mean..."
The two female longnecks giggled profusely at this, and one even winked at him.
Littlefoot went redder than he ever had in his life, but this was due to embarrassment. His brother tended to pull these stunts without realizing it.
Damn it, Shorty! Why are you doing this to me?
"So what are your names?" he asked, trying to be polite as he could in this situation.
A slender green longneck tilted her head in a seductive manner, "Sally."
Another stepped forward upon the urging nudges of the other females, of the same kind as Littlefoot, though she looked a little more shy, "I am Sauria."
They were both pretty, there was no denying that. But this felt forced and Littlefoot never liked to do anything unless it was out of his own volition.
"Hi, Sally, Sauria."
Both of them giggled once more, and Littlefoot couldn't help but be a little puzzled.
Why do girls always giggle like that? Cera never does anything like…
He stopped at the thought of the threehorn he had sworn never to speak to again. The one that had once been his best friend, the one that had batted her eyelashes at him too, except much more cheekily and subtle...and those green eyes.
Shaking his head he observed his brother walk up to Sally and rub his neck against her, causing her to shiver and return the favor. It then occurred to Littlefoot what was going on. This was no mating ritual.
"Shorty?"
His brother didn't seem to hear him as he continued to chat up Sally.
"Shorty?"
Still no answer.
"SHORTY!"
"Hang on a moment, sweety." Shorty finally turned his neck to look at his brother, "Something eating you, bro?"
Littlefoot led his brother aside out of earshot of the two pretty, female longnecks.
"Just what the hell is going on here? Is this supposed to mean anything or is it your own little way of chasing tail?"
Shorty rolled his eyes, "I thought it would make you feel better, bro. Look at how nice these girls are. I think that Sauria certainly wants your..."
"Oh for the love of...!" Littlefoot hissed cutting off Shorty before he could finish. "You wanna say it a little louder? I think there's a flyer or two up in the air that didn't quite hear you."
Shorty smiled, "Oh come on, Littlefoot. It's not the right season, so no eggs… and with how you've been acting lately I think you need to enjoy yourself a little. Otherwise all the ladies are going to think you're like Mr. Dicknose or something," he turned to give Sally a smile again as he continued to speak in a lower volume, "I do kind of worry about you, though. Do you really want to be a lone dinosaur? Even your idol Doc has a family now, you know."
He knew Shorty meant well, but this wasn't making him feel any better. If anything, it was just pissing Littlefoot off more.
"Yeah, thanks but no thanks. This is more for you than it is for me. Get all the action you want with those airheads, but I haven't eaten much today, and I need some lunch, so if you'll excuse me…"
He walked past his brother without a second thought and made his way towards a mid sized tree with plenty of tree stars, and began munching in solitary silence.
Sally and Sauria were more than a little puzzled, as they gossiped to each other.
"Oh he's so moody…" Sally remarked.
"Boys can be like that," agreed Sauria.
Shorty on the other hand, was just plain flabbergasted.
What's gotten into him? He wondered.
Cera was bored to say the least.
She had seen many a male threehorn in her life fight and today was no different...except this time she was to be considered a consolation prize for the winner, which at this point looked to be Frank. The valley had its fair share of tough males, but Blackhorn's oldest was the biggest and strongest of them all. It was clear that he would come out on top.
Several other males, including her father, were cheering on the competition, encouraging the young threehorns to give everything they had.
Typical, Cera thought to herself as the temptation to yawn grew. I would whoop all of these sorry beakbrains.
Soon it was down to Frank and one of the valley bulls named Bonk. Both squared up, staring each other down with great intensity, though there was no question as to which one had more confidence. Frank snorted and pressed his forepaw into the dirt, it was a clear invitation to begin the battle.
Bonk needed no such invitation.
He stepped forward, extending his horns in an aggressive gesture, daring Frank to overreact. Though the onlooker would see it as a violent brawl, there was a mental component to the melee. The slightest error could make an opening.
Frank did not take kindly to this gesture, but at the same time, he also did not give the challenger what he wanted. He knew it was a ploy to get him to overplay his position.
So instead, he charged, locking onto Bonk's horns as his target, crashing into him with great force. Immediately, there was panic in the eyes of the valley threehorn. Rather than try to go for his side, the outsider was using his weight and sheer size to force him into submission.
He tried to counter this by digging his feet into the dirt behind him to hold his ground, but Frank was simply too large. The advantage too big to overturn, the massive bull gave a mighty push with his neck and slung the challenger on his side with a mighty thud.
Bonk grunted in frustration and angrily slammed his forepaws into the ground as he again rose to his feet, raising his horns to meet his foe… only to find out that he did this just in nick of time.
Frank rammed into his rival with great intensity, forcing his foe back once more.
The spectators cheered at the display, as the stakes raised considerably. Even Topps seemed to be getting into the fight.
"Come on, Bonk! Don't let the valley down now!"
The maroon threehorn seemed to heed his words, as he slowly halted Frank's advance and managed shove him back considerably. Frank tried a blow to his side, but it was blocked and Bonk took advantage of it. He crashed into Frank, knocking him to his side and prepared to fold his challenger into submission.
But that was when the tide turned.
As Bonk bore down on his opponent, rushing to meet him horn to horn, Frank shifted his weight to the right, redirecting the momentum of his opponent towards the ground. Then, with a clear opening, he rammed his horns into Bonk's side.
That was when a loud roar was sounded. Immediately both challengers ceased, as a senior male threehorn stepped between them.
"That's enough, blood has been spilt. The competition is now over. By default, Frank son of Blackhorn has won the challenge by knocking his opponent over three times. My fellow threehorns, I give you our champion!"
Shouts and praise filled the air. Some were disappointed at having their best fighter having lost to an outsider, but protocol ruled above all else. They were to accept the outcome without complaint.
Cera watched neutrally. The fight had been impressive, but not overwhelmingly so. She could have taken either one no problem. Of course, that's when she heard the words that made her want to vomit.
"Well done, Blackhorn. Your boy has proven himself in more ways than one," her father stated imperiously.
"I daresay he has," Blackhorn answered smugly. "He's never lost a fight before, and today was no exception. He has earned the right to call himself a champion."
"He's earned much more than that. My Cera will be most impressed, and I'm sure he will be most eager to talk to her…"
Cera had seen and heard enough. Competition or no competition, she knew enough about Frank to know she had no desire to be within the same grazing area never mind mating.
She could see his stupid, moronic face filled with pride at his victory, the whole host of the threehorns heaping praise upon him. He caught her eye and winked rather creepily, enough to unsettle her considerably.
"I must excuse myself," she said sticking to decorum. "I will be in the forest and return momentarily."
There was no questioning her. Everyone knew it was simply a polite way of saying she needed to relieve herself. But in actuality, the teenage threehorn simply needed to get away from the crowd that was showering Frank with honor.
'Honor my ass. He's nothing but an egotistical dick and I can detect them a mile away.'
She would have no part in the celebration of Frank's triumph.
Cera made her way past the crowds of threehorns all marveling at Frank and into the trees to the west. She figured nobody would bother her here, as it was usually only clubtails and a few longnecks that sought this particular vegetation.
She entered the the forest and could hear the cheers and hollers slowly fade away as she made her way deeper into the thick vegetation.
I can't stand this shit. Why do they care so much about another dope with three horns? she thought as she took a bite of a bush, munching on the green food with satisfactory indifference. Supposedly, she shouldn't be feeling this way, nor should she be skipping out on a tradition that was sacred among her kind. But at the moment, she could not feel any less attachment to it. It was one thing to witness as a kid…
But time passes. The fights get old. You see a million threehorns get married off to some musclehead, and pretty soon it's your turn. All about the line. All about toughness, all about being strong in front of the herd…
How did she get into this mess? Subjected to a tradition that left little room for protest or complaint. Weren't there options? Why wasn't there a choice?!
Littlefoot would never make you do anything you didn't want to do…
Her mind rebelled as she took another forceful bite of the bush in front of her. It wasn't up to her to decide. This was the way things had been for so long. The legends and stories confirmed it. Her father wanted the line to continue and she had to make due on that expectation.
It was then that she lost her temper and suddenly rammed her head against the nearest tree, causing numerous tree stars to fall, but she took no notice. The turmoil within her head was enough to cause a headache on its own.
Why can't I shake this? Why do I keep thinking of that stupid longneck even now?!
She pretended not to know the answer to that question, but in her heart, it wasn't hard to figure out.
Frank is an egomaniacal asshole. Littlefoot has never done anything to hurt me, even when he was upset…
That is until a few days ago when he had told her to get of her sight and never speak to her again. Anger surged through her, until something countered it in her head.
And who's fault was that? asked a voice. You think he likes being called a 'dumb flathead?'
No reply.
You know the reason you've teased him, hit him, made fun of him for all these years. Even from the time you both were hatchlings. You know why.
Cera couldn't even argue at this point. She was one of the worst dinosaurs she knew when it came to expressing herself properly, but there was no mistaking what was going on here.
Littlefoot...I...I
A rustle through the brush interrupted her thought process and she quickly turned around.
There was no one there. The trees were still and the rustling had ceased.
Still suspicious, Cera slowly turned back around to feed a bit more.
Guess it was just my ima-
"Hello, Cera"
The teenage threehorn didn't easily get spooked but this was an exception to the rule, as she nearly jumped six feet into the air at the unexpected intrusion.
Regaining her composure, she saw it was the very last dinosaur she wanted to see: Frank son of Blackhorn.
"What do you want?" she asked a little too quickly, and a bit too rudely.
"Is that any way to talk to a champion?" Frank replied smugly, the memory of his victory only spoiled for a split second. "How did you like the way I took that other threehorn down? Pretty impressive, eh?"
Cera did her best to be cordial but the temptation to rip him a new one was also present and she failed to subdue it completely.
"You are truly number one Frank…" she said, the sarcasm dripping from her voice. This was not lost on her pursuer, who looked slightly affronted.
"Come now, Cera. You're telling me you're not the least bit impressed with my triumph?"
There was no beating around the bush any longer. She had had enough dancing around this guy.
"I've seen better," she said bluntly.
Frank was very taken aback.
"Yeah, in fact, me, a flyer, a swimmer, a spiketail, and a longneck took down one of the most notorious sharpteeth of all time, so I'd say you fall short."
"What sort of fib is this?"
"Oh it's no fib, Frank," Cera said as casually as she could, though the contempt in her voice wasn't completely masked. "You can ask anyone here. In any case, why don't you go enjoy your victory celebration somewhere else?"
Cera knew that the male wouldn't be deterred that easily, but it was better to try and send him packing than give him the wrong idea. Hopefully it would be enough, but she was wrong.
"In case you've forgotten, my victory allows me to talk to any female I desire and that includes you," Frank stated rather arrogantly.
"Hmph," Cera huffed. "You can talk to me, but it doesn't mean I have to listen, rockhead. If your berry sized brain hasn't processed it by now, I'll say it in a way you can understand. I'm. Not. Interested."
She turned to feed on another bush, hoping that Frank would take the hint, but she found herself face to face with him once more, the male injecting his frill in her face.
"You know Cera, I get it. I know how girls work. You clearly haven't experienced what it's like to be with an alpha such as myself. But I can change that..oh I can change that. We could be good together Cera. You and me, the leaders of the most dominant herd this valley has ever known. I like you, I like you a lot. And I think you owe it to me after what I've done here today."
The teenage threehorn could feel the anger bubbling beneath her, but kept her temper under control. She knew smashing his tail into the dirt could invite trouble, as attacking a farwalker was forbidden under most circumstances. But that did not stop her from making her intentions clear.
"Listen here you, worthless idiot!" she growled. "I don't owe you a damn thing. Not even the dirt beneath my feet. So why don't you get turn around and show off to someone who cares. Otherwise, we're done here."
Cera brushed past him, intending to rejoin her family and simply get through the rest of the gathering without incident. She had had enough for one day.
"Oh, I don't think so."
Without warning, Cera felt herself pinned beneath Frank's massive girth, the entirety of his body on top of hers. Panicking, she tried to push him off, but he was simply too big.
"Now it's your turn to listen, bitch," the big male growled aggressively. Gone was any of his usual cockiness. His voice was laced with pure malice and ill intent. "I won today fair and square and that gives me certain prizes. You think I came all this way just to get my horns dirty? I will teach you respect...even if it means I have to force you. Now, lay down and shut your mouth. This won't take long…"
Fear surged through her entire body like never before to the point of being paralyzed. Cera could almost imagine him smirking evilly, but then she felt him edging his body closer to hers, his hot breath pulsating in her ear, and something began to graze the back of her leg…
In that horrifying moment of realization something snapped within Cera. Gone was her paralysis as pure, unadulterated rage took its place. Without hesitation she began to thrash against his massive body, disrupting his grip. Taking the opportunity, she bit with all her might down on his forepaw, causing him to cry out in pain.
By this point, he no longer had her pinned down and Cera struck out immediately with her horns, causing him to stagger backwards. But she wasn't done yet. Charging forward with all her power and speed, she slammed him into the nearest tree as hard as she could, ending with a sickening crunch.
The adrenaline now receding with the pass in danger, Cera, breathing heavily, observed just what she had done. Frank was practically unconscious, bleeding from his shoulder, his frill severely dented.
Her mouth was so dry, there was no moisture to speak of. Heart pounding and mind racing, the full implications of what had just happened began to settle in her mind.
Crap
And then she ran. Past the trees, past the edge of the western forest, past the other threehorn families, past Tricia, Tria, and her father, all of whom were bewildered and severely worried at her frightened appearance.
She ignored the calls for her to come back, even Tria's asking her what was wrong.
Cera simply ran. It was the only thing she felt she could do at this point.
Kinda of a cliff hanger but not really a cliff hanger. Either way it isn't wrong to say I bet many of you have a great deal of questions of what will happen next. Only thing I can say is, stay tuned! xD
~TheWasp