Hello, everyone.

First off, this has been quite a story to write...no it's not over yet don't worry haha. But as of this chapter, I have hit a few milestones. It is my longest story both in terms of chapters and words written. It is also been my most successful story overall. One other fic I wrote has more reviews overall, but for this fandom I've done quite well. I personally want to thank everyone who has read, supported, and reviewed this story. I had no idea it would become this popular and it really means a lot. And also to my friend, The Rhombus, who helped me figure out parts of this story when I was stuck.

This chapter was pretty cool to write and I really look forward to seeing what you guys think of it. Let's just say, there's something coming you may not have expected ;)

On with the story!

Chapter 16. Ultimatums

The day after the council meeting, Littlefoot found himself sitting on a patch of grass underneath a lone tree. It was close by the resting area; his grandparents had told him not to stray far due to his punishment after being caught with Cera. But it didn't matter, he was feeling too dejected to go against their wishes. What was there left to do anyway?

He was grounded from seeing his friends, he was forbidden from seeing Cera ever again, and now his dad was on the verge of being kicked out of the Valley. Possibly forever.

It couldn't get much worse, could it?

Littlefoot chastised himself for being too negative, he was never usually one to feel sorry for himself. But he supposed even his own optimism had limits.

All these thoughts went around in a circle repeatedly until he could barely stand it anymore. It was like a never ending cyclone raging in his head, serving to remind him how he had messed up.

I should have done something for dad. I know he made me promise, not to tell. But I should have been more persistent in getting him to admit the truth. At the very least, I should have stood up for him at the meeting. He shouldn't have had to face that alone.

He recalled the look of realization that Cera had given him from across the circle, and for a split second Littlefoot had wondered whether she would give them all away. But of course, she didn't, and it only made the teenage longneck's heart ache more.

"If I only I could see her again. One more time. No expectations, no dinosaur world to frown at us or disapprove. Just me and her together, taking on whatever comes our way."

Heaving a massive sigh, he closed his eyes, with only the image of a pretty, orange threehorn to comfort him, and the sun to warm him.

As if to break him out of some sort of spell, a voice interrupted his dream state.

"Feeling a little love sick?"

Immediately, his eyes snapped open and his amber orbs peered up at the towering figure of his father. For a dinosaur so huge, Bron had a unique way of sneaking up on him when he least expected it.

Littlefoot raised his neck slightly to acknowledge his dad, but otherwise didn't budge.

"Hey, dad. I guess you could say that."

I guess I know what's coming next, too, he thought somewhat bitterly. Whatever lecture was coming, he wasn't sure he could get through it without snapping.

"The heart is heaviest when the one they love is absent. Take it from someone who knows," Bron stated wisely.

"I guess grandma and grandpa told you about what happened, huh? With me and Cera?"

His dad gave a solemn nod.

"They did."

"Well go ahead, scold me like everyone else has. About how it's wrong, unnatural and perverted. You should know I've heard that about five or six times already."

To his surprise, his dad did not do anything of the sort, rather he walked up besides his son, pulled a few tree stars from the tree above and motioned for his son to eat.

"You know, believe it or not, your grandparents didn't approve of your mom and I being together either."

Littlefoot perked up at that piece of information. His dad didn't talk about his mom much, as the subject was difficult for him to talk about. But anytime he did bring her up, he hung on every word.

"Really? Grandma and Grandpa didn't like you?"

"Not at first," he said with a chuckle. "Contrary to the amazing, wise longneck you see before you now-" and he gave Littlefoot a small nip with his tail, which caused Littlefoot's mood to lighten a bit. "When I first met your mom, I had a reputation among the herds for being a bit of a troublemaker."

This was getting more intriguing by the second. He quickly ate his tree stars in order to hear more.

"How so?"

"Oh, I was always going off on crazy adventures- hopping tar pits, pranking the clubtails, running into sharpteeth that would try to kill us where we stood. Adeline seemed to really like my rebel reputation. But your grandma and grandpa did all they could to keep me away from their only daughter."

"Well I assume that didn't stop you," Littlefoot said and he started to smile.

"You assume correct, my son," Bron teased. "Your mom and I used to sneak off after dark and do all kinds of crazy things…some of which I probably shouldn't tell you about." He coughed awkwardly and continued. "Anyway, I can remember your grandmother getting so upset with me after one incident with a belly dragger, she chased me for half a mile. She actually forbade me from seeing Adeline again."

Littlefoot started to laugh and Bron joined in. He hadn't the faintest idea his grandparents had disliked his father so much.

"I knew you'd get a kick out of that," his dad said, still chuckling to himself. "At the time it wasn't so funny, but time has a way of putting things in a more humorous light."

"So, what ended up happening?" Littlefoot asked, now very much interested to the story of how his mom and dad ended up together.

"Well, other than finally getting my head on straight, your mom managed to convince your grandparents to give me a chance. I had to prove I could behave myself, but more than that they gave your mom the benefit of the doubt and recognized that the feelings we had for each other weren't simply teenage rebellion. Overtime, they actually came to like me and when I asked her to marry me, they were the first ones to congratulate us."

The teenage longneck was amazed and still had more questions. But in the back of his mind, the issue of Cera still weighed heavily. What exactly was his dad trying to say?

"My point, Littlefoot, is that even if certain relationships are frowned upon by our elders, our fellow herd members, or even our families, if the love is there, it finds a way. And it sounds to me that whatever you have with this threehorn girl is genuine."

Littlefoot could hardly dare to believe his ears.

Did he just approve of my relationship with Cera?

"You mean…you don't mind that I'm in love with a threehorn?"

Bron gave something of a laugh, but it was warm and gave no indication of malice or sarcasm.

"Son, I can't say this is what I envisioned when the day came you would be interested in girls. But I see so much of myself in your situation. You're not quite the daredevil," and he gave a small wink. "But I can see how much you care for this threehorn…Cera is her name?"

Littlefoot nodded. The fact that he even attempted to get her name right was encouraging to say the least. He had to emphasize once and for all how he felt.

"I care about her more than anything in the world," he said, struggling to fight his own emotions.

"Then that's all I need to hear," his father said, as he finished the last of the tree stars. "I don't want you to go through the same thing I did growing up. If you feel that she's the right girl for you, you have my blessing."

After a split second pause, Littlefoot's heart exploded with happiness. He could hardly believe his luck as euphoria spread throughout his body.

"Thank you, dad! Thank you so much!"

He bumped his father affectionately in an attempt to nuzzle him, which nearly threw the massive older male off balance.

"Whoa there, sport. You're getting too big for that," Bron laughed.

"Heh, sorry, Dad."

"No, apology necessary, Littlefoot. Anyway, what are you still doing here?" he said with joyous energy. "Go find her!"

"What about Grandma and Grandpa? I'm still grounded, remember?"

"Seeing as my time in the Valley may very well be up, I suppose the least I can do as your father is cover for you."

Littlefoot had to resist letting his jaw drop.

"You'd really do that for me?"

Bron gave something a mischevious smirk.

"I've disobeyed them plenty of times in the past. One more time wouldn't hurt. I am your father after all. I have just as much say in this as they do."

"You're the best, Dad."

"I just want to see you happy, son," Bron said with a warm smile. "Now, go on. Don't waste another second."

Littlefoot didn't need telling twice. With one last thankful gesture to his dad, he ran off to find the girl he loved most, consequences be damned.

A threehorn was always taught to be obedient to the ways of the herd, to their father, and to the ancestors that had come before them…

Cera was getting ready to piss on all of that before the day was done. And she had just about enough of her father, as their latest argument about Littlefoot (and longnecks in general) threatened to senf her over the edge.

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted that blasted boy's father and his herd of stragglers," Topps mused angrily. "Thanks to them, we now run the risk of not having enough food AND we face invasion from Red Claw!" He then muttered something about longnecks eating too much.

Cera snorted as she watched her father pace around their home among the high grasses, a place they'd recently relocated to get farther away from Littlefoot's family. She wasn't allowed to leave the area due to her ongoing punishment, so most of her time was spent either lounging around, babysitting Tricia, or practicing her combat skills. It tended to get monotonous after a while.

"Yeah well you were all for taking them in when you knew there was something in it for you," she sassed loudly.

She could see Tria visibly cringe in the corner of her eye, Tricia close by her leg looking uncomfortable. They had been arguing almost nonstop all afternoon. But at this point, she felt more emboldened not less.

"Cera, do not continue to hold that over my horns," Topps replied defensively. "I have always acted in your best interests."

"Don't make me gag," and Cera gave a very hollow laugh. "You were ready to get me to marry that monster before he tried to take advantage of me. It wasn't about my best interests, it was yours."

"Cera…" her father growled, but she cut him off before he could interject further.

"And if you had everyone's best interests at heart, you'd stop this ridiculous trial."

"This trial is necessary to protect that sanctity of our Valley, Cera! You of all threehorns should know that!" Topps said, stopping his pacing, drawing in closer to confront his daughter. "I spent hours yesterday searching for any possible weaknesses in our walls and even then, it may not be enough. That boy's father is the cause of all of this and it cannot go overlooked. I have to meet with the other herd elders this afternoon and if I have my way, that longneck will be gone."

"You've always had a weird obsession with longnecks, daddy," Cera sighed, but her anger remained intact. "Including, Littlefoot."

"I will not hear his name spoken in my presence!" Topps roared. "Or have you forgotten about everything I've taught you about being a threehorn? Respect to your herd, to your father, to our way of life!"

Tricia started to visibly shake as she stood with Tria, who noticed immediately.

"Topsy, you're scaring your other daughter. For goodness sake, please calm down."

"I will not calm down until I have knocked some sense back into my first born!" the large male said stubbornly. "I've raised her since she hatched, and I have spent a good portion of my life educating her on the proper ways of our kind and that will not change now. So you best shape up, young lady and put your best horn forward! That longneck boy is no longer relevant you or anyone in this family! Do you understand?"

That proved to be the last straw for Cera. In that moment, she no longer cared about any sort of antiquated tradition that would keep her lockstep with whatever her father wanted. That no longer mattered. Which is why the words that came next were some of the easiest she had ever spoken.

"No."

It took a couple of seconds for Topps to register Cera's disobedience, but when he had, his voice became quiet.

"What did you say?"

"I said, no," Cera replied feeling her resolve become stronger with each passing second. "I'm not going to go along with everything you say anymore simply because you think it's right. I don't think longnecks are inferior dinosaurs, I don't want to have someone choose my mate when I get married, and guess what? I love Littlefoot."

Her dad's jaw would have dropped all the way to the ground if physics would have allowed it. When he had regained his composure, he spoke with the tone of someone who's authority and rage had been deflated.

"Cera…this…I will not hear of this! I am your father and I know what's best for you! This longneck has corrupted your mind! How can you shun the threehorn ways for a flathead?! How can you forget who you are?!"

The teenage threehorn simply shook her head.

"Dad, you once told me that a threehorn's most important quality was speaking his mind and not caring what others think of them. I'm not the one who forgot, you did."

And before he could get in another word, Cera walked straight past him, looking at him straight in the eye as she did so. The message was all too clear. She knew what she wanted and what she had to do.

"I'm going to find Littlefoot," she said turning around one more time to her family. "You can disown me if you want, but this time I'm doing what I think is best, not you. Littlefoot is the most amazing dinosaur I've ever met, and he makes me happy. I hope you can be happy for me someday too."

Cera proceeded to begin running in the opposite direction towards where she knew Littlefoot's family lived, leaving her father practically shell shocked. Even with everything that had happened recently, she still loved him dearly, and she still took enormous pride in being a threehorn. But for the first time, the teenage threehorn truly felt she was thinking for herself, rather than repeating old prejudices that had been forced on her since the day she hatched. It was time to move on from that and embrace what she had known all along.

Damn the world and what they think, she thought with fierce determination. I'm coming for you, Littlefoot. For better or worse.

Darkness.

When light vanishes, and the power of sight no longer possible, a sharptooth was to rely on his extra senses to get himself through.

"Ouch! Chomper, please be careful."

At least that's what he told himself.

"Sorry, Ruby. Even with my eye sight, it's hard to see in here."

He could see a slight outline of his friend's pink hue in the pitch black darkness, and her posture betrayed disapproval.

"I know, Chomper. But if we do not move quickly, then we cannot be quick enough to escape that monster trying to catch us."

"He's going to have a tough time finding us in here," Chomper chuckled.

Ruby clicked her beak.

"He still retains his smell, just as you do. If we are to succeed in avoiding him, we must remain downwind. Not even he knows of this passageway."

"Damn right I can smell him. A sharptooth that stinks that much is never hard to miss."

But the joke did not register with his companion.

"Chomper, this is no time for that kind of immaturity. We must warn the Valley that Red Claw is planning a full scale attack. Our friends are counting on us!"

Within the confines of the cave like passageway, the purple T-Rex understood Ruby's point. Despite both having voluntarily left the leaf eater paradise two years ago, a situation such as this went beyond the normal confines between sharpteeth and herbivores. They had to be warned, lest Red Claw find a way in and put hundreds of lives at risk.

Unfortunately for the pair, they found most of the Valley's entrances either blocked off or heavily guarded by an assortment of threehorns and spiketails, the two most badly tempered leaf eater species. They could not risk drawing their ire (or injury), so Ruby had decided to use the secret route they had found the first time they had sought refuge in the Valley…but not before the brute had sniffed them out and caught on to their trail.

"I know, Ruby," Chomper responded in a faint whisper. "You and I have had to live a little differently the past few years. But just because I'm hunting bigger things now doesn't mean I've lost my affection for this place. Red Claw is a menace to both leaf eater and sharptooth alike. He has to be prevented from coming in here."

Despite the darkness, the juvenile T-Rex could sense that Ruby understood his full commitment and energy to the task at hand.

"Then let us continue."

She and Chomper resumed walking down the rocky, unstable passageway, only the occasional *drip of water interrupting the ringing silence that permeated such a place. Both were on constant alert for any ominous sounds or movements that might be following in their wake.

"Just remember, my friend," Ruby whispered. "Let me do the talking when we get there. You are…not small anymore. If they perceive you as a threat, they will deal with you as a threat."

"Ruby, we've been over this, I promise I wouldn't-"

Just then Ruby let out a loud 'SHHH!'

"What? You don't think I'd actually eat…"

"Chomper!"

He fell silent at the admonishment, unsure what the Oviraptor was so paranoid about.

That is until he heard a terrifying noise echo throughout the tunnel.

It was if a large drum were being played at a rapid, yet deliberate pace. As it edged closer, it became apparent that whatever it was, was not only huge…but menacing. The kind that brought fear to any dinosaur's heart.

Chomper didn't need his sniffer to know who and what it was that was coming towards them.

"Hide!" Ruby said to him urgently.

"To where? I can hardly see a thing."

"Anywhere!"

"I can stand my ground! We can try to trap him in here!"

But it was too late, both teenagers' senses told them that the monster was right around the corner and before Chomper could react accordingly, he felt himself pushed into a corner of the tunnel just in the nick of time.

Despite the poor vision within the passageway, there was no mistaking the scent of the giant T-Rex, along with the poisonous malice that practically radiated from his body. Sniffing loudly, he continued to step forward towards their position.

"I can sense you, little ones. I do not need my eyes to know where you are."

"Good thing that makes both of us," Chomper growled softly.

"Chomper, don't," his caretaker warned him. "That's what he wants. He can smell us, but nothing more. Just stay put."

It was common knowledge, that even with vision that surpassed that of most leaf eaters, sharpteeth could still not technically register their prey in blinding darkness…unless it moved. No doubt, the beast before them was on alert for any such movement that would alert him to his quarry's presence.

"Come out little biter and face me. You only have the courage to defy me when you're with your precious mommy and daddy. They should have joined my cause, and they will soon regret it."

Ruby's anxiety heightened as she knew that the good natured biter she had come to know had one fatal weakness: his family and friends. If they were being threatened or in danger, he would stop at nothing to protect them. She could feel Chomper's body almost quivering with raw anger and she attempted to calm him down.

"He's baiting you," she soothed. "It's what he wants. He knows he can't see you, so he's resorting to drawing you out."

"I can beat him, Ruby," Chomper whispered, not bothering to hide his fury. "One good bite to his back leg and he's finished."

"No, Chomper. Even now, you're no match for him. Wait until he passes, and then we alert the Valley. He doesn't know the way through this tunnel."

It was then that the pounding of the ground stopped, and a loud sniffing echoed throughout the chamber. A deep, guttural voice spoke out into the darkness, a chilling nightmare that only existed in the imagination of unsuspecting, frightened younglings. Only this was all too real.

"Do not think that because you use the tongue of our prey that I cannot guess the purpose of your return to the Valley. You wish to aid the grass guzzlers by alerting them to my presence. Such a gesture would be almost admirable, were it not for the fact that you choose to betray your own kind!" he roared causing the tunnel to shake dangerously.

The Oviraptor clutched her companion tightly, doing her best to keep him from doing anything rash. Her emotional senses were in overdrive with the thick tension that hung in the air.

"Living among them as long as you did has made you soft, little biter! You do not realize what I have come to know after many years of ripping out their innards and feasting upon their flesh; that they are inferior to the glory and power of the sharpteeth! And once I am done with this valley, after I've slaughtered your friends and crushed their bones into powder between my teeth, then you will know what it is to be a true bringer of death. Today, you will witness bloodshed like you've never seen!"

Ruby could not have held Chomper back even if she had been a sharptooth herself. Within a split second, the juvenile biter leapt out from their hiding spot and prepared to attack the dark, towering figure that was Red Claw…

Or what he thought had been Red Claw…

"Chomper, no!" she cried out.

But it was too late. The evil tyrannosaurus had tricked them. Instead of sinking his teeth down onto soft flesh, Chomper found himself biting a pillar of rock that he had mistaken for his enemy, cutting it clean in two, crash landing into the wall with a tremendous thud.

Ruby, despite the darkness, could make out some form of Chomper laying in a pile of rocks on the other side. She stepped out into the main tunnel very slowly

"Chomper! Are you…"

She never was granted the chance to finish her sentence. At that moment, there was a great trembling as the roof of the passage way began to collapse. With no time to think, Ruby merely went off instinct, throwing herself as tightly as she could into the hiding spot they had been in before and hoped for the best.

The noise was unlike anything she had ever heard. It was if the world itself was falling all around her, rock and stone grinding and cracking against one another, sending bits of shrapnel in every direction. The only thing she could compare this terrifying event with was the shower of flying rocks she had witnessed with her parents, and even then, those hadn't been close enough to wipe out their very existence in one fell swoop.

Please, let it end, she thought, utterly convinced of her own demise. Please, let Chomper be alright.

Then, just when the cave-in seemed to be at its height, the crashing of the rocks ceased, and all was still. To her great surprise and relief, Ruby found that she was still among the living. Buried among the rubble, but alive.

Quickly, she climbed her way out and was met with a sunlight that almost blinded her.

"Oh my," she muttered as she shielded her eyes with her hands. Looking behind her, she saw that the entire latter half of the passage way was now gone, reduced to a heap and rendered useless for further travel.

"Well at least no one else can use it."

Ahead, the entire lush greenery that was the Great Valley was in full view. Forests, streams, grasslands, with the Thundering Falls to the northwest. Ruby had lived in various places over the years, but there was still nothing quite like the natural scenery of this haven.

Just how I pictured it.

Anxiety returned with a vengeance to her stomach as she realized that Chomper was nowhere to be found.

"Chomper!" she called out. And she yelled out his name a few more times in quick succession. Unfortunately, there was no sign of life to be found.

Frantically, she began digging as fast her arms would let her, not willing to ponder the unthinkable conclusion that nagged the back of her mind.

"Please, let my friend live. For I could not live with myself if he were not alive."

It was if the universe had answered her prayers, for no sooner had she spoken those words when a muffled voice made its way to the surface.

"Ruby? Over here!"

Immediately, the pink Oviraptor located precisely where the voice had come from and began lifting boulders half her own size away from said spot.

"Chomper! Chomper, are you okay?" she asked as his snout and eyes finally made their way to the surface of the rock heap.

The purple biter arose fully from his former constrictive prison and shook his head of the dust that remained on his body.

"I'm fine, Ruby," he said with a smile. "I'm sure you glad you found me though. Couldn't lift those rocks with these things," and he gestured at his stubby arms.

Ruby giggled slightly but tried to remain firm.

"I'm just glad we both made it out alive. Please, do not do something so rash, for next time we may not be so lucky."

"Hey, my head is tough enough to withstand anything," Chomper grinned, pointing to his cranium. "It's gotten me this far, hasn't it?"

Seeing that his friend did not share his same sense of humor, he took on a more serious demeanor.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to endanger you like that. Red Claw…he…"

"Has a way of getting under your skin," Ruby finished as she lightly touched his shoulder. She mentally made a note that he was almost getting too big for her to keep doing that. "You're not the first dinosaur that has hated him. But breathe easy now, for our enemy is likely no longer breathing."

They gazed upon the giant pile of rock and stone, hearing the sound of the occasional pebble bouncing among the remains of the former passage way. A cool breeze passed by them, rustling the vegetation that greeted their sight and senses. It was if to convey that true danger had passed, and the Valley was welcoming them personally into its midst.

"Well, I guess there's no point warning the Valley any longer," Chomper said aloud.

Without warning, the ground began to tremble and shake violently, almost causing the two friends to lose balance on the rocky hill they both stood on.

"What the-"

"Is it an earthshake?"

It turned out to be much worse, as a giant, green Tyrannosaurus burst forth from one of the piles thirty feet ahead of them, his red eye gleaming with contempt, and his mouth salivating with the thought of murder.

He turned his massive head towards Chomper and Ruby, the two ready to run for their lives if he decided to deal with them first, but he didn't. Instead he gave something of a wicked grin, if such a thing were possible for such a monster and eyed them with malicious glee.

"I must thank you both," he said to them in sharptooth. "I finally have achieved what I could not for many years." He sniffed the air with relish, no doubt sensing the many kinds of leaf eater that inhabited the area. "I promise to leave left overs as a reward. As of now, the Valley is mine."

And he lumbered away, heading straight into the trees to commence his bloodthirsty assault, the booming steps still audible when he was out of sight.

Chomper was the first to speak as the shock finally wore off for him and Ruby.

"I guess I spoke too soon."

Ruby's throat was dry, and her body almost completely numb at what had just transpired. Worse yet, she knew it was their fault.

"We have to do something, Chomper," she said at last, swallowing the guilty lump in her throat. "If we do not do something, something terrible will happen to all of our friends. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike…everyone is at risk."

"Then what are we waiting for?" the purple biter said with fresh determination in his voice. "Let's go! You take the meadow path and warn anyone you can. I'll go after Red Claw."

"Chomper, don't be a fool. You are not strong enough to take him on."

"I can try, Ruby! At the very least, I can slow him down. No one else besides us knows he's here, and he could kill a dozen dinosaurs before the Valley figures out what's going on."

"But…"

"I can do this!"

The last proclamation from Chomper was so pronounced, so firm, even Ruby knew she would not be able dissuade him from the task he was set on performing. This was personal for him, and she knew it. Accepting the situation at hand, she nodded but not before taking his claws in hers and it was only then that it occurred to her just how mature, strong, and powerful Chomper was. Even if he was not fully grown, his spirit was as bright as ever. He would protect those he cared about at all costs. As it turned out, his greatest weakness was also his greatest strength.

"Be careful, my friend. We've made it this far without losing our heads. Do not lose yours."

Chomper could only smile in appreciation at his friend's unique way of phrasing, truly thankful for her presence in his life and all they had gone through together.

"I won't, Ruby. Now, let's go! No time to waste!"

And so, the Oviraptor and the juvenile Tyrannosaurus ran off on their separate paths, but united in their goal.

Red Claw had broken into the Great Valley, and he had to be stopped, once and for all.

Is this considered a cliffhanger? Fuck it, yeah, it's a cliffhanger lol. Well I'd say things are ramping up a notch, hehe. Red Claw makes his dastardly appearance at last, and now he threatens the livelihood of the Valley itself! The suspense is killing me! xD

The toughest character for me to write for by far is Ruby. I hope I did her justice. That quirky way of speaking she has is not easy to emulate.

Anyway, let me know what you guys think. As always, hit that review button!

~The Wasp