Okay, so as I suspected, a few of you were a bit traumatized by the last chapter and the brutal cliffhanger I left you with.
Fear not, for the cliffhangers are over. The worst of the violence and rawness that defined the last 2-3 chapters is also done. I'm not going to tell you what's next. Only that I hope you enjoy and that you leave a review telling me your honest thoughts on what you think.
Also, before I forget. This is the second to last chapter. It's so hard to believe that this story has become as popular and successful as it has been. But I wanted to give a quick shout out and thank you to all of my readers and reviewers. Without you, this wouldn't have become what it is now.
Anyway, without further ado...
Chapter 19. Awakening Aftermath
Darkness.
It enveloped everything. There was nothing to counteract its encompassing nature. No sense, sight, or sound. Just quiet emptiness. Such things were usually frightening, but now…
Just peace…it seemed right somehow.
Littlefoot
The voice came in softly at first.
Littlefoot
Its volume began to increase but retained its gentleness…it was similar to the touch of a loved one encouraging you to wake from a night's rest to face the day.
Littlefoot…please get up…
Feeling returned to his body…light radiated in front of his eyes…was this his mother calling him home to the ancestors?
"I'm coming, mother."
Not yet, Littlefoot.
"Mother?"
The light continued to shine brighter; it was almost blinding at this point as he turned away to avoid its gaze.
"Mother, I can't see you. Where are you?"
I'm right here, my child. Awaken.
Eyes fluttered open and Littlefoot was suddenly awashed in a myriad of overwhelming senses. Shapes began to come into focus- there was the bright circle, the light blue sky, the sweet, delicious smell of the vegetation he loved so much, a cool breeze that was typical of the time of plenty…and several other colorful figures he began to recognize.
"Littlefoot, wake up!"
"Ducky, saying it over and over again doesn't help."
"I'm sorry. But I'm still so worried. I am, I am."
"Mr. Thicknose said he might be out awhile. Just give it time."
"Hang on, guys! Me think he waking up!"
The longneck blinked several times as the outlines of his best friends finally became clearer- Ducky, Spike, Cera, Petrie, Ruby, Shorty, and Ali were all by his side. He wanted to ask just what on earth was going on, but the moment he tried, pain erupted from his back.
"Ugh."
"Look, everyone! He's up! He is! He is!"
"Littlefoot, okay!"
A second effort finally evoked words.
"Guys? Where am I? What's…going on?"
He was immediately enveloped by his friends, causing him to experience several sensations at once: wetness on his neck (he assumed it was tears from Ducky), a tail flick on his side, and a sharp pain that originated from his back.
"OUCH!"
Flashbacks of his battle with Red Claw surged through his mind as his memory returned to him. The tail hits, the injuries, deadly jaws, near misses, leaping to take a killing blow not originally meant for him…
Cera
As if on cue, an assertive voice echoed out.
"Will you pea-brains take a step back and let him breathe?! Good grief, he's still hurt."
Slowly, the gang of teenagers receded back to make way for the orange threehorn, who's eyes and body language clearly betrayed her own anxiety and sense of relief. She walked up to him and gave him a soft nuzzle on his cheek.
"How ya feeing, ya big lug?" she asked in her usual manner, but a touch softer.
"Oh, you know. I've definitely been better," he replied with a lazy grin. "Mostly, I'm just wondering how I'm still alive. The last thing I remember is…"
He didn't have to say it as Cera looked down, willing herself to hold back the tears that had flowed for almost two straight days. She didn't want him to see her too emotionally vulnerable. Then she reminded herself Littlefoot was the one dinosaur she could be vulnerable around and so dropped any tough girl pretenses.
"We were afraid we lost you."
Littlefoot took this in and gazed at the rest of his friends, who all nodded solemnly.
"What happened?"
It was Shorty who stepped forward now.
"It's kind of a miracle actually…"
Flashback*
Littlefoot had officially fallen unconscious and everyone feared the worst. His grandparents were heaving heavy sobs, which only made the tragic affair worse. It was only Ruby's sensibility that saved the moment.
The pink fastrunner pressed her head against his large chest and stomach, straining to her any sound or feel any movement. Luckily, there was both.
"He's still alive," she said to the general surprise of the crowd. "I can still sense his heart and he's breathing but he's fading fast."
"Is-is there anything that can be done?" Bron asked, barely holding back the lump in his own throat.
"Mr. Thicknose might know something-"
"We don't even know where he is, Ducky," her mother said sadly. "He could be on the other side of the Valley and there isn't enough time for that."
"Well we have to do SOMETHING!" came an outburst from a teenage threehorn, who left her father's side to rejoin Littlefoot's injured form. She peered over to the wound on his back and had to refrain from visibly cringing. Blood was pouring profusely from the large chunk that had been torn off, leaving an exposed mess of flesh and muscle that would challenge the stomach's of even the hardiest souls. It certainly didn't seem anything could be done despite Cera's protests.
She turned back towards the crowd, helpless desperation filling her mind. It was the worst thing imaginable for her: faced with a life and death situation and being forced to witness the death of someone she loved beyond measure.
"Please," she repeated. "There must be something."
"Honey," her father tried to console her. "We'll think of a solution, I promise."
Cera knew it was only a vain attempt to help her calm down, but there was no use doing so. Not while Littlefoot's life slipped away.
"Wounds such as those are almost impossible to heal," Kosh said shaking his head.
"Nonsense!" said Topps stubbornly. "We can't let that monster win! If the young one dies…"
Words seemed to fail even the toughest, brashest threehorn in the Valley, and this time it was Grandpa Longneck who voiced the uncompromising reality.
"There are remedies for certain kinds of sickness in our world. Even certain cures for minor injuries. But this…unless there is something unheard of, I'm afraid Littlefoot won't live to see another day."
The pain was so evident on his face that not even tears could fully express the anguish he and his mate were obviously feeling. Reality had a way of bringing a hard truth full circle. No one was prepared to see one of Valley's brightest expire, however, the silence that followed the elder longneck's words seemed to indicate defeat.
Cera slumped onto the grass and began weeping again, as did Shorty, who perhaps was crying the hardest. There was no shortage of tears as Ducky grabbed onto Spike, with Susa consoling them both. Kosh and Dez bowed their heads, while Petrie was being held by his mother.
There was nothing more to be done except wait for the inevitable.
"Wait…"
Everyone turned towards Ali, who had stepped forward in the center of the group.
"There might be one way."
Cera immediately leapt up from the ground and rushed towards the female longneck.
"What is it?! For the love of the ancestors, longneck, spit it out!"
"Please tell us, yes, yes, yes."
"There's no time to lose!"
Ali immediately cautioned them.
"I've only seen it once. After the Old One died, our herd was attacked by a pack of fast biters and one of our members was badly wounded. At the time, we happened to be close to swampland that continued a mud pool. When we applied the mud to his wounds, it stopped the bleeding and allowed him to make a full recovery."
"And you think this would work with Littlefoot too?" Shorty asked.
"I have no idea," Ali said. "Like I said, I've only seen it once. And it would also depend on whether or not the Valley has one of those mud bogs."
Cera, Ruby, and Ducky immediately looked at each other knowingly.
"We do," the threehorn answered, hope returning to her as she spoke those words. "It's hard to find but I remember where it is. My stepmom uses it on occasion for relaxing baths."
"Can you lead us to it?" Bron asked, a spark returning to his eyes as well.
"We can! We can!" said Ducky.
"You tell Petrie where it is, and he find it!" the young flyer said puffing out his chest.
"It's extremely well hidden," Ruby pointed out. "Even from the air. You're going to need a guide. Cera, Ducky, and I can lead the way. It's close to the sinking sand."
Susa chimed in. "I'll gather the rest of my herd to carry it back to Littlefoot."
"As will I!" Topps seconded.
"Us too," nodded Violet.
"It's settled then," said Grandma Longneck. "The young ones will lead us to this mud pool, and everyone will take turns transporting it back to this spot. Quickly now, there's no time to lose."
The Valley was immediately out and about with dinosaurs going in all sorts of directions, but with one goal in mind: saving Littlefoot. Cera gestured for everyone to follow her, but suddenly Topps stepped in front of her path.
"Stay with the boy," he said in a tone of affection he rarely used. "The first dinosaur he should see when he wakes up is you."
Cera barely had time to process this, but nevertheless took it in stride and with happiness. Could her father finally accept her and Littlefoot as a couple?
She wasn't about to press that just now, settling for any small victory and above all else, ensuring he lived through this before making any celebration plans.
"You got it, Dad."
With an affirming smile, the male patriarch left to follow the rest of the group to the mud pool while Cera walked back over to Littlefoot, settling down next to him trying to provide a small degree comfort even if he wasn't conscious.
Only a few minutes earlier, he had been pronounced as good as dead, but something about the way her dad had spoken of him, that it was not a matter of 'if' but 'when' he would awaken once more…somehow Cera believed it with every fiber of her being. The dinosaur she had known practically her whole life, her best friend, would not die on her watch. Not today.
"Come on, Littlefoot," she spoke softly into the afternoon sun. "I know you can make it."
She snuggled up beside his body, listening to make sure he was still breathing.
"I'm not going to leave you. Not now. Not ever. I'm with you forever and always."
End Flashback*
Upon the conclusion of the story, Littlefoot immediately craned his neck to get a better look at his injury. Sure enough, there was an even coating of mud that sat on top of his exposed backside. There was still a dull, throbbing pain that emanated from it, but the mud seemed to have a soothing effect on what would have otherwise been a massively agonizing wound.
"So… you're saying that the mud is the reason I'm still alive right now?" he asked, hardly daring to believe it was the reason he had cheated death.
"Pretty neat, huh?" Petrie said flapping his wings.
"More like extremely lucky," Cera corrected. "In any case, it was pretty touch and go for a while. Even Mr. Thicknose wasn't entirely sure it would work. But eventually your breathing became stronger and you even began talking in your sleep."
Littlefoot shook his head in attempt to make sense of all the information that he was currently trying to process.
"This is all…wow…if I wasn't on the ground already, I'd have to sit down."
He turned towards his cousin, eyes full of gratitude.
"Thank you, Ali. To all of you. I haven't said it often enough lately, but you guys are the best friends a guy could have. I owe you my life."
His cousin smiled in return.
"You would have done the same for any of us. Besides, if there's anyone you need to thank it's Cera. She stayed with you the entire time and wouldn't leave your side until you woke up."
That admission emitted a furious blush from the teenage threehorn, who shot daggers at Ali, but nevertheless kept her temper.
It shows just how much Cera has changed, Littlefoot thought to himself. Well maybe that's not the right word. She's still the same stubborn threehorn she's always been. But perhaps she's better at showing…restraint.
Affection for her rose higher, a feat he did not think possible. Cera was never one for 'feelings' so to speak and he knew how hard it would be for her to be open with the relationship that would undoubtedly follow this whole episode. He realized the rest of his friends still had no idea of the romance between them and that would have to be addressed sooner than later…but surely, they would understand? Especially after defending the Valley and defeating Red Claw…
Suddenly, a dark thought popped into his head, which broke the relative tranquility he had been feeling.
"Red Claw!" he said so quickly, that it startled the rest of his friends. In an attempt to get up, a sharp jolt of pain went through his back, causing him to wince.
"Easy there, bro," Shorty said, and he and Ali assisted their mutual family member in settling back down. "You don't need to injure yourself further over that monster. He's dead."
Littlefoot opened his mouth to argue but then closed it as the dots connected in his head.
"I suppose I wouldn't be here right now if we hadn't driven him off somehow. But dead? How did that happen?"
"Cera happened," Shorty grinned. "Stabbed him right in the chest after you went down apparently."
"Me saw it!" Petrie squawked. "Me never see Cera so angry before. And she always upset with me."
But for once, the threehorn was not boastful or proud.
"I injured him pretty badly," she said simply. "But I didn't kill him outright. Someone else did that."
"So, who did?" Ducky asked, as Spike held a look of mutual confusion.
"Me," spoke a familiar voice.
Chomper, who's appearance did not seem to be a surprise to anyone, stepped out of the shadows and towards the group. He was only a juvenile, and nowhere near the size of an adult of his kind, but he was long past his 'adorable baby sharptooth' stage of life. Despite that, his features still conveyed a warmth and sincerity that the group had known and loved since the time he had hatched right in front of them.
"Glad to see you're up, Littlefoot," he said kindly. "I had to stay in the forest, but I heard you had awoken so I figured it couldn't hurt to see how you were doing."
"Why did you have to stay within the forest in the first place?"
Ruby answered that question immediately.
"The Valley wasn't too happy when they found out Chomper had come back and we had to tell them what he did so he would not have to go back too."
Littlefoot began to protest, but the purple biter shut him down.
"It's understandable, Littlefoot. They didn't know why I was here. For all they knew I could have been right at Red Claw's side. And, well…" he shifted his head awkwardly. "Look at me. I'm not exactly a hatchling anymore. I'm large enough to be considered a threat."
"But you're not!"
"Doesn't matter. It doesn't change the fact that I have to hunt other dinosaurs in the Beyond to survive. But I would never, ever attack the Valley, not even if I was starving. And if I'm being completely honest…Red Claw getting in here was partially my fault. I had to do something."
By now, this had everyone intrigued, but it was Ali who asked the most potent question of all.
"Did you really kill him?"
There was no lie in Chomper's eyes as he gave an affirming nod.
"I did."
Flashback
Ragged breathing and heavy footsteps symbolized just how far the once mighty predator had fallen. It wasn't supposed to end like this…he wasn't the one that was supposed to be on the brink of death…
Blood continued to pour heavily from where the wretched threehorn had punctured him with her horn. There was no way to stop it until the wound had run its course. Until that time, he simply had to keep going…make it out of the Valley and find some place to recover…vengeance would come another day.
His lung, by now barely functioning, prevented him from going faster as he wheezed through the forest. Every breath was excruciating and every step he took more painful than the last. But he was determined to make it out of this alive. He, the mighty Red Claw, had not become the most fearsome predator of the age by giving up. No…somehow he would survive this and strike again when the time was right. The longneck, the threehorn…they all would pay for daring to stand against him.
A part of his psyche still couldn't believe he had been beaten by creatures he had believed almost his entire life to be inferior. The grass guzzlers did not deserve the carefree lives they carried in this place, it was an affront to nature itself. Sharpteeth such as himself were destined to rule over those underneath them.
So why then was he the one limping away in defeat?
He decided not to dwell on the ramifications. For now, the only thing that mattered was getting away from this accursed place…yes, that would suffice. Perhaps if he himself could not bend this Valley to his will, more like minded sharpteeth (those he hadn't killed off) would…
Unbeknownst to the slowly dying Tyrannosaurus, his injury had been leaving a trail of crimson in his wake, easy for even the most dimwitted simpleton to follow.
And someone was following him. By the time Red Claw sensed that, it was too late.
Something broke through the trees and rammed him to the ground. He would never again rise.
The dark green monster coughed as blood and bile built in his throat, his ragged breathing becoming more pronounced as he witnessed the purple sharptooth before him.
"So, you've come to finish me?"
Chomper resisted spitting on the ground as he gazed at the dying sharptooth from a position on high. How the tables had turned.
"I prefer to think of it as an act of service, actually," he responded in a voice that did not bother to hide his disgust. "You've caused enough pain, Red Claw. Enough suffering."
"Life IS suffering," the monster wheezed. "And the only way to change that is by turning your suffering on those who are weaker. We are the strongest living creature that has ever walked these lands…and yet you defend those fat leaf eaters over your own kind."
Chomper paused, looking around the small enclosure of trees, bushes and shrubs before continuing.
"Those 'fat' leaf eaters as you call them are the reason I'm alive. They could have killed me the moment I hatched. Instead, they took care of me even though I was destined to consume their kinds. I don't care what I am or what I have to be, I'd give my life to protect them."
Red Claw only chuckled evilly as his own bodyweight continued to crush whatever capacity for breathing he had left.
"Pathetic," he managed to taunt one last time. "You think these fools will honor you for your deeds? You're just as dead as I am."
"Your words don't matter anymore. All your life you've sought to kill or dominate others," Chomper said, drawing closer to the form if his adversary. "Well…no longer."
The green Tyrannosaurus gurgled one last threat before the inevitable.
"One day, you'll learn little biter-"
Those proved to be his last words as Chomper's jaws snatched his neck and with a sickening twist, snapped it, officially ending the sharptooth's life.
Red Claw, the greatest foe the Great Valley had ever known, was dead.
End Flashback*
Chomper finished his story with sheepishness lining his features and anxiousness in his posture. He did not like having to admit that he had killed another dinosaur. Even if that dinosaur was Red Claw, he had hoped he could keep that side of things outside of his friends' knowledge. Alas, it proved to be impossible.
"I'm sorry if that's unpleasant to hear," he said looking down at his claws, the reminder that he was so very different from the rest of the group especially apparent. "I'm not a killer like him. You know that. But he was responsible for so much destruction and even with that wound he was still too dangerous to be left alive. It was also…personal for me."
Littlefoot wanted to tell him not to worry and that eliminating Red Claw was nothing to be ashamed of, but Cera beat him to it.
"You don't need to apologize, Chomper," she said in her most understanding tone yet. "The fact of the matter is you didn't have to come back here just for us. But you did and because of that, we're alive right now to talk about it. Every single one of us is in your debt."
That the words were coming from the threehorn that had once wanted to get rid of him when he was just a baby meant a great deal to the juvenile biter.
"Thank you, Cera. The way you guys took care of me as a hatchling…well I'll never be out of your debt. It was the least I could do."
"There's one thing I still do not understand," pipped up Ducky. "You said you were partially responsible for letting Red Claw in? How?"
"He's being too hard on himself, for it is also hard to admit when you've made an honest mistake," replied Ruby. "Red Claw had been planning an attack on the Valley for months. His attacks on the herds were initially supposed to starve you out as he thought there would not be enough food for all of the refugees entering here. When that didn't work, he decided to use the old underground entrance Chomper and I took once to enter undetected. When we tried to prevent that from happening, the entrance collapsed giving Red Claw an open path into the Valley."
"Red Claw had also attacked my parents numerous times," Chomper added with a noted anger in his normally even voice. "He was a menace to leaf eater and sharptooth alike."
"I say death was too good for him," Shorty said darkly. "He deserved to suffer a thousand times over for what he's done."
"He did deserve worse," agreed Chomper. "Even so, I'm not a sadist and stooping to his level makes me no better than him."
"What you did was the best option," Littlefoot agreed. "Especially given the circumstances. Though I have to admit, you must have a head made of rocks to get back up that quickly after Red Claw tossed you into that tree."
Chomper laughed.
"My pop says I get it from mom."
That elicited a group chuckle. It was amazing to Littlefoot that even after all this time apart they could still chat and joke like no time had passed at all. It then dawned on him that scenes like this one had become too few and far in between as of late. Between every conflict- the controversy surrounding his dad, the threat of Red Claw, the disapproval of his relationship with Cera- there had been no time to spend with his friends.
"Guys, I have to apologize."
His companions looked at him curiously.
"What are you talking about, Littlefoot?" Ducky asked.
"Yeah, sorry for what?" Ali added.
"Well I don't see you and Shorty as often to begin with," Littlefoot conceded. "But I feel like everything has been so crazy lately that we haven't been able to do all of the things we used to. And well…a lot of that falls on me."
But there was no need for apologies and his friends made sure that he knew that right away.
"You no need to be sorry for that," said Petrie.
"Everyone's been super busy, really. It wasn't just you," Cera agreed. "I feel like we've all had problems to deal with these past couple months."
"You would not believe the fights I had with my momma, you would not," spoke Ducky with a shake of her head as Spike gave an affirming nod while proceeding to much on some grass.
"And certainly don't feel guilty about me," Chomper said with half a grin. "I wasn't even here."
"Don't know why these guys are trying to make you feel better. Everyone knows you're just an asshole," Shorty cracked before being tail whipped by Ali.
"OW! What?"
"Do I really need to remind you what an asshole YOU are?" Ali said, but she was still smiling all the same.
The banter served to lift Littlefoot's spirits even as he realized that this what he had been truly missing: his friends by his side to support him no matter what. Also, Ali taking his brother down a peg or two was certainly entertaining. Perhaps, now that peace had returned to the lands inside and out, there could be more time for these intimate moments.
"It's hard to believe he's dead. Especially after all this time."
Ruby nodded and went over to soothe her longneck friend.
"Sometimes you can believe the unbelievable," she stated in her own unique manner of speaking. "Whether things will go back to they way they were, there is no way to know."
Suddenly, upon the horizon of the hill, four familiar figures appeared and there was no mistaking them as they drew closer.
My dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Mr. Threehorn, and Tria.
The teenage longneck swallowed uneasily as he gave a glance towards Cera who returned it, clearly not knowing what was going on herself. All sorts of possibilities flashed through his minds: perhaps they were to be commended for their bravery? Maybe that was enough to bury any past grudges? Or where they here to yell at them once more and be humiliated in front of their friends?
"Hey, me see your family, Littlefoot."
"And Cera's as well. Yup, yup, yup. I wonder what they want."
"Probably just checking in on the golden child," Shorty snickered. He gave Littlefoot a playful smirk, but Ali was more reserved and provided him with a quick wink. Perhaps she knew more than she let on.
Soon enough, the large adults reached their location. However, they did not appear to be angry. On the contrary, they seemed a bit…unsure.
"Hello, children. I hope we find you well."
Everyone nodded in unison and gave small mutterings of contentment.
"Would it be okay to speak with our grandson for just a moment?" Grandma Longneck asked politely, but with an indication of urgency.
Shorty began to speak, but a look from his adopted father silenced him. Standing behind the elder longnecks, he gave a slight tilt with his head which left little doubt that the conversation needed to be private.
"I too would also like to speak with Littlefoot…as well as my daughter," Topps spoke in a gravelly voice, devoid of its usual harshness.
The rest of the group wasted no time in vacating the area, even Shorty did not attempt to pass off another wisecrack.
"We're going down to the falls if you want to join us later," he said simply.
"We'll be there when you're done!" shouted Ducky happily as she and the others made their way down the slope towards their desired location.
"See you, Littlefoot! See you, Cera!"
Both teens were almost a little afraid to see their friends go. After all, they were totally unprepared for whatever their guardians might have to say and given that the last conversation among them had not gone so well, they had more reason than most to feel a bit apprehensive. But Littlefoot couldn't help notice that his dad had given his in laws a funny look before they began speaking, and Tria had done the same with her husband.
What exactly is going on here?
"Littlefoot," his grandfather began. "We need to talk."
"And please let us finish before you say anything. The Ancestors know we've had far too many fights as of late," added his grandmother.
The young one nodded his head in agreement.
"Well, we won't make this too long," Grandma Longneck began with a sigh. "Contrary to what you might be thinking, we aren't here to lecture you."
"Quite the opposite, actually," said Grandpa Longneck. "We're here…to apologize."
Littlefoot could hardly believe his ears. He was in such disbelief, that he and Cera couldn't but speak in unison.
"What?"
"We know this comes as a shock," Grandma Longneck continued. "Littlefoot, our job as your grandparents is to protect and guide you as you make your own journey through the Great Circle of Life. Your Grandpa and I realized that we had not been fulfilling that mission properly. We were so concerned with what we thought was best for you, that we didn't take into consideration what you might want."
"Teenagers often think they know everything," Grandpa Longneck. "But quite often, older dinosaurs think the same thing without realizing it. We want you to know that whatever you choose in life, from becoming a herd leader…"
"Even to your romantic choices…"
"We support you no matter what."
Littlefoot took this in and knew that his guardians were being forthright. That was the only aspect of this situation that made it believable. But if he was totally floored, what occurred next blew them away entirely.
"That goes for me too."
Topps Threehorn looked as though it took a great deal of personal effort to say those words. They were not insincere, but that didn't make it any easier for the threehorn patriarch. Littlefoot could discern this was going against everything Mr. Threehorn believed in which made this all the more incredible.
"Littlefoot, your grandparents love you and care for you and hold your best interests' heart. Even when they seem unreasonable, they're fair. Always have been since the time I've known them."
He breathed a heavy sight, his wife indicating for him to go on.
"I owe a bigger apology. To you and Cera. For the longest time, I've let my prejudice and fear get the better of me. And I too tried to force my daughter to do things she had no interest in doing. What a fool I was."
Topps turned his attention towards his first born.
"Cera, I am truly sorry for the way I've behaved towards you. I didn't listen to you when you told me that blasted Frank was no good. I didn't listen when you told me I had nothing to fear from Littlefoot. I didn't listen when you told me I had lost my way. Well you were right all along, one of us did forget what it meant to be a threehorn…and it was me."
He shifted his massive frill towards the teenage longneck.
"Littlefoot, there is nothing I could say that could possibly excuse the hostility I've had against you, but truth be told, I've never been very friendly to begin with, have I?"
It was a rhetorical question that needed no answer. So, Topps continued.
"For years I had been fearful of what conversing with other herds would mean for my daughter. Would she retain the threehorn traditions? Would she find someone that she could depend on day in and day out after I was gone? I always believed her friendships were wrong, something I had to tolerate for the sake of peace in the Valley…I know now that it was I who could not have been more wrong."
He stopped briefly, but Tria encouraged him to continue.
"Even now I have my misgivings, but…" he took a deep breath. "But anyone who would willingly sacrifice themselves for my daughter not only has my respect, but my blessing. If this is what you want Cera-"
"I do. More than anything," she quickly responded.
Her father nodded.
"Then so it shall be."
Bowing his head in respect, he stepped backwards a few paces and as he did so Tria whispered in his ear.
"Thank you, sweetie. You did a good thing today."
An affectionate nuzzle from his wife and the male threehorn was done. The threehorn couple turned to go back to its respective herd, but not before one last word from Topps.
"I know I don't need to tell you this, Littlefoot, but…take care of my little girl. And Cera, be back by supper time."
Littlefoot nodded respectively.
"Yes, sir. I will."
"Yes, Daddy."
Cera couldn't scarcely believe their good fortune. Only days before, her father was declaring that she would have nothing more to do with the longneck he despised so much, he wouldn't even speak his name. Now, he had given his official blessing and there was nothing stopping them from officially becoming a couple. This was better than any small victory she thought they would receive, it was a full-blown triumph. And her heart could barely contain her happiness.
With nothing more to say, the threehorns disappeared from beyond the hill. The elderly longnecks stayed behind for a moment longer, however.
"No doubt you heard how we were able to heal your wound," his grandma stated.
"Yeah, Shorty told me the whole story."
"Yes, well, it's good that you're awake and before what was initially expected," Grandpa Longneck said. "However, Mr. Thicknose insists you continue to rest for at least a week longer. You can rejoin us tonight, but we must insist that you not exert yourself until you're fully healed."
Littlefoot recognized a truce when he saw one and was more than happy to oblige. He had just received permission from both of his guardians and Mr. Threehorn no less, to date Cera and that was more than enough.
"I will. I promise."
His Grandpa smiled widely.
"Then we will leave you to it. Come, dear. I believe our second grandson will be holding court at the Great Falls, the Ancestors only know what he's getting up to."
His grandmother gave one last cheerful lick before departing alongside her longtime mate, leaving the two teens alone.
Neither said anything for a brief moment, until Cera broke the silence.
"Wow."
"What?" he asked her.
"It's few and far between when my dad apologizes for anything. But to see him fully repentant, well that takes skill."
"Or a gigantic bite to your back," Littlefoot said with a grin.
"Please don't joke about that," Cera responded, her green eyes burning with passion. "I swear to whatever Petrie claims there is in the sky if you ever almost get yourself killed like that again…"
"You'll knock me into next week. I've heard it a hundred times now."
"And you're going to hear it every day as long as you're with me."
"Hmmm, I hope there's a reward for adhering to your demands."
"I can think of a few things."
Cera wasted no time in giving an affectionate lick on the cheek, which caused her now longneck boyfriend to give a lopsided smile.
"I'd say that's a pretty good deal," he said happily.
"I thought so," she replied softly in a voice she rarely used, but Littlefoot loved.
She snuggled up against him once more, both dinosaurs drinking in the warmth of the midday sun, enjoying each other's company without a care in the world. For the first time in what seemed like a very long time, both enjoyed a sense of harmony matched only by their mutual affection for one another.
"You know a thought just occurred to me," Littlefoot said aloud.
"What's that."
"It was something that Mr. Thicknose said to me when we first started to learn about the Time of the Great Growing. 'Tread cautiously. The dinosaur world can be a very unforgiving place.' This was right after I told him I liked you."
"Are you serious?"
"Well, I more or less alluded to it. I knew right then and there that being with you wasn't going to be easy…"
"But?"
Littlefoot laughed. She really did know him so well.
"I also knew it wasn't going to stop me. For all of the rules that dinosaurs have, there wasn't a single one that could prevent me from being with you."
Cera beamed at him, her eyes radiating with happiness.
"Still got your heads stuck in the clouds, eh, longneck?"
"Like you'd have it any other way."
The threehorn giggled slightly before turning her head towards the center of the Valley, where a great deal of the herds had gathered for a drink on the beautiful early afternoon.
"It took me awhile to admit it myself," she said quietly, her gaze not quite meeting his. "That's why I tried to drive you away initially. But once I did, there was no going back. Fact of the matter is, you've been my best friend since the day we were separated from our families."
This time she did meet his eyes, despite the obvious crimson in her cheeks.
"And I can't think of a better dinosaur to end up with in life than the one who's been there since day one."
This time, it was Littlefoot's turn to give her an affectionate lick on the cheek, one which she returned with tenderness and care, as he rested his weary head on her frill. Both began to doze off, light and content in each other's company. Littlefoot especially needed the rest and having his girlfriend by his side made it that much easier. All was well.
"So, have you thought about what we're going to tell our friends once they find out we're officially together?" Littlefoot asked his beloved.
"Are you kidding? I'm going to say the whole thing was your idea."
Pffff...you guys really thought I was going to kill off Littlefoot? The main protagonist and hero of this whole damn franchise? I can be brutal but I'm not that brutal man. To kill off a character like that would really require an ulterior purpose and that's not what I'm going for in this story. Especially when I envisioned it over two years ago.
Also, I figured it was a good time to make Topps look good. He's been the stern, unlikeable 1950's father figure this entire time and he needed a decent moment.
As I said in the introduction, this is the second to last chapter guys. Next one is the epilogue. Can't tell you when it's going to be up but I'll have an update on my profile page as soon as I get a better idea.
Rock on!
~The Wasp