Well, guys...this is it.
The last chapter of arguably, the most successful story I've ever written and one of the most enjoyable. I admit, I hit a wall after posting Chapter's 18 and 19 because not only were they long but pretty emotionally draining. When you get invested in something like this, you feel like you've taken the same journey as the characters themselves. This was quite a roller coaster. I set out to convey what teenage life might be like for our favorite dinosaurs in this series, adding certain mature elements but not going too extreme. To combine the elements of drama, romance, and what it means to grow up along with a little action thrown in. I hope I accomplished this.
It's really surreal to think that this has taken me the better part of two years to complete. And not only that, I really felt I improved as a writer along the way. I want to thank all of those who read, reviewed, favorited, alerted, etc. It means a great deal to have had your support.
Special shout out to my bud, The Rhombus, who edited and helped me proof read the first 8-10 chapters. You've been instrumental not only with this story but with writing in general.
Anyway guys, what can I say other than enjoy one more chapter of 'This Is Growing Up'.
Chapter 20. One More Day in Paradise
Slow and heavy footsteps gave a slight echo across the Valley grounds as the herds of the Beyond made their way towards the main exit. With the threat of Red Claw now passed, the refugee herds could make their way back towards their old stomping grounds and migration routes. The air held a pleasant warmth to it, lacking in humidity and giving to a slight breeze from the west. The sun was beginning to make its ascent towards the horizon as the afternoon slowly turned to evening, and an orange-reddish glow alighted the vegetation of the Valley in a dazzling display of color.
"Quite a sight isn't it?" Littlefoot said as he nudged his girlfriend. "Who knew there were so many in the Valley just a few weeks ago?"
"Eh, I could guess it was pretty noticeable. Given that half the tree tops in the Valley were stripped bare."
Cera was exaggerating slightly but not by much. Though her father may have come across as harsh and unyielding, his concerns would have proved well founded if not for the death of Red Claw. The refugees had consumed more than their fair share of green food since their arrival. Now, it was time for them to move on as they always did. That included Bron and Shorty.
Littlefoot and his friends had come to watch the procession as they always did, a time honored tradition in the Valley. It was especially difficult for the teenage longneck to say goodbye to his father and brother, but the circumstances of the past season had changed much in his life. Indeed, no one had been left the same as they were since the beginning of the Great Growing.
"Littlefoot, you won't be too upset now that your dad and brother have to leave again, will you?" Ducky asked, a note of anxiety in her voice.
He could guess what the worry was about. Though he had reassured them a million times he wasn't going anywhere, the other three (Spike, Ducky, and Petrie) had somehow gotten it into their heads that he was bound any day to leave with Bron and Shorty in the Beyond.
"Ducky, I promise. I'm not about to leave the Valley just now…"
"Ahem," Cera gave a cough and raised her horn in the air, mocking offense.
"For…multiple reasons," he said with a sly grin as Cera nuzzled him.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot," Ducky said with a slight giggle. "You two are in looooove. Yup, yup, yup."
Cera went furiously red at that statement for more reasons than just embarrassment. She was still getting 'used' to the fact that she was dating a longneck, although that wasn't the root of the problem. Pride was an essential trait among threehorns and Cera would have to keep hers well shielded versus the taunts and sneers she would ultimately face from not just her own kind but from dinosaurs across the Valley. Though their relationship was announced and approved by their guardians and the elders themselves, that was hardly a guarantee from the prejudices that they would encounter along their journey. It was because of that fact that Cera remained highly guarded and a bit insecure about their relationship.
"Ducky I swear to the Ancestors…"
But just as her temper began to rise, it settled back down once more due to timely intervention from her longneck boyfriend and an unlikely source.
"Cera, it's okay."
"Besides, you know we no judge you," Petrie chimed in, landing on the large herbivore's back.
Spike gave a friendly grunt and it didn't take Ducky to translate what it meant. The three of them had known they were dating for some time and had been met with nothing but support. The adults had taken quite a bit of convincing to earn their blessing, but the acceptance had come easy from the younger generation, including Chomper and Ruby.
Speaking of which…
Even now, Littlefoot could sense a sad void next to him where his two friends should have been. With the blessing of the Valley elders, they had been allowed to stay a few more days to comfort him in his recovery. But as Chomper himself had pointed out, he was a danger no matter how good his intentions were, and it was simply too risky to have the young sharptooth around for an extended period of time. Nature dictated that they must go their separate ways and live their lives accordingly. Petrie and Ducky had protested this loudly, but Ruby, ever wise in her own unique way, shot them down. The goodbye had been bittersweet, but both promised they would meet again someday under better circumstances.
He sighed to himself. Some rules in the dinosaur world couldn't be broken and for good reason.
Just then, he took a quick glance at Cera, reminded about the everything he knew and loved about her.
She's worth it. Every day and every second I'm with her is a miracle. No rule or taboo was going to prevent that.
A sudden whack on his leg broke his dreamy thought process.
"OW! Shorty! Go easy, I still have a hole in my back you know."
"Whoops, sorry, bro. Thought you were somebody else," his brother said with a mischievous grin.
"You couldn't leave without doing something obnoxious could you?" Cera sassed, rolling her eyes.
"I prefer to think of it as a standard love tap for my brother," Shorty replied. "After all, he's not going to see me for a while."
"The dry season is half over already," Littlefoot pointed out. "You'll be back before you know it."
"Ugh, once per season is usually enough," the threehorn muttered, but she managed to soften her stance and give something of a light nod to the brachiosaurus. "Stay safe out there, Shorty. Even with Red Claw gone, there are still plenty of sharpteeth that would love to take a bite out of you."
"I imagine it might be a welcome relief to see him take something seriously for once," interrupted Bron with a chuckle. "And I can hardly blame you if you would like to give him a traditional threehorn send off."
Shorty looked up at apprehensively at his adopted father, while the rest of the gang started to laugh.
"You won't have to worry about that, Cera," said Ali, making her own detour from the herd to say goodbye. "I'll keep him in line." She proceeded to lightly graze his face with her own tail playfully, adding a wink which caused the teenage longneck to blush slightly.
"Glad to know there's someone capable of it."
"All kidding aside, I am really glad we got to see you, I did, I did," Ducky said, Ali a hug. "Having that talk with you and Cera really helped."
"And Shorty, next time you come back we can go spiketail tipping again!" Petrie squawked excitedly.
That earned a sharp glare from Bron, as Shorty recoiled under his stern silent gaze.
"W-What? I don't know what he's talking about."
"Just say your goodbyes," the herd leader said a small sigh. "I would like to address Littlefoot and his friends for one quick moment."
They did as they were told, stepping forward to embrace one another for a final time until they met again.
"See ya, cousin," Ali said brightly, coiling her neck around Littlefoot's briefly in a show of affection.
"Back at ya, cuz," said Littlefoot, reciprocating the gesture. "You saved my life, Ali. I'll never forget that."
"Just don't forget who really saved your life," she said, indicating Cera with her head. "I know you two are going to be so happy together.
"It was wonderful to see you all, and now that I'm with your dad's herd, I'll be coming around a lot more often."
"It'll be a blast," Littlefoot said as he gave his brother a flick of his tail.
"OW!"
"Couldn't resist a little payback, bro."
The dark green longneck chuckled sheepishly.
"Yeah, guess I deserved that didn't I? Thanks for everything, Littlefoot. I'm sorry if I gave you a hard time about girls and all that…"
"It's okay, Shorty. You're my brother. Even though you can be a huge pain in the ass, I know your heart's in the right place. Just don't break my cousin's okay, wiseguy?"
For a second time, Shorty went red.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about."
"Just like you didn't with spiketail tipping?"
Sensing his brother's awkwardness, Littlefoot laughed to bring him at ease.
"Just take care of her, okay? And have some stories to tell next time you visit."
Shorty smiled.
"You know I always do."
With that, the other two teenage longnecks departed, rejoining the herd, which was now reaching the end of its line. The final goodbye had drawn near.
Bron looked down at his firstborn son, becoming aware that it in a few years, the two would nearly even in height. There was a shimmer of sadness in each of their eyes. No matter the circumstances, it was never easy for Littlefoot to witness his father leave each season into the Beyond. It didn't seem right for the two be separated so constantly given they were the only two remaining of a family that had been divided long ago. Yet, this scenario had been played out many times over the years, and each time the struggle to prevent tears became increasingly difficult.
"Littlefoot, my son, out of all my trips to the Valley I think it's safe to say this one has been unlike anything I've experienced before."
"You can say that again," Cera agreed as the others nodded with her.
"I knew the Great Growing would be a weird time, but I never expected…well any of this to happen," Littlefoot explained, trying to find the right words to describe his emotions. "And through it all I've come to realize that I'm not really a kid anymore, but I'm not an adult either."
"You've been through things more than half of the adults around here couldn't dream of," Bron said with a hint of pride in his voice.
"Grandma told me that I was destined to lead a herd someday, and that growing up is huge responsibility. But it became so much more than that. I ended up fighting the most terrifying sharptooth of all time and I have the wound on my back to prove it, I fell in love with my best friend who I wasn't even allowed to talk to at one point…is this what it means to get bigger? To grow up?"
"Well yes…and no," Bron replied simply.
Littlefoot and his friends looked at each other in confusion, shrugging.
"You kinda lost me, dad."
"Littlefoot, everything you just described- fighting sharpteeth, falling in love with the girl of your dreams- that's all part of growing up and things you'll have to deal with in your life as an adult. Sharpteeth follow my herd almost every day, but we don't let them get in the way of enjoying ourselves. Your mother and I had our ups and downs as it is in any relationship, but we loved each other above all else. You see, it's not merely the choices we make as we grow, it's what we learn from those choices that will serve us as we journey through the circle of life. Growing for a longneck is as inevitable as the Bright Circle rising each and every day. But growing as a dinosaur and a leader, that's what truly matters. And you've grown more in these last few weeks than anyone could have imagined. Indeed, you all have."
The teenage longneck couldn't help but feel a broad coalition of emotions at his dad's words- pride, reassurance, happiness, doubt, and his ever present curiosity.
"Thanks, dad. I guess even now I feel a little overwhelmed. After everything that's happened, I'm still not sure where I'm going or what will happen in the future. I mean…where do you from after you've defeated Red Claw and earned the approval of Mr. Threehorn?"
"Me can pinch you, if you still no believe it," Petrie offered.
Bron gave a warm smile.
"You don't need to know. That will occur on its own as you continue on your journey. You have a life time to be an adult and all that comes with it. The time you have to simply be Littlefoot and have some fun along the way is limited. Enjoy it."
Littlefoot didn't care that his friends were watching, he took a step forward and embraced his father, a tear dropping from his eye.
"Thank you, dad. I love you.
"I love you too. I could not be more fortunate to have son such as you."
The large adult male Apatosaurus nuzzled his son one more time, before leaning tall in preparation to return to the helm at the front of his herd.
Gazing at the yellow-orange ball that was the Bright Circle, Bron spoke one last time as much to himself as to the younger dinosaurs in his wake.
"Life's a funny thing," he spoke quietly. "It leads you one way, then another, and then somewhere where you never thought possible."
He turned once more to his first born.
"You're in good hands, Littlefoot. With your grandparents, your friends, and this lovely threehorn at your side-
(Cera puffed herself up, proudly)
"I have no doubt that whatever you choose when you come of age, it will be your greatest adventure yet."
Bron smiled once more before departing.
"Goodbye, son. For now."
"Goodbye, Dad."
They watched as the gigantic figure of Bron became smaller and smaller into the distance until it disappeared entirely with the rest of the herds, all going their separate ways. Littlefoot didn't know how long they all stood there, mouths slightly agape, but by the time they realized that they were gone, the majority of the crowd had dispersed leaving only a handful of dinosaurs in the area.
It was Petrie who broke the silence with the question that was all on their minds.
"Soooo….now what?"
"I think I've had enough reflecting for one day," Cera said.
"I suppose he's right though," Ducky said, picking at a few blades of grass on the ground. "None of us are the same since our Great Growing began."
Littlefoot hadn't yet broken his gaze from the western glow where the herds had vanished.
"We won't be the same by the time its finished either. We all had to overcome some problem or another recently…"
"Like with my Momma-"
"Or me with weird voice!"
"Be thankful none of you will ever have to deal with teenage threehorns."
Spike gave his own grunt and showcased the now impressive display of plates on his back along with a slowly developing thagomizer.
"It was the worst," Ducky said sadly.
"But we got through it, didn't we?" Littlefoot said, his attention turned back towards his friends. "I can't guarantee that more bad stuff won't happen, but it's like my dad said right? It's how we react and learn from it."
The female duck bill nodded, however, her face still didn't look entirely convinced.
Littlefoot gave a warm smile that only he could give and assure them all.
"Lots of things change, Ducky. But I know one thing that'll never stop being true. As long as we're in this Valley we'll never stop being friends."
That did the trick as Ducky quickly enveloped in a big hug, which prompted Petrie to follow suit, with Spike next and a reluctant Cera.
"Do we have to do a group hug?" the threehorn complained, though everyone knew she was just blustering in the way she usually did. "This emotional stuff is too much right now."
"Now's as good a time as any," Littlefoot laughed as they all broke apart.
"Yeah, you also forgot something else your dad said. We got a life time to be adults, but only a small amount to just goof off and have fun," Cera said with a confident raise of her horn. "I say we make use of it before the Bright Circle sets."
"Me agree with Cera!"
"So, do I! I do! I do!"
Spike gave an agreeable grunt.
"My grandparents aren't expecting me back until later in the evening for dinner. Why not?"
"Good," Cera grinned. "So, what do you say we play a little game of keep away with the rock? Winner gets the first treestar in the morning."
Littlefoot, keeping in mind that his back was not fully healed, remained non-committal.
"Uh, well Mr. Thicknose said I shouldn't do much until…"
"What's the matter, Littlefoot? Scared you'll be bested by your girlfriend?"
That got his competitive juices flowing, all hesitation out the window.
"Is that a challenge, threehorn? Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're my girlfriend now."
"Oh, you don't want to know what I have in store for you, longneck," Cera said with a not so subtle wink.
Petrie began to fake gagging noises.
"Ewww! They already flirting in front of us!"
"What was that you big beaked buffoon?" Cera growled as she whipped her frill around.
"Ha! You no fool me, Cera! You big softie now."
"I will make sure you won't be able to fly for a week! Get back here!"
Littlefoot laughed, as he brought the situation back to focus.
"First to find a rock gets to decide who has to be in the middle of the keep away circle!"
"Oh, you're on!"
"Let's go!"
"Yes! Yes! Yes!"
It was moments like these that Littlefoot truly lived for. The times of camaraderie, friendship, and days where they could appreciate their home for what it was: the home that had forged their fellowship for life. Even nothing would ever be so simple again, it was worth just to have one more adventure with those he cared about most.
Perhaps he would lead a herd someday. Perhaps they all would. But for now, he was content to have this moment to cherish and remember forever.
And so, they picked right up where they left off months previously. Passing a rock between them, laughing and enjoying another magnificent day in the Valley.
THE END