CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Meanwhile, Mimus said "Why does everyone call our kind Egg Stealers anyway? I'll have you know our diet does not dis include tree stars and small lizards. We simply need high levels of protein to retain proper health. Now, he had a opportunity to feed us to some other sharptooth he was with. But he told her he promised to let him go because he wanted to know where shredder was and I kinda lead him in the right direction. Now would you people please stop passing a kidney stone every time you say the word EAT."
"By any chance did you meet Chomper anytime after that?" Littlefoot asked them.
"Why yes, he met us about two days ago. Said that Shredder was near us and wanted to warn us. As he left, we heard him muttering something in Sharptooth to his friends about warning Clubtails." said Sapphire. "I know he had a girlfriend too."
"Girlfriend?" gasped Littlefoot.
"Appears so." said Mimus.
"What did she look like?" asked Littlefoot. They described Tiny.
"Wait, if he wanted to warn them, then why did he kill them?" asked Littlefoot. The Egg Stealers shrugged to show that they didn't know. Then it dawned on Littlefoot. Chomper must have been attacked. Perhaps he had just protected one of his friends or himself. It wasn't maliciousness. Guido had been wrong. The Sharptooth Guido had described being with Chomper was blue like her. Perhaps the Clubtails had attacked her. He knew, that, were Ali's life in mortal danger, he WOULD kill to protect her.
"Quickly, we've got to tell the Great Valley. Chomper is still our friend." said Littlefoot, heading back toward the Great Valley with the two Egg Stealers.
"Must it be quickly? I am scared I might drop one of my children." Mimus says in a worried tone.
Chomper, meanwhile, heads into the Mountians that Burn. He sniffs the air, trying to smell out the Domeheads. He recalls Cera telling him that they had attacked her here years ago. Thus, he doesn't really care if they get hurt, especially as they had tried to eat her. However, the region is certainly a challenge. The air is annoynig enough to Flatteeth, but to a Sharptooth, it is worse as their sense of smell is stronger.
Chomper wisely blocks his nose with a Tree Star. He doesn't much like the smell of it, but it's better than the surrounding smell of ash and tar. He spots a Domehead and moves toward him. He soon realizes, recalling the description Cera gave him of her attackers, that this is one of them.
Hello, my little Domehead friend. Chomper says, grinning.
Get out Sharptooth. You're not welcome! shouts the Domehead.
"You mean, I'm not welcome, just like a little Threehorn girl?" Chomper asks, giving the Domehead an icy look.
"How did you know...?" gasps the Domehead.
Another Domehead said "Why wouldn't we welcome something we can eat? Look around, there are no plants here, the smoking mountains eruptions are like the tide of the great water. The key to surviving here is to know when to go where it is safer and when it is safe somewhere else. Any plant that tries to grow here either dies from flowing fire or from toxic oil leaking from the ground. Therefore anything we can eat is more then welcome to come hear. Why? you happen to be looking for a Theehorn? There's one." He points to a Threehorn skeleton slightly stuck in the tar. "Now go away. Outsiders are bad luck."
"I was talking about a Threehorn many cold times ago. You tried to attack her and then this horrible black thing showed up and chased you off." said Chomper.
"Yes, I recall that." said one of the Domeheads.
"By the way, I don't like your snarkiness." said Chomper to the second Domehead.
The second Domehead said "I don't recall any three horn girl..."
A third Domehead said "You weren't born yet."
The second Domehead said "No interrupting. But, I do not like trespassers. What are you going to do, begin a genocide on my people over one little incident that happened long ago? I don't see any justification in that. Now leave our territory, their is nothing for you here and you can't last out hear if you don't know the land."
"Actually, I would like to punish the guilty. I do have to eat too you know." said Chomper, smirking at them. He jumped through the air, landed next to the frrst Domehead, the one who had tried to kill Cera, dodged a headbutt attempt from the creature's domed head, and sliced off his head with hsi claws.
Tiny and Phyco ran to Chomper, hearing an attack.
You Domheads are in for a world of hurt. said Tiny.
Time for playtime! Phyco laughed.
"What are you doing just standing there, counter attack! Form the line!" shouted the second Domehead.
The second Domehead tries to attack Phyco. He knocks Phyco over. However, Tiny then knocked the Domehead over. Phyco gets back up and grabs the Domehead and dips his head into lava. Mmm, roasted Domehead. said Phyco.
Oh Phyco. Chomper sighed. Phyco moved to bite into the Domehead. I would't do that if I were you Phyco. said Chomper.
Why not? asked Phyco. He bit into the burned part of the Domehead. Hot! Hot! Hot! he cried, moaning in pain. Chomper and Tiny shook their heads.
Rusty and some other members of the pack arrived and attacked the Domeheads.
A Domehead shouted "I swear to the spirit of the fire mountains, one day, you will pay for this!" The Domeheads begin to retreat.
Meanwhile, Littlefoot, Mimus, and Sapphire arrive in the Great Valley.
Mimus said "It's certainly a lot bigger on the inside isn't it?"
Sapphire whispered to him "We been here, remember?"
Minus remarked "That was what, days ago? I haven't had a proper eye full. So, you sure it's safe here?"
"Where have you been Littlefoot? We were looking all over for you!" snapped Cera.
"Cera, I was just out there, wanting some alone time to think. I ran into some Egg Stealers." said Littlefoot.
"We don't need anymore misfits here! We had Chomper and look how he turned out!" Cera snapped.
"Chomper is a nice Sharptooth. From what I guessed from what I heard from the Egg Stealers, the Sharptooth that was with Chomper, the one the Clubtails attacked, was his girlfriend. He was just protecting her. The Clubtails forced him to fight them." said Littlefoot.
A while later, the Great Valley called a meeting. They all found out that Chomper was innocent.
"So, what do we do now?" asked Shorty.
