Category: Land before Time

Rating: T

Couples in Series: Littlefoot/Ali, Cera/OC, Ducky/OC, Petri/OC, Spike/OC

Couples in this installment: Spike/OC

Warnings: AU

Chapter: 2

Copyright: © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The male didn't speak up once, which was fine with her. Instead he kept eating up until someone came looking for him.

"Spike!" A female voice called. "Where are you?"

Tega looked up as an orange female entered the cluster of trees. "Oh, who are you?"

"I'm Tega, ma'am…" Tega answered, looking shyly at her.

"Oh, you're the one that herd was looking for?" She asked, chuckling lightly. "Some of them suggested you found a mate, others doubted it sincerely."

"What did the herd do?" Tega asked, not noticing that the male had stopped eating and was looking at her with an unreadable look on his face.

"Left." Came the short answer. "Dunno why."

"Great…" Tega frowned. "I was thinking about switching herds, but they just left me here…"

"You can come with us." The orange female offered. "Spike already seems to like you."

Tega looked at the male, who smiled at her and walked up beside her.

"He doesn't talk, by the way." The female grinned. "So don't expect him to ever actually say it." She chuckled as Spike growled lightly at her, a glint of amusement in his eyes.

"Why?" Tega couldn't help but ask.

"I have no clue." The other shrugged. "You two coming? Preferably before my mate comes along to look for you."

Spike made a sound of irritation, but followed her nonetheless. Tega, having no clue what else to do, followed them both to their herd.
"Are you her son?" She asked the dark-green male beside her. He shook his head.

"He was adopted by a Swimmer-family." The orange female had heard her question. "For obvious reasons he couldn't join them to Courtship so he came with us. He's a stationary Spiketail, while we are far-walkers."

"Oh…" Tega breathed, surprised.

"That doesn't even cover his friends." She added. "But it's your decision whether you want to go with him, or with the rest of the herd."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Tega remained awake that particular night, looking up at the stars while thinking about her life.

The rest of the herd was sleeping a short distance away, their chests rising evenly with each breath.

She honestly didn't know what to do. She had always been a far-walker: it was the only life she had ever known. But Spike had her intrigued… She looked over her shoulder at him as he slept peacefully just a bit outside the herd.

Then she sighed. As if he'd be interested in her! Then again… he was walking beside her constantly, and shared his green-food with her.

She groaned softly. Why couldn't he just tell her what his opinion about her was? Was it pity because her parents and herd simply abandoned her? Or was it something more? She buried her head in her front-legs, remaining like that for quite a while.

A soft, questioning sound had her look up. Spike was standing next to her, concern written all over his face.

She sighed, looking away from him. He laid down beside her, repeating the sound.

"It's nothing…" She told him. The look on his face left no doubt that he did not believe her. "Really."

He nudged her, looking at her with a demanding glimmer in his eyes.

"Why are you so nice to me?" She demanded, glaring at him. "And why don't you talk?"

He did not answer – to be honest, she hadn't expected it anyway – but her eyes widened when she felt a soft tongue lapping her cheek. He nuzzled her, purring softly as he did so.

For a moment, she just stared at him. Then she returned the nuzzle.