CHAPTER TWO: SHORTY AND DAYO

"How are things around here?" asked Bron.

"Oh, not much. We had some bad encounters with Sharp Beaks and met a new half-Sharp Beak friend named Ptero." said Littlefoot.

Bron shook his head. Littlefoot tended to make the strangest friends. "Oh, and we just found a new Longneck named Dayo. She came here alone and really weak. Something is bothering her but she won't talk about it." said Littlefoot.

Bron said nothing. What Littlefoot had said had triggered an old memory of his. Bron came across the Longnecks. They were all kids. However, a green one was the leader. He was weak. He had taken care of the others and had led them through hard places, looking for food. He appeared to have sometimes gone without to help the younger ones. "Where are your parents?" he asked then, assuming them to all be family at first glance. However, he soon saw that some of them were different types of Longnecks.

The young Longneck leader said "I don't want to talk about it."

"What's your name kid?" Bron asked.

"Shorty." the kid replied.

Bron returned his thoughts to the present. "Is she all right?" he asked.

"She is healthy again, though still troubled. She doesn't want to talk about it though." said Littlefoot. Bron sighed.

Meanwhile, Ducky was trying to cheer up Dayo.

"Why are you sad? You are safe here. You are. You are." said Ducky.

Dayo frowned at her. "I just don't want to talk about it. It was so awful." she said gloomily.

"You need to smile. You do. You do." said Ducky cheerfully.

"I may never be happy ever again." said Dayo miserably.

"Where are your friends Littlefoot?" asked Shorty in the meantime.

"They are by the watering hole." said Littlefoot.

They went past many trees with golden and yellow leaves. It was the Time of Changing Leaves. Leaves landed on them as they went past. One hit Shorty in the face. "Get away you stupid leaf!" he snapped.

"It's just a leaf." said Littlefoot in shock. He'd never understood Shorty's aggression. Littlefoot had wondered what had happened to Shorty before he'd met him. But even Bron didn't know everything about Shorty. Littlefoot realized that Shorty and Dayo had that in common.

They headed toward the watering hole, the sky getting darker. The mugginess of the day had brought in storm clouds. The Bright Circle was suddenly covered by a cloud and the temperature dropped slightly. Littlefoot, used to the hot sun all day long, started to shiver.

Shorty came upon Dayo. The two were of the same species type. Dayo looked at him. It was clear that she was trying to figure out what to make of him. She decided that he wasn't a threat and came closer. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Shorty." he said. "I'm Littlefoot's foster brother. Not that he's as great as I am, of course." said Shorty, a hint of cockiness in his voice.

"I'm Dayo." said Dayo, a hint of indifference in her voice.

Meanwhile, Bron was talking to Grandpa Longneck. He had heard about Dayo. "Where are her folks Papa?" he asked.

"I don't know Bron. She doesn't want to talk about much. Every time I've brought it up, she's gone quiet." said his father-in-law, a tone of concern in his voice.

Bron decided to be blunt and voice what he was wondering. "Do you think she still has folks? Could she have lost them and been wandering the Mysterious Beyond like our Littlefoot?" he asked.

Grandpa Longneck looked through a clearing of trees at Dayo. His mind switched back to a vision of long ago of a young Longneck. "Dad, I'm glad I've passed the Great Longneck test. I hope to do many great things in the world. While I'd like to lead a herd, what I want most is to have a family." said the young Apatosaurus.

"You will Arianna. You will. In time." said her father.

In the present, a tear fell from his eye as he thought of his deceased daughter Arianna. No Longneck should have to go through that. Yet Littlefoot had lost his beloved mother. Had Dayo suffered something similar?

"I miss her too Papa." said Bron, a tear in his own eye. Grandpa Longneck knew whom Arianna's mate was talking about.

"What about Shorty? Has he ever talked about what happened to his folks?" asked Grandpa Longneck.

"No Papa. He only says that they are gone and he can't get them back." said Bron sadly. "Those accursed Sharpteeth. They ruin so many lives! They're all cowards! All, well, except one." said Bron angrily. He was thinking of Littlefoot's friend Chomper as the one exception when he said that.

Thunder rumbled in the sky. Dayo jumped. "What's with her?" asked Shorty, feeling that she was being strange.

Lightning flashed. A shadow appeared on the ground. It was only of tree branches, but it looked like claws and fangs. "SHARPTOOTH!" Dayo yelled. She ran. Shorty also jumped. The others, however, noticed that it was just the shadow of branches.

"Dayo, it's ok. It's not..." said Littlefoot.

Dayo ran forward, screaming in terror, not hearing Littlefoot. Meanwhile, Topps and Tria had stacked a bunch of Tree Sweets. He would eat them with his family later. They were stacked in the shape almost of a pyramid. The wind blew a stick. It almost hit them. "Whew, that was close!" sighed Topps in relief.

Dayo came running into sight, terror in her eyes. "Sharptooth!" she yelled.

"Dayo, watch out for the..." said Topps, but, too late. SPLAT! She rammed into the Tree Sweets. She had splattered juice everywhere, having stepped on a few. Many lay ruined, having, toppled and splattered. She took off. "Get back here!" he bellowed angrily.

She went and hid between some rocks. Eventually, Grandpa Longneck was able to coax her out of there. Topps was furious, and also dripping in Tree Sweet juice, one of the Tree Sweets had, in fact, gone flying and gotten itself stuck on one of his horns. Mama Flyer was able to pull it off of him.

"Now look what she did. It was only a shadow. She's gone crazy like that twice. Perhaps she should go." said Topps angrily.

"No. I think she should stay." They turned. It was Shorty. "She's obviously been hurt before. Something scared her. I was scared too. Old memories don't go away easily." he said.

Everyone stood there dumbfounded. Shorty was normally a little prat. To see him stick up for anyone was unheard of.