Chapter XXII: The Secret of Maturity

In which Littlefoot and his friends learn that some foes aren't as they seem.

"That doesn't make any sense," Cera pointed out. "Why would one of Dusk's group save one of us?"

Chomper, who was still holding his cheek and blushing, said, "I don't think they're really bad dinosaurs."

"I think you're still dizzy from being nearly swallowed by that Swimming Sharptooth," Cera said flatly. "Rey said that the world will suffer if Dusk gets his wish. Did that super sniffer of yours smell good that none us can?"

"Maybe he did, Cera," Ducky stated, entering the conversation. "Don't you remember Pterano? He did bad things, but he thought he was doing what was right."

"Exactly. But just because someone thinks they're doing right, doesn't mean they are. If I hurt Littlefoot, believing it would help him, are you still going to call that good? I don't care what Dusk's intentions are. He is causing harm and will keep causing harm until we put a stop to him," Cera concluded.

"Rarely as it happens, I must agree with Cera. We have to stop Dusk at all costs," Littlefoot declared.

"Whatever we do, leave Coaley alone," Chomper told them.

"You mean that little Sharptooth who saved you?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah."

Cera snorted. "If she attacks us with the rest of them, I will defend myself."

"No, you won't," Chomper said defensively, clenching his teeth.

"Easy you two. Our enemy is Dusk, not each other," Littlefoot reasoned. "Now let's see if we can find them. I don't see any footprints. Cera?"

"On it," she replied. She closed her eyes, then opened them saying, "They're- they're not here."

"What? But their tracks led right to the water's edge," Littlefoot said in a worried tone. "We can't let Dusk get too far ahead."

"Dusk was here, but he left a little while ago," a female's voice rang out. The group turned to see Chomper's mother standing beside them.

Chomper rushed forward, hugging her foot, and she lifted him up. "I'm so glad to see you again," he told her.

"You aren't surprised that you can understand us?" Ruby wondered aloud. "Dusk MUST have been here to explain then."

"So you saw Dusk here? What did he want? Do you know him?" Littlefoot inquired.

A loud, rhythmic crashing started to draw near, and a male Sharptooth emerged from the woods. "Know him? Dusk and us two are old friends. And yep, his flying friend did mention that the stone's power makes universal speech possible."

"Dad!" Chomper squealed with delight, and his father came forward and nuzzled against his face.

"Wait, how can you be old friends with him? He's our age," Cera pointed out.

"You're friends of Dusk and didn't know?" Chomper's mother asked in surprise.

"We never said we were friends of Dusk, and what don't we know that we need to know?" Ruby asked her.

"Well, since you aren't shocked that we can understand each other and therefore must have power, I take it you at least know of the stone of cold fire?" Chomper's father asked them.

"Yes," Littlefoot replied.

"Well, not even Dusk knows why, but when he and some of his friends got the power of the stone, they became young again. Dusk, Menta, and that Flying Sharptooth Ceit are all adults in kid bodies," Chomper's father explained.

xxxxx

"Hey, I think I understand what Dusk meant a while back," the child cut in.

"Hm?"

"Remember when Dusk said, 'I know I lost a lot of weight, but only half my strength is gone?' Well, I've been wondering what he was saying back then for a while now. Now it makes sense. Since he's in a kid form again, he lost tons of weight, but he is still half as strong as he was as an adult. Did I make the right connection?"

His father was impressed. He'd nearly forgotten reading that, having been said so many pages ago. "You sure did." The boy crossed his arms and looked very proud, so his father laughed then continued.

xxxxx

"Wow, that is amazing, amazing that is," Ruby said, being the first to get over the shock.

"I have to admit, Dusk did seem a lot more mature than a child," Littlefoot said. "Now it all makes sense."

"Wait, why you two no get young?" Petrie asked Chomper's parents.

"Oh, Dusk didn't stick around very long. We didn't get any power," she replied.

"Would sure have been nice to though. I'd've loved to have had the energy I had as a kid," he added.

"Aw dad, you're not that old," Chomper told him. He smiled in return.

"But anyway, if you're not friends of his, why are you looking for him?" she asked them.

"Dusk is going to cause big trouble if he gets a wish from that stone. We have to stop him," Littlefoot told them.

"Trouble as in…?" she asked, confused.

"We're not sure, but we know it's really bad," Littlefoot continued, though realizing how silly that sounded.

"Do you know what he plans to wish for, Chomper's mom?" Ducky asked her.

"Yes, but, we were asked to not say anything. And as we said, Dusk is an old friend," he said to the kids. "I can tell you though, the only trouble there'd be from his wish is some sad friends."

"That can't be right!" Littlefoot exclaimed. "The whole world will be in danger if he gets what he wants."

"Maybe he lied about his wish to you?" Cera suggested.

"No, if you'd been here, you'd have clearly seen the sincerity of the situation. We don't want Dusk making that wish anymore than you do, but it's his life, his to do with as he pleases. We just didn't want any part of it," the father said.

"Huh? What about his life?" Littlefoot asked.

"You certainly don't know a whole lot, do you?" he asked with a laugh. "To make the wish work, someone has to give up his or her life. Dusk already agreed that he'd give up his own."

"Dear, you're telling them an awful lot. He asked us to say nothing about why he was here."

"And I haven't said a word about what brought him here, sweetheart."

"What wish could someone possibly want that they couldn't even enjoy?" Ruby wanted to know.

"Dusk has a generous heart, but she is right. We are saying a bit too much. Now, it is getting late. Would you all like to stay the night here?"

"No, we have to stay on Dusk's trail. Our mission is to stop him, and stop him we must," Littlefoot declared.

"But Littlefoot, we're tired, and we have no idea where they went this time. We need some rest," Cera complained. "We can try to figure out how to find him in the morning."

"Fine," he replied.

"Anyone want a bite to eat?" she asked them.

"Uh, no, we're good, really," Littlefoot answered, not wanting to think about Sharptooth snacks. And with that, the small band of Flatteeth and a Sharptooth followed Chomper's parents to their nesting area.

xxxxx

"Are you angry with me, my lord?" Menta asked him.

"No," he replied, but before she could breathe a sigh of relief, he added, "Furious." Her heart sank. "You oppose me at every turn. I should have made you leave us long ago, after that stone-stealing stunt you pulled earlier."

"My lord, if I may be so bold as to speak, I am doing everything for your sake."

"If one must die to save many, so be it."

"No!" she exclaimed, but she grew silent after he gave her a chilling glare.

"If you try one more thing, you're gone. I want nothing to do with a team member that isn't a team player. Are we understood?"

"Yes, my lord. Completely."

"Good. Now, Coaley, why exactly did you take us back to the Great Valley?" Dusk asked, as the group all stood atop the wall bordering Littlefoot and the others' home.

"Sorry, Dusky, I just couldn't think of anywhere else."

"It's alright, no big deal. Might as well make the most of it though. Besides, there really isn't any specific place I wish to be. Ceit?"

"On it, ma lord." It wasn't long before all of them, including Ali, resembled Three Horns. Ceit looked like a baby Three Horn and hopped on Dusk's back.

"Why this type?" Dusk asked, as they climbed to the bottom.

"Well, there is a rather uncanny fellow in this abode, and I am hoping that by taking on his kind, he won't be quite so gruff should we run into him again."

"You kids! What are you doing up, chattering away at this hour?" a familiar voice rang out.

"Or not," Ceit said with a mental sigh.

"My apologies," Dusk told Mr. Three Horn. "We'll head to sleep right now. Sorry for disturbing you."

"I don't recall seeing any of you around here. Where exactly do you stay?" he asked them.

"None of your business," Agu wanted to say, but he refrained.

"We are visiting so don't have a place set up yet," Dusk answered.

"Where are your parents?"

"Not here," Dusk replied.

"I see. Well then-" The group braced themselves for a harsh comment. "You can stay with me."

The group looked up to him in surprise. "Don't act so shocked," he said with a chuckle. "We Three Horns look after each other."

"Excellent job, Ceit," Dusk thought to himself. The group followed Mr. Three Horn back to his nest, finding two females, an adult and a child. "Don't make any noise. They are resting now," he told them. However, Mr. Three Horn had made so much racket on his way over, Tria was now awake.

"Who are they, Topsy?" she asked him, smiling at the kids.

"Oh, just some kids visiting who didn't bring their parents. Thought they could stay with us."

"That's so sweet of you, but shouldn't you have asked why their parents aren't around?" Tria pressed him.

"Oh, well uh, I- that is to say-"

"Relax, Topsy. So kids, where exactly are your parents?" Tria asked them.

Dusk and his companions looked at each other. Most of their parents were dead. Ali's memory of hers was sealed, and Agu had ran away from his.

Dusk simply said, "Dead. We're on our own."

Both Topsy and Tria looked at them in shock. Before they could ask anymore questions though, Coaley yawned and said, "I'm sleepy. Can we just go to bed now?" Dusk silently thanked her.

"Fine, we can sort this out further in the morning," Topsy told them. The "Three Horns" curled up near the nice family and they all soon fell asleep.