The Eternal Bond Chapter 5, a land before time fanfic

Its been a looooooong time. But I've finally taken this story off the back burner and have gone back to work. You all can thank CT.

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Chapter 5:

The Witness

Littlefoot was standing in a clearing during a warm sunny day. He did not know how he had gotten there or where he even was, but for some reason this did not really bother him. Suddenly the long neck noticed a very old looking spike tail was standing next to him, he was unsure if the dinosaur had just appeared or if it was always there.

"I'm sorry to say this child, but a lot is going to be asked of you" the spike tail, now obviously a female, said. "What is that supposed to mean?" Littlefoot asked bewildered. "Watch" the spike tail said as she looked down at a lizard scurrying by her feet. The spike tail lifted her foot and brought it down quickly on the lizard's tail, trapping it. The lizard struggled, trying to get free, but it was useless. The small creature than switched to what Littlefoot felt was the most bizarre strategy he had ever seen. The lizard began spinning its body, going faster and faster until finally its tail came clean off. The creature, now tailless, then ran into a hole, not to be seen again.

"The lizard sacrificed its tail to save its life. Sometimes we have to give up things we don't want to, in order to do what is necessary" the spike tail said after the ordeal was over. "Okay, but did you have to do that? That was kinda cruel" Littlefoot responded. "Its tail will grow back, don't concern yourself with that. Losing its tail was a small sacrifice, but some sacrifices are much larger. And you, Littlefoot, will have to give up what is most important to you" the spike tail said in its quivering voice.

"What is it?" Littlefoot asked, concerned about what was expected of him. The spike tail smiled. "You're destined for great things, just don't lose track of what is important. In the end you will be rewarded, if your work isn't reward enough" the dinosaur finally answered after a long pause. The world began to get blurry and dark, the spike tail fading into the distance. "Wait! I want to know more!" Littlefoot called out in desperation. "Nobody can know everything, we can only guess" were the spike tail's last words before Littlefoot woke from his slumber.

* * *

Littlefoot was deep in thought about his dream the previous night when he suddenly found himself gazing at the scene before him. He was standing at the edge of a large clearing with a river winding through the middle. The clearing was filled with dinosaurs of all kinds; eating, drinking and sleeping. They were all fully grown and had obviously been through rough lives, most bearing a scar or two to prove it.

"This is a place where those who live in the Void come to rest" Luca said after noticing Littlefoot's expression. "We're getting near Animus, so we'll stay here tonight. Go have a look around, just try not to get on anyone's bad side" the three horn warned before walking off. Littlefoot watched him go before heading straight for the nearest river bank.

Littlefoot was slowly lapping up water from the river when a rock he was bracing his front right leg on slipped into the water. This caused the long neck to bump into a club tail next him while trying to regain his balance. "Hey! Watch it kid!" the club tail grunted angrily. "Sorry sir, it was an accident" Littlefoot responded submissively. "You better be. Your kinda young to be here aren't you? Where you from?" the irritated dinosaur asked. "The Great Valley" Littlefoot responded. "Figures" was all the club tail had to say before walking away.

"What was his problem?" Littlefoot asked himself before turning back to his drink. Unfortunately it was interrupted again as Littlefoot felt someone gently bite and tug his tail. "What are doing!" the long neck yelled as he turned around to face the person who had bite him. He was now face to face with a young female long neck who was wearing had a small devilish smile. Littlefoot gazed into the dinosaurs light blue eyes and could have sworn he had seen them before.

"Ali?" Littlefoot finally asked after the sudden realization had hit him. Ali nodded vigorously in response. The two leaned and shared a friendly nuzzle before Littlefoot continued, "What are you doing here?". "What do you mean, what am I doing here? I live in the mysterious beyond silly, the better question is what are you doing here?" Ali responded. "It's a long story, but let's not worry about that now, I'm just glad to see you" Littlefoot said. "Ya, me too. Come on, let's find somewhere quite to talk" Ali responded before turning away and leading Littlefoot out of the clearing.

* * *

"Don't bite off more than you can chew long neck" Luca muttered to himself as he watched Littlefoot follow a female long neck out of the clearing. "You know that long neck?" asked yet another long neck standing within earshot of Luca. "Ya, his name's Littlefoot" Luca responded, realizing a bit too late that revealing that information may not have been a good idea. "Great" muttered the long neck, obviously upset by the news.

Luca wasn't happy about this longneck's interest in Littlefoot. "Do you know him?" he asked. "Kinda, I know the girl he's with" the long neck responded. Luca was worried that this could cause problems, it was difficult enough getting Littlefoot away from Cera. "Who are you?" he asked. "My name's Rhett, I've been travelling with Ali, the girl long neck, since I was young" Rhett answered. "Well go get Hailey and leave us alone" Luca quickly snapped as he turned to walk away. "Ali, not Hailey" Rhett called after the three horn. "Like I care" Luca muttered as he walked off in the same direction Littlefoot and Ali where headed.

* * *

"Ducky, can I ask you a question?" Tricia said to the big mouth riding on her back. The two, along with Petrie and Spike, had snuck out of the Great Valley and began their journey east in search of Animus. Ducky was still unsure about the whole journey. She understood how Tricia felt that finding Littlefoot would help Cera, but Ducky felt that leaving Cera behind by herself was potentially more damaging.

"Yep, yep, yep, of course you can Tricia" the big mouth responded. "Why is Cera in love with Littlefoot?" Tricia asked. Ducky paused; it wasn't really a question she could answer. She wasn't even sure Cera or Littlefoot could answer it. Tricia was still young so Ducky understood how she could seem naïve. "It's not that simple, love… just happens" Ducky finally replied. "But a long neck?" Tricia immediately blurted out while staring at the dirt being kicked up in front of her. Ducky cringed at the comment. Tricia was living a slightly more normal childhood than Cera had, since Tria was balancing out Topsey's insanity, but her father's influence was still obvious.

"I don't know Tricia" Ducky responded, wanting to end the conversation. "You can ask Cera when we get back to the Great Valley" She finished. Tricia fell silent and they spent the next few minutes without saying a word. "Have you ever been in love?" Tricia said, breaking the silence. "I'm going to walk with Spike" the big mouth responded.

* * *

"They just left me here, all alone!" Cera yelled at herself as she limped along through the jungle. "And my leg is so itchy!" she cried out in frustration, throwing herself to the ground and digging her horn under the leaves, trying to reach the itch. She scratched furiously again and again until she felt a sharp jolt of pain. "Ouch!" the three horn yelped and saw a tiny trickle of red. "A little too hard" she muttered to herself.

There was sharp crack and Cera froze, quickly glancing to the forest behind her. "Hey Chomper" she said as she turned her attention back to her leg. The sharptooth climbed out from the foliage and walked up to Cera lying on the ground. "How did you know it was me?" he asked. "The smell mostly" she replied looking up at Chomper. Cera was a little amazed by how much he had grown, she wasn't too sure she could win a fight with him anymore. "Oh" he responded in a slightly defeated tone.

"Where did you go anyway?" Cera asked, wondering where the sharptooth had been since the day Luca had shown up. "I had…some stuff to do" Chomper replied, not doing a very good job at dodging the question. Cera stared into space, losing focus on the conversation when a thought came to her. "Chomper, do you know where Animus is?" She asked. "Yeah, why?" he responded. Cera jumped to her feet in excitement, realizing a little too late how much pain that would cause. "Can you take me there?" she asked, ignoring the fresh shot of pain. "Okay, but its kinda far, are you sure you can make it on that leg?" he asked.

Cera felt the surge of anger pulse through her. "Its fine ok?!" she screamed. "Ok, I'm sorry I said anything" Chomper said, backing away a step. "I suppose you think I jumped just like everyone else?" the three horn snapped. "I don't think that, I saw that you didn't jump" Chomper replied defensively. Cera froze as her mind processed what the sharptooth had just said. "You saw my fall?" she asked. "Ya, it was pretty bad" he commented, shaking his head at the thought. "What happened, did I trip?" Cera asked.

"No, you were pushed"

"It is not what we take up, but what we give up, that makes us rich" -Henry Ward Beecher

Well, I hope you all enjoyed that. By the way, if your a land before time fan and want to talk about it with other fans, join us at the gang of five: .?