Ch.3: Grandpa's Rage

The next day, as Littlefoot and the others were gathered up on a hilltop to play Bowling For Pinecones, Littlefoot stopped in the process of lifting one of the cones, and lifted up his head to ask.

"Hey, shouldn't we invite Megumi over here today?"

"Who's that?" asked Cera, who had been dismissed from baby-sitting Tricia today.

"Oh, she's the little longneck we saw come with the herd the other day" said Ducky " We invited her to come play, but she wouldn't come. No, no, no, no."

"Then forget her!" said Cera " If she doesn't want to hang with us so be it."

"Don't you think that's over the top?" asked Guido, sitting on Spike's back next to Petrie " I had a talk with her last night, and she seemed nice enough."

"You what?" asked the others.

" Um, well, I…" stumbled Guido " I may have been…kind of…sleepwalking last night and almost drowned in a pond, but Megumi saved me. I thank her, and we had a chat,"

"What'd you learn?" asked Petrie.

"I think something bad happened to her once" said Guido, circling his foot " She told me I was lucky to not have known my parents. I think, she's been…,"

"Uh hello," came a shy voice, interrupting Guido's sentence before it could end " Can I play with you?"

Turning around, Littlefoot and the gang looked surprised to see the shy form of Megumi coming up to them. The dark-scaled longneck looked at them in hesitation, as she knew she had just interrupted something important. But the question was out of her mouth now, and the only thing left was to wait for an answer.

"Sure you can play us" Littlefoot smiled " Right guys?"

"Right," responded everyone except Cera, and they all started bowling for pinecones.

The game started out well, with Megumi taking the first turn, and Petrie and Guido cheered when she managed to knock three pinecones down with one turn.

However, throughout the entirety of the game, Cera was keeping a close eye on their new 'friend'. It was a little to convenient for her to show up when Guido was about to say something important. And what was with those scars on her body? Did they really come from a pair of Sharpteeth or something else?

A few minutes later the game was decided with Ducky managing to score the winning role. The others cheered on the swimmer's victory, and Megumi's cheerful laugh rang out like chimes.

"This was definitely worth it" Megumi thought to herself " I've never had much fun like this before."

Suddenly, through all the excitement, Megumi realized that she was getting thirsty.

"I have to go to the watering hole," she announced to the others.

"I'll go with you," said Littlefoot " We'll see you later guys."

With that said, the two longnecks ran off to get their fill of thirst, and arrived seconds later at the watering hole where a small group of grown-ups were already drinking. Littlefoot grinned wide when he recognized two of the grown-ups.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" yelled the little dinosaur excited as he ran towards them, Megumi following behind.

"Why hello Littlefoot" greeted Grandma first " and who's your friend there?"

"She's the longneck I told you about last night" said Littlefoot " the one who didn't want to play,"

"Well she seems to want to play now" said Grandpa speaking up " What's your name young one?"

"It's Megumi," said Megumi, and with that name Grandpa stepped back in surprise.

"Dear what's wrong?" asked Grandma, noticing her husband's reaction.

"Megumi" Granda spoke the name again " Are you any relation to Bigtail by any chance?"

"Yes" said Megumi " he was my father why?"

"Nothing," said Grandpa, eyes narrowing as he turned away.

Littlefoot looked upon his grandfather confused, all of a sudden he seemed mad. Why would that be? Megumi only told him her name.

Sensing tension thickening the air, Megumi felt it in her bones that it would be better to leave. After bidding Littlefoot a quick goodbye, Megumi turned and ran off to another part of the valley.

Once Megumi was gone, both Grandma and Littlefoot looked towards Grandpa in confused rage.

"Dear why did speak like that?" said Grandma " she's just a young-ling,"

"That young-ling also happens to be his spawn" stated Grandpa " the one responsible for dividing our herd."

"You can't possibly blame the past on her?" said Grandma shocked.

"What past?" asked Littlefoot confused.

"Littlefoot I want you to stay away from Megumi" said Grandpa "whatever you do, don't play with her anymore."

"But Grandpa…" stumbled Littlefoot " I don't understand. Why?"

"Just do as you are told!" said Grandpa, and then walked off without a word.