Chapter 8: Homecoming

Chomper was looking forward to the day ahead. He and his friends had just left Bron's herd on the final leg of their journey to the Big Water, and they would arrive soon. He couldn't wait to see his parents again; it had been so long since they'd last been together. Ruby, he noticed, was excited as well, but was trying to conceal it. In all, he could say that now was the high point of this adventure. The Bright Circle was burning clearly, without a single cloud in the sky, and the warm climate only improved his mood more.

"What's with the grin?" Cera asked, moving alongside Chomper.

Chomper realized that he'd been smiling as he thought, for no apparent reason. "I'm not sure," he said. "Today just feels good."

Cera rolled her eyes at the sentimental thought, and ducked back to chat with Ruby. Meanwhile, Fyn and Littlefoot were having their own conversation up front.

"So what were you and your dad talking about last night?" Fyn asked, "if you don't mind telling me, that is."

"Not at all," Littlefoot said. "We were actually talking about Chomper." At the mention of his name, the blue Sharptooth looked up.

"What did he have to say?" he asked.

"Nothing but good. He's glad that you've proven that Sharpteeth aren't all cruel, and I think he respects you for keeping yourself under control for so long."

"Wow," Chomper said, awed. He had always honored Bron, whom he'd heard much about from Littlefoot. Receiving praise from Bron was the highest honor he could think of.

"Yeah," Littlefoot said, "I think he really likes you."

A faint smell wafted through the air in front of Chomper's nostrils. It smelled familiar, like his childhood. He inhaled more deeply, recognizing the scent almost instantly. It was the smell of the Big Water. They were almost there.

"Littlefoot," he turned to his friend, "can you smell that?"

Littlefoot sniffed, "I don't smell anything."

Then Chomper remembered that his friends' noses weren't quite as keen as his.

"I smell the Big Water," he explained, "we should be seeing it soon."

Everyone was starting to sense the familiarity of the place, with the exception of Fyn. They had been here before, when the Great Valley had been devastated by an invasion of Swarming Leaf Gobblers. As they walked on, the sand transitioned to hard earth, baked into dryness by the Bright Circle. Before long, Ducky spotted something in the ground.

"Look at this!" She said, excitedly.

Littlefoot came over to see what she was talking about. The Swimmer was pointing to a path of small indents in the earth.

"What are they?" Cera asked, coming closer.

"They look like tracks," Ruby said.

"Those aren't just tracks," Littlefoot said, "those are our tracks, from the last time we came here."

"Makes sense," Fyn said, "the Drylands can preserve tracks in spots like this for seasons."

"No way," Cera said, awestruck. She placed her foot next to an identically-shaped hole.

"Was I ever that... tiny?" she asked.

"We all were," Ducky said, examining her tracks.

"Well this is perfect," Littlefoot said.

"What do you mean?" Fyn asked.

"We can follow these tracks all the way to Chomper's parents. This is the way we went when we found them."

Ruby shuddered. Being so close to her home seemed so surreal. How many seasons had it been since she'd set foot on this ground? She couldn't even remember. Her thoughts were interrupted by Littlefoot's call for everyone to follow the footprints. They were on the move again, and it wasn't long before Petrie spotted something else familiar.

"Green food ahead!" he yelled, pointing. Unfortunately, he was hovering at the time, and plummeted right onto the top of Littlefoot's head when he raised his hand.

"Oof. That hurt. Good thing you have nice flat head."

"Let's not start this again," Littlefoot said. He looked to where Petrie had been pointing. Sure enough, he could see lush vegetation. In fact, it was exactly the place where everyone who had migrated from the Great Valley had stayed.

As they moved farther, following the tracks, the smell of the Big Water became stronger, until everyone could smell it. It wasn't long before they saw it: a huge expanse of endless blue before them, stretching to the horizon and probably beyond. Fyn was speechless. Cera couldn't resist a jibe.

"Fast Biter got your tongue?"

Fyn wasn't even listening. Cera decided to leave him to his fascination; the Big Water really was a sight to see for the first time. Eventually, Fyn pulled himself away from the sight.

"That's all... water?"

"Yep, it sure is," Chomper said. "See that land over there?" he gestured towards an island sticking out of the water farther away, "that's where my home is."

"Wow," Fyn said, "what a place to live!" He ran to the water for a drink. Littlefoot caught him just as he was bending his head down to sip.

"Hold on, there! Don't drink that."

"Why not?" Fyn asked, in surprise.

"Trust me. It's... different. There's plenty of good water in the trees over there." He nodded towards a lush stand of trees close by, "come on."

They began to move towards the trees. "There are all sorts of dinosaurs living here," Littlefoot said, "I can't wait to talk to them."

Something huge and white gleamed in the Bright Circle's light by the trees. Ducky saw it first, squinting to make out its shape. It was Cera, however, who recognized it first.

"Bones," she whispered, "from the swimming Sharptooth, by the looks of it."

"You're right," Littlefoot said, also examining the massive form.

"But swimming Sharpteeth stay in the Big Water," Chomper said, "why did this one come up on land?"

"I don't know," Cera said, "but let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps."

As they entered the trees, though, the only sound that greeted them was the rustling of the wind from the Big Water through the trees. Littlefoot looked at the ground. It was covered in sand.

"That's strange," he said, "I don't remember sand being in here last time."

They moved on, looking for the sanctuary's inhabitants. So far, none had been found. Chomper felt uneasy; his stomach felt like it was sinking lower to the ground the farther they went. Where was everyone? Suddenly, he tripped over something. He barely managed to catch himself before falling.

"Are you all right?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah," Chomper said, "I think so, but I tripped."

He looked back at the ground where he had just stepped. It was covered in sand, but a gleaming white bone protruded from it.

"That must be what tripped me," he said. "I wonder what else is buried with that bone."

He nudged the sand carefully, and almost immediately, it began to slide away, revealing what was underneath. Ducky saw it and gasped: it was a complete Swimmer skeleton.

"What?" Chomper said, "another skeleton? This doesn't make sense."

"Guys," Fyn called from another part of the forest, "that's not the only one."

The friends ran to Fyn, who was standing at the edge of a clearing. It had obviously once been lush and green, but now it was covered in sand. Everywhere, they could see bones and skeletons of all sorts of dinosaurs.

"They're fresh," he said, "whatever occured here happened within this season."

Chomper was the last to see them, and when he did, he began to panic. Something terrible had happened here. He had to get to his home immediately.

"I need to go," he said hurriedly. He ran away from the clearing as fast as he could.

"Go where?" Littlefoot asked, but Chomper was long gone.

"Wait up, Chomper!" Ruby called, but Chomper didn't slow at all. Instead, he ran out of the trees and found the path connecting his island to the mainland. When he reached it, he stopped.

"Wait," Ruby said, appearing out of the forest with her friends close behind, "wait for us."

Chomper turned. "I can't wait. Not anymore. I never should have left in the first place."

"None of this is your fault," Fyn said.

Chomper's eyes flicked from the his friends to the island and back. He was feeling the onset of another attack. He put all of his internal energy into quelling it, and the feelings disappeared, but a sudden hatred still lingered.

"You're right," he said, "It's not my fault. Red Claw did this."

"What?" Cera said. "We haven't even seen Red Claw for seasons now. There's no way he could have done any of this."

"How would you know? You weren't here when he first came. He meant to wipe us all out completely. I should have been there..."

"Slow down, Chomper," Ruby said, "you're not thinking clearly. Red Claw couldn't have done this. All the damage is too recent. Fyn said so."

Her efforts were honest, but Chomper was not in a position to listen. Instead, he turned back to the island, and began to run the length of the path. Even the calls of his friends to stop couldn't halt him now. He had to know.

…

From the start, Littlefoot knew that they didn't have a chance of catching Chomper. Sharpteeth were too fast. He watched as Chomper disappeared into the forest, hoping that the Sharptooth might find something, some sign that all was not lost. He and his friends were still crossing the path over the Big Water, and Littlefoot knew that at this point, if Chomper did not find something to satisfy his need to know the truth, anything could happen. When they set foot on the island, Littlefoot spoke.

"Guys, somewhere inside those trees, Chomper needs us. Now more than ever. I don't know if he's become vicious or not, but I do know that he needs our help. I'm aware that going after him is dangerous, and I won't blame you if you don't want to come, but I'm going in. If you're coming with me, make your choice now."

Without hesitation, everyone stepped forward and joined Littlefoot. His spirits rose. He knew that his friends wouldn't hesitate to help Chomper, but he was still moved, all the same.

"Alright then," he said, "let's do this, for better or worse." They moved silently into the foliage, unsure of what they would find ahead.

…

Chomper stumbled and staggered ahead, not minding his step and often breaking through walls of vegetation altogether. He had seen no sign of his parents, but that fact alone meant nothing. He'd know for sure when he reached his old nest. There were no bones in this forest, he noted, only the occasional Sharptooth track, but the ground looked worn away, as if some giant Sharptooth had taken the island in its jaws and torn the top layer of earth away. Like the mainland, Chomper found his home was also eerily quiet. It troubled him.

He stopped, trying to remember where to go from his position. He'd come to a dead end, his path blocked by a towering cliff. He racked his brain. The spot was familiar... Then he remembered: it was here that he'd run into Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie, Cera, and Spike for the first time since he'd left the Great Valley with his parents. They'd been running from him because they'd believed he was a bigger Sharptooth. The memories made him forget his current predicament, and he smiled. If only he could go back to those simpler times.

Chomper snapped back into focus: he had a truth to discover, and until he found it, he would be distracted no longer. With his back turned to the cliff, he turned to the right, picking up the trail to his nest by memory. He was close, now; just a little farther to go.

…

The gang entered the trees and picked up Chomper's trail very quickly. The sand on the forest floor preserved Chomper's tracks perfectly. As Ruby feared, so far no one seemed to be on the island. The dinosaurs began to follow their friend's tracks, hoping beyond all hope that they could reach their friend in time to prevent a disaster.

…

Chomper could smell his nest. He thought he'd forgotten what home smelled like, but he found that the scent quickly returned to him. He considered calling out to his parents, but decided against it. Instead, he thought, he'd surprise them, arriving unannounced. Perhaps they would even be impressed by how sneaky he had become. He could see some of the nest through the foliage ahead. He tensed his leg muscles, getting ready to spring. He released, and bounded through the bushes into the nest.

"I'm home!" he yelled.

No welcomed him. In fact, no one was there. Chomper stopped in the middle of the clearing, smelling the air and looking for any sign that someone was present. The only evidence that anyone had been there at all was more Sharptooth footprints in the sand. Chomper's parents, it seemed, had vanished without a trace. At first, Chomper was struck by disbelief. How had all of this happened here as well as on the mainland? Then, he felt the fury he had tried suppressing earlier rising to his throat, in the form of a low, guttural growl.

"Red Claw," he thought, "it was Red Claw who did this, who took my parents away from me, and who destroyed my home."

In anger and pain, he roared to the sky. The transformation into his new self was happening again, but this time, instead of fighting it, Chomper embraced it, feeling his raw emotion giving his body more strength. He began to pace his nest, resuming his search for his kin in an even more frenzied state. Off in the trees, a twig snapped. It was barely perceptible, but Chomper had detected it. Clearly, whoever had caused all of this destruction was near, and it was time for the dinosaur responsible to face the fury of a raging Sharptooth. He crouched low and slunk back into the trees, concealing himself in the dark, cool shadows.

…

The gang stepped into the clearing where Chomper's nest was. Littlefoot called out, but recieved no response. The nest was littered with broken branches, and sand was everywhere. The dinosaurs decided to split up, and began to search the area. Littlefoot moved towards Chomper's old nest, where he immediately made an interesting discovery: a strange, star-shaped creature amidst the debris.

"Ruby," he called, "have you seen one of these before?"

Ruby hurried over and looked at the creature. "Why, yes. It's a Waterstar. They live in the Big Water."

"Then what's it doing up here?"

Ruby shrugged. Sometimes they get washed onto the land by the Big Water, but never this far."

"Strange." Littlefoot muttered. As he bent down to examine the Waterstar again, he was startled by the noise of breaking branches. He looked up; Chomper had entered the nest.

"Thank goodness you're here, Chomper, we were getting worried!" Ducky said, running over to the motionless Sharptooth. Then, Littlefoot saw his eyes, most specifically, the constricted pupils.

"Ducky, get back here," he said.

"What? Why?" she asked, "I do not-" then she saw Chomper's eyes and blank expression and understood.

"Oh no."

Chomper faced the Swimmer and parted his jaws in a snarl, revealing deadly teeth the size of some of Fyn's smaller spines.

…

Chomper didn't know why these Leaf Eaters seemed to know him, and he didn't care. All he wanted at this point was vengeance. He took a step towards the Swimmer, who had begun to back away. She turned and ran back to the others, who began to form a defensive position. Fine, then. They wanted a fight, and they would get one.

Chomper lunged towards the dinosaurs, all thoughts of friendship gone.

Well, hello! I'm finally back from my (much too long) break. I've got some additional inspiration for the conclusion of this story, much of which I found when I visited the Dakota Dinosaur Museum. I was pretty darn amazed when I saw that they had an original claw from Megaraptor namunhuaiquii, the villain the gang faced earlier in the story. It is every inch as deadly-looking as I imagined it. Brace yourselves for the dramatic finale, coming soon! More chapters to follow in the days to come, and possibly one later tonight.