Hey, guys! I hope you guys are having a good week. I know I'm a bit slow with updates, but I'm slowly getting more and more done for this story. (I also finally figured out how to do the little line break thing haha) Anyway, this chapter focuses on the sharpteeth, and also features Littlefoot and his friends! Enjoy!

It was sometime after the great circle rose that Eva arrived in the Great Valley. She kept to the shade of the tall trees and tall grass, careful not to be seen. She slipped quietly across the grass, on the tips of her toes.

As she approached the more populated areas of the valley, Eva picked up speed. She darted across the grass, hiding in a nearby bush or patch of tall grass. She would determine if the coast was clear, and then, she would make a run for it.

At some point in her trek, she was approached by a baby longneck. This longneck couldn't have been more than a few weeks old, and looked deliciously appetizing. But Eva remembered that if she wanted to stay here, she'd have to avoid making a meal out of any of the residents. So, she ignored the little hatchling, and continued on her way.

The pointy seed rolled across several tufts of grass, while a small adolescent dinosaur — a tiny bluish grey sharptooth with huge red eyes — ran after it.

"I got it, I got it!"

The seed toppled into a nearby pond, floating in the shallow, green water. Eva, wading in the water, watched curiously as the seed drifted near her. The other tiny sharptooth ran towards her, and picked up the seed. Then, they suddenly made eye contact.

The blue sharptooth squinted, trying to get a closer look. When he noticed her sharp teeth, he let out a gasp, his mouth curving into a smile.

Eva gasped softly, leaning in slightly as she lowered her tail.

"Chomper! Where are you?"

A light orange threehorn came into view, her mouth curved into a tight frown. When she noticed Eva, her mouth formed a perfect circle.

Chomper looked at his friend, grinning. "Cera, look! Another sharptooth!"

Cera's eyes widened. "Another what?"

The rest of their friends came over, having varied reactions to their new guest. The tiny flyer hid behind a duck billed swimmer and her spiketail brother, his teeth chattering.

"S-Sh-Sharptooth...?"

The runner seemed delightfully surprised, as did the longneck standing beside her.

"Hi," said the longneck. "What's your name?"

"Littlefoot," scolded Cera, "Don't say hi to the sharptooth."

"Why not? She's not going to hurt us."

"You don't know that."

Frankly, Eva didn't understand why they were speaking in such hushed tones, especially when they were standing less than a few feet in front of her.

"You don't need to whisper," she said flatly. "I can hear you."

Littlefoot and Cera seemed highly impressed. "How come you know how to speak plant eater language?" He asked.

"A rainbow face taught me," explained Eva. "It's really not that hard."

"Yeah," said Cera. "That's because you're a baby."

"If I'm a baby, then that makes you guys babies too."

Littlefoot snickered, shooting a glance towards Cera, who looked rather offended.

"Anyway...you never told us your name."

"Eva."

"That is a pretty name," said Ruby, "A pretty name that is."

Cera's hostility did not diminish. "If you're a sharptooth, why are you here in the valley?"

Eva was hardly bothered, but she still snapped at the threehorn. She definitely had a bit of her father in her.

"I'm here because my parents sent me here. If you would let me explain myself, you would know. They're on the run from Red Claw."

Chomper gasped very audibly. "You're running from Red Claw too?"

Eva nodded. "Why, are you?"

"Yep!"

"Chomper's parents are running from Red Claw just like your parents are running from Red Claw," explained Ruby, stepping forward.

"Still," protested Cera, "You can't just show up here all willy-nilly. What are the grown ups gonna say?"

"Who says they have to know?" Chomper suggested.

Cera groaned. "Okay. Even then, where is she gonna stay?"

"The valley's pretty big," said Littlefoot, "I'm sure we can find some place."

"She can stay with me and Ruby!" Chomper exclaimed suddenly, as if having an epiphany.

Eva averted her gaze. "I don't know...perhaps I should just go back—"

"Why would you go back?"

"I'm a sharptooth, living with leaf eaters. That's not the way it's supposed to be."

"You know," began Littlefoot, "My mom said the same thing. She told me that threehorns were never supposed to play with longnecks. But look at us now."

"Did she ever get mad at you for playing with other dinosaurs?"

"Well...I don't know. She never got to meet any of my other friends. But I don't think she would have had a problem with it. My grandma and grandpa sure don't."

Chomper eagerly waited for her answer. "So...?"

Eva held her silence for a moment before sighing. "I guess so. At least I won't go hungry."

The flyer, who had hardly uttered a word, spoke up again. "W-W-What that suppose to mean?"

"Don't be so scared, Petrie," said Littlefoot. "I don't think she wants to eat you."

"Yeah," added the duckbilled swimmer. "I do not think you would taste very good. Besides, Eva looks like a nice sharptooth. She does, she does!"

Eva offered a tired smile. "Thanks."

"So," resumed Chomper. "Do you want Ruby and I to show you where we live? I think you'll like it. You can trust us, can't you?"

Eva sighed. She wasn't at all enthusiastic about this, but she'd have to adjust. She offered a kind smile.

"Sure."

Night fell over the mysterious beyond. The sky was draped in darkness, the stars resembling small holes of light. Andras lay in his forest home, amongst the leaves of green and teal, cover d in rounded dewdrops. As he looked up, he noticed that the sky looked the exact same way it did not the night that he and Sana made the decision that changed both of their lives. Whether or not it was for the better was a question left unanswered.

... It was hot in the desert. The land, covered in red sand dunes, was difficult to tread through. There was little food, and even less water. Andras didn't know who in their right mind would want to live in a place like this. Still, his mate trusted that they were making the right choice. Andras wasn't so sure.

He recognized the familiar sound of feet shuffling through the sand, and turned around to find Sana trudging slowly towards him. At last, she finally caught up with him.

"I don't understand the point in this, Sana," he growled. "It's hot, there's no food, and it's damn near impossible to walk in this!"

Sana was mild mannered, but her calm often times hid a ravaging storm. She let out a sigh, her tail swaying in a whip-like motion. "I know, Andras. I hate it too."

"Then we should leave."

"I've told you, leaving is not an option for me."

"Why isn't it?"

"Red Claw is the most powerful sharptooth in the mysterious beyond. As long as we're on his side, he'll defend us. We're safe as long as we're with him. I don't like him very much either, believe me, but we don't exactly have options."

"Yes, we do. Sana, just listen to me—"

"I will not repeat myself," she said in a calm and mellow voice, in a tone that suggested there would be nothing more to the conversation.

Andras inhaled sharply. He loved her, but she was stubborn — more stubborn than he, sometimes.

Sana began walking ahead of him, ambling through the sand. Andras gave a huff, and briefly followed suit.

They met up with the rest of their small pack in a rocky area surrounded by cliffs, finally making it out of the desert. Nearby a small watering hole, Taran and Rana were resting. Sana and Andras walked over, finally relieving their aching joints.

Rana looked up, her blazing red eyes softening. She knew those hopeless, tired faces. "Did you guys find anything?"

Sana shook her head as she sat down next to her friend. "No, nothing."

"There's nothing to find out there," added Andras. "Nothing ever grows out there, and any meat there is has already been reduced to bones."

Rana sighed. She looked just as tired as the rest of them. "Red Claw won't be happy..."

"He's never happy," remarked Sana.

Andras snorted. In the midst of all this, it was nice to share a laugh once in a while.

Just when the atmosphere began to lighten, the ground rumbled beneath them. Moments later, there was a roar — a roar that struck fear and terror into the hearts of even the fiercest sharpteeth. It even made Andras flinch.

Red Claw came into view, his single red eye — redder than the molten rock that spewed from the fiery mountains — standing out like a sore toe. A huge gash ran through his eye, all the way down to his right claw, hence his name. An apt title for a creature with such a mean streak.

The beast stepped forward, sniffing the dry desert air for a moment before looking down at his rather small group of followers.

"Well? Are you pathetic sacks of meat going to tell me what you found or are you just going to strand there?"

The two fast biters standing at his feet let out quiet snickers.

"You two didn't find anything either, so I wouldn't be acting so smug," said Red Claw.

"I'm afraid we didn't find anything," explained Sana.

"Didn't find anything? You're clearly not looking hard enough."

"We've been searching all day. With all due respect, I think we should find someplace else to hunt."

There was the slightest hint of a smile on Andras' face. He was beyond glad that somone was standing up to Red Claw, and he couldn't be more proud that it was his mate doing so.

"Move somewhere else?" Red Claw snorted. "Why would we do that? We live in an open area, and our prey can be easily spotted."

"Normally I would agree, but...there is nothing here. Otherwise, I'm sure we would have found something."

"You know, I liked you at first, Sana. But now, I'm beginning to doubt myself."

"I'm beginning to doubt you too," Sana said unwarily. It wasn't until that the words slipped out of her mouth that she realized what exactly she'd said and the way she'd said it.

Taran nearly laughed aloud before Rana whipped him on the back with her tail while trying to hold back her own laughter.

Red Claw suddenly stepped forward, prompting Sana to reflexively raise her tail in defense.

"Don't be so frightened, Sana," he sneered. "You're not that afraid of me, are you?"

Sana didn't answer. She stepped back, keeping her tail raised.

"We are not leaving. If you don't like it, you can leave and starve in the desert. I won't stop you."

"...That won't be necessary. I-I'll stay."

Red Claw's tail lightly brushed against her chin. "That's more like it."

With that, he stepped away, disappearing behind the rocks, his duo of lackeys hobbling at his feet.

Sana sat back down as she relaxed her tail, looking down at the callous earth in dismay. Andras walked up to her, nuzzling her chin.

"Thank you for trying."

Sana sighed, not looking him in the eye. "But it's not enough, is it?"

She walked away without giving Andras a chance to answer, the sun beating down on her aching back.

The desert was cooler at night. Sana and Rana peered up at the starry night sky while their respective mates slept peacefully a few feet away. Rana eyed her friend, whose attention seemed to be wandering.

"Have you told him yet?"

"No," Sana said with a sigh. "It just never seems like the right time."

"Sana," she scolded, "You'll have to tell him sooner or later. It's kind of hard to hide an egg, let alone a hatchling."

"I know, but..."

"But what?"

"Andras might not like it. I mean, he finds kids obnoxious and annoying."

"Yes, but this would be his child. It's different." A brief pause. "You trust him, don't you?"

"Of course I do. I trust him with my life. It's just...I've never raised a child before. Neither has he. I fear we're not quite ready."

Rana chuckled. "I believe every parent feels that way. But once the little ones arrive, everything just...falls into place. And everything will."

Andras had heard every word. From Rana gently scolding Sana, to Sana confiding that she was afraid to tell him. He was absolutely ecstatic to hear that he would be a father — but he was upset that Sana felt that she couldn't share the news with him. He didn't blame her. With his brash and arrogant personality, he wasn't the first one someone would go to with an important secret.

However, he would lead her on. He would let her believe that he didn't know, all while subtly hinting that he did know. And when she was ready, she would hopefully feel confident enough to tell him.

The next morning, they were out scavenging for food. Andras walked two steps ahead of her, sniffing the ground not only for meat, but for anything that could prove to be potentially harmful. Soon, they came across a dead flyer. The poor creature's wing had been injured, leaving him stranded in the desert.

"There's not enough for the both of us," Sana whispered.

"You can have it," said Andras.

"What? What about you?"

"I'll be fine. You need it more than I do."

"Andras, I don't want you to starve!"

"Just eat it," he growled. "Please. Eat."

Sana was reluctant at first, but once she dug her teeth into the carcass, she couldn't stop. Andras was glad that she no longer had to go hungry. He wished he could have had some, but if there weren't enough to go around, he'd gladly make a sacrifice and allow her to eat instead of him.

Over the course of the next few days, Andras looked after her. He put her first before everyone else, including himself. It soon became clear to Sana that he, on some level, knew her secret. And he knew that she knew. There was no need for them to tell each other, for when they looked into each other's eyes, they could see that unmistakeable look that every expecting parent had.

One day, while Sana was resting with Andras by her side, Red Claw approached the pair. He was no fool — he knew what was going on between them. He'd gone through the entire process before. As he edged closer, he spotted Sana cautiously wrapping her tail around her abdomen, as if shielding herself from him.

"Exactly how stupid do you think I am? I know perfectly well what you two are hiding."

Sana and Andras glanced at each other, holding their silence.

"You two are expecting — which is always good news. Ever since the passing of my son, I've longed to have someone I could mentor. To have as a successor."

Sana had originally resolved to keep quiet, but in her panic, she cried out. "I'm not letting you anywhere near her!"

"Her?" Red Claw seemed wryly amused. "Well, no matter. Boy or girl, they'll still be coming with me as soon as they are old enough."

"We're not letting you turn our child into a monster like you! Just because you've lost your entire family—"

Red Claw struck her with his tail before she could finish, something strange having overtook him. The blow was strong enough to cause her to stumble and fall.

Andras felt anger bubbling inside of him. He bit Red Claw's tail out of pure impulsiveness and an instinct to protect.

Red Claw roared in pain, narrowing his eyes at Andras. The two dinosaurs broke out into a fight, clawing at each other. Red Claw rammed his body against Andras', sending him into the wall of a large cliff.

Dazed, Andras took some time to recover and wasn't able to immediately fight back. Red Claw made a mad dash for him, until Sana suddenly leaped onto his back, digging her sharp teeth into his flesh.

Andras looked up at the large shadow of the dinosaurs engaged in combat. He was less worried about the grotesqueness of the scene before him, and more worried about his mate.

"Sana!"

Red Claw screeched in pain, flinging Sana off of his back before taking a bite out of the large sail on her back. Then, he called for his two lackeys.

Sana was relentless. She took several jabs at his throat, her eyes turning into narrow slits. Then, she hopped on top of a pile of rocks. Nearby, she could see Rana and Taran. Sana roared at them, asking for their help.

Rana didn't hesitate for a moment. Her fiery red eyes glowed with determination, she snarled as she hurried over to Sana's side. Taran followed her.

When Red Claw approached them, Rana quickly tripped him with her tail while Taran whacked him with his. The very moment that Red Claw got back on his feet, Sana jumped from the rocks and rammed into him. She forcibly pushed him into another large cliff, the sheer impact of his body making contact with the earth causing the rocks to tumble down on top of him.

Due to the amount of blows he received, Red Claw wasn't able to recover fast enough to do any significant damage. He let out a weak roar, practically a roar of defeat.

Sana aggressively let out a screech of triumph, and then an angry snort.

"I'm not afraid of you, Red Claw. Not anymore."

"Fine, leave, if you wish," snarled Red Claw. "But this isn't over."

With that, he turned tail, his fast biter henchmen trailing as his feet.

Sana watched him leave, her pupils widening. She waited until Red Claw was out of sight before rushing to help Andras. She gently licked his wounds, nuzzling him.

Andras opened his eyes and smiled at her. "You're going to be an amazing mother."

Not long after, they left the desert, along with Rana and Taran. It took some time to adjust to living in the forest, but once they had, there was no trouble. They had their daughter there, and Rana and Taran hatched Chomper there as well.

... Andras felt nostalgic, but it was a happy sort of nostalgia. He knew then that they had made the right choice. They had struggled, and they had suffered, but in the end, they still had each other. He looked over at Sana, who had her head in a nearby lake.

"Sana?"

Sana nearly caught a fish, but it managed to evade her powerful jaws. Giving up, she pulled her head out of the water. "Yes?"

"Do you...do you remember the day we left the desert?"

"Yeah...I think so. Why?"

"I was just remembering that day. And you know how I said you would be an amazing mother?"

"Of course I do."

"Well...I was right. If Eva is anything like you, she'll grow up to be the strongest of them all."

Sana turned to look at her husband, smiling gratefully. She walked over and sat beside him.

"...I miss her."

Andras rested his head on hers. "I know. I do too. But we can adjust. We've been doing it our whole lives."

"I hope she'll be able to adjust without us."

"She will. Trust me. You trust me, don't you?"

"With my life," said Sana, smiling to herself.