GREAT VALLEY - FLYER NEST - AFTERNOON

A flyer nest is nestled in the side of a cliff From atop the nest, a adult flyer takes off. He dips into a nearby river, and reemerges from the watery depths with a fish in his beak. He lands on the river banks, slings his catch in the air, and swallows it whole.

FLYER: Mmm, Not bad!

A female flyer lands next to him.

FEMALE FLYER: How about me, PETRIE?

PETRIE: Oh, me forgot. Sorry about that.

He takes off towards the waters again, while Ruby and her entourage comes up to the scene.

FEMALE FLYER: Ah, look, dear! It's Ruby with our little one!

Petrie breaks the water, and lands again on the banks. He slings his fish to the mother flyer.

PETRIE: Here you go!

FEMALE FLYER: Thank you!

PETRIE: Oh, hello Ruby, Hello everybody!

LITTLEFOOT: Hello.

TOPS: Humpth!

RUBY: We'll be going now. We have a lot of nests to go to still, yes.

PETRIE: Goodbye Ruby! Me see you tomorrow!

Ruby and the Gang walk off, while Petrie turns to his family.

PETRIE: Time for bed, everybody!

Petrie and most of the kids head up to the nest. The mother flyer takes off, but Aries calls out.

ARIES: Um, mom?

The mother turns around, and lands near the little flyer.

MOTHER FLYER: Yes, dear?

ARIES: Why does dad talk... um... funny?

MOTHER FLYER: Well, son. When he was very little, he fell out of a tree. The ground was very hard and cracked, and he shot right through it. Everybody thinks that kind of... did something to his noggin. You understand?

ARIES: Yes, I think so.

MOTHER FLYER: Now, go back to the nest and find a good place to rest.

ARIES: Alright, mom, I'm going.

GREAT VALLEY - SWIMMER NEST - AFTERNOON

A female swimmer is in the middle of a pond. she dips her head underwater, grabs some of the water reeds and grass at the pond's bottom, and returns to the surface to chew on them. From off in the distance, a young swimmer's voice is heard.

LAVENDER: Mommy!

The large swimmer turns around to see the group.

SWIMMER: Ah, it is my little Lavender! And also Ruby and her other friends.

RUBY: Hello DUCKY.

LITTLEFOOT: Yes, hello Mrs. Swimmer.

RUBY: I'll just be on my way, as I have a few more little ones to take back to their nests.

DUCKY: Well, goodbye then, Ruby.

LAVENDER: I'll say goodby too, Ruby.

Ruby and the rest of the group walk off. Ducky turns to her daughter.

DUCKY: Now Lavender, what did I tell you about talking proper?

LAVENDER: Aw, why've I got to talk proper, Mom? None of my other friends talk like that. They all talk like this.

DUCKY: I am not talking about your friends here, Lavender. It is only right to talk proper, as it is how adults speak.

LAVENDER: Well, I don't want to!

DUCKY: (Sighs) You will have to someday, dear.

GREAT VALLEY - SPIKETAIL NEST - AFTERNOON

A large spiketail is eating from a low tree. The large beast pulls off a massive mess of leaves, and starts chewing on them. Ruby and her gang walk up to the spiketail.

RUBY: Hello to you, SPIKE.

Spike looks on with a friendly smile, but says nothing. Pete takes off from behind Ruby, and nuzzles Spike affectionately.

RUBY: (Giggles.) I know you two aren't much for words, so I'll just take Littlefoot and Tops back, but I still love you, my friend.

As the group leaves, Pete goes to Spike's tree and starts stuffing his mouth.

GREAT VALLEY - LONGNECK NEST - EVENING

An adult longneck is eating leaves from a tall tree. Another longneck stomps up to him, this one a female.

FEMALE LONGNECK: Afternoon, Littlefoot!

MALE LONGNECK: ALI! Don't you know how much I hate being called Littlefoot now.

ALI: (Giggling) Yes, I know, Littlefoot.

the male longneck sighs.

ALI: But then why did we have to call our daughter Littlefoot, Littlefoot?

MALE LONGNECK: We've gone over this before, dear. I named her Littlefoot because it's a family tradition. My father was named Littlefoot when he was hatched, I was when I was hatched, and now our daughter. And remember? I said you can name her when she's older. Bron named me THUNDERFOOT later on, so you can name her something.

A female threehorn walks up to the couple, catching Thunderfoot's eyes.

THUNDERFOOT: Ah, it's CERA!

Cera: Looks like you two are having fun.

ALI: No, just a little talk.

THUNDERFOOT: So, how's your day been?

CERA: Not too bad, I guess.

From off in the distance, a deep sound of thuds can be heard, while the ground tembles slightly.

THUNDERFOOT: What's that?

CERA: Must be that herd of spiketails. I heard they were coming soon.

THUNDERFOOT: What news do you bring of the outside?

SPIKETAIL MOTHER: (Sighs) It's just as dangerous as ever.

THUNDERFOOT: Wait, Where's your leader?

SPIKETAIL MOTHER: I'm the leader now. If you're talking about my father... a sharptooth got him.

THUNDERFOOT: I'm so sorry to hear that.

THUNDERFOOT: Did you try to help him?

SPIKETAIL MOTHER: That would have been foolish, though my too little ones tried.

The mother's two young stand under her, looking discouraged.

THUNDERFOOT: That was a crazy thing to do!

YOUNg SPIKETAIL #1: Yeah, we know.

CERA: What was this sharptooth like?

The herd of spiketails start murmuring amongst themselves.

SPIKETAIL MOTHER: One of those big stomper sharpteeth. A giant, horrific beast.

SPIKETAIL #1: He was a terrible shade of blue.

SPIKETIAL #2: Actually, he looked more purple to me.

THUNDERFOOT: Really? He looked like that?

SPIKETAIL MOTHER: Yes, he did.

CERA: Humpth!

Thunderfoot stares at Cera glaringly for a moment, before returning a sorrowful gaze at the herd of spiketails.

THUNDERFOOT: Well, you're all welcome to stay here in the Great Valley as long as you like.

CERA: But...

THUNDERFOOT: I already know what your about to say, Cera, but we always have enough room here.

SPIKETAIL MOTHER: Thank you so much for your hospitality, longneck. We'll be staying for a few days, to rest our tired feet.

THUNDERFOOT: ... Sounds like you need it.

She turns around to her herd.

SPIKETAIL MOTHER: Come on, everyone. I see a nice spot of green over yonder.

The herd follows their leader away from Thunderfoot, Ali, and Cera. Just then, ruby walks up to the group with her last two followers, Littlefoot and Tops, in tow.

RUBY: Good evening, Mr. Longneck.

Tunderfoot: Oh, hello there, Ruby.

RUBY: And hello to you too, Ms. Threehorn.

CERA: Hey.

RUBY: Well, here's the younglings. I'll be on my way then.

Ruby walks off, while the two children rush to their parents.

LITTLEFOOT: Father? I have a little question for you.

TOPS: Me too!

THUNDERFOOT: Yes, dear?

LITTLEFOOT: Well, it's just that Mr. Thicknose told us a interesting story today, and I just wanna know if it's true or not.

CERA: Ah, that crazy old coot! What did he blather on about this time?"

LITTLEFOOT: Well, he said...

TOPS: He said something about a friendly sharptooth!

THUNDERFOOT: Really?

LITTLFOOT: Yeah.

TOPS: He said some nonsense about how there used to one that lived here, and that you two knew it!"

LITTLEFOOT: Yeah, and I was just wondering if it was true or not. Um, is there really such a thing as a friendly sharptooth?

THUNDERFOOT: Your asking ME?

TOPS: Of course!

THUNDERFOOT: Well... um...

CERA: I'd like to know too, Littlefoot. Come on, tell us, o great leader!

Thunderfoot glances off towards the spiketail herd in the distance and sighs.

THUNDERFOOT: Oh... well...no. No, there isn't such a thing, girl.

TOPS: I knew it!

LITTLEFOOT: Really? You mean... Mr. Thicknose lied?

THUNDERFOOT: Look... I'm sure Mr. Thicknose meant well, but he's just telling you stories for fun. You're just supposed to get enjoyment out of them. Nothing more.

littlefoot lowers her head

LITTLEFOOT: Yeah, I guess you're right, dad.

ALI: Now come along dear. It's time to sleep.

CERA: Yeah, it's time for you too, little fella.

TOPS: Don't call me little!

Cera giggles lightly.

CERA: Aw, I know. Just playing with ya.

Littlefoot follows Ali and Thunderfoot as they head out for their nest, still looking disappointed.

TO BE CONTINUED