Part V: Reconciliation

Rain came to the land for the first time since its death from the sea. Announced by the howling of the winds and the crashing of the waves on a distant shore, the torrent began to wash away the black soot that had covered everything and to purge the Steppes of the volcanic poisons that filled it. Whether it was raining or not, it made little difference to Littlefoot as he pushed onwards towards whatever bleak hope existed beyond the horizon. Like Ali and Petrie, the longneck was relentlessly hungry and as his stomach growled repeatedly he found it difficult to think about anything else.

It seemed like there was next to nothing here for them… no food, no water, no friends and no rest. If things continued to remain the way they were the group of them would surely die, joining the bones of the other dead dinosaurs they passed along the way. It was nearly getting to the point now where Littlefoot envied them… at least they had nothing more to worry about. After nearly another hour of walking, Ali finally collapsed forcing the group to stop.

"I can't keep going anymore Littlefoot," moaned Ali, "I'm so tired…"

"Come on Ali," insisted Littlefoot desperately as he nudged her, "we're almost there… there's green food just over the next ridge."

"Littlefoot," started the female longneck sadly, "we've been walking all day… there's nothing but bones and dust everywhere."

"Well we can't give up," declared Littlefoot with uncertainty as he turned towards Petrie on his back.

The flyer had arisen and was busy sniffing the air, holding his broken wing carefully so he couldn't hurt it again. He hopped excitedly as he picked up the scent of something important.

"What is it Petrie?" asked Littlefoot in curiosity.

"Green food, me smell green food!" answered Petrie with glee.

Ali immediately perked up, and sniffed the air as well.

"Hey… Littlefoot I smell it too!" she added.

With an expression of joy and relief on his face, Littlefoot did the same and confirmed that the scent was in fact a real one.

"Come on guys," laughed Littlefoot, "let's go eat."

The green food that the three of them had sensed was a grove that laid on the edge of the zone of devastation. It stood apart from the scorched rocky ground and drifts of volcanic ash as a place of recovery and peace. Beyond this point, the steppes became less of a wasteland and more of a savannah-like collection of grassy fields that carried on all the way to the Lush Valley. The denizens of this place had been lucky to escape the burning cloud of death, for it had passed close by before finally dispersing into the sea. Littlefoot and the rest of the much reduced gang didn't care about these facts though, as they were completely and fully concentrated on the grassy bushes and small trees that were right in front of them.

"Green food!" shouted Littlefoot excitedly, and his mouth began to water as he ran.

The two longnecks and the flyer spread out and picked away at whatever they wanted to eat. As he chomped on a particularly strange tasting yet satisfying grass plant Littlefoot started to think about how much he missed the others they left behind. He wished they could all be back together again… him, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike… just like it used to be. All the adventures they had came back to him… their unannounced trips away from their parents, the time the Great Valley caught fire, and the time Petrie's uncle led them on that goose chase for the stone of cold fire.

Littlefoot sighed, and reached down his neck to pluck at some small prickly plants he had never seen before. He and Cera fought sometimes, but she was his best friend and she always came through in the end. He also couldn't forget Ruby and Chomper though… they had come along with them more then once and he was starting to think of them as friends he and the others could count on. Ruby in particular was quite responsible and smart and the two of them got along very well. In short, the longneck decided he missed all of them.

"Littlefoot," called out Petrie hesitantly.

The longneck raised his head and looked up at the flyer that had climbed halfway up one of the trees trying to get one of the fruits at the top.

"What is it Petrie?"

"Umm," he mumbled with embarrassment, "me may need help getting down."

"Sure," affirmed Littlefoot, "I'll-"

Littlefoot suddenly felt dizzy, like he had been running around in circles for a while. He nodded his head, trying to shake it off… but the feeling wouldn't go away. Petrie looked at him in confusion.

"I just… I," stammered Littlefoot.

The world was going dark, but it wasn't because of the weather. Littlefoot didn't have time to register anything as he stumbled a few times, and then collapsed to the ground.

"Littlefoot," hollered Petrie, "…LITTLEFOOT!"

Ali heard what was going on and rushed over, noticing Littlefoot lying on the ground.

"Petrie…what happened what's wrong with Littlefoot?" she asked frantically.

"Me no know," replied Petrie in panic, "we talking and then… then he fall!"

Ali bent over and nudged Littlefoot vigorously.

"Littlefoot… speak to me Littlefoot, are you okay?"

He didn't answer.

"What do we do?" stammered Ali as she too began to panic.

After a moment of stressed silence, the female longneck came up with the only idea she could.

"Sky…" she said, "We have to find Sky!"

"Me can't go," sobbed Petrie, "me can't fly."

"I'll go," she declared shakily, "keep an eye on him until I get back."

Without another word, the female longneck turned and ran as fast as she could. Dodging the rocks on the rough ground, she disappeared over the hill in less than a minute.

"Please hurry!" begged Petrie, and he looked down at the unconscious Littlefoot with a dire expression.

He didn't think to notice the bright purple juice oozing out of the plant that Littlefoot had just eaten.

Ducky looked up as her and Spike padded along the uneven black ground. Sky soared above, sometimes flying on ahead before circling back over top of them. He was watching their progress closely, and thanks to his guidance they were making good time. The wingtail had spotted the end of the ash-choked wasteland and was taking them towards it, ushering them on with promises of green food and water.

The swimmer was somewhat distressed, as the previous days events still weighed on her mind. She had never seen Littlefoot act that way before, and despite what happened to his father a part of her couldn't help but think he was just taking out his troubles on Sky since there was no one else around to blame. It was saddening, but she knew that he would eventually come around… after all he was their friend and they had nothing but each other this far away from home.

"I miss Littlefoot, I do," threw out Ducky in an attempt to express her feelings on the matter to Spike.

Spike groaned and nodded, before turning and carrying on.

Ducky knew her brother better then anyone else did, and she could see that he had an aptitude for knowing how good or bad other dinosaurs were. When Spike stood behind Sky, she did too because deep down she could tell he was trustworthy. Sky may have done things they did not understand in the past, but he never lied and always led them in the right direction into safety. Whatever reason the blue wingtail had for leaving them in the former Verdant Valley, Ducky believed he wanted for them to be safe. Hopefully, it was simply bad fortune that things turned out otherwise…

"Grassland lies just over these next few hills," commented Sky as he flew low over top of the swimmer and the spiketail, "a short flight and we will all be there."

"Good… I am really hungry," replied the swimmer before adding, "…and Spike is too."

A loud growl from Spike's stomach had triggered the last statement, and the spiketail groaned in hunger pains.

"Not to worry," insisted Sky with a reassuring nod.

Sky had been caught in the tide of events for a few days now, but as the normal routine of constant travel came back the wingtail's thoughts turned once more to his love a long distance away. Recently, he had been wishing he and Star could be together in some far away home – away from the cruel leaders of the wingtails, the villainous sharpteeth, and the environmental catastrophes that had plagued his journey thus far. Now, he had started imagining a place where that might be.

His imaginary utopia was next to a lake teeming with fish, high up in the hills somewhere. Every morning when he woke up, the great circle's light would bathe their roost and light up her scarlet feathers like a rainbow in the sky. They would go fishing, and he could show off his skills in air, swooping and looping over the crystal clear water as an expression of his happiness and joy. Then as twilight settled at night time, they would return to the roost just to sit and talk; romanticizing about when they first met and their adventures since then. Maybe then… if he was lucky… they would…

Sky shook his head to wake up from the dream. Unfortunately, the reality was that they were far apart and unlikely to even see each other again. Her brother absolutely hated him, and wanted nothing less then to turn him into bones. Glide would never agree to even let him live in peace… let alone consent to their mating to the elders. Not to mention the elders still thought he was a criminal and a thief and would send their scions to hunt him to the end of the Earth. No, Sky could no sooner live a dream like that then he could bring his parents back from the dead.

A strange movement caught the blue wingtail's eye as he soared on the light wind. It had started to rain lightly, and he sensed that soon he would have to go to the ground to escape the bad weather. Looking closer at the object, he saw that it was in fact a young longneck and she was running erratically about as if she wasn't sure where she was going. It was Ali!

Sky turned sharply and dove towards the longneck, which saw him almost immediately. As he came into earshot, the blue wingtail called out.

"Ali, where is –"

"Littlefoot," said Ali as she caught her breath, "…he's… in trouble."

"Trouble?" asked Sky thoughtfully.

"He fell over… didn't get up… need your help," breathed Ali in distress.

Sky's eyes widened.

"Where? Take me to him!"

Sky stood over Littlefoot, rubbing his chin in thought. As Ali, Petrie, Ducky and Spike looked on the blue wingtail lowered his head close to check the longneck's breathing, and snapped his fingers a few times to check for responsiveness.

"He's still with us," mentioned Sky to a few sighs of relief, "…but barely. What was he doing when he collapsed?"

Ali looked towards Petrie, and nodded her head in his direction.

"Well," started Petrie nervously, "me sitting up in tree… then we talking and he fall down."

"Hmm," thought Sky out loud, "… what was he eating?"

Petrie looked around, and then noticed the oozing purple plant that Littlefoot had taken a bite out of a few minutes ago. He lifted it up in both hands, and the flyer couldn't hide his look of disgust.

"Bide-leaf!" declared the blue wingtail in shock, "Littlefoot has eaten poison."

All around there were gasps, and expressions of panic.

"Children… I need you to look around for a three-leaf plant with a green stem and smooth edges," explained Sky, "and do it quickly… there is no telling how much he ate and your haste will make the difference between life and death."

In less than five minutes Ali, Ducky and Spike returned with mouth and armfuls of leaves of all different types that looked like Sky had described. It had taken every ounce of his strength, but Spike managed not to eat the plants in his mouth.

"Alright."

Sky sorted through the pile and came up with six leaves that were the kind he needed. Separating them from the rest, he tilted Littlefoot's head up and opened his mouth. Holding up the leaves, the blue wingtail suddenly realized a problem.

"These leaves need to be chewed to get down his throat… and I don't have any teeth."

The wingtail turned around to face the children.

"Somebody is going to have to chew these for him, and then spit them into his mouth."

There were multiple looks of disgust at the idea, but with Littlefoot's life on the line they were willing to do anything to save him.

"Ali," said Sky with regret, "you're the only one who can do it… I don't like asking this but under the circumstances…"

"I'll do it," said Ali without doubt, "put them in my mouth."

Sky obeyed, and as the female longneck took in a bit of the terrible taste she nearly gagged. Only the thought of what would happen to Littlefoot if she didn't do it kept them in her mouth.

"Alright, that should be enough," stated Sky.

The wingtail held Littlefoot's mouth open, and Ali lowered her lips to his face. Not wanting to see what happened next, Petrie, Ducky and Spike all closed their eyes and looked away.

"Good," confirmed Sky as he shut Littlefoot's mouth and rubbed his throat to make sure it all went down.

A minute passed, and then another minute.

"Why nothing happen?" asked Petrie in dreadful confusion.

"Oh Littlefoot," sobbed Ducky.

Sky continued to stare at Littlefoot for a sign.

"He needs more treestars," declared Ali, and she snapped up another mouthful of the antidote Sky had picked out.

A few seconds of chewing and she was ready to do it again. Not waiting for Sky to fully open her friend's mouth, she lowered her lips to Littlefoot once more. The moment she spat the mixture into his mouth, Littlefoot opened his eyes. As an event of bad timing, or simply bad luck he choked and spat out the mixture everywhere, completely covering Ali in spittle and half-chewed treestars. Sky had jumped out of the way, and avoided the mess.

For almost an entire minute there was absolute silence as Littlefoot coughed and recomposed himself. The longneck shook himself awake, and for the first time realized that he was on his back and covered in partially digested plants. His turned his gaze towards Ali, who was standing with her mouth open in shock and disbelief.

"Wow," commented Littlefoot as he looked up and down her body, "what happened to you?"

Sky was the first one to laugh at the situation, and once he started everyone else did too and soon the entire group was abuzz with relieved laughter as the seriousness of the situation evaporated.

Ali's expression of surprise changed into one of anger.

"That's not funny," she said defensively as she tried to scrape off the mess with the pads of her feet.

"Oh Littlefoot, me so glad you safe," cried Petrie as he jumped into the air and clamped onto the longneck's nose.

"Hey Petrie," commented Littlefoot happily, "it looks like you wing is all better."

Petrie's eyes widened at the mention of his broken wing.

"It fine… Me can fly again!"

The flyer took to the air, and in the process made space for the rest of the dinosaurs who mobbed Littlefoot in their joy at his recovery. Ducky hugged him while Ali leaned forward and licked his cheek. Through the entire episode, the longneck had no idea what was going on or why they were hugging him, but he enjoyed it anyway.

Away from the celebration Sky sat with a smile on his face. Littlefoot noticed him and their eyes met. After a minute the longneck returned the smile, and nodded his thanks.

It looked like their fight was finally over, and the group was back together once more.

The rain intensified later as night began to fall, and the combination would have been demoralizing for the recently reunited group, where they not in such good spirits. They were tired, but well fed and on their way. Eventually Sky (who was forced to walk) found them a nice canopy where the trees shielded them from the driving rain. With the unexpected yet welcome shelter, the group all settled down to rest.

Sky sat on a protruding rock next to the tree trunk and ate a banana he had managed to peel off a tree on their way. It was a strange fruit to eat and Littlefoot watched with fascination as the wingtail pulled back the skin and ate the creamy inside in chomping bites.

"Would you like some Littlefoot?" asked the blue wingtail with courtesy.

"Sure," answered Littlefoot, and he took a bite off the end that Sky had lowered to him.

It was delicious and unique, and the longneck found it reminded him of the tree-sweets in the hidden canyon. Luckily this fruit wasn't being used to repel sharpteeth like those were, so he could eat as much as he wanted.

"Wow that's really good," commented Littlefoot as he rubbed his mouth with one of his front feet.

Sky smiled.

"I shall have to pick up some more then for the journey," the wingtail said.

The statement made Littlefoot think of something that he had previously forgotten in the whirlwind of the days events.

"Sky… where are we going now?" he asked.

The blue wingtail put a finger to his chin, and thought about the problem.

"Hmm," he thought out loud, "we cannot go back. Behind us is nothing but dust and yet ahead there is nothing but ocean…a perplexing and challenging situation if I say so."

Sky looked to the horizon through the sheet of rain.

"Perhaps our salvation lies to the west, in a place called the Lush Valley. I have only heard of it, but if luck is on our side then maybe we will be welcome as travellers and friends. From there we will head south towards…"

A moment of strange silence.

"The Feral Forest."

Littlefoot was confused why Sky would want to go back towards the wingtail homeland, especially since back there they were hunting him.

"I have to go back someday Littlefoot," continued Sky, "and if they call me a thief then so be it… but at least they can't call me a coward."

They were bold words, and Littlefoot saw reason to respect his friend for saying them. He was reminded that he and the gang were not the only ones far from their real home.

"Hopefully when we arrive I will be able to find someone to take you all home."

Littlefoot smiled and nodded in agreement. For once, he had had enough adventuring.