Some time had passed since Ali and Janet shooed the boys away. The sun was now descending, but the day was as active as a six-year-old dog. Janet took a bit off the nearby tree. In fact, it was the same one she and Littlefoot shared for breakfast. She grinded the treestars in her mouth and swallowed them. She then faced the relaxing Ali.

"Ali?"

"What is it, Janet?" wondered Ali in a tender voice.

"Well…um…you told me about Littlefoot. What do you think?"

"A-about what?" Ali asked, getting the feeling where this was going.

Ali had mentioned to Janet that she met Littlefoot when they were babies.

"Well, I've been thinking. I see you with Rhett, and you seem happy with him."

"With Rhett?" Ali wondered and then faintly blushed when she realized what Janet met. "Oh, we're not going out."

Janet was a bit confused by this.

"Not going out? Oh, wow. I'm sorry. It's just that you two seem close."

"Rhett and I are just good friends. That's all. We've grown custom to each other. We were together for the most part when we travel with our herd. I always view him as a big brother. Nothing more."

"Okay."

"What does this have to do with Littlefoot?"

Janet slightly blushed.

"Well, I've been thinking. Littlefoot told me that Chris told him that mating season is only a few bright circles away… He has been kind and caring towards me, and I believe we can face life together."

"But Janet, aren't you…rushing?"

"Mating season is only a few bright circles away. I can't wait. Besides, he's…the only one I got."

"But that doesn't mean you should rush things. There're more longnecks than him."

Janet widened her right eye in curiosity.

"Ali, you sound like if you wanted Littlefoot to be your partner?"

Ali tried so hard not to blush and kept her face straight.

"Me? I-I haven't even seen him for a couple of Cold Times. I don't know how much he has changed. I…would probably pick someone else than him."

"I see," said Janet.

Janet decided not to dive into details about the topic at hand. She knew one thing though: only her opinion mattered.

Littlefoot and Rhett continued to walk across the valley. They were in a large clearing that was located at the west side of the valley. The large, grassy clearing was surrounded by thick trees. He couldn't even see clearly through the woods. Rhett stopped and looked back. Littlefoot was to the front left of Rhett. Littlefoot stopped and turned around to face him.

"Rhett?"

"This place? …Could it be the mating grounds?"

Littlefoot looked around, examining the details of the area. After thirty seconds, he looked back at Rhett.

"Could be. Chris mentioned it was a rather large area. Why does that matter?"

"…Well, I mean it will be time soon. I wonder if I am confident to move forward."

"To move forward from what?"

"My relationship with Ali."

Littlefoot stiffened, allowing the goose bumps to flow down his spine.

"Your relationship…with Ali," he managed to say without squeaking his voice too much.

"Yep. I think it's getting real serious, so I think I'll make my move during the first night of mating season."

Littlefoot had a mix of a troubled look and a confused look on his face.

"Um, Rhett? I'm no expert on this, but aren't you supposed to make a move during the first night. You know, so no one can interfere."

"What do you mean?"

"You make the move the first night."

"Not that. Interfere. What does that mean?"

"You know…"

Littlefoot paused for a moment to let Rhett think about it. He still had that blank face. Littlefoot sighed unnoticeably.

"So no one will get in your way between you and Ali."

"Oh, that. Everyone here knows that we've been together for the longest time. No one will, um, in-ter-fere."

"… So, how long have you and Ali been together?"

"Ever since we got here. Yep. I remember that night when I confessed to her that I had like her and discovered she liked me back. Ah, memories."

"Sounds…good."

Rhett smiled.

"So, Littlefoot. How is your future mate?"

"Future mate?"

"Don't play dumb with me. I'm talking about Janet."

"Janet? Rhett, I just barely met her."

"Yeah, but it seems you two were already together before you met each other. I mean, we caught you humping her."

"I wasn't humping her," the reddened-face Littlefoot defended. "We were just playing Splasher."

"Whatever, Littlefoot. What I saw was all the proof I needed to see. You can be a kid and deny it, or you can be an adult and shoot it to the world. You're doing good, Littlefoot. Let's keep it male-to-male: Janet is one pretty dinosaur."

There was no denial. To Littlefoot as well, Janet was pretty. No. She was beautiful. When they were talking to Chris and Grace when they first arrived to the valley, he caught a glimpse of some of the longneck males looking at Janet with drooling expressions. Even when they passed by some longnecks, he swore he heard someone whisper 'I would like to bounce that cutie'. Luckily, Janet didn't hear it, or maybe she did? If she did, then she just ignored it. Littlefoot formed a smile at Rhett.

"Yeah, but-"

"C'mon, Littlefoot. You're acting like a baby. Be a male and when time comes, confess. I did it with Ali. You know you like Janet."

But Ali…

Rhett looked up at the sky and then directed his attention towards Littlefoot.

"I'm pretty sure the girls are done," said Rhett. "Let's go with them."

Rhett turned around and started retracing his footsteps. Littlefoot watched him and sighed. Ali was with Rhett, and the way Rhett described it and how they were walking together sounded like Ali was yearning for Rhett. He set out on a journey to find a mate and settled down. Come mating season, he was going to still find one, even if it wasn't his childhood love interest…and current love interest.

Night had approached. Rhett and Ali had said their goodbyes for the night and retreated to their sleeping spot. Littlefoot and Janet remained in the same sleeping spot they slept last night. It was an easy access of food and water when morning came. Littlefoot yawned and walked over to a nearby tree. The grassy ground was as comfy as a pillow to him. He lied down to go to sleep.

His head still hadn't touched the ground, watching Janet as she took a sip from the river. She lifted her head and turned towards Littlefoot. She took a few steps towards him. He smiled at her when he noticed she was looking at him.

"Well, goodnight Janet."

Janet slightly smiled.

"Goodnight."

Littlefoot lowered his head down to the ground and closed his eyes. Janet just observed him for a few moments before lying down next to him. She still had her neck from off the ground, looking down at Littlefoot.

"Littlefoot? Littlefoot, I need to talk to you."

Littlefoot opened his eyes and saw the worried expression Janet showed from the ground. He lifted his head up to her head level and faced her.

"What is it, Janet?"

Janet slightly looked down at the ground from the corner of her eyes. She then moved her pupils to look straight at Littlefoot.

"What do you think of me?"

Littlefoot was stunned on why she asked that. He smirked.

"Janet, you are you. I mean we do have arguments, but nothing can separate our friendship."

"But what do you think of just me?"

"Why do you ask that?"

Littlefoot paused for a moment to think.

"Are you nervous about the upcoming mating season?"

"Yes," Janet half-lied.

"Well, you are fun to be around with. Even though we argue, I have always enjoyed our friendship. You are caring, kind at times, strong…and very pretty."

Littlefoot had blushed when he mentioned Janet was pretty. Her cheeks reddened.

"Oh…well, Littlefoot. Since I heard the truth from you about me, let me say something. The first time we met, I thought I was better off on my own. All the arguing and stuff, but now, I think differently of you…in a good way. You're smart, concerning, nice, and also handsome… Littlefoot...I'll be honest. I've been thinking a lot, and I believe we can become more than friends."

Littlefoot's blush returned.

"W-why do you say that?"

Janet moved her head closer to Littlefoot. Their faces were only a few centimeters away. Janet smiled.

"I think this would explain what I'm trying to say."

She pressed her mouth against Littlefoot's mouth and exchanged a kiss. The kiss seemed to last for a long time. At first, Littlefoot was too stunned to move. He thought about getting away, but something told him to accept it. During the time spent with Janet, he grown to her and liked her a lot. He didn't tell her because of Ali. But Ali had gone to Rhett. She seemed happy, and as Rhett said, they were happy. Littlefoot was not going to be in-between them if she was happy. He savored the kiss from Janet. Now, he was with Janet…his future mate.