Littlefoot and his company confronted the old Mr. Threehorn. The gray Triceratops looked at the young adults. The group was surrounded by tall trees, but they stood clear from the path. Mr. Threehorn looked to his left, facing in the direction of the large lake, and then back at the young adults. He grinned lightly and lifted his head up to look at Littlefoot's face.

"Before I began, I want to say thanks. This place is…livable. You have saved us."

"Thank you, Mr. Threehorn, but I had done no such thing. I only relocated the residents. The problem isn't solved yet."

"But we tried, Littlefoot. There seems to be no solution close at tail."

"Well, I just need to go further up. There might be a solution found far beyond the valley."

"But the Mysterious Beyond is vast. How could you-"

"Trust me."

Littlefoot smiled to reassure Mr. Threehorn that everyone would be alright. However, Mr. Threehorn couldn't help but worried. He looked at the other dinosaurs around Littlefoot.

"Uh…Littlefoot and I need to talk in private."

Cera was the only one shocked by this. Her dad had always shown prejudice towards longnecks. Yet, she could see eyes of concern towards Littlefoot. All her life, she had seen her dad place the blame on Littlefoot. Now, it looked like he had fancied Littlefoot as one of his own. She just shook her head, out of this delusion she might be having.

"C'mon," she told the gang without particularly facing them. She turned around and started walking towards the direction of the lake. "Let's go for a swim. It'll be good for Ali to relax in the water."

"Ah, yes, yes, yes," agreed Ducky. "There's a spot that is the most relaxing."

Ali looked from Ducky to Littlefoot. He smiled to assure her everything was fine. She slightly grinned and followed the gang through the tall trees. Littlefoot looked down towards Mr. Threehorn. Mr. Threehorn looked up from where he last saw Ali.

"Well, I'll be," he told Littlefoot. "You found a mate."

"Mr. Threehorn," he said in a serious tone, trying so hard not to blush, "I think we have something else to worry about then my personal life."

"But Littlefoot, why would you go on a dangerous task that you might not return from? Don't you need to expand your herd? Isn't that why you left?"

Littlefoot inhaled and then exhaled loudly.

"Yes, but Petrie came looking for me. The valley residents can't survive out here. I need to fix the problem and get the dinosaurs back into the Great Valley."

"But Littlefoot, why are you putting so much weight on your back?"

Littlefoot slightly smiled.

"Who else is going to fix it?"

"But…what about your grandparents wishes?"

Littlefoot's facial expression dropped into more of a serious tone.

"What do you know about them? You weren't even there when my grandparents died."

Mr. Threehorn had a nervous look on his face.

"Well…um…"

He saw the irritancy of his stuttering in Littlefoot's eyes. He sighed, relaxing his face. He looked up at Littlefoot.

"There is something you need to know. Before your grandparents died, your grandpa confronted me on an issue about you. He said that if he happened to be gone from this world one day, he wanted me to make sure you settled down and started a family. He told me that I shouldn't let you go out on what you so-call adventuring."

Littlefoot thought about it.

"Then why did you let me leave the Great Valley?"

"You were trying to find a mate. I had to let you go. You were the only male. Now, there's a female. I suggest you be a father than a hero. Look at this place. It has green food and water. It has all that we need to survive for a Cold Time. Be a father first before you become a hero."

Littlefoot paused to think. After a few moments, he shook his head.

"I can't do it. My instincts tell me that saving the valley is first. Even if we had…babies...I wouldn't want them to be raised in the Mysterious Beyond. My childhood out here was horrible. Yes, we have food and water now, but we are still prone to danger."

Mr. Threehorn heaved.

"Well, you're an adult, and I know I can't stop you. You've always been too sneaky. However…what about your 'friend'?"

Littlefoot thought about it. Ali, she almost died. He couldn't let her get into danger. Who knows what would happen?

"She's staying here until I get back. It isn't safe with me. She's safer here."

"Littlefoot, are you sure? What if you don't come back? You'll die without ever expanding your herd."

"It's less painful than Ali having no mate and our children…if we had some hypothetically…having no father."

Mr. Threehorn thought about it. He nodded.

"So what will you tell the girl?"

Littlefoot sighed, turning around and walking away from Mr. Threehorn. The Triceratops heard his final words

"I don't know."

Mr. Threehorn watched the longneck walk off along the path in-between the rows of trees. He slowly walked into the woods, vanishing into them.

Night had arrived. The Great Valley residents had all gone to sleep. Littlefoot looked at the stars above him. He and Ali had decided to sleep side-by-side in front of the lake. Their sleeping spot laid a few meters away from the shore of the lake. Littlefoot exhaled loudly. Ali, who was still waiting for Littlefoot to rest, looked up at him.

"Littlefoot, what's wrong?"

Littlefoot looked down at Ali.

"Ali, we need to talk."

In the back of her mind, Ali knew this was bad. The tone Littlefoot had said it frightened her. She kind of had an idea as to why he wanted to talk.

"Is it about the Great Valley?"

Littlefoot nodded.

"I still need to fix it. It isn't safe out here. You should know that sharpteeth attacks are bound to happen frequently out here than inside the valley."

"Yes," agreed Ali, "I know. So, what's the plan?"

Littlefoot sighed. He knew what she meant.

"It'll be a journey to find the problem. I don't know the true outcome, but I hope for the best. Ali, today really scared me. I want you to stay here-"

Ali's eyes widened.

"-with the others. As a herd, we are strong. I'll feel a lot better if you stay here as I fix this problem."

"No," Ali replied. "I didn't walk for bright circles to only be separated from you again."

"I know, Ali, but I just worry. If you go with me, I can't guarantee your safety."

"Well, it's a risk I'm willing to take."

"But-"

"Littlefoot, why am I here? Why did I walk out during mating night? Why did I wait for you? Littlefoot, it's because I love you."

Love. Something Littlefoot had yearned for ever since his grandparents died. A powerful feeling that could mend the broken heart. Something that gives the mind and body the power to survival. Something…that no one never wanted to let go off. But Littlefoot knew he couldn't stay. He needed to help his dinosaurs. They had lived in the Great Valley for too long and lost touch with the dangers of the Mysterious Beyond. Littlefoot sensed that some of the folks felt unease. In order for the Great Valley to become livable again, he needed to find a solution to the problem. It was not only for the Great Valley residents, but it was also for generations to come.

He looked into Ali's blue eyes and sighed. Ali knew what he meant and looked down in sadness. She lowered her neck towards the ground and looked away from Littlefoot. Littlefoot lowered his head, mounting a small portion of his neck on Ali's neck. His chin touched the ground. He turned his head towards Ali's face.

"Ali."

Ali slowing turned her head towards Littlefoot. He noticed her eyes were shimmering from water, about to cry out.

"Doesn't it mean anything? Doesn't finding you and declaring I love you mean something? Now, that I'm here, you just want to go by yourself. I didn't come here to only have you part from me."

"It's not like that, Ali. I…I just want your safety, and I feel that your safer here. Ali, I can't lose you."

"Nor I. What if you never come back?"

"Don't think that. I will come back. I will come back with everything right."

Littlefoot lifted his head up slight and rubbed Ali's cheek with his cheek. He felt a running droplet of water touching his cheek. He lifted his head away from Ali and noticed that her eyes were close. He set his head next to Ali's head, almost touching her cheek with her cheek. As he closed his eyes to drift to sleep, he whispered something in hopes Ali head it.

"Ali, have faith I will return to you."