Chapter 2: Something's wrong
A fair distance away from the watering place, Grandpa noticed that the temperature was higher than usual in the Great Valley, and the others noticed this as well. Littlefoot prefered to be carried by his father instead of walking himself due to the heat.
A few moments before the Longnecks arrived, they smelled an odd odor that was unknown to them. When they finally arrived at the watering place, the smell was so strong that Littlefoot hid his head in the back of his father.
The Longnecks weren't the only Great Valley residents who were gathered at this watering place, that was boiling and emitting malodorous fumes.
It had spread well that the watering place had changed to the misfortune of the Great Valley residents since nearly everyone of them was gathered there. The Threehorns, the Spiketails, the Flyers, the Swimmers and many more kinds stood around the overheated lake in some distance and gabbered loudly.
"I'm sorry, my son, I doubt we can't get a drink here today!" Littlefoot's father told Littlefoot. "The watering place has changed and it stinks worse than the breath of a Sharptooth."
Littlefoot's grandparents were just about to add something, when a very loud voice was shouting.
"SILENCE!"
The little Longneck was very frightened so he hid even more.
Suddenly there was dead silence. Only the monotonous bubbling of the watering place could be heard.The old and cantankerous Threehorn had to say something.
"Have you ever experienced such a strange thing, my friends? Day after day, earthshakes happen and now our best watering place is bringing death to any of us drinking the water or taking a bath in it. What does that mean?"
The oldest resident, Mr. Thicknose - a Threehorn without horns, just with some little roundings on his head, who had been everywhere being known as the wisest in the Great Valley - stepped into the circle built by the residents.
"Well, the numerous earthshakes aren't uncommon, far-walkers told me about that; it'll pass," he replied. "They also told me that this strange smell mostly appears near of fire pits, but I can't see any. I have to admit that the temperature's higher than usual in the Valley," he added rather talking to himself than to the everyone else.
Murmurs spread between the gathered herds. Meanwhile, all herds had arrived at the watering place without an exception.
"Silence!" the old Threehorn yelled stomping his foot. "Of course it's hot here where the water's boilin'! You better tell us why it's that hot!"
"Threehorn, we already felt the higher temperature in the woods between our resting place and this watering place," Grandpa replied.
"Yeah! We too felt it in our cavern!" the Flyer Mommy told. "In addition, the wind's funny today! It's very easy to fly without flattering much!"
Again, they started to chatter in a mess.
"Silence!" the Threehorn roared again so that Mr. Thicknose could continue talking.
"Yes... Warm air supports you Flyers better than cold air, therefore you can't fly well during the... "
He got no further due to another heavy earthshake that hit the Great Valley. A hollow grumbling and thundering came from the ground of the watering place. Suddenly, a big amount of boiling water shot out of the watering place with a loud bang reaching a huge height that was much higher than Littlefoot's father's head was.
The gathered herds panicked and fled from the watering place.
Littlefoot cried in a scare as his family moved away from the watering place.
Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the watering place stopped waterspitting...