Chapter 21: Spike
Littlefoot discovered a big hollow after a short time already its ground being covered with countless red luminous lights. He wondered what said red lights were so he approached for a closer look. Upon closer inspectation, he could behold that they were luminous pebbles touching one of them. They felt strange, as if someone had wrapped some kind of moss around them. 'Hmm, these stones might give us some light' he thought. 'I'll get everyone to see them!'
Littlefoot continued exploring the hollow - after all he could see fairly well due to the light the pebbles spent.
Petrie came to a standstill after a couple of steps since the Flyer was too frightened in the darkness...
Ducky wandered along the path jauntily and hummed and sang. The path didn't seem to end though. Just, when she began to be bored, she suddenly crashed into something soft and tumbled to the ground. She uttered a loud scream in surprise...
Littlefoot turned around instantly when he heard Ducky screaming. At that, he forgot to grab some pebbles due to him hurrying. He actually had in mind to show them to Ducky and Petrie.
Petrie got scared when he heard Ducky screaming. He darted to the spot where they had separated to wait for Littlefoot since he didn't want to enter the sinister path on his own...
Cera woke up having terrible aches. When she realized that she was all alone, she began to search for the others and called for them, panicked...
The Spiketail knew that his end had come. He thought of his family. Shakily, he curled up himself and waited for the bite that would seal his death...
At first, Ducky ran some distance but she slowly creeped closer again when she realized that she was neither chased by something nor were there any noises. Despite the thick darkness, she could eye a shaking creature curled up in a corner that seemed to be the dead end of the path.
"Hello?" she called quietly. "I will not harm you, no, no, no."
The creature stopped shaking like an aspen.
"What is your name, heh? Heh?" Ducky questioned, a little louder this time.
The creature stood up to scan Ducky. For the sake of safety, Ducky went a few steps back because the alien dinosaur was far bigger than she was.
"Maybe you cannot talk yet? Heeeh?" she asked.
The creature mumbled something pretty sad and tormented sounding.
"You are all alone, you are, you are," Ducky diagnosed. "So where is your family then? Or do not you have any family?"
The lively Swimmer didn't get a response so she approached the other dinosaur. Just, when she was about to touch its face, tears rolled down its cheek hitting Ducky.
"Oh, you do not have to cry, nope, nope, nope," she said. "Did you lose your family?"
The creature nodded and uttered some sad sounds. Subsequently, it made a face looking like a Sharptooth and even suitable noises.
"Did you lose your family because of the Sharptooth attack as well? Because my daddy had been eaten and m-my Mommy is v-v-very f-far away. W-we were separated, y-you know?" Ducky started to weep. It felt as if a rather spiky thing had drilled right into her heart. The other dinosaur joined her sniveling soon.
Littlefoot was surprised when he met Petrie at the crosspaths.
"Come! Climb up!" he instructed him.
Petrie didn't need to be told twice. He climbed up Littlefoot's tail rapidly and got comfortable on his back. The little Longneck stormed along the path that Ducky had chosen.
"Me sorry me no gone along the path," Petrie said quietly, obviously ashamed.
"Not now, Petrie! We must hasten to Ducky's aid!" Littlefoot shouted.
"Me geddit. Me be silent now..."
Cera heard sounds coming out of a little crack in the wall. She went into this crack and found another path that she was following for the sake of discovering what was going on.
After a few minutes both of them calmed down.
"Do you want to come along?" Ducky asked. "My friends and I are trying to find our families again. You could join us if you want, you could, you could!"
The creature considered quickly, then nodded.
"Hooray!" Ducky rejoiced and danced around. "Come!"
The creature grabbed Ducky and put her on its head.
"Hehehehehe! Thank you for carrying me, "Ducky chuckled. She climbed to the back of the creature and realised some little, round bumps.
"You are a Spiketail so I call you Spike," she announced merrily.
The Spiketail already had a name given by his parents. However, as he thought, a new name would be a good start into a new life that would help him accept and forget the death of his family. Though, he would never forget them. Besides, he liked the name 'Spike' thus he nodded in agreement.
"Yep, yep, yep!" Ducky chattered.
Cera eventually arrived at the crosspath and listened for any sounds carefully. There seemed to be someone walking step by step in one of those three paths and she also heard Ducky talking. She entered the path.
Littlefoot, with Petrie on his back, ran as fast as he could run through the thick darkness. Again and again, he touched or even rammed the walls or obstacles blocking his way.
Finally, they heard Ducky's voice. Relieved, Littlefoot slowed down to a jog.
"Ducky!" he called.