Chapter 25: No sleep
None of the four friends was able to drift off to sleep. All of them were deep in their thoughts, Ducky sobbing quietly.
Petrie, Spike and Ducky in particular thought of their families missing them highly whereas Littlefoot puzzled about his father. Why did he run away? He just could have endured the ash rain with them since they didn't have any problems with the ash. Nonetheless, he took flight like a scaredy-egg! The longer Littlefoot considered this, the madder he got. Disappointment and wrath developed in his inside. Because of that, he vowed to forget his father completely and to never mention him ever again. Tears streamed down his face and neck.
Meanwhile, the thundering grew louder, the wind increased in strength and the first rain drops fell. A storm would prevent them from going to sleep additionally. Littlefoot sighed. At least they were safe from the storm...
He didn't find a confortable position resulting in permanent rolling around.
"You very restless, Littlefoot!" Petrie complained.
"Forgive me, Petrie, I can't fall asleep," Littlefoot answered quietly.
They heard Ducky weeping quietly mixed with her whispering 'Mommy' all the time.
"Me neither able to sleep," Petrie sighed. He too seemed to be sad.
Ducky finally bursted into tears having curled up on Spike's back, the arms covering her face.
"We confort Ducky?" Petrie questioned in a whisper.
"Yes," Littlefoot responded.
"She always cry."
"Yeah, poor girl... she can be so funny and friendly..."
The two kids got to their feet and walked to Spike who was already awaiting them.
"Ducky..." Littlefoot spoke quietly and calmly, nuzzling the Swimmer.
"It alright, Ducky. You no must cry," Petrie gave it a try.
Yet, Ducky cried even louder.
Littlefoot grabbed the little one placing her on the ground carefully. She curled up again in an instant.
"You sure miss your family, don't you?" Littlefoot asked sentimentally.
"Mmhhmm!" She nodded.
"So do I..." he admitted with an unsteady voice. He too began to weep.
"Me miss my brothers and sisters," Petrie sobbed.
"Yep, yep, yep!"
Ducky uncurled herself and got up placing herself next to Spike. Then she wrapped her arms around
her angled legs and placed her head in her arms.
"Mama! Papa!" she cried. She also called her eleven siblings by the name.
Petrie walked to her plopping to the ground next to Ducky.
Spike was crying , too
As Ducky and Petrie cuddled with each other, Littlefoot curled up at the other side of Spike.
The cries of the four friends each of them having lost a member of their families mingled with the thunder, the swooshing and swishing of the wind and the sound of countless rain drops hitting the ground.
Neither of them would sleep well this night. Repeatedly, memories of their deceased family members made them cry more or less. At some point, even the mournful little Ducky drifted off into an unhappily dark world of dreams...