Chapter 50: About Sensitivity and true Friendship
Littlefoot had been relieved when Ducky's cries had stopped eventually... However, he heard them again now - worse than the first time.
"I need to go after them," Littlefoot thought. He got to his feet, woke Spike to let him know where he was going and followed the sounds his ears were receiving...
When Littlefoot had found them, Ducky and Petrie were wailing bitterly, seeking comfort in each others arms.
"G-g-guys?" he piped up.
Nobody replied.
"Ducky? Petrie?" Littlefoot actually began to worry.
"Littlefoot... you need to... calm D-D-Ducky, me okay but she not," Petrie weeped.
"Okay," Littlefoot simply answered. Petrie had loosened their hug so he could look after Ducky.
The Swimmer first to find Petrie's warmth and comfort again but she noticed her other friend. "Oh Littlefoot, I am s-s-so happy to s-s-ee you, I am, I am," Ducky sobbed as Littlefoot was nuzzling her.
"I'm happy to see you, too," Littlefoot replied, giving the swimmer a weak smile that she, of course, couldn't see in the darkness surrounding them. "What's wrong with you, hmm?"
"I am a crying baby, am I not?" Ducky whined. The fact that she was always the one of them to cry first and hardest deeply aggravated her already tortured soul, making her cry even louder.
"Nah Ducky, you are not," Littlefoot assured. "Actually... she is right..." he had to admit.
"But why can you s-s-stay strong and I c-can not? I d-do not understand, no, no, no..." Ducky countered, snivelling into Littlefoot's right fore leg which she hugged.
"Well, I think you're just being... sensitive, that's all," Littlefoot told.
"What sensitive mean?" Petrie squawked, having calmed down somewhat.
"I do not know, P-Petrie. I believe it m-m-means that I am easily affected by things p-people tell me or things I have to d-d-deal with, yep, yep, yep," Ducky said at a guess.
"Couldn't have worded it any better, Ducky," Littlefoot assured her, smiling a little.
"So... if you offended-ed me, I would be v-very sad, and if you said k-k-kind things to m-me, I would be very happy?" Ducky questioned to make sure she got that right.
"Yep, that's what being sensitive means," Littlefoot assured again.
"Well, that is good because maybe it helps me to deal with all this better if I remember this," Ducky said, not crying at all for the first time since she discovered Cera's death.
"Me told you talking help," Petrie piped up.
"Right, thank you for being such good friends," Ducky said and bestowed Littlefoot and Petrie a good old hug appreciatively.
"Whew, that was easier than I thought..." Littlefoot mused.
"You ready to go back now? 'Cause me reeeeaaaaaaaally tired," Petrie stated and yawned.
"I think so," Ducky replied. "I am tired too, yep, yep, yep."
"Want a ride? Shall I carry you two?" Littlefoot offered kindly.
"Oh yes, yes, yes, pleeeeeeaaaaaaaase," Ducky cheered.
"Me all for it," Petrie squeaked.
"See Ducky, you're already happy again," Littlefoot remarked, uttering a chuckle. He craned his neck down to allow the two small dinosaurs to crawl up his head and neck to his back where it was most comfortable. "Being sensitive doesn't only sadden you easier but it also helps you get happy again."
"You are right, Littlefoot, yes you are," Ducky awed, her eyes widening..
"Hehe, yeah. Ready to go back to our cave?" the Longneck questioned.
Both Ducky and Petrie gave their approval.
"Let's go then," Littlefoot suggested, carefully trotting back to their resting place. On the way, Ducky fell asleep, Petrie almost fell asleep as well.
Finally, Littlefoot arrived and carefully settled down not to wake Ducky. Exhausted from all the adventures they had been experiencing all day, Petrie and Littlefoot drifted off soon, sleeping in peace.
The Sharptooth eventually arrived at his interim goal, a small green area along the river. Leafeaters would be more likely to gather here than in the open desert that surrounded the place. So he hoped that those rotten kids would eventually stumble across him; or the other way around...
Pterano having recovered from Mr. Threehorns rude attack the other day enough to take off had woken up early in the morning so he had circled above the landscape to look for the kids but not much to his surprise they had been nowhere to be seen. Being fairly hungry, he eventually touched the ground next to the cave entrance. He noticed the many bite marks on the vegetation. Looking far too little to be made by a grown-up, Pterano concluded that the kids had been here to eat before wandering off to an unknown place into an unknown direction. Happy to have another proof of their relative wellbeing, Pterano got back to the herd. Maybe they would be interested in what he had to tell them...
Spike woke up early in the morning, his tummy roaring after food had woken him. Spike overviewed the scenery. Littlefoot was fast asleep, Ducky was curled up on the young Longneck's back and Petrie slept on his head; both were fast asleep as well, slumbering peacefully. Cera was still lying on the other side of their place, looking as dead as the day before. Somehow, Spike still had this odd feeling he was being responsible for her death for ramming into her during the fight. But what should he have done? At that point, he hadn't even been aware of the injury Cera had and moreover he had only rushed to Littlefoot's help who, otherwise, might have received severe injuries himself.
Spike looked at the Threehorn again and startled when he saw something that he believed to be impossible...