The Lone Dinosaur Returns
A meeting was called for all the grown-ups in the gathering circle. For security reasons, the children were brought along also. The problem that needed solving, Sharptooth. "First," Grandpa longneck said, "we need to know why Sharptooth is still alive and why he is here?"
"And how are we supposed to answer that?" Mr. Clubtail asked. "Are we supposed to walk up to him and ask?"
"Littlefoot, how did you and your friends stop Sharptooth before?" Grandma Longneck asked.
"Well," Littlefoot said, "my friends and I lured him to a deep pond and pushed a rock down on him. We thought he drowned."
Standing next to Littlefoot were Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, Ruby, and Chomper. "That right." Ducky said. "That big mean Sharptooth chased me down to the water and attacked when they hit him."
"But then how did he survive?" Ducky's mom asked.
"Maybe he swam back up after they left." Tria subjected.
"We stayed behind to make sure he didn't." Cera said.
"It doesn't matter how he lived, we just have to kill him now." Clubtail said.
"It does matter. If he survived that, what else could he live through? He even escaped the sinking sand." Grandpa longneck said. "And he defeated Mr. Threehorn. I think he can take anyone of us here."
A loud roar echoed down from the mountains in the cold early morning light. All the grown ups instantly turned and looked up in the direction the sound came from. Only one thing entered their minds, Sharptooth.
Up in the mountains, Sharptooth stretched his muscles from the previous nights rest. It had been one day since he came to this valley and in that day he had successfully infiltrated and managed to kill one Threehorn. Still, he hadn't been able to kill that baby longneck yet. But today would be the day. That little runt will die and so will anyone who gets in his way.
And once the hatchling was gone, Sharptooth would continue his campaign to kill all longnecks. Every longneck in the world would die by his teeth and claws. This would be his mark on the world. The extinction of the longnecks. Sharptooth started walking down the mountainside. He could smell the plant eaters.
Grandpa longneck looked back down at the gathered residents of the Great Valley. "If we can't figure out a plan now, then we will al just have to stay together in a large group until we do. No Sharptooth, no matter how strong, and take on the entire Great Valley at once."
"Normally, you would be right." A voice said. A gravelly, dry voice. A pair of longnecks appeared coming over a small hill moving towards the gathering of dinosaurs. The first, and oldest of the two, seemed to tower over even Grandma and Grandpa. He was of such an age that he made the oldest living resident of the Great Valley, Mr. Thicknose, look young. A large ugly scar cut over right eye.
"Doc!" Littlefoot shouted. "You came back!"
"Yeah. I did." Doc replied. "I wish it were under better circumstances, but that can't be helped. I'm sure you can confirm what I have come to believe. The Sharptooth is still alive."
"How did you know?" Littlefoot asked.
"A while ago, after my last visit, I discovered a longneck that had been brutally and graphically killed. The manner of which it was killed I will not repeat, but it was a distinct style I've seen many times. The killing style was that of The Sharptooth himself.
"At first, I thought this was an impossibility. After all, Sharptooth was dead. I thought it might be a copy cat. But I began to follow the trail of killings and the more I found the more I began to fear that is until I found the body of Redclaw. Upon finding him, any thought of a copy cat disappeared. That trail of bodies led me directly to the valley. And I also know now that it is my job to stop the Sharptooth."
"Your job? Why specifically is it your job?" Grandpa longneck asked.
"Because I'm the only one who has fought Sharptooth one-on-one and defeated him." Doc said.
The trees behind Doc groaned and twisted, finally snapping and exploding from the forest and Sharptooth shoved his way out, demonstrating his strength. He snarled and glared angrily at Doc, his right eye closed tight. Then he sniffed and it appeared that he smiled. "Hello, again. It's been a while." Sharptooth said in plant-eater talk. A collective gasp rose from the gathering of herbivores. "Oh, please. Is it that hard to believe that I can speak in this pitiful collection of sound you call a language?"
"Nice to see you, too, Sharptooth. How long has it been? 100 years?" Doc said.
"Something along those lines, it's difficult to tell when you're trying for mass genocide." Sharptooth replied.
"By the way, how is that going? You're whole genocide thing, how far along are you?" Doc asked.
"Not as far as I would like." Sharptooth said. "It's been nice talking to you, old friend, but I have other matters to attend to. So move."
"What is it you're after?" Doc asked.
"Why would I tell you? Just get out of my way, or I'll be forced to kill you. And I don't want to do that yet."
"You already tried that, and the last time I checked, I was the one who beat you."
"Barely. And I left a memento from our last fight. Your eye, remember?" Sharptooth growled.
"And you have one to match." Doc replied, motioning to Sharptooth's swollen right eye. "That is much more recent. I didn't think anyone could possibly land a decent blow on you. You must be getting weak with age."
In a flash, Sharptooth stormed towards Doc. His clawed feet tore the ground apart behind him. His jaws opened wide in a roar, saliva flying from his rows of huge jagged teeth as he closed in on Doc. Just as Sharptooth was about to tear flesh from bone, a powerful blow struck him from the side and sent him sprawling on the ground.
Doc had hit Sharptooth with his tail. Doc angled his body so that he stood sideways to Sharptooth, broadside, holding his tail up ready to attack. Sharptooth got back on his feet and glared at Doc. He charged again, but as Doc swung his tail, Sharptooth leaped into the air and over the swinging tail. Higher than a dinosaur his size and age should be able to jump. He came down on Doc, digging his claws into the old longneck's hide.
Littlefoot looked on in horror. It was happening again. This was just like what happened when his mother died. Sharptooth would leap on their back and attack their blind spot. As Sharptooth was about to sink his teeth into Doc's back, another tail swung around and struck the carnivore, sending the large predator crashing to the ground. Grandpa grinded his teeth and he glared down at the fallen predator. It was he who had hit Sharptooth off.
"Stand back!" Doc shouted. "You're not strong enough to fight him. Only I can defeat him."
"If only you were ten years younger, Doc." Sharptooth said as he got up. "I can tell, you've lost your touch. You're not as strong as you used to be, the last hundred years has made you weaker. While I have only gotten stronger." Sharptooth let out a deafening roar. The ground trembled beneath the dinosaurs feet.
"You can't take him alone." Grandpa said. "I'll help you. Besides, I have a core to settle with him. He killed my daughter."
"I've killed a lot of longnecks, I lose count of who is who after the first decade." Sharptooth remarked. "Oh, wait. Now I remember. You're talking about the hatchling's mother. It's not often I run into a longneck who is capable of actually defending against me one-on-one. She was a difficult opponent, regardless of the earth shake that occurred during the battle or the fact I lost the use of my eye minutes before. But in the end I managed to deliver my signature blow. My favorite attack, to leap on the back and tear out a chunk of flesh, letting the victim eventually bleed to death if I don't kill them otherwise. No other large sharptooth is capable of it."
Sharptooth charged again at Doc and Grandpa. They steadied themselves and once he was in range, they swung their tails at him. At the instant, he jumped again, going right over them. Sharptooth went right over the two longnecks. Once he hit ground, he kept running towards the crowd of dinosaurs. The herbivores started to run and scramble in panic, tripping over their own feet and even trampling each other to get away as fast as they could.
Sharptooth had his eye on one dinosaur. Littlefoot. He quickly zeroed the tiny longneck out and moved in for the kill. Another tail slammed against him, sending him crashing to the ground. "Stay away from my grandson!" It was Grandma longneck.
Sharptooth quickly regained his footing and charged at the elderly longneck. He collided with her, and without hesitation, dug his teen into her neck. He snarled and growled as the vibrant red blood slashed across his face and the ground. A soundless scream came from Grandma's lips. A hushed and uneasy silence fell across the valley.
Grandma fell to the earth with a thud that shook the ground once Sharptooth let go. Her mouth moved soundlessly until finally coming to a stop. Sharptooth stood over her, blood dripping from his teeth. No one moved. No one said a word. Littlefoot could only stare in silent horror.
Sharptooth threw back his head and roared triumphantly. "RrrrRRROOOAAARRR!!!!! This is what will become of all those who stand against me!! I will continue to return day after day, until that runt of a hatchling longneck is dead!!" He said, staring down at Littlefoot. "Anyone who gets in my way will die!"
With that last statement, Sharptooth turned and walked away back up to the mountains.