"They'll turn up eventually. The treestars are starting to change color, so I guess they're out grabbing a few before they turn brown and withered." Littlefoot suspected. His eyes met the leaves that hung limply on the branches nearby. They were starting to lose their light green colors. It wasn't too late until the whole valley was covered with oragne and yellow leaves.

"Why don't we make our way over to their nesting areas? See what their up to." Chomper suggested while sitting up.

"And give their siblings a scare with that foul smelling mouth full of teeth of yours? Right." Cera sneered. Her words were harshly chosen, but her voice spoke in jest. Littlefoot glared at her otherwise.

The air suddenly felt still. After a moment of silence Cera continued. "What's the point in waiting for them anyway? After all, we don't hang out together as a group anymore." For once Littlefoot had to agree with her. They were all still friends, but it felt as if the gang had split in two smaller groups. It was so natural now that no one mentioned it. He let out a steady breath, the realization washing over him at once.
"Why don't we hang out with them anymore?"

The threehorn turned her head to him slowly, as if she couldn't believe what he was saying. "Because, it's always been like that. They've grown apart from us and that's that. There's nothing much to it." She lumbered off to the side of the lake. "Who wants to hang out with two bone heads and an overgrown frog anyway." She muttered as she finished.

Littlefoot's tail slashed with aggrivation. Cera was usually moody but this time she went a bit too far. Even though she could have said something worse, she still assolted their own friends. What was she even saying? He was about to argue to her insult when Chomper's scruff chuckle rumbled in the air.

"Well... I might be an even bigger frog, and a bone head, but you still hang out with me." The young sharptooth put a clawed hand to his chest for symbolization.

Cera stammered over her words and she faced the ground, her eyes flashing back and forth to think of an explanation. "Well bacuase... It's whatever, it doesn't matter!" She lifted her head and swung around opposit of them. She was done talking about this.

"Hiding something?" Ruby stood up now, and turned her head to the side with curiosity.

"Why would I be?" The threehorn said over her shoulder. Her face shown with surprise. Littlefoot could see that she truely wasn't hiding anything. He looked at her for a moment, then shrugged his thoughts away. He assumed she was just being a bully.

Ruby's face clouded. Her eyes looking at nothing in particular. Littlefoot glanced at her and knew she was thinking about something. He smiled, it was deffinetly a normal habit of hers to suddenly stop whatever she was doing to ponder for a moment. He loved that trait of her. He suddenly shook his head. Why was he thinking about these sorts of things, and only towards Ruby? He looked away, trying to ignore his thoughts.

"I think it's because Petrie and Ducky are spending more time together. Surley it's not that we're ignoring them?" Ruby said, fading out of her concentrated state.

"That's a good point there. They are always together when I get a chance to walk by them." Littlefoot uttered, recalling some previous moments.

Cera circled back towards them, annoyed. "What does that matter? Can we stop talking about them now?"

Littlefoot couldn't hide his grin. So there was something wrong. "Oh all right, Cera. If it really bothers you to talk about them."

Ruby hopped in place imapatiantly. "I'm tired of being in the valley! Do you all wanna go somewhere so that we are somewhere else?"

Chomper nudged his caretaker playfully. "Wow, how unusal of you, Ruby. I'm up for anything. Feels like the whole valley is staring at me."

"Because they are." Cera replyed impassivaly.

Littlefoot didn't quite agree with this idea. He knew they all meant going into the mysterious beyond, but just to be sure he wanted to question if this was really the case. "Where to though?"

"Nothing dangerous of course. Just a nice stroll, maybe see something new..." He waited for her to continue. "...In the mysterious beyond."

'Of course...' Littlefoot's expression fell.

Even though they were older, their parents still instructed them to stay in the valley, where it was safe. But like every other occasion, they went out anyway, without informing anyone. They were nearing the borders, but before they stepped foot out into the world, Chomper's deep voice peeped from behind the group.

"Wait, aren't we going to get Petrie, Spike and Ducky?"

"Do we need them?" Cera sneered from the front.

"But we always go together for an adventure." Ruby insisted beside her.

Littlefoot could hear Cera's frustration in her snarl. "Ugh, look, we're already on our way, we don't need them alright!" She leaped forward, eager to get out of this topic. Something was deffinetly troubling her, he would have to confront her about that.

They walked on in silence, when suddenly Chomper started to snort loudly. "Wait. Stop." He smelled something, and was staring hard in the distance. With his suspitions, they all haulted to a stop, trying to see what Chomper was glaring at.

Ruby ducked downwind instinctivlely and sniffed around her as well. "A fastbiter." She announced quietly.

Chomper confirmed with a nod. "Male, a weak one seems like it..."

Littlefoot has faced these things before, he knew what to do. "Right, let's head to the left, and walk around it. He won't be able to notice us from all the way over here." The wind was carrying it's scent towards them, so the fastbiter wouldn't be able to detect them. Chomper and Ruby followed their leader's orders, Cera, however, hesitated and glared up ahead.

"Why don't we just attack it? You said it was weak right?"

"No, we're going to leave it be, it hasn't attempted to chase us." Littlefoot hissed, keeping his voice low. "Come on." He earged as he walked on with Chomper and Ruby.

Cera stamped her feet into the ground. "We're not little kids anymore! We don't have to hide from those ugly bastards anymore!" Her hollering allerted the fastbiter, lifting up it's grey head through the bushes.

"Cera!" Her friends all shouted their disappointment.

"Now what?" Chomper snarled crossly.

"Now...we fight!" Cera charged forward, her eyes locked on her victim. At this point, the fastbiter leaped out of it's cover and started to run in a big circle, inclosing them. Littlefoot could see the concentration and slight fear in its narrowed eyes, suspecting which one of them it would choose to attack first.

The fastbiter limped with hunger and weakness, the blood on it's body was black with age. It curled it's lips in a snarl and it's eyes glittered with determination however.

"There's no time to escape, try and counter it's attacks!" Littlefoot's voice boomed as he gave the order. They all turned their backs to eachother and watched as the fastbiter continued to circle rapidly.

Before the sharptooth could react, Cera lunged froward and slamed her head against the grey fastbiter, sending it in the air. It growled with anger. With hungered energy, the beast scrambled back up and with swift speed, charged straight towards his attacker.

But before it's claws met her skin, Chomper's teeth clamped on the base of it's tail. The fastbiter screeched with pain and surprise. It swirled around to snap at the young sharptooth. Chomper's red eyes sparked with fury. He wasn't going to let go. Suddenly the fastbiter's hind leg kicked him across his eyes. Only a few seconds and it's claws peirced into his right eye like a thorn in a tar pit. Chomper flung his head upward, shaking his head as if to remove the wound.

The fastbiter took the chance and veered to the right of the shadowing sharptooth. It attempted a jumping attack on Ruby, she would make easier prey since she was the smallest one in the group.

Ruby didn't have time to react, her lithe body quivered with panic. In just a few heartbeats the fastbiter would have a hold of her. The sharptooth curled it's lip in a tryomphant grin. His work would be over.

Frantically, Cera quickly flung her tail towards the grey fastbiter while it was still in mid leap. Her tail crushed against it's body, sending it flying once more. The fastbiter flew blindingly towards Littlefoot, it's limbs flailing wildly, trying to catch itself before it fell. In an instant, it's slim body landed squarly on Littlefoot's back.

Fading back into focus, the fastbiter teared into his shoulder, ripping off a thick chunk of flesh. Littlefoot, not having enough time to think of anything elese, started to wirggle on the sandy ground, attempting to compress the life out of the snarling creature. He could feel it's piercing claws embeded in his skin. While still struggling to detach the fastbiter, he cringed as he felt his skin break, a long cut ran down his back, blood ran freely from the agaped opening. He groaned feircly, and with a great haul he lifted back up, and before the fastbiter could make any other strikes, he put all his weight into his forelimbs, pressing down on the fasbtiers chest. He was twice the sharptooth's size, within a moment, the fastbiter wouldn't harm him or anyone else no more. Littlefoot grunted, he pressed down as hard as he could, ignoring the scratchs and hisses from below him.

Everyone else around him looked on in anticipation and respect. Then the grey fastbiter's agitated hisses and snarls turned to pleading whimpers and panicked growls. Suddenly, pity and realization washed over him. What was he doing? He'd never kill another living being, even at his current state, where he owned many scratches and a wound that spilled thick crimson liquid.

He no longer wanted to hear the creature's begging squeals, and with slight regret he lifted the weight off of the fastbiter, and watched as it scrambled out from under him. It limped away and until it was far away, it hissed indignantly before vanishing into the undergrowth.

While laying gingerly against a tree, Littlefoot listened as Cera continued on with her boasting while Ruby treated his wounds.

"-That mangy thing didn't even lay a claw on me!" Cera lifted her nose in a gloating manner.

Chomper however, didn't give in to her 'bravery'. "It was old and wounded when we first saw it. Of course it was weak."

Littlefoot blocked them out as they argued. They were a couple feet away from where Littlefoot and Ruby were resting. The group was settled in an inclosed clearing, encompassed by a wall of trees, just near to the valley's borders. He didn't want his grandparents to see him like this, and then he'd have to explain to them of where they were.

Ruby must have noticed his tired and thoughtful expression because the fastrunner quietly asked the obviouse question. "Are you alright?"

He let out an exhausted sigh. His scratches deffinetly stung, and the wound on his shoulder itched with pain as well, but the gash on his back was what bothered him. His body was sticky from the blood. Thankfully Ruby was seated right next to hiim, washing his injured body with moss soaked in water. He hadn't realized he'd been thinking for too long, and left her waiting, staring at him patiently. "Oh- I'm fine. At least I'm not unconscious." He said with a smile.

Her expression was readless, and when she didn't respond he continued. "I guess this means no adventuring for me right?" He was surprised by her heavily concered face.

"No."

"No?" He held his breath as she let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes. That feeling was coming again... He had thought about the first time he felt that way towards his friend, but now that it washed over him again he began to realize that he actually liked her. He looked away, deep in thought. He certainly did like her, he liked her a lot. It pained him to keep this a secret. He told Ruby everything, sometimes he would only tell Ruby things, and only Ruby alone.

For a while he was like this, fumbling over his thoughts, until eventually Ruby opened her eyes again and stared at him once more. He lifted his gaze and their eyes met. Embarrasment flooded over him as he swiftly moved his glance away, studying the grass below him. Littlefoot could still feel her soft stare beating on him. Did she say something while he was dazed?

"Uh- what?"

"I said I'm glad you're ok." Ruby said quietly. She held a warm and joyful expression. A face he loved to see. Littlefoot was thankful that she didn't seem to mind the long wait for his reply.

He was still recovering from the shower of realization and emotions, so he simply gave her a polite nod. Eager to get away from her, he stood up, his limbs quivering with soarness.

"Hold on, I haven't finished, I'm not done." Ruby, surprised as he started to walk away. He was limping a little on the side where his shoulder was torn up. Littlefoot made his way back to Chomper and Cera, relieved when he felt the rush of excitment and embarrassment fade from his body. He gave a brief greeting, and watched them head over to Ruby so she could patch up their injuries.

They had mild scratches, and a few bites here and there, but nothing like what Littlefoot had. He couldn't help but laugh when Cera rejected the fastrunners help. She turned tail and ploped herself not too far from Ruby and Chomper, licking her scratches.

Littlefoot turned to gaze into the distance, his mind drifted into a world where it was just him and Ruby, but he frowned slightly. If he were to act the same way towards her just now, he would go no where, and probably make their friendship worse. He didn't want that...

Littlefoot turned to face her now, watching from afar as she examined Chomper's wounds. That's it. He wanted her alone. If he could ever get a chance to spend time with her with just the two of them, he would take that chance. How he longed to meet her eyes again.

Saddness pierced his heart as a dark thought made it's way in his mind. 'What if she doesn't feel the same way?'

Hope you enjoyed this one! Please leave suggestions in the reviews, and also tell me what you think of the length of the chapters. Longer chapters will obviously take me longer, but if you prefer the previous langth which is like 2,000 words long, then I'll keep up with that.

Oh and Ali will come in pretty soon, maybe in the next chapter I don't know, I'm making some of the stuff up as I go!