Chapter Two
"And that's what happen. It is why I am the chosen protector of the Great Valley." Little foot finished his tale to his friends.
"That's so beautiful" Ruby sighed.
" Yup. Yup." Duckie said holding herself.
"Really!" Ali replied surprised.
"I don't believe a word." Rhett snapped. He was clearly jealous of Little foot and all the attention he was receiving from Ali.
" I do. I think we should all help Little foot with protecting the Great Valley." Cera ordered.
"So do I" Chomper smiled with Ruby at his side.
"Petrie, also agrees." He raised his left claw up.
The gang were shaking their heads in agreement. Little foot smiled wide that all his friends were with him, all, but one. Ali looked sad.
" I want to help you, Little foot, but I cannot. I have to go with my parents in seasonal migration ."
This made Rhett sneer in delight.
" Don't worry, Ali, you can help, whenever you can help, when you are here."
"That's Right Ali, Chomper and I do that when we are here and we help a lot when we are here." Ruby answered.
"Thanks."
"Sure, you will. All of us will." Little foot answered.
"I do what I can." Ali giggled shyly at Little foot much to Rhett's dismay. He was getting hot face more and more.
"For the Great Valley!" Little foot exclaimed out loud.
"For the Great Valley!" All his friends shouted except Rhett. He had his doubts.
" How do you know if you will continue protecting the Great Valley when you are older? What happens if you meet a wandering herd of your kind and met a mate, then what?"
"Aren't we kind of young for that?" Cera asked.
"It will happened sooner than you expect. I am just saying." Rhett mocked.
"What makes you think any of us will leave the Great Valley or want to since it is a place of peace and no sharp teeth?" Cera snapped.
"What about him?" Rhett asked pointing his head at Chomper.
Spike looked around everyone that was talking. He shook his head up and down agreeing with anyone he agreed with. He also shook his head around from side to side with anyone he didn't agreed with. Spike stared at Chomper who replied.
"What of?"
"What of ?" Ruby replied shocked that Rhett would bring Chomper into the argument.
"Chomper is our friend. He no hurt us." Petrie answered.
"He means sharp teeth who are not our friends and are dangerous." Cera remarked with sarcasm.
"I am not." Chomper wondered.
"When he is older, when we are all older. You will think differently then about helping Little foot protect the Great Valley." He looked at Little foot. "You will be protecting the Great Valley all by yourself….All by yourself." Rhett warned viciously to the point. Little foot reacted hurt and surprised at Rhett's comment.
"This is silly. Of course, we will with you, Little foot, forever. I can prove it." Cera responded.
"How? "Rhett asked.
" How? Simple, I will set up something. We will make a pledge to always be together as friends protecting the Great Valley. We will always be together in the Great Valley as its protectors with Little foot and nothing will stop that. Nothing will whatsoever." Cera claimed.
"Prove it!"
"Prove it." By swearing on the old star tree, by making a claim of loyalty to our oaths. Cera demanded. "Fine." She sassed as she wondered at the old tree. She chowed on some nearby grasses as she encountered the old tree. "I will, I, Cera promised to be devoted in helping my friend, Little foot in protecting the Great Valley forever, even if I am older, and mated, I will continue. If not, others must eat my share of the Great Valley's bounty oath pledge." Then Cera went to the old tree and slashed with her horn. "There, I did it." Then she went to get some grasses to put at the bottom of the tree. "See, I did the Great Valley pledge. Now, everyone who is a loyal friend of Little foot, who is the Great Protector, will pledge to defend it as well as honor it." Cera preached.
"What if you can't stay to help to protect the Great Valley?" Exclaimed Ali.
"You can still pledge to help when you can." Cera said.
"That's Right, Ali, You can still help." Encouraged Little foot .
"Then I will pledge." She said. Using the same words, Cera did, she snatched some grass and with her foot scratch the old tree, much to Rhett's displeasure.
"All right, who else?" Cera said.
"There, I have done it!" exclaimed Ali joyfully. Ali, too placed some grass next to the old tree.
"Wonderful," Rhett said sadly, but angrily.
Little foot shouted to Ali and Cera. "Thank you, my friends" to Ali and Cera. "Thank you to all my friends."
One by one, all of the gang marked the old tree and put something they like to eat before the tree as they promised to protect Great Valley and to help Little foot to protect the Great Valley. Petrie went next by scratching the old tree with his left talon and leaving a little fish. Duckie left a water lily. Spike used one of his feet to mark the old tree while putting some moss near the rest of the food donations. Ruby used her beak, then brought some flowers she had gathered to the display. Chomper brought some grubs to the feast. Rhett is the only one, not participating.
"This is a waste of good food." He yelled at them. "It is stupid. All of this is stupid." He kept telling them. At last, he is only one left who hasn't made the pledge to help Little foot protect the Great Valley. He hesitated since he didn't want to look stupid.
"Come on, Rhett. It will be fun." Ali said. He looked at her and the others.
He stared at Little foot, then at Ali, then back at Little foot.
"Well…?" Cera asked, "Are you going to pledge to help us and Little foot to protect the Great Valley? Or, are your scared?" She snickered. Will Rhett make the pledge or not?
To be continued in Chapter Three.