Hi everyone! Welcome to another chapter. I'm very happy to get this one out, for it is the last exposition chapter in the story, the last character intro chapter before we move into the next arc of the story. I was not sure about a lot of things, but I'm finally pleased with how this ended up.

Also for curious readers, there is a character index published alongside this chapter to showcase character kinds and names, which does not get addressed directly in the narrative and might answer some curiosities. I'd like to publish more detailed bios on DeviantArt as well, and though I'm not a good drawer, I should be able to provide rough images to show what the character looks like and backstories on them I can't get to in the story ... This story is long enough as it is!

So here you are at long last, Chapter 10, and enjoy! Hope to write soon. As always, if you like the story, please feel free to fav/follow/review. Reviews are open to guests as well, so you don't need an account! I appreciate feedback very much, listen to it, and sometimes smooth out rough edges I might have. And of course, as always, Land Before Time and its universe belong to Universal.

Chapter 10 - The Influx

With Ann's eggs carefully bundled up, the gang prepared themselves to confront her.

"I still don't get why Ann would try to frame my family," Ruby said, half hurt, half indignant. "I mean I know they're noteeth ... But what have they ever done to her? How could she do that?"

"I really hope it's not just that they're noteeth," Chomper said sadly. " I hate blind bigotry like that ... Especially when you and I have always proven ourselves! If that's the only reason she did that ..." Chomper paused before saying, "I don't think she should stay in the Valley anymore, and I really don't want to say that about anybody."

"It could be a lot simpler of a reason than that," Shorty smirked. "I'm sure she and her friends are hating poop duty! Maybe they decided do it to get out of trouble," Shorty laughed. "After all, if your family's not in the Great Valley, there won't be any poop to clean up!

"You'd think they'd realize the elders would see through a plan like that, especially after Cam and Mia's stunt," Cera said exasperatedly. "They'd have to be really dumb to try that!"

"Who said that Hyp and his friends aren't?" Shorty said.

"Well, when you put it that way," Cera said as the two of them chuckled.

"What do you think, Ali?" Littlefoot asked, noticing his cousin was still looking pensive.

"I may be wrong in this, but ..." she trailed off hesitatingly.

"That's okay," Littlefoot said. "You might be right! And we're friends, so feel free to say whatever you want. It's just between us."

"Well, what if getting someone in trouble wasn't the intent?" Ali asked. "What if we've got it backwards?"

Most of the group didn't get it, but for Ruby, to which backwards speaking was a matter of habit, the meaning was clear. "You mean that instead of finding some eggs to put in with my parents' place, she found my parents' place to put ... Her eggs?" Ruby asked, and Ali nodded.

"But ... Would not Ann want to look after her hatchlings if she was their mother?" Ducky asked innocently.

"Yeah, and wouldn't the dad want to?" Chomper said, before another thought entered his head. "Unless ... Uh guys ... Did you know Ann had a mate?"

The whole group shook their heads. "Me never seen him," Petrie said. "Or any others her age and her kind."

And then like a dark cloud appearing in their heads, the gang slowly began to form a conclusion. "Are you trying to say Ali," Littlefoot said slowly, "That you think Ann might have been ..." as Ali cut him off with a nod.

"My mother and the Old One warned Cam, Mia and I when we came of age about males who didn't know their boundaries," Ali said uncomfortably. "And that wouldn't take no for an answer. And since Ann went on that trip to the Mysterious Beyond with the other valley residents to hunt you down Chomper ... "

"That it might have happened then?" Guido asked tentatively as Ali nodded.

"It makes sense," Littlefoot said slowly.

"So we've got to talk to Ann about the eggs, right?" Cera asked.

"Well somebody needs to watch over them," Shorty said matter-of-factly.

"But we've got to make sure to do it carefully," Littlefoot warned the others, before turning to Petrie. "Petrie, you mind watching Ann a bit to see how she's doing?"

"Me ready to do it," before turning to Chomper. "Can you smell which way she is?"

"That way," Chomper said pointing, and Petrie nodded his thanks as he took off into the sky.


Soaring upward, Petrie felt the slight breeze carry him onward. As he looked downward for Ann, he couldn't help but appreciate how remarkably, the Great Valley managed to escape the fires that tormented the Mysterious Beyond. The patches of life-nourishing greenery and rich pools of water contrasted in their vibrancy with the dull, charred tones in the Mysterious Beyond above, where still now, the pungent scent of smoke hit Petrie's nose.

"Me sure glad Great Valley not hit with fires," Petrie said gratefully as he caught sight of Ann, hanging out at the waterhole with Hyp and the rest of his friends.

The waterhole was surrounded by trees, so finding a spot to overlook and eavesdrop was easy. He perched on a branch facing Mutt and Nod, who being the most oblivious of the group, Petrie knew there was little risk of being detected as long as he was shielded by the cover of the trees.

Immediately, he could tell something was off among Ann, who was looking down into the water while the others were staring incredulously at Ceph the bonehead, who was breathlessly talking. "She's so beautiful ... There's no one like her ... She's got this smooth skin, beautiful deep black eyes, a calming voice, and she went to Thicknose and got me out of poop duty! How cool is that?"

"Ugh, spare me," Hyp groaned as all the others but Ann laughed.

"You wouldn't understand," Ceph said. "There is no one else like Halle. I mean no one. Really."

"Yeah, whatever," Hyp snapped. "Do us a favor Ceph. Come back when you've got your hormones in check."

"Can I bring Halle with me?" Ceph asked excitedly.

"Yeah, if she's as amazing you say she is, of course we'd want to meet her," Rana drawled sarcastically.

Ceph ignored the sarcasm and said, "She is, I promise," and he scuttled away.

Hyp shook his head. "Ugh ... Promise me none of you will end up like that."

"Well, at least he's happy," Mutt commented.

"Happy, but annoying as heck," Hyp growled. "Dumber than you I bet. No wonder they call him a bonehead."

"Well I won't ever end up like that," Dispo promised Hyp.

"Me neither," agreed Nod.

Weald and Rana also quickly agreed, but Ann didn't answer, only staring at her reflection. "Hey Ann!" Hyp shouted. "How 'bout you?"

"Huh? Oh yes," Ann said noncommittally.

Mutt and Nod looked confusedly at one another as Rana, Dispo and Weald couldn't help but stare at Ann. Luckily however, Hyp moved on. "Well, those of us not in the clouds are still stuck on poop duty."

"Uh, Hyp, why's poop duty so bad?" Mutt asked.

Hyp facepalmed in exasperation. "Why do you think? It's gross and icky. But even worse, it just shows how we get no respect. I mean we've all been grownups for many cold times now, and we're still being treated like rotten eggs!"

Petrie saw Ann wince a little bit but the others ignored her as Hyp continued. "Anyway, it's not like there's a point to this poop duty crap."

"But Hyp, aren't we making sure those farwalkers aren't sharpteeth?" Nod asked worriedly.

Hyp snorted. "In case you haven't noticed, that herd includes that fast runner's parents. You know, that fast runner in that longneck's crew. And their two little ones became friends with Old Threehorn's little daughter just like that. Do you really think if they were eggstealers they'd let their kids get that close to Old Threehorn's horns? Who we know has the temper to just stab them all to death if they get on his bad side?"

"Well, when you put it that way," Dispo said sheepishly.

"What other way is there to put it? Hyp snapped. "The elders know there's no danger to those far-walkers. They're just using it as a chance to get back at us, and who knows when this will end."

"Well, maybe we could do something to force those far-walkers out? Frame them for eggstealing, perhaps?" Rana suggested.

Petrie watched with baited breath. If Ann had done this her for friends, judging by their seeming unawareness, this would be just the time for her to reveal everything. However, she remained silent as instead, Hyp chuckled and shook his head.

"You think between the longneck's crew and the little threehorn's they wouldn't notice a setup and figure it out? You know as well as I do that they won't rest until their friends get off. And of course we'd be the first suspects because we're stuck checking their poop. We'd get kicked out of the Valley, if not worse. I'm sure the grownups are looking for any chance to throw us out, so we wouldn't have time to come with an excuse. They'd probably see us better off as sharptooth food," he chuckled darkly.

Petrie watched Ann lower her head and avoid eye contact with Hyp as Weald laughed, "That's a stupid idea, when you put it that way."

"You know Hyp," Mutt said. "The poop hasn't been smelly."

"You're darn right," Hyp said. "And it floats, not sinks. None of you have had a sinker or a stinker, right?"

As the group agreed, Hyp smirked. "That proves my point. Then it's settled. They've been eating perfect, just like we thought. And if Thicknose is not gonna end our punishment, we'll just have to do it ourselves."

"You mean ..." Nod said as Hyp cut him off.

"That's right," Hyp said. "From now on, we're gonna just not do poop duty. We're gonna take a stand against this nonsense once and for all."

Most of the group visibly perked up with this pronouncement, however Petrie noticed that Ann looked considerably less enthusiastic. Before he could process anything however, he felt a quick tap on his shoulder.

"Having fun watching the revolt, small fry?" hissed a cool feminine voice in his ear.

Petrie couldn't help but make a gasp and a small jump. Luckily no one below noticed anything, and Petrie turned to face a voluptuously framed, burnt-orange colored flyer. Though she seemed about his age, she was quite a bit larger, and had a very self-assured look in her eyes.

"Uh, hi," Petrie said awkwardly. "Me just ..."

He trailed off, for a thought occurred to him. Could this be the same flyer that attacked them on the beach?

Something in his eyes caught her attention, and she smiled. "My, you're something, pretty boy," she said, leaning into him. "Maybe we could ... Get to know each other better."

Instinctively however, Petrie swatted her away. "Me sorry, me not interested. Me already mated and me love her very much."

"Tch ... What a pity, but that's the way the rock rolls," she said. "Oh well, at least I should introduce myself. The name's Brara. Yours?"

"My name's Petrie," he said nervously, looking down to see that Hyp and the others were luckily still preoccupied.

"Hmm, I like it, peeping Petrie," she smirked. "But being a flyer, you ought to be better at spying. I could give you some pointers. After all, we flyers can do anything."

"Uh, yeah, right," Petrie said, feeling very flustered and uncomfortable. "Well I've gotta leave now."

"See you 'round, peeping Petrie," Brara smirked as Petrie happily escaped the snare of the shady tree above.

"Whew, that was close," Petrie thought to himself as he flew back, never appreciating the freedom that the open skies provided.

He landed breathlessly to the others, hoping to not have to discuss what just happened, but the look on his face was a dead giveaway.

"What happened, Petrie?" Littlefoot asked concernedly.

"Did you get caught?" Shorty bluntly added.

"No," Petrie said. "Well yes ... Me met a new flyer. She caught me spying and tried to make a move on me."

"Oh, poor Petrie," Ducky said, placing the eggs down before kneeling down to embrace the grounded flyer. "Are you all right?"

"Me think so," Petrie said. "But me told her we mated and me love you very much, so she know not to bother us again!"

"Aww Petrie!" Ducky cooed as she blushed, tickling Petrie's wings, causing him to giggle happily.

Cera meanwhile, had a look of grim satisfaction. "Well, looks like we've got suspect number one for who attacked us. Creepy flyer comes to the Valley just after creepy flyer attacks us."

"We can't count our hatchlings just yet," Ruby reminded her. "She may be unpleasant, but being unpleasant doesn't mean she'd want to hurt us."

"Yeah," Chomper agreed. "And besides, maybe she just wants to be your friend!"

"Well, if that true, me sure wish she have a better way of showing it," Petrie sighed.

A thought then occurred to Littlefoot. "Hey Petrie," he said. "Is she around our age?"

"Yes," Petrie said confusedly. "Why?"

"Well, remember what the Rainbow Faces said?" Littlefoot said. "That new dinosaurs our age would come to the valley ..."

"And how some might help us and some might hurt us," Guido finished.

"Me not sure what to think of that flyer, Brara yet," Petrie said.

"Well it seems to me," Littlefoot said. "That maybe we should keep an eye on her."

"Me afraid you say that," Petrie sighed. Then he said, "But me think you right Ali. Ann did not want to talk about the eggs. She seemed real nervous."

"Right, then we better prepare to handle this gently," Ali said.


They continued on their way to talk to Ann, wondering if Brara would drop in on them on the way. However, it turned out that a loud, hostile set of raised voices were coming from straight ahead.

"Can you see who it is?" Littlefoot asked his fellow longnecks, but neither Ali and Shorty could.

"Me could fly over to check it out," Petrie said.

"You've been through enough Petrie," Guido said kindly. "I can do it."

"Thanks Guido," Petrie said, so Guido glided over to check out the source of the commotion.

Skirting the surface of the tall greenery, Guido quickly found that it was none other than Kirt and Naz. They were glaring at a small form splayed onto the ground, with each domehead putting one foot on one of its legs.

Thinking to what Petrie and the rest of his friends would do, Guido glided into the scene. "Hey you two!" he piped up. "My friends wouldn't like to see you picking on little dinos again!"

Kirt and Naz looked at each other tensely, before tearing off, the threat of bigger dinosaurs more than enough to deter them. This left Guido with the little runner. He was just as little as Guido. Like Brara his skin color was a shade of orange, but slightly darker yet more vibrant, bordering on brown. "You okay?" Guido asked gently.

To his surprise, the little dinosaur sat up before grabbing Guido on the shoulders and hugging him. Flustered, Guido stuttered slightly as he asked, "What ..."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You scared away those big mean bullies!" he said excitedly in a fast-paced voice. "My name's Tuck, and I'm so glad I met you! What's yours?"

"Um, Guido," Guido said, taken aback.

"Well Guido, I'm Tuck!" he said. "It's so nice to meet another dinosaur like you. It makes me feel less helpless. It's hard to find food when you're this small, you know? Hey ... If you've lived in the Valley, I bet you know about finding all the green spots the big ones can't reach."

Guido, feeling self-conscious, muttered no quietly. This did not deter Tuck.

"But how can you?" he asked. "You must be able to eat some green food."

Guido sighed and shook his head. "Well um ... I eat crawlers."

"Do you really?" Tuck asked excitedly. "How convenient! That means we don't have to fight for the same food on the ground!"

Just then, the tall grass rustled around them. Guido turned, hoping to see it was one of his friends. But instead it was a new bonehead. Unlike her domehead cousins Kirt and Naz, she was of the larger variety typical of her kind, and had a dark grey coloring. "Well, well, what's going on here?" she purred smoothly. "Some domeheads had their tails bitten ... I thought it was really funny. Who did that?"

Tuck smiled, "I did, miss. See? Look at my teeth," he said, baring them to the others. Guido gasped and fell back on his palms. Inside Tuck's mouth were not only flatteeth in the back, but in the front were some very sharp incisors, coated with blood.

"I'm what's called a bothtooth because I have two kinds of teeth," Tuck explained. "But no worries. I only eat green food. My sharp teeth are the only way I have to defend myself."

"Well no wonder they were in so much pain," the bonehead said. "You are?"

"Tuck," he said. "You?"

"I'm Halle," she introduced herself. "What a pleasure to meet."

Just then, the grass rustled again, and Ruby emerged. "There you are Guido," she said.

At once, Halle backed up. "Eek! An eggstealer!"

It took every ounce of self-control for Ruby to remain calm with this newcomer after all the eggstealing accusations her family has faced, but knowing this dinosaur was new, she had to give her the benefit of the doubt. "No really, me and my family and their herd are not. See?" Ruby said, taking a nip at the grass. "We eat green food."

Halle's expression calmed a bit. "Sorry," she said. "Living in what you call the Mysterious Beyond ... You can never be too careful. Well, I'd better be off. Nice meeting the three of you. See you around," and she went on her way.

After saying their goodbyes to Tuck, Ruby and Guido rejoined the rest of the group, where they explained to them about Tuck and Halle.

"Wow, a bothtooth!" Chomper exclaimed. "I've never seen one before. No wonder he liked you Guido, you two both seem like one of a kind!"

"And Halle Ceph's girlfriend," Petrie explained, remembering. "Ceph madly in love with her. He acting all weird."

"Well, can't be worse than what he's normally like," Cera smirked.

"Hey Ali," Littlefoot said. "Isn't that Cam and Mia?"

Ali turned, and sure enough came Ali's two herdmates, each walking with a spring in their step, the ground vibrating with their excited prance. In what seemed like no time, the two longnecks arrived, bubbling with enthusiasm.

"Ali! Ali!" Cam said breathlessly. "You'll never guess what happened!"

"What?" Ali said.

"Three new longnecks joined our herd that are our age!" Mia bubbled. "The Old One welcomed them all in!"

"And guess what? One of them's my boyfriend, Len!" Cam squealed in excitement. "I asked him out ... And he said yes! He's really nice. It was love at first sight!"

"That's great!" Ali smiled at her friends.

Cam and Mia however stared at Ali excitedly. "Well? Don't you wanna go meet them?" Mia asked.

Ali looked at Littlefoot and the others, but before Cam interrupted. "You guys know this new longneck girl named Destiny, right?"

"Yeah, she's one of Sis's friends," Cera said.

"Well her parents want to see you, they're back with our herd as well," Mia finished.

"So why don't we all go there together?" Cam said.

The gang looked at each other. While Cam and Mia seemed too preoccupied to notice Ducky was carrying something, the chances of a whole herd not noticing something seemed very slim.

"We will wait here and watch over the eggs, right Spike?" Ducky asked as Spike nodded.

"Guido, since we fly, we should continue looking for you know who," Petrie muttered to him.

"Ooh, who?" Cam asked excitedly.

"Never mind," Ali quickly said. "You want to show us the newcomers, right?"

"Oh yes!" Cam exclaimed, and so the three longnecks, Cera, Chomper and Ruby followed them to meet Ali's new herdmates.

The longnecks were mostly busy eating at the trees in their clearing when they arrived, happily chatting amongst each other. Littlefoot scanned the trees, and was surprised to see that alongside what appeared to be the three new longnecks was his father. He seemed to be in the middle of talking to the threesome when Cam broke off from the group, and sauntered over to one of the newcomers, a blue-eyed, olive green boxy-headed longneck who strongly resembled a male version of herself. Pecking him on the cheek, he flinched in surprise but then smiled as he saw who it was.

"Hi Len!" Cam said excitedly.

"Heya Cam!" Len said just as excitedly back, and the boxy-headed longnecks soon began to snog each other.

"Hey Bron," laughed the smallest of the trio, who was dark brown and had a spiky back. "Lesson's over!"

"So I see," Bron laughed.

"Oh," said the third longneck, a slate-colored whiptail with dark eyes, peering over at Cam and Mia, and then at the second longneck. "Hey Gus, Mia was right. Maybe we don't need a duel ..."

Gus laughed uncomfortably as Ali tried to avoid the whiptail's gaze, Cera rolled her eyes and glared, and a great huff emerged alongside them.

Bron glared at the whiptail who snickered before he walked forward to approach the gang. "Hello! What a surprise," Bron smiled, and rubbed cheeks with both his sons.

"Hey Bron!" yelled out Gus. "Why are you doing that!"

"Because they're my sons," Bron told them patiently.

This caused the three longnecks, even Len who was still smooching Cam, to look. "But I thought you were gonna be like our dad!" called out the whiptail.

Bron sighed. "I said I will help guide you to adulthood," he clarified. "But I do have two sons."

Littlefoot heard another huff, and turning, he saw his adoptive brother's eyes had turned to slits, his mouth trembling as if he was about to explode.

"Well he can't be your son!" the whiptail nodded to Shorty. "Because he's a boxhead and you're a flathead!"

Littlefoot had to extend a paw out to hold his impulsive brother back. Luckily Bron hurriedly took control of the situation. "If I say they're my sons, I mean they're my sons, Earl," Bron told the whiptail sternly.

"Well can't we be your sons too?" Earl protested.

Bron sighed. "Earl, Len, Gus," he said. "I must talk with my two sons."

With a nod to Littlefoot and Shorty, Bron went a ways off to speak with them.

Immediately, Shorty spouted off. "How could you?" he roared. "You'd abandon me ... I mean us ... For these jerks? How could we be replaced?"

Bron glared at Shorty for a second. "First Shorty, you just heard me make it very clear to them I have only two sons. You are not being replaced. Second, I'm ashamed of you, Shorty. While Earl was acting out of line, Len and Gus have not done anything to you, and I would like you to apologize."

"How about make them apologize?" Shorty snapped back.

Bron looked uncomfortable. "That's why I'm ... Well, instructing them. The three of them just arrived in the Valley and all grew up without a herd, until the Old One just welcomed them into her herd. So first off Shorty, they're not even in my herd, let alone my sons. But there are no adult males of the right age and background to educate them in her herd, so she has asked me to ... Educate them on what it means to be in a herd."

"That makes sense," Littlefoot said, slightly relieved there was nothing to Shorty's hotheaded accusations.

"They don't need educating," Shorty said angrily.

Bron raised his eyebrows. "What makes you say that?"

"Because they're a lost cause," Shorty said.

Bron stared at Shorty. "I thought you would understand, knowing what it's like to be an orphan out in the Mysterious Beyond," he said. "Besides, if I don't educate them, what else should I do with them?"

"Banish them, for starters," Shorty said.

Bron rolled his eyes. "You know I have no authority to banish anyone in the Valley. Besides, for what?"

"That," Shorty spat out angrily, nodding toward them.

Bron saw what was going on too and shook his head. "Oh dear ... I'll handle this."

Meanwhile, as Cam and Len were busy moaning together, Mia brought Ali over to introduce her to the others. "Ali, these are our new herdmates. That's Len with Cam, and these are Gus and Earl."

"Nice meeting you Ali," Gus said. "I'm delighted to be part of a herd. I've never been with one since I was five."

"Likewise," said Earl. "We were alone until we met each other ... But now with you, Mia and Cam, that makes six longnecks our age. Hmm ... With Cam and Len together, maybe the four of us should get to know each other as well and see who ... Sparks our fancy,"

Chomper and Ruby gasped, but being unable to do anything due to the precarious status of their kinds in the Valley, they turned to Cera, who promptly barked, "What are you doing?" as Ali recoiled her head back. She didn't like the way Earl was looking at her.

"You don't mean anything by that, Earl, right?" Gus asked. "Because it sounds like ..."

"No, no, I'm ... Just looking," Earl said, staring at Mia and Ali in turn.

At that moment however, Bron arrived, with Littlefoot and Shorty at his side. "Earl!" Bron scolded. "That is no way to treat your herdmates. Or any lady, for that matter."

"Sir, I don't think Earl meant anything by that," Gus said as both Cera and Shorty loudly snorted and Littlefoot, Chomper and Ruby rolled their eyes.

"B ... But ... How else do we find mates?" Earl asked.

"Lessons on courtship are for another time," Bron said sternly. "In the meantime, if I hear you making any ... Untoward advances toward your herdmates, I shall inform the Old One and the rest of your herd, and will personally recommend your expulsion. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, got that, rockheads?" Shorty blurted out.

Earl glared at Shorty with loathing before turning to Bron and saying, "Yes, sir."

"Good," Bron said curtly.

Littlefoot then remembered, "Um guys, why don't we go see Destiny and her folks?"

"Yes, that is a good idea," Ruby quickly added, and glad to get away from Earl, the group headed to find Destiny.

But they didn't have long to wait. Apart from Earl, they could find three whiptails in the Valley, and to their amazement, they knew all three of them.

"Doc, Dara!" Littlefoot exclaimed in surprise. "You mean ... You're Destiny's parents?"

"Adoptive parents technically," Doc said. "There aren't many of our kind left ... We just adopted her a few weeks ago."

"But we love you just like any Mommy and Daddy would, right Destiny?" Dara asked, and Destiny nodded shyly.

"That's great," Littlefoot said. "Are you going to stay in the Valley too?"

Doc chuckled in his gravely way. "Well kid, I'd have never thought so ... But I must say, your father and the other longnecks are being very gracious to us ... And who knows what fate brings nowadays ... I never imagined I'd have a wife or a child ... Or be friends with a sharptooth," he smiled at Chomper. "I knew you were something special, kid, but knowing all you've gone through growing up and seeing you have the same good heart inside ... You truly are something," he smiled.

"Wow, thanks Doc," Chomper said happily.

"I'll never forget how you helped save me," Dara smiled to Chomper. "The least we could do is follow your example and save Destiny from being an orphan. We're so appreciative that Destiny has made friends in the Valley, with your sister so I've heard," she told Cera as Destiny beamed.

"Oh yeah," Cera said. "Trish and her are great pals."

"So we've heard," Doc said. "I know your father and I ... Have not always been on the best of terms," Doc said. "But now I'm very appreciative of how good a father he is, seeing how you and your sister turned out ... He's your father-in-law too, right kid?" he asked Littlefoot.

"That's right," Littlefoot smiled.

"Well, good on you, kid," Doc said.

"Nice to see you again," Littlefoot said happily as the group bade farewell to the whiptail family.


Meanwhile, Ducky and Spike were just about to say their goodbyes to Petrie and Guido when a couple voices called out, "Spike! Spike!" Spike turned and to his surprise, he saw that Sophie and Tippy were quickly ambling toward him and with a reassuring nod, he headed over to join them.

"Spike, I will be right there, yep yep yep!" Ducky called out, looking down at the eggs.

"I can watch over the eggs," Guido told her, and gratefully, Ducky ran over to join Spike.

"Spike, yay! So happy to see you again, it's fun fun fun!" Tippy cheered.

"Yes, it is," Sophie agreed lazily. "We've got an obstacle. Care to help?"

Spike grunted happily. "He says yes!" Ducky translated.

"Great. We're trying to eat prickly plants. But some arguers block our way," Sophie explained.

"And we know you two are good at solving problems," said Tippy breathlessly.

"Well, we would love to help, we would," Ducky said as Spike too nodded.

So Spike and Ducky walked to the place where Tippy and Sophie were going. All the while, Spike couldn't help but to stare at the greyish spiketail and a tinge of red appeared on his face when their eyes met. Sophie too looked at Spike and though she didn't say anything, she did smile at him and her eyes softened.

Ducky couldn't help but giggle a little watching the playful, silent chemistry begin to bud between the two of them. This was not unnoticed by Tippy either, who stared at them curiously.

"You two look like you're having fun, fun, fun looking at each other!" he said cheerily. "You must like each other lots!"

"Oh yes, Spike is very happy, he is," Ducky told Tippy as Spike nodded as Sophie chuckled.

"Hey Sophie, if you and Spike marry, you think our herd will stay in the Valley?" Tippy asked brightly.

Spike felt his face grow hot and uttered what could only be an embarrassed grunt, while Sophie just gently smiled. "You're in such a rush, Tippy," she yawned languidly. "Just relax. Right Spike?"

Spike nodded, fully appreciating the way Sophie looked at life and feeling his heart warm because of it.

"Well I'd like Spike to be like my forever brother!" Tippy said. "It would be fun, fun, fun!"

Ducky giggled. "He is a fun brother, yep yep yep!"

Soon however, they heard the voices of the quarrel. As they approached, they could see that there was a prickly plant patch behind three young dinosaurs. A maroon male clubtail was berating a female pale red dwarf threehorn and a male pale green tall-crested hollowhorn, who were standing closely together and looking at him angrily.

"For the last time, Horne and Cress, or whatever your names are," said the clubtail angrily.

"It's Bella and Leigh, for your information," the threehorn said.

"We remember your name, Veno," Leigh said. "How come you can't remember ours?"

"I don't care what your names are! Or that you're involved in a sick interspecies relationship! I don't want you making out near my sleeping spot. Understand?" Veno warned.

"How dare you insult us!" Leigh said. "We've been through enough!"

"And you don't want to mess with my big caretaker, I'm warning you," said Bella.

"Bring him on, I don't care if you two choose to be tattletales," Veno said dismissively.

"You'll be sorry," Bella warned, and she stormed off as Leigh continued to glare at Veno.

As the two males engaged in a standoff, Ducky and Spike decided to intervene. "Hello you two," she said friendlily. "My name is Ducky, and this is Spike. What are yours?"

Leigh and Veno introduced themselves. Veno however, immediately eyed Ducky and Spike suspiciously. "You two are another pair of interspecies freaks, aren't you?"

"Spike and I are brother and sister, we are," Ducky told Veno. "But my flyer friend Petrie is my true love, he is. And I really do not like you calling us names."

"Oh wow, really?" Leigh exclaimed. "So it's true interspecies romances are welcome here!"

"Oh yes yes yes, it is!" Ducky told him brightly. "You can love whoever you love, yep yep yep!"

"So we don't have to hide it ..." Leigh said thoughtfully. "Maybe we can ..."

But before Leigh could finish, Ducky and Spike gasped, for in swooped Pterano with a voluptuously framed burnt orange flyer. Ducky gasped at the younger flyer, suddenly realizing who she must be.

"You are Brara?" Ducky guessed.

"The very same," she said. Then she turned to Pterano. "Sir, I know you can resolve their conflict."

"Well, I ..." Pterano said.

"You're a flyer, remember? You can do anything. Go for it!" Brara encouraged.

Pterano cleared his throat and swooped in. "Good day, you two! I hear that a conflict has been brewing between the two of you, and I request to offer my assistance. Now, tell me, what is your problem with one another?"

"Well," Veno said first. "I found my sleeping spot first, but these two decided to park their butts in my spot and moan like sick sharpteeth together all night! I can't sleep, and it's gross and disgusting."

"Gross? Disgusting?" Leigh replied back. "Your attitude is what's gross and disgusting. He's saying all kinds of specieist crap and insulting our marriage."

"Grand, we've got our problems aired out," Pterano pronounced grandly. "Now the two of you know what the other doesn't like. With that, we can ..." But he trailed off, as at once, Veno and Leigh started butting heads. "Hey! Stop that! That is not what I intended! Listen to me!"

But to make matters even worse, Bella returned, accompanied by two larger threehorns. One was slate-blue threehorn with a muscular body and a long, rounded frill, and the other, to Ducky's astonishment, was Mr. Threehorn. Mr. Threehorn surveyed the scene and frowned.

"Oh great. I find a conflict, and who else is there but you, making things worse no doubt, like you always do," Topps spat disparagingly at Pterano.

However to Topps' surprise, Brara swooped onto his frill angrily and shrieked, "Don't insult Mr. Pterano, you old bigoted, segregationist, running into fire hornface!"

"What?" Topps said his eyes widening, and immediately, his eyes turned to Pterano. "I see you've been dredging up old dirt about me to your apprentice ... You know as well as I do that I have put my bigotry behind me! Or, judging by your strong resemblance, maybe she is your illegitimate child? That you in your typically careless way abandoned to fend for herself?"

"That is an absurd accusation, but nothing less than I should expect from the likes of you," Pterano said coolly. "For your information, Brara is my ward who I have taken on after the fires. A duty which I and many other Valley elders fulfilled, which you, by the way did not."

"He has two daughters of his own, wingbrain," the other threehorn commented.

"Oh? And who might you be?" Pterano asked.

"I'm Monty, Bella's and now Leigh's caretaker," he said proudly. "Mr. Threehorn is helping me with my caretaking duties. But he doesn't need to take care of me because I can take care of myself."

"Well that's a relief," Brara said. "The last thing we need is another threehorn to be raised by him."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Monty roared back, and he and Brara began to shoot insults back and forth at one another and about their respective adult, while meanwhile, both Pterano and Topps glared at one another.

Meanwhile, Ducky and the three spiketails looked at each other. "Make it stop, stop, stop," Tippy moaned, while Sophie groaned, lying down on the ground. Ducky tried to intervene and calm the squabbling, desperately trying to stop anyone from getting hurt. Spike meanwhile, approached Veno, Leigh and Bella, all of whom were staying well out of bounds of this newly personal fight.

Spike ripped three leaves off a bush and placed them in a pile in front of Veno, Leigh and Bella. Nudging the three of them, they watched as Spike took two of the leaves off the pile and put them by themselves. Looking at them expectedly, he hoped for them to get the message.

"You're saying we should go somewhere else?" Leigh asked.

"But we can't," Bella said. "With interspecies relationships being ..." She trailed off, and both Leigh and Bella looked at each other. "You mean we don't have to hide our love, do we?" Leigh finished as Spike happily nodded.

"Which means ... We can take the sunny side of the trees," Bella said happily. "Great thinking, uh ..."

"Spike!" said Ducky, who had just seen Spike break up the conflict.

"Hey listen," Veno said apologetically. "I'm sorry for saying the bigoted things about you two I did. I didn't mean any of it ... I was grouchy and short on sleep. And I can only really sleep when the bright circle is up. It's much hotter then, and I feel energetic when it's cool outside. Forgive me?"

Bella and Leigh agreed to forgive him, and so the three dinosaurs went back to their spots. However, Brara and Monty were still arguing, as were Pterano and Topps. Luckily, Ducky got a chance to cut in.

"The argument is over, it is," Ducky said happily. "And the spiketails have to eat the prickly plants here, they do."

Pterano and Topps nodded turning away, however, the two younger dinosaurs were still looking at each other.

"We'll settle this another time," Monty said.

"You can bet on it," Brara shot back.

And so Spike helped Tippy and Sophie chew up some prickly plants while Ducky thought about her encounters, curious what the rest of the gang might think.


Everyone soon regrouped back together. With the delays taking longer than expected, Petrie gave the group some news.

"Ann not at waterhole," he explained. " She going to where she put eggs."

Everyone simply nodded and headed back to Ruby and her parents' place. Knowing what likely happened with Ann, the group did not want to dwell on the subject, as they did not relish confronting her. But they knew it had to be done, and as soon as Ducky cradled the eggs once again, she explained all about Brara, Monty, and Pterano and Topps' feud.

"So apart from being a flirt, she's also a trouble seeker," Cera said. "I bet Dad's right. I bet she is Pterano's lovechild."

"We no know that," Petrie said. "Many flyers look like Uncle Pterano. He never leave his kid like that."

"Maybe you're both right," Littlefoot thought. "It could be she is his kid, but he doesn't know she is. I never met Dad till later, after all."

"Maybe me ask Mother to see what she think," Petrie said thoughtfully. "She know him better than me do."

"Well, I know who's a real piece of work," said Shorty abruptly, and immediately went into a rant about Len, Gus and Earl.

"And now they want to be my dad's adoptive sons? Can you imagine!" Shorty ranted.

"Sheesh," Cera said, shaking her head. "At least Monty's not pulling that crap with my dad. Not that he'd stand for it, anyway."

"Dad did tell them no though," Littlefoot reminded him calmly.

"Yeah, that's good, but still," Shorty said. "You saw how they made a move on Ali like that! And still, the stupid, braindead Old One let them in her herd, can you imagine!"

"Shorty, please!" Ali said, "Yes Earl creeped me out but don't go insulting my herd leader like that! Besides, Len and Gus didn't even do anything!"

"It's not much of a herd with them in it," Shorty retorted coldly. "If only my Dad had the power to get rid of them ..."

"Well, when your herds split up, you won't have to see them anymore," Guido said, trying to remain positive. This however, only deepened the scowl on Shorty's face.

"I want to hear about Leigh and Bella! Is it true they're another interspecies couple?" Chomper asked eagerly.

"Oh yes yes yes," Ducky said, relieved Chomper changed the subject. "And they seem happy together, they do!"

"I'm glad you sorted out their problem with Veno, Spike," Littlefoot said. "You don't think he meant the prejudiced things he said?"

"I do not think so," said Ducky. "He seemed really sorry afterward."

"That's good," Littlefoot said in relief. "Well, we know one thing all about this. Part of what the rainbow faces said was right. Many dinosaurs our age did come to the Valley."

"Yeah, but how we know who good or bad?" Petrie asked.

"We're just going to have to watch them I guess," Ruby said. "The good ones should act good by the good actions they take."

"Maybe everyone's good," Chomper said. "We just have to find the good in everyone."

"Maybe," Cera said doubtfully, as Shorty bit his tongue.


Soon they reached the place where they had came, and sure enough, there was Ann, desperately digging through the pile of dung she had disguised the eggs in. She was so focused on looking for the eggs, that she did not even notice Littlefoot and the others arrive. As Ann panicked, Littlefoot gently lowered his head down to her and said, "Ann?"

Immediately, Ann spun around and gasped. Breathing heavily, she tried to act defiant as she said, "What do you goody-goodies want? Off adventuring I suppose?"

"Cut the act Ann," Cera said impatiently. "We know what you did."

Ann looked from one to the next, her eyes increasingly betraying her fear. Desperately, she stammered, "You're gonna tattle to Thicknose, aren't you?"

"No," Ali said simply. "Because ... We don't want you to have to go through it all again."

"Here they are," Ducky revealed, placing the leaf-covered eggs on the ground as Ann stared in shock.

"How ... How ..." Ann asked.

"My sniffer," Chomper explained. "I could smell them."

Ann was silent.

"Think about what you just did Ann," Ruby scolded her. "I know what happened to you was tragic ... But you could have gotten my whole family killed for a crime they didn't commit! Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" she exclaimed, glowering at the much larger dinosaur and causing her to cower.

"I'm sorry ... But ... What choice did I have? It's the only place I could think of," Ann said weakly. "If they thought eggstealers were behind this ... Everyone would want to adopt ..." she trailed off.

"Your babies?" Petrie nodded and Ann nodded. "I was attacked, okay? Some creepy old far-walker did it while I was in the Mysterious Beyond and ... I don't know what to do! I can't just smash my eggs, but I don't want everyone to think I'm a ... You know what, either! Not to mention how can I even take care of them! I know nothing about being a parent," she said crying out. "And who'd stand up for me in case the elders would want to kick me out!"

"Well I would," came a surprisingly gentle raspy voice, and turning, the gang saw Hyp approach, dragging Mutt and Nod along with him.

Ann's face turned even more shocked. "You mean ... You overheard my whole story? You must think I'm weak, huh?" Ann said.

"No, not at all," Hyp said firmly, approaching the larger dinosaur and to the gang's surprise, actually giving her a small embrace. "It's all that creep's fault for attacking you, not yours! And if I could get my claws in him, I would!" Hyp said. "But we're not gonna let anything happen to you. Right?" he asked Mutt and Nod determinedly.

"Right," Mutt and Nod said at once.

"The same goes for you guys too," Hyp turned to Littlefoot and his friends. "If you go blabbing to Thicknose or any of the other elders, especially your dad," he said, glaring at Cera.

"We won't tell anyone," Littlefoot promised firmly. "But we could, um well ... Watch over your eggs if you'd like."

"What?" Ann said in surprise. "You'd do that for me?"

"Sure, why not?" Littlefoot said. "We can even come up with a story where you won't be found out. We'll say me and my friends were out adventuring when we saved these eggs from egg thieves in the Mysterious Beyond. We'll only let Mr. Thicknose know of the eggs once they hatch. And if you choose to adopt them Ann, everyone will think highly of you for doing that. And if not, we'll make sure that the eggs have parents, one way or another."

He looked to the gang for support, who slowly nodded or murmured agreement with him, but he could still see doubts in their eyes. He wasn't sure they could do this either, but he knew they had to try something.

"Same with us," Hyp told Mutt and Nod seriously. "Right?" he asked them again, to which they promptly agreed.

"I don't know what to say," Ann stuttered.

"Well, clean your hands off of that poop for starters," Hyp said. "We're not doing any more poop duty." Then he turned to Littlefoot and his friends. "And you guys don't go snitching on us to the elders, or you'll be sorry."

And before they could answer, Hyp carted Mutt and Nod off while Ann uncertainly looked back at Littlefoot and his friends. With a quick nod of thanks, Ann went to the riverbank to wash her hands.

"Okay then," Cera said, her eyes narrowing. "Who's gonna watch the eggs?"

"Well you know I'm bigger than any of you so I would just squish them," Shorty said quickly. "That makes me out."

"Considering I'm a suspected egg thief," Ruby said.

"And I'm a sharptooth," Chomper finished.

"I don't have space of my own, and Cam and Mia would never stop asking me questions," Ali said.

"I'm too little to keep eggs warm," Guido said.

"And Petrie, Spike and I have too many siblings," Ducky said. "The eggs would get too much attention, they would."

So the other eight stared at Littlefoot and Cera, who promptly gulped.

"Me? Watch the eggs?" Cera said bewilderedly.

"Come on Cera," Littlefoot said encouragingly. "We can do it together. We can hide them away in our nest, just until they hatch. Then we can give them to Ann or if she doesn't want them, go look for parents for them."

"Oh no," Cera insisted firmly. "I'm not gonna play mommy."

"You do not have to watch over them all the time," Ducky said. "I would love to watch over the eggs, I would!"

"Yeah!" Petrie agreed. "We watch over eggs sometimes so you can relax."

Spike nodded. "Spike would like to help too, he would!" Ducky added.

"I can pop in to help too sometimes," Ali put in.

"Same here," Shorty agreed.

"See Cera?" Littlefoot said. "We can do it all together, just like we always have. Come on, just until they hatch."

Cera sighed. "Fine," she said reluctantly. "Just until they hatch."

"Just until they hatch," Littlefoot promised. "Then we'll give them to Ann, or tell Mr. Thicknose about the eggs we found, and he can help find parents for them."

So with that said, Ali, Shorty, Chomper, Ruby and Guido said goodbye to the gang and returned to their sleeping spots. Ducky picked the eggs up again, and along with Petrie and Spike, accompanied Littlefoot and Cera back to their nest.

As they made it through the tapestry-like growth of vines entering their smalling sleeping spot, Ducky and Petrie oohed and ahed as they saw the space that Littlefoot and Cera usually kept to themselves. Surrounded by a thick growth of trees, a small, pristine pool of water sat, overlooked by the soft, grassy knoll Littlefoot and Cera slept on. To Ducky's delight, there was a small flat patch on the far side of the knoll, just right for a small nest. Ducky, Petrie and Spike quickly gathered twigs and leaves to make a small nest, tightly embracing Ann's three eggs. When Littlefoot and Cera got to their sleeping spot, they could see the eggs sitting peacefully when looking down at them.

"Well Littlefoot," Cera said. "You got us into this mess. That means you've gotta get us out of it."

Littlefoot chuckled nervously, but inside, he smiled. While this was an unusual adventure to undertake, it was an adventure nonetheless. And with his mate and friends by his side, he had faith that they could get through this somehow.