Hi everyone! Let me just say this was a fun chapter to write, especially towards the end ... You'll see why soon enough! But yeah. Not much more for me to say but the usual stuff. Special thanks to those who reviewed, as I love feedback to help me keep going, and favs/follows are also always appreciated. And of course, The Land Before Time and its universe belong to Universal.

Chapter 15 – A Place of Safety

Littlefoot awoke to someone gently biting his long, outstretched tail. Mumbling groggily, "Who's there?" Littlefoot was taken aback when he heard a voice softly but anxiously say, "Son, we need to talk. Now."

The urgency in Bron's voice caused Littlefoot to get up with a start and making sure he completely blocked Ann's eggs from view, he headed out of his nest.

"What is it, Dad?" Littlefoot asked.

"We can't talk here," Bron said softly. "We've got to find a place more … Private."

And quietly, Bron led Littlefoot away from the heart of the Valley, and to Littlefoot's surprise, right through the Great Wall and out into the Mysterious Beyond.

"Uh … Dad? You know where we're not in the Valley anymore, right?" Littlefoot asked.

"Of course," Bron said, before stopping at the entrance of a small cave. "Stay back, Littlefoot. I'll make sure nothing dangerous is inside."

So Littlefoot waited while Bron went inside the cave, and after a quick scan, he invited Littlefoot inside.

"Sorry about taking you so far out of the Valley," Bron muttered. "But … I want to share with you some good news that I'm not ready to tell anyone else yet. So if we can keep this a secret for now, I'd really appreciate it."

"Okay Dad," said Littlefoot.

Bron smiled. "Well, last night I've just assumed leadership over your friend Ali's herd. I am acutely aware that taking on their herd is a big responsibility, but with them not having a leader and my herd being down in numbers … We thought it might be beneficial for all of us to be together in one herd. The thing is …"

Bron paused thoughtfully before continuing. "With the land outside the valley now being unfertile, I cannot reasonably expect my herd to make the journey to find enough food to eat without risking their starvation. This joins a number of factors, including the preferences of my younger herd members, the aging and wounded herd members under my care, and of course, my duties to you, my son, with your grandparents no longer around … To lead me to one course of action. And rather than tell you, I'll leave you to guess what that is."

Littlefoot felt his spirits lift, knowing exactly what Bron was talking about. "You mean … You've decided to settle in the Valley? And Shorty and Ali too?" he gasped excitedly.

"Tentatively, yes," Bron smiled. "Now you're the first one who's heard my intentions, and I know the path for my herd becoming official residents might be difficult. I will have to consult with my herd before taking any action, first of all. Most of them are accustomed to the wandering life and some might be hesitant to stay in the Great Valley."

"Why wouldn't they want to stay in the Great Valley?" Littlefoot asked. "Don't they love being here?"

"Some do," Bron said. "Some, like Shorty and Ali, would most likely love to stay here. But others are wanderers at heart, and if I were to stay here, they may choose to break away to form their own wandering herd. And there are others who would decide based on … Conditions. But in any case, I do not want to divide my herd just yet. The Old One's herd needs someone to guide them through their time of grief, and throwing another bone of contention would be unwise at this point."

"What do you mean by conditions?" Littlefoot asked.

Bron looked at Littlefoot. "Well, my herd is mostly made of longnecks, and others join it with the full understanding that it is a mostly longneck herd. But others … Aren't so charitable to our kind," Bron said bluntly. "I'm sure you've heard the stereotypes over the cold times. That longnecks are flatheads and that we have small brains. That we're greedy guzzlers who eat more than our share, without them taking into account our larger body size. That we're bossy because we're big and we use our size to our advantage. Someone we both know is particularly prone to this behavior, and it makes many of my herd members uncomfortable and offended."

Littlefoot nodded understandingly. "Therefore, I realize I have to do something to earn my herd a place in the Valley … Something I can do for the Valley that they will always be grateful for … And something I can do for you that I couldn't until now."

Littlefoot looked uneasily at Bron as Bron continued looking serious. "Whatever you do, do not tell anybody the information I'm about to share," Bron said warningly, and not giving Littlefoot a chance to respond, Bron continued. "Over the cold times, I've always been concerned for you. I've always wondered what became of my missing son and hoped for the day when you would take your place by my side in the herd. And while things turned out different from what I had hoped, I felt comfortable with you staying in the Great Valley, I knew your grandparents would take great care of you, and that you would grow into a fine young longneck under their watchful eye. But now that they're gone, well … I can't say I feel the same way."

"Dad, I'm okay," Littlefoot said bravely. "I miss them a lot. But I've still got my friends, and Cera. And I'm sure my in-laws and my friends' parents would always be there if I need help."

"Yes," said Bron, trying but not completely succeeding to keep his voice from sounding cold. "It's great that you've got your mate, friends and, um … Other elders on your side. But that's not what I'm concerned about, Littlefoot. Your grandparents did not just raise you. They led and protected the entire herd from dangers which only a herd leader can comprehend. And now they're not here ..."

Littlefoot looked on as Bron said deliberately. "I know Mr. Thicknose means well, Littlefoot. But you can't say he's a good leader. If you can recall Littlefoot, I gave you a test once, requiring you to prove you had strength, intelligence, and judgment. And while your grandparents would easily pass that test, even if you gave Mr. Thicknose the benefit of doubt on intelligence and judgment, he would surely fail the strength portion of the test. He gets easily flustered under pressure and lets others treat him without respect. You know that as well as I do, Littlefoot, and it is evident that sooner or later, the task will prove to be much for him."

"Well, I …" Littlefoot began, but Bron cut him off.

"I know you want to speak well of him Littlefoot. He has been your teacher, a wise voice of reason and support, and the officiant of your wedding. I understand that. But we have to face some hard truths. Considering Mr. Thicknose is already struggling to lead the Valley in a time of peace, who knows how ill-prepared he'll be when times inevitably get harder. And just last night, my fears were confirmed in that I've heard from reliable sources that perhaps the two worst alternatives possible are stepping forward to take his place. You know who they are as well as I do, Littlefoot, and I'm sure you're smart enough to not fall for either of their traps, even if one of them is your father-in-law," Bron said coldly.

Littlefoot gulped as Bron continued. "Needless to say, your father-in-law and Mr. Flyer would fail that same test. A prerequisite of the test I didn't even bother giving you is morality, which obviously you have but I have my doubts about either of theirs. But let's just assume they had it. Mr. Threehorn certainly has brute strength, that's true. And Mr. Flyer certainly has intelligence, in a crafty sort of way. But the two of them also have appalling judgment. Take the fire pit test I gave you. If no one was there to stop them, Mr. Threehorn would talk about how they need to stand tough and go straight through the fire pit, just like he tried to do with his daughter. And Mr. Flyer would try to lead the herd over it, lacking the awareness to realize not everyone could fly over it like he could, just like he did with his old herd. You know they would, Littlefoot."

Littlefoot said nothing, knowing indeed Bron was most likely right. But he didn't want to add any fuel to the fire, as he could tell where Bron was going from here. Bron said, "Therefore Littlefoot, when Thicknose fails, and he will, someone is going to have to protect your Valley from these unsuitable and frankly dangerous options. I love you too much to see your Valley get destroyed from within … And I know it is my duty to protect you and your friends into the future. So when Thicknose is found incapable of leading … I've decided to join the fray to replace him. So what do you think?" Bron asked eagerly, smiling at his son.

Littlefoot paused uncomfortably. He had already realized Bron was most likely thinking along these lines, but the confirmation of these thoughts did make him uneasy. While Bron knew him well, but he didn't really know any other residents in the Great Valley. He had hardly seen him working to earn the trust of any of the longtime residents in the Great Valley, preferring the company of his own herd. This was a dramatic contrast from his grandparents, who had gained everyone's trust and respect over the cold times, most likely starting before the combined herds even reached the Great Valley. And apart from that, his grandparents had the keen ability to listen to the call for leadership rather than to seek it out. He could hardly remember a time when he heard Grandpa actually say that he led the herd, yet everyone knew they could count on him to keep them and the Valley safe. And for Bron to try to assume the mantle his grandparents had long cultivated without earning the trust of anyone in the Valley and circumventing the longtime service to the Valley given by the Circle of Elders, made Littlefoot uncomfortable, ironically enough, in his dad's judgment …

"Dad," said Littlefoot very deliberately. "I … I'm not sure if you should do it. It's different leading a herd in the Great Valley than it is in the Mysterious Beyond … And my father-in-law has been good to me. Even though I'm a longneck, he's been nothing but gracious since Cera and I have been together. And I can't just turn my back on him." You may be a good leader, but you haven't been here long and don't really know the others ..."

Bron however cut Littlefoot with an understanding nod. "I can see why you're saying that. I know that in a way this must be hard for you, especially now that Mr. Threehorn is your father-in-law. But I have to do this, for your and the Valley's own good. In times of conflict, having a strong, prudent leader is essential. You know that I am that, and that Misters Thicknose, Threehorn and Flyer are all dangerously ill-suited for the job. You also need not worry about my connections to the herd, for I can always get to know my new herd members over time. Leadership is innate and hard to come by, Littlefoot, and I know deep down you know that. So even though you may not feel … Comfortable with the prospect yet, I know you will understand and do the right thing for the Valley when the time comes and stand by my side when I declare my intentions."

"But ..." Littlefoot began.

"I know it's a lot to take in," Bron said gently. "But I've thought this all through, and don't worry, things will only get better from here. You'll see, son. You'll see," he said in a tone of unmistakable finality.

Littlefoot sighed heavily. He did his best, but he could plainly see his father was fully committed to this effort, and there was no way to talk him out of it.

"Now why don't we go back?" Bron asked.

"Okay Dad," Littlefoot said dispiritedly, following his father out of the cave.


After going to his nest, he saw that Cera was gone and Ann was once again watching over her eggs. To his surprise however, Ann didn't even notice as he walked in, and waiting for a couple seconds for her notice, Littlefoot finally asked, "Ann?"

Ann whipped around in surprise. "Oh hello," she said. "You'll never guess what ... The eggs are moving!"

"That's great!" Littlefoot exclaimed.

"Yeah," Ann said. "I know it's a lot to ask, but would you mind not coming back to the nest till they hatch? I wanna be alone with the eggs the whole time, so when they hatch, the first thing they'll see will be their mommy. I already asked Cera and she's okay with it."

"Sure, that'll be fine," Littlefoot said. "Well, good luck Ann."

So Littlefoot went to the central grounds, where most of the Valley's residents were eating at different trees, bushes, and shrubs. He saw and said good morning to Spike, who was enjoying the morning with Sophie, Tippy and their herd, and Guido, who was digging through another crawler-filled tree. Eventually, he found Cera, headbutting a tree aggressively, and Ruby, with whom she was talking.

"Hi Cera, Ruby," Littlefoot greeted them.

"Hello Littlefoot, Littlefoot hello!" Ruby said happily.

"Hey Littlefoot, come on over! I got down all these tree stars," Cera said with a sparky sort of pride, nodding to a large pile nearby just the right size for the three of them.

"Wow, nice work Cera!" he said, and he sat down by the pile, to which Cera and Ruby followed. "It's just the three of us this morning," Ruby said. "I haven't seen Ducky and Petrie all morning, and Chomper's gone to his parents' to eat."

"So where've you been?" Cera asked.

Littlefoot sighed. "My dad … He wanted to talk to me."

Cera looked at him suspiciously. "What about?"

"Well, he didn't want me to tell you anything … But," Littlefoot began, wanting to share his concerns with his friends, yet not wanting to breach his father's trust.

Luckily, Cera sensed this and cut in. "Was he acting like my dad?"

Sighing, Littlefoot nodded. "I tried to persuade him otherwise … But he's pretty stubborn."

"Ugh," Cera groaned. "Our dads and Pterano are acting like power-hungry jerks, and they're only making each other even worse."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Littlefoot sighed. "I wish my grandparents were still here to talk some sense into them. They were so good at that."

"You think Mr. Thicknose knows about this?" Ruby pondered.

"Well, it's not like Pterano and my dad are very quiet," Cera snorted. "Especially after last night."

"And I bet he probably feels everyone is watching him," Littlefoot said. "He's probably worried about being compared to my grandparents all the time, and I don't think he responds well to being criticized."

"Speaking of Mr. Thicknose, Mr. Thicknose just appeared," Ruby whispered. "But he doesn't look very well."

Mr. Thicknose seemed to be aimlessly pacing around the feasting dinosaurs, as he moved very stiffly and was taking deep breaths. He seemed to look at everyone as though expecting some kind of response, but everyone seemed to ignore him as they continued eating. He seemed to look more irritable with each lack of a response he received. When he got to the three of them, Littlefoot made sure to greet him.

"Hi Mr. Thicknose," he said friendlily. "You doing well this morning?"

To Littlefoot's surprise, he only answered with a huff and otherwise ignored them as he marched onward.

"What was that about?" Cera said indignantly.

"That was rude, and rude is not a word I would use to describe Mr. Thicknose," Ruby added in surprise.

"Yeah," Littlefoot said, but a moment later, Mr. Thicknose stopped pacing and growled, "Greetings."

Everyone however just ignored Mr. Thicknose as he stood there expectantly, waiting for a response. But although those nearest by looked at him, those further away did not seem to take any notice. Eventually as Mr. Thicknose waited, some of those farther away caught on, but while that happened, he lost the attention of many who had heard his first call. Mr. Thicknose sighed as he stood expectantly, occasionally saying something to get the herd's attention, but he was continually ignored.

Finally, Mr. Thicknose huffed loudly, and took a deep, heavy breath, and shouted, "All right everyone, listen up!"

The crowd grew silent as they stopped eating and turned to look at the commanding voice to find the normally collegial and genial Mr. Thicknose standing there, firmly glowering at them. Waves of murmuring soon broke out, and no one was quite sure what to make of this unexpected development. Mr. Thicknose then said, "Did I mumble? Listen up!"

This however only backfired, as the murmuring only increased, many looking to make sure they weren't imagining things. Narrowing his eyes, Mr. Thicknose finally stomped and screamed at the top of his lungs, "For the last time, listen up!"

This finally succeeded in stunning the herd into silence, and momentarily satisfied, Mr. Thicknose took a breath of relief.

"Mr. Thicknose! Quiet down!" exclaimed Perri's adoptive mother indignantly, who snuggled the trembling young hollowhorn in her arms.

"Yeah," added Lambe Hollowhorn. "Besides, there's not supposed to be a herd meeting today!"

"Well, there is now!" Mr. Thicknose growled in a way that made everyone stare, making sure that it was Mr. Thicknose who was speaking. "I heard you all wanted strong leadership? Well, I'll give you strong leadership. Where are those hooligans who should have been on poop duty?"

More murmuring broke out as Littlefoot, Cera and Ruby turned their eyes to Hyp, Mutt, Nod, Rana and Weald, all of whose jaws dropped, shocked that they have been caught. The others turned to look at Hyp expectantly, who glared at Mr. Thicknose.

"Who're you talking to?" Hyp snapped angrily.

"Who do think? You lot! Get up here this instant!" Mr. Thicknose commanded.

The murmuring broke out even more as Hyp looked at Mutt and Nod, who both looked terrified, and reluctantly dragged them up to Mr. Thicknose, who was still not satisfied.

"And you! And you!" he barked.

"But ..." Weald protested.

"Now!" Mr. Thicknose replied.

Grudgingly, Weald and Rana joined the three of them as everyone watched in tense silence.

Mr. Thicknose grunted, "That's five of you. Where are your two pals? Ann and Dispo, I believe?"

"Well how the sharptooth dirt should I know?" Hyp snapped.

"Don't play dumb with me!" Mr. Thicknose shouted as Mutt and Nod cowered. "Thought you could take advantage of old, soft Thicknose and shirk poop duty?"

"Geez, what's gotten into you?" Rana snapped.

"Yeah, we didn't do that, Mr. Three …" Weald trailed off.

Mr. Thicknose's eyes narrowed. "Enough! I can see things for myself! You neglected your duties!"

"Well, it was a pointless job, you old crank!" Hyp shouted. "They ain't sharpteeth and this task was a waste of time."

Mr. Thicknose huffed. "Clearly you have no respect for your elders! And as for Ann and Dispo, if they fail to show up by the time the Night Circle falls … Let's not go there, shall we?"

Littlefoot, Cera, and Ruby looked at each other. It seemed as though they had no choice but to get Ann to come out and see Mr. Thicknose.

"I'll let Ann know and watch the eggs," Ruby muttered, and she sprinted off towards Littlefoot and Cera's nest, hoping to get Ann in time.

"Why should they have to show up for your crap, you old fossil?" Hyp asked.

Mr. Thicknose growled, "Listen, you! Keep this up and I'll have you banished, you understand!"

However, at that moment Pterano swooped in, and loudly tutted. "Oh Thicknose, Thicknose, a banishment threat for a pert remark? Because of someone's own insecurities? That's going much too far for the crime being committed. Someone clearly isn't thinking properly."

"Well there's no need to state the obvious, wingbrain," Topps joined in. "Banishment for some immature insult? That's not tough, that's just foolish. Everyone can see that's an absurd, flatheaded idea."

Bron glared at Topps and stepped in. "Mr. Threehorn, I've about had it with your bigoted comments."

"Oh be quiet! I'm not even arguing with you this time," Mr. Threehorn said.

"Well apart from having to agree that Mr. Thicknose has highly questionable judgment, almost as concerning as yours I must say, you used a highly inflammatory word against my kind," Bron said. "And I resent that, you prejudiced …"

"Prejudiced? Prejudiced?" Topps fumed angrily. "I've been the Longnecks' closest advisor, and I treat my son-in-law like a son, which is more than you can say for him as his biological father."

Bron looked at Topps venomously. "If you make another remark about my son …" he began, but Pterano interrupted.

"Mr. Longneck," Pterano smirked. "Seeing that you and I both have grave concerns about the threehorn taking power, I propose we form an alliance and share …"

"Not in your lifetime," Bron said coldly. "I know what you've done, Pterano, and I don't deal with criminals who callously abandon their herd, thank you very much." Bron said coldly. "I have integrity, and any action I might take would be free from corrupt deals."

"Pity, well if we can't be allies, I'm afraid we'd have to be rivals," Pterano said indignantly.

"How dare you two even suggest you should be in charge? What about the Circle of Elders? A key part of the Great Valley leadership which only one of us has been a part of! Only one of us here would make a good leader, and that would be …"

"Enough!" Mr. Thicknose barked, hyperventilating, before finally getting his breath back. "Let me be perfectly clear, you have asked me to be the leader of the Great Valley, and at this point, that is still my job!" Panting, Mr. Thicknose paused before his hardened expression returned to normal, "Why does everybody have to be so difficult? I try to listen to everyone's advice. I've heard complaints that I was too soft. So I try my best to be tough, and yet you're still not satisfied. I've never been treated with such disrespect than from the three of you. As adults, you should know better! You're acting no better than hatchlings. I will not issue any further punishment to you, for this embarrassment should be enough to think over your behavior. But if this goes further … Well let's not go there, all right?"

Mr. Thicknose paused for a long time before saying, "Ugh … I forgot what this meeting was even about."

Mama Swimmer helpfully said, "The young ones, remember?"

"Oh yes," Mr. Thicknose said as Mr. Threehorn let out an audible snort. "Er … Oh yes. Poop duty. This time, you're gonna have to do it with me supervising you, at my convenience. With the exception of Ceph of course, because unlike any of you, his punishment had ended. Only then can we talk about ending your punishment."

"What about him?" Mr. Threehorn reminded Mr. Thicknose gruffly, nodding to Hyp, who glared.

"Oh yes, Hyp, I'm going to have to put you on seven days' hard work sealing the Great Valley's walls. Make sure there's no cracks, and if you notice a problem, tell me," Mr. Thicknose said. "Very well … Now that's done with … Meeting dismissed," Mr. Thicknose said, before hurrying into the forest, where soon after, an audible retching sound could be heard.


By the time Ann arrived, the crowd had dispersed, and she easily found Hyp, Mutt, Nod, Weald and Rana. "We're really back on poop duty? Now?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yeah," Hyp grunted. "Can you believe it?"

"Where you've been?" Mutt asked curiously as Hyp yanked his tail in exasperation. Weald and Rana looked at each other curiously, for they didn't know Ann's secret.

"And Ceph is off duty," Weald groaned. "That's so not fair."

"Must be his new girlfriend," Rana said sarcastically as the others darkly murmured.

"I better go get Thicknose," Ann said. "Where'd he go?"

"That way," Hyp answered. This made Rana and Weald more puzzled.

"Why're you interested in getting him? Wouldn't you rather hope he just forgets?" Weald asked.

"We've gotta get this over with," Ann replied seriously before she headed out to find him.

"She's acting like a goody goody," Rana muttered.

Hyp sighed. "She's right. I know it sucks, but there's no way they'll get off our backs unless we do their crap. Even if it is beyond stupid."

Ann brought Mr. Thicknose back, who looked much more like his usual self than he did when conducting the larger meeting. "Ah, there you are Ann," Mr. Thicknose said. "I'm grateful for you reminding me of my duties."

"But," Mutt said dumbfoundedly. "I thought you were going to be banished?" as the others rolled their eyes.

"Ah yes," Mr. Thicknose muttered quietly. "Well, the truth is I had no intention of banishing you. But with some doubting my strength to be a leader … I made a, well, uh, ill-advised attempt at calming those fears. But let's get this punishment over with so we can move on from it."

He looked around. "Any of you know where Dispo is?"

"No, but we want to know why Ceph's not here," Rana asked angrily.

"Yeah, yeah," Nod added curiously.

"Ceph apologized and asked to get off his punishment after performing it several times, not like you who just quit doing it," Mr. Thicknose said.

"But this is a pointless task!" Hyp said. "You know those noteeth won't eat anything they shouldn't."

Mr. Thicknose sighed. "Between you and me, I fully expect they'll only be on good behavior. But we have to mollify the skeptics until they too can trust them."

Mr. Thicknose took a breath before saying, "So Hyp, I'm assigning you to sealing any cracks that may be in the Great Wall to the Mysterious Beyond. Fill in any cracks you see with slabs of mud, which will dry and keep everything in place. I'll be doing a thorough inspection once you say you're done, and I will determine if you've done your job accordingly. Understand?"

Hyp wanted to complain, but seeing how his attempts to resist so far have all backfired, thought better of it. "Yes sir," he said.

"The rest of you, I'll be collecting you one by one to perform poop duty. Expect a call from me at least once a day if not more to make sure each of you are getting your time in, and I expect you to drop whatever you're doing to help with your job. No complaining, no exceptions."

"But … But …" Ann stuttered, realizing what this would mean. "You can't do that."

"Yeah," Hyp suddenly said. "Leave her out of this. Right guys?"

"Uh … Right," Nod said.

"Right?" said Mutt, scratching his head.

Mr. Thicknose raised his eyebrows. "You're hardly in a position to dictate the terms of your punishment, Ann. Especially since you already defied your punishment."

"But you said that poop duty was pointless!" Ann protested.

"The point of the punishment is not the task itself, but to learn to put your own needs aside for the service of the Valley. Something you'll need to do if you ever hope to gain respect from others. Understood?"

"But ... But I can't do it!" Ann shouted insistently.

Mr. Thicknose looked at Ann's stubbornness in surprise. "Is there something you're not telling me, Ann?"

"Huh? Oh … Uh, well ... No." Ann said.

"Very well. It seems to me like learning this lesson will do you some good, so you too will be performing it. Also, if you let me know when you find Dispo, I would appreciate it," Mr. Thicknose said, and headed back.

"Weird," Weald muttered as Mr. Thicknose disappeared. "Thicknose was actually like his old self with us. Not like he's been at herd meetings. Even my father would be impressed."

"Yeah … Sort of," Ann said darkly, and without another word, she took off.

"What is with her?" Rana asked exasperatedly.

"Wait Hyp … Isn't she the one who …" Mutt asked before Hyp and Nod gave him a death glare, while Weald and Rana continued to look curiously. "Let's just say she's got a load to think about."


Returning to Littlefoot and Cera's nest, Ann confided to them and Ruby about her situation. "Now Thicknose could be looking for me at any second," Ann rattled breathlessly as she prodded her eggs. "I … I can't be found here! But I can't just not watch over my eggs! I need to know they're all right! And I've gotta see them hatch! Or they might not know I'm their momma!"

"Yeah," Littlefoot nodded understandingly. "I don't know Ann … I think Mr. Thicknose would understand if he really knew what was going on."

"What?" Ann gasped in shock. "I can't tell him! I can't let anyone in on the secret! If anyone finds out ..."

"Well, Mutt and Nod already know the secret, and trust me, they're way more likely to blab than Thicknose," Cera observed, making Ann feel only worse as Littlefoot and Ruby glared.

"But … I don't want Thicknose or any of the elders to know that I'm ..." Ann began, but Ruby interrupted.

"You're just fine, Ann," Ruby said consolingly. "The one who's not is the one who did this to you."

Ann nodded, before saying, "Ugh … I can't stand this anymore," and quickly left the nest.

"If only there's something we can do to help," Littlefoot observed.


The next day however, only gave Littlefoot, Cera and Ruby something else to worry about. While Spike came to see them for breakfast and they presumed Chomper was still hunting sharptooth swimmers, Ducky and Petrie had not been seen since two days ago now. With Spike confirming he had not seen them either, they could only feel more worried.

"We better go looking for them," Littlefoot said as he saw Mama Swimmer and Flyer talking to each other concernedly, wondering about their whereabouts. "It's not like them to be gone this long."

"You sure they're not on a love journey or whatever you call it?" Cera asked.

"Not without telling anybody," Littlefoot said. "Especially us or their parents."

"Well, they don't have our protection," Cera observed. "Guess we've gotta make sure they don't get hurt."

So while Ruby stayed behind to watch over Ann's eggs, Littlefoot, Cera and Spike spent most of the day in the Mysterious Beyond looking for Ducky and Petrie. They even went to Chomper's place to get Chomper to help try and sniff them out, but he couldn't locate them either. Discouraged, Chomper promised he'd keep an eye out for them, while Littlefoot, Cera and Spike returned back to the Valley, hoping Ducky and Petrie had returned while they were gone. However just as they entered, they ran into a surprise. Hyp was cursing angrily, his left foot stuck under a pile of rock as he struggled to pull himself out.

"Hi Hyp," Littlefoot said as he, Cera and Spike approached.

Hyp spun around, his hands dripping with the mud he was using to seal the cracks. "What do you want?" he asked in embarrassment.

"You need help? You look stuck," Littlefoot said.

"Yeah, well I can pull myself out," Hyp said as he yanked on his leg, but his foot refused to budge.

"Well, maybe instead of getting your foot out, I can move the rocks instead," Littlefoot suggested.

"Yeah, like you could ever …" Hyp said, but to his surprise, Littlefoot gently lifted the rocks ensnaring Hyp's leg.

"Heh, well you're stronger than I thought. I forget how big you got sometimes," Hyp said, not fully concealing a tone of bitterness. "Anyway, I should complain to Thicknose. This rotten wall won't seal. There's cracks everywhere on it."

"Let me see," Littlefoot said, putting his paw on it. However, he couldn't help but gasp as he felt the wall move. And as he moved his paw up and down it, he could see that very slightly, it moved just like a rock did ...

"What are you doing?" Hyp asked, annoyed.

"Hey Hyp," Littlefoot said, touching the smooth, rocky side. "It's not a wall … It's a giant boulder."

"What?" he said.

"Yeah," Littlefoot said simply, marveling at the sheer size and smoothness of it. The boulder had to be fifty feet tall at least, towering even over them, yet its circular shape was unmistakable.

"Let me see," Cera said, poking a horn through, and remarkably, the huge rocky mass stayed intact. "Yep … That's one big boulder. But it's pretty hollow inside."

"Well that's just great," Hyp said. "How am I supposed to block up a wall if a stupid boulder in front of it will just keep sending down rockslides … Hey, wait, what are you doing?"

For Littlefoot, Cera and Spike looked at each other, and at once, they knew that they had to try something. All these cold times they had been adventuring in the Great Valley, and there was something they hadn't discovered right before their eyes. Of course, as kids, there was no way they could have investigated further. But along with their growth in size a growth in opportunity came with it. All going to the boulder's left side, they looked at each other.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Littlefoot asked Cera and Spike, as Cera eagerly nodded and Spike grunted excitedly.

"What the ..." Hyp began, as with one push, Littlefoot, Cera, and Spike began to move the boulder. The boulder was very difficult and slow to move, but the combined efforts of the three young, large dinosaurs was more than enough to push the boulder off to the side.

And rather than crumbling as wall would, the boulder moved to reveal an area that looked decidedly different from the rest of the Valley around them. The greenery, rather than being short and well-kempt, was so tall it concealed the trunks of where the trees grew. None of the trees had their branches ripped off, rather, they extended out like arms, all of which were brimming with fresh treestars. And through the greens of the ground, they could see all kinds of pretty flowers growing, almost dancing with the wind as they reached to catch the Bright Circle's light. And there was not a trace of poop or footprints anywhere ...

"It's a whole new part of the Great Valley," Littlefoot said admiringly.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go check it out!" Cera said, and the three of them strode inside.

Looking around, they could only observe everything in amazement. Here was a part of the Great Valley none of them had ever seen before, or even heard about from the elders. It was a pretty large space, one that could even cram in a herd of longnecks, but it also felt quite cozy, for it was much longer than it was wide. The outer wall was very high, making it obvious that a direct jump from the Mysterious Beyond into this new space would be far too steep for anyone to make. An unkempt array of trees, untouched by the fires affecting the Mysterious Beyond, took up the rear side of most of the stretch, while open green land covered with the tall grasses and flowers bounded the side closer to the Valley. The space continued as they meandered all the way until towards the other end, where the trees and green areas stopped, for the ground became less green and eventually, rocky. On the far wall from the entrance, a small waterfall gently flowed, trickling its way into a stream that ran alongside the inner wall. It was right by the waterfall where they saw two dinosaurs kneeling and bending down to the ground. And they only had to hear a little bit of dialogue to know absolutely for sure who it was.

"He had enough to eat and drink, yep yep yep!"

"Me think he still bleeding there. You got another bandage?"

"He looks a lot better now, he does."

Their hearts warmed with relief, Littlefoot and Cera decided to hold back as they gave Spike the chance to run over and greet them. Happily, he expressed his pleasure in some overjoyed grunts as he approached, which caused Ducky and Petrie to look up and gasp in surprise.

"Oh, hi Spike! How did you find us? You have a good sniffer, you do!" Ducky giggled.

"How you get in?" Petrie asked. "There no way in but flying down!"

"Well, we kinda fixed that," Littlefoot said awkwardly. "Cera, Spike and I moved the boulder that connects this place and the Great Valley."

"You mean this part of Great Valley?" Petrie exclaimed.

"Oh yes yes yes! We are home after all!" Ducky cheered.

"But this not like any part of Great Valley I've seen," Petrie said.

"I guess that just makes it even more special," Littlefoot smiled.

"So I guess we've found a secret spot now," Cera smirked. "That is …" she paused, looking at Petrie uncomfortably, who also seemed hesitant to speak to her. Luckily, Ducky figured out what was going on, and quickly nudged Petrie.

"Um Cera?" Petrie gulped nervously. "You promise not to talk to your dad?"

"Well," Cera said, but Littlefoot gave her a nudge. "I'm kinda ticked off at him. And you're my friend, so go right ahead."

Petrie gasped. "You are? But we … Argue real bad," he said.

Cera snorted. "Well yeah, but just because we argue doesn't mean we aren't still friends. And your uncle was right about one thing … That is, if you promise not to tell anyone about this."

"Me won't," Petrie smiled, and to everyone's surprise, he flew onto Cera's frill and gave her a hug.

"Hey, only Littlefoot's allowed to do that!" Cera shouted, but the smile on her face showed just how happy she was for the reconciliation.

"You right about Uncle Pterano," Petrie said. "Me realize the truth about him now. He good inside, but when he want power, he does bad things. And me … Me no want to see him lead Great Valley," Petrie gulped, confessing. "It not be good for him and it not be good for any of us."

Petrie sighed, looking down worriedly, anticipating Cera to gloat. However, he was surprised when Cera nodded understandingly. "Well, my dad's no better. He's gone nuts about wanting to take over the herd. But the way he's been acting, there's no way he can lead anyone into anything but a tar pit."

"My dad wants to lead the herd too," Littlefoot confessed. "But even though he's a good leader, he seems to think he can just take charge without even getting to know anyone in the Valley. So while he may be a good leader for his herd ... There's no way he can lead the valley."

"And Spike and I do not want to be part of the argument, we do not," Ducky said firmly as Spike grunted in agreement.

"I think we've all learned something from our folks," Littlefoot smiled.

"About what not to do, for once," Cera snorted.

"Yeah. So maybe," Littlefoot said thoughtfully, "We can all make a promise to one another. That no matter how much the elders might want us to take sides in their arguing, we will stay out of it. Because even though the elders may be fighting each other, nothing is going to split us apart again!"

"Oh yes yes yes!" Ducky exclaimed, going to hug Littlefoot at once, Spike grunting in approval as he too joined in.

"Me like that idea!" Petrie said, perching on Littlefoot's head.

They all looked at Cera expectantly. "Well yeah, of course I'm in. But do we have to do the group hug thing?"

"Come on, why not?" Littlefoot said encouragingly.

"Please?" Ducky asked sweetly as Petrie and Spike smiled.

Cera sighed, but she set aside her pride and joined in on the group hug.

The five of them stood together, looking at each other affectionately as they bathed in the Bright Circle's glow, Petrie flying down to meet the others, who all had their front paws wrapped around one another in a tight embrace. Appreciating each other's warmth, Spike finally made a happy sound, which Ducky excitedly translated.

"Spike's trying to say he is happy that we are all sticking together, he is!" Ducky exclaimed. "And I cannot agree more with him, yep yep yep!"

"Petrie happy too! We no need to fight when we can be together!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Cera exclaimed. "And we're not gonna let any sharptooth dirt come between us again!"

"Now we will always be together," Littlefoot exclaimed, and the five of them cheered

"Ugh, spare me the mush," came a voice, and looking down, the five of them turned red as they saw Hyp staring up at them. Through all the excitement of finding Ducky and Petrie and the subsequent apologies and promise, it was easy to forget that Hyp had been there the whole time.

"Were you watching us?" Cera growled as they returned to the ground.

"Not like I had a choice," Hyp snapped back. "I can't exactly move the stupid boulder back by myself, you know. I'm just glad no one else showed up."

Then Hyp's eyes fell onto the body laying on the ground. "Hang on, what's Dispo doing here?"

Littlefoot, Cera and Spike looked at the direction Hyp was pointing to find Dispo was laying on the ground by the waterfall unconscious. Ducky and Petrie gasped, for they too had been so caught up in the excitement they had forgotten about him.

Hyp ran over to Dispo and examined him, seeing him bandaged with leaves around his broken leg. "What did you guys do to him?" Hyp asked suspiciously.

"We no do anything to Dispo," Petrie said worriedly.

"Except bandage him up," Ducky pointed out. "Dispo jumped off from a cliff, he did."

Hyp facepalmed. "Ugh … You mean the idiot was eating spiky flowers again?"

"You mean he ate spiky flowers before?" Ducky asked, surprised.

"You better not tell the grownups on him. They'd kick him out of the Valley if they find out," Hyp said warningly.

"Why?" Littlefoot asked incredulously.

"Because," Hyp said, before sighing. "Dispo always goes nuts on these flowers. And they make him do really stupid stuff. Like stealing food, hitting hatchlings, throwing poop at others ... Jumping off a cliff though … That's the dumbest thing I've heard. And the thing is once he's on these flowers, it takes a long time to get him off. But the worst thing is, he's gotten in trouble with the old folks for eating these flowers before. The last time he did, they removed all these flowers from the Valley and gave him a warning that if he ever relapsed, he could face banishment. Oh well, guess he can't do poop duty in this condition," Hyp smirked. "Anyway, you better come up with a good way to make sure he stays hidden till his head's on straight again."

The five of them however, all looked at each other. "We can just leave him here," Littlefoot explained.

"A fat lot of good that'll do if you'll tell the elders about this place," Hyp snorted.

"Who says we're gonna tell the elders anything?" Cera smirked. "No one knows about this place, right? So this place can be our secret hideout. And trust me, we're gonna need one after the way the elders have been acting. Besides no one can find him and he can't escape if we shut him in here till he sobers up," Cera said.

"No way for him to climb up, that for sure!" Petrie said. "And he not big enough to move boulder!"

"And there is plenty of food and water inside, there is," Ducky added.

"Hmm," Hyp said thoughtfully. "Well you have me impressed. I thought for sure you'd go tell the elders. But someone's gotta watch him all the time. To make sure he doesn't try anything else stupid."

Littlefoot and Cera then looked at each other. "Well I think we all know just who can do that," Littlefoot smiled.

Hyp looked blankly before Cera said, "Oh come on! Who else has a got a secret she's carrying around? Who needs a private place where no one would bother her, especially after Thicknose's new punishment!"

Hyp then got it. "You mean … Put Ann and the babies in here too?"

"Well, Ann and Dispo like each other, right?" Littlefoot asked.

Hyp sighed. "I guess."

"Then that solves two problems at once. Ann can watch over her nest until her babies hatch, and Dispo can recover in a place where Thicknose and the other grownups don't know about!" Littlefoot exclaimed.

"There's just one problem though," Hyp said. "Ann'll have to tell Dispo her secret. And Ann'll have to know about Dispo's latest mess-up."

"Who's to say they can't keep a secret for one another?" Littlefoot smiled. "That's part of what friends do, after all."

"Well when you put it that way," Hyp said. "I'll go get Ann and see what she thinks."

That night, Littlefoot, Cera and Spike got a meal prepared just outside the secret spot as Hyp brought Ann over.

"Wow, you can't be serious," Ann said, in incredulous disbelief. "You really found a secret hideaway for me to put my eggs? Where Thicknose can't find me? And no one else will find out?"

"Well, mostly," Littlefoot smiled. "Only thing is ..."

He looked at Cera who nodded seriously. "You've gotta share your secret with someone else."

"Share? With who?" Ann said suspiciously, but at that moment, Ducky carried a small gray spikethumb out of the hideout, who was still not conscious.

Ann gasped. "Dispo? What happened to him?"

"He got onto those stupid flowers again," Hyp sighed exasperatedly.

"I thought those things weren't in the Valley anymore?" Ann asked. "After the last time he screwed up."

"Well they're not, but he found some in the Mysterious Beyond," Hyp said, before sighing. "It's a good thing these two found him. Or else who'd know how far gone he'd be. But he needs to stay clear of those flowers, and the grownups. No way they'd not notice he's messed up."

"So I'd be sharing the place with Dispo, making sure he doesn't leave, and ... I'm gonna have to tell him the secret, aren't I?" Ann asked slowly. As the others nodded, Ann said. "Well, Dispo's not the worst one to find out. I don't think he'll blab."

"Well if he does, he's gonna be very, very sorry," Hyp warned, causing Ann to chuckle a bit.

"So Ann, what do you think?" Littlefoot asked.

Ann shrugged. "It's better than what I've got," she said.

After dinner was over, it was still too light to transfer Ann's eggs, but with the entrance to the secret spot being in a quiet corner of the Great Valley, there was plenty they could do in the meantime. While Ducky and Petrie returned inside to take care of Dispo, Hyp and Ann patrolled around the outside, heading off anyone who got too close, which was quite easy considering they were known to have been on poop duty. Meanwhile over at the secret spot's entrance, Littlefoot used his tail, Cera her horns, and Spike his tail to roughen the smooth edge of the boulder facing the rest of the Valley, helping make it look less conspicuous, before Petrie went to the Mysterious Beyond and found some moss to drape over it, further concealing the entrance.

By the time it was finished, it was deep in the night when everyone was asleep, just the right time to move Ann's eggs. Hyp returned to Littlefoot and Cera's sleeping spot, where Ruby was still watching over Ann's eggs, and together, Hyp and Ruby silently moved Ann's nest into the secret spot. Just as they got the eggs settled however, Dispo began to stir.

"Huh? Where am I?" Dispo asked blankly when he woke up. Trying to sit up, he felt a sharp pain in his back. Grimacing in agony, he groaned, "And why does everything hurt?"

Ducky and Petrie bent down to approach Dispo. "Hi Dispo, glad to see you up," Petrie said cheerfully.

"Oh yes yes yes," Ducky said brightly.

Dispo looked perplexed. "What are you two doing here?"

"They just saved your life, flathead," Cera snorted. "Because you ate too many flowers."

Dispo turned around. "My flowers!" he gasped. "They're gone! What'd you do with my flowers?"

Hyp shook his head and looked at Dispo incredulously. "You idiot! Don't you realize you screw up every time you eat those stupid plants? And if the elders caught you, you could be kicked out of the Valley?"

"And now I've gotta make sure you don't mess up again, got it?" Ann barked.

"Oh great, let's all yell at Dispo again," Dispo snorted. "What's the point of all this crap? If I can't have my flowers and feel good ... I'd just have to go through all that crap again!"

"What crap?" Littlefoot asked concernedly.

"Hmm, let's see ... First seeing my parents get shredded before my eyes. Then having to deal with watching everyone around me get some protection as they grow up. They grow horns, spikes, and tail clubs, or get really big, or become really fast, or can swim away ... But what do I get? Nothing but these little spikethumbs, if you can call them that," Dispo laughed. "Really, it makes me easy pickings for sharpteeth. Who'd they go to first if the Great Valley's invaded? Which at the rate of our lousy luck, it's bound to be. Me, of course! Who's big enough to be a nice meal for a stupid sharptooth, but small enough to not have a chance of defending himself. There's a reason I'm the only one of my kind in the Valley, because we're just born to be sharptooth food."

"Dispo, none of that is true!" Littlefoot said as the others murmured in agreement.

"He's actually right for once," Hyp told Dispo as Ann nodded. "Ann and I don't want to see you kicked out of the Valley. And not to sound sappy, but we ... Uh, like you too much."

"Yeah, right. Might as well dull myself to all the pain that's out there and stay on those flowers," Dispo shot back.

"Like you're the only one who's dealt with pain, Dispo," Ann snapped back. "I know you've dealt with a lot, but you're hardly the only one who has! At least you haven't been attacked by a creep in the Mysterious Beyond who leaves you with eggs!"

Dispo paused in shock, before seeing the clutch of eggs. Pausing, he said, "Wait, those are your eggs? But you ... You don't have a mate!"

"Well, I didn't get a choice, did I!" Ann said sadly. "But now they're here, well ... I've got to do my best for them. Even if their no-good father will never show up."

Dispo looked at Ann seriously, and then at Hyp. "Is this true?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, it is," Hyp said solemnly, before turning to Dispo. "Look. You and Ann both have secrets to hide. And Thicknose is after all of our butts for skipping poop duty. And everyone'll see you've been eating those flowers if they catch you in the valley. Not to mention your broken leg."

"Ugh," Dispo said angrily, trying to stand up, but falling to the ground. "When will it end?"

"Not any time soon," Hyp said simply. "Which is why you two better stay out of the way. You're in a spot in the Valley no one but any of us know about, and if you wanna be happy, you'll keep it that way."

"It'll be okay Dispo," Ann finally soothed. "At least there's food and water in here, and we'll have each other."

Dispo sighed. "Well, everything else sucks ... Why not this? But ..." he asked Ann and Ann, looking to see Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike and Ruby around him. "Why are those goody-goodies here? They gonna tell on us?"

"Long story Dispo," Ann said. "I'll fill you in on everything."

"We're not going to tell on you, promise," Littlefoot said reassuringly.

"You two will be safe in here, yep yep yep," Ducky said.

"They've been in on Ann's secret all along, so I don't think they'd tell on you either," Hyp said, before turning to the gang. "But just to be sure, none of you get any ideas and go tattle. Got it?"

"Well you're hardly anyone to make any threats," Cera snorted teasingly.

"But you don't need to worry, for we're not ones you need to worry about," Ruby smiled.

Hyp looked back at them. "I'll come up with some story to get Thicknose off your tails. You know me, I'm good at that kind of thing. But I'll be back to make sure you don't mess anything else up."

Ann and Dispo gratefully nodded and then they said their goodbyes. Going back through the entrance, Ducky, Petrie, Ruby and Hyp waited as Littlefoot, Cera and Spike pushed the boulder shut again, concealing the secret spot.

"You know, your playing the hero stuff's actually becoming really helpful for once," Hyp teased.

"What do you mean, playing the hero?" Cera spat out as Littlefoot smiled, "Gee thanks!" as Hyp tore off.

Cera looked at Littlefoot confusedly. "You know he was messing with you, right?"

"I know, a little," Littlefoot smiled. "But it can't hurt but to share a little kindness, can it? Especially when he's learning how to act like a true friend himself."