As dusk started to settle in the Great Valley and the herds started settling in for the night, Ozzie peeked out of a hiding place he and Strut had hidden inside in case they were seen. In daylight it was difficult to get a meal, but night was another story. With shadows all around and visibility determined by the moon, it would be easy picking for any eggs. Not to mention that the adults would all be asleep and if they keep quiet, nobody would know but them.

"Now is the time for all good little eggs, to be safely tucked into their nests.", he informed.

Strut lazily tried to stand, but yawned.

"I wouldn't mind being tucked in, I'm eggs-hausted.", he chuckled.

Ozzie smacked his brother hard.

"Would you stop complaining?", he asked firmly.

Strut rubbed the part of his head where his brother hit him and got to his feet slowly.

"But Ozzy, I'm tired and I'm hungry.", he whined, "Can't I have an itty-bitty little green bedtime snack?"

Ozzie was hitting his breaking point.

"No.", he stated getting in his brother's face, "Can't you see I'm trying to wean you away from that stuff? From now on you have to think feel and breathe only one food group: eggs."

Ozzie paused as he thought of a way to get the point across and then started singing.

"When I wake up first thing I do. Eggs. Is to look around for something to chew. Eggs-actly. Feeding myself is very, very tricky because you see I'm ridiculously picky. Eggs."

Strut was paying attention as he came up to his brother who had backed off while singing.

"Eh, excuse me Ozzy, I uh-"

Ozzie started singing again cutting off his brother.

"This Struthiomimus won't settle for the dregs. I'll barrow, I'll beg, I'll even kiss you for my dear beloved dose…of eggs."

Strut saw some greens nearby and started to voice an opinion.

Hey Ozzy, I'm so hungry, I can't wait another minute. Here's a juicy little leaf with a beautiful sticked. Can't I have a taste, if I promise just to lick it?"

Ozzie got in his brother's face again.

"Strut, you imbecilic eater, great green globs couldn't possibly be sweeter than a pile of eggs.", he stated firmly before breaking into song again, "You have to smell them, feel them, crack them open for a great big nestful I am hoping."

Strut started complaining again which annoyed Ozzie.

"Oh look I'm starving, I'm weak. There is nothing in my tummy. Oh the mold on that tree is starting to look yummy."

Ozzie broke into song once more.

"The colors, the shapes, and sizes. Gobble them all for appetizers. Eggs-tacy."

"Ozzy, what's the matter with a little vegetation?", Strut hurled back.

Ozzie saw his brother reach for some greens and smacked his hand away.

"I've had it up to here with your aggravation.", he countered.

"Can't I just have this piece of a tree?", Strut asked mentioning toward a downed branch.

"Why can't you be more like me?", Ozzie countered, "You leaf-loving, bush-burping, stem-smelling, garden-gorging, plant-popping, tree-tasting, dirt-devouring beast."

"Ozzy-", Strut started.

"You have to have eggs.", Ozzie stated as he had the last word, "Thrice a day at least."

With the argument over, Ozzie returned his gaze to the valley that had grown dark. The perfect time to move in.

"Tonight, we feast.", he chuckled licking his beak.

The two hurried down the hill and ran across a field where they saw Littlefoot and his grandparents with their backs turned to them.

"Shh!", Ozzie hissed before he and his brother ran off and vanished into the shadows.

/

Cole by now had taken an afternoon nap and had gotten up to see it was dark. Maybe the adults had calmed down enough to give him a second chance at watching Littlefoot and his friends since he did save them. Even Mr. Tops couldn't stay mad forever. He got to his feet and thought he'd check on Littlefoot first. Luckily, he watched as the elderly Apatosaurus' got into a serious conversation.

"Littlefoot, your grandma and I just don't want to lose you.", Grandpa Longneck told his grandson.

"You are all we have.", Grandma Longneck added.

Littlefoot looked a bit guilty and a little frustrated.

"It's so hard being little."

Grandma Longneck chuckled lovingly.

"You'll grow up faster than you think.", she told him, "Be patient. Enjoy being young while it lasts."

"And stay close to the herd.", Grandpa Longneck added.

Littlefoot sighed, but looked a bit more assured as Grandpa Longneck continued.

"We are safe here in the valley. The Great Wall protects us from Sharpteeth and other dangers of the Mysterious Beyond. But there are dangers in the Valley as well, Littlefoot. You must always be careful."

Cole looked towards the mountain walls as Grandpa Longneck's words echoed in his mind.

"Great Wall? Sounds like the wonder of China.", he thought, "And I guess the so called "Mysterious Beyond" is what Littlefoot, the others, and myself went through to get here."

He was brought out of his thoughts as Littlefoot's voice caught his ears.

"But my friends…and Cole…"

"Hush now.", Grandma Longneck told him softly, "It is time for sleep. The Bright Circle has already gone from the sky."

"But I'm not sleepy.", Littlefoot protested.

Cole suddenly came out of his hiding place and took the older Apatosaurs by surprise.

"Cole, how much did you hear?", Littlefoot asked.

"I heard enough.", Cole answered before looking thoughtful, "Maybe I can tell you a bedtime story. That might help get some shut eye."

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck looked assured right away.

"Thanks Cole.", Grandma Longneck said.

Cole gave a nod her way and led Littlefoot to what looked like a shallow hole and after Littlefoot yawned and turned around a few times, he laid down. Cole suddenly noticed he had the tree star that Imastun had given him. He walked over to a pond nearby and filled it with water before coming back and setting it near Littlefoot.

"Just in case.", he said smiling.

Littlefoot yawned again before turning to his grandparents.

"Good night, Grandpa. Good night, Grandma.", he said lazily.

After a nuzzle from each, the elder longnecks walked off after saying good night back. Coel got into a comfortable spot to sit and thought for a minute.

"Should I tell the story of-"

He paused to notice Littlefoot already asleep and rolled his eyes comically before he settled to sleep himself.

/

They weren't asleep for very long before the grass blades behind them rustled.

"Psst! Littlefoot! Cole!", a voice whispered, "Littlefoot, Cole, wake up!"

Cole and Littlefoot lazily got up and Cole looked around.

"Cera?", he asked since he recognized the voice, "Where are you?"

"Here!", Cera whispered.

Cole saw some grass rustle and he led Littlefoot over as Cera poked her head out.

"What are you doing here?", Littlefoot asked her.

"Shh! Quiet!", Cera whispered again as if her father was sleeping nearby.

"What's the matter?", Littlefoot asked lowering his voice to a whisper too.

"I can't sleep.", Cera informed still keeping her voice down, "It's important. We've got to talk."

Cole looked confused.

"At this hour?", he asked quietly.

Cera nodded.

"Yes now."

Cole sighed as he turned to Littlefoot.

"Guess we have no option than to go huh?"

Cera didn't wait for Littlefoot to answer seeing that she could tell Cole had an idea what she had in mind.

"Come on, let's get the others."

The trio headed off into the night and soon got Ducky, Petrie and Spike as they regrouped on a large plateau just as the moon came up illuminating the earth below. The group had gotten into a sitting circle of some kind while Cole sat nearby.

"Yep, yep, yep. We are all here.", Ducky informed, "Yes, we are."

Petrie looked curious.

"But what we here for?", he asked.

"Yes, is there a problem?", Ducky added.

Cera walked by like a general.

"Grown-ups.", she stated before she paused and turned to the others, "I suppose you got the same lecture I did?"

The others nodded, but Cole just watched.

"Me too young to wander far.", Petrie stated as he did what Cole would guess was an impression of his mother giving the lesson.

"We are not grown-ups and we should remember it.", Ducky added.

"There are many dangers.", Littlefoot informed remembering his grandfather's words, "I must always be careful."

"Don't hang around with longnecks, beak faces, spike-tails, or rainbow faces.", Cera stated before seeing she was talking to the exact things and quickly corrected herself, "Well, it was mostly the same lecture."

/

Cole got to his feet as he felt he had something to say.

"Guys, I know you're all upset, but I saw how upset your parents were when we got out of the incident today. They just don't want you to get hurt."

Cera suddenly came up to him.

"That's the problem.", she said firmly, "They think we can't take care of ourselves. We've got to do something so the grown-ups will stop treating us like hatchlings."

She sat down in a huff as Petrie fluttered in front of her as if agreeing.

"Cera right."

"I agree. I do, I do.", Ducky said, "So what are we going to do?"

Cole frowned.

"Do you even hear yourselves?", he asked, "Sometimes life is unfair, but complaining and throwing a tantrum won't solve anything."

The group paused as Cole then had an idea.

"Hey, you guys up for a little night game I know about?"

That made the group forget their aggression for a bit as they looked at Cole curiously.

"What game?", Petrie asked.

"How do we play?", Ducky asked.

Cole chuckled as he led the group to the side of the plateau where the view was breathtaking.

"It's a game called "I Spy.", he said with a sneaky smile, "You see something, and when you do, you say, "I spy with my little eye something…" and give a description, but not tell any of the rest what it is. Then the rest guess what it is."

That got the group interested though Cole could see they were taking in the view.

"You can see everything from up here.", Ducky said cheerfully, "You can, you can."

"Hey Ducky, there's your nest.", Littlefoot said as he gestured in a direction.

Cole's eyes saw it, but then saw Ozzie and strut walk off with an egg.

"Look!", he said suddenly.

The rest saw the egg stealers as they vanished into some trees.

"Hey, they're stealing an egg!", Littlefoot said in alarm.

"They're egg-napping part of our family!", Ducky said just as worried.

Cole got to the ledge.

"Quick, we should alarm the-"

"Hold it!", Cera said cutting him off, "If we catch 'em ourselves, it'll show everyone that we're not babies anymore."

Ducky looked on board.

"Oh yes, yes, yes, yes."

Cole looked unsure, but Littlefoot came up to his side.

"I don't know…"

"Look scaredy.", Cera said firmly, "There's six of us and only two of them. What could go wrong? Hmm?"

Cole could see she wasn't going to change her mind and after seeing Spike come up to them, he looked firm.

"I'm going to say this again.", he said firmly, "I'll help, but only if you do exactly as I say. Okay?"

Ducky, Petrie, and Spike nodded. Littlefoot paused, but then gave in.

"Okay."

"Let's go get 'em.", Cera said with gusto.

And the group headed out in pursuit with Cole in the lead.

/

Ozzie and Strut paused as they thought they found a safe place to eat.

"Now remember, I get the first bite.", Ozzie said taking the egg from his brother, "After all, this was my idea."

Just as he was about to take a bite, they heard Cera's voice call out.

"Drop that egg!"

Startled, Ozzie almost dropped the egg, but caught it as he looked to see Cole and the kids running towards him and Strut. Their cover had been blown!

"Uh-oh, we've been spotted!", he said pushing the egg back into his brother's hands, "I told you not to be so obvious."

He dashed off with Strut following just as Cole saw them through the trees.

"Hey, stop right there!", he called after them.

"Bring back my brother! Um, or sister!", Ducky called also.

Ozzie and Strut kept running and soon came to a part of the Great Wall where they started to hop up and were soon at the top just as Cole and the rest appeared at the bottom.

"They're heading towards the Mysterious Beyond.", Cera said just as the egg stealers vanished, "Maybe we should get help after all."

Cole frowned as he started climbing.

"Too late for that now.", he answered, "They'll get away."

Littlefoot started alongside him while looking Cera's way.

"This was your idea.", he told her, "Are you coming or not?"

Cera said nothing, but Cole felt assured that Cera was getting a taste of her own medicine. He didn't have time to gloat or anything cause an innocent life was in danger and they had to move! He just kept going up with Littlefoot following unaware that Cera had gotten over her moment and snorted in a huff before ramming into a rock and smashing it to bits before following them. Petrie and Spike were following also and while the group was pursuing them, Ozzie and Strut paused as they had gotten a good distance ahead.

"How..big are they?", Ozzie asked.

Strut looked behind them and the moon's light made the group's shadows look enormous.

"Oh, they're big.", he informed, "Very big."

Ozzie kept going and came to a ledge and peeked over.

"Huh?", he called.

His voice echoed as his brother joined him. The two egg stealers were at the edge of a chasm that was deep judging by the echo and another ledge was a short distance away from them.