Warning: This chapter harm to both adults and children, with the latter including injuries and falling from a great height. It also contains verbal abuse. Reader Discretion advised.

We Will Hold On Forever

by

DaveTheAnalyzer

Chapter 36: Re-turning the Circle Part 2

They disentangled, Ruby moaning.

"Hey, you okay?" Petrie asked.

She showed her hand and they gasped. Her hand had been pulled so hard against the outer side of her arm that it had snapped, wobbling in the wrist. It looked flattened, resembling a thin, long-legged web-weaver. Her fingers could wiggle but that made her yelp and cradle her hand. The others looked at her in concern.

"I can still walk," she said. "At least we are out of those tunnels."

"We're all scraped up though." Chomper noted.

It was true. Littlefoot looked at himself and winced at the thin cuts on his sides. They were all covered in bruises and scratches from the uneven tunnel surface pressing against them. Ducky touched her back and yipped at a bruise there. Spike examined the scrapes on his side and the rear part of his back, whimpering in pain. Even Petrie hadn't escaped, his cheek having been bruised by a fallen rock. Cera tore her gaze from her own scratches and her expression became consternated.

"Never mind that!" she said. "Look where we are now!"

Looking around, Littlefoot's heart sank. They stood ahead of the incline that marked the beginning of the open path, on the opposite Great Wall of the hidden tunnel. To their right, the beautiful trees and grassland of the Great Valley spread out far and wide. Ducky pushed herself up, at a loss and discouraged.

"Oh, come on!" she said.

"We did so much flying or walking." Petrie landed on Littlefoot, disheartened. "It must have been Anchors who made tunnel end here!"

"Don't let this get you down." Littlefoot said. "The others are counting on us. Come on, let's get moving before-"

A screech came overhead. Looking up, they saw several flying shapes shoot down upon them. Screaming, the gang scrambled ahead, barely avoiding a few curving strikes. They ran, hearing many wings flapping behind them. Risking a glance up, Littlefoot discovered Don leading the flock. The elderly flyer's face was tight in outrage.

"Stop what you're doing at once!" he called.

"Don!" Petrie said, shaken. "You – you nearly stabbed us!"

"I'm only doing that to prevent you from destroying what we all worked hard for!"

Ruby looked up, beseeching. "Don, listen! You know this is wrong. You're seeing the wrongs Wing Father, Verter, and Tega are doing. Please, join us!"

"I won't die again!" Don cried. "How dare you suggest that? I now live in a world that listens to and respects me! I won't let you take that away from me! I don't want to hurt you children but I'll do it to make you stop!"

Don dived down again, aiming his beak. The gang were forced to scatter, having to dodge the other flyers that also dove down. Spike hastily dodged a slash from a female flyer and nearly got too close to the path edge, scrabbling away as Ducky squealed and nearly got thrown off. Littlefoot and the others regrouped, Petrie with a hurt expression.

"Oh, why he no see the light?" he murmured.

"Forget about changing him!" Cera said. "We need to think of a way of shaking him off! Is he controlling the flyers?"

"I don't know! Maybe!" Littlefoot said. "Look out!"

Another whoosh proceeded Don and his flyers diving upon the gang for a third time. The gang scattered once more, dodging and evading flyer beaks. One of the flyers zoomed over to Chomper. He panted and ducked low but a blur went over him and there was an ugly snap. Chomper bellowed in pain, staggering and almost falling onto his side but kept running through sheer force of will. The group regathered and got close to assess the damage. The strike had only hit Chomper's tail but it was crushed to half its size and bent toward the ground at an odd angle. Ruby stared at him horrified.

"Chomper!" she cried. She glared up. "How could you, Don? Why are you making the flyers do this?"

"You are making me do this!" Don shot back, voice strained. But he appeared determined to keep going. "I must use everything to stop you children for the greater good! You continue resisting! I was too gentle letting you escape those tunnels!"

"Wait!" Ducky shouted. "You were the one making the tunnels change and go all over the place?"

"It was my duty to prevent you from getting to Wing Father's cave! But you started moving faster than I could create tunnels! The others said to abandon you there but I thought that was too extreme! I thought if I let you off on the other path, you would become dispirited enough to give up!"

"Let us off?" Cera repeated. "You nearly crushed us!"

"That was my mercy but I see how foolish that was now!" Don's eyes narrowed. "Everything I do from now on is on you!"

A small shape shot toward the gang. Littlefoot and others cried out and dodged around it. It followed Petrie in the air, forcing him to fly a complicated corkscrew with teeth and claws gnashing at his feet. It turned and zoomed toward Ducky, reaching out legs. Ducky yelped and pressed into Spike's back, those claws missing her by an inch. The shape paused and flapped above the gang, letting them get a chance to see it was a sharpbeak, lip curled proudly. Cold shot through Littlefoot as he recognized him. Ruby blanched.

"You!" she said. "What are you doing here?"

"Giving some payback." Ichy said. He kept up with the gang's pace, flapping with ease. "I was told we would have an opportunity for revenge and it was too sweet to resist."

"Who asked that?" Chomper asked, then moaning when a flair of pain prickled up his injured tail.

"Wing Father and that old flyer behind me." Ichy said. "Whenever me and Dil ran across you kids, you always gave us bad luck. Now it's time we turn it around!"

Ruby tightened her beak and looked up. "How dare you, Don? You brought an unfriendly meat eater to the Great Valley!"

"With the threat you and your friends present, I and my fellow Anchors have to pull out all the stops!" Don snapped. "You know how to stop this!"

"Enough yapping, more slashing!" Ichy said.

He darted down and Littlefoot had to duck and dodge Ichy's slashing claws, Cera and Ruby jumping around doing the same thing. For a moment, Ruby appeared hurt Don would do this. Then all concern disappeared from her face and she came to a decision. The flyers dived once more and the gang scattered, avoiding tearing claws and stabbing beaks, Ichy darting about among them, nearly causing them to crash into each other. When they regrouped, Ruby looked about, imperiously searching for any inspiration for how to get rid of Don. Petrie did the same, desperate. Looking at the loose boulders on the mountain above, Ruby's gazed fixed on one particular loose boulder far ahead barely hanging on above a small group of other rocks. Ruby looked ill at the thought but steeled herself as she looked at Petrie.

"Petrie," she said. "I'm going to ask you to do something you mightn't like."

"Let me guess." Petrie said, resigned but determined. "Distract Don and the other flyers."

Ruby was surprised. "How did you know?"

"Me saw what you were looking at," he sighed. "Me no like it but we have to do it."

Ruby nodded. Don and his flyers dived at the gang again, who had to break apart and dodge the strikes from beaks and talons. When the flyers flew back up, Petrie ascended with them. Much of their focus fixed on the young flyer. They flapped after Petrie, snapping beaks at him and slapping wings and claws. Petrie weaved around and ducked fast from the attacks. Ichy stayed on Petrie's tail, biting teeth and slashing claws just barely missing the young flyer. Petrie hopped onto the back of one flyer that tried to bite him and the female flyer behind them surged forward. Petrie jumped off and the two flyers smacked into each other. He was risking himself a lot to keep the flyers distracted. With a wince, Ruby cracked her hand back into its socket and snatched a stone, eying the rapidly approaching loose boulder with a tense look. Petrie flapped hard, barely staying ahead of a few beak snaps from Don and Ichy.

"Stop avoiding our strikes!" Don said. "Oh, I should have known you would go along with this foolishness!"

Petrie yipped, dodging a wing slash. "It may be foolish but at least me following conscience."

"Did you say that with a straight face?" Ichy asked. "Ugh, I'm going to throw up!"

Don sneered. "A conscience is an illogical concept. It only gets you into messes you never should get into in the first place-"

Ten feet from the loose boulder, Ruby nodded and chucked her rock at a ninety degree angle and struck it on the small ledge it perched on. The boulder tipped over and tumbled down, smashing into several other rocks and boulders clinging to the mountainside. They crackled and fell too, right in Don and the other flyers' path. Petrie darted up and in mid-rant, Don smacked straight into a boulder. A rock struck into Ichy's head and he disappeared with a yowl. Several others crashed into or got crushed as they flew under the avalanche's shadow. Petrie maneuvered around the falling boulders, passing between a few by inches. The burst and boom of rocks and boulders reverberated behind the gang, seeming to go on forever. When it calmed and Petrie rejoined the gang, Littlefoot glanced back and saw many crushed and dazed flyer amid the avalanche pile, only beaks, wings and legs visible. The others sent stunned looks at Petrie and Ruby, who looked grim.

"It only way to get rid of him." Petrie said resignedly.

"I remembered how we buried our pursuers while running for the hidden tunnel." Ruby said.

Petrie then winced and let out a pained whimper. Glancing at him, Littlefoot and the others were shocked to find that his left foot was twisted to the side, flopping up and down. Ducky clapped her mouth.

"Petrie, you are hurted!" she said.

"Me fine." Petrie said. "A small rock me didn't see hit it. No worry, it will get better."

The others stared in concern. Chomper tail was still broken and only now was Ruby's hand expanding back to normal size. Littlefoot felt a sinking guilt at the sacrifices his friends had to make to keep up the mission. They all suffered for what he persuaded they must do. They reached the halfway mark on the path, the wall becoming wavy, some waves large enough to hide huge dinosaurs from view. Littlefoot was reminded of this feature's use when his grandparents ambushed Patty to rescue him

"We would have been squished along with them if you didn't get the timing right Ruby." Cera said. "Still, it'll block anyone chasing us by foot, so-"

As Littlefoot and the others passed one of the large obscuring waves, a dark horned figure charged into view. They screamed and only just dodged, weaving a half-circle around him. A few second later, a horned pink figure surged at them and they backed away, only to have to stop to avoid the first threehorn's horns. Then a light grey threehorn charged at them. Littlefoot and the others moved from side to side but the threehorns countered them. The pink threehorn joined her light-grey compatriot, snarling at them. Cera's parents stood arrayed on either side of the gang blocking any exit, glaring with lips pressed together. Mr. Threehorn stood behind the gang, raising his head.

"What do you think you're doing, Cera?" he demanded.

"D-Daddy?" Cera stuttered. "Tria? Mom?"

"I never thought I would see you do this." Mrs. Threehorn said. "Going against Wing Father? How could you?"

"We surrounded them." Tria said. "Verter, we got them!"

A laugh echoed ahead behind one of the waves. Marching into view, Verter smirked.

"It was a good thing I had the forethought to hide some of you here," he said. "Of course Don wouldn't have the stomach to go hard on you children in that tunnel. Wing Father will be most pleased."

Cera's breath caught. "Verter. How did you get here?"

"You shouldn't be surprised." Verter said. "Of course we Anchors would put in contingencies if some of us failed. Now you're all in big, big trouble."

"We're very disappointed in you, Cera." Mrs. Threehorn said, expression cold.

"I was so proud to call you my daughter when I entered the family." Tria sent a hurt look. "Now I don't know what to feel."

"It isn't like that!" Cera said. "Don't you see what Wing Father's doing? He's using you! We need to stop him!"

"Don't you smear Wing Father's name!" Mr. Threehorn snapped. "We should be proud to be of use to him. Stopping him would be as wrong as trying to stop the day circle from rising!"

"Of course you won't listen." Cera muttered. "Guys, charge under and around my family. We need to get to that cave."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" asked Horen's voice.

Cera started. The patter of small feet on the path became audible. Walking from behind a wave were Cera's sisters, Horen, Rica, Duane, even Tricia. They slowly filed out so they filled the spaces between their mothers and Verter, levelling Cera with glares. Cera's defiance drained away, replaced by a faint horror.

"What – what are you all doing here?" she said.

"Fulfilling our duty." Rica replied. "We'll make sure you get nowhere near Wing Father's cave."

"We're still your sisters, Cera." Duane said quietly. "Please, don't do this."

Tricia warbling pleadingly, pushing for Cera to join them. Cera stepped back, pain and sadness mixing in her. Having her sisters be the enemy was the last thing she wanted.

"You are the ones who shouldn't be doing what you're doing!" she said. "Please, wake up! If you don't, you'll suffer forever!"

Her sisters only growled and put a foot forward, determined to stand their ground. Tricia appeared sad for a moment before she gained the same hostile expression. Cera didn't know what to say, eyes moistening. Then becoming angry, she rounded on Verter.

"Verter, st-stop controlling them!" she shouted.

Verter laughed. "Controlling them? They're only following their threehorn instincts. They won't be deceived by lies or false pretense at settling things peacefully. And you won't be able to run now..."

Footsteps rumbled behind them. Slowly, Littlefoot and the others looked back to find Mama and Papa Sharptooth lumbering up, stopping on either side of Mr. Threehorn. Cera sent a fearful glance back. Mama and Papa Sharptooth lowered their heads, growls ominous, looking at Chomper and his friends with a mix of fury and betrayal.

"So it is true." Papa Sharptooth said. "Our son, allied against the valley."

"Daddy, that isn't true!" Chomper protested, looking guilty. "Don't listen to Verter!"

"How were Chomper's parents able to get around the avalanche I started?" Ruby said, aghast.

"The members of the Great Valley are stronger than you think." Verter said. "Not to mention sharpteeth are tenacious. It was would only take a few shoves to get rid of your obstacle."

"Verter would never lie about something like this, Chomper!" Mama Sharptooth retorted. "We're disappointed in you. Think of what we've been doing for you. We've accommodated your eating habits, allowed you to remain friendly with leaf eaters, even moved to the valley. This is how you repay us?"

"No!" Chomper said. "Listen, we're trying to protect you!"

"We won't be listening to your lies any longer!" Mr. Threehorn cried. "It seems like you children won't see sense. It's time for your punishment!"

With Verter, Cera and Chomper's families stepped forward. There was an ominous gleam in their eyes. Littlefoot and the others tensed, a chill settling into their stomachs.

"Are – are you going to hurt us?" Littlefoot asked.

"You wouldn't." Cera said. "Even at your strictest, you never hit us Daddy!"

"We realize we've been too soft." Mrs. Threehorn said.

"She's right." Tria said. "Maybe if you had true discipline like Verter said, you wouldn't have betrayed the valley."

"Sometimes the only message that works is one that leaves a mark." Papa Sharptooth said.

"No! You said you would never do that!" Chomper said. He glared. "How dare you, Verter! Using our family, Cera's sisters! Call this off, now!"

"I can't do anything." Verter said, placing an innocent paw on his chest. "I'm only here to support the parents. They're the ones who want to correct you."

The threehorn and sharptooth families stomped their feet forward. Cera and Chomper froze, a mix of fear and hurt making their minds blank. Their families were actually planning to harm them. Littlefoot tried to come up with a plan but it was hard to shake off the freezing terror of the moment. Mr. Threehorn shot forward, horns low. Littlefoot and the others cried out and tripped and leapt out the way. In spite of their best efforts, they got separated. Littlefoot slowed when Tria and Mrs. Threehorn thrust their horns at him, the nose horns missing by inches. Chomper, Ducky, and Spike hopped ahead, desperately keeping abreast of Mama and Papa Sharptooth's biting jaws. Rica, Duane, and Tricia chased Petrie and Ruby, lashing their nose horns at them, who were reluctant to strike back. Littlefoot staggered to the side to avoid Horen's charge, only to skid and run when he got into Mr. Threehorn's charging path.

Littlefoot didn't know what to do. He hadn't considered he and his friends being surrounded like this. He feared what Verter planned to do if he captured his friends. Verter remained behind Mrs. Threehorn and Tria, laughing mockingly. Cera paused not far from Littlefoot, eyes darting about everywhere for an escape. She looked at where Mr. Threehorn threw his horns at Ruby and Petrie and lit up with an idea. She became anxious, her gaze wandering around uncertainly, but it was the only reasonable solution she saw, so stole herself. Darting forward, she rushed under Mr. Threehorn, who made a noise of outrage and stomped his feet about, trying to squash her. She almost got out of his stomping range when his rear foot went down and crushed half of her frill. She howled in pain but managed to continue moving. Before Mr. Threehorn could pursue, she looked back at her friends.

"Now, guys!" she called. "Flee beneath and around them!"

Littlefoot and the others stared at her. It looked dangerous but even with her and Chomper's families running about, there were still room to move. Petrie and Ruby ran fast, having to dodge around Mama and Papa Sharptooth's snapping jaws. Rushing passed Mr. Threehorn, the pair joined Cera. Realizing what they were doing, Mr. Threehorn pursued and the three started running. Littlefoot, Ducky, and Spike followed a second later. They jumped around Duane and Rica and ran passed Mr. Threehorn. Not wanting them to get away, Verter stepped into their path, face stretching in fury.

The three rushed around his two left feet, jumping to the side of his left forefoot to avoid its stomp. Verter stomped his rear left foot when the three passed and they leapt aside too. Littlefoot saw the edge of Verter's toe coming down out of the corner of his eye and suddenly his long neck radiated white-hot pressure. Littlefoot tried to scream but only a wheeze came out. He suddenly found it much harder to breathe.

"Oh no, Littlefoot!" Ducky cried.

Littlefoot shook his head, which flopped unsteadily, indicating they should continue moving. Ducky looked like she wanted to stop and do something. In Verter's distraction, Chomper passed him, which made Verter's expression contort and give chase. The rest of Cera and Chomper's families weren't far behind them, Mrs. Threehorn and Tria matching Verter's pace. Mama and Papa Sharptooth brought up the rear and Cera's sisters ran between all of them. With these pursuers Ducky patted Spike to keep going. For Littlefoot, it was hard to move and think with so little air, and not give into panic. He wondered if Ducky and Spike had to suffer through this in the pond.

Littlefoot didn't have time to linger on it, for the three passed Mr. Threehorn, who stomped his feet. They dodged around his rear foot. When they passed his right fore foot, Spike was too slow to dodge. The edge of one of Mr. Threehorn's toes clipped Ducky's arm. Her scream tore through Littlefoot but they couldn't stop running.

"D-Diky?" Littlefoot wheezed, the sound barely legible as a name.

"Don't speak." Ducky whimpered. "It is my arm. Oh, it hurts so much!"

Her right arm flopped in the wind. She wanted to grab it but she needed her spare hand to hold onto Spike. Every flop and wiggle made her whimper in pain. Horror flashed in Littlefoot but he couldn't linger on it with his mind blanking out from insufficient air. Having just avoided Mr. Threehorn's stomps, Chomper caught up and nudged Littlefoot, forcing them to keep moving. The four caught up with Cera, who saw their injuries and gave a shocked double-take.

"Littlefoot! Ducky!" she panted. "Oh, why did I come up with such a stupid plan!"

"It is alright!" Ducky panted, glancing at her flopping arm with watering eyes. "At least we are still running again."

Littlefoot nodded, making another wheezing sound. His thoughts cut off and stuttered due to barely being able to breathe but somehow, he was still able to move. He glanced down, finding that his neck had been nearly flattened. His head wobbled, struggling to balance itself on such a thin neck. Petrie glanced around worriedly.

"But how will we shake off those chasing us?" he asked.

"You can't!" Mr. Threehorn called. "We'll keep chasing you for as long as you're up to this foolishness!"

The threehorns and sharptooth didn't slow in their pursuit. Verter and Mr. Threehorn rumbled in the lead, Cera's sisters scattered around their feet, and Mrs. Threehorn and Tria followed. Chomper's parents loomed over in the rear, roaring and snarling. The gang couldn't afford to fight their families, as that would either get the gang captured or too injured to move. Looking ahead, Littlefoot saw boulders of several sizes scattered about, blocking all but the cliff edge of the path ahead. He realized the Anchors were using this as obstacles for the gang. Further reinforcing this, a bellydragger marched in front, hissing as she heard their approach.

"You won't get passed here, squirts!" Dil declared. "Wing Father has given me a good arrangement! This is where you're stopped!"

Cera groaned. "Oh, you got to be kidding me!"

The gang let out moans and whimpers. Chomper looked scared to have yet another enemy to deal with but jerked as though struck by inspiration. He grimaced, moaning uncertainly but braced himself.

He picked up his pace to draw level with Cera. He whispered to her, and she gasped, arguing back shortly, even exclaiming "No!" Despite being close, Littlefoot and the others couldn't hear the plan. Cera gritted her teeth together, but saw them rapidly nearing Dil. Pressing her lips together, Cera nodded in resignation.

"If we must!" she said. "But we need to get around her first!"

"There's no getting around me!" Dil growled.

They closed in on the bellydragger. They hopped back from a snap of her teeth. They scattered around her, Cera and Chomper hopping passed her maw and Littlefoot, Chomper and Ruby her tail. The latter three jumped about to avoid her tail slams. They ended up running around and on to top of her.

"Stop buzzing about!" Dil complained.

"We do not have time for you, Dil!" Ducky said, Spiking hopping over tail.

"We really do not!" Petrie said, flying above. "They getting closer!"

Indeed, Verter and Cera and Chomper's families were rapidly nearing, the rumble of their feet increasingly shaking the area. Dil was moving about more wildly. Littlefoot let out a wheezing gasp when a claw slashed on his tail, giving him a flair of pain. Gritting her teeth, Cera appeared to get an idea and hopped onto Dil's head, covering her eyes and nostrils with her feet.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Dil cried. "Get off!"

Seeing what Cera was doing, the others also got on her, Chomper getting near her rear to cover Dil's ears. The bellydragger thrashed about, shouting she didn't know what was going on. The gang rocked but managed to stay on her. Looking up, Cera noted there was a small path they could use around the boulders at the edge.

"We can go through there!" she said. "This is going to be a tight squeeze!"

"What?" Ducky cried, gaze trailing the space on the edge. "Would we fit along there?"

"We can't be picky!" Cera said.

She hopped off Dil and ran toward it. The others did the same and followed, ignoring Dil's complaints they come back. The gang formed a single line before they rushed onto the small ledge, the far drop terrifyingly close to their right. Littlefoot felt the cliff under them vibrate uncertainly with their weight. Hearing Dil yelp, Littlefoot cast a quick glance back to see Cera's sisters hopping onto the bellydragger to pursue them on the cliff edge. The rumble of Verter and the others closing in became all-consuming.

"Oh, you're going to be in so much trouble when you're caught!" Mr. Threehorn cried, moving ahead of Verter. "After I get my paws on you-"

"Topps, look out!" Verter said sharply. "They're trying to-"

"Oh no." Dil gulped. "Oh no, oh no!"

Littlefoot looked over his shoulder. Mr. Threehorn's gaze was on where his other daughters disappeared along the ledge and not at the boulders piled in his path. He ran close to the edge and crashed into the obstacle, falling on his side. Mr. Threehorn bellowed as his back was stabbed by Mrs. Threehorn and Tria. Mama Sharptooth rammed in from the rear, gasping at the abrupt stop. Dil's yowl was cut short by a loud crunching. Mama Sharptooth's momentum transferred to the rest of the group and they slid to the edge before toppling over. Papa Sharptooth staggered to the edge to try to grab his mate but the patch he stepped on crumbled and he fell after them. Amid the chaos, Horen and Cera's other sisters didn't have room to look back at what was happening but their faces registered shock before they became angry. They thrust their horns at Littlefoot all the way in the back.

"You'll pay for that you-!" Horen cried.

The path vibrated even harder. Littlefoot and the others only just made it to the other side when there was a "chunk" and the narrow edge path crumpled under the sisters. Still running, Littlefoot glimpsed the sisters spin down as they screamed out of sight. Tricia's terrified wail echoed long after her sisters' faded. There were a few faint rumbles. Littlefoot and the others moved side by side again with more running space as they stared at Cera and Chomper, stunned for a few seconds.

"What did we just…?" Ruby's voice trembled. "Chomper, those were your parents!"

Chomper nodded, whimpering. "It – it was the only way. We couldn't make them stop following!"

"They'll get better!" Cera said to herself, eyes closed in distress. "By the time we change things, they'll definitely have gotten better!"

The others didn't know what to say to the pair. With a crack, Chomper's tail expanded back to normal size and Cera's half-crushed frill billowed back to its normal position but they were experiencing a more soulful kind of pain. Littlefoot couldn't imagine hurting one's family for the good of this mission. A crash came behind them. Looking back, Littlefoot just saw Verter make an impossible leap over the many boulders and booming onto the other side to continue pursuit. The gang cried out and hastened their run. Verter's hard gaze meant he was no longer playing.

"Over there!"

"Verter's following them!"

That wasn't the only threat coming Littlefoot and the others' way. Far behind them in the distance, a ton of dinosaurs were stampeding up the path. What looked like a quarter of the Great Valley were in pursuit, rapidly catching up. Littlefoot glimpsed his grandparents near the front looking determined, Mama Swimmer with a thunderous expression. The flaps of wings filled the air as flyers flew above and ahead of the land pursuers. Littlefoot thought he saw Petrie's parents and siblings and Swooper among the flyers, catching up to the gang at a fair clip. Verter took this in before offering Littlefoot and the others a smirk.

"Now you're in big trouble!" he said.

Spike moaned with dread. Littlefoot fought the helpless feeling coming over him. He was under no illusion the boulder obstacle the gang just thwarted wouldn't be removed or tossed aside. It didn't matter, Littlefoot told himself. They were nearly at Wing Father's cave. Looking ahead, he could see it coming up, no longer hidden from view by any illusion. The four holes in the mountain peak were as unnaturally bright as Littlefoot remembered them being and they were tantalizingly close.

His friends called out in alarm and Littlefoot looked directly at the cave entrance to find Patty and Mama Longneck standing guard on either side of it. Littlefoot's heart jumped. It looked like Wing Father and the Anchors were indeed pulling out all the stops to defeat the gang.

"Littlefoot, stop!" Mama Longneck called.

Though rattled, Littlefoot and the others didn't dare slow down with the number of dinosaurs behind them. Mama Longneck looked so lost and hurt Littlefoot had to resist the urge to stop and comfort her. Patty had a deadly serious stare, only showing the slightest hesitance.

"Don't you dare!" she cried, raising her tail. "I won't let you take the good thing we have."

"Littlefoot, I don't understand!" Mama Longneck said. "Why are you going against Wing Father? Please, reconsider!"

"If he could speak, I am sure Littlefoot would say sorry!" Ducky said.

"You'll understand after it's done!" Cera said. "Hopefully!"

"We have to stop them!" Patty shouted.

Mama Longneck clearly had misgivings but also raised her tail. The gang didn't stop moving but felt like they were rushing to their deaths. Littlefoot shared the same feeling but he couldn't strategize much, since his neck was still flattened. They didn't know how they were going to dodge the tail strikes that were surely to come. Trying to think hard with his brain having so little air, Littlefoot got his friends attention and mimed they had to be nimble and quick. The others was still uncertain since they hoped for less generic advice but had to work with it as they closed the distance to Patty and Mama Longneck…

Those raised tails shot down. Littlefoot and the others barely scrabbled to a halt before Patty and Mama Longneck's tails struck a few feet in front of them, some covering their faces from the burst of debris. The tails went up sky fire quick and Littlefoot and the others charged forward. Patty and Mama Longneck's tails crashed behind them, rocks shooting out around them and nicking their skin. Barely a second later, the tails struck inches behind them with ear-searing force and the gang was sent flying forward. His friends cried out, Spike's pained shout clear above it all. When they landed Littlefoot dazedly noticed Spike's rear-right leg was bent in an odd position. The others rushed back up and raced to the cave entrance's sides to scrape and bang at it, attempting to cause a collapse.

Patty and Mama Longneck turned around, raising their tails. Fear came back to Littlefoot as they loomed over Cera and the others about to strike. Behind the pair, the stampede of dinosaurs rapidly closed the distance to the cave, seconds from crushing his friends underfoot. Desperate, Littlefoot sent a hurt, wounded look at Mama Longneck. She faltered. For a second, she appeared to wonder what she was doing. As Mama Longneck's tail slowed, Patty's didn't and snapped into hers. The force made them both cry out and stumble and crash into the cave entrance's sides.

At the same time, the herd crashed into the pair. The cave rumbled. The gang staggered back. With a shake, chunks of the ceiling parted, obscuring Patty and Mama Longneck's collapsed figures in a waterfall of boulders and stones. Parts of the cave entrance's sides shattered, large stick-like parts breaking apart further as they joined the pile. The roar was enormous but couldn't drown out the screams and bellows as dinosaurs charging on the path continued plowing into each other, many toppling into the valley below. A great plum of dust rose up.

At last it quieted and the dust dissipated to show the entrance was half-buried. Above the rubble pile, they could see Patty and Mama Longneck's bodies crushed into the entrance's sides, the feet and torsos of dinosaurs behind the pair stiff and slow to move. Panting, the seven collapsed, taking a moment to catch their breath. With a crack, Ducky's arm got back into its socket and she clenched and unclenched her fingers. Littlefoot gasped as his neck expanded back to its previous size and could now inhale a lungful of air. Cera blew out a breath, eying the top half of the buried entrance warily.

"I think we should knock down more rubble before someone can climb in." she asked.

"There's no time." Littlefoot said, voice still having a lingering wheeze. He jumped up, pointing to the four holes giving a view of the valley. "See those? Flyers can come in that way at any moment. This is our chance. Quick, onto the stones!"

The gang hastened to the seven small stones on the outer rim of the four-sided Anchor stones. From the half-buried cave entrance, the crackle, crunch, and angry murmurs warned them the valley dinosaurs were struggling to break through. Spike whimpered, limping on his injured foot slowly toward his large stone. Cera stepped on hers uncomfortably.

"I never thought I'd be back here," she muttered.

"Don't worry, at least we'll be doing something good." Chomper said, even as he clambered cautiously onto his stone.

"Are you sure about that?" asked a voice.

The gang screamed. From the back of the cave, Wing Father floated forward. Hastily, Ruby and Littlefoot scrambled onto their stones. Petrie flapped fast to get onto his small seven-sided stone. Even as they did this, Littlefoot thought it was foolish, since Wing Father was going to grab them off the stones anyway. Spike limped on, Wing Father floating closer and reaching a hand toward the former's tail. Spike got onto his stone with seconds to spare and Ducky jumped off and landed perfectly onto her stone. Littlefoot and the others crouched waiting for Wing Father to swoop down and unleash painful torment on them. But to their surprise, Wing Father stopped just short of the seven stones. He swept his gaze about imperiously as though to find some route to the gang. Shaking, Littlefoot and the others realized he appeared frustrated. Ruby stirred.

"Wait," she said. "You can't grab us while we're standing on these stones, can you."

Wing Father gazed with a curling lip. "You all have grown too clever for your own good."

Slowly, the gang relaxed. A few like Littlefoot and Ruby took firmer stances on their stones. They allowed themselves to look defiant now they knew they couldn't be touched.

"It's over, Wing Father!" Cera said. "We're going to change things back."

"What you plan to do won't revert the world exactly as before." Wing Father said.

"But at least it be enough to deal with you." Petrie said. "Why have everyone chase us otherwise?"

"I sent everyone after you to prevent you from destroying paradise." Wing Father closed his eyes briefly. "You haven't thought this through clearly."

"We have." Chomper declared. "It isn't paradise if you control everyone. Everyone keeps forgetting and isn't able to change to their best selves."

"What's so wrong with that?" Wing Father smiled. "You have someone else take care of and look after your needs. Wouldn't everyone want that?"

Spike grunted back in defiance. He pointed his head at Wing Father and shook it, communicating not everyone would wish for that if the person taking care of them had bad intentions. His rear leg cracked and healed so he could stand fully, making a sweeping gesture to indicate that everyone should have the right to choose what they want to do. His friends got the gist of it and nodded harshly.

"What he said." Littlefoot said.

"Everyone should have the right to choose." Ducky said.

"Even if it's those like Red Claw?" Wing Father asked.

This caused some to hesitate. Ducky looked away. Ruby closed her eyes and appeared to come to a decision.

"The power to choose includes choosing to both good and bad things," she said. "It's what you have to accept with free will."

Chomper nodded with a sigh. "I admit, I don't always like it but that's the risk you have to accept. And it'll be up to others to make good decisions to counter the bad ones."

"But sometimes the good decisions come too late." Wing Father said. "Those with bad intentions or who make bad decisions will get themselves or others killed. What'll you do if you can't protect your friends and family from these factors? Do you children want to be alone?"

Littlefoot and the others inhaled and appeared to waver. Cera was caught off guard. The gang hadn't thought much about that possibility. They stared at one another, uncertain. Could they abide losing any of their friends one day? What about their families, especially any brothers or sisters long before their time? Littlefoot thought hard, a painful pressure coming to his stomach.

"We'll do all we can to stop those we love from dying, from dangers, sickness, whatever else," he said. "But if the worst ever happens…we'll try to honor their memory and move on."

"Y-yeah." Petrie nodded slowly to himself. "That right."

"We had a lot of time with our friends and family." Cera smiled faintly. "We'll try to carry the good memories."

"And remember to make some good memories while we can." Ducky said.

"Grandpa once mentioned there's so much life out there." Littlefoot continued. "It might get lonely but I'm sure we can make new friends. Of course, it won't replace the ones we have now…"

"That's alright." Ruby said. "If I ever pass on, I want my current friends to make new friends."

"We already keep making new friends anyway." Chomper said. "It's kind of like expanding the circle, in a way. We'll always be connected."

"I'm okay with you all making new friends if it's okay with all of you?" Cera asked.

"Me fine with it." Petrie said.

Ducky joined Spike in nodding and smiling. Wing Father frowned, displeased to be momentarily overlooked among the gang's conversation.

"But you'll lose your childhood, your innocence," he said. "You'll have to take on the responsibilities of adulthood. You'll see and do things you'll regret – even to those you love. Do you wish for that?"

He aimed his gaze at Chomper, who faltered. Littlefoot caught the hint. When Chomper eventually grew up, they all knew his diet would complicate his stay. Not to mention, some of Littlefoot's other friends might drift apart for many reasons and do things that would go against their code. Chomper looked scared. But he nodded in slow forlornness.

"It'll be sad to have to one day say goodbye," he said. "But I'll try to keep to my code and not be a cruel meat eater." He stirred. "Besides, growing up doesn't mean you stop having fun."

"That's right!" Ruby said. "I have seen my parents enjoy themselves, whether with me, my brother and sister, or each other."

"Even Grandma and Grandpa have fun from time to time." Littlefoot smiled faintly. "Dad too when he visits. And Mother. I don't think that'll change."

"I won't stop having fun just because I grow up." Cera said. She slid a foot uncertainly. "As for not so great things I might do in the future…I'll keep myself in check. It will be hard but I'll do it. If I can't, my friends will help with that. Right?"

Petrie nodded. "Definitely."

"We will check on you." Ducky agreed. "But do not be hard on yourself, Cera. You are a good person."

"That's right." Littlefoot smiled. "Even if it's hard, you always do the right thing. I don't see that changing when we grow up."

Ruby nodded once and gave a confident look. Cera looked around for a bit, touched, before smiling in relief. They got distracted when Wing Father suddenly clenched his fists. Littlefoot and the others watched warily, ready for a dangerous burst of temper. To their surprise, he started chuckling. It was a low but clear sound and Littlefoot found it more unnerving than anger.

"What's so funny?" Chomper demanded.

Wing Father raised his head. "You children have all these plans and notions for how to counter the world's dangerous and saddening circumstances but you forgot one important detail that will make it all for naught."

"Huh?" Littlefoot said, then lowered his head. "Do you mean people will start dying again? I mean, that'll be hard to explain but I'm sure we can get everyone to understand."

"Don't be so sure." Wing Father smiled. "But that's not all. Not only will reversing the ritual allow dinosaurs to die again, all the formerly dead will be sent back to the afterlife."

A pause of silence. Then the gang gasped. Some like Ruby and Petrie already stiffened in horror. Littlefoot's mind blanked before he cottoned on.

"Y-you mean – no, it can't be."

"Once the ritual is reversed." Wing Father said. "the formerly dead will change back to ghosts. Then they'll all fade back to the afterlife. They won't remain on this mortal plane."

"No!" Petrie cried. "It won't happen. But…" he touched his beak. "We did no see anything to say it can't happen. Maybe Wing Father right."

"Then Mr. Clubtail and all the others will..." Chomper stepped back, almost tripping off his stone.

Cera started shaking. "How could we forget such an important detail? We were forced to do the ritual to protect our families and bring the dead ones back. We should have thought of what would happen if we undid this."

"You were getting out of my control." Wing Father said. "You couldn't be persuaded now you became aware of my influence on your minds. But I could still steer your thoughts away from what changing back the world would really mean as one last strategy."

"You did that?" Ducky clapped a hand to her mouth. "You are awful, Wing Father! Really, really awful!"

"Littlefoot and Cera will lose their mothers." Ruby said faintly. "Cera her sisters too."

Littlefoot and Cera were already aware of this. Cera's gaze darted about, attempting to find some trick to make it not true. Littlefoot remained as still as a rock. To lose his mother, once again…he shook his head hard.

"Don't listen to him, guys!" he said. "He's messing with us! We still need to go through with this!"

"Would you ignore the voices of those who'll be lost and their loved ones?" Wing Father asked.

With a crash, the rocks and boulders blocking the tunnel entrance were broken, rolled out of the cave and tossed off the cliff. Dinosaurs began marching in. Flyers flew in through the four holes. All had serious expressions filled with purpose. Entering the cave at the front was Mama Longneck, Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, Mama Swimmer with all her children dotted at her feet. Mama and Papa Flyer flapped in with all of Petrie's siblings. Mama and Papa Fast Runner pushed through the crowd with Ruby's brother and sister, disappointment in their faces.

Then more came, so many more. There was Mr. Thicknose and Pat, Swooper landing to perch on Pat's back, the three tired by the journey. Hyp's family dodged around a domehead, hands around each other. The Tinysauruses arrived with Big Daddy and their innumerable parents. Mr. Clubtail jogged through the cave entrance with a look of desperation. It felt like a quarter of the valley was entering the cave. Mr. Threehorn, Tria, and Mrs. Threehorn at last appeared, bumped up, wounds healing. Cera stirred when her sisters limped in, Tricia's cut on her back still stitching itself together. Ichy and Dil came in, beat up and sour. Mama and Papa Sharptooth were among the last to come in and Chomper had to avert his gaze.

The four Anchors were dotted about. Patty was the first to arrive, marching in side-by-side with her mother Alis. Don was a bit ruffled and squashed and Tega's lips thin around her piece of grass. Verter moved himself near Cera's family. The formerly barren cave now felt stuffy, oppressive. The crowds needed three-fourths of the space to fit, all furious and pleading gazes aimed overwhelmingly at the seven children standing on the outer stones. Littlefoot felt like his insides disappeared.

Mr. Clubtail stepped forward with a glare.

"How could you think of reversing the ritual?" he said. "I died. Do you want me to be dead again?"

"Remember, Wing Father's making them say these things." Littlefoot said quickly.

"Have you thought about what doing this would mean?" Hyp snapped. "Or is taking Mom away a way to punish me for being such a jerk to you?"

"What about our parents? They didn't do anything wrong." Lizzie said, in near tears. "Please, think of them!"

"We have to save everyone." Ducky squeaked. "We do not want to take away anyone's families but-"

"That'll be the effect." Alis interrupted. "Do you want to take me from my daughter?"

"You better not dare separate us." Dil growled. "I only realized how much me and Ichy meant to each other when it was too late."

"Yeah, what she said." Ichy said. "Plus, it's too convenient not to have to kill to eat."

"How you know this will happen?" Petrie said. "See, guys? This mean Wing Father manipulating them to say these things."

"I'm not." Wing Father said silkily. "I'm just letting them speak their mind as though they remember all that happened. Which they will if you go through with this."

"What?" Ducky started. "You mean…they will remember everything?"

"Everything." Mama Swimmer said. "We'll remember how you forced us to follow you to flee Wing Father and then made us forget. And your brothers and sister will remember you forcing them to stay with you in the underground caves."

"You didn't do anything to help us, Spike!" Bitty snapped.

"You just sided with Ducky even when she made bad decisions." Bill said.

Spike opened his mouth to protest but found his siblings were correct. He was conflicted. Could he and Ducky face their family after they remembered these events? Ducky stared at them horrified. Papa Flyer flapped up to get the gang's attention.

"You made me and your mother get back together," he said. "You insisted on doing it even though there was a reason we separated. We argued and you made us forget we were arguing over and over again."

"Stop messing with our minds!" said one of Petrie's brothers.

Petrie cringed. "Me – me just thought you would be happier. Me didn't realize…"

"We don't want to remember what happened in the pit." Papa Sharptooth said. "If this is all to protect us, you got it wrong!"

"That's right!" Mr. Threehorn said. "I don't wish to remember something so horrible and humiliating."

"I'm still not happy about that trick you did, forcing us off that cliff." Tria closed her eyes. "How could you do this to us?"

"And what about us, Cera?" Mrs. Threehorn asked. "Think of what'll happen to me and your sisters if you go through with this."

"We have." Cera protested. "I mean, just now. And Tria, it was the only way to stop you from chasing us…no, Wing Father's making them say these things! They'll understand!"

"Red Claw is still out there." Mama Fast Runner said quietly. "Dinosaurs will die again because of this choice. Do you want us or your brother and sister to die?"

"Littlefoot, we're old." Grandpa Longneck said. "We don't know how many cold times we have left in the other world."

"Do you want us to leave?" Grandma Longneck's voice trembled. "Are you tired of us?"

"I…" Littlefoot shuffled a foot, unable to meet their eyes. "Grandma, Grandpa, it's just…"

"I didn't get a chance to learn and do what I want for so long because of my own stubbornness." Mr. Thicknose said bitterly. "I might not have long to make up for that."

"I'm in a similar situation." Swooper agreed. "I just got to the Great Valley."

"I want to get to know you kids again." Pat said sadly. "Don't you consider that important?"

"Stop it!" Ruby cried, clamping her head. "Stop! This is too cruel!"

Verter surveyed the crowd, satisfied. "Well, it looks like we have consensus."

"We all know what they'll do if you reverse the ritual." Tega smirked.

Littlefoot and the others' heads wavered, overwhelmed by the hint of rejection and the endless voices speaking against them. They felt Wing Father's grip on their hearts tightening. They couldn't stop thinking about the negative consequences of reversing in some way what happened. Littlefoot closed his eyes, mind lingering on what this might mean for his grandparents. All the disappointment, all the anger that they were going to face. It was more than they could take.

"If you do this, the Great Valley will hate you." Mr. Clubtail said. "Even if I'm gone, the others will exile you children, send you away!"

"That is not true, right?" Ducky asked. "Our families would not allow that."

Mama Swimmer sighed. "It would be hard but…I'm tired of the trouble you and Spike get into."

Spike exclaimed as though something had been torn out of him. He stared at her, beseeching pleadingly for Mama Swimmer to reconsider. Petrie looked scared.

"No!" he said. "That not really true. Mama, Dad?"

"We'll have to go with everyone's opinions here." Mama Flyer said. "This isn't just about you and us. Remember Pterano?"

"At least we'll be rid of the brother who was too stupid to see our parents shouldn't be together!" snapped one of Petrie's sisters.

"We can't help you, Chomper," Papa Sharptooth said.

"We couldn't protect you from the many dangers you get us into." Mama Sharptooth shook her head. "Involving us with leaf eaters, exploring risky places, getting us into fights with other sharpteeth. We might as well start over."

Chomper blanched, filling with a large amount of guilt. Mr. Threehorn huffed out breath and closed his eyes.

"You disobeying always led to trouble, Cera," he said. "Even before we got to the valley. If you hadn't run off, we wouldn't have separated during the great earthshake. And you know what happened while we were searching for you."

"No, it wasn't like that!" Cera cried, eyes shining. "I didn't meant for Mom and my sisters to…to…"

"You failed us, Ruby." Mama Fast Runner said. "Not only did you fail to discover how to stop Red Claw but you gained enemies that could put us in danger."

"I…I…" Ruby croaked. "Maybe you're right."

"Mother, Grandpa, Grandma!" Littlefoot cried. "This must be Wing Father's influence! We love each other! You can't be thinking this right?"

Mama Longneck let out a long sigh. "You didn't frame the situation right when we were talking earlier. I wouldn't have supported this if I really had all the facts. "

"That's right." Grandpa Longneck closed his eyes. "And sometimes love can be tested to the point it breaks."

"It might be there already." Grandma Longneck said.

"Yeah, it has!" jeered some valley members. "If you do this, it looks like you'll be exiled!"

"Do it!"

"Glad to see the back of these troublemakers!"

"We'll spread the word so you won't be accepted by any herd!"

The valley denizens continued shouting at the gang, piercing to the ears. They tried to block it out but it pushed them to the brink. Littlefoot failed to hold himself together, tears slipping down his cheeks. Ducky and Spike burst into tears, holding their foreheads. Petrie stared as his family, shaking as he realized they seemed serious. Chomper rocked crying into his hands. Ruby sniffled, gazing at the family she so loved. Cera didn't bother holding back her tears anymore. They were all distraught, confused, and terrified.

The gang wanted to believe what the valley members said was just Wing Father's manipulation but at the cooling in their chest, the words felt honest. Everyone would be horrified and heartbroken to discover what had happened. Their loved ones were dead and they had been the playthings of an otherworldly being. Moreover, they would all know the gang had played a part in such an existential event and even used it to their advantage. How foolish could Littlefoot and the others be in thinking the world could go back to exactly how it was? They didn't want to hurt or be rejected by those they loved. Ducky rocked on her stone, wiping her eyes.

"I – I do not think I can do this," She said.

"Me no want to scare family again." Petrie sniffled.

"I can't decide." Cera said. "We can't accept Wing Father's rule…but is having everyone remember what happened the right thing?"

Sniffling, Littlefoot looked at all his friends. Like the previous time they were here, they were lost and broken. They were torn between two potential losses that would feel like something being torn out of their flesh. Littlefoot wanted to help decide but was just as unsure and directionless. Then he remembered his mother's parting words at the Thundering Falls. Desperately, he looked to his heart for the right decision. A path lay out before him in his mind's eye. Even though it was hard and came with potential sacrifice, he felt worse for avoiding it. He knew what it might mean for his friends. He took a deep breath, the tears falling down harder.

"Listen, if – if the worst happens," he choked, "we can be our own herd. At least everyone will have their free will."

"But we'll be banished from our own families and communities." Chomper said.

"Think – think about this then." Littlefoot lowered his head. "What would you want for everyone, even if they hate you?"

Ruby hitched her breath. "I – I'd want my family to be safe. To – to not be used as playthings."

"Yes." Cera said, shaking her head. "This is for Tricia. I'm sure Mommy and my sisters don't want to fight in a useless war."

"Everyone should be able to do or feel what they want." Ducky clenched fists.

"I want to do the right thing." Chomper said.

"Me see what that is," Petrie rubbed his cheeks, "but it scary."

"It is," Littlefoot agreed, "but when has that stopped us when we see something bad happening?"

Spike sniffled and nodded, expression becoming determined. The gang stood firmer on their stones. The shouting tapered off as the other dinosaurs saw this. Wing Father's confidence turned to concern.

"What are you doing?" he said. "No, they couldn't possibly…"

Tega stepped forward. "They wouldn't! They wouldn't have the guts!"

"Are they actually going to-" Don said. "No, no! Stop!"

"Don't you dare!" Patty shouted.

"Littlefoot, all of you," Wing Father spoke in a conciliatory tone, "please reconsider. Think of the loved ones you'll no longer be able to see, knowing you'll get better even if you sustain a mortal injury," he became desperate, "never having others know what you did!"

Littlefoot only glared, unmoved. The rest of his friends' gazes were shaky but resolved.

"You manipulated people. Made us your playthings." Littlefoot said. "Because of you, everyone stopped having choice or the ability to get better. Well, no more!" He threw his head up. "We break the deal!"

"Wait!" Verter shuffled forward, more panicked than the gang ever seen. "You can't!"

"We break the deal!" cried Cera and the others.

Light shot up from the seven stones. The Anchors, the gang's families and valley members cried out in fright. Littlefoot and the others rose onto their hind legs, an uncomfortable tugging in their chests. The outside became dim and wind rushed around but it felt different. A soothing cool crawled over the skin and the winds and light rushed harsher, more unstable. Petrie twitched and waved his hand in his chest's direction. Cera closed her eyes and winced. Ruby grimaced and let out a moan. The tugging sensation became painful, like their chest and heart were stretching and wobbling, but they didn't back down. Littlefoot grit his teeth and tried to keep at it, determined to go through with this.

The stretching and tugging pain increased and he heard his friends cry out. Littlefoot wondered fleetingly if doing the ritual might kill them. Ducky yelped and Spike whimpered and Chomper panted from the exertion. The light and wind grew more intense, whipping and swirling around like a storm. The pain enveloped their entire hearts, an overwhelming burn rattling in them. Littlefoot and the others felt a tearing sensation and fell onto their stones, which cracked loudly. There was a flash of light and the world at last resumed its turn.

Next time…

Emotions Unleashed

Note: This is the end of arc 4. The next chapters will start the final arc. Thanks to all those who stuck around for this story. The end isn't far.