The Land Before Time: A Love Story

[Littlefoot fan 1990]

Note: This is just my interpretation of how Littlefoot's grandparents lived before they became a married couple. They are referred to by their birth names. (yeah, yeah, I gave them human names) Giving the characters human names is just my preference; besides, I'm not very good at making up names.

Chapter 1


Falling in love is a hard time for an adult longneck; especially if he's in love with a female who is four years older than him. Kenneth is just 21 years old, an age considered old enough to marry a female who is a few years older. However, his father had a problem with him wanting to marry the longneck he was in love with. Her name is Miriam; and she is the most mature of the females he has ever met. However, his father would never let him marry her since he and his mate were teenagers when she was born. The father and son were having a serious talk about this issue among a thick grove of trees.
"Look, son, this is important; you gotta give her up, man! She's too old for you," Hector demanded.
Kenneth disagreed by shaking his head. He was FED UP with how his father was trying to run his life.
"Father, I know Miriam is in her mid-20's; but, it doesn't matter to me, or to Mother and the girls," Kenneth shot back.
"Who cares what your mother or your sisters or you think? I don't want you marrying a female who was born during mine and your mother's teen years," Hector snarled.
"Do you just hate me? Is that why you're trying to dictate every aspect of my life? What will it take for you to stop trying to control my life like I was a hatchling?" Kenneth demanded.
Kenneth wasn't normally easily startled; but, when Hector slammed his tail into the ground, knocking treestars off the branches in the process, it made him jump a little.
"Don't you ever talk to me like that again! I am your father and I know what's best for you!" Hector snarled.
And with that, Hector stormed off to be alone.
Meanwhile, Miriam was having the same problem with her own father.
"Father, I know you think Kenneth is too young for me; but, none of the other males I met have treated me like an equal; they only saw me as a female-"
"But, you are a female; and as my only daughter, I think I know what's best for you," Ignatius cut her off.
"Grrrrr! You wouldn't be so hard on me if you had more daughters," Miriam snarled.
"You got a point, there; but, even if I did manage to produce more daughters, I'd still want you to marry someone your own age; and I'm also certain that Hector is telling Kenneth the same thing," Ignatius told her.
Miriam WAS NOT about to let her father tell her how to live her life. She is in love with Kenneth; and if her father didn't like it; that's just too bad.
"And another thing; don't tell me that I can't tell you what to do," Ignatius demanded.
Miriam hung her head and wandered away from her father. Soon enough, Ignatius saw his frenemy Hector come up to him.
"So, Ignatius, I hear you're having problems controlling that daughter of yours," Hector said.
"Don't start with me, Hector; and besides, you don't seem to have much control over your son," Ignatius retorted.
Hector sighed.
"I don't know what to do; Kenneth was mouthing off to me like he knew more than I do; and I know that we want our children to marry longnecks their own age, not each other," Hector explained.
Ignatius nodded.
Meanwhile, Kenneth and Miriam had gathered their mothers and siblings around to discuss their problem they are having with their fathers. However, her nestmate brother Miles spoke out against her.
"I'm sorry to say this; but, I agree with Father; you should marry a male who is your own age," Miles said.
"I'm not asking for your permission, Miles; you seem to forget that I was THE ONE to hatch FIRST!" Miriam snarled.
All the other longnecks gasped at the 25 year old female's response.
"What? I'm just asserting my independence!" Miriam protested.
"And you're doing a great job showing Miles that he can't boss you around," Amos said.
Miles looked down at the 12 year old male. Soon enough, he looked over at Connie.
"Mother..." Miles responded.
Connie shook her head.
"If you think me or Father is gonna walk you down the aisle to marry this riff-raff, you are sadly mistaken," Miles declared.
"Who says I was gonna ask you or Father? I was gonna ask Shadow," Miriam retorted.
"He's not doing it either; in fact, I DO NOT support this union," Miles snarled.
"Whether you agree or not, this union WILL happen! Kenneth already asked me this morning and I said yes!" Miriam barked back.
Connie and Lillian couldn't help but smile; their eyes were leaking with tears of joy as they nuzzled the newly engaged couple. Miles stormed away from the group; he WAS NOT in the mood to see anybody for a while because of how Miriam talked to him.
"Hopefully he'll think about what I said and stop trying to boss me around," Miriam stated.
Meanwhile, Miles came across Hector and Ignatius; despite still being in a bad mood, he addressed the older longnecks and informed them of what happened.
"She did WHAT?!" Ignatius demanded.
"Kenneth proposed to her and she said yes; and then she put on this big show about how I have no right to tell her what to do; what are we gonna do?" Miles wondered.
"There's no WE in this, son; I am gonna put a stop to this," Ignatius declared.
Miles sighed.
Soon enough, Ignatius trudged over to his daughter.
"We need to talk," Ignatius demanded.
Once the father and daughter were away from the group, Ignatius began to talk.
"Young lady, you accepted a marriage proposal from someone who didn't ask me for my blessing! Even if he did ask, I would tell him no! Now I want you to march right over there and tell him that you changed your mind and that he's not good enough for you," Ignatius replied.
"I'm not gonna do that," Miriam said.
Ignatius sighed.
"Besides, it's my life and-"
"ENOUGH! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR INSUBORDINATE BEHAVIOR! DO WHAT I SAY AND THEN I'LL FIND A MATE FOR YOU!" Ignatius shouted.
Despite listening to her father shouting, Miriam managed to keep her emotions under control.
Meanwhile, Hector was giving the same lecture to Kenneth.
"You two are not staying together! Break off your engagement and then I'll help you choose a wife who would be good for you," Hector demanded.
"What's so important about age, Father?" Kenneth wondered.
"Don't question me about it! Just do what I say!" Hector snarled.
"No," Kenneth declared.
Hector sighed.
"It's MY life and if I want to marry Miriam, it's MY decision and MINE ALONE!" Kenneth added.
"No it's not! If I don't want you and Miriam getting married, it's not gonna happen," Hector declared.
"That's what you think...Hector," Kenneth snarled while walking away.
The older male was shocked; his own son calling him by his name.

[Littlefoot fan 1990]

Note: I'm not much for double-posting; but, here is chapter 2 anyway.


Lillian and Hector have met up later in the day; Hector's mood hasn't improved at all.

"Lillian; Kenneth has gone too far; after blatantly refusing to break off his engagement, he sneered at me and then called me Hector before walking away," Hector snarled.

Lillian chuckled.

"You think that's funny?" Hector demanded.

"Of course I do; then again, you deserve it for the way you treat him; just like how you treated Serafina when she came out as a lesbian five years ago," Lillian retorted.

"I'm his father and he should refer to me like that; calling me by my given name really crosses the line," Hector replied.

The female longneck just shrugged.

"Well, you've crossed the line more often than he ever did," Lillian sneered.

"I'm the father; so-"

"So, that gives you every right to act like an obnoxious jerk to everyone?" Lillian shot back.

Hector gasped at that; his own wife was standing up to him? Back when he was a youngster, if his own mother ever stood up to his father, she'd get lectured about how to respect her mate and that females should honor their mates and just do the child rearing and bearing.

"You are becoming more like your father all the time; the obnoxious jerk trait didn't get passed onto Kenneth, Serafina and Ivy; and I'm thankful for that," Lillian said, feeling proud of her son and daughters.

And with that, Hector snarled and walked away with his tail in between his hind legs.

Meanwhile, Kenneth was being confronted by his father's father. The greying cobalt longneck's icy blue eyes glared into his crimson ones; it was almost as though the young male had done something wrong. However, his father's mother, the white longneck beside him seemed to be more understanding.

"I don't understand why you couldn't find a girl your own age; or a bit younger," Oscar stated.

Kenneth resisted the urge to roll his eyes; since despite Oscar being in his 70's, one swing of his tail to the ribs or the groin could cause some pain.

"You really know how to get on my nerves, don't you?" Kenneth sneered.

Oscar lowered his neck and backed up, preparing to charge at the adult.

"Oscar-"

"Quiet Saffron!" Oscar hissed.

"Hmph! That's not very nice; talking like that to a lady, you, sir are not the gentleman you make yourself out to be," Kenneth commented while sticking up for his grandmother.

Saffron smiled at the young male while Oscar snarled and walked away.

"Jeez, what a grouch," Kenneth whispered to Saffron.

Saffron giggled.

"Yeah; I don't know what I ever saw in him; by the way, thanks for sticking up for me; that took a lot of guts," Saffron replied.

"No problem; you didn't deserve for Grandfather to yell at you like that," Kenneth claimed.

Saffron smiled and nuzzled the young male.

Meanwhile, Connie and Ignatius were having a talk with Miriam; unbeknownst to them, Serafina and Ivy were overhearing what they were saying.

"Father, you're being unreasonable," Miriam said.

"No I'm not; it's you who won't cooperate," Ignatius retorted.

"Iggy-poo-"

The black longneck's face blushed at his nickname; Serafina and Ivy had heard the nickname from over at a watering hole. Serafina had been drinking at the time and squirted water out her nostrils and rolled over onto her back; as did Ivy; even Miriam was trying hard not to laugh.

"Constance! I thought I told you never-"

A swing from Connie's tail slapped Ignatius on the snout.

"I told you NEVER call me Constance; only my parents had the right to since...well, they raised me," Connie stated.

This was one question that plagued Miriam's mind for years. She had heard her mother's name numerous times growing up; but, didn't know if Connie was her whole name or not. Now she knew that it was a nickname and that Constance was her proper name. Her father is the exact opposite; much like his future son-in-law, he prefers to be called by his proper name; not the short form; and especially if the short form has been hyphenated with the word poo at the end. He would never hear the end of it if Hector found out about it.

A little while later, Serafina and Ivy found Kenneth relaxing underneath a large tree.

"How are you doing these days?" Serafina asked.

"Eh; not only Father and Ignatius are being a pain in the neck, Grandfather is also on my case about my decision to stay with Miriam despite our age difference," Kenneth said.

Serafina lowered her head; so did Ivy.

"At least you have someone; I'm still single," Serafina stated.

"Me too," Ivy replied.

"Not to worry, girls; I'm sure you'll find mates of your own," Kenneth assured them.

Both girls smiled and gave the male a kiss on each cheek.

"Hey! A simple smile and thank you would have sufficed," Kenneth protested.

The girls giggled and left the area.

"Sisters..." Kenneth grumbled to himself.

He had no idea why a four year age gap was such a big deal to his father, grandfather, Ignatius and Miles. However, he would continue to live his life the way he wanted no matter what.