Vengeance of Love

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

Chapter: 1
Warnings: Blood, Character Death
Copyright: © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me
Author's note: Third part of the Series consisting of 'Greatest Sacrifice' and 'Rage of the Sharpteeth' Read those first or you'll be VERY confused.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Sometimes, life itself can surprise you. Even after a betrayal that wasn't one, it returned to normal. Chomper was slow to return to the side of his friends, and they were slow to fully accept him again, but the tight-knit group stayed together, even as Chomper grew to threatening sizes. The rest of the youngsters grew too, Littlefoot being the size of a moderate Threehorn by now for example.

Pterano returned after the five Cold Times he had been banished were over, being none too sure what to think about the newest herd-members. A playful threat by Threehorn himself about what might happen should he not be happy broke the ice between the Flyer and the Sharpteeth.

It still took a while for things to smooth over between the residents of the Valley and the Sharpteeth, much longer than it did for the youngsters, but even that soon returned to normal. Well, as much as a friendship between prey and predator can be considered normal, of course.

Tyra became a regular visitor, spending almost more time inside the Valley than outside it. The first time she did however, resulted in a battle between her and Grandma Longneck.

Rec watched from the sidelines as the barely healed Longneck met the furious Sharptooth in battle. Grandpa joined him soon after hearing that his wife was battling a Sharptooth.

Rec had to assure him with several promises that his own wife had no intention of bringing severe harm to his wife and that this was merely a vending of a bout of anger neither could vent at their actual target. He looked uncomfortable around the two grown-up male Longnecks as they watched the two females wreck the field they were on.

Grandpa had the feeling it had something do with what he had said to Grandma to cause her to threaten his very life. But neither Sharptooth, nor Longneck brought that episode up ever again.

The children were taught Sharptooth soon after. It was deemed too unsafe to only have two translators between two groups where a simple misunderstanding could do serious damage. It proved to be quite the challenge, but they got the hang of the basics after a while.

Sometimes Grandma looked ready to start smacking them with her tail when they butchered the language, particularly when the Sharpteeth looked ready to start rolling on the ground with laughter. She never told them what Petrie had said then.

By now it was during the hot season, dinosaurs looking for cool shelter in the shade and plants turning dry in the blistering light of the Great Circle. Even the Sharpteeth were reluctant to leave their cool caves to hunt.

But then the wind carried a worrisome scent to their home. Instinct woke them instantly from their lethargy, driving them up the mountains to get a view of the surrounding lands.

As they arrived at the top, the sky in front of them darkened.

Rec wheeled around turning towards the Great Valley in the distance and roared. The rock trembled with the volume he produced, the sound echoing in the landscape for miles in either direction, though the valley-floor got the full brunt.

He was answered with the voice of the old Longneck-female, her roar much deeper than his, but also far more distance-covering.

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

Chapter: 2
Copyright: © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The fire spread at an alarming rate. Their green food, dried up by the long heat, went up in flames. Many did not leave their once lush forests alive, trapped among the burning plants.

Those that did huddled together away from the flames, forming a mixed herd of just a few dozen members. Many of the bigger dinosaur-species like the Longnecks were completely absent, being too slow to escape the fiery death that awaited the stragglers. Their size, such protection against the many carnivores, now proved their undoing as they couldn’t maneuver well enough among the massive trees to escape the fire in time.

The children were crying, all of them. Many of the grown-ups were crying too, having lost loved ones or even entire families in the inferno. Some only stared into the mesmerizing colors of that which took their home. No one was sure how it started. Had the sky not been a perfect blue up until the smoke defiled it?

Soon a rumor started circulating among the survivors. It had been the children, it said. No! Impossible!

Yet it was the children themselves who told the story: they had been playing Toss the Seed, but instead of a seed or tree-sweet they had used stones. Stones that had smacked into one another, causing sparks. And the sparks erupted into the massive fire that had cost them all so dearly.

Their parents – those that lived, anyway – were too tired, both physically and mentally, to reprimand them for not warning anyone about that mishap until it was too late.

No Sky Water came to extinguish the flames and they raged unchecked until late the next day.

It was in the evening of that day that the first Fast Biters came, seeking an easy meal among the wounded and weakened Leaf-eaters. By the next day, the survivors of the fire had been reduced to a mere half of their already small number. Most of their losses had been among the families: the little ones had always been easy prey and the grown-ups defended their young with their lives instead of fleeing. Normally that would have been enough to discourage the Meat-eaters, but with all of them being weakened it only proved to be an even bigger feast for them.

By now the small herd consisted mostly of Flyers and Swimmers, who were among the fastest dinosaurs and therefore the ones who had the easiest escape from their forest-home when the fire spread. There were some Threehorns and close relatives, but no member of the Longneck-herd that had resided here had survived. Of the Clubtails and Spiketails there was only one family: two grown-up Clubtails and their three children, who had been lucky enough to be near the safety of the forest-exit when news of the fire spread. Everyone else was dead, either by the fire or by the jaws of the prowling Sharpteeth who were just waiting for a chance to attack again.

Everyone knew that that night would be their last, since no one had any strength left to defend themselves or to flee.

The Fast Biters prowled at a safe distance, creeping closer only to retreat whenever one of them stirred. They had time. Many were wounded, and their only source of food had disappeared. Sooner or later everyone of the small herd would be dead.

And then they could feast.

The surviving children staid huddled close to their parents. Once in a while a cry would go up when a mother or father no longer answered to their voices. The other grown-ups would harshly hush them. Whenever it happened the Fast Biters grew bold, creeping into the herd to look for the recently deceased. Sometimes they were hunted off, but most of the time they could get to the corpse undisturbed.

It was late during that day that for the first time there was terrified commotion both in prey and predator: at the horizon was the looming form of one of the big Sharpteeth, slowly moving towards the herd.

They retreated as best as they could, abandoning their dead to his hungry jaws. The Fast Biters dispersed, fearing the newcomer for his sheer size. They would be no match for him in a battle over the meat. But again, they had time. He could not eat all the meat after all and what he left would be theirs.

He was slow to approach, taking his time to cross the distance to them. His red eyes spoke of hunger, soft snarling sounds echoing across the open expanse as he declared his dominance over the food available.

They were doomed…

[somerandomfangirl]

Wow, free time in lesson. Now to start leaving some reviews here, since ff.net is blocked by the school. FBT will have to wait a while, unfortunately.

Whoo, new story! You know, when I first read the second chapter, I thought it was the Great Valley in the fire, and then I re-read it and realised, "Well of course Sleepy wouldn't just kill off all the longnecks!" XD

Well, it's interesting that the children are starting to learn sharptooth now. I wanna know what Petrie said!

And uh oh... well, nice to shortly know you, other valley residents. Have fun getting eaten by the big sharptooth!

Unless of course... maybe it's... I won't spoil.

[Ducky123]

Whoa! Now that came out of nowhere  :blink:

I was already already wondering what the setting would be... oh well

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

Damnit Sammy, you revealed my secret    Oh well, gotta live with it xD

Well, Ducky, gotta try and top those two first stories, don't I?  

[somerandomfangirl]

Hehe.  

And, uh... Sammy? I need to create a list for my nicknames here...

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

Well, more like we should make one big topic about who has what nickname, cause I keep messing them up xD

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

Chapter: 3
Copyright: © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

He glared lightly as he approached the abandoned bodies. His nostrils flared as he took a deep breath and he shook his head as the sharp smell of burned flesh filled them instead. He snarled as he heard something small shift. He stepped over the Swimmer he had been leaning over, feeling the ground shake under his feet as he honed in on the dead Threehorn the sound had come from.

He could tell that it was a she, killed by wounds she had suffered from the fire rather than the Fast Biters. A soft meep sounded as he stopped in front of her.

With the Leaf-eater not resisting and being a dead weight – literally even – it didn’t take him much effort to move her unmoving body. The small hatchling froze as it came face to face with the massive Sharptooth. It was a lighter shade than her mother. It drew some disturbing parallels for him when he realized it was a girl.

He rose back up again, knowing that she wouldn’t try to run with him standing inches from her. He roared, calling for his family. The Fast Biters ran, not wishing to risk having to face a family worth of their big cousins.
The herd a short distance away got just a bit closer to a panic, the only thing keeping them there their lack of strength to move much.

Soon three silhouettes appeared in the sky overhead, circling the group. The smallest of them came down, landing a short distance from the corpses.

“These are all?” The brown Flyer asked, pointing at the survivors. The Sharptooth nodded and he took off again, joining the other two flying overhead. One of them left the way they had come, but the brown male Flyer and a dark-blue female landed again, nearer to the herd of survivors again.

“There is a hatchling here.” The deep voice of the Sharptooth sounded, shell-shocking the small herd of survivors. They never had heard a Sharptooth speak before! “A little Threehorn.”

“Tria will no doubt adopt it.” The dark-blue Flyer moved up to him, starting to coax the young one out from where she was hiding under her dead mother. He left, moving into the direction where most of the Fast Biters had disappeared to.

The brown Flyer did not move from his spot, keeping a look-out. The female finally managed to coax the little one out, holding her in her arms. She walked over to the small herd, seemingly counting them.

“Who are you?” A weary Swimmer-mother asked, her throat parched and two hatchlings searching shelter in her shade.

“We are from the Great Valley, a day in that direction.” The Flyer pointed with her wing from where they had come. “We saw the smoke of the fire and came to see if anyone had survived. We send Chomper ahead because he was the best choice to go alone.” Here she pointed to the Sharptooth who was returning again. “He and his family live just outside our valley and are friends of many inside.”

“He is…?” The Swimmer breathed, looking in disbelief at the massive dinosaur.

“Yes.” The Flyer answered. “Are you all that are left of your herds?”

“That we know off.” Another Flyer answered, a nasty burn on his wing hindering his movements.

“Petrie!” She called out to the other Flyer she had arrived with. “See if you find any others.”

He nodded, taking to the skies again.

The Sharptooth stopped at a safe distance. ”The Fast Biters are gone. I seem to have scared them away.”

“Well, you are huge and dangerous-looking.” She chuckled. “Can you keep guard to ensure they do not come back?”

He nodded, turning to walk away once more.

Forms appeared on the horizon. Chomper quickly returned, roaring at them. Another roar answered him and he nodded to the Flyer.

“Those are residents of our Valley who volunteered to come here.” She told the small group.

“Are there Sharptooth with them?” A small Swimmer asked fearfully, referring to the answer-roar.

“No, but some of us can speak Sharptooth, just like Chomper can speak Flattooth.” The Flyer answered softly, smiling gently. “That was who we call ëGrandma Longneck’: she is the mate of the leader of the Valley - or at least the one who has quite the authority, it’s a bit complicated to explain right now - and the best friend of the Sharpteeth living outside it.”

Soon enough they could see the group heading for them: several Longnecks and a few Threehorns. A flyer flew ahead of the group: it was the same the other two had arrived with.

“Where is Petrie?” The Longneck in the lead called out once she was close enough.

“Seeing if there are other pockets of survivors.” The Flyer answered her. “Is Tria with you?”

“Yes.” A dark-pink Threehorn answered her, jogging over. “What is it?”

“I have someone who needs you.” The Flyer looked down at the hatchling in her arms, showing her to the Threehorn. The little one had fallen asleep in exhaustion. “Her parents are among the dead.”

“Put her on my back.” The one who was apparently Tria stated.

The rest of the arrivals reached them now. “This is all?” The Longneck asked incredulously.

“At least as far as we know.” The Swimmer answered. “Are you Grandma Longneck?”

“Yes.” The old female nodded. “And you are…?”

“I am Hadria, I was the herd-leader of the Swimmer-herd who lived here.” She said. “We lost many in the flames.”

“I can see that.” Grandma Longneck answered softly. “The Council in charge of our valley has decided to offer you sanctuary, if you want it.”
Hadria looked at the rest of her group. All of them nodded. “Very much, thank you.”

[Ducky123]

Ah, they're rescued, what a relief...

I wonder what'll happen with those surviving dinosaurs What role they'll play etc. Well, I'll see eventually

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

And then they get nommed by the resident Sharpteeth...

No really, they do.

Poor guys need to have some dinner too!

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

Chapter: 4
Copyright: © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

It took quite a while to get the exhausted dinosaurs to safety, most of them needing to be carried by the Longnecks. The three Flyers of the Valley - who had introduced themselves as Pterano, Saphira and Petrie - circled overhead to keep a lookout for the Fast Biters and other Meat-eaters. Petrie, the youngest, had not found any other survivors, leaving the once thriving herds of the forest reduced to a mere dozen tired individuals.

Chomper left them, running ahead to warn both his family and the other valley-residents that they were returning. Soon enough he returned again, taking up his vigil outside the herd.

“Do they enter your valley too?” Hadria was one of the few able to walk under their own power and now looked up to Grandma Longneck.

“Only Chomper and his mother regularly. His sister and father only do so sporadically.” Grandma told her. “And his mother stays mostly around me, while he stays around my grandson and his friends. They don’t really walk around on their own.”

“How did you become friends with them anyway?” The black Clubtail asked.

“Now that is a long story.” She chuckled, as did several other Valley-residents as they remembered that time. “It all began many Cold Times ago when my grandson and his friends – of which Petrie is one – were still young…”

She told them the story as they slowly progressed to the Great Valley. There, in the massive mountains surrounding the fertile valley-floor, they met another Sharptooth, bigger than Chomper and infinitively more threatening.

“This is Chomper’s mother.” Grandma said. “She is named Tyra.” The Sharptooth inclined her head as if in greeting and then simply turned and walked away. “Quite nice, really. Unless you challenge her or threaten her loved ones. She’s far more forgiving than her mate though.”

“Her mate?” Hadria looked scared as she scanned the surrounding mountains.

“Rec. He’s bigger, badder and a lot less inclined to enter the Valley so chances are that you’ll never meet him at any rate.” The Threehorn-female named Tria told her. “But even he listens to reason and is reluctant to kill beyond what he needs to survive, so there’s that.”

“You do realize you are more likely to terrify them than to calm them, no?” Grandma demanded of the pink Threehorn.

“I think your story already did a sufficient job of that.” Tria countered. “What with telling them that a wrong word can cause quite some trouble.”

“It was not that bad…” Grandma countered, frowning. “Everyone got out alive, didn’t they?”

“After you got several more scars.” One of other Longnecks pointed out. The old female said nothing, merely pursing her lips in response. The other Valley-residents chuckled softly again. She soon joined in, shaking her head in exasperation.

She lead them into the valley, where they were briefly introduced to several other residents and then shown to where they could rest and regain their strength.

Only one of them did not fall asleep immediately: the Clubtail-father stayed awake beside his family, glaring lightly as he looked out over the valley-floor.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The group of the seven young ones gathered near one of the watering holes later that day, talking about the new arrivals excitedly.

“Tria has decided to name the hatchling Platia.” Cera told them. “Said it fitted with her colors.”

“Hopefully after she cleaned her.” Chomper joked. “How is she?”

“Traumatized, but you know Tria.” Cera shrugged. “She’ll have that girl back to her old self – whatever that was – in no time.”

“Yeah, we were lucky that one time, weren’t we?” Ducky mused, remembering that time when they were still young when most of the valley had burned down. “I do think no one died there, did they?”

“If they did, we were not told…” Littlefoot answered. “Everything seemed so much easier back then, didn’t it?”

“Sure did.” Petrie agreed. “Though being big is nice too.”

All of them laughed at that statement.

“At least all of you are now worthy meals.” Chomper threatened, pretending to sneak up on the Threehorn beside him.

Cera’s eyes widened briefly before she wheeled around, facing him. “Wanna see if my horns are worthy too?” She asked smugly, swinging her head from side to side as she advanced a bit.

“You’re on.” Chomper grinned, snapping at her playfully.

“Let’s hope Mr. Threehorn doesn’t come by now, that would be bad, yep yep yep.” Ducky nodded as she and her other friends moved out of the way.

“Depending on how I react.” A deep voice rumbled from behind them. Several of their grown-ups, including Tyra, had walked up on the group, now watching the young Threehorn and Sharptooth with amusement. “At the moment I am more interested in seeing who would win this.”

It seemed it would be neither: Cera had never needed to defend herself before and Chomper had been far from being taught how to hunt Threehorns by his parents. Yet both carried the potential to be formidable…

Tyra lightly started as she sensed someone else watching. She looked away from the mock-battle to see most of the new arrivals looking on, most with worry on their faces. She chuckled softly, calling out to her son. “You must flank her, Chomper. Use your speed to get behind her head-shield!”

Cera meeped ever so softly, knowing enough of the language to realize that she just might be in trouble now.

Chomper grinned at his friend.

“Stay in one place and just turn on the spot to match his movements.” Came the voice of Topps. He himself spoke no Sharptooth at all, but he instinctively knew that the Sharptooth beside him had given her child some pointers. So why shouldn’t he do the same?

[Ducky123]

Wonder why this clubtail is so vary.. doesn't Rec hate 'em? Clubtails, I mean.

Platia.. nice name Same goes to Saphira.

Pretty nice conversation of the Gang Cera vs. Chomper eh? Gotta love to see 'em fightin'!

So yeah, the story is interesting and I have yet to see what's the main conflict in this one. THough I do have a guess *smirks*

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

Yes, Rec hates them

Thank you, glad the names are okay

Ssssshhhh.... No spoilers

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

Chapter: 5
Copyright: © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

“I don’t know what your problem is: herd-members look out for one another.” Littlefoot grinned lightly at Chomper.

“Yes, but friends don’t whack friends with SPIKETAILS.” Chomper growled, glaring playfully at Spike, who had swung his tail at the Sharptooth when he nearly ëkilled’ Cera.

“We can have a rematch if you like.” Cera smiled at him.

“One day, we will.” Chomper promised. “Without interferences then.”

“It would be a first though.” Ruby chuckled. “But Chomper, was it just me or did your mother look worried after the fight?”

“Considering I nearly got stabbed by a Spiketail, I would be very upset if she wasn’t.” Chomper countered.

“That’s not what I meant.” Ruby stated. “But just as the wind turned from the arrivals towards her I swear she was seriously startled.”

“Now that you mention it…” Shorty frowned lightly. “When I arrived I seriously thought something had happened to Chomper when I saw her face. And that was before Spike started swinging his tail around.”

The rest now frowned too, thinking back to the battle. But they had been too focused on the mock battle between Chomper and Cera to pay much attention to what was happening on the sidelines.

“Well, by the time I looked at her she had to have gotten over it, because she didn’t look shocked to me at all.” Chomper mused.

“You think she would tell us if we asked?” Cera wondered.

“We can always try.” Chomper answered, rising to his feet to go look for his mother. “I wonder where she is right now…”

“Me look for her.” Petrie took to the skies, climbing high above the treetops. “She with Grandma Longneck!” He called down after looking around for a bit.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Ducky joked.

“They are just like me and Chomper.” Littlefoot agreed.

“Except we don’t go about battling one another or threatening the other’s family.” Chomper pointed out.

“Speaking of that, do you know what your father said to Grandma Longneck to get her that angry?” Shorty asked, speeding up a bit so he could face the Sharptooth. Chomper’s face spoke volumes.

“I don’t think I should tell you guys…” He looked away. “Dad crossed a major line there.”

“How major?” Littlefoot’s eyes narrowed a fraction.

“Major enough to have Grandma threaten to tell Bron and Grandpa so they would tear him apart.” Chomper answered. “Please, don’t make me tell you.”

The evasion of the answer was answer enough. The two Longnecks did not push further, instead walking to where their grandmother was: at one of the water-holes talking in quick Sharptooth with Chomper’s mother.

“I cannot be fully certain, but the only other who could tell us would be Rec and I doubt bringing him in is wise in this situation.” The female Sharptooth was agitated, pacing lightly in front of the Longneck. Neither noticed the young ones coming to a stop just behind the tree-line, listening in on their conversation. “He’d tear through this Valley… Again.”

Grandma groaned softly at that. “When did life become so complicated I wonder? And how come you never noticed before? He lived just a day’s-journey from here, less if you move quickly.”

“We keep to the other side of the Valley because the hunt is better there.” Tyra answered. “Less Valley-residents go that way when they leave, exactly for the reason that there was a lush valley just a day’s-journey from the other side of the valley, meaning less chance for us to accidently kill or wound them while hunting. We can’t keep track of hundreds of different dinosaurs.”

“We should talk to some of the other grown-ups.” The Longneck decided. “And hope Rec doesn’t feel the urge to make one of his rare visits.”[/i]

“Grandma?” Littlefoot spoke up, startling the two older females. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing good, nothing good at all.” She answered. “How much did you hear?”

“Enough to know that Dad would rampage should he find out.” Chomper stepped forward. “Mom, what is wrong?”

“The past is like a Sharptooth having tasted blood: it hunts you until it gets you.” She told her son. “Even if it takes Cold Times to do so… and now the past is about to catch up with your father. Can you do me a favor and get the other grown-ups? Threehorn, Grandpa and the like. And do it quickly.”

Grandma Longneck nodded in agreement, shooing the children off. They obeyed, spreading out over the Valley to collect the ones in charge. The two females stayed behind, Tyra growing tenser by the moment.

Grandma looked over the water-hole to the field where the new arrivals were staying, studying them intently.

When the others reached them both were speaking in hushed tones again, Tyra’s tail twitching in discomfort.

[Ducky123]

Here come the serious part, as Petrie would say  :unsure:

It literally smells like trouble

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

Spoiler-alert: That pun came ever so slightly too early XD

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

Chapter: 6
Copyright: © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

“Who is she?” Tyra looked at the Swimmer she had not seen before with suspicion.

“The leader of the new arrivals.” Grandma answered. “The children must have gotten her too. Keep your distance, yes?”

The Sharptooth snorted, but still did as asked. Her piercing gaze studied the Swimmer, unnerving the Leafeater greatly.

The Longneck-male greeted his wife with worry in his eyes. “What is wrong?”

“Another Rec-rage about to happen.” She answered, resting her head just under his. “Worse than with Threehorn, I fear. None will be able to calm him down this time.”

“What happened?” Said Threehorn demanded, Tria standing beside him looking up at the Longneck in worry.

“The new arrivals did.” Grandma looked at Hadria. “The black Clubtail that is with you, what is he like?”

“What did he do now?” Hadria groaned. “He always was trouble. He hates all dinosaurs with a passion, not only restricted to Meat-eaters. More than once we had problems with him over something completely trivial.”

“Wait a moment…” Bron breathed. “There is only one Clubtail I know off that would cause trouble with Rec… You don’t think he is the one that killed White Star Senior, do you?” He demanded in horror.

“Tyra does.” Grandma confirmed his fears. “She is pretty certain that his smell – or at least one very similar to it – was the one clinging to her and he fits the general description Rec once gave her.”

Several Dinosaurs present gasped in shock and horror, some looking to the Sharptooth in confirmation. Despite not having understood a word of what was being said, she knew that there was only one reason for them to look at her like that. Tyra nodded solemnly.

“Well, if he was alone, the answer to this problem would be a lot easier…” Pterano said. “But he has a mate and children. We can’t just throw them to the Sharpteeth like that.”

“Even if he was alone, we can’t just throw him out.” Ducky’s mother pointed out. “While at the same time allowing him to stay would all turn us into dinner… That much was obvious with Threehorn who simply insulted Rec’s wife which nearly resulted in an entire family dead. I do not want to imagine what will happen to the one who actually killed her.”

“You’re not the only one.” Grandpa frowned. “But I am afraid we can’t just risk the Valley over him.”

“You’re going to send him away?” Hadria asked of them, her eyes widening.

“I am sorry, but we can’t risk our herds and families over one – and only one – member of another.” Petrie’s mother answered her.

The Swimmer looked at each of them and sighed in defeat. “I feared something like this would happen.” She whispered. “He always boasted about how he killed a Sharptooth when he was young and drove off another after nearly getting his stomach torn open. I feared the one who survived would come back for revenge.”

Here the Longneck spoke with the Sharptooth, clicks and growls making the Swimmer shudder as she listened to the two.

“Someone should talk to his family.” The old male Longneck stated, ignoring the conversation his mate was having. “Find out what his mate would do.”

“I’ll do it.” Tria offered, trotting off to the new arrivals.

“Can the rest of you keep this quiet for now?” Grandpa asked the others.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The pink Threehorn skillfully maneuvered through the Valley to where the Clubtails grazed. She knew that that would be where the new arrivals would be as well. She didn’t see the black Clubtail as she scanned the field, but his mate – a dark-blue one – was present.

“How do you like the Valley?” She softly asked as she approached her. The two youngsters were playing in their mother’s shade, swinging their still undeveloped tail-clubs at one another. At the moment they’d be hard-pressed to break a grass-blade, let alone bones, so their mother let them do as they wanted.

“It is beautiful.” The Clubtail smiled shyly. “My name is Anka.”

“Mine is Tria. My mate is among the Leadership here.” Tria smiled. “But he’s not one to go and be concerned about how dinosaurs feel, so I do that.”

“It’s the same with mine.” Anka answered, looking nervous as she looked around. “He doesn’t care about anyone but himself.”

“Mine is not that bad. He’s just a nightmare at expressing his feelings and concerns.” The Threehorn rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you heard the story of Grandma Longneck, no?”

“Oh yes.” The Clubtail nodded. “So it was true?”

“All of it.” Tria nodded too. “Rec’s a nice guy, but he has a temper on occasion.”

They fell silent, watching the two hatchlings play.

“How old are they?” Tria gestured to them.

“In three Night Circles 4 Cold Times will have passed since their hatching.” Anka softly said. “The most beautiful day of my life.”

“You say it as if you have been trying to tell yourself that for Cold Times now.” The dark-pink female pointed out.

“Their father is a poor mate and a worse parent.” Anka looked away. “But he was the only available male I found.”

“Can’t you leave him?” Came the inevitable question.

“The Valley is not big enough for that.” Anka snorted, looking up at the Valley-walls that surrounded them.

“But what if you would get a chance? Would you take it?” Tria prodded gently. Her sky-blue eyes narrowed somewhat as she watched the other mull it over.

[Nahla]

Awesome as always Sleeepy  

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

Thank you ^-^

Hey, where did that extra 'e' come from?

[Nahla]

Magic?