CHAPTER ONE: DAYO
They all stood over the Longneck. Littlefoot saw that she was his age. She seemed dehydrated and also had a scar on her right eye. "Is she going to live?" he asked, concerned. The last Longneck that he'd seen die was his poor mother. He hoped never to have to see that again. And his mother had at least lived to have kids. This Longneck was so young. It didn't seem fair that the Circle of Life would come to a stop for her so soon. Littlefoot, though he didn't even know her, started to cry.
"It's not fair. She was only a kid. She can't die. She can't." he sobbed.
"She hasn't had water. We need to get her to it or we could lose her." said Grandpa Longneck.
The group all moved her, working together. They placed her in water. Littlefoot prodded her. "Wake up. Please wake up. Please." he said, still bleary-eyed. Her chest was moving weakly. "Please live. Please." begged Littlefoot. A tear fell from his eye and landed on her. Slowly, she moved.
"Where am I?" she said, stirring feebly.
"You are in the Great Valley." said Grandma Longneck.
"Where?" said the Longneck.
"It's a safe place for Leaf Eaters." said Grandpa Longneck.
"There are no safe places. Sharpteeth are everywhere!" she cried. She took off and tried to find a place to hide.
"What's with her?" said Topps.
"She's been in the heat of the Bright Circle too long. However, personally, I think it's more than that. I think she's been through some kind of trauma." said Grandpa Longneck.
She ran, very afraid. She ran right into the Sinking Sands, not paying attention to where she was going. "Help!" she cried.
Grandma and Grandpa Longneck were able to pull her out She spat out mud. "Eccccccccccccccchhhh!" she said.
"You gave us quite a fright little one." said Grandpa Longneck.
"I'm scared." she said, looking around.
"There is nothing here to be afraid of." Grandma Longneck reassured her.
"The Sharpteeth. They were chasing me. What happened? Am I dead?" she asked.
"No little one. You are here with us in the Great Valley." said Grandpa Longneck.
"Hello, I'm Littlefoot." said Littlefoot. He thought she seemed really nice, albeit paranoid.
"Hello Littlefoot. I am Dayo." she said. Littlefoot could tell that she was really shy. She was the same species as Shorty but was blue colored.
Littlefoot saw the scar around her right eye. "How'd you get that?" he asked.
"Sharptooth." she replied.
"Poor dear. You need a rest. Come get something to eat." said Grandma Longneck.
She went with them and ate Tree Stars. She was really shy. Littlefoot could sense that there was pain in her. Something was wrong.
Dayo went and took a nap. Littlefoot was worried about her. He wasn't the only one. "That girl gave us quite a fright." said Topps.
"She obviously is bothered by something.' said Grandpa Longneck.
"Do you think she will be all right?" Littlefoot asked his grandfather.
"I think that her health will be fine. However, I worry about what else may have happened to her. She seems to have gone through some kind of stress. The effects of that may last a lot longer than her thirst and hunger problem." said Grandpa Longneck.
When Dayo awoke, Littlefoot asked if she wanted to play. She said that she did. They played Toss the Seed and many other games. She was really playful and was really good at the games. However, when they decided to play Sharptooth attack, she freaked out and refused.
"What's with her?" grumbled Cera.
"A Sharptooth attack is not a game!" said Dayo sternly.
"I know. I lost my Mother to one." said Littlefoot.
"I'm so sorry." said Dayo. She headed to go get leaves from a tree. However, she clumsily bumped into a branch, knocking a ton of Tree Sweets onto her head. Cera laughed, but Littlefoot scowled at her, glaring at her with his eyes. Cera shut up.
"Are you ok?" asked Littlefoot.
"I'm fine. There are worse things that can happen to one than being conked on the head by Tree Sweets." said Dayo. She began to lick herself clean.
Littlefoot knew that there was something troubling Dayo. "Is there something bothering you?" he asked her in a concerned tone.
"I don't want to talk about it now." she said. Littlefoot saw tears forming in her eye. He wondered what it was that so troubled her.
"Littlefoot, you have some visitors." came Grandpa Longneck's voice. Littlefoot ran and saw Shorty and Bron.
"Hello son." said Bron.
"Dad!" said Littlefoot.
