The Gang of Five
The forum will have some maintenance done in the next couple of months. We have also made a decision concerning AI art in the art section.


Please see this post for more details.

If We Hold On Together

Ducky123

  • *feels like Pterano*
  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7485
    • View Profile
(I'll peply to reviews/responses after posting the new chapter)

Chapter 6:

Littlefoot, Cera and Petrie had hardly left their usual meeting area when they heard something move quickly through the thick undergrowth. Everyone was taken by surprise when Spike suddenly broke out of the vegetation to their right, crashing right into Cera, unable to stop himself. Littlefoot jumped away from the scene while Petrie shrieked, flying up to the crone of a tree before realising what was going on. Meanwhile, Cera and Spike were tumbling into the vegetation to their left, Ducky being thrown off the Spiketail unceremoniously, Littlefoot catching the Swimmer mid-fall.

“Whoa!” the Longneck exclaimed once he had caught Ducky. “Where’d you guys come from all of a sudden?”

“I would like to know that too, grr…” Cera growled with suppressed anger as she pushed Spike off herself, tearing the whole bush apart that she’d crashed into. “Can’t you watch where you’re going for once?!”

“Thank you for catching me, hehehe,” Ducky giggled, her worries forgotten for a quick moment.

“Oh, Ducky!” Petrie quickly flip-flapped down to where Littlefoot had placed the Swimmer on the muddy ground. “Me already wonder where you been!” The two quickly bonded before disengaging again, looking at each other curiously while Spike used the current distraction to get a few bites out of the bush Cera had ripped apart.

“You better have a good excuse this time or I’ll give you one to stay at home for a few days!” Cera threatened, positioning herself in an aggressive stance behind Spike who almost choked on the vegetation he was munching on.

What happened next, happened within the blink of an eye. Before anybody knew, what was going on, Littlefoot had reared up on his hindlegs, charging towards the Threehorn in a manner just as threatening. Cera jumped back out of instinct.

“If you don’t have anything nice to say, why don’t you just bother somebody else?! I’m sick of your attitude, Cera!” Littlefoot screamed all of a sudden while Ducky cowered behind Petrie, shooting an angry but also confused glance at the Threehorn while the Flyer stood in front of her protectively – not that there was anything he could possibly do to stop a rampaging Threehorn, trembling. Meanwhile, Spike was merely confused.

“Oh, you want a fight, you get one!” Cera roared, secretly looking forward to the opportunity while it lasted.

“I don’t want to fight you, I just want you to stop being an idiot!” Littlefoot quickly amended, gesturing wildly as he spoke on. “What became of our friendship? All we do nowadays is hoping you won’t get angry at anything we do, that’s not how it works! Either you stop being a mean idiot soon or we used to be friends!” The Longneck was panting now. It wouldn’t be the first time he got into a near-fight with the Threehorn but never had his words been any clearer. He wouldn’t deal with Cera any longer if she didn’t start acting more like a friend than a fiend again.

“You’re just a coward, Littlefoot, fight me!” Cera ordered, screaming, the rest of the gang watching in horror.

“NO!” Littlefoot shot back, his blood boiling. “Friends don’t fight! Stop being unreasonable for heaven’s sake!”

“Not bloody likely! You guys just piss me off all the time!”

Littlefoot noticed Cera taking a less aggressive posture though.

“You piss off Petrie too!” Petrie exclaimed, pointing at the Threehorn accusingly.

“Do not fight!” Ducky demanded, raising her little voice. “I am sure that whatever is upsetting you off can be talked-ed about without yelling, yes I am!”

“Ducky has a point but if Cera’s stays unreasonable… ugh!” Littlefoot appreciated the input of his smaller friend a lot. It truly was a blessing to have somebody in their circle of friends with that sort of personality.

“Yeah, Cera, instead of yelling at us like a bully, you could just say what’s bothering you for once!” Littlefoot spoke calmer, supporting Ducky’s plead of peace fully.

“I don’t like it when I constantly have to wait for you guys!” Cera then complained, apparently agreeing to the less violent way of discussing things. “You are much too late again, Ducky!”

“Why were you late anyway?” Littlefoot questioned, bending his neck down to Ducky, taking his attention away from the Threehorn for the first time since the argument started.

“Me worried a little ëcause your mama acting funny…” Petrie admitted.

Ducky looked around uncomfortably – first at her brother Spike who nodded firmly, then at Petrie and Littlefoot who were looking at her in a mixture of curiosity and concern and, ultimately, Cera who was staring at her penetratingly.

“Well, my mommy called us because she was tired-ed from the meeting the grown-ups had, yes she was,” Ducky explained.

“Huh? Why she tired from meeting?” Petrie wondered curiously, also a bit confused.

“Well, according to my grandparents, Mr. Threehorn must have been seeking fights with them again… I don’t know…” Littlefoot shrugged, offering his guess anyway.

“All good and fine, my dad can do what he wants anyway!” Cera spoke with some pride evident in her words. “But, that still doesn’t explain why you were late today!”

“It explains the reason for them having to leave yesterday though…” Littlefoot pointed out.

“Humpff!” Cera snorted.

“So, Ducky, go on, please,” the Longneck requested, ignoring the Threehorn as best as he could.

“Yeah, why you late today? Spike sleep in today?” Petrie added.

“Uhm, we both sleeped-ed in on accident…” Ducky admitted hesitantly, earning a deadly glance from Cera. “But it was not my fault, nope nope nope…” Ducky shrinked in size as Cera scrutinized the little Swimmer, looking at Littlefoot in alarm.

“How can this not be your fault?!” Cera raged as was to be expected of her. Angrily, the Threehorn stomped her foot on the muddy ground, leaving a deep mark in it. “That’s not a good excuse, I should…”

“Shut up, yeah you’re completely right, Cera!” Littlefoot completed the sentence for her.

“Why you…”

“If it not your fault, then whose fault it then?” Petrie chimed into the argument.

“Well, our mommy usually makes us get up early in the morning...” Ducky explained a little sadly. “But she did not this morning, no no no…” Spike shrugged his shoulders too.

“Unlikely story, I’m sure she’s making the entire thing up!” Cera speculated wildly.

“I am not!” Ducky retorted fiercely in protest.

“Oh Cera, really…” Littlefoot sighed audibly, facepalming. “Of all people I know, there’s nobody as honest as Ducky. Why would she lie anyway?”

“She’d have said it Spike again like usual, that not new,” Petrie mentioned. “But why she make effort of making up such weird story? Me believe Ducky!”

“So do I!” Littlefoot affirmed, glaring at Cera.

“Oh, my dad’s right, it’s a big conspiracy against us Threehorns…” Cera spoke quietly, shaking her head in disbelief.

“What?!” Ducky, Petrie and Littlefoot exhaled almost at the same time. When Cera didn’t say anything further, Ducky took the initiative again.

“Well, so that is why we were late, yep yep yep…”

“So, to sum it up, your mother slept in and, because of that, YOU slept in?” Cera said unbelievingly.

“That what she said, yes…” Petrie stated matter of factly.

“Yep, yep, yep…” Ducky replied meekly.

“So, I had to sit around until my butt got sore just because of you two snoozing in?! The hell with you!!!”

“Cera, just get lost…” Littlefoot growled. “I won’t let you ruin my day!”

“You already ruined mine, why should I care?” the Threehorn lashed out, stomping her foot again.

All of a sudden, something could be heard moving through the underbrush… towards them!

*****

Cliffhanger for the sake of having one? Maybe, but this argument has been going on for long enough anyway! Cera is being a dick today and there's a reason for that too.  ^^spike

Ehh, this chapter was kind of dialogue heavy and I didn't quite know how to break it up effectively here. I'm sure that'll get better in the next chapter again.

Quote
Sorry for missing the last chapter. I've been pretty busy lately but let's see. Both of the scenes overlapping the two chapters were interesting and the brewing argument between Littlefoot and Cera was written well. I must agree that Cera got angry quite quickly but she had her reasons. Even if the argument had gone rather far, it was nice to see it calm down somewhat. But I don't think we've seen the last of their bilateral problems...
No, certainly not. The chapter I just uploaded should be proof of that... and I originally had it go a lot more... vicious. Thought better of it then though. Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed the latest updates ^^spike

Quote
Ducky's mom seems to have a hard time but the reason is still unknown. Ducky's concern is understandable but so is Spike's hesitancy to worry. We'll see which one is right... Anyway, good job on these last two chapters.
Yep, we will. Thanks again :)

Quote
Thanks! A new chapter is up in the thread if you want to check it out.
I shall read it asap, don't worry. Just need to read two other chapters first (plus hurry to get this story done in time, I'm far behind my schedule!  :unsure: )

Quote
I can only hope she's not dying because that would be a real kick in the head. Somehow, I sense that something else is up with Cera. Maybe I'm wrong, but there's no excuse for her to act like that. Reminds me of LBT 1 Cera.
Ducky's mother dying?  :o That would be dark indeed... Cera acting like LBT 1 is a good keyword there ;)

Quote
I don't mind the swearing. I think it's appropriate given their age and that they're older. I'm glad you made them bordering on their teen years. One of my biggest qualms with the show and the movies is that they just remained the same age.
True, I wonder if this is Hyp's doing... after all, he promised it :p

Quote
*letting you know* wink.gif
I was surprised and confused actually when I read it.

I know there're popular famous fanfictions here with huge amount of rough swear words, but still...
What do you think, does your story so NEED in them? Especially in such big amount...

(Maybe it's just my personality. I'm some kind of "good boy" here in my life. XD not using bad words at all and feel pain when I hear them)

also I hope there's biiiiiig reason behind so that Littlefoot and Cera are acting like this... %O
I thought you were going to wait until the story is finished before you read it?  :smile

You ask a good question there though. I would say the conflict between Littlefoot and Cera is definitely necessary. It can be argued whether such a language is needed though. As I see it, it's hard to convey such an intense quarrel without the occasional strong word. I have tried to limit myself in this chapter a little...

It's totally fine being against such language, I think many people just use it way too much >_>
Inactive, probably forever.


The Wasp

  • Member+
  • Ruby
  • *
    • Posts: 34
    • View Profile
Can't say I'm a huge fan of Cera right now, I really hope whatever is going on with her, there's a damn good reason for it. Maybe it's her dad.


Ducky123

  • *feels like Pterano*
  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7485
    • View Profile
Quote
Can't say I'm a huge fan of Cera right now, I really hope whatever is going on with her, there's a damn good reason for it. Maybe it's her dad.

Well, me neither. I used to hate Cera for certain things she does and says but, at some point, I've realised that for the movie to work sometimes... it's the same with bad guys in general... you're supposed to hate them :p Anyway, I can confirm that she has a reason for acting a bit rougher than usual... though I'd say 70% of it is just her normal Cera behavior being triggered by having to wait for Ducky as well as some anger at Littlefoot because of the events of the previous day...

Chapter 7:

Everyone looked to their right. Nobody was oblivious to the movement in the bushes that Cera hadn’t destroyed yet.

“W-what that?” Petrie inquired urgently, pointing at the spot where the movement could be seen with his wings shaking.

“I do not know… but what if it is something that wants to eat us?” Ducky responded, the fear clearly evident in her voice.

“Oh, you’re just a bunch of eggs!” Cera teased, shooting a look at them which was hard to read. “I’ll handle this!” With a determined look on her face, Cera prepared her muscles before she charged right into the vegetation without any mercy – she had accumulated a lot of unreleased frustration and anger after all so the vegetation of the Great Valley would pay now as well as whatever dared to sneak up on them like that. Ripping more of the bushes apart, she pushed further into the thick jungle of leaves and wood until…

“Stoooooooop!!!” a voice screamed in panic – it obviously came from the spot where the movement was to be seen moments ago.

“Hey, that almost sounded like…” Ducky began but the realisation came too late.

“Ahhhh!!!” the voice screamed when Cera made impact with the creature hidden behind the leaves. It only dawned on her who she’d just knocked down after the deed was already done…

*

“Ohh…” As the female Swimmer came to her senses, everything was spinning in front of her eyes for a moment. “What is wrong with me?” A terrible headache made any attempt to think impossible and the gnawing pain in her extremities spoiled every bit of her motivation to get up from her resting position.

As her vision finally cleared, she noticed that she was at her nest. A quick look around confirmed that nobody was around. “The children must be off playing already…” the adult Swimmer figured – with relief when she considered her current state. Whatever it was that caused the pain, it seemed like something was seriously wrong with her. It was then that she noticed just how late it already was.

“I slept in badly, that is concerning indeed… ugh my head…” Ducky’s Mother massaged her head as a particularly heavy wave of pain spread through her whole head, her vision spinning once more. Once that had faded, she made a first attempt at getting to her feet. It would take her several attempts until she finally stood on her trembling legs.

*

“That Guido’s voice!” Petrie exclaimed, coming to Ducky’s conclusion as well.

“Guido? Why would Guido crawl through such thick vegetation towards us, Petrie?” Littlefoot wondered while he tried to make out what was happening in the undergrowth to his right where only some  faint movement of the branches of a tall fern was suggesting that a Threehorn was somewhere in that mess.

“Oh, me forgot to tell them…” Petrie cursed inwardly, going after the Threehorn.

“Petrie, where are you going?” Ducky wondered when she saw how Petrie suddenly rushed into the bushes too.

“Me forget to tell you, Guido come to play with us today!” he explained briefly, coming to a short halt. “Me have to look if he fine!”

That was when Cera’s voice came booming out of the jungle.

“False alarm, it’s Guido!”

“So Guido is going to play with us today?” Littlefoot concluded. “Why that’s cool, isn’t it, Ducky?”

“Oh yes!” the Swimmer replied eagerly though something else was on her mind. “Though it almost sounded as if Cera had knocked right into him, it did…” Exchanging glances with Littlefoot and Spike, everyone walked a little closer to the tunnel that Cera had torn into the vegetation with her rampage. Shortly after that, they could hear Guido releasing a bunch of swears into Cera’s direction which were cut off gruffly by the Threehorn. Petrie’s accusing words could be heard too before the group came walking out of the tunnel back towards the rest of their friends.

“Next time you check out who you’re trying to kill first!” A very upset Glider was the first to enter Littlefoot, Ducky and Spike’s sight, closely followed by an angry Flyer and a Threehorn which couldn’t decide whether to be sorry or not.

“You almost kill Guido, Cera!” Petrie added fiercely.

“Oww, this is gonna hurt for a few days…”


*

As soon as Ducky’s Mother stood on her legs, albeit far from standing upright, her headache became unbearable and a terrible nausea spread through her whole body. Within seconds, her stomach gave her a feeling as if it was on fire before the Swimmer collapsed back onto her knees, a powerful fountain of her stomach’s content splashing on the ground below her. Even a long while after her stomach had emptied itself in this unpleasant manner, the pain caused her to bend in an almost fetal position.

“What is happening with me?!” the female wondered, her mind blinded by the screaming pain coming from various parts of her body. She was panting heavily, almost hyperventilating, and it took her a lot of willpower not to allow her body to fall over right into the vomit in front of her. Her whole body felt insanely hot in addition to the other ailments she was facing as it was. Eventually, she managed to crawl away from the scene back to her sleeping spot where she remained unmoving – extremely tired and exhausted but unable to sleep all the same…

*

Littlefoot was the first to speak up when the group had exited the undergrowth.

“What. Happened?” He spoke slowly, putting emphasis on each word - he already had a pretty good idea what had occurred in there and it made him furious.

“Cera hurt Guido!” Petrie promptly accused, pointing at the Threehorn as if he wanted to slaughter her.

“T-that’s right. She bumped into me full force…” Guido explained, pressing one of his wings onto his chest where he had been hit. “I-it wasn’t on purpose of course but it still wasn’t very nice!”

“You do that on purpose, me know you did!!!” Petrie screamed angrily at Cera who did her best to remain calm by her standards. However, Petrie got on her nerves a bit too much to ignore him so she inhaled some air and blew it at the Flyer with all her might, the wind pushing Petrie back, somersaulting a few times until he remained lying on his back. Cera approached him with a mad look on her face.

“If I were as puny and despicable as you, Petrie, I wouldn’t mess with a Threehorn… GOT THAT!?”

“Enoooooooooooough!” Littlefoot roared all of a sudden. The situation had escalated yet again. “Enough of this crap, I won’t have any more of this!” He gave the Threehorn a murderous stare as Spike walked beside him in mute support, ready to jump in if a fight broke loose. Meanwhile, Ducky hurried over to Petrie, offering him a hand to help him get back on his feet. “Cera, you leave now! I don’t want to see you around here anymore!”

Cera didn’t know what to say. She could only stare back at her four friends who were looking at her coldly.

“Come back when you’ve gotten your priorities back in order…” Littlefoot spoke much quieter though the threat of his words hung in the air nevertheless.

“You must be kidding, Littlefoot!” Cera found her voice again. “That didn’t happen on purpose!”

“This is none of my concern, Cera…” Littlefoot replied in a cold, monotone voice. Disappointment was also shining through his cold stare. “Our friendship doesn’t work if you continue to be like that. For now, this is temporary but if things don’t change it’ll be permanent… aaaaaaand noooooow LEEEEEEEEEEAAAAVE!!!” Littlefoot screamed his last three words, charging towards the Threehorn who knew that responding with a charge of her own would be a subscription to loneliness and boredom as well as a possible loss of face since it was more than apparent that she would be fighting a one on four match there. Without saying another word, Cera charged the other way, knocking a few ferns over before disappearing in the thick vegetation.

*****

I'm sorry to disappoint you... but there's no cliffhanger this time :p

Looks like the friendship between Cera and Littlefoot is at risk. And we now have confirmation that Ducky's Mother is in a dire state. Stay tuned ^^spike
Inactive, probably forever.


Sovereign

  • Member+
  • Ducky
  • *
    • Posts: 1940
    • View Profile
Now this is getting intense... Ducky and Spike's mom appears to be seriously sick but we don't know yet if it's fatal. The descriptions of her condition were realistic and well done. I have a feeling that she needs help from the Gang though...

I cannot believe this the same Cera we know... There has to have happened something serious with her that we don't know about. Even though this doesn't seem to have happened in a moment: Littlefoot seemed to imply that this has been a gradual process. In any case, it'll be interesting to see how this resolves. I cannot even fathom how Ducky feels at the moment with all the things that are going on.




Littlefoot fan 1990

  • Member+
  • Petrie
  • *
    • Posts: 666
    • View Profile
    • http://vitaniandkovulover.deviantart.com/
You had me sitting on the edge of my seat, there; especially with the details of Ducky and Spike's mom's illness. Hopefully she'll be all right. I'll be looking forward to the next chapter.


rhombus

  • Administrator
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 6780
    • View Profile
My apologies for not reviewing, work has been keeping me busy lately.  Wow it certainly seems like there are a lot of hidden factors as play here.  A disagreement between Mama Swimmer and Topps... a disagreement between Littlefoot and Cera... Cera acting like a [insert impolite word here] and the rest of the gang not putting up with it... and now Mama Swimmer appears to have something seriously wrong.  I am unsure where it all will lead, but I suspect that it is all connected in some way.  Cera's insecurities and aggression often mirrors her father's and Ducky's empathy about people is seldom wrong.  Neither of these facts bode well for the friendship between Cera and Littlefoot or for the health of Ducky's mother.

Despite my concerns about where it all will lead, I look forward to seeing what happens next.  You have successfully written quite the intense story that appears to be on the verge of reaching a boiling point.


Go ahead and check out my fanfictions, The Seven Hunters, Songs of the Hunters, and Menders Tale.


Ducky123

  • *feels like Pterano*
  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7485
    • View Profile
replying to reviews after posting the new chapter ;)

*****

Chapter 8:

Silence, again, was filling the jungle around Guido and the four young dinosaurs… and it seemed almost as penetrating as the loud chaos which had reigned until moments ago. Everyone was staring at the spot where Cera had disappeared, each having their own thoughts about what had happened, Littlefoot being the first to break the silence with an audible, sad sigh.

“This could have been a good day with Guido joining our ranks today…” His gaze finally shifted back to his remaining friends. “But she ruined my day for the last time!” he added more sharply. “Cera, why can’t you just be a good friend like you used to be?!”

“Well, me glad she gone, she only causing trouble all of the time!” Petrie stated fiercely, his voice unusually determined.

“…and hurting us…” Ducky mumbled sadly, Spike nodding with an angry look on his face.

“Gee, what happened since I’ve last seen you guys?” Guido wondered, still rubbing his injury while pulling a pained grimace.

“Well, Cera has been acting unusually hateful as of late,” Littlefoot explained. “I mean… you probably know by now that she can be difficult sometimes… but it’s gotten so much worse lately and I’m quite frankly sick of it!”

“Me sick of her too, me no need to see her again!” Petrie growled, folding his arms in front of his chest.

“Do not say such a thing, Petrie…” Ducky requested, sighing. “Maybe Cera is really upset about us and it is us who need to try to behave better?” It was an idea after all though Littlefoot didn’t quite seem to have the same viewpoint.

“Ducky, whenever something doesn’t go Cera’s way, she’ll go berserk,” he explained with a kind but determined voice. “She is selfish – it’s her who needs to adapt, not us!”

“Well, maybe you are right…” Ducky admitted. “But… still I think that she was so upset about Spike and me and that is why things did not go well today…”

“Pfft, she was also still upset about losing the game yesterday when we hid in the same cave but Cera was discovered first… really, how childish is that anyway?” Littlefoot shook his head.

“Me agree with Littlefoot!” Petrie stated angrily, closing his eyes in indignation.

“What I am saying is… at least we could try not to provoke her?” Ducky proposed hesitantly, looking at Littlefoot and Petrie with an unsure expression, only Spike seemingly agreeing with her line of thinking. “If Spike and I try to be on time more often, maybe she will not get mad at us anymore, yes maybe?”

“Sure, but that doesn’t change that she’s a… you know what…” Littlefoot sighed. “Either way, I will not have her continue to act like that since that’s not how I imagine a good friendship to look like… don’t you feel that she is constantly making us fear her? It’s spoiling the fun of any game if you always have to expect being yelled at if something doesn’t go her way…”

“Uhh guys?” Guido piped up. “Ehh, maybe we shouldn’t dwell on that too much and move on for now?”

“That is a good idea, Guido…” Littlefoot approved, appearing weak and exhausted after the verbal fight with the Threehorn.

“So what we do now?” Petrie wondered.

“Play a game?” Guido proposed but everyone disapproved.

“Not now, Guido…” Littlefoot apologised. “I’m not in the mood.”

“I am not feeling up to a game either, no no no…” Ducky spoke sadly though nobody noticed her mental turmoil except for Spike who gave her a more than curious look from the side.

“Let’s do something else then,” Guido spoke, taking the role of the organiser of the group now. “Is there anything else you guys feel like doing? Explore something? Just hang out somewhere? Pranking Cera’s dad?”

“That be the last thing you ever do if you get caught…” Petrie advised.

“Well, I don’t know…” Littlefoot admitted. “What do you feel up to? Ducky? Spike?”

Spike looked at Ducky with some concern as she was clearly appearing to be in a thoughtful state. Upon being addressed, however, Ducky gave a pretty quick response.

“Well, I always like to go for a swim when I need to get my mind off things, yes I do.”

“Then let’s go to the Thundering Waterfalls and take a bath, shall we?” Littlefoot announced, looking around for any objections. But none came.

“That sound good, me can take sunbath on boulder meanwhile that also have that effect sometimes,” Petrie spoke, chuckling as he remembered the previous evening with Guido.

“Well, I could need a bath after being pushed into the dirt,” Guido mused, only some light anger still present in the blue-ish Glider.

“And Spike and I can have some underwater food for breakfast, how does this sound, Spiky?” Ducky just knew how to bait her brother – Spike nodded eagerly at the thought of catching up on missed opportunities to have a bite.

“Alright, then let’s get going!” Littlefoot suggested, walking ahead of the group. He didn’t quite feel like taking a swim himself but he was sure he’d be able to take his mind off the fight with Cera at least…

*

After a few minutes of tearing through the vegetation, Cera finally entered less vegetated parts of the forest, finally calming down. A few scratches were visible on her flanks where she’d accidently pushed through thorns though she couldn’t care less right now. In fact, the stinging sensations helped her to focus her mind again.

“What is wrong with me?! Why am I acting like that? I can’t help it!” The Threehorn trotted back towards her nest, trying to understand herself. She wasn’t too keen on admitting it openly but she knew that she had gone too far this time yet there was nothing she could do to battle her growing hate, anger and frustration seemingly directed at whatever or whoever stood in her way.

“These guys are still my friends, I don’t want to be mad at them but I am! Ugh, I’m so mad right now!” That was when Cera’s expression took on a strong sarcastic touch. “Riiiight, that’s just the bloody point… why is this happening all of a sudden?! I can’t just risk my friendship with Littlefoot as annoying as he can be sometimes…” Cera was clueless but she knew that there had to be a reason… and where there was a reason was likely to be a solution!

“Hmm, maybe Tria knows what’s wrong with me? Just as long as I’m not asking dad; that would only end with me getting even madder!” Cera’s decision stood; she would ask her step-mother. There was nothing to do at the moment so getting in touch with family seemed like the best thing to do that didn’t involve her boring herself to death.

*****

Well, I told you Cera has a reason for acting so shitty (even though I've only fully developed the idea today) and here it is! Well, you'll learn about it soon anyway :p

Quote
Now this is getting intense... Ducky and Spike's mom appears to be seriously sick but we don't know yet if it's fatal. The descriptions of her condition were realistic and well done. I have a feeling that she needs help from the Gang though...
Oh yes, the illness is serious indeed. No confirmations for your idea yet though but keep them coming, I like to read what my readers are predicting :smile

Quote
I cannot believe this the same Cera we know... There has to have happened something serious with her that we don't know about. Even though this doesn't seem to have happened in a moment: Littlefoot seemed to imply that this has been a gradual process. In any case, it'll be interesting to see how this resolves. I cannot even fathom how Ducky feels at the moment with all the things that are going on.
The thing is: Ducky isn't even aware of her mother's state yet :p As for Cera, yes it has been a gradual process and this is only the result of that we're seeing here. I find it quite funny though that you all are considering the situation so extreme... I think this could happen any day between Littlefoot and Cera if both don't have a good day ^^spike

Quote
You had me sitting on the edge of my seat, there; especially with the details of Ducky and Spike's mom's illness. Hopefully she'll be all right. I'll be looking forward to the next chapter.
Why, I'm glad to know you're on the edge of your seat, just be careful not to fall off the chair though :lol

Quote
Wow it certainly seems like there are a lot of hidden factors as play here.
Oh, compared to Shorty's Dark Past... this is pretty mild here :p

Quote
I am unsure where it all will lead, but I suspect that it is all connected in some way. Cera's insecurities and aggression often mirrors her father's and Ducky's empathy about people is seldom wrong. Neither of these facts bode well for the friendship between Cera and Littlefoot or for the health of Ducky's mother.
Well said. No confirmations of course :)

Just a note: I more than likely won't be able to finish the entry in time (I'd say I'm probably looking at about 20 chapters,  maybe a few more with this story). Ugh, why do I always go for long stories, silly me  :angel
Inactive, probably forever.


Sovereign

  • Member+
  • Ducky
  • *
    • Posts: 1940
    • View Profile
Going to relax is probably the best option in this rather unfortunate situation. Petrie is very vengeful towards Cera which seems kinda uncharacteristic for him. Of course she attacked Guido so that could be justified. For now, Cera's probably going to take the spotlight for a while but we'll see. We pretty much got the confirmation that the current problems are caused by Cera's dad and I'm looking forwards to seeing what has happened.




Fyn16

  • Member+
  • Petrie
  • *
    • Posts: 716
    • View Profile
Well, to say a lot has happened since my last review would be an understatement!

So now Ducky's mother has come down with a mysterious illness (yikes!) while Cera has effectively alienated herself from the rest of her friends. I must say, you've certainly captured the severity of whatever is plaguing Ducky's poor mom very well. I truly feel sorry for her, and I hope we can reach a good conclusion on her arc, in the end.

Now, I've sworn myself to honesty in my reviews, so I must say that I don't entirely agree on the direction you've taken Cera's character. However, this does not detract from the way you've written the character herself. Even if I don't agree with her portrayal, the way you've written her still shines, and crankier-than-usual Cera seems a well-developed character in and of herself.

I also feel the decision to remove the worst of the swearing was a good one. A lot of it felt out of character, and swearing really only works when it carries weight (a character who never swears suddenly drops an F-bomb and we know shit's about to go DOWN), or if the character is already established as someone who swears a lot. Swearing is, contrary to popular belief, very difficult to pull off effectively in writing, so keep that in mind.

But, these chapters still absolutely held my interest, and I look forward to seeing what happens next, especially in the Cera and Ducky's Mom arcs. As for not finishing on time, don't worry about it! We have enough material here to judge easily. Best of luck with the voting, and great job on this month's prompt!


The Wasp

  • Member+
  • Ruby
  • *
    • Posts: 34
    • View Profile
I still hope you submit this for the prompt challenge. What you've posted so far is enough to merit consideration.

In terms of plot this is an A+ story. You've completely drawn me in as a reader, hanging on every word and development. Characterization is pretty spot on too.

I don't like it when Cera acts like a bitch, but as you've shown, there's a reason for it and I'm curious to know what it is. I really hope it's something I never would have thought of before. And I really hope Ducky and Spike's mom is okay because whatever she has does not sound pleasant.

Anyway, really love this fic. Gotta work on my own submission now haha.


Ducky123

  • *feels like Pterano*
  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7485
    • View Profile
Chapter 9:

Finally now, the Bright Circle was high in the sky, sending an increasing amount of heat into the Great Valley, the humidity quickly making the atmosphere uncomfortable. It was probably a good thing that the five dinosaurs had decided to go near the water to cool down not just their minds but their bodies as well. When the group of friends arrived at the river leading them to the Thundering Falls, everyone decided to continue their walk at the shallow shore to keep their feet cold. No word had been spoken ever since they started their short trek through the Great Valley. Now, Petrie was the first to break the silence.

“Gee, me no think me wanna take sunbath anymore, it too hot today!” As if to support his statement, the Flyer started fanning some air into his face to help dealing with the growing heat of the day. The fact that the air seemed to be as unmoving as a rock today, didn’t help things improve at all. And Littlefoot was walking much too slow to create any significant air movement to keep him cool too!

“Maybe we should swim to the Thundering Falls?” Ducky suggested from atop of Spike.

“Uhh, as you probably remember I ehh umm… I’m not a very good swimmer…” Guido mentioned as they continued to waddle through the shallow water. “Though I wouldn’t mind if my feathers got a little wet… if you know what I mean… uhh I mean…”

“Jump in and then hop on,” Littlefoot spoke invitingly. “I think Ducky has a point after all, this won’t be a pretty day if it’s so warm this early already. And any games will probably be water-bound…”

“Me no mind that… not today,” Petrie replied, earning a short chuckle from everyone.

“Great, then let’s jump in!” Littlefoot exclaimed, being the first to launch himself into the water, almost throwing off Petrie in the process.

“Yay, water!” Ducky squeaked before diving into the fresh, cool fluid, disappearing below the surface for a little while as she took a long dive.

Spike just gently walked in with a smile on his face when he thought about the plentiful underwater food that grew here. Of course he still couldn’t swim very well yet but he was fine as long as the water wasn’t moving very fast which it wasn’t here. There was a small current leading away from the Thundering Falls but it was hardly noticeable at all.

“Alright, towards the Thundering Falls!” Littlefoot eventually ordered once Guido and Petrie had found a comfortable position on his back while Ducky was playfully diving in a slalom between the legs of the two taller dinosaurs. The fight had already been forgotten.

*

When Cera arrived at her nest, only her father was to be seen relaxing in the sun.

“Oh great, just what I wished for…” Cera mused with some sarcasm, shortly hesitating before approaching her dad. Luckily, he didn’t seem to be taking a nap, otherwise she probably wouldn’t have confronted him at all.

“Hey dad…” Cera spoke up quietly not to startle the tall Threehorn.

“Cera, what’s the matter?” the adult yawned, opening his eyes which were now staring at his daughter.

“Where’s Tria? I need to talk to her…”

“Thundering Falls… playing in the water with little Tricia,” Topps responded with a smile. “Time for me to relax.”

“Okay, thanks dad! Seeya!” Cera exclaimed, storming off towards the Thundering Falls.

Topps’s gaze followed his daughter for a while until she disappeared behind a hill. Then he closed his eyes again, continuing to drowse in the warmth of the Bright Circle while he could do so without getting disturbed.

*

“There they be!” Petrie announced when the group arrived at the Thundering Falls. The water that crashed down into the Great Valley here made a deafening noise as it fell from the high wall bordering their home against the Mysterious Beyond. The river that fed the waterfalls was the main water source of their Valley, allowing the abundance of flora and fauna to flourish here. The spray of the waterfall was sometimes enough to become wet all over when the wind was carrying it away but that was not the case this day. But Littlefoot, Ducky, Guido, Petrie and Spike were wet all over as it was… and Littlefoot made sure that his two passengers wouldn’t dry up too soon.

“Stop splashing water at Petrie!” Petrie laughed when Littlefoot continually beat his tail onto the water surface to send water spraying everywhere around him.

At that, Ducky had a sudden idea. Quickly making Spike aware of her plan too, she began swimming on her back while Spike appeared to be diving for some food growing under water. Suddenly, Ducky started kicking her legs as hard as she could, sending a shower at Petrie and Guido while Spike spit a fountain of water right into Littlefoot’s face.

“Watch it!” Littlefoot laughed as he fought back with some splashes of his own. The battle was raging on for some more minutes until everybody found themselves a free spot at the shore underneath a tall tree spending some shade. As the group relaxed, the joys of the water war slowly calming down, thoughts shifted to less joyous matters again.

Ducky was the only one still actually in the water, gently floating on the surface with little to no effort. Naturally, her gaze was directed towards the sky in the position she was currently taking but there was very little too see aside from the occasional Flyer roaming in the sky. No clouds were on the deep blue sky today to play a guessing game so there was very little to distract herself with. As Spike began making short work of some tall grass growing at the shore nearby, Ducky’s thoughts shifted back to the morning.

“I wonder if my mommy has woken up by now, I do, I do… I would really like to know if she is alright… or not.”

Meanwhile, Littlefoot was just looking around, time and again amazed by the sheer amount of life that was gathering at this place each and every day. However, during his scan of the area, there weren’t only things he liked seeing but also some he didn’t.

“Oh great, why does Tria HAVE to be here right now too… can’t these Threehorns just leave me in peace for once?” Gone was his relaxed state of mind. The memories of the fight came crushing down on him again, darkening his mood significantly.

“Gee, I really do wonder what she is going to do now…” Predicting the course of action of the Threehorn was sometimes more likely to fail than making predictions on the weather. What would she do? Would she see reason and apologise? Or, at least, promise to behave better in the future? “Hmm, maybe she would…” Littlefoot pondered though he didn’t place his bets too high yet. Knowing Cera, she could very well be plotting to get back at him this very second.

“Well, we’ll see… but now I would like to think about something e…” That was when he saw her…  “Forget what I just said…”

*****

Thanks for the support so far guys, I'm slowly developing a habit of writing almost daily (and, typically, in the middle of the night too  :DD). I feel very good about this chapter since I actually had some ideas for description inbetween dialogue this time ^^spike I guess this is what I'd label an "inbetweener" - just a chapter inbetween two important scenes. These can be pretty easy to write once you get started with something. All you need is a topic starter of sorts and there you go (at least that's the impression I got here :p)

Anyway, I really hope you liked this new chapter too and let me now have a few words about your lovely reviews before going to bed 6 am in the morning, haha  ^^spike

------------

Quote
Going to relax is probably the best option in this rather unfortunate situation. Petrie is very vengeful towards Cera which seems kinda uncharacteristic for him. Of course she attacked Guido so that could be justified. For now, Cera's probably going to take the spotlight for a while but we'll see. We pretty much got the confirmation that the current problems are caused by Cera's dad and I'm looking forwards to seeing what has happened.
Well yeah, I got the impression in some of the sequels that Petrie is always very easy to turn his back on Cera whenever Littlefoot does. The fact that Guido is the one who took the blow added to his anger obviously.
As for Cera, well, you'll see in the next chapter or two ;)

Quote
Well, to say a lot has happened since my last review would be an understatement!
Uhh, quite ^^spike

Quote
So now Ducky's mother has come down with a mysterious illness (yikes!) while Cera has effectively alienated herself from the rest of her friends. I must say, you've certainly captured the severity of whatever is plaguing Ducky's poor mom very well. I truly feel sorry for her, and I hope we can reach a good conclusion on her arc, in the end.
Gee, I wonder... I'm not telling yet :lol:

Quote
Now, I've sworn myself to honesty in my reviews, so I must say that I don't entirely agree on the direction you've taken Cera's character. However, this does not detract from the way you've written the character herself. Even if I don't agree with her portrayal, the way you've written her still shines, and crankier-than-usual Cera seems a well-developed character in and of herself.
Why, that's totally okay. Cera is a bit of an edgy character and, in this story, I'm taking a rather extreme path (though, trust me, I could make this 10 times worse if I wanted to :p). As you said, she is well written (if you say so, it shall be truth!) and you haven't seen the end of it yet so stay tuned. Maybe you'll like the resolution of the issue I've planned :)

Quote
I also feel the decision to remove the worst of the swearing was a good one. A lot of it felt out of character, and swearing really only works when it carries weight (a character who never swears suddenly drops an F-bomb and we know shit's about to go DOWN), or if the character is already established as someone who swears a lot. Swearing is, contrary to popular belief, very difficult to pull off effectively in writing, so keep that in mind.
Well, I think it's in-character for Cera at least  :unsure:

Quote
But, these chapters still absolutely held my interest, and I look forward to seeing what happens next, especially in the Cera and Ducky's Mom arcs. As for not finishing on time, don't worry about it! We have enough material here to judge easily. Best of luck with the voting, and great job on this month's prompt!
Thanks, much appreciated Fyn! ^^spike

Quote
I still hope you submit this for the prompt challenge. What you've posted so far is enough to merit consideration.
Of course I will still do that! Don't worry! :) (I just need to settle on one of my ideas for a title ugh!)

Quote
In terms of plot this is an A+ story. You've completely drawn me in as a reader, hanging on every word and development. Characterization is pretty spot on too.
Thank you very much! That's good to hear that I scored in these areas in your book :)

Quote
I don't like it when Cera acts like a bitch, but as you've shown, there's a reason for it and I'm curious to know what it is. I really hope it's something I never would have thought of before. And I really hope Ducky and Spike's mom is okay because whatever she has does not sound pleasant.
I'm sure, at least, it won't be the #1 guess most people probably have by now ;)

Quote
Anyway, really love this fic. Gotta work on my own submission now haha.
Good luck with that! :yes
Inactive, probably forever.


Sovereign

  • Member+
  • Ducky
  • *
    • Posts: 1940
    • View Profile
This has a chance of becoming real awkward... I don't think it's likely that Littlefoot and Cera are ready to share a chat yet but the situation will certainly turn sourer... Cera's day is unlikely to get any better and there's a good chance Tria will be dragged to the plot too. In any case the descriptions in this chapter were very nice and managed to build a good atmosphere, as you said.

I, too, write daily. Without a strict timetable I fear my writing sessions would become far and between. :p




The Wasp

  • Member+
  • Ruby
  • *
    • Posts: 34
    • View Profile
I'm glad Cera is seeking out Tria. Don't think her father would be very helpful, especially if it's a "girls" issue as is my guess. Maybe not and that was a bit chauvinistic lol, but I am still very curious as to what's going on with her.

And I really hope Ducky's mom is okay. From the fever and the vomiting, it looks pretty bleak for her at the moment.

Littlefoot better keep his cool, he's the more coolheaded of the two, but he also has a temper. So I hope seeing Cera at the falls doesn't set him off.


rhombus

  • Administrator
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 6780
    • View Profile
Now we have an interesting situation shaping up.  I am pleased that Cera is seeking out help from someone that she feels that she can trust, but now it seems that her and Littlefoot might be on the verge of butting heads (hopefully not literally  :p ) as they are going to the same place.  But with Littlefoot appearing to be fresh out of patience... things might get a bit dicey here...


Go ahead and check out my fanfictions, The Seven Hunters, Songs of the Hunters, and Menders Tale.


Ducky123

  • *feels like Pterano*
  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7485
    • View Profile
Ugh, I'm suffering from writer's block
 :bang

I'll respond to your feedback properly whenever I get the next chapter up. For now, let me just quickly make an announcement:

This story now has a title, though a very unoriginal one. After a lot of debating, I decided to choose the following title for this story:

"If We Hold On Together"

Both of the main plots going on here are reflected by that title in my opinion. I'm not 100% happy with it but it's the best I could come up with (and nobody had any better suggestion either :p) So don't be surprised if you suddenly find a story with that title, I'll ask the admins to make the necessary changes to the thread title :yes
Inactive, probably forever.



Ducky123

  • *feels like Pterano*
  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7485
    • View Profile

Ducky123

  • *feels like Pterano*
  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7485
    • View Profile
Beat writer's block today, yay!

*****

Chapter 10:

As the young Threehorn stuck her head out of a small forest that grew at the shore of the large river fed by the Thundering Falls, she scanned the crowd for the sight of her pink-coloured step-mother. It almost seemed like the whole population of the valley had decided to come to this place on this hot day which wasn’t particularly surprising nor was it in Cera’s favor for that matter. She didn’t like it at all, when places were crowded.

It took her a while but, eventually, Cera spotted Tria. Her step-mother was standing very close to the Thundering Falls, appearing to watch something that could only be Tricia playing in the water. Relieved to have discovered her, Cera began walking towards them, avoiding the crowds as best as possible. As much as she hated them though, she also couldn’t deny that watching strangers do all sorts of things could be entertaining sometimes. Or listening to gossip for that matter. Cera was in no hurry whatsoever – there wouldn’t be any games today, so, instead of hurrying to get to meet Tria as soon as she could, she was slowly strolling along the shore of the river, all the while keeping eyes and ears open for anything to keep her entertained. Had she known whom her eyes would soon spot, she’d probably thought better of it.

*

Littlefoot felt his anger rise to an unhealthy level yet again as his gaze met the orange form of Cera walking on the other side of the stream. How dared she to come back already after everything that happened? Or was she just here for the same reason than he was – to try and cool down not just mentally? Whatever the case, Littlefoot wouldn’t have her here… not now.

*

“What is that flathead doing here?!” Cera couldn’t believe her eyes when she suddenly spotted her friends on the other side of the stream. Whether their meeting was coincidental or not, Cera did not know but neither did she care much. Anger was bottling up in her like a volcano about to explode and her reasoning limited. Yet, Cera didn’t know what to do. Some part of her wanted to charge right through the stream towards the Longneck to chase him away with force but another, smaller part of her also reminded her why she was here in the first place – and it was not to seek fights with dinosaurs who were supposed to be her friends.

“NO, I mustn’t fight now as much as I want to. I have to get to Tria to ask for advice…” Despite that realisation in mind, Cera still couldn’t refrain herself from sending a loathful, penetrating stare in the direction of the Longneck. After all, a fight didn’t have to be fought with horns all the time when a battle of the eyes would do too.

*

“What is she up to?!” Littlefoot noted with annoyance that Cera gave him a very cold stare which almost hurt as much as a piercing stab of her horn. His wrath about Cera’s action prevented any logical reactions though so he simply returned the favor as best as he could, the two dinosaurs fighting a battle of stares for some moments before Cera; apparently, had enough, demonstratively turning away from him while sticking her tail high up into the air.

*

“Stupid flathead, leave me alone…” Cera soon had enough of this little contest, leaving the Longneck behind and continuing her way towards her step-mother, this time keeping her eyes on the ground lest she’d spot other things to enrage her even further on her way. The least she needed right now was an aggressive mood if she wanted to be acting somewhat reasonable in front of Tria who surely wouldn’t take it well if she acted with the same anger towards her that she was expressing towards her friends too.

*

Once Cera was out of his sight, Littlefoot took a deep breath to calm his nerves down again, the tension of the encounter slowly falling from him as he ate a few treestars just to have some distraction for a moment. It was only then when he turned back towards his friends. Did they notice the Threehorn?

The first to enter his view was Spike, having a delayed breakfast. Surely, he seemed very focused on the task.

“He didn’t notice her,” Littlefoot concluded with a shrug and moved on to Petrie and Guido who seemed to be quietly talking among themselves while resting on some rocks. However, the talk seemed carefree and easygoing from what he could tell so he assumed that they didn’t notice her either. “Otherwise Petrie wouldn’t be laughing right now…”

That left only Ducky. Littlefoot discovered her still swimming in the water, however he also noticed something else.

“Ducky is looking very worried…” Maybe he wouldn’t have been too concerned if it had been somebody else from his circle of friends but Ducky clearly wasn’t somebody who worried a lot about life. She was someone who was always seeing the better things – the good in bad people as well as hope in a seemingly desperate situation. Right now, however, none of that was visible on the young Swimmer’s worried face as she seemingly stared at something distant in the sky although there was nothing to see except the deep blue sky.

“Ducky?” Littlefoot decided to approach his friend, partly out of curiosity and concern but also to have something other than the current conflicts to set his mind on. It only dawned on him just why Ducky might be feeling that way as he was walking into the river again.

Ducky?” he repeated when Ducky wasn’t showing any signs that she’d been listening, craning his neck into Ducky’s distant gaze to get her attention.

Ducky jerked slightly when the head of her friend suddenly entered her field of vision, however the moment of surprise quickly passed. Ducky got into a normal swimming position so she could talk to her friend better.

“Yes, Littlefoot?” Ducky could already imagine why his friend would be seeking a talk with her right now so she didn’t make any attempt to hide her emotions whatsoever.

“Are you alright, Ducky?” Littlefoot addressed the Swimmer who made a pretty downcast impression on him, eyeing her cautiously.

“No, I am not,” Ducky responded in all honesty, knowing that it was pointless to pretend here. She had shared the story of what happened earlier that day with the Longneck already so he would have probably deduced what her current gloomy state was all about by now.

“You’re worried about what happened this morning, aren’t you?” Littlefoot analysed, looking at Ducky, understanding. He didn’t even realise that he was, technically, pointing at two separate events. Ducky did.

“It is not Cera I am concerned about, no no no.” She looked down sadly. “I am scared about my mother… what if she does not wake up?”

Ducky’s state of mind wasn’t lost on the Longneck. In an act of friendliness and support, he reached out his tail for Ducky to hold on and placed her on his back. “I wasn’t thinking about Cera either. Have you seen her by the way? She just walked past here and gave me a stare… was heading towards Tria over there,” Littlefoot spoke though Ducky didn’t listen eagerly, merely shaking her head to indicate that she had not. “Anyway uhm… if you’re worried about her, Ducky, maybe we should go to your nest and see if something’s wrong or not?”

Ducky climbed towards the neck of her friend to give it a quick embrace. “Yes, please…” Sighing, she added. “I have a very funny feeling that I cannot explain; right here…” the Swimmer pointed at her chest, rubbing it slightly as if it hurt.

“Hmm, if you have a funny feeling in your tummy, then we should really go. Oftentimes, it’s telling us nonsense but, sometimes, it can also tell us something important… as my Grandpa says anyway…” Littlefoot responded with mixed feelings. “Well, let’s get the others, shall we?”

Ducky nodded.

*****

well, that took too long, huh? Just a heads up, I definitely have the intent to finish the story even though the contest is now finished. The other stories were too good competition anyway :DD

Hope you like the new addition, this is probably the 3rd or 4th take on the scene between Cera and Littlefoot and I'm still not sure if I've handled the scene well but I'm at this point where I stop caring for the sake of continuing it at all. A scene can be altered later on after all, if need be :yes
Inactive, probably forever.


Sovereign

  • Member+
  • Ducky
  • *
    • Posts: 1940
    • View Profile
What a great surprise is waiting Ducky... :(petrie The next chapter's going to be a sad one but we'll also see what Cera wishes to talk to Tria about. Littlefoot and Cera's "meeting" was a tense one but escalating it further at this point would have benefited no one. Nice chapter as always but the future seems pretty bleak for now.




Ducky123

  • *feels like Pterano*
  • Member+
  • Littlefoot
  • *
    • Posts: 7485
    • View Profile
Here's a first: Two chapters finished on one day... and I have written part of the next one too... Having a go apparently, well I don't mind :p

*****

Chapter 11:

It took Littlefoot little to no time to convince the others of his idea to go to Ducky’s nest, seeing if everything was alright. Spike was in favor of it anyway and Petrie was quick to jump on Littlefoot’s back too to make sure Ducky had some company while Guido rode on Spike – something he had, admittedly, never done before.

Ducky’s nest was only a few minute’s footwalk from their current position since it was also located at the water. Nobody spoke for a while, the whole situation having a slightly odd and gloomy touch to it despite the low likelihood of something being wrong. After all, everything was probably just a coincidence despite the curious series of unique events. Oddly enough, it was Guido who spoke up first.

“So uhh… Ducky?” he began, a bit unsure how to reach the Swimmer. “What is the funny feeling like that you have? I mean… uhh.” Littlefoot had explained in two sentences what was going on in Ducky’s mind right now before they began to head towards her nest but Guido wanted to know exactly since he had his own experiences with odd feelings. Maybe there was something familiar he’d recognise?

*

“Yeeeeeee!” Tria wore a broad grin on a face as she watched Tricia squealing as she was playing in the shallow water near the mighty waterfalls, splashing water around everywhere. It was a perfect day to relax in her opinion.

As Cera approached carefully, her mind was a mess. Some part of her was still angry, another was just confused about the whole situation and yet another was giving her a very awkward feeling about asking for advice in the first place. Nevertheless, there was no way around this conversation if she wanted answers… and she wanted them badly.

“T-tria?” Cera spoke up quietly, nervousness, a most unfamiliar feeling to the orange coloured Threehorn, making itself known. As the adult turned towards her, Cera asked her piece. “C-can I talk to you? There is something… not right with me I think and… I hope that you might… know how to fix this?” Cera initially regretted her decision but now it was too late to back down as she’d already made a fool out of herself before the actual talk had started.

“Of course, honey,” Tria replied sweetly, turning her full attention to the girl now. “I’ll see if there’s anything I can do.”

“Thanks Tria, I wouldn’t know who else to ask…”

Tria gave a short chuckle at this. “I see, Cera. So what’s the matter?”

“CEWA! Cewa!” Tricia had now noticed the presence of her older sister as well, calling her out in excitement.

“Hey Tricia, I’ll play with you in a bit, but first I need to talk to mum, okay?” Cera addressed her sister, silently appreciating her for the chance to get her nervousness under control. The little one seemed to be pleased with the answer she got, continuing to play in the water while Cera began explaining the problem to Tria…

*

Ducky looked down on herself, rubbing her chest again. “It is very hard to explain, it is, it is…” the girl answered in a voice that indicated how troubled her mind was right now.

“Try?” Petrie offered from her side while Littlefoot quickly looked back to her sitting on his back, giving a confirmative nod – even Spike joining the party, nodding.

Ducky sighed. “I do not know… it feels like something inside of me is narrowing and cringing whenever I think about my mommy, it does. I think it means that something is wrong with her…”

Petrie put one of his wings around her back. “Me sure this not case, she be fine Petrie know she be.” However, Ducky didn’t seem too convinced albeit it was clearly visible that she appreciated the support.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’re just overreacting – I do that all the time, ehehe…” Guido chuckled nervously as he said this.

“Well, her nest is right behind that bent of the river. We’ll know in a bit…” Littlefoot announced in a very serious voice, the tension not lost on him.

*

“…so yeah, that’s what happened anyways…” Cera finished telling Tria about the fight with her friends that had happened earlier. She was by no means proud of her deeds though she also wouldn’t just apologise to Littlefoot.

“Oh my, Cera…” Tria sighed. “Why did you act like that anyway?”

Cera gulped. “That’s the problem, Tria… I don’t know.”

“Care to explain, honey?” Tria asked gently, knowing that it must have taken Cera quite a bit to open up to her like that, considering her usual hardheadedness.

“Sure, I’ll try I suppose…” Cera spoke quietly, collecting her thoughts. “You see… lately, I’m feeling mad at others for no apparent reason! I snap at the smallest insult and I feel like I’ve lost control of my feelings… like, sometimes, I’m totally funny and happy but, sometimes, I just can’t help but feeling like crap! Like… today…” Unsure of herself, Cera looked up at her step-mother, waiting for a reaction.

Tria tilted her head slightly as she observed her daughter very closely. Cera gave her a slightly odd stare but didn’t say anything. Then, Tria spoke up.

“Oh, I think I know what is going on, dear.” The female wore a knowing smile as she said these words.

“Yes? You do?” Cera inquired, curiosity in display.

“I’m not saying Iëm absolutely certain, Cera, but the signs are pretty unambiguous,” Tria responded, her smile becoming even broader up to the point where it actually began annoying her step-daughter.

“Then what is it?!” Cera was back to her usual self now.

“I’ve had it too when I was your age, all Threehorns go through it at some point.” Now Tria’s voice had a mysterious touch to it, gaining Cera’s attention again. “I still remember that one time… Topsy and I were very good friends at the time and I suddenly started getting into arguments with him all of the time and so did he. Now, it seems like you’ve reached that time in life too, Cera.”

“What is ëit’?” Cera wondered, her face still showing doubt. “You never mentioned what ëit’ actually is!” Much to her annoyance, Tria only laughed.

“Oh Cera, you’re growing up, dear.” The dumbstruck face of Cera alone was reason enough for Tria to giggle like a little child.

“Why… of course I am!” the younger Threehorn responded with some pride in her voice, not quite catching the implications of her step-mother’s words.

“Yes, Cera… the point is, honey, I think your current problems are a result of you growing up,” the grown-up explained. “Mr Thicknose may be able to tell you more about this if you’re curious but, for now, let me tell you what I know.”

Cera didn’t object to this as she was now about to hear the reason for her behavior; and, hopefully, the solution of her current problems too.

“As a Threehorn grows up,” Tria introduced. “We all go through changes. We learn, we grow… and we are also going through changes that we cannot see. We can only feel them as they occur, honey.“ Tria gave her step-daughter a smile. “At your age, Threehorns begin to act more competitively and aggressively – and I can also relate to the moodiness you are experiencing. Your dad still hasn’t lost it!”

A quick glance was exchanged, laughter soon following as the two females had some fun on Mr. Threehorn’s expense.

*

Two minutes later, Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie, Guido and Spike stood in front of Ducky’s nest… but they didn’t like the sight.

“Mommy?” Ducky was the first to speak up, her voice unusually shaky. Littlefoot stopped dead in his tracks, gulping audibly while Spike uttered a sound hard to interpret, Guido and Petrie wearing a very worried expression.

“Mommy?!”

*****

How right you were, Sovereign... the shit gets real now to put it a bit blunt  :sducky

Well, I just had to end this on a cliffhanger, huh? Fortunately, chances are high I won't allow myself to stop working on this again.

Well, I don't know what else to say right now. I'm eagerly awaiting your reactions for sure ^^spike
Inactive, probably forever.