Future Before Time

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

Anyone with a bit of sense would know what he felt at that moment: worry. He was not too worried about the Dinosaurs, even with the power their webs exuded, but the two humans he felt ever so faintly in the veritable sea of power did worry him. They'd be the problem.

He had not staid in the valley, rather having left it once he saw that there were no fight-capable dinosaurs in it.

Well above him a Pterosaur circled briefly, before disappearing beyond the Valley itself. None noticed him.

In the distance a storm was building, as if the world itself revolted against what was to come.

It meant little to the dinosaurs since they had always endured the elements, but for the humans it was an omen that there was no safety for them, no dry buildings to retreat to in this world. Their technology would not protect them from the elements indefinitely.

Nature would clash with Technology, and everything would depend on it.

The dinosaurs living in the valley only looked up briefly when the downpour arrived, some of the youngest seeking shelter under their parents.

Just outside the valley a cluster of dinosaurs moved into the direction a human let them. Just as Jarosz had done, Lewis too had caught the traces of a web in use. Mary walked underneath the Longneck, uncomfortable in the downpour of this cretaceous world.

Tricia jumped from puddle to puddle, splashing in the water that she knew so well. The other two children also did not share the humans discomfort, instead enjoying being home.

Even the old Longneck looked surprisingly serene in the downpour, despite the confrontation that she could feel looming on the horizon.

"I found him." Pterano gracefully landed on the massive back. "Several Sharpteeth are under his sway already. But something seems wrong with them."

"Wrong how?" Hadria looked up, her mien darkening.

"It was… they seemed not to be in control of themselves." He tried to explain. "Like that game back when we were youngsters where one could only move what someone else told them to and had to get to the finish like that."

No one said anything for a moment, the sound of the rain the only thing heard before Grandma spoke up. "How far can these webs go?"

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

His breathing had long ago stopped going smooth, by now each draw could be heard clearly by those around him. Bad sleep-stories worsened his state of mind, which in turn did not help his physical health at all.

The Old One had little hopes that he'd make the next Cold Time without a miracle of some sort. She was in fact not even sure he'd make the next Change of the Night Circle, though she kept that tidbit for herself.

Her eyes trailed over his form. She was probably one of the few now left that remembered him like he had been in his prime. He couldn't be more different now.

Of course she had known how much he had always loved Grandma, but that her being gone would have such an impact… No, she had not expected that, though the loss of his grandchild, sole reminder of his last daughter, certainly hadn't helped either.

As if he was a mighty tree whose roots had rotted away underneath him.

"You're eating poorly." She softly stated as the rain drenched the soil beneath them.

"I find that it tastes horrible." He murmured, looking away from her.

"You can't go on like this." An obvious truth that had not needed to be pointed out.

"Is there a reason for me to go on anyway?" He countered, looking at her with a sidelong glance. "My mate, gone. My descendants, gone. I am old, Cousin. Perhaps it is time that I leave the Circle of Life permanently."

What was she supposed to answer to that?

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

"So. Let me get this straight." Grandma darkly stated, looking at the crude circle of removed grass on the ground before her. "He went back to your time with some of his Sharpteeth in tow? I am beginning to think your 'technology' merely translates to 'trouble'."

Lewis looked up at her, fingers still resting on the spot he had been investigating. "It does begin to seem like that…" He coolly agreed. "My worry is what he wants to DO there… The President and his guard are there. Then again, who has ever fought one of you before?"

"Well, seems we'll have to save your asses in your own time then." Tria mused, looking at the few defeated Sharpteeth around their group. "Best to hurry lest someone gets eaten that should not."

Mary stood beside her, shivering in horror and fear. Her grandfather…

"Leave the children here." Grandma said after a short silence. "They would not be suited. Mary as well."

"Wait, you can't do that!" Mary objected. "I want to help."

Tyra growled sharply at her. "You'd be a liability. We cannot fight and protect, you foolish human."

Pterano nodded as he remained stationary above them. "There is a reason we tell the kids to run when it comes down to violence. I back Grandma on this. Now can we get on with this?"

"I'll stay here with them." Hadria spoke up, resting her hand on Mary's shoulder. "I am a rather poor fighter and they are going to need some protection as well."

"No use arguing, is there?" Lewis shrugged and then reached for his own teleporters. "Keep her safe, Hadria."

"Grandma…" Littlefoot looked up at the elder female.

"Stay safe, Littlefoot. No matter what happens." She whispered, nuzzling to him. "Stay with your grandfather."

"Will you come back?" He weakly asked.

"I do not know." She honestly answered, lifting her head. "Let us go, Lewis."

"Yes, ma'am."

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

"He is mad." The old male stated through gritted teeth. Few of the humans in the facility had Military upgrades and even fewer of those had a modification that allowed them to take on Dinosaurs. He himself was one of them, though he could only temporarily stun them.

A blast of highly concentrated electricity shot past him, hitting one that was trying to flank some of the guards square in the face.

"Sir, please don't." He called over his shoulder. "Your body won't be able to take much more."

The President stood proudly, electricity having burned away part of his sleeves already. "Then so be it. I am not meant for eternity and I'd rather fall like this than by withering away." His web arced with electricity. "Where is Jarosz?"

"I cannot trace him." A young female reported. "There is too much web-use for me to find his."

"Back-trace the web-signatures of these dinosaurs!" Cian ordered sharply, briefly wondering if she was one of his assistants and how she could have become this with missing such obvious things. "He is obviously controlling them!"

A gun went off somewhere, followed with roars and screams. Good lord, this was turning bad rather quickly.

He suddenly realized he really should have paid attention to the world around them, rather than solely to the humans.

"T-rex…" He breathed in a mixture of horror and amazement. One of them was bearing down on him, sharp teeth gleaming in the light while his or her eyes were clouded over. The ground cracked at every step, never meant to support a couple tons like this. "God damn him to hell…"

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

"What are we going to do now?" Mary looked at the youngsters and elder female that had stayed behind.

"Staying outside the mountains is dangerous." Hadria looked around. "Even with these webs I do not want to risk the kids."

"I want to talk to Grandpa, he looks terrible." Littlefoot looked worried. "I never saw someone look that bad."

Hadria could only nod in agreement sadly. "Come then. Mary, stay close and the moment you see a black Threehorn, climb onto me."

"Why?" She followed them back to the mountains in the distance.

"He's the father of Tricia and mate of Tria." Hadria rolled her eyes lightly. "And he has a terrible temper. He will overreact upon seeing you. Hopefully he will not charge me just to get to you."

"Maybe I should stay outside then?" The human murmured, looking around.

"And have you get eaten?" Hadria rested her hand on the human's shoulder. "Your web will not protect you infinitely. You should know that."

Mary nodded, obediently following her and the kids into the valley. The weather had cleared, thank goodness, but there were still puddles everywhere. Hadria was sure of step, used to the ground, the air, everything. The same could not be said about Mary.

"Are we just going to waltz in?" Littlefoot looked up at the Swimmer. "I mean, we were gone for a long time."

"We'll stay out of sight, at least until we know what happened to your grandmother and the other grown-ups." She sighed, leading them over a narrow stretch of rock. The children followed her easily, even Tricia, but the poor human was not used to these kind of passages, having known only wide and more importantly railed roads all her life. It was kind of amusing to see. "You okay?"

"I… can… manage." Mary looked down, gulping at the height she was standing at. "Is there no lower way through these mountains?"

"Sorry, those are either blocked to keep the Sharpteeth out or quite a distance away." Hadria chuckled. "We can try if you can ride on me on these narrow paths?"

"I'd appreciate it." Mary sighed in relief when she managed to cross the one she had nearly been stuck on halfway. "Goodness, do you do this often?"

"We do." Littlefoot giggled. "The grown-ups mostly don't. Just sometimes when they feel like coming after us."

"Or even know where you went." Hadria muttered. "Well, at least this time it wasn't just you disappearing."

"Yeah…" He sobered at that, looking back to where the other grown-ups had traveled back into the future again. "I just hope we all get back."

Spike rumbled in agreement, Tricia sitting somewhat destitute on his back. Hadria picked her up, cuddling her gently.

"I still can't believe how pretty this place is." Mary whispered when they entered the valley again.

"You should see it just after a Cold Time, when everything is new and green." Littlefoot smiled. "There are so many places here that look nice."

"Ssshhh…" Hadria hushed him, leading them horizontally across the forested walls, instead of down onto the valley-floor. "We mustn't be noticed. Mary, walk beside me."

The human female quickly obeyed, walking in such a way that she was hidden by the dinosaur from the valley-floor. The children followed, also hiding themselves behind the elder. She led them to a series of caves in the mountains. Littlefoot remembered these as being connected to the one Chomper and Ruby stayed in.

"And we were spotted…" Hadria muttered, looking up. "Mary, come closer."

A dark-blue flyer was circling lower, staring at her. It was clear it would only be a matter of moments until she recognized the Swimmer.

"That's Petrie's mom, isn't it?" Littlefoot whispered. As Hadria nodded, he lightly leaned over to the cowering human. "Pterano's sister."

Mary peeked up at the Pteranodon, who was now descending steadily. "Hadria, is that you?"

"Yes." No use in lying. Hadria rose onto her back feet, showing herself to the Flyer.

"Good grief." She nearly crashed, barely keeping herself aloft long enough to properly land on the hard rocks surrounding them. "We were so worried! Where are the others?"

Mary meanwhile crept backwards, not at all keen on getting skewered with the other's beak.

"Not here, sadly." Hadria smiled gently, yet sadly. "Well, aside from the kids."

Littlefoot peeked at the blue flyer, smiling almost apologetically at her. Spike and Tricia flanked him.

It was then the newly arrived female spotted the cowering human.

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

"What is that?" She demanded, eyes narrowing. "That looks like one of those things that took you."

Mary did not understand what she was saying, but she got the gist of it by looking at her posture alone: it spoke of aggression and anger.

"Let's not act hasty, Sapphira." Hadria raised her hand to stop the Flyer. "She is, but a nice version."

"What?" She calmed, for now.

"Think of her like Chomper." The adult Swimmer suggested. "Please."

"Alright." The Flyer looked at the human cowering behind the children. "You do realize that Threehorn will have her head?"

"I kinda realized that. It's why I wanted to stay hidden for a while longer." Hadria gestured for the human. Mary hesitantly did as asked, standing up. "At least until the others… arrive."

"That will be hard." Sapphira looked down into the valley. "We saw you walk and they send me up to see who you were."

"Wonderful." The Swimmer turned to Mary. "Can you climb on my back? It's uncomfortable for the both of us, but it beats you having to face those that are coming on even ground. Literally."

"Sure…" The human female hesitated up until she felt the earth shake under her feet, after which she clambered onto the dinosaur's back as quickly as she could.

First into view came a T-rex of all creatures, towering even over her on her heightened vantage-point.

The dark-green beast came to a stop a short distance away, blood-red eyes trailing over the group in front of him.

"Chomper's father is still here?" Hadria asked the Flyer without turning her eyes away from him.

Sapphira merely nodded, watching as the rest appeared among the trees as well.

Despite them being the same species as the group she had traveled with, Mary felt very small and insignificant.

"Why is that thing here?" Mary jolted upright from where she had been hiding herself. She had only heard a roar. With wide eyes she looked at the Threehorn a short distance away. He looked formidable.

"I brought her here." Hadria told him, turning lightly to face him. "She is my guest."

"Well, then send your guest to wherever she came from!" He stated furiously. "It is not welcome here."

"'It' is a she and she has a name." The Swimmer countered. "Are we really going to be arguing here now? How about a 'hello Hadria, we missed you, good to see you and the children are back safe and sound'?" She gestured to the little ones behind her. "Mary is no threat, to anyone."

"She's a friend." Littlefoot spoke up, stepping forward to face his father and grandfather. "I trust her."

"If she's so friendly, where are the others!?" Threehorn demanded, getting as close to Hadria as he could without being considered a threat to the Swimmer. His black eyes glared up at the human on her back. "Where is Tria?"

"Tria is safe." Hadria turned to face him. "Now, can you please stop threatening her? Goodness, this is worse than when Chomper came here."

"Chomper or his family did not take a good part of this Valley." Grandpa countered coolly. "Hadria, she cannot stay. I will not stand for it."

"I am not sending her back into the Beyond." The Swimmer stated in horror. "She'd be death in hours!"

"She will not stay here." Threehorn growled. "I'll get her out myself if need be."

The children scooted away as Hadria turned to him again, face contorted in anger. Mary could do little more than cling to her neck, confused at only catching half of the conversation and scared by plenty of furious dinosaurs. "I will not allow that, I made a promise I intend to keep."

A short distance away were the kids that had not gotten a trip to where-ever, on one hand elated at their friends and family being back, on the other fearing where this confrontation was going. One Swimmer against plenty of other, more combat-suited – including one made to kill – dinosaurs were quite uneven odds.

"She will leave." Bron agreed with Grandpa and Threehorn. "One way or another."

"Make me." Hadria snarled, rising to her full height. "Mary, if something happens, get off and huddle with the kids."

"Okay…" The human female breathed, glancing towards Littlefoot.

"She won't get near them again." Threehorn moved between the Swimmer and the children, cutting Mary off from her escape.

Hadria said nothing, lowering her front some as she regarded him closely. "Do you notice anything about us?" Her calm question threw him off-guard. "Anything different from before we left?"

"Your skin." It was Sapphira that answered her. "What are these lines?" She hesitantly reached for the thin, shining lines on the Swimmer. A quick glance revealed to the others that the children and even the human had the same thing.

Threehorn looked about ready to explode in anger.

"Power." Hadria answered her coolly. "Littlefoot? Move Threehorn for me, yes?"

"Wha..? Oh." The young Longneck needed a moment to realize what she wanted him to do. He was the only one of the kids that had gotten a Military upgrade like the grown-ups, though they had specifically chosen the one that allowed light-manipulation. It was the least taxing one they had.

The young Longneck took a deep breath, focusing his thoughts inward. 'Picture what you want to them to see, picture every detail you can manage' Cian had explained it to him. 'Picture a Sharptooth, and they will see it as you do.'

So he pictured… he pictured the one thing he feared the most.

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

What appeared from the trees behind the youngster was a Sharptooth, at least it seemed like one. But it was different, the teeth were too big, the eyes too glowing for it to be normal: it had been warped by a child's mind. Littlefoot had not imagined just any Sharptooth, but The Sharptooth that had cost him his mother and innocence. Years had passed, and the memory had become a monster of its' own.

Despite the massive creature not making a single sound, Threehorn instinctively jumped back in a defensive position, opening the way for Mary to reach the children. She did so, passing underneath the behemoth without him reacting, even as his spit dripped down.

"It is enough." The human female whispered to Littlefoot, seeing the pain in his face. Holograms were not hard to call, but the memories he had called upon were. "Thank you."

Littlefoot said nothing, merely letting the image fade. "He took my mother." He whispered, looking up to his father and grandfather. "It was the first time I saw death."

"I'm sorry." She carefully rested her arm over his shoulders and as if they could tell why she was touching him, the two elder Longneck males did not object.

Threehorn was less forgiving, his temper being brought to a boil at the closeness the human was having to his youngest daughter.

Hadria, no longer hindered with a being on her back, countered him with a cold boldness they had not seen in her before. Just as he had protested the presence of Pterano, he now protested the presence of the human. And this time, very few were in favor for her: only Hadria defied his demands, even her own mate turning against her.

"Still the same, eh?" A male's voice snorted. No one had noticed how and when, but Pterano had taken seat in one of the trees behind the children. "Can't you ever let someone inside?"

"Brother…" Saphira was one on hand overjoyed, on the other concerned. Where had he come from?

"Uncle!" A barrage of youngsters shot up to him, Petrie first of all.

"Well hello." Pterano flapped his wings, dispersing his sister's children. "Mymy, what a welcome."

"Just like always." Hadria half-turned to him. "Where is the rest?"

"On their way, it's not like they can fly over the Great Wall." Pterano reported, flapping down to good old earth to stand beside the children and human.

They saw with some worry that he too had those strange shining lines on his body.

"All of them?" Grandpa Longneck demanded, regarding the Flyer with trepidation.

"Yes." Pterano smiled. "And then some. But really, are we back to arguing already?"

Threehorn opened his mouth to throw his meaning into the world, but a withering glare of Grandpa made the words get stuck in his throat. "Grandma too?" The question he had wanted to ask the entire time, but could not since the interests of the Valley came first.

"She too." Pterano's face softened, spreading his wings. He pointed with one to a further-away spot in the protective mountain-ring where there was another secret entrance.

"So she is okay?" Littlefoot demanded, wide and hopeful eyes fastening on the Flyer's face. To his horror, the elder male seemed hesitant to answer.

"Not fully." He whispered, mien darkening. "It was a terrible battle, with more Sharpteeth than I had ever imagined together."

"And the others?" Hadria whispered, hands clasped together. "Tria, Tyra? The humans?"

"They will live." Pterano looked at the two mates, Chomper's father only getting what was being said with a short delay. "I cannot say the same about some of the humans."

"Serves them right." At ease after the news that his mate would be fine, Threehorn could once again fall back to his normal state of mind of anger.

"You do not know them." Hadria admonished him, eyes narrowed like those of a Sharptooth. "Don't judge."

"Your time with them has warped not only your body, but also your mind." He snarled. "They took you, nearly killed some of us and now you want us not to judge?"

"They took us and kept us with them." She conceded the point, her own voice harder than what her children were used of her. "As such we know them."

"I don't want to know them, I do not want them in this valley."

"It is already too late for that." Pterano countered sharply, pointing again to from where the others were to come. "Grandma is leading a good dozen of them inside as we speak. Will you not even take her judgment as trustworthy?" He pointed at the children beside him. While the grown-ups had argued, the gang had clustered together once more – though the ones without lines were somewhat hesitant around the human – aside from Chomper who had to stay near his father to translate. "These children have yet to lead you astray. Will you turn a deaf ear to their words? Littlefoot was raised well and responsibly by his grandparents. Is that worth nothing to you?"

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

They both knew Pterano had worked him into a corner there. Either he refuted Littlefoot's opinion and risked offending the two Longnecks beside him, or he accepted his opinion and be forced to allow those 'humans' in here.

"It probably wouldn't help if I said something, would it?" Mary whisper-asked the Swimmer that had come to stand beside her.

"No, trust me, the best thing is to let him rage it out." Hadria answered equally softly as she watched his inner battle in the Threehorn's eyes. "At one point you learn how to deal with him."

"Which is 'let Tria deal with him', most of the time." Littlefoot whispered, ignoring the slightly peeved expression one of his friends had. "Don't worry. We got Chomper in, we'll get you in too."

"I think even he had a better track-record than I do." Mary looked away into the direction from where the others had to come. She wished they would be here already.

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

"What do the readings say?" Cian followed Grandma with a firm step, Lewis maintaining a hologram beside him.

"Agitation, high adrenaline, but no battle." The younger male assured him. "It seems Hadria and Pterano are being successful at the moment."

"They won't be able to keep Threehorn back for long." Grandma wove through the massive trees with practiced ease, the human on her back only needing to duck lightly once in a while. "He does have an unmatched temper. Tyra, do you hear anything yet?"

"A bit." The Sharptooth faded in and out of the gloom of the trees. "They are arguing, I think. Hadria is angry. I think they are reaching the limit."

"Oh Topsy…" Tria moved gracefully around the bushes she could not trample. "You think Hadria could handle him?"

"I am not sure how the web affects her, but she was never a fighter." Grandma's eyes briefly clouded over. "Tyra, just in case?"

"Sure." The Sharptooth picked up the pace, disappearing from view as she seemed to merge with the green surrounding her.

"That is just creepy." A young male whispered, unable to follow the path of the Cretaceous Behemoth. Just a simple Military upgrade and she seemed to outclass them by far.

"Such is the way of the beast." The old man on Grandma's back stated. "Why do you think we destroyed them all? They inspired fear in our ancestors because they could kill. We made technology to destroy nature, boy."

"Or enslave it." Grandma turned her head, her red-brown eyes took an angry glint as they met those of her rider. "I feel this was not the first time."

The humans said nothing, and she turned to watch where she was walking again.

The forest-floor started to decline, leading down into the valley. The canopy was still as thick and impenetrable as it had been before. The only hint for the humans that they were still heading for where they needed to go was the occasional foot-print of a T-rex in the decaying leaves. The dinosaurs seemed to know exactly where to head.

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

She knew battle was inevitable. She could tell from his eyes.

"Go." She turned to the children. "Go."

"But…" Littlefoot wanted to object, wanted to stay, but she was firm.

"Go." She repeated, pointing at the elders. "Don't put yourself in harm's way."

"Then they better duck." A female's voice said, purringly coming from the foliage behind them. The sounds faintly heard through her words were those of a Sharptooth.

Tyra had arrived, appearing in between the trees as if she had just come from thin air. Her red eyes were fastened on the Threehorn, calculating and cold. She kept herself horizontally, head passing over the children well before her feet became first visible.

She made no sound, but calmly broke free from the forest. "So…" She purred. "I see he's being unreasonable. Chomper, tell those Longnecks to move a bit. I don't have… the okay to hurt them." The T-rex female approached slowly, her steps soft on the grassy ground. With some fascination Mary watched her toes splay as she put weight on the foot, marveling at the movement of muscle underneath the scaly skin. The thin lines of her web sparkled in the sun.

One of the children beside her squeaked and only now she realized that the T-rex' face was red with blood. Even now her teeth still carried a hint of red, testimony to how fresh the kill must have been.

She half-turned, looking at the herd behind her. They had seen it too, and realized that her blood must still run hot from her previous hunt. They had backed away, even Hadria and Pterano having moved into a more defensive position. The little Sharptooth seemed not to say anything despite his mother's request.

"So be it." Tyra tilted her head, briefly glancing at the Swimmer and Human in her path. "Move."

She hardly left them time, shooting forward faster than one would expect. She cleared the cluster of children in one massive step, the ground shaking as she moved straight at her target, eyes burning and mouth poised for more.

[Sleeping-force's-inside]

She was quicker than Sharpteeth normally were, coming upon him dangerously fast. Despite that, she still missed him, her jaws mere inches from his face. He knew she had done that on purpose.

"Tyra!" Hadria sharply called, recovering from her shock.

The Sharptooth answered, understanding her somehow. She seemed frustrated, but still backed away, marching over to where the youngsters were.

"I take it Grandma is soon to arrive?" Pterano asked softly, hands lightly resting within one another as he regarded the massive predator.

The nod was a universal sign. She shook herself, eyes trailing from the children at her feet to where her own family stood. But she did not move, remaining a silent sentinel to the strange two-footer among them.

"Perhaps we can finally do this peacefully." Hadria muttered, walking over to Threehorn. Above them, appropriately, the sky started to clear. Bright blue appeared in the endless expanse of grey.

Soon the heavy footfalls of something big sounded, reverberating in the ground beneath their feet.

Tria appeared in the foliage, red also tainting her face. Her horns were brown with dried blood, and her shield carried a half-healed wound.

Relief and horror waged in his mind at the sight. Relief won when seeing her eyes carrying the same warmth they always had.

He wanted to say something, but the next arrival made the words stick in his throat. There were scars on her body that had not been there before.

"Grandma…?" Littlefoot whispered, eyes wide as they trailed over her body.

"I am well." She assured him, only briefly looking at him before her eyes were drawn to another Longneck. The air grew heavy with a thousand emotions around them, their eyes only for each other as they closed the distance between them.

Not a single word passed between the two giants, their eyes saying enough.

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

"Are you certain of this?" They stood close together, their sides touching at every breath.

"Have I ever not been?" She countered softly, head slightly tilted to look at him. "It is the best option we have."

It was well into the night, the sky a black curtain with sparkling pinpricks of light. The cool light of the Night circle illuminated the area around them. They stood halfway up the mountains, looking down on the Valley.

He looked at her, following the shining lines on her body with his eyes. He didn't want to talk, not now.