Anyone Can Change
It goes without saying that dinosaurs can change. It is unlikely to act and think the same way from youth to old age, and there are many times when these differences can ruin what once was. The stronger a bond, the more force can be applied without severing, but teenagers face that difficult transition between innocence and maturity that makes them especially vulnerable and less tolerant. Some things can be accepted, and many things should never be. As white clouds enter the sky, so does a cry of anguish.
“It was so horrible!” Cera lamented to herself. Against the Great Wall, surrounded by trees to hide, the threehorn wept. Nothing around her moved save her crystal tears. She closed her eyes and started to slam her head on the rocky ground, but she was surprised to hit something much softer- a back. She looked up and was speechless to see company.
“Cera, what is wrong?” Ducky asked, hopping off Spike and standing right in front of her face. “Whatever it is, please do not hurt yourself.”
“Oh, you have no idea!” The bitterness and grief mixed around in her voice like a lava pit full of rocks. “Littlefoot hates me. He hates me!”
Ducky’s arms were on her neck at once, and she declared, “There is just no way, Cera. He couldn’t.”
Spike made a curious sound, and she explained, “I was trying to find him so we could play together then I overheard him talking to Hyp.” At this point, she managed to stop her tears and talk more clearly, only with the occasional sniffing. “Hyp said I was ugly, and Littlefoot smiled! Someone I thought was my friend actually thinks I’m hideous!”
Ducky and Spike exchanged glances and shifted uncomfortably. They didn’t believe Littlefoot had done this, but at the same time, they didn’t think Cera was a liar either. They motioned for her to continue, so she went on.
“Then Hyp said I was mean and annoying, and this made Littlefoot actually burst into laughter! He agreed and so mocked me right along with that bully.” Cera gritted her teeth and stomped on the ground with her front right foot.
“Um, maybe this was a dream?” Ducky tried hopefully.
“No! If it was, I would still be dreaming, because I haven’t woken up,” Cera retorted.
“We are not a dream- are we, Spike?” Ducky asked him worriedly.
Spike shrugged, made an unknowing sound, and was about to eat some grass but for once in his life felt that this was a bad time for that. He silently moaned at the empty feeling in his belly and continued to listen.
“And that wasn’t even the worst of it!” Cera exclaimed. “Hyp said he wanted to pound me sometimes because he thinks I’m so bossy and annoying, and guess what Littlefoot did? He nodded! He- nodded- to pounding me! I’m afraid to go anywhere near him now. And lastly, last of all, when that Hyp said the Great valley would be better off without me, Littlefoot hugged him in agreement! I was so hurt I ran off immediately and came here.” Her tears couldn’t be held back any longer, and both Ducky and Spike came to a side and offered their support. Littlefoot had gone bad?
The gravity of the situation was sinking in to the swimmer and spiketail. They had all gotten older since the good old days with Ruby and Chomper living here, so perhaps Littlefoot’s personality was starting to grow with him. They had already noticed he’d become less passive and increasingly outspoken. They certainly hoped he wasn’t becoming more like Hyp who’d reverted quite a bit, but there was no excusing what he had done. Maybe he was having a bad day or was mad at Cera, but either way, Littlefoot was not being a good friend at all here.
“Hey, there they are!” a voice suddenly called from above, interrupting everyone’s thoughts. Cera, Ducky, and Spike looked up to see Petrie pointing at them, followed by footsteps in the distance. After a few moments, a familiar longneck came into view, and Cera recoiled, backed into a wall, then fell down.
“Cera, are you okay!?” Littlefoot asked at once. When she got up, showing she was just fine, he added, “That’s a relief. So do you guys want to play a game or something?”
“Stay away from me! You’re no friend of mine!” she yelled, turning her face away.
“Wha-?” he uttered as he froze in place.
“Cera told us about the mean things you did, she did, she did,” Ducky informed him, wishing she didn’t believe them.
“What things are those?” Littlefoot asked quietly, eyes narrowing slightly until he heard the whole story from the swimmer. Turning to the threehorn, he said, “Cera… Oh, Cera, I smiled out of pity for him, because he’s pretty dim to think you’re ugly. I laughed when he called you mean and annoying because that comment was so stupid and untrue that it was funny. You must not have heard, but when he said he wanted to pound you and I nodded, I whispered, ëPound her, and you’ll regret it, I promise.’ And when he said you don’t belong and I reared up and took hold of him, you didn’t see me knock him down angrily and leave.”
But That Doesn’t Mean Everyone Will
