Let Your Heart Guide You

[Fyn16]

…


From afar, Littlefoot watched his friend go. He and the rest of the gang had just been discussing the recent events, including Labon’s condition. So far, things were not looking good according to Ruby, the only source they had on the mysterious sickness. Apparently, dinosaurs who advanced into the sickness as far as Labon had could only be treated so much. They had to fight to stay alive, too, or treatment would fail. All of the gang felt something had to be said to Fyn, but this was one of those moments where it seemed anything could be taken the wrong way, and no one wanted to lose Fyn’s friendship, even if it was only temporary.

Now, they were all watching Fyn leave, headed for the other side of the Great Valley. If they didn’t act soon, they might never get the chance to speak to him in time to make him feel better.

“I just wish I knew what to say,” said Chomper.

“So do I,” said Cera. “I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no good at stuff like this.”

“You admit you not good at something?” Petrie asked, stunned.

“Ye- yes, I guess I did,” Cera stammered. Petrie went slack-jawed.

“But I’m good at plenty of other things, Beakface!” she covered quickly.

“I want to go talk to him,” said Littlefoot, staring out over the Valley floor with new eyes; eyes that had seen horrors only an adult should have to see. Eyes that, in such a short time, had seen acts of selfless heroism, and sacrifice. Eyes that, until recently, had been those of a child.

“Littlefoot,” said Ducky, “if anyone talks to him, you should. You two both just went through Starfall together.”

“That’s true,” Littlefoot agreed, hesitantly. Then he made up his mind. This was his task. Fyn needed his help right now, and at this point, he was probably the closest thing to a brother the Fin-Neck had.

“Alright,” he agreed, “I’ll talk to him.”

“Let him know we all care for him and his family,” Ruby said.

“And that we wish him the best of luck tomorrow,” Chomper added.

Littlefoot looked back at his friends, the dinosaurs he’d known almost all of his life, and smiled slightly.

“I will.”

And he was gone, following Fyn’s trail, still unsure of what to say, but convinced he was making the right move.

Fyn wasn’t hard to track. His orange skin stood out at night, and it wasn’t as if he was making any attempts to evade Littlefoot. In fact, Littlefoot doubted if Fyn even knew he was being followed. he seemed deep in thought, talking to himself and occasionally glancing up at the stars. He carried on through the night, walking towards the Great Wall, and entering a forest. Most of the trees had been destroyed, and were standing naked in the pale light of the Night Circle. It was a decidedly creepy setting, Littlefoot thought, and the scenery was so different that it took him a while to realize where Fyn was headed: the Tree Sweet pond.

The path, once known for being treacherously thin and slippery, had been completely leveled by a Flying Rock. The massive crater in the ground was still there, as evidence. Small fires burned all around, reminders of the devastation caused by the larger ones so recently. Littlefoot was heartbroken by everything he saw. Would his beloved Valley ever be the same again?

Suddenly, he remembered his purpose. He was supposed to be following Fyn, not sightseeing. He had inadvertently slowed down, and now Fyn was gone from sight.

“Your mistake,” he told himself, “but luckily, this one will be easy to fix.”

Littlefoot continued on into the trees, after Fyn, wondering exactly what would be in store when he found the Tree Sweet pond. Part of him didn’t want to see how badly it had been damaged, but somewhere inside, he had to know. He pressed on, prepared for the worst.


…


When Fyn entered the Tree Sweet pond, he knew exactly what to expect: ruination, sadness, and memories, all combined into one terrible experience. He didn’t mind. That was simply the way his whole day had gone. What could one more scene of devastation do to him? This was simply, as his father had once said, “another drop of water in the pond.”

And that was where Fyn was wrong.

Upon entering the Tree Sweet pond, he was greeted by a sight that could only be described as a miracle. Everything was untouched. The water was clean, the leaves were green, and everything was as it had been when he and his friends had celebrated his Star Day here. He blinked once, convinced he was seeing things, but the pond was still the same.
 
The sight brought tears to his eyes again, but this time he didn’t try to stop them. He just let them flow. He was alone, now, and he could finally release all of his pent-up emotions in peace.

As he’d done on his Star Day, Fyn climbed onto the flat rock where he’d sunned himself and lay down. Everything that had happened within the last day was so unfair, it seemed, yet this place stood as a living reminder that, despite terrible adversity, hope could survive. Fyn sniffed. It seemed he’d just cried out every tear in his body. That was fine with him. It was time for work. It was time for a decision to be made.

The problem that he saw immediately was that he didn’t know everyone in the Valley. He didn’t even know most of the dinosaurs living here. Picking a deputy from their midst was next to impossible. He groaned to himself. This was going to be impossible. Suddenly, Fyn was alerted by the sharp crackling of breaking sticks and crunching leaves. Someone else was here. He peered into the trees ahead, trying to find out who his visitor was.


…


Like Fyn, the sight that greeted Littlefoot was spectacular. Never had he expected to see life still thriving in this part of the Valley. He was so taken in by the wonders around him that he almost didn’t notice Fyn laying on his rock.

“Evening,” Fyn said, cooly.

Littlefoot turned around to see his friend.

“Fyn, hi! I was- I was just...”

“What’s the matter, Littlefoot? Something wrong?”

Littlefoot looked his friend evenly in the eyes. “No, I just thought you wouldn’t want any company right now.”

“Well,” said Fyn, standing up, stretching, and walking over to his friend, “that makes absolutely no sense for two reasons: first, you came here, didn’t you?”

“Well, yes,” Littlefoot stammered. He’d expected Fyn to be more hostile. He’d been caught off by his friend’s current attitude. “But you see, I thought-”

“And second,” Fyn said, interrupting, “what you said about me not wanting any company right now is definitely not true. Actually, I really wanted some company.”

“Oh, good,” Littlefoot said, relieved that Fyn had been so agreeable. Fyn went back to his rock and lay down again.

“So what brings you here?” he asked.

“Well, I wanted to know if things were going alright,” Littlefoot answered.

Fyn didn’t say anything for a moment, just took in his surroundings and breathed deeply. Finally, he spoke to his friend.

“I’m fine,” he said, adjusting himself to a more comfortable position, “it’s just that there’s so much I have to do right now. I don’t know what to think.” He kicked a pebble into the nearby water. “I don’t even have time to be sad about what just happened to my dad!”

“What’s going on, Fyn?” Littlefoot asked, concerned. His friend had never spoken like this before.

“It’s my duties,” Fyn said. “I’m the new herd leader.”

Littlefoot thought about congratulating his friend, but decided these particular circumstances didn’t call for such comments. Instead, he leaned up against a tree near his friend.

“The problem is,” Fyn continued, “that I have to have a deputy. I promised your grandfather that I’d choose someone by tomorrow, so we could still leave on time, but I don’t know how I’m going to do it. There are just too many choices, too many dinosaurs I don’t know.”

Littlefoot nodded silently. Things did sound stressful for Fyn. Then he remembered something.

“You know, my mother once gave me some advice that might help you.”

Fyn turned his head towards his friend, desperately wanting to believe him. “Oh? What was it?”

Littlefoot looked up at the sky, recalling the fateful night when he and his mother had parted ways for the last time, she to whatever mysterious lands dinosaurs went to when they passed away, and himself to the Great Valley, to finish the journey they’d both started. He had never forgotten her last words to him, and until now, had never revealed them to anyone else.

“Let your heart guide you,” he said softly, almost trancelike, “it whispers, so listen closely.”

Fyn looked at his friend, mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the short statement he’d uttered.

“That’s all,” Littlefoot said.

“It’s beautiful,” Fyn responded, “truly beautiful, but I don’t see how it can help me.”

Littlefoot struggled for his answer. He’d just had it a moment ago, but saying his mother’s words after so long had forced him to forget. He racked his brain, trying to remember the mental connection he’d drawn between her words and Fyn’s problem . Suddenly, he remembered.

“Well, I think that if this decision’s so hard for you, maybe it’s because you’re using your head, instead of your heart.”

“Go on,” said Fyn, intrigued now.

Littlefoot cleared his throat and stood up, next to Fyn. “I think sometimes we try to solve things using our heads when the problem isn’t a ëhead problem,’ if you see what I mean. I think maybe you’ve known all along who to pick for your deputy. It would be someone who’s distinguished him or herself in your eyes, someone you trust completely, and who has always done good. That someone, I think, is in your heart right now, and that someone is more than likely your deputy.”

Fyn was astounded. Littlefoot’s words made sense. He probably did already know his deputy.

“Well, that’s all I have to say,” said Littlefoot, “I’ll leave you to your decision. Good night, Fyn.”

“Good night,” Fyn said, watching his friend go.

And at that point it occurred to him. He knew exactly who he had to pick as his deputy. The choice had been blatantly obvious all along. Why hadn’t he seen it all along? He couldn’t believe he’d been so shortsighted. Yes, his choice was the only one that actually made sense, and right now, that choice was walking away.


…


Littlefoot was almost clear of the few green trees that bordered the Tree Sweet pond, when Fyn’s voice rang out from behind, calling his name.

“Littlefoot, wait!”

Littlefoot stopped and turned around. What could Fyn possibly want with him now? Perhaps he wanted to discuss things further. If that was the case, Littlefoot thought, he didn’t mind. After all, he really had nothing but time tonight.

Fyn burst through the trees, panting, stopping right in front of Littlefoot.

“What’s the rush?” Littlefoot asked.

Fyn’s eyes were wide, and he was practically shaking with excitement.

“I just thought about what you told me back there,” Fyn answered, “and I know who I’d like to be my deputy.”

“Well that’s great!” Littlefoot said, “who is it?”

“I’ll give you a hint,” Fyn said, “you already know him. In fact, you’ve known him for a while. A long while.”

Littlefoot racked his brain, trying to figure out who Fyn was describing. So far, it could be anyone.

“He’s a Longneck,” Fyn pushed.

That narrowed the list a bit, but Littlefoot still wasn’t sure.

“I give up,” he said.

“It’s none other than the brave, kindhearted, smart, and loyal Longneck known as Littlefoot!”

“Perfect! I knew you could- wait, what?” Littlefoot had been caught off guard.

“I said if it’s alright with you, I’d like you to be my deputy.”

“That’s what I thought you said,” Littlefoot said slowly. “Fyn, are you feeling alright? Do you need to lie down?”

“I feel fine!” Fyn said, “the best I’ve felt all day, in fact. Why?”

“Well, you can’t be serious! Out of all of the much more qualified dinosaurs in the Valley than me, I’m the one you pick as deputy.”

“Right,” Fyn said, shifting awkwardly. This was not the reaction he’d expected, “only I don’t think there are any dinosaurs more qualified than you.”

“Well, I’d like to know why you think that way.”

Fyn looked his friend straight in the eyes, now serious. “Littlefoot, you and I went through Starfall together, both the tradition and the real thing, if you see my point.”

Littlefoot saw it. The horrors of the previous night were still vivid as ever in his mind.

“So?”

“So, Starfall proves that you can be a leader. You wouldn’t have passed it if that wasn’t the case. Also, I still remember you leaving the comforts of your nest to sit vigil with me. It took selflessness to do that.”

“Maybe,” Littlefoot said, “but-”

“But nothing! I know you’re trying to be humble, and that’s another sign of a good leader, but just hear me out. I have not met another dinosaur who’s even close to being as qualified as you are for this duty.”

There was only silence, then, occasionally broken by the chirp of some small animal, or a Longneck’s mournful call. Littlefoot stared at the ground, unsure of what to do. He certainly wasn’t afraid of going out into the Mysterious Beyond; he’d done it numerous times before. What really worried him was how much everyone would be relying on him. The potential survival of the Valley would rest on his and Fyn’s shoulders. That was a pretty big responsibility. Then Littlefoot recalled what he’d told Fyn- his mother’s words.

“Let your heart guide you.”

Littlefoot couldn’t just abandon his Valley, his home. Everyone here depended on him, and it was his responsibility to do everything in his power to help the Valley survive.

“Alright, Fyn,” Littlefoot said, finally, “I’ll do it.”

A huge grin broke out across Fyn’s face. “I knew you would, Littlefoot. Let’s go clear the decision with your grandpa.”
Littlefoot nodded in agreement, and the two set off, back through the skeletal woods and over the cratered earth, reminders of what was at stake if they didn’t perform their duties. Now, Littlefoot was actually getting excited. He and one of his best friends would be journeying out to lands unknown, leading others. The responsibility was huge, and still left him apprehensive, but the spirit of the journey had taken him. It was the same spirit that often called when he was a small child, and caused him to venture out into the Mysterious Beyond with his friends. There was now a certain degree of adventure in Littlefoot’s mind, and he was prepared to see it through, come what may. Of course, there was still one hurdle left: clearing Fyn’s decision with his grandfather. Littlefoot winced thinking about it. This was not going to be easy.

[Fyn16]

…


It wasn’t hard to find Grandpa Longneck. As soon as he’d heard about Labon’s condition, he and his mate had moved quickly to provide comfort for Fyn’s family. Right now, they were near Labon, talking quietly. Fyn and Littlefoot approached warily from behind, as one might approach a slumbering Sharptooth. When they were close enough to be heard, Fyn nodded to Littlefoot.

“G- Grandpa?” Littlefoot said hesitantly. The old Longneck paid no attention; Littlefoot hadn’t spoken loudly enough.

“Let me try,” Fyn whispered. He stood up and cleared his throat.

“Mr. Longneck?”

Littlefoot’s grandfather turned around to face the dinosaur who had addressed him. He was pleasantly surprised to see that it had been Fyn.

“Fyn, Littlefoot, it’s good to see you two. What are you up to?”

“I’ve made my decision,” Fyn answered, then clarified, “about my deputy.”

“Ah yes,” Grandpa Longneck said, “and who did you decide on?”

Fyn drew in a deep breath. It was all he could do to keep from collapsing in a nervous wreck. This was going to be very difficult.

“With your permission,” he said cautiously, “I’d like to appoint... Littlefoot as my deputy.”

“Littlefoot?” Grandpa Longneck asked, obviously surprised. Fyn cringed, awaiting a verbal attack. None came. Instead, the Longneck calmly asked, “did he agree to this?”

“Yes, Grandpa, I did,” said Littlefoot, stepping up to Fyn’s side. Now the old Longneck addressed his grandson.

“And you realize how much responsibility will be placed on you if I agree to let you go?”

“Yes I do,” Littlefoot said, solemnly, “trust me on that one, it’s all I’ve been thinking about.”

Grandpa Longneck narrowed his eyebrows, deep in thought. He stayed that way for a while, and Littlefoot actually began to wonder if he’d forgotten he was there. Then he spoke.

“As you have successfully completed the rite of Starfall, I, with the authority granted to me as your temporary leader, agree to this decision.”

“Great!” Littlefoot said.

“But now,” Grandpa Longneck said before Littlefoot had the chance to say anything else, “I would like to speak to you as a grandparent. Littlefoot, I’ve told you time and again how much you mean to your grandmother and I. You’re older now, and capable, I feel, of taking on more responsibilities, but remember that you aren’t completely grown-up yet. You should still remember the things we’ve taught you, and strive to keep yourself safe. Not seeing you alive at the end of this, no matter what happens, will still be a failure for me.”

“Don’t worry, Grandpa,” Littlefoot said, “Fyn and I can watch out for ourselves.”

“I know you can, but also remember you’re watching out for others, now. Pay attention to your safety, but also make sure others stay safe as well. Finally, remember this: this journey is probably the most important thing either of you two have done since your migrations here. Not only is it important to you that you succeed, it is important to everyone here. If you are successful, our way of life can carry on. If not, we and everything we stand for, may simply fade away into the past. Make us proud, and carry us through these difficult times.”

“We will,” Fyn said, positively swelling with pride.

“We will, Grandpa,” Littlefoot said as well, displaying a genuine smile for the first time that day.

“Then you two are dismissed. Tomorrow, the herd will gather by the lakeside, and you will be there to meet them. I wish you the best of luck, and a good night to both of you.”

Fyn nodded in thanks, and walked over to his mother and sisters. They were deathly quiet, and Fyn couldn’t blame them. Labon was fighting death even now, and now he, Fyn, was about to venture out on an extremely risky journey. He wanted to say something comforting, but comfort could wait for now. There were more important things at hand. Fyn took his place by his still father’s side and briefly met his mother’s gaze. In that moment, true understanding was established. Fyn’s face seemed to say “you know what I have to do.”

“I do, and I’m prepared for it,” his mother’s clear blue eyes seemed to answer back.

Fyn lay down on the ground and switched his gaze to his father. Slowly, he arched his neck, until his head was facing down, and continued to stare at him. Once again, he found himself sitting vigil, but this time, it was voluntary. Fyn vowed to remain awake, and stood guard by his father all of the night. When morning came, and the Bright Circle began to rise, he was still faithfully awake, ready to face the next important chapter of his life. A new opportunity was presenting itself, with new and harder challenges, as well. Fyn knew this, but he only had to take one glance at his father, the symbol of the struggling Great Valley, to know exactly what he was taking on this role as leader for. He would do it for him, and for everyone.

And so, what was perhaps the most important migration in the history of the Great Valley began on that day...

...

End of Part I

[Fyn16]

Alright!

Now that part I is done, I'm going to take a (very) quick breather and finish up my two new pictures of Fyn. It's reasonable to expect a new avatar sometime in the coming week, and I'll definitely have a full-body picture of Fyn soon, as well. Then again, I may just keep writing tonight anyway. We'll see. In the mean time, uh, I actually have nothing witty or meaningful to say. Goodbye for now, then! See ya soon!

[Fyn16]

Part II: Into the Unknown


Chapter 6: Departure


The shrill cry of a Flyer, mournful and alone, echoed across the Great Valley as a new day began to dawn over the scene of devastation that the Leaf-Eaters' haven had become. Only two nights ago, the paradise so many had called home was at peace, as it always had been. Then, Flying Rocks came, destroying nearly everything, and leaving the peaceful Valley scarred, stripping it of its innocence, and robbing it of its beauty. Now the sad, charred Valley and its residents were clutching on to one chance- one hope that could preserve their way of life.

Hearing the Flyer’s call, Littlefoot shifted slightly and woke up. He and his friend, Fyn, represented the hope that Great Valley’s residents were holding on to. Today, they were about to embark on a journey to find a place suitable for the Valley’s residents to survive until the land returned to normal, leading a small herd all the way. This was no small task. The previous night, Littlefoot had asked his grandfather how long it would take for the Valley to restore itself. His grandfather had answered that sometimes it could take a full season for such things to be realized. Finding somewhere to keep every dinosaur in the Great Valley satisfied would not be easy, but he had a few ideas.

As he stood up, he stretched, waking up fully. At Fyn’s urging, he’d gone to sleep the previous night, even though he’d wanted to stay up with his friend. Fyn was still sitting vigil with his family over his father, who had fallen ill only yesterday. Littlefoot understood that his friend wanted to be alone for the night, and reasoned that if at least one of the two dinosaurs making up the herd leadership had some sleep, the potential for disaster could be lessened. Considering these facts, he’d had no qualms about getting sleep the previous night. If Fyn wanted him to do it, then Littlefoot was obliged to do so. Technically speaking, he had to answer to Fyn now, anyway.

He wondered what taking orders from his friend would be like, as he walked over to a Treestar tree, one of the only surviving ones left in the Valley, ready for breakfast. He was about to take a bite, then thought better of it. Food was scarce, and he had to save it for those who needed it most.

He certainly hoped leading wouldn’t change Fyn at all. He liked him the way he was, as a good friend. He thought about this as he walked down towards the lake, where he knew Fyn would be waiting to introduce him to the herd. Introductions would be made, plans would be stated, and when the Bright Circle showed itself, they would be gone. The plan was the very essence of efficiency. He kept moving, looking around him. Hopefully, the next time he’d see this Valley, it would be healthy and green again, as it should be.

“Hey, Littlefoot!” he heard a voice call. It was Fyn, standing at the lake’s edge. Behind him was the herd, and it looked much bigger than Littlefoot had anticipated. This was starting to get a bit scary.

“Can’t back down now,” he said to himself. Slowly, he swallowed and called back.

“Good morning, Fyn! Ready for today?”

Fyn approached, nodding. “Yes, I am. Today we do it.”

“How’s your dad?” Littlefoot asked.

Fyn sighed. “Not much better. He still hasn’t woken up, yet. I don’t know if he will before we leave.”

“Keep your hopes up,” Littlefoot said to his friend, “if anyone can get through this, your dad can. He’s tough.”  

“Yeah,” Fyn said softly, not meeting his friend’s eyes. Then his eyes narrowed with a new look of purpose about them.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice stronger now, “you’re right!” He turned to his friend.

“Come on, Littlefoot. Let me introduce you to the herd.”

Fyn led his friend right up to the first few dinosaurs. One of them seemed to instantly recognize the young Fin-Neck. He was about Labon’s age, and like him, a Fin-Neck. Without any reservations, he walked right up to Fyn and greeted him.

“Good morning, Fyn! Remember me?”

Fyn tried to determine where he’d seen this dinosaur before. He did seem very familiar. A face from seasons ago surfaced in his mind, and a name, but he couldn’t quite recall it. Slowly, the mental picture came into focus...

“I do remember you,” Fyn said slowly, amazed. Then his amazement turned to happiness. “Alten, I haven’t seen you in a while!”

“The same to you, kid. How’s everything going?” He took a quick look around, suddenly realizing how obvious Fyn’s answer would be. “Aside from the Great Valley being in a shambles, I mean.”

“Things could be better,” Fyn agreed. “My dad’s still trying to fight his sickness. He hasn’t woken up yet.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Alten said, his normally cheery mood slipping just a little. “He has my best wishes.”

“Thanks,” Fyn said, then realized that Littlefoot was still standing behind him, completely clueless. He turned to his friend, and the complete expression of confusion on his face was almost enough to get Fyn to laugh. Almost. Instead, he controlled himself, and addressed Littlefoot.

“This is Alten,” he said to Littlefoot, then turned to Alten.

“Alten, Littlefoot.”

“How do you do?” Alten asked, dipping his head in a brief nod.

“I’m fine, thanks,” Littlefoot said, immediately liking this Longneck. He seemed to have an unconquerable sense of optimism. Someone like him had the potential to be very important on this journey.

“I knew Alten from my old home,” Fyn said, “he made the migration to the Great Valley with my herd.”

“That’s right,” Alten confirmed, “and I wouldn’t have made it here if it hadn’t been for Fyn and his mother. They saved my life! And by the way, I was there to watch Fyn lead the way to the end, so if he’s telling you anything completely outlandish, like, say, the time he fought off three fully-grown Sharpteeth as a kid, just let me know. I’ll set him straight.”

“Will do,” Littlefoot said, barely suppressing a grin. Alten nodded again, and turned to walk back into the herd.

“Incidentally,” he said, turning around, “he actually fought off four.”

“Oh, please!” Fyn said, groaning and rolling his eyes in mock exasperation. “Don’t believe a word he says!” he said to Littlefoot, laughing.

“He seems like a great Longneck,” Littlefoot said.
“The best,” Fyn agreed, “now let’s go meet everyone else. There are plenty more travelers to speak with before we go.”

[Fyn16]

…


By the time Fyn had shown him around the herd, Littlefoot was in a complete daze. There were just so many faces, so many names to remember, and they were all counting on him. He didn’t know if he’d ever manage to learn everyone’s names, but he swore he’d try his best. When they finally finished their rounds, they sat by the lake, watching the sky above the Great Wall start to turn blue, then orange, as the Bright Circle began to rise. These were to be their last moments in the Great Valley for a long time, Littlefoot realized, and though he dared not admit it, perhaps forever. It was a humbling thought, knowing that soon, he would be out in the Mysterious Beyond once again. He thought about what he was about to do in silence, and Fyn didn’t seem to mind. He appeared to be immersed in his own thoughts right now.

The primary issue Littlefoot was dealing with was the question of why the Mysterious Beyond seemed so foreboding now. He’d been there before, and though there had been exceptions, the place had never really scared him. Perhaps it was the responsibility, or the fact that now he knew exactly what he was getting into. Perhaps it was that so much was at stake, or perhaps it was because his grandparents knew he was going that made this experience so different. He wanted to put these thoughts out of his mind, but it was becoming difficult to do so. His thoughts, his worries hurt, and he needed to forget them, but still, he couldn’t. Fortunately, fate intervened in the form of Mama Flyer, who swooped down silently from above on her soft wings and landed in front of the two.

“Good morning, kids,” she said to Littlefoot and Fyn in her usual, cheery tone.

“Good morning,” they responded, surprised at her visit. They had almost forgotten that she was to be their connection to the Great Valley during this journey.

“I just wanted to check up on you two,” Mama Flyer said, “are you feeling alright?”

“Fine, I guess,” Littlefoot responded.

“I’m okay,” Fyn said, though his voice didn’t seem to agree. Mama Flyer picked up on his tone immediately.

“Fyn? Is something troubling you?”

Fyn nodded. “Yeah, but it’s nothing. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“Oh, but that’s my job. I’m supposed to watch over you two in addition to sending messages between you and the Great Valley. Didn’t you know that?”

“I didn’t,” Fyn said, surprised, “but I do now.”

“Yes you do,” Mama Flyer said, wing claws on her hips, the very picture of motherly authority, “now tell me- what’s bothering you? I have sons too, you know, so don’t think you can hide from me.”

“Alright then,” Fyn said, turning to face her directly. “It’s my dad,” he explained, trying not to show emotion, but wavering, “he hasn’t woken up yet, and I’m worried. Even if he’s alright, I may not get the chance to say goodbye.”

Mama Flyer’s gaze softened considerably. “I see,” she said comfortingly, “ that is very upsetting. You know what, though?”

“What?” Fyn asked, not expecting a question.

“I think if your father was here to say goodbye, you can rest assured he would be proud of you,” then she remembered Littlefoot, “of both of you. He would have wanted this. Both of you are doing exactly what he would have done, so even if he’s not here beside you right now, Fyn, he’s with you in your heart. Does that make you feel any better?”

“Yes,” Fyn said, regaining his composure, “it does.” He looked to the sky over the Great Wall. A faint orange tint was showing. It was time to go. Fyn looked at Littlefoot, and the Longneck met his gaze. He understood perfectly, even though no words were uttered.

“Let’s get the herd together,” Littlefoot said.

“Alright,” Fyn agreed, and let out a tremendous call. To the herd, it was the call they had been waiting for: the call to assemble, but for the rest of the Great Valley who heard Fyn, that call, uttered on the dawning of a new day, represented something else entirely. That call was one light, struggling to shine amongst darkness, growing ever brighter. It was the light of hope that stood despite everything that had happened. It was their chance of survival, and the residents of the Great Valley rallied around it. There wasn’t a single dinosaur who heard the call to assemble and didn’t feel moved that day.

Fyn and Littlefoot formed up in front of the herd, readying themselves to move. The adventure was about to begin. As the herd assembled, it seemed everyone was coming to watch. Even those who were sick or injured had turned out to see the herd leave and give them their best wishes. The sight was truly awe-inspiring, and Fyn felt his soul leap for joy when he saw the rest of the gang come sprinting out of the crowd towards himself and Littlefoot.

“Come on, guys!” Chomper exclaimed, “you can’t leave without saying goodbye to us first!”

“Yep, yep yep,” Ducky agreed, “it wouldn’t be a goodbye without us!”

“We’re really going to miss you both,” said Ruby, “I’m going to miss you.”

Littlefoot smiled. he hadn’t heard Ruby talk like that for a while, now.

“We’ll miss you, too,” he said, feeling his eyes start to water. Spike licked him, and Littlefoot laughed. Petrie flew above, circling them both.

“Maybe I get to fly out with my mama and see you both!” he said, with a huge grin. It quickly disappeared, however, when Mama Flyer shot him a scathing look.

“Or maybe not,” Petrie said, quickly covering himself.

Finally, Cera stepped forward. Fyn braced himself for some kind of harsh comment, but it never came.

“I just wanted to let both of you guys know that we’ll always keep you in our thoughts. Be safe out there, and find us a home.”

“We will,” Littlefoot said, just as surprised as Fyn was at Cera’s change in attitude.

Cera nodded, she’d heard what she wanted, and stepped back into the midst of the gang. Before she stopped, however, she turned and said “oh yeah. Don’t be stupid out there.”

“And there’s the harsh comment. That’s more like the old Cera,” Fyn thought, satisfied.

“We’ll walk with you as far as the Great Wall,” Ruby said, “then it’s really ëgoodbye’.”

Fyn nodded, and turned to Littlefoot to see if he had acknowledged. Evidently he hadn’t because he seemed to be staring off into the distance, slack-jawed.

“Littlefoot?” Fyn asked. He received no response.

“Littlefoot, are you listening to me?” His friend didn’t answer. Instead he addressed Fyn right back.

“Fyn,” he said slowly, “I think there’s someone else that wants to say goodbye to us, and to you specifically.”

“What do you mean?” Fyn asked, turning around to follow Littlefoot’s gaze. Then he saw what he was looking at and nearly dropped dead out of shock and surprise right in front of his herd. Approaching slowly, supported by his mate and daughters, was Labon.

“I can’t be-” Fyn whispered, “it’s my dad, it’s really- it’s-”

“Dad!” he yelled, running towards his father. Labon looked terrible. His wounds were crusted over with some sort of strange fluid, and the skin around his eyes sagged. He was obviously still very sick, yet his eyes burned with a proud, unquenchable fire.

“Fyn,” he croaked as his son approached. “Fyn, I’m glad you’re doing this, and I’m very proud. This is what we all expected of you, and you met our expectations well.” Labon shifted his head to look behind Fyn at Littlefoot, who was approaching.

“You as well, Littlefoot,” Labon said, “Fyn was right to choose you. I couldn’t have chosen any better myself. You two will do great things.”

He coughed then, and winced with the pain, but opened his eyes again to look at the two dinosaurs who had been at his mercy only two days ago.

“You both went through Starfall together. That was a challenge- probably the hardest you’ve done, but remember: out in the Mysterious Beyond, things get harder. You’re not little kids anymore. Running and hiding when you’ve got a herd to protect isn’t an option. Be prepared to fight, be kind to others you meet, and most importantly, bring us home.”

He smiled, then offered his last words to them.

“May the Bright Circle always guide your paths,” then he winked once, and his family began to escort him back.

“Pull through for me, dad, okay?” Fyn asked.

Labon looked his son in the eyes, fixing his piercing gaze on him.

“I will,” he said steadily, “that’s a promise.”

“Fyn, Littlefoot,” Keva said as she started helping Labon away, “take care of yourselves out there. We will all be counting on you, and wishing you success. Good luck, and goodbye.”

Fyn and Littlefoot nodded their heads respectfully. Salde and Rya, Fyn’s sisters, uttered their parting statements as well.

“Be safe out there, big brother,” Salde said, her eyes misty with tears.

“Yeah,” Rya agreed, “and don’t eat all of the green food wherever you decide to stop before we get there.”

“Will do,” Fyn said with a grin, “or rather ëwon’t’,” he corrected himself.

Rya smiled and turned away. Fyn watched them go until Littlefoot spoke.

“The Bright Circle’s starting to show. We need to get going.”

“Right,” Fyn said hastily. Littlefoot was right. Time was of the essence. He and Littlefoot went back to the herd and took their spots.

“Alright, Littlefoot,” Fyn said, “I got to assemble them. Do you want to give the order to move?”

Littlefoot’s eyes positively lit up with excitement. “Do I? Of course!”

“Go for it, then,” Fyn said, standing aside and letting Littlefoot take his place.

Littlefoot stood in front of the herd, cleared his throat briefly, then threw back his head and let out a mighty bellow. Everyone heard, and Fyn was impressed. Slowly, the herd started to move, following Littlefoot first, then Fyn, who took his place again. Both dinosaurs were beaming at what they’d just done. Fyn looked over for a reaction from his friends. All but Cera were smiling. The Threehorn just rolled her eyes.

“Don’t let it all go to your head,” she said.

“Point taken,” Fyn responded. Cera just muttered something under her breath. Fyn wasn’t entirely sure what it was, but he assumed it wasn’t worth trying to find out.

Ahead loomed the Great Wall. They would have to climb it to get to where they were headed. They would actually be leaving the Valley through the same entrance Littlefoot had used when he first discovered the place. Littlefoot hadn’t been there in a while, but every time he did visit it, it always held memories. Some were good, others bad, but all of them seemed to reside there, perpetually swirling around, waiting for someone to come by so they could share their stories. Before long, they were at the Great Wall’s base. They stopped briefly, to eye the climb they were about to face.

“Just like Starfall, eh Fyn?” Littlefoot asked.

“Indeed,” Fyn responded. “Let’s climb this thing.”

They moved forward, and the herd followed. Fyn began searching for the best places to walk, selecting only patches of ground that were level, free of slipping hazards, or both at the same time, if possible. Process was slow; grueling, in fact. Finally, though, just as the Bright Circle was appearing on the horizon, they made it to the top. Littlefoot gazed in wonder. The last time he’d actually gone through this entrance had been a historic moment. Now, they would depart the Valley through it, as part of another historic event. He only hoped this one would end as well as the first.

“Let’s go, Littlefoot,” Fyn said from the mouth of the cave that marked the entrance, startling Littlefoot out of his reflections, “we can’t hold up the line for too long.”

“You’re right,” Littlefoot said, “it’s time to go.”

As they passed into the cave, the gang said their last goodbyes. They didn’t know when they would see each other next, but both parties were confident that they would see each other again sometime. As the darkness of the cave swallowed himself and Fyn, Littlefoot couldn’t resist one last glance back at the Valley where he’d grown up, and hopefully would eventually come back to continue to grow up in. When the Great Valley was finally out of sight, Littlefoot finally shifted his eyes back ahead, to the hostile and unforgiving world that would await them as soon as they stepped out of the cave.

[Fyn16]

...
 

Before long, Fyn broke out of the darkness of the cave and into the light of the dawning day. The herd and Littlefoot followed him out. They were finally in the Mysterious Beyond; the setting of countless scary stories, the place where he and his friends had so often snuck into, and perhaps most importantly, the home of the Sharpteeth.

Fyn stole a quick glance behind, to make sure the herd was doing well, and saw Littlefoot chatting with Alten, who had moved to the front of the herd. Fyn smiled. Alten was easy to get along with, and he’d brighten the mood of this journey easily. Unfortunately, as Littlefoot knew this area better than himself, Fyn had to bring him out of his conversation.

“Littlefoot,” Fyn called to his friend, “I need you up here.”

Littlefoot bid a hasty “goodbye” to Alten and rushed up to meet Fyn.

“What’s up?” he asked.

Fyn gestured to the land in front of them. From what it seemed, they were in a very steep ravine, with no easy way out but to go forward.

“I’ve pretty much never been this way before,” he said, “can you get us through here?”

“Absolutely,” Littlefoot replied, taking the lead.

“Good,” said Fyn, “we’re going to need to find a way to turn around eventually. I think our first stop should be the Highmountains. You remember- the place where we met Terra, the Sharptooth, and saved all of those Fastrunners?”

Littlefoot nodded, recalling that particular adventure. That had been the first time Fyn had truly met Chomper and Ruby, and he’d distrusted them at first. By the end of the journey, however, they’d become friends. He remembered that the Highmountains were infested with Sharpteeth, too, but many seasons had passed since then. Perhaps they’d moved on by now. One could only hope.

Fyn followed his friend as he started walking at a brisk pace down the ravine’s path. The soil here was rocky, and slippery, so the herd adjusted by slowing down slightly. A lot of dust was kicked up into the air, and it wasn’t long before coughing set in. Fyn hoped they would be clear of this soon. This was getting tiresome already. Still, he was glad they hadn’t encountered a Sharptooth so far. Things could certainly be worse.

It wasn’t long before Littlefoot stopped ahead. Fyn halted the herd and walked over to him.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, “why’d we stop?”

Littlefoot didn’t answer at first. Instead he looked reverently at an enormous stone formation in front of him. Fyn gazed at it as well. Its shape looked familiar.

“Hey,” he said, suddenly realizing what he was looking at, “that rock kind of looks like a Longneck.”

“It does,” Littlefoot said. “That was the last thing I had to look for to find the Great Valley. It’s been a long time since I came here.” He took in his surroundings slowly, scarcely breathing. “It’s just so strange. Now that I’m here, it feels like I only got to the Great Valley yesterday.”

“Yeah,” Fyn agreed. For a moment, he forgot where he was, but one look back at the herd and he remembered.

“Come on, Littlefoot,” Fyn said, pulling his friend’s attention away from the formation, “we have to go. I’m sorry.”

Littlefoot nodded, “it’s fine. I just wanted to see it again, that’s all.”

The two moved back to the herd, and Alten was waiting for them.

“So, are we actually going to get on the move, or are you two just going to stop every few moments to sightsee?”

Littlefoot smiled, as did Fyn.

“We’re leaving now,” Fyn said, “and we won’t stop again until we find food.”

“Now that’s more like it,” Alten agreed. Fyn gave the call to move again, and they were gone, off down a new path leading back in the direction they came. Though it seemed unnecessary to travel in one direction first, only to travel back the other way, there was a reason for this course of action. The Mountains that Burn were extremely difficult to navigate through, and trying to take any path other than the known paths was flirting with disaster. Therefore, to ensure the safety and success of the herd, this was the only safe way to go. There was, of course, a faster way- an exit which was located under the Thundering Falls, but that particular passage was blocked, much to Fyn’s utter disappointment. Still, at least they had some idea of where they were going. Fyn recalled when he first came to the Great Valley, and what a confusing mess this mountain range had seemed. It still was a confusing mess, in all honesty, but thanks to the directions he'd recieved from those who had traversed this range before, it was a little less confusing.

The morning moved forward slowly and uneventfully. There really never was much action out here, just outside the Great Wall, but Fyn was fine with that. Less action meant less danger. He hoped the rest of the journey would be the same way, but he knew better than to assume so. The Mountains that Burn held their own dangers, to be sure, but once they left the mountains, they were really fair game for any Sharptooth who happened to be in the vicinity, which would most definitely not be an enjoyable experience.

Finally, Fyn saw familiar ground ahead. He’d just seen where Littlefoot had first entered the Valley. Now he was about to see where he had done it. The ground was getting sandier, softer, and Fyn knew, judging by the proximity of the Smoking Mountain, how close he was to the entrance he and his herd had used. He rounded a corner, sidestepping a large boulder, and saw it: the small cluster of trees, the pool which looked like a Longneck’s foot, everything. It was all still here.

Fyn beamed and Littlefoot understood his happiness. It wasn’t often one had the chance to walk the exact path they had taken to the Great Valley. He thought of saying something to his friend, but decided instead to just let him enjoy the moment.

Fyn was enjoying the moment, but that wasn’t entirely why he was smiling. There was another reason as well. This entrance to the Great Valley was close to the path that led out of the Smoking Mountains and to the Highmountains. They would be completely out in the Mysterious Beyond before the Bright Circle was at its highest. Tomorrow, they would reach the Highmountains, and if it turned out they were safe, they would stay.

“Keep your eyes sharp,” Fyn said to Littlefoot, “we should be seeing our way out soon.”

Littlefoot looked ahead, trying to spot the crevice that he knew was the way out. Here, it was hard to tell where rocks ended and passageways began. Everything looked the same.

“Probably not a bad place for an ambush,” he thought to himself, shivering. “If Sharpteeth only knew about this place...”

He cut himself off before he could continue. Sharpteeth and ambushes were the last things he wanted to think about right now. Besides, if he didn’t concentrate, he’d miss the passageway he was supposed to be looking for.

As it was, he almost did. The way out was a very thin crevice, and the rock on and around it blended so well, it seemed it wasn’t even there at all sometimes. Fortunately, Littlefoot saw it at the last moment.

“There it is, Fyn,” he said.

Fyn stopped and took a long look at their exit. “I remember this being a lot bigger,” he said, finally.

“Yeah, well we were also a lot smaller when we last came through here.”

“True enough,” Fyn agreed, then turned to address the herd. They’d begun to talk amongst themselves, and when Fyn tried to speak, no one listened. Fyn tried again, but to no avail. This was really starting to annoy him. Finally, Fyn let out a loud, thundering bellow, almost a roar. Immediately, all talking ceased.

“Listen up!” Fyn said, speaking up so his voice could carry to everyone, “this is a very narrow passage, so I need everyone to partner up. We’ll be going through in two lines. Follow Littlefoot and me.”

He turned back to Littlefoot as the talking started again, quietly. The herd was obeying, and everyone was finding someone else to buddy up with for the passage. Slowly, Littlefoot and Fyn began the walk into the narrow ravine. Slowly, they moved forward. It was a simple task, at first, but after a while, the ravine began to seem endless. Fyn was coming close to falling asleep out of sheer boredom. All of that changed, however, when he and Littlefoot saw their first Sharptooth of the journey.

It was small, green and blue, and Fyn instantly recognized it for what it was. A long time ago, a pack of them had attacked him in the Highmountains. If it hadn’t been for the quick intervention of Terra, a Sharptooth who had befriended him at the time, he might have died at their little claws. Afterwards, he’d found out that the little creatures were called Small Biters. He honestly didn’t care. Ever since his encounter, he’d held a grudge against the little predators, and now he had the advantage: size.

“Get out of here,” Fyn said, annoyed at the little Sharptooth standing in his way. “Move!” he gave it a kick, and the small dinosaur took off running with a screech, ducking into a little cave.

“Well,” Littlefoot said, “there’s our first Sharptooth.”

“Can’t they all just be like that?” Fyn asked.

“I wish,” said Littlefoot with a smile. Up ahead, light was starting to show. They were almost out. Fyn checked behind to make sure the herd was still following; they were. In just a few short steps, they were finally out. Fyn and Littlefoot stepped to the side of the ravine’s exit to let everyone out. When everyone was assembled, Fyn addressed them one last time.

“This is it. From here on out, we’re committed. There’s no turning back, there’s no giving up. We have a job to do, and if we don’t do it, dinosaurs will die. The Great Valley as we know it will die. We will die. I don’t plan on dying out here, and I don’t think any of you do either. Because of that, I want you all to watch out for two dinosaurs: yourself, and the dinosaur next to you. We stand a better chance out here working together. That means when it comes to anything- food-gathering, defense, looking for another place to live- you should all be supporting one another. Littlefoot and I will do our part, too. When we start walking again, I want each and every one of you to think about why you’re doing this. I know why I am. I’m here because back in the Great Valley, my dad’s sick, maybe dying. I’m going to find the Great Valley residents a new place to live for him. That's why I'm here. Now ask yourselves: why are you here?”

Fyn turned back to face the Mysterious Beyond. He gave the call to move ahead, and the herd proceeded.

The Bright Circle was high in the sky. The day was half-over, but the excitement hadn’t even started yet.

[Fyn16]

Chapter 7: The New Beyond

A furious wind ripped across the dry land of the Mysterious Beyond, carrying with it sand and dust, and mercilessly pounding the herd which was now traversing its territory. Sometimes, it seemed the wind had a mind and feelings of its own, and it obviously didn’t like having its space intruded upon.

Littlefoot squinted his eyes to avoid a particularly harsh blast of wind and sand. It helped a little, but he could still feel the rough particles under his eyelids, which indicated the presence of wind-driven debris. He hoped they could find some rocks, or some other form of cover, but he knew his hopes were in vain. He’d walked this way before, and the land would probably remain flat until nightfall. Until then, he’d just have to grin and bear it. After all, if everyone else could take this, he could, too.

Littlefoot turned his head to try to avoid some of the debris flying his way, and that was when he first saw the Mysterious One.
He called the shape the “Mysterious One” in his mind, because he had no way of knowing what it actually was, and he hadn’t seen it long enough to find out. Essentially, when he’d turned his head, he caught a glimpse of what looked like a dinosaur out of the corner of his eye, far away, and heading for the Highmountains. He wasn’t entirely sure, but it looked a bit like a Sharptooth. It looked like it was standing on two legs, but it also appeared to be much more slender than the average Sharptooth. Littlefoot was only able to glimpse for a moment, though. A fierce gust of wind kicked more sand into his face, and he blinked instinctively. When he reopened his eyes, the Mysterious One was gone. He briefly considered telling Fyn about it, but thought better of it. It was entirely possible he’d only been seeing things. Supposedly, this part of the Mysterious Beyond (which Fyn called the Drylands) was notorious for playing tricks on one’s eyes, especially if that someone was tired. Littlefoot didn’t want Fyn to think he was already feeling exhausted, so he kept his observations to himself.

Before long, Littlefoot noted another strange sight: a dark shape in the sky, very faint and small, heading towards the herd from behind. He blinked, to see if this particular image was a trick, but when he opened his eyes, it was still there, and continually coming closer.

“Hey, Fyn!” Littlefoot said to his friend. Fyn who had been in a heat-induced daze, his gaze fixated forward for a while now, snapped out of his current state and turned to Littlefoot.

“What is it?”

“Look,” Littlefoot said, indicating the shape in the sky. “Don’t tell me you can’t see that, too.”

“See what?” Fyn asked, confused.

“That!” Littlefoot said frantically, gesturing towards the shape. He hoped he was actually right, and that he hadn’t just wasted Fyn’s time.

“Oh yeah, I see it now,” Fyn confirmed, “but what is it?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Littlefoot said, squinting and trying to make out the figure. As it came closer, Littlefoot realized what it was.
“
It’s just a Flyer,” he said.

“Wait a moment,” Fyn said, recalling something that had been said earlier. He looked back at the Flyer, concentrating. Then he broke into a grin.

“That’s not just a Flyer. It’s Petrie’s mother!”

Now, Littlefoot recognized her- her thin, blue wings outstretched in graceful flight. She soared on through the sky, catching the warm air currents and drifting slowly towards the herd. Suddenly, she tucked in her wings, diving and picking up speed, then pulled up just before hitting the ground. She skimmed across the earth, passing most of the herd, then sharply caught the air with her wings and stopped mid-flight, landing in front of Littlefoot and Fyn.

“Greetings,” she said.

“It’s good to see you,” Littlefoot replied, “what brings you out here?”

Mama Flyer shrugged. The others wanted me to check on you both, to make sure you didn’t get lost in the Mountains that Burn. I was right, I suppose. You obviously didn’t or you wouldn’t be here right now.”

Littlefoot smiled, but Fyn asked his next question with the utmost seriousness.

“What about my dad? How’s he doing?”

The Flyer answered immediately. “He’s still awake, which the healer says is a good sign, but he’s pretty sick. I think they’re going to try to clean his wounds today. I’ve got to say, your dad is pretty tough.”

“So they say,” Fyn said. “I think so, too.”

“What’s your plan so far?” Mama Flyer asked.

Littlefoot looked ahead in the direction they were traveling. “We’re going to try to make it to the Highmountains tomorrow. If they’re safe, they might be our best bet for a place to settle down temporarily.”

“I see,” Mama Flyer said, nodding, “well, I’ll relay that information back to the Valley. Is there anything you or the herd needs?”

After a brief pause to think, Fyn answered “no, I don’t believe there is.”

“Alright, then,” Mama Flyer said, “if that’s all, then I’m going to head back to the Valley. I’ll see you all soon. Have a good day.”

“You too,” Fyn and Littlefoot said as the Flyer spread her majestic wings wide and launched herself skyward, kicking up dust with her powerful wing-beats. Littlefoot and Fyn watched her go, and Littlefoot was already starting to realize just how much he missed the Great Valley. They carried on, but Littlefoot glanced back every so often, watching Mama Flyer as she journeyed back. Each time he turned his head, she was farther away, until at last, she disappeared from view altogether.

“Well, she’s gone now,” Littlefoot observed.

“Yep,” Fyn said curtly.

Littlefoot decided, listening to Fyn’s tone, that his friend was thinking through something and decided to leave him be. Instead, he checked the scenery here. There were craters, evidence of Flying Rock impacts, out here in the Mysterious Beyond too, it seemed. Apparently the Great Valley hadn’t been the only place that suffered from the catastrophe.

“Check it out,” he said to Fyn, indicating the craters, “the Mysterious Beyond got hit, too.”

Fyn observed the damage and nodded. “Hopefully the Highmountains are still pretty much untouched. I’d hate to get there only to find out they were destroyed.”

“Yeah,” Littlefoot said, eyeing the Bright Circle. They still had more daylight left, but not much. They would need to stop soon after nightfall. Fyn noticed as well, and increased his pace slightly.

“Any ideas on where to stop?” Fyn asked Littlefoot.

“There should be some large rocks coming up soon,” Littlefoot answered, trying to remember the details of his last journey here. “It’s where the gang and I stopped.”

“Excellent,” Fyn said, “can you get us there?”

“Sure can,” Littlefoot said.

“Then I’m turning leadership over to you for now,” Fyn said. Littlefoot almost choked.

“To me? Are  you sure?”

“Of course. There’s no one else here who can get us where we need to go. I wanted you as deputy for a reason: you’re a leader. Now you can show that.”

“If you insist...” Littlefoot said slowly, switching spots with Fyn and starting to guide the herd to the right slightly. Fyn dropped back to Alten. As he approached, the Fin-Neck, many seasons his senior, addressed him.

“Something up, Fyn?”

“As a matter of fact, yes,” Fyn said, adjusting his stride to match Alten’s. “I wanted to talk to you about a position in the herd leadership.”

“Oh?” Alten asked, “well I’m honestly flattered, but, I mean, you couldn’t possibly want someone like me to-” he stopped short when he saw Fyn’s eyes. They stared at him calmly, with an intensity, a degree of seriousness, that seemed to say that the younger dinosaur knew what he was talking about. Alten gave in.

“What sort of position?” he asked.

“I’d like you to be the herd’s representative,” Fyn said. “Littlefoot and I can’t talk to everyone, or answer everyone’s questions, so I decided the herd needs someone to represent them. You’re a good speaker; I’ve seen and heard you, and I think your the best dinosaur for this position.”

Alten considered this for a moment, then gave his answer. “Alright, I’ll give it a try. When we stop tonight, I’ll start getting to know the herd better. I suppose this is a learning experience for all of us. I’ve never lead anyone before, but I’ll do my best.”

“Of course you will,” Fyn said, “you always have.”

“Thanks,” Alten said.

“Fyn!”

Fyn turned to face Littlefoot, who had just called his name.


“What is it?”

Littlefoot, without breaking stride, nodded towards a distant cluster of rocks. “That’s where we stop tonight.”

“Sounds good to me, bring us in!”

Littlefoot led the herd forward as the Bright Circle set, covering the Mysterious Beyond in darkness. Fyn was glad he’d let Littlefoot lead. If he’d lead, they might have missed this place, and been wandering around out here with the Sharpteeth all night. Littlefoot called for a stop as soon as they reached the rocks, and Fyn found a place to watch the herd settle in. Perhaps now, everyone could finally get some relaxation.

[Fyn16]

…


“I sure hope they’re okay.”

Cera was sitting up on a rocky ledge with her friends. In fact, it was the very ledge that she and the gang had once called their “hideout” shortly after arriving in the Great Valley. Just remembering such things was difficult and painful now, with the current state of the Valley. But, she reminded herself, it had happened before. Once, before Fyn arrived, Swarming Leaf Gobblers had eaten nearly all plant life in the Valley. Everyone had been forced to leave. In a way, this situation was similar, but on a much larger scale.

“They’ve been out in the Mysterious Beyond before,” Chomper said, reassuringly. “I’m sure they’ll both be fine. After all, Petrie’s mother said they were doing well.”

“I know, but it’s hard. We always used to do these things together.”

Ducky sighed from her perch atop a nearby rock. “Yep, yep, yep. It is hard.”

“I know, guys,” Chomper said, “believe me, but right now, the Great Valley needs us to do our part. We need to help the sick, and I’m sure there are still others who need rescuing.”

“Right,” Ruby said, determinedly, “if we’re gone, and Fyn and Littlefoot are gone, then everyone will be gone and no one will be here to help.”

“Exactly,” Chomper said, then turned to Ruby, puzzled by what she’d said. “Wait, what? Never mind.”  

Cera let out a small chuckle at her friends’ antics. They could still cheer her up despite everything else. Still, she felt strange for another reason, as well: she didn’t feel like herself anymore. She’d always been the loud, outspoken, bossy one, and in all honesty, she liked it. How else was a Threehorn to keep a reputation around here? After the devastation, however, she’d found that side of her slipping away, as she put her own feelings aside to help others. The problem was, she couldn’t just get mad anymore. The idea actually disturbed her, and she hoped that she could become her old self again soon.

Ruby looked up at the stars, gleaming brightly, defiantly, amidst the dark sky, looking for one in particular: Littlefoot’s Star Day star. It wasn’t long before she found it, and noticed that it would be in the proper place for Littlefoot’s Star Day soon.

“We should hold a Star Day celebration for Littlefoot so his Star Day can be celebrated,” Ruby observed.

“That a great idea!” Petrie said, speaking up for the first time that night, “but... when his Star Day?”

“According to his star, it will be in just a few more days,” Ruby replied.

“We should definitely do it,” Cera said, standing up and starting to smile, “the Great Valley could use a little cheering up.”

“I’m in,” said Chomper.

“And me,” Ducky added. Spike nodded as well.

“Then it’s settled. Tomorrow, let’s start planning. We’ll surprise the Great Valley with the best Star Day ever!”


…


Out in the Mysterious Beyond, Fyn watched as the herd began to settle in for sleep. They’d just eaten some greens that Littlefoot had discovered growing nearby, and though it hadn’t been a full meal, it was the best anyone could do out here. Now, things were quieting down. Fyn himself was just about to fall asleep when someone cleared his throat behind him.

“Who is it?” Fyn asked, cracking an eye open.

“Your friendly assistant, Alten!”

Fyn lifted his head off the ground and slowly got to his feet. Alten was there, with a timid-looking, brown and tan Clubtail behind him.

“This is Ceph,” Alten said, indicating the Clubtail who simply nodded, “he wanted to talk with you if that’s alright.”
   
 “Well of course it is,” Fyn said, smiling, “thanks, Alten. I knew I could count on you. Keep up the good work.”
   
Alten nodded and smiled. “I’ll see you in the morning. Let me know if you need anything.”
   
“Sure thing,” Fyn said. Alten headed back to his resting place, leaving Fyn with the newcomer. Fyn yawned and stretched, sitting up. He wanted to set a good impression, so he tried to look as professional as possible. The clubtail didn’t speak immediately, so Fyn decided to initiate the conversation.
   
“So what brings you here tonight, sir?”
   
The Clubtail chuckled nervously. “Please, don’t call me sir. I may be older, but you’re still in charge of me. Just call me Ceph.”
   
“Alright then, Ceph, what’s going on?”
   
Fyn noticed that the Clubtail seemed very fidgety, going as far as to jump at the sound of a sudden snore coming from one of the sleeping dinosaurs.
   
“I just wanted to talk to you about your leadership.”
   
“My leadership?” Fyn asked, confused. He’d been hoping for a simpler topic.
   
“Um... okay. What do you want to talk about?”
   
“Well, it’s just that-” he began unconsciously tracing patterns in the dirt with his foot, “-I’ve never been led by someone younger than me before, and this is a really dangerous journey. Are you sure you can handle it?”
   
Fyn was confused for a moment, then smiled again. “Of course I can, is that all you were worried about si- I mean Ceph?”
   
 “Well, yes, but it’s just that I really want to come back from this alive, if you know what I mean. I’ve got a mate back in the Valley, and I want to see her again.”
   
“I understand,” said Fyn, moving closer. “This is a really risky trip, and I can’t blame you for being nervous, but think about it. We’re a pretty big group, and Sharpteeth tend to stay away from those. Also, no one’s gonna attack out here. Just look at the place! Everything here was hit by the Flying Rocks, too. My guess is that whoever may have lived here before is long gone, now. Finally, remember that you’re a Clubtail. Hurting you is next to impossible, and I can guarantee you’ll make this journey alive. Trust me.”
   
By the end of Fyn’s statement, Ceph’s breathing had returned to a normal rate, he’d stopped fidgeting, and he actually looked calm, now. Fyn hoped he’d placed confidence in him.
   
“Thank you, Fyn. I’ll remember everything you said.”
   
“Good,” Fyn said. “Is that all?”
   
“That’s it,” the Clubtail said, lumbering off. “Goodnight to you.”
   
“And you as well,” Fyn said, yawning and laying down again. Counseling was something he prided himself at doing well. It probably wouldn’t be the first time he’d have to do it on this trip, but he didn’t mind. As long as his herd-mates were coming to him for advice, it meant they had faith in him, and faith was a necessity when performing a task as daunting as this.
   
As Fyn closed his eyes to the night sky, he wondered what excitement tomorrow would bring. If only he’d known what was about to take place only moments after he fell asleep...


…

   
The shadowy dinosaur slipped from rock to rock, watching the sleeping herd. When the one who appeared to be the leader fell asleep, he padded forward softly on his two feet, scarcely daring to breathe. The Night Circle’s light revealed his silhouette, framed against the flat land. It was none other than the shape Littlefoot had named “The Mysterious One.”
   
The Mysterious One moved into the herd with ease. Living in the Mysterious Beyond for as long as he had had taught him two very important skills: patience and stealth. He’d been waiting for the chance to see these newcomers all day, and now he finally had his chance. He had to be silent, to avoid waking anyone, but silence came easily for him. He spotted the leader and stepped over to him. When he stopped by his side, he looked at Fyn in amazement. Such bright colors, and what a remarkable sail! The Mysterious One had never seen this dinosaur’s type before.
   
He began to think: if so many of them had traveled this far out into the middle of nowhere, there must be a reason. Perhaps they needed help. Perhaps they were slowly weakening. In any case, there were opportunities to be had. Big opportunities.
   
The Mysterious One cracked a smile, finally revealing his long, sharp teeth. There was no doubt about it. The teeth that reflected the Night Circle’s light with their white radiance belonged to none other than a Sharptooth.
   
The Mysterious One decided then that he would follow the herd, stealthily as usual. They didn’t know about the Highmountains, or what now lived within them. They weren’t aware of the danger they would be in soon. Someone would have to stand by behind the action, waiting for an opportunity. What that opportunity was for, no one knew but the Mysterious One himself. Slowly, he slunk away, leaving everything as it had been  except for one thing: a single footprint, left next to Fyn in the sand. The intruder was gone, perfect silence was restored, and the herd was peaceful again, at least for the time being.


…

   
The herd was on the move again before dawn broke. Littlefoot found it difficult to get up so early. The strain and pressure that had been placed on him over the last few days was starting to catch up with him; his muscles ached, his eyes wanted to shut, and he was only half-awake, it seemed. Still, it didn’t look like Fyn was faring any better. Littlefoot decided to shut out his mental response to the physical exhaustion. Ahead, he could see a few mountain peaks- the Highmountains- appearing over the horizon. They’d be there before the Bright Circle reached its highest point.
    Littlefoot was feeling a little anxious, however. Last night, apparently something had come into the herd and left a footprint right next to Fyn’s head. From the size and shape of the print, it was almost certainly a Sharptooth that was the culprit. The fact that this creature had boldly wandered into their midst bothered Littlefoot, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever it was was still following them. His thoughts returned again to the Mysterious One. Perhaps it really was real, and it had made the track. Anything was possible, he supposed.
    The Highmountains came steadily closer and into focus. Now they could see the flat, dusty plain which surrounded them, and the thick trees, almost out of place in a location like this, which wrapped themselves around the mountains’ bases. It still looked foreboding, especially with the damage it had sustained from the Flying Rocks, but Littlefoot reassured himself that whatever may have lived here was almost certainly gone now.

Littlefoot shivered as the wind picked up. The land was definitely growing colder, now. If they didn’t stop soon, eventually they would find themselves out in the Mysterious Beyond during the Cold Time with nowhere to go. He hoped the Highmountains would work out, or things around here could get a lot more unpleasant.

“Finally,” Fyn said, as the Highmountains came closer still, “we can get a good rest.”

“We’ll see,” said Littlefoot, still wary.

“What’s up, Littlefoot?” Fyn asked, looking concerned.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Littlefoot answered. Some large dark clouds were moving in now, guided forward by the eerily whistling wind. Things were starting to become very ominous. Littlefoot took another look at the Highmountains, then continued.

“I don’t want to say I’m scared of stuff that probably doesn’t even exist, but that’s kinda how I’m feeling about this place.”

Fyn took another glance at the dark forest surrounding the tall, imposing mountains.

“I could definitely see how you might feel that way,” he said, “but relax- I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Littlefoot nodded, not convinced. He had a sense for trouble, it seemed, and right now, it was going crazy. Something was really wrong with this place, more so than it had been last time they came here, if that was even possible.

“Hey,” Fyn said suddenly, “I’ve got an idea. We could all use a little motivation, right?”

“Well yeah,” Littlefoot said, not seeing where his friend was going with this, “but what does-?”

“Just listen. What if we all raced to the trees? It could be a lot of fun!”

Littlefoot thought about it. In all reality, what harm could a little race do?

“Alright,” he said. “I’m in.”

“Good,” Fyn said, turning to the herd and calling for a stop. Once everyone had stopped moving, he called out.

“Attention, everyone! It’s been a pretty long and boring journey so far, so I’ve got an idea. That place-” he nodded towards the forest at the base of the Highmountains, “-is where we’ll be stopping today and tonight, and it’s not far. That being said, I’d like to offer the chance to have a bit of fun. Who wants to race there?”

He was met by a few smiles, but also some grumblings, most of which went something like “still a kid, I guess,” or “obviously our leader can’t even grow up.” He ignored the naysayers and addressed those who expressed interest.

“Alright, then. Let’s go!”

He took off running with the herd following. The smaller dinosaurs immediately took the lead, but it was a close race. Fyn looked back at the grumblers. Seeing everyone leave, they decided to start running as well, grudgingly at first. However, by the time Fyn, Littlefoot, and the rest of the front-runners reached the trees, he could see a smile on everyone’s face.

“Fun, right?” Fyn said. “Let’s go find a place to get some rest.”

They ventured into the trees and into the darkness, not knowing what to expect around the next corner.

[Fyn16]

…


The Mysterious One couldn’t believe it; they’d actually gone in.

He peered out from around a rock- his latest hideout- and watched as the tail of the last dinosaur in the herd disappeared into the dense foliage. What were they thinking? There were all sorts of dangers in there, which would make his job of catching up to them a lot harder. He briefly wondered if they were trying to shake him off, then dismissed the notion. There was no way they knew he was following them. He’d been too careful. Still, he couldn’t be too sure. His best bet, he decided, risky as it was, was to follow them in.

He headed in the direction that the herd had gone, stepping into the trees himself. Now he couldn’t help but wonder which of the strange and new dangers which resided here the herd would encounter first. None or few, he hoped. He wanted them alive when he found them.


…


Fyn brushed through the dense, green vines and leaves, trying to find a path. Despite the ruin the Flying Rocks had caused, this place was obviously still strong. Definitely a strong habitat. Now, though, he began to feel uneasy. Despite the place’s definite lushness, perhaps even more so than the last time he and his friends had come here, things were very quiet. The usual chattering and shrill cries of small animals were absent. No sound but the occasional gust of wind was heard.

Fyn shivered. Littlefoot had been right to be spooked by this place. It was definitely working on his nerves now.
   
He led the herd through the trees to a small clearing and stopped. The rest of the herd followed his example.
    “We’ll stop here,” Fyn said. “Once everyone’s settled in, I’ll go scout the area out, to make sure it’s safe.”
   
Fyn heard murmurs of agreement, but when he looked over at Littlefoot, he noticed an expression of surprise on his friend’s face, and it wasn’t a good one.
   
“Something the matter?” he asked.
   
“Well, yeah,” Littlefoot said, sounding a little miffed. “You never said you were going to go off on your own.”
   
“I just didn’t want to worry you,” Fyn said.
   
“Well it’s not working, because I am definitely worried, now. Can’t you take someone with you?”
   
“I’m afraid not,” Fyn said. “You’re in charge while I’m gone. If anything happens, get the herd out of here.”
   
Littlefoot “hmphed,” but walked over to where the herd was gathered and took charge. Before Fyn could leave, however, he glanced back and called out to him.
   
“You’d better be back here before the Bright Circle goes down!”
   
Fyn winked. “You can count on it!” Then, with a mischievous grin, he plunged into the trees, not looking back.


…


The forest seemed quite different from how Fyn remembered it. Granted, he realized, he hadn’t had much time to enjoy the scenery the last time he’d been around these parts. One tends to ignore such things when being attacked by a pack of Small Biters*. Still, he was certain things had changed. For one, the air was thick with moisture, due in part to the massive increase in plant life that had obviously occurred here. So much green surrounded him that most of the time, he couldn’t even see the Bright Circle. The ground was soggy, too, and he often found himself walking through some small, hidden marsh. Still, he hadn’t encountered any Sharpteeth yet, which was a definite plus.

Fyn stopped at another clearing and finally got a good look at the tall, eerie mountains for which this place was named. He’d head for the mountains’ base, he decided, and if he didn’t see anything that looked overly dangerous, he’d head back and declare the place safe and fit to stay in.

Fyn started ahead again, once more finding himself enveloped by the muggy, green world of the forest. He was not alone.


…


The Mysterious One couldn’t believe his eyes when Fyn ventured out on his own. What was he thinking? He briefly considered leaving him for... he didn’t even want to think about it. Instead, he simply decided that he still needed this Longneck, and opted to keep following him. The Longneck was heading for the base of the mountains- the lowlands. He thought this place was safe. Ha! Once he went down there, he would truly find out just how “safe” this place really was. The dangers of the lowlands were the stuff of nightmares. No one went down there alone and survived. In fact, it was the lowlands and its residents that played a role possibly surpassing that of the Flying Rocks in magnitude in driving the dinosaurs that once lived here away for good. He shuddered to think of what he might face down there, in the warm, damp dark. Nothing pleasant, he knew, that was for sure.


…


Just as the Mysterious One had predicted, it wasn’t long before Fyn had found himself in the lowlands. The transition into the mysterious region had been gradual, and he hadn’t even noticed where he was going until just now. All it had taken was one look around for Fyn to determine that he was in a place where he’d definitely never been before. Maybe the last time he’d come here, this place had been different, but now, he found himself in nothing more than a massive, tree-enshrouded swamp. Darkness enveloped him, the air was musty, and when he wasn’t wading through some sort of stagnant water, the ground was spongy underfoot. The silence was gone now, too. Fyn heard strange clicks and grunts, and the slimy slithering of some unknown creature as it slipped into the murky waters. This was most definitely not a friendly place.

He moved deeper in, hoping to find an end to the swamp, but luck was not on his side. The farther he went, the darker and more unfamiliar his surroundings became. He was beginning to feel that he was becoming lost. Several times he passed objects- a stump, perhaps, or an odd-looking boulder- which he could have sworn he’d seen before, but he had no way of knowing for sure.

Now, he was traversing the shoreline of a black, muddy pond, surrounded by drooping, slimy vines. Fyn glanced anxiously around. He had a bad feeling about this place, but he couldn’t tell why. He should have listened to Littlefoot and taken a buddy, but now, he realized, that option was no longer available. As he walked on, breathing a little faster now, eyes darting to and fro, he suddenly heard a faint noise in the trees nearby: a rustling, skittering sound. If it had been somewhat louder, Fyn would have thought it to be a pack of Small Biters, but this sound was barely perceptible, and sounded different slightly. He saw a small movement ahead- something orangeish-brown disappearing into a clump of vegetation. He blinked. What had he just seen?

Now he was very nervous, but he had to know what he was up against out here.  Fyn slowly crept forward towards the bush, preparing to be jumped by some terrible creature. He leaned closer, readying himself to brush the leaves aside. He felt his back tingling, and dismissed it as fear. He’d have to control that out here if he was to keep his bearing.

In one quick movement, he brushed the foliage aside, and came face-to-face with... nothing.

“Huh?” Fyn said, perplexed. He could have sworn something had just entered this little hideaway. Perhaps he’d been wrong. As he stood up, the tingling sensation on his back started up again. Fyn shivered. The feeling tickled, as if someone was slowly moving a Spiny-Leaf branch up his back. He chuckled slightly, assuming he must have backed up into a tree of some sort, and walked away, but as he moved, the sensation became stronger, almost painfully so. Now it was simply an annoyance. Fyn reached forward with his tail to scratch his back. He positioned its tip over his back, expecting to feel his own skin. He did not. Instead, his tail contacted something smooth and segmented. To make matters worse, when he touched it, it moved. Fyn froze, slowly turning his head around to see just what was on his back. When he turned fully around, he saw his new “friend” for the first time. And it was not happy.

Perched on his upper back, clinging to his sail with its multiple, pointed legs, was a massive Groundcrawler**, about the length of one of his front legs.

“Aah!” Fyn shrieked, shaking the creature off and kicking it away. The Groundcrawler let out a shrill hiss and began to make wild, loud clicking noises. All around, the bushes began to rustle, and more clicks began to sound. Fyn was well aware of what was happening- he’d walked right into a trap.

A second humongous Groundcrawler dropped out of the forest canopy. Fyn saw it just in time and sidestepped out of the way. The creature hit the ground with a “thud,” and immediately sized up Fyn. Fyn tried moving, but more Groundcrawlers were on their way now, surrounding him. Desperate, he lashed out with his tail, sending most of the terrifying creatures flying. However, the one in front of him remained, and it reared up, turning its frightening length into height. Fyn saw a pair of fangs, glistening with venom in front of its small, dark mouth. He could be a meal for these things for a long time, and he knew they wouldn’t give up easily because of this. Bellowing, he charged, kicking the creature. At the same time, the giant Groundcrawler struck forward. As Fyn hit it, one of its fangs grazed his leg, scratching it. It wasn’t much of a wound, and Fyn didn’t even realize it was there until the venom began to take effect.

The pain was excruciating. It felt as if his leg was on fire. For now, however, all the pain did was aggravate Fyn even more. He whirled around wildly, stomping, kicking, hitting, but to no avail. The Groundcrawlers were regrouping, and continued attacking. Fyn, on the other hand, was growing tired. If something didn’t happen soon, this battle would be lost.


…


Ahead, the Mysterious One could hear the sounds of a struggle. Judging by the clicking sounds and their current location, he concluded that the Longneck was being attacked by none other than the lowlands’ resident nasties: the giant Groundcrawlers. He sighed and shook his head. This Longneck was making his mission much harder than it should have been. He headed towards the commotion, planning his next move. It was time for the big reveal. It would be here where his plan would either become a complete success or a total failure. Either way, the next few moments would be memorable.


…


Fyn shook off another Groundcrawler, and another. They were everywhere, it seemed, skittering over the ground, dropping out of trees, crawling out of bushes and tangled vines- no wonder the Highmountains’ latest dinosaur residents had fled. This place was dangerous.

Fyn was right in the middle of shaking an attacking Groundcrawler off of his leg when he heard a sound that chilled him to the very bones. A high-pitched roar, almost a shriek, suddenly sounded from out of the trees nearby. They began to shake, and Fyn felt the ground trembling. Something big was coming this way. The Groundcrawlers apparently noticed, too, because several of them began to retreat. Then the foliage burst outward as a massive creature charged through it and stopped, surveying the situation. From its posture to its size, and finally up to its gleaming, sharp teeth, there was no doubt in Fyn’s mind; he was staring down a Sharptooth.

*Compsognathus, with a slightly venomous bite, featured in  Among Friends.

**Giant prehistoric carnivorous Centipede.

[Fyn16]

By the way, if you're following this, please feel free to review if you desire. I like feedback, as it's useful to further development in a long story such as this. Again, it's the reader's decision, but I would greatly appreciate it!

By the way, current word count is 33840. That makes this the longest story I've done so far! Right on target, if I do say so myself.

[Fyn16]

One more thing: I just updated Such's bio so it fits his character, now. You can find it .here. I will warn that there may be potential spoiler alerts, but nothing major.

[Fyn16]

Chapter 8: When the Going Gets Tough


Fyn looked in horror at the massive Sharptooth. Its body was slender, but large, and its teeth were long and sharp. It was covered in smooth skin, displaying faded white and blue markings, and a small, spiny sail covered its back. What terrified him the most, however, was that this dinosaur looked very similar to a Sail-Tooth, the type of Sharptooth which had invaded his old home in the Mysterious Beyond. Sometimes, he still saw them in his sleep stories, and the face of this Sharptooth was a very near match.

Fyn stepped back, prepared to fight, but it seemed the Sharptooth had other plans. It charged forward into the oncoming Groundcrawlers, swiping its massive hands (each of which contained one extremely long claw, Fyn noticed) into their midst and scattering the pests. Fyn couldn’t believe his eyes. The Sharptooth was pushing through them without any fear or hesitation, and he was doing a pretty good job of it. When all of the Groundcrawlers were gone, the Sharptooth looked back up towards Fyn, panting, and fixed his gaze upon him, staring with his yellow eyes.

Fyn felt he knew exactly what was coming up next. Slowly, he lowered himself into a position to prepare for attack, raising his tail in warning. No attack came, however. Instead, the Sharptooth dipped his head in a friendly manner and slowly walked over towards the Fin-Neck.

“Greetings and salutations,” he said in an accent similar to that of an Egg-Stealer, but much more pronounced.* “My name’s Such.”

Fyn’s jaw dropped. He still couldn’t believe it when Sharpteeth spoke to him in his language. One would have thought he’d be used to it, now, but such speculations would be wrong. Caught off guard by this Sharptooth’s friendly gesture, he stammered:

“H- hi. Um, I’m Fyn. How are you?”

The Sharptooth grinned, exposing more teeth and unsettling Fyn. “Can’t complain, I guess, even though you forced me into this ridiculous place to save your life.”

“I wh- wait, what?” Fyn asked, turning his head sideways in confusion.

“That’s right, I’ve been following you for a little while now. I really just wanted to see what such a big herd’s doin’ out here. It’s a dangerous place, now more than ever.” He squinted at Fyn. “How old are you, anyway?”

“Twelve seasons,” Fyn responded proudly, puffing out his chest.

“Blimey!” said Such, “you’re just a kid! You’re the one that’s in charge?”

“Well, me and Littlefoot,” Fyn responded. Seeing the blank stare on Such’s face, he added “Littlefoot’s my friend, and he’s also a Longneck.”

“Ah,” Such nodded knowingly, “and where is he now?”

“Oh, I left him back in a clearing with the herd,” Fyn said, “he’s taking command while I’m gone.”

At Fyn’s words, Such’s eyes widened and his head snapped up. “Clearing?” he asked, warily, “what clearing?”

“Right inside the trees,” Fyn said. “Why?”

Such shook his head. “We’d best be moving.”

“We?” Fyn asked, very confused all of a sudden.

“Well, it didn’t seem like you were doing so well getting out of here on your own, but if you don’t want help, suit y’self.”

Suddenly, Fyn wanted help very badly, even if it was from this scary-looking creature.

“Alright,” he said, “come along, but no tricks.”

“None at all, no sir. No funny business,” Such responded. “Besides, and no offense to you, you Longnecks are some of the most terrible-tasting creatures in the world. I wouldn’t come within a tail’s length of one of you for a snack, nope.”

“Thanks,” Fyn said, cracking an awkward grin as they started heading back, “I think.”

“No problem.  Naw, Longnecks are nasty,” he continued, “what I like is Scaly Swimmers.”

“Scaly Swimmers?” Fyn asked the Sharptooth striding along beside him, “what are those?”

Such ducked to avoid a branch. “They’re little creatures that swim around under the water, and they’ve got slippery scales all over their bodies.”

Fyn recoiled in disgust. He knew what Scaly Swimmers are. “You eat those? But aren’t they... you know... slimy?”

Such grinned fiendishly. “The best ones are. It makes ëem slide down the throat easier.” He smacked his lips with a hungry expression. It took Fyn’s best efforts to keep from losing his meal he’d eaten earlier that day.

“Alright,” he said, “so I guess you don’t eat other dinosaurs. That’s a huge relief, but how did you learn to speak Leaf Eater?”

“Picked it up out in the Beyond,” Such said, shrugging nonchalantly. “It comes in handy every now and then, if I can get close enough to someone to talk. Unfortunately, most Leaf-Eaters run away when they see me. I mean look at me!”

Fyn sized Such up. The Sharptooth was tall and definitely scary-looking. He himself probably would’ve run away if he hadn’t been attacked by the Groundcrawlers.

“Yeah,” he said, noticing light ahead. They were almost out of the lowlands. “I guess you are pretty scary, but talking to you know, I don’t feel that way anymore.”

“Good,” Such said. “It’s so lonely out here. I can’t really talk to any of the other Sharpteeth, because they all think I’m weak because of my choice of food, and all the Leaf-Eaters I try to talk to, well, you know what happens.”

Fyn knew now, and he couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for Such. “What about your family?” he asked, “do you have one around here?”

“Well, let me answer that question with another question,” Such said, “you seen a pair of old geezerly Sharpclaws around here?”

“You’ve never met your family?” Fyn said in surprise.

“Never, but I’m always on the lookout for ëem.”

Fyn nodded in understanding, and decided to change the subject to something else. “So you’re a Sharpclaw, then.”

“Yep,” Such said, “and proud of it!”

They were close to the herd now, entering the trees which contained their resting-place. Suddenly, a loud, saurian shriek sounded dead ahead, followed by exclamations of shock and surprise. The sounds of the herd preparing for battle could be heard.

“That sounds like your herd,” Such said, turning to Fyn. “You ready for the fight of your life?”

“A fight?” Fyn asked, now very worried. He’d never fought before. “A fight with what?”

“No time to explain,” Such said, and he took off for the herd, uttering his sharp, screeching roar. Fyn shook his head and followed. It was time to see what his new friend could do.


*Comparable to a modern-day Australian accent.

[Fyn16]

Note: Fast Biters in this chapter are Utahraptors.

Also, a line in this chapter pays homage to another famous dinosaur movie. See if you can spot it!

…


In all fairness to Littlefoot, no one could have foreseen the attack. Things had started to get strange when Fyn left. Bushes rustled for no reason, some of the herd thought they heard footsteps, and there was a strange, unpleasant smell that lingered in the area. Littlefoot wandered the clearing a few times, in an attempt to find out just what was causing all of this, but he found nothing. Nevertheless, the strange sounds persisted for a while. Then, without warning, they stopped suddenly, and the silence that followed was the worst. Littlefoot had no idea what was going on, and was in the process of telling the herd to start standing lookout at the edges of the clearing when the chaos began. A hoarse, coughing sound echoed over the clearing coming from out of the trees. Littlefoot had heard that cough, and it filled him with fear. The only creature that was capable of making that sound was a Fast Biter. Despite his best efforts to alert everyone, he wasn’t fast enough. They came from all sides, killing toe-claws extended, ready for a meal, and these Fast Biters were huge, as well. They were a light brown in color, with black stripes covering their bodies, and a scarlet mark on their throats, and they were truly fearsome. They attacked relentlessly and quickly, jumping onto backs, clawing at limbs, and biting onto whatever they could. Despite the chaos, the Fast Biters also managed to coordinate their attacks, some resting and looking for an advantageous position, with others providing a distraction. The attack was sudden and overwhelming. Littlefoot didn’t know how long they’d be able to hold out, but he knew losing was a matter of “when” and not “if.”

Then Such and Fyn arrived, smashing through the trees. They were only two dinosaurs, but they managed to catch the Fast Biters by surprise. Clearly, the Sharpteeth hadn’t anticipated what could only be described as an assault from a Leaf-Eater and a Sharpclaw, most certainly from behind. Their hesitation was just what both parties needed. Littlefoot and the herd surged towards the attackers, while Fyn and Such attacked from behind, driving the Fast Biters into complete confusion. At first, Littlefoot had assumed Such to be an enemy, and prepared to send him away with a well-placed tail-swipe. Fyn, however, saw Littlefoot winding up for his attack, and quickly ran to him.

“He’s one of us,” he explained, kicking a nearby Fast Biter in the face.

“Okay, then! If you trust him, then I’m good,” Littlefoot said, throwing a Fast Biter off of his back and throwing one into the air with his tail. “But if he attacks...”

“He won’t,” Fyn reassured him. At least, he hoped so. Such seemed to be having the time of his life chasing off Fast Biters and occasionally giving them a thorough smackdown with his deadly claws. Needless to say, it wasn’t long before they tried to steer clear of him. Littlefoot was most impressed.

“Where did you find this guy?” he asked Fyn. The two were back-to-back, fighting off attacks from all angles.

“Long story,” Fyn said, panting hard, “remind me to tell you about it sometime.”

Littlefoot nodded, concentrating on the fight again, and his part in it. He was amazed how much Starfall had prepared him for this. He was using all of the tricks he’d learned during Mr.Threehorn’s simulated Sharptooth attack, and they were working. So far, he hadn’t even been scratched. Fyn appeared to be doing well, too, although he also seemed to be limping. There was a scratch on his leg with some sort of clear fluid around it, which Littlefoot assumed must have been the cause. He dismissed it. Such things could be taken care of later. As long as Fyn was holding his own, he wouldn’t worry.

A Fast Biter jumped up for his face, and Littlefoot instinctively moved his head to the side, careful not to expose the throat, and that was when he first saw Such in action up close. The blue and white Sharpclaw came from out of nowhere, and hooked one of his long arms around the predator’s midsection, ripping the creature from the air and throwing it away.

“Thanks!” Littlefoot said, in awe. Such simply dipped his head in acknowledgement, and proceeded to ram another approaching Fast Biter. What had started as a one-sided attack was quickly turning in favor of the Leaf-Eaters and their new ally. The Fast Biters were being beaten without mercy, and morale was going up now, with the change in battle. Finally, one Fast Biter, presumably the leader, screeched once and bolted for the trees. The others snapped their heads towards it, and followed, retreating into the woods. They were gone as quickly as they’d come.

“Haha!” Littlefoot laughed with joy and relief, running over to Fyn, “thank goodness you showed up when you did. Did you see what we did to those Sharpteeth? They won’t be coming back for more!” In his excitement, Littlefoot forgot about Such, who was approaching from the treeline.

“Yeah, we did!” Fyn said, also grinning, “give me some tail!”

The two dinosaurs smacked their tails together, and everyone in the clearing began to cheer. Such walked up to Fyn and cleared his throat.

“Oh!” Fyn said, “I almost forgot-” he stepped between his friend and the Sharptooth. “Littlefoot, this is Such.”

“How d’ya do?” Such said, grinning.

“He saved my life,” Fyn added.

“Then he’s a friend of ours as long as I can have his word that he won’t attack us.”

Such nodded appreciatively. “You’ve got it. I already explained to my friend here why I don’t eat the likes of you. Too nasty.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” Littlefoot sighed. Fyn suddenly winced, and his front leg with the Groundcrawler’s bite shook uncontrollably. Such suddenly turned serious.

“Let me take a look at that,” he said, bending down to Fyn’s leg. Clear venom surrounded the wound, but the bite itself wasn’t deep.

“It looks like you’ll make it,” he said quickly, “the wound isn’t deep, and the poison didn’t enter your body, but that’s still a nasty scrape. Do you mind if I take a crack at helping it out?”

“By all means,” Fyn shrugged, then winced. Such bent down again towards Fyn’s leg and opened his jaw. As the teeth approached his leg, Fyn instinctively drew back. Such glanced up.

“Don’t you worry about me,” he said, “I can’t stand Longneck taste, remember?”

“Right,” Fyn said, shakily. “Right. I trust you,” he said with more confidence.

Such nodded and continued. When he was close enough to the wound, he extended his tongue and licked it, effectively removing the poison. Contact with the area burned, and Fyn cringed briefly. It didn’t seem like Such was having a grand time either. Every lick he took brought a fresh grimace to his face.

“What exactly happened?” Littlefoot asked, expressing concern.

“Littlefoot, lets just say that after careful consideration, I’ve decided not to endorse the Highmountains as the next Great Valley.”

“Why? Littlefoot asked.

“I’m not so sure you want to know,” Fyn said, “you really don’t like Groundcrawlers, right?”

Littlefoot shuddered. “I don’t. Those little things are creepy.”

“Well, I met a few,” Fyn said, “and believe me- ëlittle’ is not a term I’d use to describe them.”
    Littlefoot’s eyes widened. “How big were they?”

“As long as my front leg is tall,” Fyn said.

“Yikes, we need to get out of here.”

“Absolutely,” Fyn said.

“l guess we’ll just have to keep moving farther into the Mysterious Beyond, then,” Littlefoot said.

“Mysterious Beyond?” Such said, standing up and spitting the remaining venom from his mouth, “you taste terrible, by the way,” Such added to Fyn, who couldn’t resist cracking a smile.

“Yep,” Littlefoot said, “we’re looking for a new home. Our old one was destroyed when the Flying Rocks hit.”

“Ah,” said Such solemnly, recalling that fateful night. “You know, if you ever needed a guide...”

“You’d offer to be our guide?” Fyn asked, rotating his leg. It felt much better, with most of the venom gone now.

“Sure, in fact, I’d love to!” Such said. “It’s so lonely out here, and I’d love to travel with you, if nothing else than for the company. I can offer protection, too.”

Fyn looked at Littlefoot and raised his eyebrows, then turned back to Such.

“I’ll discuss this with my deputy, and I’ll give you an answer in a few moments.” He turned and headed for the treeline with Littlefoot.

“What do you think?” he asked, when they were in the shadow of the trees.

“I don’t know,” Littlefoot said, “he seems nice enough. He saved your life, you said?”

“Yeah, he did,” Fyn said, glancing briefly back at Such. The rest of the herd had given him a wide berth, and many of them were talking in hushed voices and looking at the Sharpclaw suspiciously. “Plus, I think he knows his way around here pretty well. He could save us a lot of time.”

“Alright,” Littlefoot said, “so we keep him?”

“We keep him,” Fyn confirmed. The two walked out of the shade towards Such. The dinosaur noticed them approaching and looked towards them.

“Such, we’d be honored to have you travel with us,” Littlefoot said.

“On the condition that you do not attempt to harm any of the herd, and abide by our rules,” Fyn added.

“Of course I will!” Such said, excited. “Oh, this is going to be great! I’ve never traveled with a herd before! Yahoo!” He raised his claws to the sky, turned around, and jumped for joy.

Fyn couldn’t help but smile at the Sharpclaw’s childish excitement. “Turn around, Such,” he said, “let’s introduce you to the herd.”

Such obliged, and turned, still sporting a wide grin. When he saw the rest of the herd, however, his grin dropped slightly. Everyone was either eyeing him with a look of distrust, fear, or loathing. They most certainly did not seem to want his company.

“Everyone,” Fyn said, “I have an announcement to make. This is Such,” he pointed with his tail towards the Sharpclaw, “he’s going to be our guide. I’d like all of you to show him the respect he deserves. Yes, I know he’s a Sharptooth, but he doesn’t eat other dinosaurs. In fact, he’ll go out of his way to protect us, if need be. Let’s set a good example for everyone back in the Valley and include him in our herd. He may be different, but now he’s one of us.”

He turned to Such, “Thanks again for doing this.”

Such nodded, “no problem.”

Now it was Littlefoot’s turn to address the herd. “As most of you have already guessed, we’re leaving the Highmountains. This region is too dangerous for us to live comfortably until we can return. With that in mind, get ready to leave, because we’ll be pressing on. Such will guide us through the Mysterious Beyond. Give him your best attention and respect. That’s all. Let’s get out of here!”

The herd began to turn towards the trees, back the way they had come, each dinosaur forming up in his or her usual position. Fyn spotted Ceph, the Clubtail he’d spoken to the previous day. He seemed angry, but it was anger born of fear, not of hate. As Ceph passed by, he spoke.

“Bad move, Fyn, including that Sharptooth.” He said nothing more, just hung his head and walked away. Fyn glared at his back. What right did he have to-?

“Let it go, friend,” Such said.

“Yeah, he’s just scared,” Littlefoot said. “He’ll come around sooner or later.”
Fyn watched Ceph take his position. “I hope he does,” he said, walking to the front of the herd with Fyn and Such, “because if he doesn’t, this journey’s going to get a lot harder.”

[Fyn16]

…



Petrie watched from above as Spike placed the final stone on the large construct with his mouth.

“Closer,” he said, squinting, “closer. A little to the side- keep going... Stop!”

Spike stopped pushing the rock and glanced up at Petrie with his typical, friendly grin.

“That look perfect, Spike!”

“And it looks just as good from down here as it must look up there!” Ruby said, standing with her hands on her hips and admiring their latest creation. The three of them had been working on building a rock pile that looked like Littlefoot; decidedly a daunting task, but they managed to pull it off nicely. They’d gone around collecting the rocks the previous day, and today they’d all woken up early to start building. Right now, Cera, Ducky, and Chomper were busy gathering flowers and other sorts of garnishes for the pile.

“Me like it, too!” Petrie agreed, swooping down and landing at the pile’s base. “Me hope everyone else agree.”

“Oh I’m sure they will,” Ruby said confidently. “If they agree, they couldn’t possibly disagree, and if you agreed, then they’ll almost certainly agree!”

Ruby beamed at her observation.

“Hey guys!” a voice sounded from the bushes, “I’ve got the decorations!” Cera came tromping through the bushes and an expression of shock and horror registered on Ruby’s face.

“Noooo!” she screamed as Cera plowed forward, pell-mell towards the rock pile. Cera saw it just as she was about to crash and skidded to a halt, dust covering Ruby. The pink Fastrunner flinched as Cera finally stopped.

“Whew,” Cera said, looking up at the “Littlefoot Rocks,” “that was a close one!”

“You say that again,” came a muffled voice.

“Huh?” Cera said, “who said that? Petrie, is that you? Where are you?”

“Under you,” the voice said again, straining and clearly in distress.

“Oops, heh heh,” Cera said, standing up. When the dust cleared, Petrie was revealed, thoroughly smooshed into the ground. Apparently, Cera had run him over during her panic stop.

“You alright?” she asked, nudging the crumpled Flyer to his feet.

“Yep,” the Flyer said hoarsely, weaving from side-to-side, “me okay. Oohoohoo.” Without warning, Petrie collapsed yet again. Cera decided to ignore him this time.

“That’s pretty neat,” she said, turning to Ruby and examining the rock pile.
    “Thanks!” Ruby said, “I think it’ll do nicely.”

“And here are the decorations,” Cera said, picking up a pile of brightly-colored flowers and berries and placing them at the pile’s foot.

“Perfect,” Ruby said, “now we-”

“Good morning, everyone!” Now it was Ducky’s turn to come careening through the trees.

“Stop, Ducky! Be careful!” Ruby said, worriedly clutching her face, eyes wide.

Ducky saw the pile early when she came into the clearing and stopped.

“Wow,” she said, “that looks great, it does.”

“Thanks,” Ruby said shakily, wiping her brow and sighing. Despite everything, the pile was intact. Guarding it was her responsibility, so how was she going to manage that with all of the commotion going on?

“Chomper should be coming soon,” Ducky said, glancing back the way she’d come, “he had to talk with Littlefoot’s grandpa about something.”

Ruby nodded, then her eyes widened. If Chomper came in here at top speed...

A rhythmic booming began in the distance; faint at first, but growing. Ruby’s jaw dropped.

“Oh no.”

“Hello, everyone!” a loud, unmistakable voice boomed from within the jungle.

“Chomper!” Ruby practically squeaked, “watch out!”

The blue Sharptooth burst into the clearing, faster than anyone else had, and Ruby already knew there would be no way he could slow down in time. Chomper saw the obstacle ahead and immediately tried to stop. His efforts were in vain however. Ruby covered her eyes as Chomper came closer still, trying to stop. Then, just as he was about to destroy the gang’s creation, he gave a mighty leap and cleared the rocks with grass-lengths to spare.Ruby went completely limp, wobbled around for a moment, and collapsed against a tree. Chomper grinned bashfully.

“Um, sorry, Ruby. I guess I should have watched where I was going. Looks good, that’s for sure!” he said, observing the rock pile.

“Thanks,” Ruby said, still shaking.

“It’s the perfect thing to have when Bron comes here,” Chomper concluded.

Cera spat out the greens she was eating. “Bron’s coming?” she asked Chomper, surprised.

“Well, yeah,” Chomper said, “don’t you remember when Littlefoot told us his dad would be coming by for his Star Day?”

“Oh, that right!” Petrie said, standing up and dusting himself off. “He is coming!”

“But what do we tell him about Littlefoot?” Ducky asked, worriedly clenching her hands together.

“The truth, I guess,” Chomper said. “He’ll find out eventually, anyway.”

“That true,” Petrie agreed.

“Okay, then,” Cera said, “but I’m not going to be the one to tell him.”

“Me neither,” Petrie agreed.

“Come on, everyone,” Ducky said, “we should not be scared. Bron is nice, yep, yep, yep. He would want us to tell him where Littlefoot is.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Cera agreed. Her stomach suddenly rumbled. “Whoa, I’m hungry.”

Ruby laughed, “If your stomach says you’re hungry, then hungry you must be! Let’s get food!”

Her suggestion was met with agreement from everyone, and the gang began to move out, heading for the Treestar trees. Ruby stood guard by the rockpile while everyone walked out. They’d spent too long on this just to have an “accident.” When Ducky, the last of the gang, was out of the clearing, Ruby breathed a sigh of relief and leaned over, forgetting what she was leaning against. She put a claw out and rested it on the Rockpile. No sooner had she realized her mistake, then the entire structure collapsed!

Ruby just stared, eye twitching at the sight, and sighed.

“Oops,” she said, grinning slightly, and shrugged, walking off to join her friends. After all, it was just a pile of rocks. The real Littlefoot was much more important.


…


Littlefoot, in fact, was doing well for the moment, unlike his stone counterpart back in the Great Valley. He and the herd had finally stopped for the day. True to his word, Such had led them far from the Highmountains. Now, they were stopped, in a small glade surrounded by a circle of rocks, hunkering down for the night. Littlefoot smiled. It was almost like being in a miniature Great Valley. He sat down close to Fyn and Such, who were making sure everyone else was going to sleep, and stared up at the night sky. The night was clear, and a crisp chill surrounded him. He could see his breath in the air. What captivated his attention most, however, was the sight of the stars- shining brightly, stretching endlessly towards the horizon. He turned to Fyn and Such.

“Either of you ever seen a sight like that?”

“Huh?” Fyn asked, turning to his friend. Then he looked up to where Littlefoot’s gaze was resting. Such did the same. As Fyn saw the stars, Littlefoot could see his mouth slowly hanging open.

“Wow,” Fyn whispered, “that is incredible.” Such nodded nearby.

“Ever wonder what those stars really are?” Littlefoot mused as in the distance, a Flying Rock whizzed by- an innocent reminder of why they were out here.

“Um... the stars are stars?” Fyn said.

“Well, I know,” Littlefoot said, “but they’re so far away- wouldn’t you like to find out what they actually look like up close?”

“Not sure I would,” said Such. “I like it just fine here on the ground, thank’ya very much.”

“Hm,” said Littlefoot, “well, I’d still like to know.” He shifted for comfort, and shivered slightly. There was no doubt about it, now. The Cold Time was here, and the weather was only going to get colder from here on out.

“You know,” said Such suddenly, “I’ve heard of a place where the sky glows with colorful fire, and it’s just cold enough that most Sharpteeth avoid it.”

“Sounds cool,” said Littlefoot, distracted by the sky.

“Wait,” said Fyn, “you said Sharpteeth avoid it?”

Such nodded. “Yeah, but what’s that got to do with anything?”

Littlefoot caught on to what Fyn was thinking. “Such, you’re brilliant!” he said, “that’s where we need to go!”

“Do you know how to get there?” Fyn pressed.

“Well, not exactly,” Such admitted. “I just know the direction it’s supposedly in. I don’t even know if it’s real.”

“Well that’s not a problem,” said Littlefoot, “we’ve been living in a place no one thought was real for the past few seasons.”

“It’s supposed to be a pretty hard journey,” said Such, “are you sure you two youngsters can commit to it?”

Littlefoot and Fyn looked at each other, each seeing the same thing in the other’s eyes: determination to finish the task at hand and bring the residents of the Great Valley to peace. They had already learned what their teamwork could accomplish. Now they could put that teamwork to the ultimate test.

“We can,” said Fyn confidently.

“Very well,” said Such, “then starting tomorrow, that’s where I’ll take ya.”

Littlefoot turned his gaze back to the sky. He and his friend had just committed to a long and difficult journey, about which the herd was almost certainly going to be displeased. Still, it had to be done.

The stars shone on, their brightness standing out against the black, endless sky. Seeing them, in their practical insignificance compared to the space around them, Littlefoot was reminded of himself. He was small, a speck of dust compared to the wide world around him. Once again, he was prompted to ask himself a question he’d asked many times before: could he really make a difference?
“Goodnight, guys,” Littlefoot said to Fyn and Such as he rolled over and closed his eyes, ready for sleep. He knew the answer to his question already, and it was that very answer which he knew would inspire him to keep going tomorrow and the day after, and the day after that. Sighing, he laid his head down and felt the cool sand on his cheek. It was time to rest once again.

This is probably going to be my last update before fanfiction voting commences. Please review and comment!

[Fyn16]

Yeah, looks like I lied in my last post. I'll keep updating throughout the voting period. Seriously, though, I'd really appreciate it if you voted for this in the fanfiction awards. No votes= no qualification for entry, so if you've been following this story, please sound off. Any reviews would be much appreciated. Anyway, thanks for reading so far!



Chapter 9: Star Day, Part II

    Fyn woke up shivering. If last night had been cold, then this morning was freezing. He rolled onto his side, his back touching the bare, cold, sandy ground and the prickly, dry vegetation. He groaned and winced as he crushed a dry bush, then stood up quickly. Like last night, he could see his breath, but instead of a faint wisp of vapor, his breath appeared as a thick, white cloud. He looked to his sides; both Littlefoot and Such were still asleep. Fyn stretched out and decided to go for a short walk, leaving the ring of boulders. It was early, and the sun had just started to rise. Fyn looked in the direction Such was leading them and sighed in relief. Up ahead, the ground was hilly; much less flat, and more vegetation seemed to be growing. Finally, they could get a welcome, and perhaps somewhat safer, change in scenery. It definitely seemed too cold for any Sharptooth. It was almost too cold for himself, for that matter. He shivered again, and looked back to the rising sun. Suddenly, a movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Fyn turned around to see Littlefoot, Such, and Alten approaching.

“Good morning,” Fyn said, greeting them.

“What’s up?” Littlefoot said in response.

“Not much,” said Fyn, moving to the group, “just watching the Bright Circle rise.”

“Sounds... productive,” Alten said, with a grin. “Aw, I’m just kidding. It really is a beautiful sight.”

“You all ready to be on the move again today?” Such asked. The others turned to him.

“I guess so,” said Fyn, “it’s not like we get much of a choice.”

“You’re right about that,” Such agreed.

The arrival of Mama Flyer was quick and unexpected, and Fyn barely felt the rush of air that signaled her arrival as she landed at his feet. Fyn beamed in surprise.

“Good to see you, Mrs. Flyer!” he said.

Mama Flyer dusted herself off and looked around. “Good to see you, too...” her voice trailed off as her eyes caught Such. Littlefoot noticed her gaze.

“That’s Such,” he said, attempting to clear things up, “he’s our guide. Don’t worry, he’s harmless.”

The Flyer shrugged. “Well, alright then. Hi there, Such!”

Such dipped his snout. “Pleased to meet ya, ma’am.”

“Well, he’s certainly polite,” Mama Flyer said with a smile. Then she turned back to Fyn and cleared her throat. “I just stopped by to check up on you. And-” she then turned to Littlefoot, “I have something to tell you on behalf of the Great Valley.”

“Really?” Littlefoot asked. “What is it?”

“Hold on there. First, I need your report.”

“Well,”said Littlefoot, shifting in the sand with anticipation, “we... couldn’t exactly stay in the Highmountains.”

“I can see that,” said Mama Flyer, “mind telling me why?”

“Too dangerous,” said Fyn, exposing his leg. The Groundcrawler bite was still there, and looking just as nasty as ever. Mama Flyer recoiled briefly.

“I see. I take it I really don’t want to know what did that?”

“You don’t,” said Fyn, “trust me. I’d rather not even know what did this.”  

“So what’s the plan now?”

Now it was Littlefoot’s turn to speak again. “Last night, Fyn, Such, and I decided to keep moving forward to a place where the sky glows.”

Petrie’s mother’s eyes widened. “Where the sky glows, you say? You mean to tell me it exists?”

“That’s what Such says,”said Fyn. Mama Flyer turned to the Sharpclaw.

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty much, ma’am,” said Such. Mama Flyer looked astounded.

“I thought it was only a myth,” she said finally. “My mother used to tell me about a place like that- free of Sharpteeth, like the Valley. If this place exists, I wish you the best of luck in finding it.”

“Thanks,” said Fyn. Mama Flyer turned to leave, then stopped and looked back at Littlefoot.

“Oh, that’s right,” she said, “I almost forgot something- Happy Star Day, Littlefoot!”

Mama Flyer took off, heading for home, leaving Littlefoot in shock and disbelief. Today was his Star Day, and he’d forgotten all about it!

“Congratulations, Littlefoot!” Fyn said, “another season older!”

“Yep, you look pretty aged to me,” Alten quipped.

Littlefoot tried glaring, but couldn’t. Instead, he burst out laughing. Such looked confused.

“I don’t understand,” he said, “what is this ëStar Day’ you speak of?”

Fyn was about to ask where Such had been all these seasons, when he remembered that the Sharpclaw probably had no living parents. “A Star Day,” he explained, “is a single day and night every season on which we celebrate our hatching. On my last Star Day, I trained to become a herd deputy. Now I’m a leader.” He suddenly realized that he hadn’t asked Mama Flyer about his father’s condition. It was his sickness which had forced Fyn into the position in the first place.

“So Littlefoot,” he said, trying to take his mind off of the subject of his father, “since it’s your Star Day, got any requests?”

Littlefoot thought about it for a moment, then finally settled on something.

“Can I lead the herd today?”

Fyn was taken aback. All of the options he was presented with, and Littlefoot chose this? Well, he reasoned, if it was really going to make Littlefoot happy...

“If you really want to,” he said, “the herd’s yours, but it’s not as fun as you might think.”

“Oh, I didn’t think it would be,” Littlefoot said, “I just felt you could use a break for a day.”

Fyn was amazed. Littlefoot’s Star Day request had been to give him a break? He was once again amazed by his friend’s selflessness.

“Well thanks,” he said, “I actually could use a break.”

“Then it’s settled,” Littlefoot said, turning back to the circle of rocks. “I’ll wake the herd up, and we’ll be on the move.”

Fyn smiled. “Outstanding. There’s no time to lose. Seems like we have quite a journey ahead of us.”


…

[Fyn16]

…

Farther away, also in the Mysterious Beyond, a large, brown and tan Longneck was leading his herd on its own mission. Gazing at the mountains ahead, he knew that mission was almost done. Good. He could finally see his son again. It had been such a long time, and there was so much he wanted to know about: Starfall, his friends, the latest goings-on... the list was long. Seeing those mountains warmed his heart. It wouldn’t be long, now.

He looked to the green Longneck next to him.

“We’re close now, Shorty. At this rate, we’ll be at the Great Valley as the Bright Circle leaves the horizon.”

“Awesome, Bron!” said Shorty. He was looking forward to seeing his friends again. And he really wanted to meet Littlefoot’s friend: Fyn. He’d never seen him before, and was looking forward to the chance. Perhaps he’d give Littlefoot a complimentary Star Day tackle, too. In any case, today was going to be fun.

Just a little farther to go...


…


The gang was up on the Great Wall when they spotted Bron’s herd.

“You right, Ruby,” said Petrie, “Bron is coming today!”

Ruby nodded, “we should get ready to welcome them. Seeing the Valley like this will be a shock for them.”

Cera nodded. Doubtless the Valley wouldn’t be the biggest shock, though. Littlefoot and Fyn were still gone.

As they descended into the Valley, they met Keva, Fyn’s mother.

“Hello, young ones,” she said, cheerfully. Despite her mate’s fight with sickness, she was trying to maintain a positive attitude. In health, many of the Valley’s residents had looked up to Labon. Now that he was sick, their attention turned to Keva. She, in fact, was fighting her own daily battle; one of mental strength, and she was succeeding.

“Hello!” they responded.

“How’s Fyn’s dad doing?” Cera asked.

Keva sighed. “Better, it seems. He was walking around today to get food, and he talks more often, now. He’s still sick, though.”

“I’m glad to hear he’s getting better,” said Chomper.

“By the way,” Keva asked, “where are you off to?”

“We’re going to greet Bron!” said Ducky.

“Oh my, he’s coming today?” Keva asked, eyes wide, “he doesn’t know what happened here.”

“That’s why we’re going to meet him first,” Cera explained, “so we can tell him what happened before he sees it.”

“Well, that’s probably the best option,” Keva said. “I’ll try to get a place prepared for the herd to stay.”

“Okay,” said Cera, “we’ll see you later!”

“Goodbye,” Keva called, as the children headed for the Great Wall. Keva felt a pang of longing for her own son, watching them leave. She knew Grandma and Grandpa Longneck were probably feeling the same thing. Explaining where Littlefoot and Fyn were to Bron would be the hardest thing she’d have to do, she realized. She shook the apprehension from her body and steeled herself. This was just another obstacle to overcome, and she would approach it as such. Fyn and Littlefoot were doing the Great Valley a service, and she wouldn’t dishonor them by backing out of something like this. Turning, she headed over to what remained of the lake, to join Littlefoot’s grandparents. There would be much they’d need to discuss before Bron’s arrival.

[Fyn16]

Just a heads-up for followers of this story: please let me know if you plan on reviewing this for the Fanfiction Awards. I still need just one vote for this to be eligible. Some of you have stated that you'd review towards the end of the awards, or when this story is finished. This is fine, but the story will not be finished before the awards' deadline. I can understand if you don't feel like voting, but again, please let me know what your plans are.

-Miles