The Cold Time

[Malte279]

Chapter IXL

Petrie was aroused when somebody shook him out of his sleep fierce and roughly. Even before he had opened his eyes he had grasped that he had to be fallen asleep in the eggeaters cave and that those who shook his shoulder had to be one of them who had just discovered him. With a frightened outcry he cast his eyes open and looked for his boundless relief into Ducky’s face. “Be quiet!” ordered Ducky and looked at him dismayed. “What are you still doing here? You wanted to fly back to the others.” Petrie made a helpless gesture, shuffled Ducky’s hand from his shoulder, jumped up and said quietly: “Me must fly! Maybe it’s not to late yet!” And he ran towards one gap between the stones. But Ducky kept him back: “Stop! They’re already awake, oh yes they are!” “Petrie must sneak out very silent. Maybe they’ll me no see!” Because of his dither Petrie spoke nearly even more wrong than usually. In this moment instant they heard the voice of the eggeater with the scratched nose saying: “I’ll take a look what our little grasseater is doing!” Ducky’s and Petrie’s hearts stopped beating when they heard the approaching steps of the eggeater. They held their breath and when the hands of the eggeater seized the flagstone Ducky saw how every muscle in Petrie’s little body strained. Bright sunlight fell from the cave entrance in to them when the eggeater shove the flagstone aside. But in the next instant the eggeater’s shadow lay above them. Petrie seemed to have waited for that moment when the face of the eggeater with the scratched nose appeared over them. Like being shot from a sling Petrie pounced vertically up into the air and inflicted a fierce strong beak peck on the scratched nose when he flew past it. The eggeater howled up, began to hop wildly around and waved his arms wildly around in the air, before he pressed both hands on his nose. It was a funny sight. “Stop him Strut!” cried the eggeater, but Petrie had already flown past the other eggeater and had reached the cave entrance.

Ducky didn’t dare to imagine what the eggeaters would do with her when they would have recovered from their surprise. She had to escape as long as the eggeaters paid no attention to her. With one leap she was on one of the stones that lay around her. But Ozzy pushed her back with one of his fingers and she landed so heavily on her back that she couldn’t breathe for a while. She didn’t dare attempt another escape, when she had regained her breath. Ozzy blasted because of his nose and although she hardly dared to stir with angst Ducky felt malicious joy. But then Ozzy did something that bewildered Ducky completely. He laughed. Ozzy laughed with might and main and didn’t seem to be able to stop at all. Whatever Ducky might have expected, it was not that. This eggeater had to be annoyed and not happy. Ducky’s fear ceased  and instead of it she became angry. Had this eggeater become crazy? Also the other eggeater looked at his brother as if he would have doubts about his reason. “Ozzy he has escaped”, he said finally low spirited and seemed to expect any punishment, but Ozzy laughed even more. “Is everything okay with you Ozzy?” Strut asked even more dejected. “Of course!” Ozzy called happily. “Everything goes according to our plan. Apart from that...”, he added yet with an angry voice, “...I haven’t planed to let this flying mini grasseater peck at my nose.”
Strut looked at Ozzy as if he had gone completely mad now. “You just don’t want to admit that Petrie has escaped you!” shouted Ducky angrily without knowing wherefrom she had taken the courage for it. It was the first time Ducky spoke with the eggeaters at all.
Ozzy bent down to her whereupon she fell back to the rocky wall again. Ozzy grinned whereby his sharp teeth glittered. He wiped with the back of one hand over the bleeding nose again and said then: “This flying grasseater, you call him Petrie?, has escaped us, but maybe we didn’t want to catch him at all.” “We didn’t Ozzy?” asked Strut bewildered, but audibly relieved from the background. Ozzy turned his head to him shortly and said irritated:
“You seem to have forgotten why we haven’t already eaten her on the spot.” He pointed at Ducky and turned to her again then. “He sounded a bit worried when he asked Ducky:
“And you haven’t got it too yesterday?” Ducky shook her head wordlessly without understanding what Ozzy meant actually. “Very well!” Ozzy said relived. Ducky looked at Ozzy expectantly she had almost forgotten that she talked to somebody who just explained her why he hadn’t already eaten her for long. “What do you think...”, he pondered and asked finally: “How did you call the flyer?” “His name is Petrie.” “Exactly. What do you think Petrie will do now?” “He’ll fly to the others and tell them what he has seen here”, answered Ducky after short pondering. She became more and more uneasy for Ozzy’s mean grinning let her conclude that he was very pleased with this answer. “And that’s exactly what I’ve hoped!” he said. “And what will your friends do then?” “They’ll try to get me out here”, said Ducky quietly and while she spoke her face lost more and more its color. “Oh no, oh no, oh no!” She stammered. Because now she knew what Ozzy drove at. “And Strut and me will hide outside and wait for them”, Ozzy continued pitiless. Ducky’s fear delivered him visibly pleasure. “And when your friends come...”, Ozzy’s grinning became even more maliciously, “...then we’ll catch them!” Ozzy enjoyed the effect his words had on Ducky and then he laid the big flagstone back on its previous place so Ducky couldn’t flee. Ozzy turned round and went to the cave entrance with wide steps. When he had nearly reached it he turned round to Strut who hadn’t moved from the spot. “Now come on!” he snarled and made an impatiently gesture. “We must have found a good hiding place before the meal comes!” Hasty Strut ran after Ozzy out of the cave. They left Ducky behind, who nearly became sick in her jail when she thought of that Ozzy had termed her friends as meal.

Chapter XL

“Petrie! Finally you’re there. We were already worried! What took you so long?” Littlefoot asked a bit enraged when Petrie landed in front of him gasping. The sun stood already a respectable distance above the mountains tops and it already drove away the cutting cold morning air. Cera came run along, closely followed by Chomper and she seemed to be a bit angry too. Ali trotted tired afterwards, apparently she had kept the last watch together with Spike who had fallen into an unsteady sleep. “You no be mad with Petrie!” he gasped. He had covered the flight from the cave of the eggeaters in record time. Hasty Petrie told his friends everything he had experienced since he had left them the evening before. And he also didn’t keep it from them that he was very worried about Ducky, especially after the eggeaters had surprised him with her. When Petrie had finished his report Spike, who had approached in the meantime uttered a furious growling and prepared to run off immediately. The peace loving and good-natured he was, for Ducky he seemed to be even ready to encounter the eggeaters. “Stop!” called Littlefoot. “Whatever we do now, we mustn’t act rashly unless we don’t want to make everything worse than it already is. So shortly after the eggeaters have seen Petrie they’ll pay double the attention. We must wait! Anyway, as long as the eggeaters are by her we can’t do anything anyway. We must wait till the eggeaters will leave her alone.” “Do you really think they are so stupid to do that?” Chomper asked doubtingly. Littlefoot shrugged.
“I fear they aren’t. But in an emergency some of us could try to lure them away. And even the eggeaters have to leave their cave sometimes to eat and to drink.” Nobody risked the objection that the eggeaters could maybe fall back on Ducky first concerning that. “And we should do that too now.” He pointed at a small grove of conifers in some distance with his head. “We can’t free Ducky when our tummies are rumbling with hunger.” Even Spike recognized that. “Yes okay, but we should hurry nevertheless. Who knows what those eggsnatchers will do with Ducky otherwise”, Ali said worried. Then they went. Chomper separated from the others inconspicuously. For his relief nobody seemed to take notice of that.

Chapter XLI

“How long do they need?” Ozzy grumbled impatiently and cast a look up to the sun. He sat with Strut in good coverage behind a big boulder above the cave. It had lasted for long to find that hiding place and a hard way had led there. At first they had looked at the slope in front of the cave for a hiding place. The narrow rocky ledge that led to the cave broadened here and flew over into the steep, further down below covered with a leafless forest, slope. If Ozzy and Strut had found a suitable hiding place there, every newcomer would have been trapped between them on the one and the steep rocky wall on the other side. But the numerous big and small boulders that towered from the snow dispersed over the whole slope that was not on the lee of the mountain anymore were not a good camouflage. Who came along the rocky ledge could overlook the whole slope and moreover Ozzy expected that the leafeaters would premise the small flyer to watch for him and Strut. They were not stupid, he had to grant that to them reluctantly. Strut had suggested to hide at the brink of the forest; and they had gone down there. There at the brink of the forest they couldn’t be seen from above indeed, but until they would have been run back up to the cave, whereby they would have been visible of course, the little leafeaters could go into the cave at peace get Ducky (that was how the little grasseaters called her, wasn’t it?) out and escape without even being forced to hurry very much. Ozzy’s mood even got worse when he surprised Strut by munching a grass tuft he had found below the snow blanket. Ozzy annoyed so much the more he had grown weak himself too and had, of course unseen by Strut eaten something of this disgusting green stuff. When they had ran athwart through the forest and up their mountain at another slope Ozzy was close to despair. Meanwhile the grasseaters had fetched Ducky out of the cave for sure. But when they controlled checked that still gasping panting of the running Ducky was still in her jail behind the stones for their relief. Consequently they ran to a point not far away, from where they could achieve a plateau close above their cave. Up here they had at last found a suitable hiding place. But Ozzy became impatiently now and he began to doubt if the grasseater kids would really come, Strut played the whole time with a piece of a liana, he had taken along from the forest and knotted it very much in the meantime, while Ozzy threw stones at a boulder nearby again. But Ozzy was nervous, missed his target often, looked out for the leafeaters and stopped throwing stones after he had hit Strut by accident. Again he cast a look over the boulder behind which they sat. After all there was at least one advantage of their walk down to the forest for the trails they had left behind in the snow on the slope were impossible to overlook and this little leafsuckers would probably infer from them that he and Strut were not in the cave for a slight snowfall during the night and the cold wind had covered up every other track trail on the slope. Ozzy just wanted to start to abuse Strut because the leafeaters didn’t come (eventually it was all his fault!) when he suddenly noted something.
He cowered deeper behind the rock and peered only carefully over it. The flyer the leafeaters called Petrie flew past close below them. With a hasty waving he ordered Strut to come closer behind the rock too and to be completely silent. “Have you seen anything Ozzy?” Strut asked stupid. “Shut up!” Ozzy hissed furiously as quietly as he could. But for his relief the flyer seemingly hadn’t heard them, for he flew his circles unperturbed. It was a strange feeling thought Ozzy to look on a flyer’s back while he was flying. One time Petrie came so near to them that Ozzy, whose nose still smarted could hardly restrain his temper not to throw a stone at him. Apparently Petrie had discovered the trails for he followed them with his eyes to the brink of the forest. Finally he landed and cast a searching look into the cave. Scared Ozzy occurred that Ducky would warn Petrie if he went into the cave. But assuaged he saw that the flyer didn’t go further into the cave. Petrie had convinced himself that neither he nor Strut were nearby for now he flew away as fast as he could. For sure surely he flew back to his friends, for he headed determined in one certain direction. Ozzy breathed deeply and nodded at Strut who looked at him asking. “Yes. Now we won’t have to wait for long anymore.”
He grinned viciously and Strut who had understood grinned back just as viciously.

[The Great Valley Guardian]

I find I am liking this story more and more as I read it...another three great chapters Malte! Keep them coming!

[Kor]

Another good bit of writing with the characters handled well and the plot moving at a good natural pace.  Also nice to have it still be pure LBT.

[Malte279]

Thank you a lot for your comments
Here are the next chapters:

[Malte279]

Chapter XLII

Ozzy had guessed right. Petrie had really flown directly back to the others who already waited nearby. He had hastened very much for the eggeaters were obviously not in the immediate nearness of the cave. Now they had to seize the opportunity. Littlefoot, Cera, Spike and Ali thought that too. Only Chomper didn’t seem to be that convinced. He made a merely thoughtful and suspicious face. “So let’s go!” Cera called enthusiastically. “If the eggsnatchers are really not there than it’ll be a trifle to get Ducky out of the cave!” “We’ve to hurry!” said Littlefoot. “Come on!” “Wait!” shouted Chomper when the others set already in motion. “What’s the matter?” asked Ali, who had been inspired by the general enthusiasm too, impatiently. “Don’t you think that this is strange? Do you really think that this eggeaters are stupid enough to go simply away without watching Ducky? I admit that the both are not the smartest but...” “What do you mean?” asked Cera thoughtfully. “That this is probably a trap!” For a moment nobody spoke, then Petrie said: “But Petrie has seen tracks of eggeaters leading away from the cave.” Chomper didn’t say anything. “And eventually the eggeaters have to eat too. They’re probably looking for something eatable”, said Littlefoot. “Why should they when they’ve something eatable in their cave?” asked Chomper. For some seconds nobody said anything but then Ali noted sharply: “Maybe they don’t see Ducky as something eatable.” Chomper fetched deep breath and prepared for an angry answer, but in the last moment Littlefoot stepped between him and Ali and said with a voice as if nothing had happened: “Let’s go to the cave first. Then we’ll decide what to do.” They set in motion silently, but the tension between Chomper and Ali could be felt almost physically.

Chapter XLIII

At the cave everything looked exactly as Petrie had described it and also the eggeaters were nowhere in sight. “They’re really away. You’ve erred Chomper”, said Littlefoot as friendly as possible not to annoy Chomper when they stood in front of the cave. But the little sharptooth shook his head. “There’s something shaky about it! It is a trap!”
Behind the rocks above the cave Strut asked Ozzy quietly: “Do we snatch them now?”
“Not yet! We wait until they’re all in the cave. Otherwise they’ll see us to early.” Ozzy looked over the boulder and frowned. “For what do they wait?” he thought a bit worried. He would have liked to be able to understand what they were talking about down there, but they were to far away.
“Where should they hide here?” Cera asked meanwhile slightly irritated. “From here everything can be overlooked and the rocky walls are to steep to climb up.” “Still I won’t go in there”, Chomper said quietly. “Are you afraid?” Ali asked jeering. “Yes!” snarled Chomper back angry. “I don’t want to know what the eggeater whose nose I’ve scratched yesterday will do with me if he catches me.” “Oh, Petrie neither!” croaked the little flyer and flapped a bit nervous to and fro. “Alright Chomper”, said Littlefoot. “But Ducky is in there and we won’t let her here! Maybe it is even good if you stay out here. Then you can warn us if the eggsnatchers come back.” With that he turned round and went towards the cave entrance, closely followed by Cera, Spike and Ali and not that closely followed by the pretty unsure Petrie. Ozzy clenched his fists furiously. “One of them has stayed outside!” he growled.
“Who is it?” asked Strut. “The sharptooth. Oh I want to get him in my fingers!” said Ozzy and rubbed over his ill treated nose. “And what are we doing now Ozzy?” Strut asked helpless. “We snatch them nevertheless, but we’ve to hurry!” said Ozzy determined and jumped forth from behind the boulder.

“Where is Ducky?” asked Littlefoot Petrie after they had advanced a short distance into the cave. “There between the stones”, croaked Petrie and flew over there. The others hurried after him. “Run away! It’s a trap! Oh yes it is!” shrieked Ducky from behind the stones when she noted her friends. “What?” asked Littlefoot bewildered and frightened. Spike jerked round uttering a panicky yell. “The eggeaters! Come out! It was a trap yet!” they heard Chomper crying at the top of his voice from the cave’s entrance. Cera was with one leap at Ducky’s stony jail and removed with a skilful movement of her head the flagstone with her horn.
With one leap Ducky had jumped in one of the other stones and with a second leap on Littlefoot’s back. She clung to his neck and cried: “Run Littlefoot! Run everybody!”
She didn’t need to tell it twice. As fast as they could they ran respectively flew towards the cave entrance.

Chapter XLIV

Chomper had had a bad feeling when the others went into the cave. He didn’t know if he found it worse that they were alone in there or that he was alone out here. He couldn’t explain to himself wherefrom he took the hunch, yes even nearly the certainty that the eggeaters wanted to trap them. Surely that they should be stupid enough to leave Ducky alone behind in the cave caused his mistrust, but mainly and instinct seemed to have warned him that was not as distinctively by his herbivorous friends. He nearly hoped that it was an ambush for otherwise he would have to listen to an amount of derogatory remarks, especially from Ali. But somehow he knew that he didn’t err. His nervousness increased with every instant and then he saw his fears confirmed. He perceived a motion with the upper corner of his eye and looked up jerky. The eggeater with the scratched nose stepped just forth from the coverage of a big boulder on a plateau above the cave. The other eggeater followed him closely. Chomper uttered a loud warning cry that made the eggeater with the scratched nose running down the steep rocky wall as fast as he could. But he had run too fast, had paid too less attention to his balance and was unable to stop now. He tripped, tumbled over and impacted with a dull sound directly in front of Chomper’s feed; just in the instant when Petrie, followed by Spike, Ali and Cera, flapped out of the cave. Chomper didn’t ponder long, but lashed Ozzy with spread claws over his nose, jerked round and ran off, down the slope whereby he shouted at the others over his shoulder: “Hurry up! Run as fast as you can!” Just Littlefoot with Ducky on his back rushed past Ozzy who erected with a yell of fury. Ozzy drove with one hand over his nose and yelled on and on. He cast an angry and contemptuous look at Strut who climbed down the rock slowly and carefully. Then he stooped hasty picked up a stone that lay on the ground in front of his feed and hurled it at Littlefoot. The stone hit its target.
Littlefoot felt a violent blow against his head and he became dizzy immediately. Everything turned around him when he stumbled on. Suddenly the slope he reeled down seemed to be far steeper than before. He heard, as if she was far away, Ducky crying when he tumbled forward and fell over whereby Ducky was catapulted down from his back. Littlefoot remained lying in the snow, but he nearly didn’t feel its coldness. He had to be unconscious for a moment for it was as if he would awake from a deep sleep when Ducky bent down to him, called him and shook him slightly whereupon he opened his eyes laboriously. “Littlefoot we must get away from here!” urged Ducky and jogged at his head slightly what entailed a shooting pain ache. “Stand up Littlefoot! Stand up!” He couldn’t. Littlefoot tried to say something, but if he uttered anything at all it was only senseless mumbling. He closed his eyes a bit for the sun that already reached this part of the slope blinded him and caused a painful stinging in his head. There a shadow lay in front of the sun and Littlefoot opened his eyes a bit wider again. Above him stood the eggeater with the unscratched nose and grinned. Littlefoot lost his conscience at last.

[The Great Valley Guardian]

THis is getting worse...now they have littlefoot and Ducky...although Chomper can gloat now...as he  was right...it was indeed a trap!

[Kor]

Well written with the story ending in a cliffhanger.  Makes sense that younger kids may fall into such a trap as they set.  Would be less likely for an adult to do so.  Maybe next time they'll listen to Chomper a bit more.

[Malte279]

Chapter XLV

It took a while until Cera felt save enough to slow down. She looked back carefully, but couldn’t discover any of the eggeaters behind her. They had rushed down the whole slope and had run a respectable distance through the valley that was bordered by the mountain in which the eggeaters’ cave was, on the one side.
“They aren’t behind after us anymore”, called Cera. “I think we can stop.”
She didn’t need to say that twice. With a loud panting Spike let himself drop down into the snow, not to stir anymore. Petrie landed with a deep sigh on Spike’s back and leaned, breathing heavily, against one horn plate of Spike’s back crest. Ali and Chomper came, trembling with exertion, towards Cera who fetched breath heavily and jangling.
“And it was a trap!” Chomper groaned finally.
“You were right Chomper”, Ali admitted reluctantly. “I’m sorry because of…”
Chomper nodded curtly and let himself drop into the snow that was a welcome cooling now. “Where is Littlefoot?” asked Cera.
“And where is Ducky?” Ali jerked round. “They... they aren’t with us?” she called. Chomper set up bolt upright in the snow staring alternately at Cera and Ali. Petrie and Spike startled too, when they noted Littlefoot’s and Ducky’s absence. “
They didn’t make it out of the cave anymore?” Cera asked distraught.
“Yes, they did. I’m very sure they did”, said Chomper. “I saw them coming out of the cave, shortly before I ran off myself.”
“But where are they now then?” asked Ali quietly; everybody anticipated the answer. “Maybe they fled other way?”, croaked Petrie.
“We must make sure about it!” said Cera. “Petrie, if you’ve rested you must fly back and find out what has happened.”
Petrie nodded. “Me flies and sees!” he croaked and flew away without allowing himself another second of rest.

Chapter XLVI

The eggeaters had brought Littlefoot and Ducky back into the cave. Ducky hadn’t undertaken an attempt to escape, for she simply had to know how Littlefoot was. He was still without consciousness and the eggeaters had to carry him up into the cave. An ugly bump arose on Littlefoot’s head where Ozzy’s stone had hit. Ducky tried since they had arrived up here vainly to arouse Littlefoot while Ozzy tried all the time to give Strut the sole fault for the escaping of the other “leafdevourers”. Finally Ozzy went out of the cave to, as he said, check if the other leafeaters weren’t still nearby. In truth he wanted, what didn’t better his mood, to set about the conifers clandestinely. The much it displeased him, it was better than starving. But Strut hadn’t to surprise him by no means, for he wouldn’t have endured the infamy.
“You stay here and watch the both and woe is your if only one of them escapes!” Ozzy said threatening and went away. That was all right with Strut. For a while he watched the vainly tries of Ducky to arouse the longneck she called Littlefoot. Finally he bent forward shoved Ducky aside and began to examine the longneck. “He’ll wake up soon”, he said calming to Ducky. “Are you sure?” asked Ducky who had forgotten every abhorrence against the eggeater because of her worry for Littlefoot. Strut nodded quietly. If Ozzy would be here, thought Strut he would hit me for I’m too nice to the leafeater. He didn’t know himself, why he was so nearly friendly to the leafeater, but maybe it was because she didn’t bellowed at him unswerving and that was something completely new for him. But he hadn’t to be too nice to her, he was an eggeater! Ducky was by the longneck again. Strut turned away and went to the cave entrance to cast a look out, where a slight snowfall had set in. Suddenly he heard a quiet rumbling out of the cave. “What was that?” he asked Strut and tried thereby to imitate Ozzy’s stern voice. “Nothing”, answered Ducky surprised by Strut’s suddenly so maliciously voice. “But I’ve heard something!” growled Strut but he let it by it. Ozzy should have no reason to inveigh when he would come back so Strut snatched Ducky to imprison her behind the stones again. “No!” squeaked Ducky shrill. “Please let me stay with Littlefoot!” Strut was pleased. That was meanness that could have come from Ozzy. While he set the struggling Ducky between the stones he heard the quiet rumbling again he had heard before. And it came from Ducky’s tummy. Strut looked at her affected and let her loose. “Are you hungry?” he asked compassionate forgetting his resolution to be wicked. Ducky nodded very slightly.
“I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.” “When... when Ozzy is back I can ask him if I may fetch something for you”, said Strut ignoring the inner voice that sounded like Ozzy and ordered him not to be so friendly to leafeaters. “Thanks”, said Ducky surprised by the nearly friendliness of the so detestable eggeater. “Thank you...” she tried to remember how those with the scratched nose called this eggeater always, “...Strut?” Strut nodded a bit surprised when she addressed him with his name and he would have almost smiled but he could deny himself from that yet. “Why are you here at all and not in your valley?” he asked finally. Ducky looked at him for a moment as if the answer on his question would be completely obviously. “We’ve migrated away to find warmer regions, oh yes!” began Ducky. “But then there was this storm. We couldn’t see anything anymore and were separated from our families. Yep, yep, yep!” Strut nodded slightly, although he hadn’t understood everything the leafeaterkid tried to explain him with so few words. But one thing he had heard out distinctly. The leafeaters were in quest of warmer regions. Did they know more than Ozzy and himself? A bit surprised and bewildered he asked: “Where... where shall it be warmer here?” For a moment Ducky hesitated to say it to him, but then she answered: “All herds migrate in the direction where the bright circle stands the highest during the day, oh yes, they do. There shall the warmer regions be.” Strut who had listened mindfully became suddenly aware that he, an eggeater, spoke with a grasseater. If Ozzy would have seen him, he would have beaten him, and he would have done that rightly. With a contemptuous snorting Strut turned away and withdrew some steps towards the cave entrance. Ducky was simultaneously amazed and a bit disappointed, but then she asked herself what she had expected at all from an eggeater.
He and his brother had then, by their first encounter nearly eaten one of her unborn siblings! And she didn’t dare to think of what he and his brother intended to do now with her and Littlefoot.

Chapter XLVII

Suddenly a movement she perceived from the corner of her eye startled her from her thoughts. She ran hasty over to Littlefoot who opened his eyes and lifted his head slowly. “Ducky?” he mumbled quietly, “What has happened?” Even before Ducky could answer he looked around and seemed to remember to everything again. “They’ve caught us?” he asked. Ducky nodded. “Alas!” moaned Littlefoot. “Are you okay?” asked Ducky. Littlefoot tried to stand up but distorted his face a bit and let himself relapse. He shook his head and distorted his face again. “I’ve a headache”, he moaned. “That’s no wonder, oh no!” said Ducky with a wry and joyless grinning. “Those with the scratched nose has thrown a stone at you and he has hit you at the head, oh yes, he has.” Littlefoot nodded very carefully. “Yes, I remember”, he said and added after a short pause break: “And the others?” Ducky shrugged and spread out her hands.
“They are away; escaped.” “A piece of luck”, said Littlefoot relieved and stood up slowly. Carefully he looked around. “Where are the eggeaters?” “Strut is there.” Ducky pointed in the direction of the entrance of the cave. Littlefoot frowned bewildered. “Those with the unhurt nose”, said Ducky. “His name is Strut.” Littlefoot looked nearly even more bewildered, but he nodded wordlessly, what caused an unpleasant knocking in his head in his head again.
“Ah you’re up?” it was Ozzy’s ignobly voice. He stood suddenly in front of them, Strut behind him. Littlefoot and Ducky hadn’t noted his return. Littlefoot didn’t know if he should answer Ozzy, but he didn’t seem to expect an answer. Wordless he snatched at Ducky and set her down roughly between the stones that had served as jail already during the night. He put the flagstone back on its original place and turned to Littlefoot intimidating then: “You won’t touch this stones!” he growled. “And you’ll stay here!” Littlefoot had fallen back some steps and nodded silent. The mood of the eggeater didn’t seem to be the best and Littlefoot didn’t intend to annoy him additionally. For Littlefoot’s relief the eggeater turned round and went followed by his brother towards the cave entrance. Littlefoot sneaked quietly back to the stones behind which Ducky sat. He wouldn’t touch them, but the eggeater hadn’t forbidden them to speak with each other.

Chapter XLVIII

Strut watched Ozzy carefully out of the corner of his eyes. He hadn’t started restarted with his stone-throw-game again but walked in circles uninterrupted and seemed to be very thoughtful and worried. Strut didn’t dare to address him, but when he heard his brother mumbling quietly and unintelligible he asked: “Have you said anything Ozzy?” Ozzy seemed to be startled from deep thoughts and looked at Strut angry. Strut expected already one of Ozzy’s feared fits of rage, but his face relaxed and suddenly he appeared to be pretty downcast. With a deep sigh he sat down aside Strut. “I’ve no idea how this shall go on.” Strut actually didn’t like his brother very much for he was very domineering, but he had great respect before him and it was unpleasant for him to see Ozzy so downcast. “How what shall go on?” he asked gently. “Everything!” snarled Ozzy angry only to relapse into his previous melancholy the next moment. Strut decided not to ask again and it was not at all necessary for Ozzy continued depressed: “I am itching to show it to those two leafeaters! But I won’t. At least not now, for I want the others too! And above all I want the sharptooth!” Ozzy’s voice had become increasingly furious and by his last words he rubbed with one hand over his scratched nose carefully. After a short pause he continued quieter again: “But even if we catch them; how shall it go on after that? There is simply nothing to eat anymore and it also doesn’t become warmer.” Ozzy sighed again. Strut suddenly occurred what Ducky had told him. “Ozzy I’ve spoken with one of the two leafeaters and...” “You have what?” Ozzy flared up and Strut ducked as if Ozzy had dealt him a blow. But Ozzy relapsed into his depression again.
He propped his head into his hands and murmured quietly: “I’m spared nothing at all.”
Strut took it for better not to continue, not to exasperate Ozzy even more. But finally it was Ozzy who asked: “And what has the leafeater said?” A bit confused and intended on not annoying Ozzy anymore Strut said: “Well, why they’re here, where the leafeater herds migrate where it shall be warmer and...” “What?!” again Ozzy interrupted Strut, but this time not with a furious roaring. He beamed all over his face and his depression had disappeared without leaving a trace. “The, the grasseater has really told you where the herds have gone and where it is warmer?” “Yes.” Strut nodded unsure. “And you tell that first now to me? Where?” “What were?” asked Strut now completely unsure because of Ozzy’s sudden change of mind. “Where it is warmer! Where they’ve gone of course!” said Ozzy now already audibly impatiently. “Err she..., she has said something of the direction in which the bright circle stands the highest during the day and...” “Very well! Then we’ll set out immediately too!” “Set out to what place?” Strut asked completely confused. So much obtuseness made Ozzy furiously, despite his momentary euphoria. “To where it is warmer, where the herds are and their eggs. To any place where is something to eat you blockhead!” “But Ozzy what’s with those two leafeaters?” asked Strut timidly. Ozzy made a thoughtful face: “We take them along!” he said determined. “Take them along?” asked Strut incredulously. “But how Ozzy?” After a short pause he said further: “They’ll flee.” “They won’t if you don’t let them escape!” hissed Ozzy and it sounded like a warning. Strut took it for better not to say anything more. “We set off immediately! Strut?” “Yes Ozzy?” “Go down to the forest and fetch a vine. A long one!” Strut had already turned round when Ozzy added hesitating: “And bring some green stuff for the both grasseaters along! They’ll need it.” Strut nodded eagerly and set out. Now he had the occasion to eat himself without Ozzy remembering him very directly how immorally the eating of green stuff was.

Chapter IL

Strut was back soon. He had brought everything along Ozzy had demanded. He carried some branches of conifers and he had even made to find some long frozen grasses for Ducky and Littlefoot and not to eat all of them himself. He had also brought a vine along without having an idea what Ozzy actually intended with it. Ozzy eyed him distrustful when he came back, but he didn’t say anything. Ozzy knew very well that Strut had probably eaten as much green stuff himself as he carried now, but maybe it was even better so, for they had probably a very long way walk impending. Ozzy took the vine and pointed into the inside of the cave:
“Bring the grasseaters their food! And say them that we’ll set out soon.” Ducky seemed to be very hungry for when Strut had brought her out from behind the stones she nearly pounced upon the green stuff he had brought along. The longneck there against was very cautious. “You better eat something!” recommended him Strut. “We’ll go away from here after that!” “Go away from here?” asked the longneck forgetting his obvious antipathy with surprise, “Where do we go?” “Same way you wanted to go too. To warmer regions.” Ducky looked up surprised from her meal. “Then we’ll move to where the bright circle stands the highest during the day?” she asked. Strut nodded. “And what about us?” asked Littlefoot with a touch of fear in his voice. “We’ll take you along”, answered Strut and went back to Ozzy. Turning around Strut noted that the longneck did not only seem to be relieved but even looked as if he could hardly suppress a great pleasure. Strut anticipated wherefrom this pleasure came.
“Ozzy, if we go then it’ll be far easier for the leafeaters to flee”, Strut demurred once more when he returned to his brother. Ozzy shook his head. “You’ll always watch over the swimmer and I’ll over the longneck. The swimmer is to slow to flee and I’ll make sure that the longneck won’t run away!” First now Strut noted that Ozzy had knotted the vine, he still held in his hands, to a noose that tightened when he pulled at the other end of the vine. “Besides...”, Ozzy continued, “...none of the two both will flee without the other one.”
Ozzy shrugged. “So these leafeaters are.” Strut felt uncomfortable. He could imagine very well that Ozzy wouldn’t act that way in such a situation and neither would he himself. “Have the grasseaters eaten?” asked Ozzy. Strut nodded: “I guess so.” “Well, then we’ll set off immediately!” With that Ozzy went deeper into the cave where Littlefoot and Ducky were. “Strut has already told you everything?” he asked. Littlefoot and Ducky nodded wordless, but Ozzy didn’t seem to be interested in that answer at all for he had already beckoned Strut, who had followed him, to approach. “You take the swimmer”, said Ozzy and continued in commanding voice: “You’ll carry her for she’s to slow on foot. And don’t let her escape!” Ozzy’s last words had sounded very menacingly and Strut nodded hasty. He preferred not to picture Ozzy’s fit of rage if Ducky should really escape. Rashly he snatched Ducky.
She wanted to evade to the side, but she was to slowly. Ignoring her protests Strut clinched his fist around her and lifted her up. “And I...” said Ozzy suddenly with a sound of big satisfaction in his voice and his filthiest grinning on his face to Littlefoot, “...will care for you.” Unsure Littlefoot fell back. What had the eggeater meant with his last words? Nervous he looked up to him and jumped hasty aside when the eggeater made a sudden movement with his arms. Littlefoot saw something in the hands of the eggeater, then he felt how something lay around his neck and the next moment something choked him. What the eggeater held in his hand, that recognized Littlefoot now, was one end of a vine. The other end was winded around his neck. He pulled as strong as he could, but the stronger he pulled the less breath he got. The vine began to carve his neck. Ozzy smiled. “I’d let that be”, he said with pretended kindness. “Otherwise your neck will become even longer than it is anyway.” Ozzy guffawed about the own joke and Strut chimed in timidly although he didn’t seem to have understood anything. Littlefoot stopped to fend against the pull and felt how the choking feeling diminished. Carefully he went one step towards Ozzy and felt how the pull of the vine diminished further. “A little precautionary measure I’ve thought out so you don’t take off.” Ducky had meanwhile started to drum onto Strut’s hand with her both fists furiously and when he not even reacted upon that she bit his hand with her bill firmly. “Ah!” screamed Strut and shook and turned his hand over so Ducky became completely dizzy.
And he clinched his hand tighter around Ducky so she couldn’t breath. She stopped to fend and gasped for breath when Strut slackened his snatch again. Littlefoot approached Ducky as near as the vine allowed it to him and said loudly: “Let it be Ducky”, and so quietly that the eggeaters didn’t hear it he added: “For the moment at least.”

[Malte279]

Chapter L

Petrie trembled with coldness in his coverage behind the rocks above the cave. To go into the cave itself he didn’t dare anymore. He wasn’t here for very long, for the slight snowfall, that had stopped meanwhile had hindered him. On his way he had seen nothing of Littlefoot or Ducky and he had already given up the hope that they could have escaped. The eggeater who had just returned into the cave carrying some boughs of conifers and some frozen grasses had dispelled even his last doubts concerning that. But at least he knew now that Littlefoot and Ducky were still alive; for whom else should the eggeater have fetched the green food?
Petrie knew actually what he had wanted to find out, but he stayed there nevertheless.
Before he would fly back to the others he wanted to wait in the, as he had to confess to himself, probably vainly hope to set his eyes upon Ducky and Littlefoot yet.
He waited vainly for a while and became colder and colder. He was already nearly about to fly back to report the others what he had seen when he was startled by the sound of steps.
The next instant the eggeater with the scratched nose came out of the cave closely followed by Littlefoot. First at the second sight Petrie recognized that the eggeater had tied one end of a vine around Littlefoot’s neck. The eggeater held the other end firmly in one hand.
On Littlefoot’s head flaunted an ugly bump, but apart from that he seemed to be well according to the circumstances. Now also the second eggeater came out of the cave and he clinched Ducky in one hand. It appeared as if the eggeaters wanted to go a long distance. Petrie was surprised that they let Littlefoot and Ducky out of the cave at all. Littlefoot and Ducky should know that he and the others were nearby thought Petrie. It would surely encourage them a bit. He loosed from the shadow of the rocky wall and let himself drop. Immediately he spread his wings and set on to a glide above the heads of the eggeaters.
Not only Ducky and Littlefoot but also the eggeaters would see him surely, but what should they do? They couldn’t fly. Ducky in Strut’s fist saw Petrie first. She uttered a surprised yell that directed the attention of Littlefoot and the eggeaters on Petrie too. Ozzy reacted quickly as lightning. He bent down and snatched up some stones with his free hand. Littlefoot recognized immediately what Ozzy intended and that he wanted to hit Petrie with a stone in the air. And that he was able to hit him was out of question for Littlefoot. He had experienced Ozzy’s accurateness by himself. “Look out Petrie! Fly away!” Petrie hadn’t recognized the danger himself, but he reacted at once. He began to climb steep upwards. That way he gained highness, but he became slower and was an easy target. A stone whizzed closely past his beak. If he would have started to climb only fractions of a second later, then the stone would have hit him and he would have precipitated surely. Petrie flapped quicker with his wings to come out of range. Ozzy had already lifted his arm for the next fling and he simply couldn’t miss Petrie who hung seemingly motionless in the air. Littlefoot threw himself to the side violently and felt how the noose around his neck tightened smarting and tied off his breath, but Littlefoot had gained the wished success. Ozzy stumbled. Only very slightly, but the stone he had hurled in that moment whizzed past Petrie’s wing.

A stone thrown by Strut couldn’t have missed further and then Petrie was too high to hit him. “Petrie! We go where the bright circle stands the highest!” cried Littlefoot as loud as he could before Ozzy silenced him by pulling violently at the vine. Petrie saw this with apprehension, but he knew that he alone couldn’t do anything for Littlefoot and Ducky at the moment. He nodded at Littlefoot, as a sign that he had understood, and disappeared in a wide bow behind the next mountain’s ridge. Ducky and Littlefoot looked after him as long as he was recognizable without paying attention to the eggeaters. Littlefoot didn’t listen to Ozzy’s now following tirades and he nearly didn’t notice how he pulled violently at the vine several times. He smiled slightly at Ducky. The eggeaters hadn’t caught Petrie. That was everything that mattered.

Chapter LI

Cera, Ali, Spike and Chomper had listened to Petrie’s report with great interest and they kept quiet for some more seconds after he had ended. For Petrie’s surprise the others hadn’t stayed where he had left them, but had approached the cave of the eggeaters. Shortly after he had come out of the eggeater’s sight behind the mountain’s ridge he had already spotted them. “That’s good!” said Ali finally with a slight smiling. “If they are not in the cave anymore it will be far easier to come up to Littlefoot; and to Ducky of course!” Cera nodded. “I think so too. Moreover we proceed that way too. I don’t feel like staying here forever. I’m really fed up with the snow!” She said and shook. It was all right with Ali to proceed for she had to think of the sharptooth she and Littlefoot had seen. Maybe they were already pursued by it. “But whatever we’ll do now, we must be more careful now!” continued Cera.
She turned to Chomper who stood a bit aloofly: “You have been right, those eggeaters are mean, but not stupid. They won’t make it easy for us surely and won’t let Littlefoot and Ducky out of sight for a moment.” “Nevertheless we should hurry now!” said Chomper.
We shouldn’t let them a too big avail, for we have to be always ready if an occasion offers to free Ducky and Littlefoot. Petrie?” “Yes?” “Could you fly after them and tell us if anything important happens?” Petrie sighed slightly, but he nodded. He would have given a lot for the possibility to rest for a while. With some strong flaps he flapped away. Spike uttered a noise as if he wanted to call after Petrie: “Take care and come back soon Petrie!” For a moment everybody looked after him, then Cera cleared her throat and said: “Well, here we go!” with that they continued their previous way. “I hope Littlefoot and Ducky are... well.” Spike nodded and Cera and Chomper too, but nobody said a word. They could imagine that neither Littlefoot nor Ducky were especially well.

Chapter LII

Littlefoot breathed heavily. It was a big exertion for him to keep Ozzy’s pace. For Ozzy on his two legs it was far easier to progress on the rough, rugged rock on which they walked now. Several times he had already lagged behind some steps and the noose around his neck had tightened painfully narrow then. Ducky was better at least as far as she didn’t have to walk herself, but being shaken thoroughly head over and pell-mell in Strut’s fist by every step and every jump was surely not very pleasant either. Littlefoot noted that at some slopes broad gaps gapped into the thick blanket of snow, in which the snow lay only very thin. Avalanches had to be thundered down to the valley there, huge avalanches that had torn everything along that had been in their way. Their way was dangerous.
Some of the snow-covered slopes were so steep that they had to be very careful not to fall down. Even without the slippery snow it would have been hard enough not to loose the foothold on the rugged rock by the strong and cutting cold wind that blew from one side. The slopes were mostly not that steep that they would have injured really serious, but Littlefoot didn’t want to try it. And sometimes they passed also places where the slopes led so steep into the deep that a precipice would have meant the certain dead. At this places even the eggeaters slowed down utmost intended on not loosing their balance and Littlefoot clawed as firmly as he could to the snow then and hardly dared to set one foot in front of the other while Ducky simply pressed her hands in front of her eyes and ears. But finally the slopes became easier. So the way became less and less dangerous. Also the cold wind diminished and they felt the shine of the bright circle that would soon disappear behind the mountains again pleasantly on their skin. Now and then clouds passed like thick veils of mist. “Further we have never gone Ozzy”, said Strut with an a bit uneasy voice when they crossed a narrow frozen stream. Ozzy answered with an indistinct agreeing murmuring and went on pulling Littlefoot on the vine forcing him to follow. Littlefoot smiled slightly. Strut had just given away that he and his brother were not familiar with the region from now on. Maybe this would make an escape easier.

Chapter LIII

Petrie slept sound and profound in the lee of Cera’s neckshield. After he had flown to and fro between his friends and the eggeaters several times but had never had to report anything but that the eggeaters went on and on, on their normal Cera had suggested that he should better rest repose now since he would maybe have to fly to Littlefoot and Ducky again during the night. Petrie had accepted this offer very willingly, way all the more as none of the others had any objections. They followed the traces of the eggeaters. Since they could survey everything from here they were also safe of any ambush of the eggeaters the trails in the snow were so distinctly that it was impossible to overlook them and loose the contact to the eggeaters as long as it wouldn’t snow anew and the new snow would cover up the trails. Several times they had even been able to recognize the eggeaters and Ducky and Littlefoot a long distance ahead on the slope, but most time they had disappeared already soon in the clouds again that hung up here in the air like small but tight fog banks. It was very cold and moist in the clouds, so it was not very pleasant to traverse them. But now the slopes became more and more rocky and some of the rocks had the size of small mountain summits. Behind every rock the eggeaters could lurk. This was not a very calming thought. It became already dark when Ali broke the silence and said: “I think it’s time to wake Petrie. Maybe the eggeaters are lurking anywhere ahead in the darkness and I don’t want to run into them.” Cera nodded and shook her head the next moment to wake Petrie. This nearly lost his hold and could only just cling to Cera’s neckshield. A bit bewildered by the sudden way to be torn back to reality he looked around and tried to orientate. Spike greeted him with a good-natured grumbling and Chomper asked politely: “Have you slept well Petrie?” The little flyer who had found back to his surroundings nodded, stretched and mumbled still a bit sleepy: “Again there is something to do for Petrie?” Cera nodded. “The eggeaters have to be somewhere ahead and we don’t know where. Please fly ahead and let us know when you see them.” “Moreover it becomes dark”, added Chomper. “And we should lookout for a place to spend the night.” “It becomes dark early…”, said Ali thereupon, “…far earlier than then when it was still war. But still we should go on not to let the eggeaters a to big lead. If we loose track of them we’ll perhaps never see Littlefoot and Ducky again.” “The eggeaters will take care themselves that we won’t lose their tracks”, said Chomper. “Why?” asked Cera bewildered and also the others didn’t seem to understand. “Do you still have not understood this?” asked Chomper. “This eggthieves want to catch us too, that’s the only reason why they haven’t hurt Littlefoot and Ducky yet. They want us to try to free Ducky and Littlefoot so they have the possibility to catch us too by that. Thus they won’t try to leave us behind.” “Are you completely sure?” asked Cera and she didn’t sound very convinced. “Not completely sure”, admitted Chomper after short hesitating. “We’ll se it”, Ali intervened slightly impatiently. “If you’re right they’ll stop soon. Please fly Petrie. We come after you, so warn us in time when you see them!” Petrie nodded, swung himself up into the air and flew off while the others began with the descent.

[Cancerian Tiger]

Getting suspensful quickly .  Keep it up!

[Kor]

Very suspenseful indeed and well done characterizations and plot development, with some odd word choices here and there, but overall excellent.

[Timehopper]

Malte, I remembered reading this fanfic long ago when you used to send it to me to read it. I love the drawings.  

[The Great Valley Guardian]

I just read these latest chapters, I am enjoying this...and it is getting better by the chapter!

[Malte279]

Thank you for your responses! I really appreciate them
Here are the next two chapters:


Chapter LIV

Chomper had apparently guessed right; Petrie recognized that very soon. He hadn’t flown far when he already discovered the eggeaters. He had been pretty lucky by this for it was difficult to find anything between the numeral big and small rocks, especially as occasionally passing clouds blocked the sight again and again. One of the eggeaters , those with the unhurt nose, sat at the base of a very big rock in front of a dent that looked like the entrance of a very narrow ravine, but it was only a deep cleft without a second way out. Petrie supposed that Littlefoot and Ducky were there for the walls of this cleft were too steep to climb them up and the entrance was narrow. The eggeaters only had to guard it. But where was the other eggeater? Petrie flew some narrow circles and considered if he should fly into the rocky cleft to make sure if he was right and to speak with Littlefoot and Ducky. But maybe the second eggeater was in the rocky cleft too and Petrie didn’t want to be seen. In this instant the eggeater with the scratched nose stepped out of the rocky cleft and started to walk in circles restless. Petrie was very afraid but it seemed as if the eggeaters would start to talk and maybe he could eavesdrop something important. Now in the darkness he was nearly safe from being discovered. He landed quietly behind a boulder nearby the eggeaters and listened strained. “Are they sleeping Ozzy?” asked the eggeater with the unhurt nose in his customary a bit naÔve voice. “Mmh yes!” answered the other. “We can talk Strut.” Strut looked at Ozzy expectantly as if he had not the slightest idea what about he wanted to talk. “We will watch alternately that they don’t flee or their friends try to free them tonight.” “And if they try?” “Then we’ll catch them!” The tone of Ozzy let no doubt how serious it was for him. And if they don’t come, then we’ll do something ourselves tomorrow. I’m sick of waiting for them to do anything.” “And what shall we do?” Ozzy sighed grated and stepped for Petrie’s great scare directly towards the boulder behind which he squatted. With a movement of his hand Ozzy wiped the snow from the boulder and sat down on it. Petrie forgot to breathe with fear for a moment, and he hardly dared to whip off the snow Ozzy had wiped down from the boulder directly onto him. He ducked so deep behind the boulder as if he wanted to creep under it. Ozzy’s words sounded suddenly uncustomary loud in his ears. “We waylay them you dunce! Here are enough hiding places where we just have to wait for them. All we have to do is finding the right hiding place and make sure that the two grasseaters won’t warn their friends.” “And if they warn them and we don’t get the others?” “Shut up!” thundered Ozzy, now really angry and jumped furiously up from the boulder, so fiercely that the boulder shifted a bit and jammed in one of Petrie’s wings. He could hardly suppress a cry of pain and tried desperately but vainly to pull his wing out under the stone. “We’ll catch them!” cried Ozzy. “And if we won’t…”, Ozzy lowered his voice to a threatening quiet and hollow tone, “…then I’m fed up with it. If we won’t have caught the others tomorrow in the evening, then I’ll eat the swimmer and we’ll throw the longneck down a cliff!” Strut looked a bit bewildered and unhappy. He couldn’t fail to notice that his brother had said I when he spoke of the eating of the swimmer. Strangely this didn’t seem to be the only thing that didn’t suit him, for anywhere deep inside the thought of Ducky being eaten was repugnant to him suddenly. Petrie’s blood had frozen in his veins by Ozzy’s words. He had heard enough and wanted to disappear as quickly as possible. But his one wing sat fast and he couldn’t move the boulder. But Petrie hardly tried a real attempt for he feared that the eggeaters would notice him. He had to wait until at least one of the eggeaters slept. Maybe he could risk it then. But suddenly another horrible thought struck Petrie. The others were on the way to this place and meanwhile so much time had passed that they could actually arrive here every instant. If they wouldn’t notice the eggeaters in time because they expected to be warned by him in time…
Petrie fetched deep breath, threw himself with all his weight to the side and pulled at his wing with might and main.
“Did you hear that?” asked Ozzy and Strut nodded. He had heard a quiet sound too, as if a stone would be dragged over another one. Ozzy believed moreover to have recognized a movement in the darkness behind the boulder on which he had just sat. With one leap he was there. But there was nothing. Only the snow seemed to be a bit rooted up, probably because of the snow he had wiped from the boulder before.
Petrie flew as fast as he could with a hurting wing back to the others.

Chapter LV

Already after a few flaps Petrie had reached the others. “Petrie!” called Cera to him. “Hist!” hissed Petrie and tried to land on Spike’s back. But he staggered a bit to and fro in the air and precipitated close aside Spike. Ali grabbed him, pulled him out of the snow and set him down on her back. “Petrie! What have you done with your wing?” she asked with a low voice. “Jammed” answered Petrie and cast first time a look at his wing that had fortunately suffered only a few scratches. “Have the eggeaters seen you? Are they nearby?” murmured Chomper. “They directly are behind the rock”, croaked Petrie quietly and pointed with his unhurt wing at the rock that towered up in a short distance. “What?!” Cera flared up in a sort of bawled whisper. “And you tell us that now? Had you waited just a bit longer we would have run right into them!” “Hist!” hissed Petrie for whose taste Cera’s voice had become to loud. He pointed in one direction, away from the rock behind which the eggeaters sat and flew off carefully. The others followed him quietly. Petrie’s wing still hurt pretty much and so he landed on Spike’s back and let himself carry. When he believed that they were far enough from the eggeaters not to be heard by them anymore he croaked: “Petrie is sorry for me not fly back earlier, but it was impossible. Petrie has heard the eggeaters talking. They nearly me have caught!” “They have seen you?” Cera said terrified. “Have they ill treated your wing like this?” asked Chomper. “And what have you heard?” asked Ali impatiently. Petrie couldn’t answer all questions at the same time and shook only his head. “They no see Petrie”, he calmed Cera and explained afterwards what had happened to his wing and how he had escaped only narrowly. “You couldn’t see Littlefoot and Ducky?” asked Ali. “No, Petrie has said that already.” “But what have you heard actually?” Petrie told them what he had heard, that Chomper had been right and about the plan of the eggeaters to waylay them tomorrow. Cera grinned pleased when Petrie informed them about the secret plans of the eggeaters. When Petrie told what the eggeater with the scratched nose had announced if he and his brother wouldn’t catch them tomorrow Spike howled up. Ali had become a bit paler and bit herself nervously on the lower lip. Chomper and Cera tried to stay calm, but they trembled too. “This means…”, said Chomper finally slowly. “…that we have to free them in any case tomorrow!” Cera completed the sentence. “But how?” wailed Ali despaired. “They watch Littlefoot and Ducky as if they would be their own eggs.” “If they wouldn’t eat them too”, Chomper interjected jejunely. “We have tried to free her once before and they have nearly caught all of us. And they have caught Littlefoot while we couldn’t free Ducky.” There was gloomy silence for a moment. “See it once from the different view”, said Cera finally. “We have nearly all escaped them although they had set a trap for us and Littlefoot and Ducky had nearly made it too.” Chomper couldn’t deny himself a slightly self-satisfied smiling for it had been not at least his owing that the eggeater’s trap hadn’t been successful. “Yeah, yeah, I know!” said Ali and composed herself a bit. “We have to make it tomorrow!” she said suddenly with a determination that should let no doubts possible. “But how?” asked Chomper slightly irritated and he drawled out the “how” provocative as if he wanted to explain a small child that didn’t understand at all what was about at all that the question was not if, but what they had to do. She had understood the provocation very well and had to force herself not to give a sharp answer. “I don’t know”, admitted Ali. “Then your nice speeches won’t help us either!” said Chomper with an angry tone. In her interior she boiled with rage, but still Ali tried to ignore Chomper. “Cera is right we have nearly all escaped them the last time and…”, Ali began, but Chomper interrupted her: “…and that was not your owing!” Now Ali couldn’t suppress her fury anymore. “So do you have an idea?” she hissed. And Chomper fell silent embarrassed. “You know as less as I do what we can do and acts as if you would be smarter than all of us.” Ali hoped to bring the others on her side by saying “All of us”. “No!” snarled Chomper who saw his position threatened. “But if I would have followed your words at the eggeater’s cave, then we all would be nothing but eggeaterfood by this time!” “Fie! Eating a sharptooth, that must disorder every stomach!” called Ali and cut a disgusted face. Cera, Spike, and Petrie listened to the both with increasing worry and exchanged alarmed looks. “Stop it!” croaked Petrie sternly, but neither Chomper nor Ali paid attention to him. “What a luck that Littlefoot and Cera were there in time otherwise my stomach would have been disordered by you the day before yesterday!” roared Chomper. “Oh yeah!” cried Ali back. “What a luck for you that Littlefoot has been there, otherwise you wouldn’t be with us anymore for long!” Chomper twitched and the others saw with great discomfort that he spread his claws. He seemed to be about to pounce upon Ali. “Hush! The eggeaters will hear us otherwise!” croaked Petrie warning and flew courageous between the two quarrelling. But with movements of their arms respectively their head Chomper and Ali drove him off like an undesirable insect. “Seems to please you that Littlefoot is away so he can’t take me under his protection before you anymore!” cried Chomper. The fury about Ali’s words drove tears into his eyes. Chomper’s words struck directly to Ali’s heart. She rose on her hind legs threatening for a moment and seemed to be about to pounce upon Chomper too. Petrie cast imploring looks at Cera and Spike. Since the eggeaters had caught Littlefoot they had never needed his help as urgently as now. It had been Littlefoot’s influence that had kept Ali and Chomper peaceable moreover he was also generally a good calmer what couldn’t be said of Cera and she knew that. And now the sharptooth and the longneckgirl seemed to be about to fall upon each other. Cera jumped into Ali’s way and Spike did the same in the same second with Chomper. Petrie flapped in spite of his hurting wing from one to the other and tried to help Spike and Cera as good as he could. “Stop it!” said Cera with such a commanding voice that she really hushed as well Chomper as Ali. “That is really not the right instant for such things!” she said sternly and sought feverishly for more words to calm the both. “Chomper it…”, she ceased for the hostile, cold look with which Chomper looked at her upset her completely. “Ali we…”, she began, but Ali’s look silenced her too. Cera felt ridiculous and there was nothing she hated more than to made a fool of herself: “We want to free Littlefoot and Ducky and if you want to assist us by that then you are probably a big help to us. But if you prefer to kill each other then do it please so far away that at least the eggeaters won’t hear you!” That were harsh words and Cera feared to be implicated into the quarrel herself because of them, but for her surprise Ali and Chomper both fell silent. They looked first at Cera then at each other. “If looks could kill…”, thought Cera. Some very tensed moments passed. “What shall we do Cera?” asked Chomper finally. His voice sounded very raucous and hoarse of the bawling, but he spoke with normal loudness, what sounded after, the row he and Ali had just made, like music in Cera’s ears, especially as she had nearly uttered a deep sigh of relief because of Chomper’s words. “we free Littlefoot and Ducky!” said Ali. Her voice was shaking and she gulped through it so it was hard to understand her. “We have at least some advantages”, said Cera now likewise calm again and her eyes travelled over the faces of the others, who starred at her like being enchanted. From one of Chomper’s eyes a tear ran down and dropped into the snow. He didn’t seem to notice it. Ali sobbed quietly. This and the close attention made Cera nervous and embarrassed but she made to speak on calmly. “The eggeaters don’t know that we’re here if they haven’t heard us.” Cera said the last words hasty not to cause Chomper’s or Ali’s anger. Both said nothing and listened on. “And they don’t know either that we know their plans. At all events they can’t simply waylay us anymore. They think moreover that we are behind them, but if we go on a short distance then we are in ahead of them and…”, suddenly an idea struck Cera. “I’ve got it!” caked she with hardly lowered voice and made an enthusiastically caper. “I think I know how we can free Littlefoot and Ducky tomorrow”, she said now a bit quieter. The banned attention on her even increased. “We know that they want to waylay us tomorrow”, she explained and fetched deep breath. “Yes. And?” asked Chomper impatiently. “they can’t keep Littlefoot and Ducky nearby by this for they would betray the ambush for sure”, Cera continued. “So one of the eggeaters will go on with them while the other will lurk for us.” “You don’t mean…”, Petrie began. “But of course!” interrupted Cera. “…that we’ll waylay those who goes ahead with Ducky and Littlefoot?” Ali finished Petrie’s question with some doubt in her voice. “Why not asked Cera a bit disappointed about the reserved reaction of the others. “That will be difficult”, said Chomper considering. “That’s true”, admitted Cera, “But if you have a better idea that is not difficult to commit, then please say it.” Chomper nodded and the others knew that they couldn’t gain anything without a certain risk. “This way it will be at all events easier than if we would have to encounter both of them. And moreover I think that we’ll have to deal with those with the unhurt nose and he can hardly set one foot in front of the other without the other one saying him to do so.” “And why do you think that we’ll have to deal with him?” inquired Ali. “Because those with the scratched nose is the leader and because he certainly doesn’t want to slip the occasion to catch us himself, and moreover…”, Cera cast a careful side look at Chomper. “Yet I don’t know how eggeaters think, but I could imagine, that he wants to revenge for his nose on you Chomper.” Chomper nodded slightly and tried to conceal the uneasy feeling he had. “That may be”, he said earnest. “But we not do know where he will wait for us”, croaked Petrie. This time it was Chomper who answered:
“The eggeaters are surely impatiently and they think that we still follow their tracks. I think that those with the scratched nose won’t wait, but will take the first place he finds for an ambush. Maybe he’ll even lurk behind the rock where they rest now tomorrow.” “Do you think so?” asked Cera who hoped very much that Chomper was right. Chomper nodded:
“I guess so.” “Well, let’s hope so”, said Ali, “For then we can also choose the first place to waylay the eggeater with Littlefoot and Ducky.” “That’s right”, agreed Cera. “And we should hurry to find that place for I’m tired to drop.” Cera looked over to Petrie who had leaned against one of the horn plates on Spike’s back and began to doze away. Initially Cera had wanted to ask him if he could fly ahead again to look out for a fitting place, but then she saw Petrie’s wing. If she would ask Petrie for that he would fly everywhere, all the same how strenuous it would be for him and he wouldn’t loose a word about his wing. But Cera had seen Petrie’s unsure and tottering flight before. She knew that it hurt him to have to flu with this wing and moreover she could see how tired he was so she didn’t say anything. “Come!” she said drowning out a loud yawning of Spike and set in motion into the direction where the bright circle stood the highest during the day, but at the moment there was only the big silver full moon. Spike on whose back Petrie had finally fallen asleep troubled to keep up with Cera.

[Timehopper]

I can't wait to read more!

[Kor]

An interesting read.  Though some word choices were unusual, and it is easier to read if the dialog is given it's own sentence, likely minor things.  The characters seem well portrayed and portrayed well.  I also especially like the fact that it seems to be pure lbt and not crossed over with other stuff or magic added in.  Also it seems to have the feel of the first movie and early sequels.

[Malte279]

Thank you for your reactions! I appreciate them a lot
Sadly my English was much poorer by the time I translated the story. To this day my English is not that of a native speaker, but if I translated the story today, I'm quite sure I would not make such a "peculiar" choice of words anymore
I often thought about editing the whole translation but I never mustered the enthusiasm to pick up the "concluded" project again while there are so many projects in planing which ought to be begun  
Here are the next chapters:

[Malte279]

Chapter LVI

Cera noticed that Ali and Chomper kept the widest possible distance from each other during the walk. At the moment Ali went close aside Cera. “It is not true!” said Ali suddenly with a shaking voice. She spoke so quietly that only Cera could hear it at all. “What?” Cera asked bewildered, “What’s not true?” “What the sharptooth said. I would be pleased that Littlefoot by the eggeaters…” Ali snivelled quietly. “But nobody here has thought that yet”, Cera hurried to assure. “Really?” asked Ali sobbing quietly. “No, of course not Ali”, repeated Cera. Her words seemed to comfort Ali. For a while they went on without any of them saying anything until something came back to Cera’s mind she had already almost forgotten. “Say Ali…”, she began slowly, “Your and Littlefoot’s sudden hurry when we’ve left the valley; had it to do with the eggeaters? Had you already seen them and was it that what you’ve kept secret from us?” Ali needed some seconds to remember what Cera meant at all. Since then so much had happened that she had almost forgotten the sharptooth Littlefoot and she had seen, she would have taken it simply for impossible to forget something like that at different circumstances. Ali moaned quietly by the thought that now there was maybe also a hungry grownup sharptooth on their tracks. As if the little sharptooth wouldn’t be terrible enough. But Ali took it for so unlikely that the big sharptooth was really after them that she didn’t take it for necessary to burden Cera, who had already plenty enough problems for her opinion, with that too. “No Cera, it had really nothing to do with the eggeaters”, said Ali. “It… it was not important. It had no meaning at all.” “Aha”, said Cera with a so incredulous tone that Ali became a really bad conscience. But Cera didn’t want to urge Ali further. She looked out for a fitting place for the ambush tomorrow. They went currently high up along a very steep slope. To their right rose steep snow covered rocky walls; too steep to be climbed up. To their left was the slope through whose upper part a narrow plain stripe of ground led like a comfortable way along the otherwise pretty steep slope. Probably the eggeater would come on the stripe tomorrow, for there would be no reason for him to go on the uncomfortable inclined slope. Therefore Cera avoided this way, for if the eggeater would find their tracks tomorrow he would be warned. Along distance behind them Cera could recognize the dark outline of the rock where according to Petrie the eggeaters rested. The dark shadows of this and the other rocks that lay separately scattered stood out gloomy against the bright, in the moonlight glittering blanket of snow. A respectable distance ahead was a long rocky wall that cut their way. Despite the darkness Cera could recognize the gloomy entrances of several gorges. But Cera couldn’t recognize much of this threatening appearing terrain. “Is it true?” one voice asked Cera suddenly. Cera startled from her thoughts. It was Chomper who had spoken and Cera looked at him surprised. Ali was meanwhile at the end of their file. “What?” asked Cera bewildered. “If it is true. I mean what Ali has said.” Anyhow this seemed to be strangely familiar to Cera. “What do you mean Chomper?” “That I wouldn’t be here with you for long if Littlefoot wouldn’t be there.” For an instant Cera considered Chomper’s question seriously, but then she shook her head determinedly. Sharptooth or not, Chomper was their friend, not only Littlefoot’s. The hard this might be to understand for Ali who, Cera had to understand that too of course, had all reason to mistrust Chomper. “No Chomper”, said Cera determined. “You would also be with us if Littlefoot would have been in the Great Valley for the whole time.” “Really?” Chomper asked and tried to suppress a sobbing.
“Yeah!” said Cera again with a certainty that left no room for doubts. Chomper cast a thankful look at her. Suddenly somebody nudged Cera. She looked back surprised. It was Spike on whose back Petrie slept sound and profound. Spike prattled something in his very own language and pointed with his head down the slope. Cera followed the movement of his head with her look and discovered what Spike had seen too. Directly above the plain stripe of ground, on which the eggeater would probably come the next morning rose a low rocky wall that merged with the slope farther up and thus could be reached by them without any problem. From there they would have an ideal survey without being seen themselves and if the eggeater would really come on the plain stripe of ground, then they would only have to throw down some well aimed stones and the rest would probably be a trifle. “Spiky that is splendid!” called Cera enthusiastically and turned round to Chomper and Ali. “There we’ll wait!” shouted Cera. “And there, I’m sure about that, we’ll free Littlefoot and Ducky!” They ran for the place and when they had arrived Cera liked it even more. Some boulders offered good cover and also some smaller rocks lay around like being created to bomb an eggeater with them. “I think we can finally rest now”, said Cera. “Who keeps watching first?” “Petrie.” Surprised Cera looked at Spike’s back. It had been Petrie himself who had spoken. Cera was a bit embarrassed for she could fancy that it had been her shouts that had woken Petrie. “Petrie, are you really sure? You had a hard day and tomorrow…” “Petrie has slept long enough. Now it’s your turn!” croaked the flyer truehearted and flapped over to one of the bigger boulders. “Well Petrie”, said Cera. “But wake us immediately if anything is up.” Spike had found some blades of grass below the snow, which he chewed, enjoy fully and afterwards he fell asleep. Chomper nestled close to him for it was very cold. Cera joined them and even Ali forgot her aversion against Chomper although she moved as far away from him as she could. Cera couldn’t fell asleep for long. So much could go awry tomorrow. Cera’s optimism from before vanished quickly. What if the eggeaters wanted to waylay them anywhere else and if both of them would come. Or if only one would come, but not on the way that would lead him so directly in the trap. And if they wouldn’t make to free Littlefoot and Ducky? She shuddered by the thought of what Petrie had eavesdropped. But finally she expelled all this thoughts for at the moment she really couldn’t do anything at all. She looked up to the full moon that shone marvellous on the starry sky and she wondered how Ducky and Littlefoot might be at the moment.

Chapter LVII

Ducky and Littlefoot couldn’t really sleep either. Again and again they were startled by nightmares. The loud snorting of the eggeater with the scratched nose made it even harder to fall asleep. Ozzy slept in the cleft too and he blocked the only way out. It was impossible to come out without waking the eggeater. Meanwhile Ducky was close to despair and even Littlefoot’s confidence was not as unshakable anymore as he pretended. But he made a brave effort at this pretence so as not to increase Ducky’s fears. His head still hurt from Ozzy’s stone throw, although the pain had grown less intense in the meantime. “How shall we ever escape?” asked Ducky discouraged. Littlefoot cast a regretting look at the liana whose noose still lay around his neck, although nobody held the other end at the moment. “Alone we don’t make it”, admitted Littlefoot. “But we have seen Petrie. I know the others are nearby too.” “When we’ve seen him the last time we had just set off. Maybe they’ve lost our tracks!” “No, the tracks are far to distinctly to miss them.” Ducky shivered and she nestled closer to Littlefoot’s shoulder. “What do you think are the eggeaters going to do with us?” “I don’t know”, said Littlefoot after short hesitating. It was a plain lie. A short while ago Littlefoot had only dozed while Ducky, maybe the only time in this night had slept really until a nightmare had woken her again. Littlefoot had snapped up some words when the eggeaters had talked. He had understood nearly nothing, but what he had understood was enough for him. Tomorrow evening they would be free… or dead. The patience of the eggeater with the scratched nose was over. At least Littlefoot knew that they would have to flee tomorrow. They had no other choice. Littlefoot hoped that the others would try to undertake anything for their deliverance too, for alone Ducky and he wouldn’t have the slightest trace of a chance if they would be watched carefully by the eggeaters. Actually Littlefoot didn’t doubt that the others would undertake anything, but Ducky’s words had roused doubts in him yet. Maybe something had happened with the others and they didn’t even know it. Littlefoot hadn’t told Ducky anything of what he had heard for he could hardly stay calm himself because of the heard. Littlefoot and Ducky looked up to the full moon that shone directly into the cleft and there suddenly Littlefoot noticed a star that twinkled brighter than all the others. Far brighter. Ducky didn’t seem to notice the star. Maybe she was too occupied with her thoughts. “But maybe…”, thought Littlefoot, “This star appears different for me than for her.” And suddenly it was as if he could hear a voice. Not with his ears, but with his heart. “Don’t be afraid Littlefoot. I’m always with you. Wherever you are. But be careful! And now you should better sleep. Tomorrow will probably be a very hard day.” Littlefoot didn’t hear anything more and he didn’t need to hear anything more. Suddenly he felt far more safety and he smiled up to the bright twinkling star. Ducky who hadn’t heard anything asked dejectedly: “Do you think that we’ll ever see the others again; Littlefoot?” Littlefoot’s “Yes!” sounded so firmly and confidently that also Ducky’s angst diminished a bit. “You should better sleep now”, said Littlefoot. “Tomorrow will certainly a very hard day.” “Why?” asked Ducky surprised by Littlefoot’s sudden confidence. “Somebody I know very well has told me that.” Ducky looked at Littlefoot with wide opened eyes. How could anybody have told Littlefoot that? But she knew that he spoke the truth and didn’t ask anything more. “Have a good night Ducky”, said Littlefoot. “You too”, said Ducky and fell asleep. Littlefoot’s words had calmed her very much although she hadn’t understood everything. Littlefoot smiled once more up to the star. “Good night mother he said and then he fell asleep too.

[Timehopper]

I don't really see that many errors in your translation. There are, however, some spelling/grammatical errors that I want to point out):

Chapter LVI:

In the second sentence, "shacking" should be "shaking."

There is also a verb agreement error in the fourth sentence of Chapter LVI -- I feel that it should be "What the Sharptooth had said," since Ali is talking about what Chomper said in the past.

"“Yeah!” said Cera again with a certainty that let no doubts possible anymore." -- Were you trying to say that she said it with a certainty that assured the others of no possible doubts? (sorry, I got confused after reading this line).

Chapter LVII:

"Ducky who hadn’t heard anything asked dejected..." -- dejected should be dejectedly, since it would be an adverb in this case.

"...although the pain had diminished in the meantime." -- it should be have diminished.

"...and there suddenly Littlefoot noted a star..." -- "noted" should be "noticed."

"...and also Littlefoot began to loose his courage..." -- "loose" should be "lose." You could replace it with "let go of."

Sorry if it seems like I'm picking on you. I just want to help. Overall, you're doing great with the story!

[Kor]

Another fun read.  I guess this isn't something that you are writing currently but something you wrote some time ago?  Your English is very good currently.  I'm sure many here look forward to your future projects that you choose to show here.