Chapter: 6
Copyright: © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me
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Littlefoot couldn’t sleep, despite his grandparents and father telling him to. He glanced beside him, noticing that Shorty was still awake too. Beside them the grown-ups had managed to fall asleep, their chests rising evenly as they slept.
“Can’t sleep either?” He whispered.
Shorty nodded in agreement. “This is just so messed up.”
Both froze as Grandma Longneck shifted in her sleep, but she did not wake.
“Wait, you hear that?” Shorty looked to the forest between their resting-place and that of the Threehorns. “What is that?”
Littlefoot strained his ears. “Sounds as if something big is walking through the forest.”
“At this time of night?” Shorty wondered. “Who would be walking around this late?”
“Let’s check.” Littlefoot rose, sneaking between the heads of his grandparents. Shorty followed him, both breaking into a run as soon as they were certain that they wouldn’t be heard by the grown-ups.
They ran only a short bit though, slowing down as the sound of footsteps became louder. They crept closer, peeking around a tree.
“Oh Sharptooth-teeth…” Shorty breathed, his eyes widening.
They watched as Chomper’s family walked back to the exit located up the rise. This was not why Shorty wished he knew more curse-words. That honor went to what Tyra and White Star were carrying; Tria and she was not moving.
Too late they realized that Rec, Chomper’s father, was nowhere to be seen. They found where he was when a heavy foot thumped down behind them.
Littlefoot and Shorty turned slowly, eyes widening as they looked up at the massive Sharptooth. He towered over them, teeth gleaming in what light of the Night Circle pierced the foliage of the trees.
“Don’t even think about it, Rec.” He wheeled around at the voice, coming face to face with a fully grown Longneck.
“What were you thinking?” Grandma demanded as she pushed past the Sharptooth to her grandsons. “Why did you leave this night of all nights?”
“We… we just heard something.” Littlefoot answered, looking over his shoulder. Tyra and White Star had dropped the pink Threehorn, watching the going-ons just beside the path out of the Valley.
“Then you should have woken a grown-up.” Grandma admonished him. “Not gone off to investigate alone.”
She looked at Rec, narrowing her eyes as he snarled something. A shiver ran down Littlefoot’s spine as she answered in kind.
“I warned you, Longneck, I told you that he’d die if he interfered.” Rec gestured to the two young Longnecks. “Now get out of my way.”
“He did not interfere.” Grandma stated. “You won’t get to him. Let us leave.”
“No. He needs to learn to stay out of things he has no business in.” Rec countered, making a step forward. He had to jump back again when her tail swung forward in warning.
“You won’t touch them.” She snarled, her tail tensing in preparation for another swing.
“You think you can stop me?” He chuckled. “You are old, Longneck and not the fighter of the family. I am however, meaning you will only die alongside those hatchlings.”
“You have gone mad with your rage and grief.” The Longneck accused him. “Kill me if you must, but you will not have the little ones.”
“Awww… that is adorable.” Rec snapped at her, chuckling again as he did so. “Like daughter, like mother, right?”
“Excuse me?” She demanded, her eyes narrowing.
“Look at yourself, Longneck: you’re defending your descendant and someone else against a powerful Sharptooth you have no chance against. You’ll die, just like your precious daughter did all those Cold Times ago. Shall we see if her mother dies just as easily? At least, two wounds is far less than one would expect to be necessary to bring down a grown Longneck. Perhaps she wanted to die?” Rec said, grinning as he did so.
“What?” Her frame started to tremble with rage, her eyes widening in horror. “Rec, stop whatever you think you’re doing…”
“Or what? You’ll die on me?” Rec countered, ignoring her rage and horror. “Your daughter was pathetic, admit it. And her mother is just as pathetic…”
“Stop it.” She snarled.
“Look at your family: the males let the females die for their offspring. I wonder if your mate will be as upset about your death as Bron was about your daughter’s? Let’s see if there will be an Earthshake to finish the picture, hmmm? No doubt you will die as quickly as she did regardless.”
“Enough!” She roared, her massive tail gracing the top of his head as he ducked barely in time.
“Look at the facts, Longneck. I will kill you as Sharptooth did your daughter, but unlike him, I WILL succeed at killing Littlefoot and his friends.” Rec roared right back. “Perhaps I even have time to snack on you. Let’s see if you taste like her too.”
She froze, the trembling in her body increasing in intensity. Then she saw only red, charging the Sharptooth.
Littlefoot and Shorty could only press as close to the tree as they could, watching as other trees were uprooted in front of them. Littlefoot shivered as he watched Chomper’s father being flung back by a slap of his grandmother’s tail. His mind flashed back to that faithful day so many Cold Times ago when his mother had been in the same situation, except that she had not been charging the Sharptooth, only trying to get away.
He was certain he could feel the earth under his feet shake. He screamed when Chomper’s sister jumped over them, charging at the old Longneck. She bit down on the hind-leg closest to her, making the old female scream in pain. Chomper’s father shot forward, biting down at the juncture of her neck and back, driving his teeth deep into her flesh.
Behind them Tyra carried Tria out the rest of the way.
